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Proof of Talk 2026: Bittensor Track Speakers & Agenda

Published May 21, 2026

Proof of Talk 2026 brings the Bittensor ecosystem to the Louvre Palace in Paris on June 2 and 3. This year, the dedicated Bittensor Track sits at the center of the agenda. Moreover, the summit returns for its fourth edition with serious firepower. More than 120 speakers join the lineup, and according to organiser materials, the roster sits overwhelmingly at CEO and founder level. Additionally, the event represents a claimed 18T in assets under management. Attendance again caps at 2,500. The summit also sold out in both 2024 and 2025, so the room in 2026 again belongs to principals who actually move capital and ship product.

What makes Proof of Talk 2026 different

The crowd makes the difference. Indeed, Proof of Talk caps attendance, applies a strict no-pay-to-speak rule, and curates the speaker list for actual decision-makers. As a result, the organiser cites roughly 85% decision-makers in the room. On top of that, the organiser cites 200+ investors and asset managers in attendance.

Press coverage matches the caliber. Specifically, the organiser claims 200+ journalists on-site and over 600 media stories from past editions. The venue also signals seriousness. Holding these conversations inside the Musée des Arts Décoratifs at the Louvre Palace shows how seriously institutional Europe now treats decentralized AI as a topic.

A dedicated Bittensor Track at Proof of Talk 2026

For the second year running, Proof of Talk hosts a dedicated Bittensor Track. Sessions run across both days of the conference, with Taostats prominently featured among the track partners and key sessions hosted on the Taostats Stage. Furthermore, the Bittensor Track partner list also includes General Tensor, Exploit, Manifold, Bitstarter, Dendrite, Bitmind, Bitcast, Vidaio, Zipcode, and Hippius.

The framing stays sharp. As AI centralizes inside big tech, decentralized networks like Bittensor offer a fundamentally different model. Specifically, intelligence flows from global talent. The protocol then rewards participants on pure merit through permissionless incentive networks.

Bittensor speakers confirmed for Proof of Talk 2026

The Bittensor Track lineup at the Louvre opens with the protocol’s founding team. Jacob Steeves, known as Const, joins as Co-Founder of Bittensor at the Opentensor Foundation. Additionally, fellow Co-Founder Ala Shaabana shares the speaker roster. Both are listed as Bittensor co-founders and remain central figures in the protocol’s public narrative.

The official agenda places Const on the June 3 fireside “Decentralising Intelligence: The Unification of AI and Bitcoin”. Meanwhile, Ala Shaabana appears on the June 2 session “Subnets, Signals, and Scale”. Furthermore, Const also joins the June 3 Bittensor Track pitch session on the Taostats Stage.

Proof of Pitch Bittensor Track: live crowdfunding with Bitstarter

The official agenda confirms “Proof of Pitch – Bittensor Track Live Crowdfunding with Bitstarter” on June 3 from 17:15 to 19:00 on the Taostats Stage. The session brings together four ecosystem leaders. Jacob Steeves, Co-Founder of Bittensor, joins Marcus Graichen, Founder & CEO of Taostats, one of the Bittensor ecosystem’s most visible data and analytics platforms. Additionally, Mike Grantis, Co-Founder & CEO of General Tensor, brings the capital flow perspective. Furthermore, Chris Zacharia, Founder of Bitstarter, closes the lineup with launch infrastructure expertise. Together, the four anchor a live crowdfunding format that puts subnet founders directly in front of capital.

Builders running official side sessions

Beyond the main stage, the official schedule also features dedicated Bittensor sessions across both days. Specifically, “Machine Learning in Bittensor Roundtable” runs on June 2 from 13:00 to 14:00 as a Private Session. Additionally, Robert Myers, Founder & CEO of Manifold Labs and former Senior Software Engineer at Opentensor, appears in the “Workshop by Targon – Applied Confidential Computing” session on the agenda.

Beyond the Bittensor Track: confirmed Proof of Talk 2026 keynotes

The wider Proof of Talk 2026 roster pulls heavily from institutional finance, with six headline keynotes anchoring the agenda outside the Bittensor Track. Jenny Johnson, CEO of Franklin Templeton, takes the Capital keynote. Additionally, Adam Back, Co-Founder & CEO of Blockstream and BSTR, anchors the Bitcoin keynote.

Payments and investing get equal weight on the schedule. Ken Moore, CIO of Mastercard, leads the Payments keynote. Meanwhile, Tom Lee, CIO of Fundstrat, takes the Investor keynote.

DeFi and regulation round out the headline lineup. Stani Kulechov, Founder & CEO of Aave Labs, takes the DeFi keynote. Furthermore, Caroline D. Pham, Head of MoonPay Institutional at MoonPay, takes the Regulatory keynote.

