BerChain
BerChain e.V. is a non-profit, member-led association based in Berlin that unites over 100 blockchain startups, corporates, investors, and policymakers through networking events, workshops, collaborative projects, and ecosystem coordination activities. It is developing AI-powered matchmaking and event aggregation tools.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What BerChain does
BerChain e.V. is a non-profit, member-led association founded in 2017 by Silvan Jongerius and formally registered in Berlin, Germany in January 2019. The organization serves as the central coordinating body for Berlin's blockchain ecosystem, uniting startups, established companies, investors, researchers, public institutions, and policymakers through networking events, workshops, collaborative projects, and knowledge-sharing initiatives. Its membership spans more than 100 blockchain startups and stakeholders and includes major corporate members such as Deutsche Telekom, innogy Innovation Hub, Aeternity, and Factory Berlin, alongside government partners like the Berlin Senate and German Parliament.
BerChain's revenue model is based on association membership fees (billed annually), supplemented by in-kind contributions from members and partners. The association maintains a volunteer-driven operational model, requiring members to commit at least 10 hours per month. Distribution occurs through a mix of in-person events at venues such as Factory Berlin and w3 Hub, a digital platform including a Slack community and unified events calendar, and partnerships with German blockchain media (BTC-ECHO) and policy bodies (Bundesblock, Berlin Partner). In 2025, the organization is expanding its technology footprint with two new products: a Unified Events Calendar aggregating events from Lu.ma, Eventbrite, and Meetup (launched October 2025), and an AI-powered matchmaking chatbot under development to connect ecosystem participants with relevant opportunities and collaborators.
BerChain firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BerChain
- Legal name
- BerChain e.V.
- Website
- https://berchain.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- BerChain e.V. is a non-profit, member-led association based in Berlin that unites over 100 blockchain startups, corporates, investors, and policymakers through networking events, workshops, collaborative projects, and ecosystem coordination activities. It is developing AI-powered matchmaking and event aggregation tools.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BerChain industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industry association services
- NAICS
- Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Hosting & Membership Platforms (MPACAJAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Delegation, Representation & Voting Power Markets (FSAPAHAG), Virtual Event Registration, Ticketing & Access Control (Authentication, Paywalls, Badging) (THAHAOAI), Private Memberships & Invitation-Only Experiences (HSACAMAL)
Keywords
Where BerChain is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
BerChain business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Association Membership Fees: BerChain operates as a non-profit, member-led association with a fee schedule. The organization brings together companies, investors, scientists, and politicians on a single platform to investigate potential fields of application for blockchain technology. Members contribute financially and in-kind to support the association's mission of connecting and promoting Berlin's blockchain ecosystem.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Corporate and organizational membership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
BerChain product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BerChain e.V. is a non-profit, member-led association that coordinates Berlin's blockchain ecosystem through structured programming — including recurring networking events, topic-focused working groups (e.g., DeGov, DeFi), and educational workshops — for a membership comprising individuals, startups, investors, researchers, and public institutions. Membership is granted on a yearly basis across Full Member, Supporting Member, and Honorary Member tiers, with governance handled by a volunteer Executive Board and supported by an Association Coordinator and supporting engineer.
Product overview
BerChain e.V. is a non-profit association offering a portfolio of community-driven services for the Berlin blockchain ecosystem. The core offerings include Networking Events, Workshops & Training, Collaborative Projects, and Knowledge Sharing platforms. Under development (2025) are two new technology products: an AI-Powered Smart Matchmaking Chatbot for intelligent community matching, and a Unified Events Calendar that aggregates events from Lu.ma, Eventbrite, and Meetup into a single platform. The existing services focus on community building, education, and ecosystem coordination rather than a traditional software product architecture.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- BerChain Annual Membership (Full Member, Supporting Member, Honorary Member tiers) Yearly membership tiers of the non-profit association granting participation rights in BerChain's ecosystem coordination activities, including the Full Member, Supporting Member, and Honorary Member categories.
- Blockchain Networking Events (Meetups, Ecosystem Talks, Quarterly Events) Recurring in-person networking events — including Meetups, Ecosystem Talks, and Quarterly Events — designed to connect Berlin's blockchain ecosystem members, including startups, investors, researchers, and public institutions.
- Blockchain Working Groups (#DeGov and #DeFi) Topic-focused working groups (including #DeGov and #DeFi) that bring together ecosystem participants to collaborate on specific blockchain themes and produce structured outputs.
- Educational Workshops and Training Knowledge transfer and skill development workshops for members and the broader Berlin blockchain community, covering blockchain topics relevant to the local ecosystem.
- NFT Fundraiser A blockchain-native community fundraiser leveraging NFTs to support the association's activities and ecosystem initiatives.
- AI-Powered Smart Matchmaking Chatbot An AI-powered chatbot under development to enable smart matchmaking across the Berlin blockchain ecosystem, providing automated connection suggestions between members.
- Unified Events Calendar A unified events calendar under development to consolidate ecosystem-wide blockchain event listings and surface them to Berlin ecosystem members.
Quantifiable outcome
- Connected over 100 blockchain startups and stakeholders in Berlin as of December 2024
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use BerChain
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
BerChain technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability2 records
Feature2 records
BerChain partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Factory BerlincoreFactory Berlin serves as a key hosting partner for BerChain events and served as the founding meeting location for the association. The coworking space supports the blockchain ecosystem and hosts regular Blockchain Brunch events.
- W3 Hub BerlincoreBerChain's registered office is located at c/o w3 Hub Möckernstraße 120, 10963 Berlin. W3 Hub is a key partner in supporting Berlin's blockchain ecosystem.
