Email, social media and applications such as iTunes and the Google search engine are indispensable in our daily lives. Apart from being useful applications that have had a major impact on humanity, they have also ensured the mass adoption of the Internet technology itself. The applications are so important to us that we buy devices so we can use it, just like the light bulb resulting in the global acceptance of electricity. Such applications are also referred to as “killer apps”. PC Magazine calls them “the beginning of a completely new breed”. For computers, these were the precursors of Word and Excel: Visicalc and Wordperfect; for the Internet, the Mosaic web browser, email, and later iTunes and social media.

Many blockchain enthusiasts are also eagerly looking for the first real killer app for this new technology. Cryptocurrency traders find this particularly interesting because they think that the value of their currency will increase as a result, while technology enthusiasts want to make the many, groundbreaking benefits of safety, efficiency and decentralized options more accessible to consumers.

Experts stumble over each other while discussing developments within the blockchain technology that have led or might lead to the first killer app. On the one hand, there are applications such as CryptoKitties and the launch of the Bakkt crypto platform, and on the other hand, there is the successful implementation of the blockchain technology and additional benefits for industries ranging from online gaming, publishing, and travel to cross-border payments, the Internet of Things and supply chain management.

Vitalik Buterin, the founder of Ethereum, the largest cryptocurrency after Bitcoin, wrote:

“If there existed some particular application to show that blockchain technology is massively superior to anything else … then people would be loudly talking about it already … And so far, there has been no single application that anyone has come up with that has seriously stood out to dominate everything else on the horizon.”

However, it is still difficult for Western consumers to designate a real killer app. According to the recent reports from Deloitte and McKinsey, the successful developments in the field of blockchain mainly take place in the area of financial transactions. Furthermore, it appears that most successful implementations are mainly achieved by large companies themselves. They prefer to keep them secret for reasons of competition.

The investment bank Morgan Stanley also indicated that we are not there yet:

“We are now firmly in the middle of the proof-of-concept phase of development. Blockchain still hasn’t had a true test. Early signs are that this is a promising technology, but many of the big questions have yet to be answered, and it hasn’t been tested at scale in a complex, fast-moving business environment.”

If experts are correct and blockchain technology follows the same development path as the Internet, then it will certainly take another 10 years before we can expect a real killer app. In about five years the technology will end up on the “plateau of productivity” of the Gartner Hypecycle and will experience the same growth spurt in a further five years, similar to what the Internet experienced in terms of adoption and investment in its creation.

Personally, I think that shifting focus can certainly speed up the process. At present, a lot of time, money and attention is given to the efficiency successes that large companies make with the technology and the transforming effect it has on the global financial industry. Hopefully, these things continue to be considered.

I actually find the impact on developing countries much more interesting! There are 1.5 billion people without proof of identity (such as a Passport or birth certificate), more than 2 billion people without a bank account, much large data hacks every day and many countries are still suffering from corruption. The many practical blockchain solutions that tackle these global problems are, in my opinion, the real killer apps. Therefore they will really have the global impact that everyone is really waiting for.

Jan Scheele is active in the web3 (blockchain, crypto, NFTs, DeFi) industry since 2013. Besides (former) CEO of a web3 scaleup and founder of an advisory boutique (working for governments, family offices and several multinationals), he is Digital Leader at the World Economic Forum and Board Member at the Blockchain Netherlands Foundation (BCNL). He is writing, consulting, speaking and training regularly about everything web3, all over the world. Furthermore, he is currently finalizing his book about the rise and global impact of blockchain technology.

Jan Scheele

Jan Scheele werkt dertien jaar op het snijvlak van deep tech, strategie en leiderschap. Als keynote spreker en dagvoorzitter maakt hij technologie tastbaar voor boardrooms, directieteams en grote podia, zonder de complexiteit te versimpelen of te verbergen achter buzzwords.

