[#ETH Global #SF buildweek] Next Crypto Wave: DeFi, PayFi, AI & Investor Official Mixer
- Date
- 2024-10-17
- Location
- San Francisco, CA, USA
- Host
- IXO Protocol
About this event
The next wave of crypto is being built at the intersection of DeFi, PayFi, AI, and autonomy—and this mixer is designed for the people shaping it. If you want sharper conversations than a typical networking event, and a room full of founders, builders, operators, and investors who are actively pushing the space forward, this is where you want to be on Thursday afternoon in San Francisco. Part of #ETH Global #SF buildweek, this gathering brings together the communities driving some of the most active conversations in crypto right now: programmable finance, real-world payment rails, AI-powered products, and the infrastructure that makes autonomous systems usable and trustworthy. Expect a focused, in-person environment where ideas move quickly, intros matter, and the right conversation can turn into a product insight, a partnership, or your next investment lead. About the Event This is an official mixer built to connect people working across the most important edges of the current crypto market. Rather than centering on a single niche, the event is intentionally cross-functional: it creates space for DeFi builders to meet PayFi operators, for AI teams to connect with crypto-native infrastructure thinkers, and for investors to get a better read on where serious momentum is forming. The format is simple and effective: an in-person gathering designed around high-signal conversation. You should expect a social setting with a professional edge—less stage-heavy conference energy, more real discussion with people who are building, funding, testing, and refining ideas in real time. Because the audience is likely to span multiple sectors, the value of the event comes from the overlap. A DeFi founder may find a new distribution path through payments. An AI team may discover where verifiable onchain incentives actually improve a product. An investor may get a clearer sense of which themes are maturing beyond narrative and into practical execution. What to Expect Expect an afternoon mixer environment where networking is the core activity, with conversations likely centered on current market opportunities, product direction, and emerging business models across crypto and AI. This is the kind of event where you should come ready to explain what you are building, what you are looking for, and what kinds of collaborators or capital can accelerate your next step. Common themes you can expect to come up in conversation include: DeFi: new financial primitives, onchain liquidity design, user experience, and sustainable product models PayFi: crypto payments, settlement infrastructure, merchant and consumer use cases, and bridges between onchain finance and real-world transactions AI + Crypto: agent-based systems, data integrity, onchain coordination, incentive design, and how autonomy changes product architecture Investor perspective: what looks credible, what feels overhyped, what categories are attracting serious attention, and what execution signals stand out Autonomy: tools and protocols that let systems act, coordinate, and transact with less manual intervention You can also expect a broad mix of interaction styles. Some attendees will be there to meet potential investors. Others will be looking for co-builders, pilot users, distribution partners, researchers, or simply sharper feedback from peers who understand the space. That variety is part of the draw: you are not walking into a room with only one kind of agenda. To get the most out of it, come prepared with a concise introduction, a clear view of what you are working on, and specific asks. The strongest mixers are not just about collecting contacts; they are about identifying real fit quickly and starting the right next conversation. Why Attend If you are building in crypto right now, context matters almost as much as code. This mixer offers a fast way to calibrate your thinking against what other serious people in the ecosystem are seeing—where traction is real, where friction still exists, and where adjacent categories are beginning to converge. There is particular value here in the combination of themes. DeFi does not evolve in isolation from payments. AI products do not scale cleanly without infrastructure, trust, incentives, and distribution. Investors are not just evaluating sectors—they are evaluating how these pieces work together. That makes this event useful whether you are early in your idea, already shipping, or actively raising. You should attend if you want to: Pressure-test your thesis with people who understand the market Meet collaborators across product, infrastructure, and go-to-market Get closer to founders and operators working on adjacent layers of the stack Learn how investors are thinking about current crypto and AI opportunities Increase your odds of leaving buildweek with relationships that continue after the event In-person events are most valuable when the room is targeted and the timing is right. During buildweek, attention is concentrated, calendars are active, and people are unusually open to making fast, meaningful introductions. That makes a well-positioned mixer like this especially useful. Practical Details This event takes place in person in San Francisco, USA on Thursday, October 17 at 3:00 PM PDT. As part of buildweek programming, it is well suited for attendees who are already in the city for meetings, hackathon activity, founder events, or investor conversations and want to add one focused stop to their schedule. Because the event is a mixer, plan for a format that rewards presence and participation. Arrive ready to talk, listen, and move between conversations. If you are actively building, fundraising, hiring, or exploring partnerships, this is the kind of setting where a thoughtful introduction goes a long way. A few simple ways to show up well: Be ready with a short explanation of what you do and why it matters Know what you are looking for, whether that is capital, product feedback, talent, or partnerships Leave room in your afternoon for conversations that may continue beyond a quick hello Bring the mindset of contributing, not just pitching If you care about where crypto is heading next—and you want to discuss it with people working directly on DeFi, PayFi, AI, and autonomy—this mixer is a smart place to spend your Thursday afternoon.
Who should attend
This is for you if you want more than surface-level networking and you are actively thinking about what the next practical wave of crypto will look like. - You are a **founder or builder** working in DeFi, payments, AI, wallets, infrastructure, or onchain coordination and want to meet people who can accelerate product, distribution, or partnerships. - You are an **investor, scout, or ecosystem operator** looking to understand where credible momentum is forming across DeFi, PayFi, AI, and autonomous systems. - You are part of an **early-stage team** and want sharp feedback on your thesis, user pain points, go-to-market assumptions, or market timing. - You are exploring how **AI and crypto intersect** and want to talk with others thinking seriously about agents, incentives, trust, and real product utility. - You work on the **payments or financial infrastructure** side and want to connect with crypto-native teams building tools that can plug into real transaction flows. - You are in San Francisco for **#ETH Global #SF buildweek** and want one concentrated room where founders, operators, and investors are likely to have useful, current, high-signal conversations.