VCs have for the most part retreated from investing in Bitcoin and Blockchain. The appetite for blockchain products however has only increased. Corporations have formed consortiums such as R3 and the Hyperledger Project to learn more about the technology. Numerous enterprises have rolled out internal pilots to test and explore the applications of blockchain.
At Thomvest, we believe blockchain adoption is about to take off - making it a prime time for VCs to begin making early stage bets.
Take a look at our most recent research report which delves into the current state of blockchain.
An introduction to Blockchain and covering :
-Blockchain vs cryptocurrency
-Bitcoin vs Ethereum
-Real life and industrial examples
-Business example
-Benefits & challenges
This Edureka Blockchain technology tutorial will give you an understanding of how blockchain works and what are blockchain technologies. This tutorial helps you to learn following topics:
1. What are Blockchain & Bitcoin
2. Blockchain Technologies
3. Peer to Peer Network
4. Cryptography
5. Proof of Work & Blockchain Program
6. Ethereum & Smart Contracts
7. Blockchain Applications and Use Cases
Presentation on blockchains for Webbdagarna in Gothenburg, Sweden and for BISS (Brightlands Smart Services Campus) in Heerlen, the Netherlands in September 2016
An introduction to Blockchain and covering :
-Blockchain vs cryptocurrency
-Bitcoin vs Ethereum
-Real life and industrial examples
-Business example
-Benefits & challenges
This Edureka Blockchain technology tutorial will give you an understanding of how blockchain works and what are blockchain technologies. This tutorial helps you to learn following topics:
1. What are Blockchain & Bitcoin
2. Blockchain Technologies
3. Peer to Peer Network
4. Cryptography
5. Proof of Work & Blockchain Program
6. Ethereum & Smart Contracts
7. Blockchain Applications and Use Cases
Presentation on blockchains for Webbdagarna in Gothenburg, Sweden and for BISS (Brightlands Smart Services Campus) in Heerlen, the Netherlands in September 2016
This course covers in detail the technical principles & concepts behind blockchain. In addition, it seeks to provide you with the insights and deep understanding of the various components of blockchain technology, and enables you to determine for yourself how to best leverage and exploit blockchain for your project, organisation or start-up.
Link - https://www.experfy.com/training/courses/blockchain-technology-fundamentals
Hackbama Presentation
Presenter: Jason Cuneo
Abstract: The revolution of blockchain centered technologies provides security practitioners with a unique opportunity to participate in shaping the future of secure networking and has the potential to redefine how organizations and society transact and determine value. The objective of this discussion is to introduce how blockchains are disrupting the status quo and how they can be used to improve the Cybersecurity landscape.
Blockchain technology is a distributed ledger platform that provides open and transparent transaction information with integrity and non-repudiation based on modern cryptography. It is also the technology behind many cryptocurrencies. This presentation will give fundamental knowledge on how blockchain works, its cryptography implementation, cryptocurrency definition and related terms and also blockchain use cases.
The presentation will give the basic idea about what is blockchain technology, it's architecture, main features, types of blockchain network and other things that will make your fundamentals clear.
This Edureka Blockchain 101 Training will give you a complete fundamental understanding regrading Blockchain and Bitcoin. You will learn following topics:
1. What is Blockchain?
2. Blockchain concepts
3. Hyperledger
4. Blockchain Use Case
5. Blockchain in the Industry
6. Solidity programming
7. Demo: Smart Contracts
The Basic Introduction to Blockchain technology and its features along with its working ,usage and application areas. This presentation clarifies all the basic concenpts related to blockchain technology .
Thomvest Mobile Advertising Overview - February 2016Thomvest Ventures
This is an overview of the mobile adtech ecosystem. Research was conducted by Thomvest Ventures. It covers topics including mobile advertising spend, programmatic advertising, key mobile advertising vendors (i.e DSP, SSP, exchanges & networks), and key trends.
This course covers in detail the technical principles & concepts behind blockchain. In addition, it seeks to provide you with the insights and deep understanding of the various components of blockchain technology, and enables you to determine for yourself how to best leverage and exploit blockchain for your project, organisation or start-up.
Link - https://www.experfy.com/training/courses/blockchain-technology-fundamentals
Hackbama Presentation
Presenter: Jason Cuneo
Abstract: The revolution of blockchain centered technologies provides security practitioners with a unique opportunity to participate in shaping the future of secure networking and has the potential to redefine how organizations and society transact and determine value. The objective of this discussion is to introduce how blockchains are disrupting the status quo and how they can be used to improve the Cybersecurity landscape.
Blockchain technology is a distributed ledger platform that provides open and transparent transaction information with integrity and non-repudiation based on modern cryptography. It is also the technology behind many cryptocurrencies. This presentation will give fundamental knowledge on how blockchain works, its cryptography implementation, cryptocurrency definition and related terms and also blockchain use cases.
The presentation will give the basic idea about what is blockchain technology, it's architecture, main features, types of blockchain network and other things that will make your fundamentals clear.