Zijn achtergrond ligt in het bouwen. Als CEO van een technologie scale-up, oprichter van meerdere techbedrijven en organisator van meer dan vijftig TED-events wereldwijd zag hij van dichtbij hoe technologische keuzes doorwerken in strategie, governance en cultuur. Vanuit zijn betrokkenheid bij het World Economic Forum en de BCNL Foundation kijkt hij daarbij niet alleen naar wat technisch mogelijk is, maar ook naar wat bestuurlijk houdbaar en maatschappelijk wenselijk is.

Hij publiceerde vijf boeken, waarvan twee Amazon-bestsellers, en schrijft wekelijks over AI, blockchain en de organisatorische gevolgen van deep tech. Zijn blogs bereikten inmiddels meer dan twee miljoen lezers.

janscheele.nl

Voting, national crypto, and regulation

Before this summer, the polls will open three times; for the elections of the Provincial States, the European Parliament, and the Water Boards. In my previous posts, I discussed how many local governments in the Netherlands are experimenting with blockchain technology and are at the forefront compared to the rest of the world. Our national government also wants to be at the forefront, but especially in the field of regulations regarding cryptocurrency. There are three ways in which our Dutch government can lead in the field of blockchain technology:

Vote With Blockchain

Anno 2019, despite our insanely technologically-developed country, we still vote by means of a red pencil and a printed ballot. In my home province Limburg alone, four municipalities had to recount the votes during the municipal elections last year, for which no fewer than 50 civil servants had to work two days extra in my hometown of Maastricht. Although “only” 29 errors were discovered, this eventually led to the CDA having to hand over a full seat to their political opponents, D66.

The voting process is the heart of democracy and, in my view, this should really go as smoothly as possible. In various other countries, especially in developing nations, we still witness a lot of fraud and corruption during elections; something that can be prevented with blockchain technology. In addition, results can be announced and made transparent much quicker to increase confidence in the process itself.

Sierra Leone was the first country to put elections on the blockchain and several other countries followed this up with successful tests. This includes the United States, Switzerland, and South Korea. More than 30 countries, such as Japan, Spain, and Ukraine, are currently investigating whether they can enable voting via the blockchain.

Researchers do not agree yet whether implementing technology is a good idea. One study indicates that the turnout will increase, but Radboud University’s advisory report to the House of Representatives mainly predicted major disadvantages. Disadvantages that already have been removed by applications from various companies such as Kaspersky (the well-known virus scanner), FollowMyVote, Voatz, and Agora.

Recent research by the Swiss government showed that almost 80% of the population would like to vote via the blockchain and that only 2% were against it. Hopefully, the red pencils in the Netherlands can soon be added to the museum of democracy!

A Dutch Cryptocurrency

Whereas various governments are trying to ban cryptocurrencies from their countries, by banning trade and advertising cryptocurrencies, the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) advocates that central banks should seriously consider introducing their own cryptocurrencies in order to make payments faster and to run more safely.

In 2014, an unknown Icelandic resident already introduced his Auroracoin, which should replace the national currency. In 2015, the governments of Tunisia and Equador launched their own cryptocurrency and several other countries are currently experimenting with it. This is not entirely uncontroversial; the Venezuelan government launched the “Petro” to, among other things, circumvent the US sanctions against the country. It appears that Russia, for the same reason, wants to introduce its own “CryptoRuble”.

In Europe, Estonia wanted to lead the way with its own “Estcoin”, but was recalled by the European Central Bank claiming that “no Member State may introduce its own currency in addition to the Euro”. Although enthusiasts have already introduced the Dutch cryptocurrency “Gulden”, it will take some time before the Dutch government will introduce its own variant.

Much Needed Regulation

According to a recent proposal by the Dutch Minister of Finance, Wopke Hoekstra, the Netherlands wants to play a pioneering role in the field of cryptocurrency in Europe, especially in the field of buying and selling cryptocurrency and setting up a so-called Initial Coin Offering.

