Communities for web3 and crypto founders: 11 compared (2026)
Communities for web3 and crypto founders compared: 11 hackathon networks, builder communities and city hubs in the US, Europe, Dubai, India, Lagos and Buenos Aires.
Key takeaways
- Hackathons are the main way in: ETHGlobal says it has run 95+ hackathons and summits, and Colosseum runs two main Solana hackathons a year plus a perpetual one called Eternal (checked 28 Oct 2026).
- Several local communities are free or cheap: Web3 Devs Underground's Tel Aviv meetups are free, and La Crypta's Tuesday coworking in Buenos Aires starts from 2.100 sats.
- Crypto Valley Association in Zug has a Startup tier at CHF 500 a year for blockchain and crypto startups with fewer than 20 employees.
- Superteam runs Solana communities by country, including the UAE and India, with grants, events and founder support.
- Electric Capital's 2024 Developer Report found total crypto developers fell 7% in 2024, while developers with 2+ years of tenure grew 27%.
The right community for a web3 or crypto founder gets you building next to other founders on the same chain, in front of the grant programmes and investors that fund it, and out of the speculation that fills most crypto channels. Below are 11 communities, from global hackathon networks to city hubs, each checked on its own pages on 28 October 2026. None of them needs you to buy a token to join, and nothing here is investment advice.
A note before you read on: this guide is published by Remote Builders, our own free community for founders who build companies remotely, which you can join online from anywhere. It isn't in the table, because it isn't a web3 community. We've left out any number we couldn't find on a community's own page.
How to choose a web3 founder community
Hackathon networks
- ETHGlobal runs hackathons, conferences and city meetups for Ethereum developers and entrepreneurs, and says it has onboarded 150k+ members. Its next hackathon is in Mumbai, from 5 to 7 November. ETHGlobal Plus is $69 a month charged annually (currency not named), with guaranteed entry to community meetups.
- Colosseum runs two main online Solana hackathons a year, a perpetual hackathon between them, a Discord and cofounder matching. Selected winners join its accelerator in San Francisco.
- team1 is Avalanche's global network, with 600+ members in 60+ countries and meetups, workshops and hackathons. Applications are closed, with a waitlist open.
Country and ecosystem communities
Superteam runs Solana communities by country: Superteam UAE in Dubai offers events, a coworking space and grants, and Superteam India runs meetups in Mumbai and Pune with no token and no cut of members' earnings. Crypto Valley Association in Zug is a non-profit with working groups on regulation, security, technology and tax.
City meetups and hubs
NYC Blockchain Network meets every third Thursday in New York, with speakers and startup demos. Web3 Devs Underground holds free technical meetups at Startup Nation Central in Tel Aviv. Web3Bridge runs a 24/7 Ethereum community hub in Lagos for registered members. La Crypta is a Bitcoin community house in Buenos Aires with coworking every Tuesday. CryptoChicks is an international non-profit for women and youth learning blockchain, with a Hatchery for founders.
Communities for web3 founders compared
These are 11 communities we checked on 28 October 2026. Every row had an event, post, intake or live join page dated May 2026 or later. "Says" means the figure is the community's own claim.
| Community | Who it's for | Format | Price (checked 28 Oct 2026) | Entry rule | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ETHGlobal | Ethereum developers and entrepreneurs | Hackathons, conferences and city meetups worldwide, plus online hackathons | Event entry fee not published; ETHGlobal Plus $69/month charged annually (currency not named) | Apply to attend each event | ethglobal.com |
| Colosseum | Crypto founders building on Solana | Online hackathons twice a year, a perpetual hackathon and a Discord; accelerator in San Francisco | Not published | Join the online hackathon; accelerator places go to selected winners | colosseum.com |
| team1 (Avalanche) | Builders and developers growing the Avalanche ecosystem | Global network with meetups, workshops and hackathons in many countries | Not published | Applications closed; waitlist open | team1.network |
| CryptoChicks | Women and youth learning blockchain, including startup founders | International non-profit with chapters in many countries, online courses, hackathons and an incubation programme | Not published | Apply for membership | cryptochicks.ca |
| NYC Blockchain Network | Blockchain builders, founders, investors and developers in New York | Monthly in-person meetup in New York City, every third Thursday | Not published | RSVP on Meetup (highly recommended) | meetup.com |
| Crypto Valley Association | Blockchain and crypto startups, professionals and companies | Non-profit association in Zug, Switzerland, with a members portal, working groups and events | Individual CHF 100 / year; Startup CHF 500 / year | Paid annual membership by tier | cryptovalley.swiss |
| Web3 Devs Underground | Web3 developers and builders in Israel | Technical meetups in Tel Aviv, Israel, also streamed online | Free | Register on Luma | luma.com |
| Superteam UAE | Solana founders, builders and investors in the UAE | Solana community in Dubai with events, coworking and founder support | Not published | Attend events; apply for the coworking space | uae.superteam.fun |
| Superteam India | Founders, developers and grantees working on Solana projects in India | Solana community in India with city meetups, online community calls and bounties | Not published | No set pathway; membership through contribution | in.superteam.fun |
| Web3Bridge Lagos Ethereum Community Hub | Ethereum builders and people starting a Web3 company in Africa | Physical hub in Lagos, Nigeria, with workspace, meetups and hackathons | Not published | Register to visit; 24/7 access for registered members | web3bridge.com/hub |
| La Crypta | Devs, designers and founders working in Bitcoin | Bitcoin community house in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with weekly coworking, events and hackathons | Tuesday coworking from 2.100 sats; Discord and Telegram fee not published | Open Discord and Telegram; ticketed coworking and events | eventos.lacrypta.ar |
Notes on the table
- Upcoming events. NYC Blockchain Network meets on 19 November, and Web3 Devs Underground holds a year-end meetup on 30 December 2026. Crypto Valley Conference is listed for June 2027.