This Edureka Blockchain 101 Training will give you a complete fundamental understanding regrading Blockchain and Bitcoin. You will learn following topics:
1. What is Blockchain?
2. Blockchain concepts
3. Hyperledger
4. Blockchain Use Case
5. Blockchain in the Industry
6. Solidity programming
7. Demo: Smart Contracts
The Basic Introduction to Blockchain technology and its features along with its working ,usage and application areas. This presentation clarifies all the basic concenpts related to blockchain technology .
Thomvest Mobile Advertising Overview - February 2016Thomvest Ventures
This is an overview of the mobile adtech ecosystem. Research was conducted by Thomvest Ventures. It covers topics including mobile advertising spend, programmatic advertising, key mobile advertising vendors (i.e DSP, SSP, exchanges & networks), and key trends.
Fintech is a hot sector among investors, but why?
As a fintech focused VC, take a look at our perspective on why financial services is on the cusp of change.
China Mobile Advertising Landscape Report (Thomvest Ventures)Thomvest Ventures
This report examines China's digital advertising industry, with a specific focus on mobile. Our goal with this research is to grasp the many nuances of advertising technology in China – what role does programmatic play, who are the key vendors in the space, what challenges do these vendors face, and how do we expect the market to evolve over the next several years?
In this report we provide an overview of the native advertising ecosystem, with a specific focus on native advertising delivered programmatically. We touch on the native advertising market size, key vendors in the space, recent updates from incumbent advertising companies like Facebook, Google, Yahoo & Twitter, and key challenges and opportunities within the native ads market.
AdTech Late Stage Deal & M&A Analysis (Thomvest Ventures)Thomvest Ventures
This report is a compilation of data on late stage investment in advertising technology (adtech) companies over the last several years, as well as a summary of M&A activity in the sector.
The banking industry appears to be undergoing a renaissance driven by changing consumer behavior and technical innovation. Software is eating the industry. In retrospect, we can see how the first wave of innovation came in areas such as online account access and payments. Changing consumer behavior (such as the shift to mobile) and the use of big data has enabled increasingly complex transactions (such as lending and asset management) to move online. Consumers have largely stopped going to retail branches, and reserve the occasional branch visit for major one-off transactions.
Our first investment in the financial services industry came many years ago with an investment in LendingClub. We put both equity and debt into the company, making a sizable purchase of loans via the platform itself. We saw the company’s potential to bring marketplace dynamics and software disruption to the lending industry. The end goal for borrowers and investors on the platform was simple: lower cost loans for borrowers, increased yields for investors, and high levels of customer satisfaction. As a result, LendingClub has grown into a sizable public company. With experience on the platform and a realization of the potentially transformative nature of this model, we’ve gone on to invest in companies across the online lending space: Kabbage (www.kabbage.com), LendUp (www.lendup.com), and SoFi (www.sofi.com).
The renaissance in financial services has drawn in substantial amounts of venture capital. In the past year alone, the number of fintech deals has grown 16% and the capital funded is up 46%.
While many entrepreneurs develop expertise in the specific segment they intend to disrupt, we’ve noticed that startups usually don’t have the time or resources to look outside their niche and understand how they fit into the larger context of banking and lending markets. To help put the industry in perspective, we developed an overview of the banking industry in the US. What’s remarkable is not only the insights this gives into the financial lives of Americans (be it millenials or seniors), but also the perspective this gives us on the large banks we’ve all come to use. Indeed, consolidation over the last several decades has led the four major banks (JP Morgan, Bank of America, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo) to hold around half of the market’s depository assets.
Today we’re happy to provide the first version of this industry overview. We’ve chosen brevity over depth, so as to provide a snapshot of the overall banking landscape. We’ll continue to iterate on this overview and welcome questions and comments. In subsequent posts, we plan to provide deeper dives into sectors that are of interest to both ourselves and others. We look forward to contributing to what feels like yet another opportunity to be at the front door of history-making companies.
While insuretech has become a major area of interest among VCs, we recognize that few investors in the space have comprehensive knowledge of the industry. To better understand the complexities and opportunities in the space, we have compiled the research report posted below. The report provides an overview of the auto, homeowners, life, and health insurance sectors. We hope you find the presentation insightful and welcome comments and questions.
Presented at the international Chamber of Commerce, Rome, November 10
An introduction to blockchain and bitcoin for those naively thinking about blockchain without bitcoin
In his presentation at Blockchain Vlaanderen, Sam Wouters explained why the Blockchain exists, how it works and what can be done with it.
Interested in learning more? Check out my website or book me as a speaker: http://samwouters.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SDWouters
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samwouters
Block chain 101 what it is, why it mattersPaul Brody
The Blockchain is an important new technology, but it is shrouded in mystery: what does it do? Why is it such a big deal? How is it related to bitcoin? In this short presentation (with attached video), I attempt to answer those questions.
Blockchain: The Information Technology of the FutureMelanie Swan
The blockchain concept may be one of the most transformative ideas to impact the world since the Internet. Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are merely one application of the blockchain concept. The blockchain is a public transaction ledger built in a decentralized network structure based on cryptographic principles so that any kind of trading, buying and selling of assets does not need to go through a centralized intermediary. Any kind of asset may be encoded into the blockchain and transacted, validated, or preserved in a much more efficient manner than at present including ideas, health data, financial assets, automobiles, and government documents. Venture Capitalists are calling the blockchain the next big investment wave.
