Shaping the Next Chapter of Web3: Starlabs Consulting Moderates High-Level Dialogue on Industry Maturation
The Web3 & AI Consensus Summit 2026 brought together global leaders to assess the industry’s progress and define its next chapter. At a moment when Web3 is transitioning from experimental innovation to structured growth, strategic clarity has become increasingly critical.
As co-host of the Summit, Starlabs Consulting played a central role in shaping this dialogue. Founder and CEO Jenny Yang moderated a high-level roundtable focused on one of the industry’s most pressing questions: Is Web3 ready for mainstream adoption, and what strategic gaps must be addressed to accelerate its maturation?
The session convened representatives from BlackPearl Wallet, Real ID, Sundial, FinTax, Waffle Capital Ltd, TinTinLand, and the Hong Kong Blockchain Association for a candid and substantive exchange. Rather than concentrating solely on technological architecture or token design, the discussion examined what will ultimately determine Web3’s long-term viability in real-world markets.
A clear industry consensus emerged. For Web3 to achieve sustainable growth, it must place far greater emphasis on solving tangible user pain points and delivering materially improved user experiences.
（Jenny Yang, Founder & CEO of Starlabs Consulting）
Panelists agreed that while foundational infrastructure has advanced considerably, adoption at scale will depend on usability, trust, and accessibility. Web2’s success was not driven by infrastructure alone, but by its ability to simplify complexity and align products closely with user needs. Web3 must now adopt similar discipline—reducing friction in onboarding, integrating compliance and security seamlessly, strengthening product design, and ensuring that innovation translates into practical value.
The roundtable reflected a broader inflection point for the ecosystem. As regulatory frameworks mature and institutional participation expands, competitive differentiation will increasingly be defined by execution quality and user-centric design rather than technical novelty alone. Infrastructure remains foundational—but experience will determine adoption.
A Cross-Regional Platform Connecting Hong Kong and Silicon Valley
Co-hosted by Starlabs Consulting alongside CDDJAP (Cyberport × Draper Dragon Joint Accelerator), Draper Dragon, and Draper University, the Web3 & AI Consensus Summit 2026 was held on February 12 at Cyberport, Hong Kong. Under the theme “Connecting Hong Kong and Silicon Valley: When East Meets West in Web3 Innovation,” the Summit reinforced collaboration across Asia-Pacific and Silicon Valley innovation networks.
The Summit opened with a video message from renowned Silicon Valley investor Tim Draper. It also brought together distinguished keynote speakers including Dr. Xiao Feng, Chairman of HashKey Group; Sy Noel Chan, Head of Business Development, APAC at ConsenSys; Chris Joannou, Vice President of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems at Draper University; and Yu Jianing, President of Uweb. Their perspectives spanned crypto finance, AI-driven innovation, infrastructure scaling, and international market expansion, underscoring the deepening integration of technology advancement, capital formation, and evolving regulatory frameworks.
(Tim Draper, legendary Silicon Valley investor )
(Dr. Xiao Feng, Chairman of HashKey Group)
(Richard Wang, Partner of Draper Dragon)
(Chris Joannou, Vice President of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems at Draper University)
(Yu Jianing, President of Uweb)
As Hong Kong continues to strengthen its position as a global hub for digital assets and emerging technologies, the Summit demonstrated the value of structured cross-border dialogue in shaping resilient and scalable innovation models.
Advancing a More Mature, User-Centered Web3 Ecosystem
Since its founding in 2018, Starlabs Consulting has supported Web3 projects and institutions through strategic advisory, financial consulting, communications, compliance guidance, risk management, and innovation research. The firm remains committed to advancing the strategic maturity of the ecosystem.
The conclusion of The Web3 & AI Consensus Summit 2026 marks another step toward aligning technological innovation with real-world adoption. As Web3 enters a more disciplined phase of development, the emphasis must shift from possibility to practicality, from infrastructure to experience.
Starlabs Consulting will continue to work alongside founders, investors, and institutions to help shape a more resilient, inclusive, and execution-focused digital future.
