ETH Belgrade: Where Ethereum Meets Balkan Chaos & Charm 😅

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Before anything was official—before there was a venue, a name, or even a coherent plan—there was just a vague, collective shrug and the words, “Why not Belgrade?” The idea for ETH Belgrade didn’t emerge from a polished pitch deck or a boardroom. No, it was born in the dimly lit hallways of other Web3 events, where Balkan builders kept bumping into each other like lost tourists in a foreign city. Everywhere. From Lisbon to Dubai, they were there, muttering about Ethereum and rakija in equal measure.

From Lisbon to Belgrade: A Journey of Questionable Decisions

For Petar, the epiphany struck at LisCon 2021—likely after one too many espressos.

“The energy was unforgettable,” he recalls, though whether he means the conference or the caffeine is unclear. “I thought, Why not bring this delightful madness to Belgrade?“

By June 2023, he and Tanja had done just that. The logic was simple: Balkan builders were already infiltrating every major Ethereum event. Serbians, Croatians, Macedonians—always lurking in the shadows. “It was time,” Petar muses, “to give them a home base.”

Builders First (Because Nobody Else Would Show Up)

ETH Belgrade was never about glitz. No velvet ropes, no VIP lounges—just a room full of sleep-deprived coders arguing about gas fees.

“There’s often a gap between infrastructure and real-world use cases,” Petar says, as if this were a profound revelation and not the eternal struggle of blockchain.

The team, undeterred by reality, soldiered on. Talks covered everything from smart contracts to the existential dread of product-market fit. The ETH Belgrade Ventures track? Just an excuse to watch founders sweat through pitch sessions.

An Ecosystem, or Just a Very Persistent Hangover?

ETH Belgrade has somehow evolved into something resembling an ecosystem—though whether by design or sheer Balkan stubbornness is debatable.

“This isn’t just a conference,” Tanja insists. “We do coworking days, bootcamps, meetups. We’ve even advised other ETH events, which is either flattering or deeply concerning.”

Culture vs. Code: The Eternal Struggle

Ethereum’s technical roadmap is meticulously planned. Its cultural future? A free-for-all.

“There’s no roadmap for culture,” Petar sighs. “Just a lot of people yelling on Twitter.”

Hospitality, or Just Balkan Peer Pressure?

ETH Belgrade is famous for its warmth—though some suspect it’s just Balkan guilt in action.

“It’s not just us,” Tanja says. “The whole community acts like hosts. Probably because they’re terrified of looking bad in front of guests.”

Quality Control (Mostly to Avoid Embarrassment)

Applications are ruthlessly vetted. No bought speeches, no fluff—just pure, unfiltered builder angst.

“No one can buy a speaking slot,” Petar declares, as if this were a revolutionary concept and not basic decency.

Side events, however, are a free-for-all. “Once, we set up hackathon tables at 4 a.m. because someone forgot to confirm the venue,” Tanja admits. “Now we document everything. Like adults. Mostly.”

Legal Safeguards: Or How to Avoid Jail

Ilija, the resident legal mind, has one piece of advice: Don’t wing it.

“Most legal challenges can be avoided,” he says, “if you don’t, say, promise sponsors a Lambo giveaway without checking local laws.”

Hackathons, he adds, are a minefield. “You don’t want to be liable when someone’s ‘revolutionary’ dApp turns out to be a Ponzi scheme.”

Advice to Future Organizers (From People Who Barely Survived)

  • Start with local energy—and a strong liver.
  • Build a team that won’t panic when everything inevitably goes wrong.
  • Focus on real connections. Or at least free coffee.

Conclusion: A Miracle, Really

ETH Belgrade wasn’t built overnight. It was built on caffeine, chaos, and the unshakable belief that someone should do something. It’s not just an event—it’s a testament to what happens when you mix Ethereum with Balkan stubbornness. And maybe a little rakija.

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2025-07-23 17:15