The Blockchain - The Technology behind Bitcoin Jérôme Kehrli
The blockchain and blockchain related topics are becoming increasingly discussed and studied nowadays. There is not one single day where I don't hear about it, that being on linkedin or elsewhere.
I interested myself deeply in the blockchain topic recently and this is the first article of a coming whole serie around the blockchain.
This presentation is an introduction to the blockchain, presents what it is in the light of its initial deployment in the Bitcoin project as well as all technical details and architecture concerns behind it.
We won't focus here on business applications aside from what is required to present the blockchain purpose, more concrete business applications and evolutions will be the topic of another presentation I'll post in a few weeks
Evaluating the potential of blockchain technology to radically transform business
[Feel free to download the presentation if you'd like to view it offline]
Crypto currencies usage is growing in a more connected world. The traditional banking industry is being disrupted by a decentralized network, rich in computing resources and connectivity.
Full quality version here -> https://www.scribd.com/document/333257162/Crypto-Currency-Mining-Science
Recent developments of public and private blockchains (DLTs) are described. The differences are indicated and confronted with the needs of financial institutions. The ecosystems of Blockchain, Ethereum, Digital Assets Holding and 3Rcev with their DLTs are shown. Next the working of smart contracts are presented followed by the issues and dilemmas that blockchains and smart contracts present for financial institutions. Finally attention is paid to preferred policies of monetary and regulatory authorities.
Differences between public and private blockchains are described. Attention is paid to different recent DLT approaches and confronted with the needs of banks and other financial institutions. Special attention is paid to smart contracts and the issues and dilemma's for financial institutions and monetary authorities.
This provides a deep intro to the blockchain technology, and explores several use-cases within healthcare where it could lead to disruption and add value
The ecosystem supporting blockchain technology has matured to the point where the rollout of multiple enterprise blockchain solutions is imminent. This is technology that cannot be ignored by any industry as it poses both a threat and an opportunity for organisations. This paper outlines the potential of blockchain technology.
Blockchain - a platform for Digital Transformation in FinanceBlockchain Worx
Propelled by new business models and opportunities to upgrade the existing legacy infrastructure, institutional interest in Blockchain technology continues to rapidly grow. From digital identity and asset tokenization to using smart contracts to automate business processes, Blockchain technology is swiftly establishing itself as a key enabler of the emerging digital finance environment.
The presentation outlines a strategy, an approach, and select considerations to help financial institutions harness the potential of Blockchain technology for Digital Transformation.
How to raise $100M for your healthcare startup via ICO: Breaking the myths of...VSee
Telehealth Failures & Secrets to Success Conference 2017 by VSee
Speaker: Danny Yang & Tim Swanson
CEO of BlockSeer & Director of Post Oak Labs
More info at: vsee.com/conference
Cryptocurrency Alliance Super PAC-The Global Emergence of Cryptocurrencies an...Casey Botticello
The Cryptocurrency Alliance Super PAC-The Global Emergence of Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain Technology. This presentation provides an overview of the origins, technology, and applications of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. Presented by Casey Botticello, President of The Cryptocurrency Alliance Super PAC.
For more information about The Cryptocurrency Alliance Super PAC and to get the latest crypto updates, go to: www.cryptocurrencyalliance.org
To get exclusive access to business content, from Casey Botticello, go to: www.caseybotticello.com
Social Media/Content Links:
Super PAC: www.cryptocurrencyalliance.org
Projects: www.caseybotticello.com
Medium Articles: https://medium.com/@caseybotticello
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseybotticello
Twitter: https://twitter.com/caseybotticello
Private Equity Investments: www.botticello.com
Presentation for Asian Financial Markets and Institutions, October 2016, HKU MBA Program. Covers basics of blockchain and distributed ledgers and discusses some current and potential applications.
This presentation takes the viewer through the basics of block chain concepts, its evolution and why it is a paradigm shift.
It also explores the ways in which the block chain concept can be put to use and how it has the potential to revolutionize the way businesses are conducted today.
Key takeaways
Idea of Blockchain.
The technology behind Blockchain.
Why it is a paradigm shift.
How it may be put to use in different industries.
Blockchain in Banking: A Measured ApproachCognizant
Here's our foundational view on what the financial services industry needs to consider as organizations move from ideation to experimentation to pilot deployments of blockchain.
Blockchain applications in payments and fintechPenser
An overview of blockchain applications in the payments and fintech industry, with recent examples. For full article, see - https://www.penser.co.uk/blockchain-applications-payments-fintech/
A blockchain is essentially a distributed database of records or public ledger of all transactions or digital events that have been executed and shared among participating parties. Each transaction in the public ledger is verified by consensus of a majority of the participants in the system. And, once entered, information can never be erased. The blockchain contains a certain and verifiable record of every single transaction ever made. To use a basic analogy, it is easy to steal a cookie from a cookie jar, kept in a secluded place than stealing the cookie from a cookie jar kept in a marketplace, being observed by thousands of people. In the report, it distinguishes between multiple types of blockchains and explains the two biggest platforms, namely Bitcoin and Ethereum. While introducing those two platforms we explain the most important technology and algorithms used such as proof of work concept. Some of the security issues and solutions are also covered. We conclude with some concrete Ethereum based applications that demonstrate the usage of blockchain technology beyond cryptocurrency and illustrate current developments in this field.
