The 2026 crypto startup landscape is shifting towards value-driven sectors, moving away from speculative ventures. Industry expert Patrick Scott identifies five key areas where blockchain's real-world applications can thrive: internet capital markets, censorship-resistant applications, decentralized science (DeSci), stablecoins, and on-chain corporate governance. Scott, a founder in the DeFi media space, highlights these sectors as offering significant potential for sustainable growth, leveraging blockchain's strengths in global capital flow, privacy, and transparency.