It would be good for the Dutch government if they went a few steps further and immediately take a wider view regarding general laws and regulations concerning blockchain technology. A large study by Deloitte revealed that uncertainty and lack of clarity about regulations is currently the main reason that organizations have yet to embrace blockchain. Fortunately, the EU is already working hard to make the GDPR legislation blockchain more friendly, yet there are still many questions about the national legal frameworks for implementation and the use of technology by organizations.

Endless Possibilities

The possibilities are endless for governments with blockchain technology. From practical applications, such as collecting taxes and putting food logistics on the blockchain in England and India to prevent waste, to wild ideas of a “Futarchy” in which forecasting markets such as Augur determine which government policy has the most effect. Every week I read about successfully-completed pilots from governments and cool new ideas that are being introduced. Hopefully, we can replace the pencil with a retinal scan at the next election!

Jan Scheele is active in the web3 (blockchain, crypto, NFTs, DeFi) industry since 2013. Besides (former) CEO of a web3 scaleup and founder of an advisory boutique (working for governments, family offices and several multinationals), he is Digital Leader at the World Economic Forum and Board Member at the Blockchain Netherlands Foundation (BCNL). He is writing, consulting, speaking and training regularly about everything web3, all over the world. Furthermore, he is currently finalizing his book about the rise and global impact of blockchain technology.

Jan Scheele

Jan Scheele werkt dertien jaar op het snijvlak van deep tech, strategie en leiderschap. Als keynote spreker en dagvoorzitter maakt hij technologie tastbaar voor boardrooms, directieteams en grote podia, zonder de complexiteit te versimpelen of te verbergen achter buzzwords.

Zijn achtergrond ligt in het bouwen. Als CEO van een technologie scale-up, oprichter van meerdere techbedrijven en organisator van meer dan vijftig TED-events wereldwijd zag hij van dichtbij hoe technologische keuzes doorwerken in strategie, governance en cultuur. Vanuit zijn betrokkenheid bij het World Economic Forum en de BCNL Foundation kijkt hij daarbij niet alleen naar wat technisch mogelijk is, maar ook naar wat bestuurlijk houdbaar en maatschappelijk wenselijk is.

Hij publiceerde vijf boeken, waarvan twee Amazon-bestsellers, en schrijft wekelijks over AI, blockchain en de organisatorische gevolgen van deep tech. Zijn blogs bereikten inmiddels meer dan twee miljoen lezers.

janscheele.nl

It is going to be a very interesting year for blockchain. In the past year, the technology has been further developed and subjected to many experiments. This was done by the many startups working on groundbreaking blockchain products and solutions, as well as by organizations that implement the technology in different ways. Giant steps are currently being made in terms of scalability, privacy, efficiency, security and, of course, regulations.
 
 McKinsey claims that the technology is still in the pioneering phase of its industry life cycle. One of the people involved in founding the concept in 1988, Tim May, went further by saying that the founder of what we know today as Bitcoin and Blockchain (the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto), “would be ashamed to see the current status of technology”.
 
 Nevertheless, many organizations are investing heavily in blockchain. PWC calculated an average of US$ 500,000 per company and 11% of organizations invest as much as US$ 10 million. According to IBM, which employs 1,500 people on 500 blockchain projects, the main reason to invest is to save costs and to organize processes more efficiently. A study by Deloitte concluded that, in the end, 74% of executives believe that it ultimately will bring value to their organization. Gartner predicts that this will be worth a whopping US$ 3.1 trillion in 2030.
 
 A question that is often posed to me during presentations and by clients is: What can we expect from the technology in 2019? Here are the top 5 developments that I’m looking forward to.

The Quest For The Successful “Use And Business Case”

Where the media predominantly focuses on failed blockchain implementations, such as that of Tony Chocolony, or generally portraying the technology as ‘a solution for almost nothing’ and ‘a revolution that doesn’t change your life for a while’, fortunately, there are many positive messages coming out every day. Such as that of the firm Albert Heijn, which has already streamlined its logistical processes more efficiently, and various banks such as ING, which is making great strides in areas such as security. These desperately-needed “use and business cases” of the technology will play an important role in its success and further development in the coming year.