The lineup extends well beyond these six. Specifically, additional confirmed speakers include Sandy Kaul (EVP Head of Innovation, Franklin Templeton), Tom Zschach (CIO, SWIFT), Emma Landriault (Executive Director, JPM Coin, JPMorganChase), Charles Guillemet (CTO, Ledger), Arnaud Caudoux (Deputy CEO, Bpifrance), David Rutter (CEO, R3), Carlos Domingo (CEO, Securitize), Johann Kerbrat (SVP & GM Crypto, Robinhood), Ari Juels (Chief Scientist, Chainlink Labs), Yat Siu (Chairman, Animoca Brands), Rob Hadick (GP, Dragonfly), and Diogo Mónica (GP, Haun Ventures).

For Bittensor founders and allocators, that proximity to traditional finance capital matters more every quarter. As a result, subnet tokens and decentralized AI now compete directly for institutional mandates.

Dendrite as a Gold Partner at Proof of Talk 2026

Dendrite is listed as a Gold Partner on the official Bittensor Track at Proof of Talk 2026. The Dendrite team operates SimplyTao, the platform for buying and trading Bittensor subnet tokens. Additionally, the team builds SOMA (SN114), the subnet focused on context compression.

Both products sit at the exact intersection that defines this year’s Bittensor Track. On one side, capital flow into subnet tokens. On the other, decentralized AI infrastructure shipping real workloads. As a result, if you build, allocate, or cover Bittensor, the Dendrite team belongs on your priority list at the Louvre.

Proof of Pitch and the bigger opportunity

The conference also hosts Proof of Pitch, the startup competition that runs inside Proof of Talk. This year, the competition opens across four tracks: DeFi & Tokenization, DePIN, Decentralised AI, and Bittensor Subnets. Founders pitch directly to a jury of Tier 1 investors. Specifically, partners and decision-makers from Pantera, Dragonfly, Arrington Capital, CoinFund, Haun Ventures, Spartan, Borderless Capital, Big Brain Holdings, Bittensor, and TAO Ventures sit on the jury. Combined with the broader institutional roster on the floor, Proof of Pitch creates a serious capital formation moment for Web3 builders, Bittensor-native teams included.

Why Proof of Talk 2026 matters for Bittensor

Last year’s Bittensor Track set the precedent. In 2026, the lineup goes deeper. Additionally, the institutional context grows stronger. Furthermore, decentralized AI has moved from a speculative thesis into a category with active products, live subnet markets, and growing investor attention.

TAO liquidity and subnet token markets continue to mature. Moreover, frontier-scale training experiments keep shipping out of Bittensor subnets. As a result, Proof of Talk 2026 becomes the room where the ecosystem shapes its next phase. Two days, the Louvre Palace, and the people actually building it.

Frequently asked questions

When and where is Proof of Talk 2026?

Proof of Talk 2026 takes place on June 2 and 3, 2026 at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, part of the Louvre Palace complex at 107 Rue de Rivoli in Paris.

Who are the Bittensor speakers at Proof of Talk 2026?

The lineup features Bittensor Co-Founders Jacob Steeves (Const) and Ala Shaabana on the main agenda. Additionally, Marcus Graichen (Founder & CEO, Taostats), Robert Myers (Founder & CEO, Manifold Labs), Mike Grantis (Co-Founder & CEO, General Tensor), and Chris Zacharia (Founder, Bitstarter) appear across Bittensor Track sessions. Furthermore, Const headlines the June 3 fireside on AI and Bitcoin, while Ala joins the June 2 “Subnets, Signals, and Scale” session.

Who runs the Proof of Pitch Bittensor Track session?

Jacob Steeves (Co-Founder, Bittensor), Marcus Graichen (Founder & CEO, Taostats), Mike Grantis (Co-Founder & CEO, General Tensor), and Chris Zacharia (Founder, Bitstarter) lead the session.

What is the Bittensor Track at Proof of Talk?

The Bittensor Track is a dedicated programme running across both days of Proof of Talk 2026. Specifically, it focuses on the intersection of decentralized AI and blockchain infrastructure. Furthermore, listed partners include Taostats, General Tensor, Exploit, Manifold, Bitstarter, Dendrite, Bitmind, Bitcast, Vidaio, Zipcode, and Hippius.

How much does a Proof of Talk 2026 pass cost?

At the time of writing, the official ticketing page lists the Startup Pass at €999, the General Pass at €1,199, the VIP Pass at €2,499, the Investor Pass at €2,999, and the VIP Black Pass at €5,499. Additionally, the event FAQ references different forum-tier pricing, so current availability should be checked on the official ticketing page. Furthermore, all tiers require application review before purchase.

Is Proof of Talk 2026 open to the public?

Proof of Talk 2026 operates by application only. Specifically, attendance caps at 2,500, and every pass requires review. The event targets senior executives, founders, investors, and policymakers in digital assets.

What is Proof of Pitch?

Proof of Pitch is the startup competition that runs inside Proof of Talk. This year, the competition opens across four tracks: DeFi & Tokenization, DePIN, Decentralised AI, and Bittensor Subnets. Furthermore, early-stage founders pitch directly to a Tier 1 investor jury.

What is StableDay at Proof of Talk 2026?

StableDay takes place on June 3 at the Louvre Palace. Specifically, it focuses on stablecoins, payments, tokenization, and digital dollar infrastructure for banks, fintechs, protocols, corporates, and regulators.

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