Ethereum turned ten in August, which is also when its token, Ether (ETH), hit a new all-time high of $4,953. Earlier in the year, the Ethereum Foundation appointed Hsiao-Wei Wang and Tomasz Stańczak as co-executive directors, signaling a generational shift toward a more proactive approach to ecosystem growth. Now, as momentum builds, the community is heading to Buenos Aires for Devconnect (November 17-22), Ethereum’s flagship week for collaboration, reflection, and building what comes next.
Before the community dives into a week of gatherings, football, and talks over mate and alfajores, I sat down with Candu Fazzano, who leads Ecosystem efforts for Devconnect, to talk about what it means to bring Ethereum’s global gathering to Argentina, a country where innovation often grows out of constraint and community is the strongest currency.
Candu, what’s your role with Devconnect?
My role as Ecosystem Lead is to connect builders, protocols, and communities so the right collaborations actually happen. Out of our team of 15, I’m the one on the ground in Argentina, coordinating, solving problems, and making sure people who should be working together find each other. It’s a big responsibility, but I’m enjoying every minute of it!
There’s an incredible amount of work behind Devconnect, and being here lets me see it all come together up close—the energy, the stories, the excitement. My goal is to make sure the local community doesn’t just take part but actually shapes the event. I want the projects and progress built in Argentina and across Latin America to be seen and celebrated. And yes, sometimes that also means sharing the best asado tips!
What makes this year’s edition of Devconnect stand out?
This Devconnect will feel completely different. In the past, it’s been a coworking-style event mostly for developers. Now, it’s opening up to people from finance, education, research, art—anyone curious about how blockchain connects to the real world.
The centerpiece is the Ethereum World Fair, which will be more of an experience than a conference. In Buenos Aires, there’s a museum called Museo Prohibido No Tocar—literally, “Touching Not Forbidden.” It’s an interactive science museum where you’re encouraged to touch everything to learn. That’s the idea behind the fair, too: less theory, more discovery.
We’ll have over eight themed districts—AI, Gaming, Wallets, DeFi, Social, and more—each showing real use cases. The concept takes inspiration from the original World Fairs, where inventions like the telephone and the light bulb were first revealed. Argentina is where much of web3 innovation is already tangible; it’s used to save, transact, and stay connected. That’s what the World Fairs were always about: innovation meeting real life. Devconnect will do the same for Ethereum.
The venue, La Rural, will transform into a full Ethereum city, with communities creating their own interactive spaces. We expect around 15,000 attendees who’ll get to explore, experiment, and even earn rewards through small challenges. One of the main pavilions will become a massive coworking zone, the heart from which they’ll be able to explore over forty side events.
What can the global Ethereum community learn from Argentina?
Adoption here has always been grassroots, growing from real needs more than hype. The diversity of what’s being built still amazes me. I’ve been to San Juan, Mendoza, Rosario, and Santa Fe, and every region has its own way of putting blockchain to work. Argentina is huge, and wherever you go, people are creating something new.
Even after years in this space, I keep discovering projects I didn’t know about. Universities are starting to teach blockchain or use it in their own systems, which is still rare in other countries. It shows how deeply the ecosystem has taken root here and how education is becoming the next layer of growth.
Argentina is also advancing fast in the hot topic of tokenization. The National Securities Commission (CNV) is exploring how fintech and blockchain regulation can align, and you can feel those worlds coming together in payments, compliance, and tokenized assets. There are projects like BCP and InfoApp, and others experimenting with identity, ticketing, and even public-sector innovation.
How does it feel to see Devconnect finally land in Argentina?
It’s exciting! People have been asking for a Devconnect in Argentina since 2018, and now it’s finally happening. Usually, we’re the ones flying across the world for these events. This time, the world is coming to us.
Argentina might be far for many, but that distance comes with something unique. It’s a country defined by warmth, collaboration, and the ability to keep moving forward even when conditions aren’t ideal. I’m thrilled that friends, collaborators, and mentors I’ve admired for years will get to walk through Buenos Aires and experience what we’ve been building here.
For local builders, it’s a huge milestone. Events like this keep creating momentum long after they’re over, bringing new energy, talent, and connections into the ecosystem. And we’re doing it in a way that feels true to us, with music, art, food, and even a football pitch!
What kind of support do builders in LATAM need most right now?
More than anything, resources and a network. When I attended my first international conference in Europe, I realized how much simply being there changes things. One conversation can open doors that would otherwise take years to unlock.
For many builders here, traveling that far isn’t easy, so having support from protocols, DAOs, or foundations makes all the difference. It’s not funding, it’s also mentorship, feedback, and continuity. When builders feel seen and supported, they grow faster and start contributing with more confidence and purpose.
You’ve worked with local communities as well as global players. How do these worlds connect, and how do we bring them closer together?
There’s still a bit of a gap between the grassroots and institutional sides of the ecosystem, but it’s closing quickly. Many local builders don’t always know where to start or who to talk to, so having people who understand both layers helps everything move. When there’s someone local who can bridge the community with larger protocols, progress happens faster. The talent is already here; it just needs guidance, collaboration, and a chance to plug into the global ecosystem.
That’s also what we’re going for at Devconnect. More than 3,000 high school students will attend, which still amazes me. When I was 18, I didn’t even know events like this existed. These students are at a stage where they’re deciding what to study, what to build, and what to dream about, and being in a space where ideas and opportunities meet can completely change their path.
Throughout the week, we’ll host onboarding sessions with universities and blockchain clubs so anyone—students, builders, or newcomers—can learn and take part. November 18 will be a local day in Spanish, created to welcome first-time participants into the wider Ethereum community.
We’re also expecting big announcements from leading protocols and companies, including some with over a billion users. It’ll be a fantastic moment to see global and local energy come together and show how much stronger the ecosystem becomes when those worlds connect.
For anyone still deciding—why should they come?
Don’t think twice. Devconnect in Argentina will bring everyone together; there’ll be builders, policy-markers, investors, artists, and communities sharing the same space. You’ll see how Ethereum lives here day to day and experience our culture firsthand!