Business Opportunities in Fintech and BlockchainSaeed Al Dhaheri
This presentation was given at the Etisalat Academy Blockchain Symposium. It highlights how fintech and blockchain technologies are disrupting the financial services industries and other vertical domains as well. It also highlights the important features of blockchain and discusses the business opportunities. It briefly explains types of blockchain and the difference between public and private blockchain ledgers. It talks about the world most major initiatives including Dubai blockchain strategy and provide some examples from current PoC projects in UAE.
Encryption in Microsoft 365 - ExpertsLive Netherlands 2024Albert Hoitingh
In this session I delve into the encryption technology used in Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Purview. Including the concepts of Customer Key and Double Key Encryption.
UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series, part 4DianaGray10
Welcome to UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series part 4. In this session, we will cover Test Manager overview along with SAP heatmap.
The UiPath Test Manager overview with SAP heatmap webinar offers a concise yet comprehensive exploration of the role of a Test Manager within SAP environments, coupled with the utilization of heatmaps for effective testing strategies.
Participants will gain insights into the responsibilities, challenges, and best practices associated with test management in SAP projects. Additionally, the webinar delves into the significance of heatmaps as a visual aid for identifying testing priorities, areas of risk, and resource allocation within SAP landscapes. Through this session, attendees can expect to enhance their understanding of test management principles while learning practical approaches to optimize testing processes in SAP environments using heatmap visualization techniques
What will you get from this session?
1. Insights into SAP testing best practices
2. Heatmap utilization for testing
3. Optimization of testing processes
4. Demo
Topics covered:
Execution from the test manager
Orchestrator execution result
Defect reporting
SAP heatmap example with demo
Speaker:
Deepak Rai, Automation Practice Lead, Boundaryless Group and UiPath MVP
LF Energy Webinar: Electrical Grid Modelling and Simulation Through PowSyBl -...DanBrown980551
Do you want to learn how to model and simulate an electrical network from scratch in under an hour?
Then welcome to this PowSyBl workshop, hosted by Rte, the French Transmission System Operator (TSO)!
During the webinar, you will discover the PowSyBl ecosystem as well as handle and study an electrical network through an interactive Python notebook.
PowSyBl is an open source project hosted by LF Energy, which offers a comprehensive set of features for electrical grid modelling and simulation. Among other advanced features, PowSyBl provides:
- A fully editable and extendable library for grid component modelling;
- Visualization tools to display your network;
- Grid simulation tools, such as power flows, security analyses (with or without remedial actions) and sensitivity analyses;
The framework is mostly written in Java, with a Python binding so that Python developers can access PowSyBl functionalities as well.
What you will learn during the webinar:
- For beginners: discover PowSyBl's functionalities through a quick general presentation and the notebook, without needing any expert coding skills;
- For advanced developers: master the skills to efficiently apply PowSyBl functionalities to your real-world scenarios.
Observability Concepts EVERY Developer Should Know -- DeveloperWeek Europe.pdfPaige Cruz
Monitoring and observability aren’t traditionally found in software curriculums and many of us cobble this knowledge together from whatever vendor or ecosystem we were first introduced to and whatever is a part of your current company’s observability stack.
While the dev and ops silo continues to crumble….many organizations still relegate monitoring & observability as the purview of ops, infra and SRE teams. This is a mistake - achieving a highly observable system requires collaboration up and down the stack.
I, a former op, would like to extend an invitation to all application developers to join the observability party will share these foundational concepts to build on:
Elevating Tactical DDD Patterns Through Object CalisthenicsDorra BARTAGUIZ
After immersing yourself in the blue book and its red counterpart, attending DDD-focused conferences, and applying tactical patterns, you're left with a crucial question: How do I ensure my design is effective? Tactical patterns within Domain-Driven Design (DDD) serve as guiding principles for creating clear and manageable domain models. However, achieving success with these patterns requires additional guidance. Interestingly, we've observed that a set of constraints initially designed for training purposes remarkably aligns with effective pattern implementation, offering a more ‘mechanical’ approach. Let's explore together how Object Calisthenics can elevate the design of your tactical DDD patterns, offering concrete help for those venturing into DDD for the first time!
Sudheer Mechineni, Head of Application Frameworks, Standard Chartered Bank
Discover how Standard Chartered Bank harnessed the power of Neo4j to transform complex data access challenges into a dynamic, scalable graph database solution. This keynote will cover their journey from initial adoption to deploying a fully automated, enterprise-grade causal cluster, highlighting key strategies for modelling organisational changes and ensuring robust disaster recovery. Learn how these innovations have not only enhanced Standard Chartered Bank’s data infrastructure but also positioned them as pioneers in the banking sector’s adoption of graph technology.