Obviously, organizations must be able to defend their investments. According to Deloitte organizations will, therefore, focus more on applications where blockchain can really make a difference. Too often it is believed that technology provides a solution to all global problems, leading organizations to consider how the technology should be implemented instead of whether it should be. Sometimes choosing other emerging technologies, such as robotics and artificial intelligence, prove to be the better choice.

Restore The Image

Cryptocurrency and blockchain technology are often regarded as one concept. In fact, blockchain technology can easily exist without cryptos. Since the digital currency market lost 80% of its value in 2018 and still suffers from high volatility, as well as negative reports about criminal transactions and fraud, the blockchain technology also continues to suffer (in my eyes) from an incorrect image.
 Although many positive cryptocurrency developments are expected in 2019 (read here my 5 crypto predictions for 2019), blockchain itself will really have to work hard on restoring its image — especially as Forrester predicts that 90% of blockchain projects will never see the light, something that feeds the claims skeptics always has made.

Governments Are Surprisingly Ahead

Whereas at the start of the blockchain, many only observed the revolution in the financial system, currently many governments are at the forefront of experimenting with and successfully implementing the technology. In previous articles, I enthusiastically addressed the many blockchain projects the local governments in the Netherlands are currently setting up and implementing. According to blockchain legend Vinay Gupta, this has resulted in the Netherlands even overtaking countries like Dubai and Singapore.
 The high level of security and the scattered nature of the data in the blockchain has seen a large number of governments choosing the technology. Experiments are no longer small; countries such as Estonia, Switzerland, and Thailand have already placed entire elements of their services on the blockchain. IBM has just signed a $740 million deal with the Australian government to implement the technology, and France is considering making €500 million available for this.

Linking With IoT, ML, And AI

It is anticipated that in 2019 20% of IoT developments will be developed with blockchain. The many already-working applications are proof that the collaboration of both technologies can lead to many cool, new use cases. Like the collaboration with technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, each greatly reinforces the other and provides various new, pioneering solutions. Some experts even believe that blockchain will become the game changer for IoT.

DAPPS

The founder of Ethereum, Vitalik Buterin, predicted for 2019 that “the next wave is not based on hype but on working apps.” He wants Ethereum to cause a small revolution by means of so-called “smart contracts”. An important development in the blockchain technology on the Ethereum network is “dapps”, decentralized applications of which the software and data (as the name states) are stored separately. Because data is no longer stored centrally, organizations such as banks and Facebook will soon no longer be in control of their customers’ data.

Ultimately, that will ensure that we ourselves regain control of our data. A good example is Brave, whereby the user decides which data they want to share with the advertiser, something that is rewarded in tokens. However, the real revolutionary applications still have to be introduced; “CryptoKitties” is still the best known and widely used application. It allows you to raise and collect digital cats. However, many experts predict many important app launches in 2019.
 
 Of course, there have been many other developments witnessed in the area of blockchain, such as the massive demand for blockchain experts, the sharply increasing investments of venture capitalists in technology, and many great collaborations within blockchain consortia such as R3 (financial institutions), B3i (insurers) and MOBI (car manufacturers). I, therefore, will follow the developments with great enthusiasm and interest in the coming year!

CEO of Web3

Jan Scheele is active in the web3 (blockchain, crypto, NFTs, DeFi) industry since 2013. Besides (former) CEO of a web3 scaleup and founder of an advisory boutique (working for governments, family offices and several multinationals), he is Digital Leader at the World Economic Forum and Board Member at the Blockchain Netherlands Foundation (BCNL). He is writing, consulting, speaking and training regularly about everything web3, all over the world. Furthermore, he is currently finalizing his book about the rise and global impact of blockchain technology.

Jan Scheele

Jan Scheele werkt dertien jaar op het snijvlak van deep tech, strategie en leiderschap. Als keynote spreker en dagvoorzitter maakt hij technologie tastbaar voor boardrooms, directieteams en grote podia, zonder de complexiteit te versimpelen of te verbergen achter buzzwords.

