Building a Pan-European Web3 Community & Founder Platform

Executive Summary

I co-built and scaled a pan-European community and startup platform focused on founders, builders, and developers in the blockchain ecosystem.

The objective was twofold:

1. Create a trusted, grassroots community that enables education, collaboration, and real connections across Europe.
2. Help technology companies and partners build authentic, long-term relationships with founders and developers—across multiple cities—without relying on traditional, high-cost marketing.

Over time, the platform grew into a distributed network spanning 8 European cities, producing 100+ events, supporting 50–60 early-stage founders, and engaging thousands of participants, while remaining highly cost-effective through partnerships and volunteer-led operations.

The Context

The blockchain ecosystem in Europe was growing rapidly, but it faced structural challenges:

• Fragmented local communities with limited cross-border collaboration
• High noise and low trust in the market
• Founders struggling to move from idea to execution and funding
• Technology companies seeking meaningful, credible access to builders and developers

There was a clear opportunity to build community as infrastructure—not just events, but a repeatable platform for learning, connection, and venture creation.

The Goal

Design and scale a platform that:

• Connects local communities into a coherent European network
• Builds trust and credibility in a high-skepticism industry
• Supports founders from idea → prototype → demo → funding
• Creates real value for partners and sponsors, not just visibility
• Operates sustainably through partnerships and volunteer leadership

The Model: Community + Programs + Partnerships

1. Community-Led Events at Scale

We built a recurring event model focused on:

• education, networking, and collaboration
• consistent quality and safe, inclusive environments
• quarterly flagship events bringing together hundreds of participants

These events ran across 8 cities including Lisbon, Berlin, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Madrid, Barcelona, and Paris.

2. Founder & Startup Programs

Beyond events, we designed and ran startup programs in collaboration with technology partners:

• structured programs inspired by proven accelerator principles
• hands-on support for founders to validate ideas and build products
• multiple demo days connecting startups with investors (online and offline)

Across programs, we supported ~50–60 founders in bringing ideas to life and preparing for funding.

3. Partner & Sponsor Value Creation

For technology partners and sponsors, the platform offered:

• cost-effective, multi-city presence across Europe
• direct engagement with founders, developers, and builders
• long-term brand trust through education and contribution—not ads

This made community a strategic channel, not a marketing expense.

4. Grassroots Operating Model

A core strength was the operating model:

• built and led a volunteer-based core team
• empowered local leaders while maintaining shared standards
• aligned incentives around learning, contribution, and ownership

This enabled scale without heavy central overhead.

My Role

I was responsible for:

• Designing the overall platform and program structure
• Leading marketing and growth across channels (Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Telegram, Meetup, Eventbrite)
• Building partnerships and securing sponsorships for events and programs
• Shaping the narrative of a pan-European movement
• Supporting community leaders and volunteers across cities

My focus was always on systems, repeatability, and trust—not one-off success.

Results

• 100+ events delivered with partners and sponsors
• 8 cities actively participating across Europe
• Thousands of attendees engaged over time
• 50–60 founders supported through structured programs
• Multiple demo days connecting startups with investors
• Strong partner retention and recurring collaboration

All achieved through a highly cost-effective, partnership-driven model.

What This Demonstrates

This work reflects my approach to building communities and platforms that scale through trust, structure, and shared ownership.