Dr. Sean Tan, Head of Data Science, Changi Airport Group
Discover how Changi Airport Group (CAG) leverages graph technologies and generative AI to revolutionize their search capabilities. This session delves into the unique search needs of CAG’s diverse passengers and customers, showcasing how graph data structures enhance the accuracy and relevance of AI-generated search results, mitigating the risk of “hallucinations” and improving the overall customer journey.
Why You Should Replace Windows 11 with Nitrux Linux 3.5.0 for enhanced perfor...SOFTTECHHUB
The choice of an operating system plays a pivotal role in shaping our computing experience. For decades, Microsoft's Windows has dominated the market, offering a familiar and widely adopted platform for personal and professional use. However, as technological advancements continue to push the boundaries of innovation, alternative operating systems have emerged, challenging the status quo and offering users a fresh perspective on computing.
One such alternative that has garnered significant attention and acclaim is Nitrux Linux 3.5.0, a sleek, powerful, and user-friendly Linux distribution that promises to redefine the way we interact with our devices. With its focus on performance, security, and customization, Nitrux Linux presents a compelling case for those seeking to break free from the constraints of proprietary software and embrace the freedom and flexibility of open-source computing.
GraphSummit Singapore | The Future of Agility: Supercharging Digital Transfor...Neo4j
Leonard Jayamohan, Partner & Generative AI Lead, Deloitte
This keynote will reveal how Deloitte leverages Neo4j’s graph power for groundbreaking digital twin solutions, achieving a staggering 100x performance boost. Discover the essential role knowledge graphs play in successful generative AI implementations. Plus, get an exclusive look at an innovative Neo4j + Generative AI solution Deloitte is developing in-house.
SAP Sapphire 2024 - ASUG301 building better apps with SAP Fiori.pdfPeter Spielvogel
Building better applications for business users with SAP Fiori.
• What is SAP Fiori and why it matters to you
• How a better user experience drives measurable business benefits
• How to get started with SAP Fiori today
• How SAP Fiori elements accelerates application development
• How SAP Build Code includes SAP Fiori tools and other generative artificial intelligence capabilities
• How SAP Fiori paves the way for using AI in SAP apps
State of ICS and IoT Cyber Threat Landscape Report 2024 previewPrayukth K V
The IoT and OT threat landscape report has been prepared by the Threat Research Team at Sectrio using data from Sectrio, cyber threat intelligence farming facilities spread across over 85 cities around the world. In addition, Sectrio also runs AI-based advanced threat and payload engagement facilities that serve as sinks to attract and engage sophisticated threat actors, and newer malware including new variants and latent threats that are at an earlier stage of development.
The latest edition of the OT/ICS and IoT security Threat Landscape Report 2024 also covers:
State of global ICS asset and network exposure
Sectoral targets and attacks as well as the cost of ransom
Global APT activity, AI usage, actor and tactic profiles, and implications
Rise in volumes of AI-powered cyberattacks
Major cyber events in 2024
Malware and malicious payload trends
Cyberattack types and targets
Vulnerability exploit attempts on CVEs
Attacks on counties – USA
Expansion of bot farms – how, where, and why
In-depth analysis of the cyber threat landscape across North America, South America, Europe, APAC, and the Middle East
Why are attacks on smart factories rising?
Cyber risk predictions
Axis of attacks – Europe
Systemic attacks in the Middle East
Download the full report from here:
https://sectrio.com/resources/ot-threat-landscape-reports/sectrio-releases-ot-ics-and-iot-security-threat-landscape-report-2024/
Climate Impact of Software Testing at Nordic Testing DaysKari Kakkonen
My slides at Nordic Testing Days 6.6.2024
Climate impact / sustainability of software testing discussed on the talk. ICT and testing must carry their part of global responsibility to help with the climat warming. We can minimize the carbon footprint but we can also have a carbon handprint, a positive impact on the climate. Quality characteristics can be added with sustainability, and then measured continuously. Test environments can be used less, and in smaller scale and on demand. Test techniques can be used in optimizing or minimizing number of tests. Test automation can be used to speed up testing.
The Art of the Pitch: WordPress Relationships and SalesLaura Byrne
Clients don’t know what they don’t know. What web solutions are right for them? How does WordPress come into the picture? How do you make sure you understand scope and timeline? What do you do if sometime changes?
All these questions and more will be explored as we talk about matching clients’ needs with what your agency offers without pulling teeth or pulling your hair out. Practical tips, and strategies for successful relationship building that leads to closing the deal.
DevOps and Testing slides at DASA ConnectKari Kakkonen
My and Rik Marselis slides at 30.5.2024 DASA Connect conference. We discuss about what is testing, then what is agile testing and finally what is Testing in DevOps. Finally we had lovely workshop with the participants trying to find out different ways to think about quality and testing in different parts of the DevOps infinity loop.
Essentials of Automations: The Art of Triggers and Actions in FMESafe Software
In this second installment of our Essentials of Automations webinar series, we’ll explore the landscape of triggers and actions, guiding you through the nuances of authoring and adapting workspaces for seamless automations. Gain an understanding of the full spectrum of triggers and actions available in FME, empowering you to enhance your workspaces for efficient automation.