Zijn achtergrond ligt in het bouwen. Als CEO van een technologie scale-up, oprichter van meerdere techbedrijven en organisator van meer dan vijftig TED-events wereldwijd zag hij van dichtbij hoe technologische keuzes doorwerken in strategie, governance en cultuur. Vanuit zijn betrokkenheid bij het World Economic Forum en de BCNL Foundation kijkt hij daarbij niet alleen naar wat technisch mogelijk is, maar ook naar wat bestuurlijk houdbaar en maatschappelijk wenselijk is.

Hij publiceerde vijf boeken, waarvan twee Amazon-bestsellers, en schrijft wekelijks over AI, blockchain en de organisatorische gevolgen van deep tech. Zijn blogs bereikten inmiddels meer dan twee miljoen lezers.

janscheele.nl

2018 turned out to be a disaster year for many investors in cryptocurrency. Expectations were high after the crazy price increases of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies witnessed prior to and in 2017. Unfortunately, after an all-time high in January, crypto prices soon dropped to a low point and many coins lost up to 95% of their value. The many hacks, scams, regulations, the Google/Facebook ban on crypto-related advertisements, and the war in the Bitcoin Cash camp attributed to the negative exchange rates. In the past year, the media declared Bitcoin dead more than 100 times and its link to the many “altcoins” ensured that those rates were highly dependent on those of “mother” Bitcoin and therefore also decreased significantly. Despite researching the Netherlands showing that the number of investors in cryptocurrency has decreased by 100,000, another recent study showed that the number of investors worldwide has doubled. During my lectures, I am often queried about the most important developments in the field of cryptocurrency that 2019 has in stock for us.

Here are my top 5:

Mass Adoption With BAKKT?

BAKKT is one of the most discussed and promising projects that cryptocurrency must make accessible to the general public. The preparations for the launch of this open and regulated trading platform should give users the option to not only to trade in cryptocurrency and assets but to also store and spend them.

With the platform being funded by the owner of the New York Stock Exchange and built in collaboration with Microsoft and Starbucks, it has the involvement of some serious organizations and individuals.
 The involvement of Starbucks is very interesting since most payments in the United States are currently made with the Starbucks app, even more, than with Apple Pay. In addition, the regulated trading in a transparent platform and the solution it offers for transaction times has drawn the attention from many large institutional investors and it may turn the stock market upside down. Unfortunately, the launch of the platform has already been delayed twice, since more time is needed for both streamlining the customer registration process and for obtaining approval from the US government. However, various authoritative experts from the sector claim that this won’t last much longer.

Will there finally be an ETF in 2019?

While BAKKT is ready to be launched, it remains very unclear when the first ETF will be approved. An Exchange Traded Fund is a so-called “index tracker”, which follows the official price of an asset without the owner owning it. It enables investors to easily speculate on the price rise or fall of Bitcoin without owning the crypto. This offers a solution to many investors since they don’t want all the hassle that comes with purchasing Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. It is anticipated that the approval of the first ETF will see a large influx of institutional investors with significant amounts of money to spend. Often the comparison is made with the first ETFs on gold, which has multiplied the value of the precious metal many times.

There have been dozens of proposals for ETFs, but they have all been rejected by the US SEC, as they consider the market to not yet be sufficiently regulated and developed. According to the SEC, there is still insufficient evidence for the required size and volume of the market and too much chance of manipulation and fraud. The STC claims that there is a lack of regulations to prevent this from happening and, if it does, to punish it. The ETF application from VanEck, the party known for its ETFs on gold, currently has the best chance of success.

Unfortunately, the decision on this application has already been postponed a few times. The absence of practical solutions to combat fraud is the reason why various experts don’t expect that it will be approved in 2019. That would be a pity as the approval of an ETF will be precisely the “stamp of approval” many institutional investors are waiting for to invest in cryptocurrencies.

Does The Institutional Tidal Wave Follow?