- CryptoChicks had no upcoming events listed when we checked. Its newest dated post, on 14 May 2026, covered a Toronto hackathon.
- team1 had applications closed and a waitlist open, though its events were listed as upcoming.
Communities we checked and left out
We left out communities whose membership needs a token or NFT, groups with nothing dated May 2026 or later, accelerators open only to their cohorts, and groups for traders or investors rather than builders. If you run an active web3 founder community, tell us and we'll check it.
Crypto developers in numbers
Electric Capital's 2024 Developer Report found total crypto developers fell 7% in 2024, while developers with 2+ years of tenure grew 27% year on year, and 1 in 3 crypto developers work on more than one chain. Fewer, more experienced builders means the room you're in matters more.
How to get value in your first month
- Do one hackathon. It's the fastest way to meet builders and find a co-founder.
- Pick your ecosystem's community. Superteam for Solana, ETHGlobal for Ethereum, team1 for Avalanche.
- Go to a local meetup. New York, Tel Aviv, Lagos and Buenos Aires each have one here.
- Bring one specific ask. "I need an auditor who has reviewed lending protocols" gets you somewhere.
- Add a broader founder group. Our guide for fintech founders covers payments and regulation.
Common mistakes
- Joining for token speculation. Builder communities are for building. Leave the price talk elsewhere.
- Spreading across every chain. Pick one ecosystem and go deep first.
- Skipping the regulation side. Associations like Crypto Valley run working groups on it for a reason.
- Waiting for the perfect group. If nothing fits your city, start one. Our guide to starting a founder meetup covers the first three events.
Questions people ask
- Are there free communities for web3 founders?
- Yes. Web3 Devs Underground's meetups in Tel Aviv are free and open to everyone, La Crypta's Discord and Telegram are open, and NYC Blockchain Network meets monthly in New York. Remote Builders, our own community, is free to join online too.
- How do I find a co-founder for a crypto startup?
- Colosseum offers cofounder matching for people starting a crypto startup alongside its online Solana hackathons, and ETHGlobal's hackathons and city meetups bring Ethereum developers and entrepreneurs together.
- Is there a crypto founder community in Dubai?
- Superteam UAE is a Solana community in Dubai for founders, builders and investors, with events, an application-based coworking space, grants of up to $10K for early-stage projects (currency not named) and help setting up an entity.
- Is there a blockchain startup association in Switzerland?
- Crypto Valley Association in Zug is a non-profit with a members portal of 900+ members and private working groups. Its Startup tier is CHF 500 a year for startups with fewer than 20 employees, and individual membership is CHF 100 a year.
- How many crypto developers are there?
- Electric Capital's 2024 Developer Report found total crypto developers fell 7% in 2024, while developers with 2+ years of tenure grew 27% year on year, and 1 in 3 crypto developers work on more than one chain.
Sources
- ETHGlobal, ETHGlobal. Checked 28 October 2026.
- Colosseum hackathon, Colosseum. Checked 28 October 2026.
- team1 - Global Avalanche Community Network, team1. Checked 28 October 2026.
- CryptoChicks, CryptoChicks. Checked 28 October 2026.
- NYC Blockchain Network, Meetup. Checked 28 October 2026.
- Join Us - Crypto Valley Association, Crypto Valley Association. Checked 28 October 2026.
- Web3 Devs Underground 2026 Year-End Meetup, Web3 Devs Underground (Luma). Checked 28 October 2026.
- Superteam UAE, Superteam UAE. Checked 28 October 2026.
- Superteam India, Superteam India. Checked 28 October 2026.
- Lagos Ethereum Community Hub, Web3Bridge. Checked 28 October 2026.
- La Crypta · Events and community, La Crypta. Checked 28 October 2026.
- 2024 Crypto Developer Report, Electric Capital. Checked 28 October 2026.
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Meet other remote builders
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- Find a city chapter
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