We’ll kick things off by showcasing the most commonly used event-based triggers, introducing you to various automation workflows like manual triggers, schedules, directory watchers, and more. Plus, see how these elements play out in real scenarios.
Whether you’re tweaking your current setup or building from the ground up, this session will arm you with the tools and insights needed to transform your FME usage into a powerhouse of productivity. Join us to discover effective strategies that simplify complex processes, enhancing your productivity and transforming your data management practices with FME. Let’s turn complexity into clarity and make your workspaces work wonders!
Unlocking Productivity: Leveraging the Potential of Copilot in Microsoft 365, a presentation by Christoforos Vlachos, Senior Solutions Manager – Modern Workplace, Uni Systems
2. Agenda
Review of blockchain protocols: bitcoin, public, and private blockchains
Assessment of adoption trends and notable players
Appendix
2
3. Today’s transactional systems rely on outdated infrastructure to establish trust between
parties
3
Computers enabled efficiency gains via
databases and on premise computing
solutions, dominated by SAP, Oracle,
Microsoft, and similar companies
1970s: Internal Databases
The Internet enabled a new generation
of distributed platforms running in the
cloud, enabling the outsourcing of
certain processes and the more efficient
storage of information
2000s: The Internet & Cloud
Solutions
With current systems, many
transactional processes still require a
third party to establish trust – such as
an escrow, law firm, or clearinghouse –
resulting in high costs, fraud, and
inefficiencies
Present Day: Inefficient Transactions
Blockchains combines cryptography &
distributed computing to deliver
secure, direct peer-to-peer
transactions without the need for a
central party
Think of it as another type of database
for recording transactions
What is a blockchain?
Voting:
Constituent votes cast via a blockchain code on a private device would offer
immediately verifiable results
Healthcare:
Patient’s encrypted health information could be shared with multiple providers
without the risk of privacy breaches
Property Registration:
A digital, transparent, and immutable land title registry can reduce land title
fraud in countries like Honduras
Financial Services:
Faster, cheaper settlements could shave billions of dollars from transaction
costs while improving transparency
4. 4
Think of blockchain as a transformative way to establish trust, transparency, and efficiency within P2P
systems
4
A continually updated, network
hosted ‘database’ of all
transactions on a blockchain.
Comprised of blocks of
transactions (with metadata)
chained together by
cryptography
Digital Ledger
Programmed into each
blockchain protocol, and
responsible for verifying and
updating transactions on the
network’s digital ledger; not
necessary in private
blockchains
Consensus Mechanism
The good transacted on a
blockchain; cryptocurrency
provided the initial proof of
concept, with the industry now
looking to “color tokens” – i.e.
any other form of digital asset
Digital Asset
Computing nodes with access
to the blockchain, able to
manipulate the ledger and
view past transactions; may
be pre-approved or verified by
a consensus mechanism
Network Participants
A blockchain is a horizontal technology comprised of 4 basic components
Data Source: Satoshi Nakamoto Whitepaper; Deloitte; CoinDesk
5. Bitcoin offered a PoC for blockchain by creating an alternative to fiat currency
Bitcoin relies upon blockchain, its underlying
technology, in order to transact a digital
currency – cryptocurrency – between individuals
without the need for a trusted central authority.
Cryptocurrency is one of several assets that
can be transacted on a blockchain, with
different types of blockchains – known as
“protocols” – offering different functionality
5
What’s in a block?
All transactions are logged, including information on the time, date, participants, and amount of each transaction.
How does it work?
Programmed mathematical principles – the “protocol” - govern the method for verifying transactions and
establishing consensus. Cryptography allows each participant on the network to manipulate the ledger in a secure
way.
Is it restricted to currency?
The ledger can record any type of unit – currency, property, commodity, vote, rewards points, etc. – each of which
is individually identifiable and programmable. Smart contracts build upon this.
Core strength?