Apart from BAKKT and ETFs, there are also many other projects that can facilitate a tidal wave of institutional money flowing into the cryptomarket. This will, of course, be one of the most important developments for the market for both confidence and influence on prices. Many companies are eager to invest, but the lack of the right infrastructure and regulations has made them hesitate.

Various products that resemble ETFs are already active. BinckBank offers a Bitcoin ETN and certificates in Switzerland can be used to invest in a basket of cryptocurrencies via Bitcoin and ETP. It is also possible to trade in Bitcoin futures and swaps via Bitmex, providing you first buy Bitcoins yourself.

Various launches of crypto platforms are also expected from the largest players in the global financial market in the coming years. For example, one of the biggest asset managers in the world, Fidelity, will offer its own service from early 2019 to allow large investors to invest in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The American Nasdaq too will offer Bitcoin futures.
The German Boerse Stuttgart and ErisX also expect to be able to offer services to enable institutional investors to trade in cryptocurrency from the start of this year.

Performing Projects

One of the positive aspects of the cryptomarket crash in the past year has been the self-cleaning capability. Almost all predictions assume that 90–95% of the cryptos will fail. According to the Deadcoins site, we have reached the halfway mark of the 2,000 known cryptocurrencies. This is important for the sector since many scams and drools projects attributed to the poor reputation. Companies in the bear market that endured the ‘survival of the fittest’ test have worked hard in the past year on the products that they have promised. Many breakthroughs are therefore expected in the coming year, which will, of course, have a positive influence on the rate.

Regulation

The rapid emergence of cryptocurrency meant that governments lagged behind with their regulations. Fraud has been and continues to be committed in various ways and there are still things happening with regular stock trading on a daily basis that is prohibited and punishable. That is why several governments have banned the trade. Good regulation is desperately needed to give the market a more trustworthy character, to provide stability and to enable it to achieve its real potential. Various authorities are working hard to soon establish a framework with regulations. For example, much is expected from the guidelines that the G7’s Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) will publish in June, and the US government has already prepared several proposed frameworks that are ready for publication.

Of course, there are many other developments that the coming year has in stock. The price increases witnessed in recent weeks, and the positive sentiment I have noticed very clearly among the many investors and experts, make me look forward to the coming year!

Jan Scheele is active in the web3 (blockchain, crypto, NFTs, DeFi) industry since 2013. Besides (former) CEO of a web3 scaleup and founder of an advisory boutique (working for governments, family offices and several multinationals), he is Digital Leader at the World Economic Forum and Board Member at the Blockchain Netherlands Foundation (BCNL). He is writing, consulting, speaking and training regularly about everything web3, all over the world. Furthermore, he is currently finalizing his book about the rise and global impact of blockchain technology.

Jan Scheele

Jan Scheele werkt dertien jaar op het snijvlak van deep tech, strategie en leiderschap. Als keynote spreker en dagvoorzitter maakt hij technologie tastbaar voor boardrooms, directieteams en grote podia, zonder de complexiteit te versimpelen of te verbergen achter buzzwords.

Zijn achtergrond ligt in het bouwen. Als CEO van een technologie scale-up, oprichter van meerdere techbedrijven en organisator van meer dan vijftig TED-events wereldwijd zag hij van dichtbij hoe technologische keuzes doorwerken in strategie, governance en cultuur. Vanuit zijn betrokkenheid bij het World Economic Forum en de BCNL Foundation kijkt hij daarbij niet alleen naar wat technisch mogelijk is, maar ook naar wat bestuurlijk houdbaar en maatschappelijk wenselijk is.

Hij publiceerde vijf boeken, waarvan twee Amazon-bestsellers, en schrijft wekelijks over AI, blockchain en de organisatorische gevolgen van deep tech. Zijn blogs bereikten inmiddels meer dan twee miljoen lezers.

janscheele.nl

Here are 7 TED talks I can highly recommend!

As mentioned in a previous post: a recent survey by the HSBC bank showed that 60% of consumers have never heard of blockchain and that 80% of consumers who have heard of it don’t understand it. Daily, I receive requests from people to explain in simple language what blockchain is, what Bitcoin has to do with it and what this will actually mean for our society.

