NEXUS Startup Competition First Round
About the event
NEXUS is TOKEN2049's startup competition for early-stage crypto companies. The organizer's 2026 competition runs on 7-8 October in Singapore, with founders pitching for equity-free prizes before an expert jury and the TOKEN2049 community.
Competition
The organizer lists a $250,000 prize pool, more than 1,000 applicants and ten finalists. The competition takes place at Marina Bay Sands during TOKEN2049 Singapore on 7-8 October. Startups must have been incorporated from 2023 onwards and raised less than $5 million in investments. Applying is free, and selection is merit-based. The jury includes Tom Schmidt (Dragonfly), Akshat Vaidya (Maelstrom) and Spencer Applebaum (Multicoin Capital).
What finalists receive
Top ten finalists receive a complimentary startup stand, full TOKEN2049 access on 7-8 October, speaker perks including the speaker reception, networking drinks and lounge access, three complimentary team tickets, photography and session recordings, and event marketing coverage. The jury may make investment offers outside the prize grant.
First round
The first round takes place on 7 October 2026 as part of the TOKEN2049 Singapore program at Marina Bay Sands.
Applications
NEXUS 2026 applications closed after the 18 September deadline, with the top 50 announcement on 21 September. The organizer is accepting waitlist registrations for NEXUS 2027.