By founders, for founders
DFC is a private, invite-only community of 60+ founders representing $1B+ TVL and $100M+ raised. We optimize for one thing: a room where every conversation is worth having.
Free to apply · $100/year once accepted
Founders from
Building in DeFi is lonely at the top
Your team reports to you. Your investors have an agenda. Twitter is noise. Who do you actually talk to?
DFC is the room: people who have shipped what you're shipping, and will tell you the truth about your raise, your roadmap, your token design. Because they've been there. No pitching. No performing. No tourists.
Curation is the product
We admit founders, not companies. If you're building a live DeFi protocol, infrastructure, or core tooling, and you're the one making the decisions, then you're who this club is for.
Founders of live protocols
DeFi protocols, infrastructure, and tooling with real usage. Stage-agnostic, from post-launch to category leader.
Decision-makers
Founders and co-founders in the seat. No delegates, no BD reps, no observers.
Give-first operators
The club works because members contribute: intros, feedback, deal flow. Our code of conduct isn't decorative.
The bar, in one list. No service providers, no shillers, no observers. The quality of the room is the product, and we protect it.
- Active founder or CEO/CTO of a DeFi company
- Has raised funding before
- Vouched for by an existing member
- Builder mindset, healthy ego, gives as much as they take
What the club opens
Private events & dinners
- Every DFC flagship at the key conference weeks
- Small-format, off-record founder dinners
- Member-priority guest lists
Curated introductions
- Founder-to-founder intros made personally
- Investor and LP access at the right moment
- Ecosystem and partner connections
Visibility & opportunity
- Speaking and panel opportunities at DFC events
- Pitching sessions in front of curated capital
- Member spotlights in the newsletter (5,000+ subscribers)
Knowledge & support
- Fundraising resources and round strategy from peers
- BD support through the member network
- Selected research and ecosystem intelligence
"I met more real DeFi people than anywhere else at Devconnect."Founder · Buenos Aires 2025
The path in
Apply or get referred
Submit the application below, or better, get a member to vouch for you.
Review
We look at what you're building, its traction, and fit with the existing membership.
Founder call
A short conversation with the DFC team. Both sides check the fit.
Onboarding
Welcome to the club: onboarding guide, member channels, and your first introductions.
Skin in the game, not a price tag
Dues are a filter, not a revenue line. They keep the room made of people with something real at stake.
$100 / year
For early-stage founders.
- Members-only founder Telegram
- Onboarding workshop with feedback and intros
- Access to DFC events and private gatherings
- Access to partner events and speaking slots
- Warm introductions to fundraising support
- Discounts on sponsorships and selected services
- Startup deals, including $25k AWS credits
Earned by contribution
For our most committed.
- Everything in Startup membership, for life
- Earned through significant contributions to the club, not just spending
- Event sponsoring, running programs, memberships, and services all count
- The value is the room, the trust, and the long-term relationships
Questions, answered
Who can join?
Active founders, CEOs, or CTOs of DeFi companies that have raised funding. Every member is vouched for by an existing member, and the team reviews fit. No service providers, agencies, or observers.
What does it cost?
Applying is free. Startup membership is $100 a year. Lifetime membership is earned through significant contributions to the club: sponsoring events, running programs, and sustained involvement, not just spending. The fee is a filter, not a revenue line. It keeps the room made of people with something real at stake.
What do I actually get?
A members-only founder Telegram, access to DFC events at every key conference week with priority on the guest list, warm introductions to investors and BD partners, fundraising support from peers who have closed, member deals including $25k in AWS credits, and selected research.
How are members vetted?
Every applicant is either vouched for by a current member or checked against the bar: an active DeFi founder or CTO who has raised, with a builder mindset. The quality of the room is the product, so we stay small rather than dilute it.
How long until I hear back?
We review applications on an ongoing basis, and as a curated community the process can take several months. Every application is read personally, but we're only able to follow up when there's a fit, if you don't hear back, it simply wasn't the right moment. A referral from a current member usually moves things faster.
Is it worth it?
That's yours to judge. The club is deliberately non-commercial: a small fee that covers costs, rooms without pitching, and founders who show up for each other. If you want a vetted room of peers, you'll get a lot out of it. If you're looking for leads, this isn't the place.
Tell us what you're building
An initial expression of interest, treated confidentially. Free to apply; every application is read personally.
"Most productive event of the week."Founder · Singapore 2025