Here are my top 7 TED talks, which explain these questions in an easy-to-understand way:

1) Bettina Warburg — “How The Blockchain Will Radically Transform The Economy”

This is one of my favorites since Bettina explains in an easy-to-understand way how blockchain will change the modern economy and reduce the role of financial institutions and governments. This researcher and entrepreneur in the sector are also described as “one of the thought leaders in the emerging blockchain space”.

2) Neha Narula — “The Future Of Money”

Neha is Director of the Digital Currency Initiative within the highly renowned MIT Media Lab. Her TED talk is also about reducing the role of financial institutions in governments, but also offers a very good insight into her idea of what the future of money will look like.

3) Don Tapscott — “How The Blockchain Is Changing Money And Business”

Just like his book, which I can highly recommend, this TED talk is definitely recommended to get a nice introduction to blockchain. The focus of this talk is mainly on how the blockchain technology itself works as well as a number of applications that will cause major, positive changes in various sectors worldwide.

4) Galia Benartzi — “The Value Revolution: How Blockchain Will Change Money & The World”

A TEDx talk, but definitely as good as the TED talks mentioned above. Galia highlights the power of new developments within digital currencies. Not only does she zoom in on how we send and receive money, but also talks about various other applications that she sees from her background as an entrepreneur and community builder.

5) Charles Hoskinson — “The Future Will Be Decentralized”

Charles is one of the greats within the sector. He is a very talented mathematician who works on the well-known Cardano project and has been CEO of Ethereum. He discusses the impact on education and the legal world. By using various current issues, he also perfectly illustrates the impact of technology in developing countries.

6) Richie Etwaru — “Blockchain: Massively Simplified”

With a background as an author, professor, entrepreneur and holder of various international patents in the sector, Richie is certainly an interesting person to listen to. He breaks down all the important basic principles of blockchain technology into bite-sized chunks. I also found the risks of disruption interesting to hear.

7) Rachel Botsman — “How We’ve Stopped Trusting Institutions and Started Trusting Strangers”

This great storyteller specializes in explaining large, complex ideas as simply as possible. She is the perfect person to explain the blockchain technology to a layman! J. Rachel goes further than just explaining the technology; she also zooms in nicely on shifting trust towards unknown people, ideas and companies and the impact on society that this is going to have.

Jan Scheele is active in the web3 (blockchain, crypto, NFTs, DeFi) industry since 2013. Besides (former) CEO of a web3 scaleup and founder of an advisory boutique (working for governments, family offices and several multinationals), he is Digital Leader at the World Economic Forum and Board Member at the Blockchain Netherlands Foundation (BCNL). He is writing, consulting, speaking and training regularly about everything web3, all over the world. Furthermore, he is currently finalizing his book about the rise and global impact of blockchain technology.

Jan Scheele

Jan Scheele werkt dertien jaar op het snijvlak van deep tech, strategie en leiderschap. Als keynote spreker en dagvoorzitter maakt hij technologie tastbaar voor boardrooms, directieteams en grote podia, zonder de complexiteit te versimpelen of te verbergen achter buzzwords.

Zijn achtergrond ligt in het bouwen. Als CEO van een technologie scale-up, oprichter van meerdere techbedrijven en organisator van meer dan vijftig TED-events wereldwijd zag hij van dichtbij hoe technologische keuzes doorwerken in strategie, governance en cultuur. Vanuit zijn betrokkenheid bij het World Economic Forum en de BCNL Foundation kijkt hij daarbij niet alleen naar wat technisch mogelijk is, maar ook naar wat bestuurlijk houdbaar en maatschappelijk wenselijk is.

Hij publiceerde vijf boeken, waarvan twee Amazon-bestsellers, en schrijft wekelijks over AI, blockchain en de organisatorische gevolgen van deep tech. Zijn blogs bereikten inmiddels meer dan twee miljoen lezers.

janscheele.nl