Eliminates the need for trusted third parties, such as banks, governments, clearinghouses, accountants, and
notaries
Data Source: CoinDesk; pwc; Deloitte; Oliver Wyman
Blockchain Proof-of-Concept
2009
Centralized Authority for P2P Interactions Various Blockchain Protocols, 2015+
6. The bitcoin blockchain lacks initial interest from early adopters given a variety of concerns
6
• Strict policy in Russia, the US, and other markets hinders expansion of key players,
particularly given concerns over the use of bitcoin payment by illegal participants
–Today, roughly 90% of mining operations and trading volume occur in China
• Uncertain regulatory outlook presents risk for application-specific companies
Regulation
• Cryptocurrencies lack strong use-cases in developed countries such as the US,
resulting in stronger adoption in countries with unstable economies, such as Argentina
• Bitcoin is not a Turing-complete platform, meaning it lacks the programmability of
other platforms such as Ethereum and private protocols
Restrictive Use-Cases
• The use of mining for consensus, albeit the most secure mechanism for public
blockchains, reduces throughput, creating scalability issues for certain applications
• Data privacy and security in the ledger presents concerns for sensitive information –
particularly at nodes on the network, as with Bitfinex and Mt. Gox
• Network updates are open-source and must be approved by a majority of miners
Technology Constraints
Insiders view a need for a compelling exit to
re-validate the space and jumpstart investor and
consumer trust in Bitcoin – many investors
made their bets 3-4 years ago, and suffered
significant losses and are waiting for returns
Efforts to improve bitcoin’s scalability, such as
Lightning Networks and Sidechains, represent
notable progress, but early applications for
blockchain remain heavily privatized
Many founders express strong confidence in the
need for a public blockchain, similar to the
Internet
Data Source: CoinDesk; Assorted Founder Calls
7. Blockchain protocols may be classified as either public or private – think Internet vs. intranet /
IT
7
Public Private
Access
Open read/write access to
database
Permissioned read and/or write
access to database
Speed Slower Faster
Security Proof-of-Work / Proof-of-Stake Pre-approved participants
Identity Anonymous/ pseudonymous Known identities
Asset Native assets Any asset
Sample
Companies
PlatformSoftware
Here, we describe
platforms as enabling
outside developers to
build applications on
top, while software is
often run privately
inside an organization
Financial institutions
(market operators,
banks, etc.) are drawn to
private blockchain
solutions
Data Source: CoinDesk; Assorted Founder Calls
8. Expanding the analogy, many insiders forecast a future of one public and several private
chains
8
Internet / Intranet Blockchain Protocols
Interoperability
Public Private
One rail, similar
to the Internet
Initial traction in
risk-adverse
internal systems
Future: multiple
chains per company
from different
vendors for each
asset (like on-prem
solutions)
10. Vertical plays for blockchain to date span a wide variety of industries and use-cases
10 Data Source: Venture Radar; Bitcoin Shop Inc.
DISTRIBUTED
LEDGER
11. Agenda
Review of blockchain protocols: bitcoin, public, and private blockchains
Assessment of adoption trends and notable players
Appendix
11
12. A variety of general and vertical-focused VCs have placed investments in Bitcoin &
blockchain
12
General Funds*:
Blockchain-Specific:
FinTech-Specific
Funds:
*Note: many general funds have funded FinTech startups, but are not exclusively committed to FinTech investments
Data Source: Pitchbook
13. Corporate VCs and strategics demonstrate aggressive investments in blockchain startups
13
While bitcoin investment predominantly
originated with VCs, blockchain deals are
dominated by corporate VCs and strategics
Blockchain firms with notable involvement:
Data Source: CoinDesk
14. 14
Date of First Investment for Financial Services Firms (pre-2016)
Acceleration of investment in blockchain by financial institutions in 2015 and beyond
Data Source: CB Insights; CoinDesk
Number of Blockchain Announcements by Traditional
Institutions Continued to Increase in Q1 ‘16
*Note: ’Traditional institutions’ include governments, central banks, financial
institutions, and other large firms
15. 15
Consortia and open-source projects receive strong participation from financial institutions
Data Source: CB Insights; CoinBase
Dec 2015 Feb 2016 May 2016
Open-source hyperledger project has grown to 40+ participants
Combined with Ethereum’s recent progress, this highlights the
possible importance of founders to open-source innovation and
governance – similar perhaps to Linux
| R3 CEV Consortium
Members include 50+ banks with combined $600B+ market cap
Facilitated 5 blockchain pilots on Chain, Ethereum, IBM, Intel,
and Eris Industries for 40 of the world’s biggest banks in March
2016
Onboarding other asset managers, such as insurance firms and
hedge funds, to their service in 2016; planning to raise $200M
16. Blockchain and hybrid startup funding will continue to outpace Bitcoin startups
Bitcoin startups focus on payments, exchange trading, remittances, or any other ‘currency’
activity (e.g. bitpay)
Blockchain startups focus on non-currency activities, such as securities settlement,
property title, asset provenance, etc. (e.g. factom)
Hybrids do both (e.g. itBit)
In Q1 2016, blockchain
and hybrid startups
overtook bitcoin
startups in total VC
investment for first time
Data Source: CoinDesk16
Investment Sector Distribution
53% 53%
98%
16%
47% 47%
2%
84%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Q2 2015 Q3 2015 Q4 2015 Q1 2016
Percentage of Bitcoin Company Investment Percentage of Blockchain and Hybrid Company Investment
Many traditional bitcoin
startups are shifting
towards hybrid or
blockchain strategies
17. Bitcoin startups rank highly among top-funded, with blockchain gaining traction
17
Company Product Summary
Cum.