- BTC-ECHO GmbHcoreMedia partnership announced March 2021 to distribute blockchain-related content and news in the Berlin and broader German blockchain ecosystem. Both parties complement mutual goals of promoting valuable blockchain knowledge.
- Bundesblock e.V.majorGerman blockchain association working on policy and ecosystem development. BerChain collaborates with Bundesblock on initiatives like the 7th Blockchain Roundtable held at German Parliament.
- Berlin Partner of Economics and TechnologymajorBerlin's official economic development agency. BerChain partnered with Berlin Partner for the Blockchain-in-use Conference 2020 and ecosystem promotion activities.
- CHAISEmajorEuropean Sector Skills Alliance for blockchain skills. BerChain launched CHAISE to design Europe's strategy for blockchain skills and promote blockchain across Europe.
- Embassy of the Kingdom of the NetherlandsminorCollaborated on the Blockchain = Collaboration evening reception in January 2020, focusing on ecosystem exchange between Germany and the Netherlands.
- Piabo PRminorPR agency partner listed on BerChain's partner and friends page.
- Zukunftsorte BerlinminorPartner organization supporting Berlin's innovation ecosystem.
- Berliner SenatmajorBerlin's state government. BerChain supports public institutions in creating optimal conditions for the blockchain location Berlin.
- Department of DecentralizationmajorCollective of technologists and activists dedicated to promoting decentralized technologies. Co-founded Berlin Blockchain Week and works with BerChain on ecosystem initiatives.
- Web3 Hub BerlinmajorBerChain collaborates with Web3 Hub Berlin on ecosystem mapping initiatives, contributing to the dynamic blockchain ecosystem in Berlin.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
BerChain competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bundesblock: Germany's national blockchain association focused on policy, regulation, and ecosystem coordination. Directly comparable as a member-led non-profit serving the same German blockchain community, with overlapping mandate around Berlin ecosystem building and parliamentary engagement (e.g., co-organizing Blockchain Roundtable at German Parliament with BerChain).
- European Blockchain Association (EBA): Brussels-based non-profit representing the European blockchain industry. Comparable as a member-led association coordinating blockchain ecosystem stakeholders, engaging with policymakers (EU institutions), and running events at a pan-European scale that overlaps with BerChain's CHAISE-linked European ambitions.
- Department of Decentralization: Berlin-based collective of technologists and activists promoting decentralized technologies; co-founder of Berlin Blockchain Week with BerChain. Comparable as a Berlin Web3 community organization running events and ecosystem programming for overlapping audiences.
- INATBA (International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications): EU-based international blockchain association engaging policymakers and industry. Comparable as a member-led non-profit serving blockchain ecosystem stakeholders with policy engagement and event programming at a regional level overlapping BerChain's mandate.
- Web3 Hub Berlin: Berlin-based Web3 ecosystem hub focused on ecosystem mapping and community programming. Directly comparable as a Berlin-centered blockchain community builder collaborating with BerChain on ecosystem initiatives and competing for the same audience of startups, corporates, and developers.
- Factory Berlin: Major Berlin coworking and startup ecosystem operator that served as BerChain's founding host and a current member. Comparable as a Berlin startup ecosystem builder hosting events, programming, and connecting members, though with broader tech scope beyond blockchain.
Others
- Web3 Foundation: Switzerland-based foundation supporting the Web3 ecosystem, notably Polkadot. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem-building organization with policy, grants, and community development roles, though focused on a specific protocol rather than a city/geographic ecosystem like BerChain.
Broad incumbents
- Berlin Partner for Economics and Technology: Berlin's official economic development agency. Comparable as a broader institutional ecosystem builder with overlapping mandate around promoting Berlin's innovation economy (including blockchain), but operating at city-wide scope rather than blockchain-specific focus.
- Blockchain Association (US): US-based blockchain industry advocacy group. Comparable as an industry association serving blockchain companies with policy and ecosystem coordination focus, but operating at national US scale with a more policy-heavy mandate versus BerChain's community/events focus.
Regional players
- Crypto Valley Association: Switzerland-based association promoting the Zug/Crypto Valley blockchain ecosystem. Comparable in mission (member-led non-profit promoting a regional blockchain hub, hosting events, connecting startups and corporates), but operating in a different geographic market (Switzerland vs. Germany).
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
BerChain social profiles
Digital presenceBerChain financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BerChain leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
BerChain funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BerChain M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BerChain
What does BerChain do?
BerChain e.V. is a non-profit, member-led association that coordinates Berlin's blockchain ecosystem through structured programming — including recurring networking events, topic-focused working groups (e.g., DeGov, DeFi), and educational workshops — for a membership comprising individuals, startups, investors, researchers, and public institutions. Membership is granted on a yearly basis across Full Member, Supporting Member, and Honorary Member tiers, with governance handled by a volunteer Executive Board and supported by an Association Coordinator and supporting engineer.
Is BerChain a public or private company?
BerChain is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was BerChain founded?
BerChain was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is BerChain based?
BerChain is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does BerChain make money?
One revenue line is on record: association Membership Fees.
Who are BerChain's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bundesblock, European Blockchain Association (EBA), Department of Decentralization, INATBA (International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications), Web3 Hub Berlin and Factory Berlin. Web3 Foundation is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Berlin Partner for Economics and Technology and Blockchain Association (US). Crypto Valley Association is listed as a regional player.
Does BerChain have an API?
No public API is recorded for BerChain.
What industry is BerChain in?
BerChain's product category is Industry association services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACAJAF, Community Hosting & Membership Platforms, with a secondary code of FSAPAHAG, Delegation, Representation & Voting Power Markets. Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.