Funding
Most Recent
Raise
Post-Val. Notable Investors*
21 Inc.
Software and hardware solutions to achieve bitcoin-
accelerated computing, whereby bitcoin-payable APIs
deliver digital goods and services on a per-call basis
$116.05M
$52M Series C,
Feb. 2015
$362M
Andreessen Horowitz, Drew Houston, Peter Thiel,
Khosla Ventures, Data Collective
Coinbase
World’s largest exchange for Bitcoin and other digital
currencies
$106.71M
$75M Series C,
Jan. 2015
$490M
Andreessen Horowitz, Union Square Ventures, DFJ
Growth, NYSE, USAA
BlockStream
Sidechains to Bitcoin blockchain to optimize
cryptocurrency, open asset, and smart contract
technology
$77.28M
$55M Series A,
Feb. 2016
N/A
Reid Hoffman, Real Ventures, Blockstream Capital,
Horizons Ventures
Circle Payment tools for bitcoin and digital currency services $76M
$50M Series C,
Apr. 2015
$250M
Goldman Sachs, Accel Partners, IDG Capital Partners,
General Catalyst Partners, Oak Investment Partners
Digital Asset
Holdings
Digital ledgers to track and settle financial assets securely $62M
$62M Series A,
Feb. 2016
N/A
J.P. Morgan, The Depository Trust and Clearing
Corporation (DTCC), Deutsche Bank, BNP Paribas
BitFury
Software and hardware solutions for asset transactions
via blockchain (formerly manufactured bitcoin mining
hardware)
$60M
$20M Later
Stage, Jul. 2015
N/A Georgian Co-Investment Fund, Blockchain Capital
Chain
Open blockchain protocol & purpose-built enterprise
blockchain software
$43.9M
$30M Series C,
Sep. 2015
$130M
Khosla Ventures, RRE Ventures, SV Angel, Blockchain
Capital, Citi Ventures, NASDAQ, Orange, Visa, and
several other strategics / corporate VCs
Ripple
Blockchain-based settlement system, currency exchange,
and remittance network
$40.5M
$32M Series A,
Oct. 2015
N/A
Core Innovation Capital, IDG Capital Partners,
Lightspeed Venture Partners, Google Ventures,
Andreessen Horowitz
Xapo Bitcoin wallet, storage vault, & debit card $40M
$20M Series A1,
Jun. 2014
N/A
Benchmark Capital, Greylock Partners, Index Ventures,
Ribbit Capital
The DAO Blockchain-based, autonomous investor-directed VC fund > $150M
$150M,
May 2016
N/A Entirely crowdfunded
*Notable Investors were identified through involvement as a board member, significant follow-on investor, or lead Bitcoin Company Blockchain or Hybrid Company
Data Source: PitchBook
18. 18
FundraisingActivity,
10LargestFirms
Select timeline of activity with Bitcoin and blockchain startups
Other
Activity
$60M Stolen In Hack
Series B, $59M
Series C, $30M
Series B, $9.5M Series C, $75M
Series C, $52M
First Inter-Bank Debt
Traded via Blockchain
Seed, $21M
Series A, $55MRound 2, $20M
Series A, $30M
Series B, $17M
Round 1, $20M
Series A, $25M
Round 3, $20M
Series C, $50M
Series A, $12.5M
Acquired by NASDAQ
First Private Securities Issuance
Documented via Blockchain
Series A, $62M
Data Source: CB Insights; Pitchbook; CoinBase
In Q1 2016, the largest Bitcoin-related VC deals were significantly smaller than blockchain deals
Jan
2014
July
2014
Jan
2015
July
2015
Jan
2016
19. 19
Select highlights: 2016 blockchain adoption, acquisitions, and risks
• Working with ASX, Australia’s largest exchange operator, to speed up settlement of securities
• Working with DTCC, a firm at the center of Wall Street’s trading infrastructure, to test
distributed ledger technology for the $2.6T repo market
Digital Asset Holdings
• NASDAQ acquired SecondMarket in 2015 to bolster its private market services using
blockchain
• Dec. 2015: first private securities issuance via blockchain, reducing settlement exposure by
99%
• Feb. 2016: deploying the Linq distributed ledger in Estonia to facilitate corporate e-voting
NASDAQ Linq
• Leading a consortium partnership with 50+ leading global financial institutions to research,
experiment, design, and deliver advanced distributed ledger technologies to financial markets
• Feb. 2016: 40 investment banks traded debt instruments in R3’s “sandbox” environment using
blockchain solutions offered by Eris Industries, IBM, Intel, and Microsoft-hosted Ethereumasd
R3 CEV
• The Decentralized Autonomous Organization is an investment fund that exists as a set of smart
contracts residing on the Ethereum blockchain, wherein investors “vote” on VC-like
investments
• Crowdfunded in May 2016, raising $150M+ from over 20,000 investors in just 28 days
• A hack exploited a bug in the DAO smart contract code in June ’16, steeling $60M from
investors
The DAO
Suggests strong initial traction for private
blockchain among financial institutions to
eliminate counterparty risk, decrease P2P
transaction costs and latency, and automate
highly manual and Byzantine records-keeping.
Transformation of incomplete and inefficient
public data records, such as property titles and
voting, appear to represent early POCs of
blockchain beyond financial services.
Public blockchains exhibit stronger security
risks than their private counterparts – not due to
the underlying blockchain protocol, which has
yet to be hacked, but rather publicly accessible
applications such as the DAO.
Data Source: CoinDesk; R3 CEV; The DAO
20. Consortia groups and Fortune 500 offerings have been key in generating incumbent interest
20
• Ripple: vertically-integrated,
blockchain-based payment
transaction infrastructure
• Chain: enterprise blockchain
solution; early-stage with 25
employees, and still in POC
with innovation labs
• Blockstream: sidechains to
improve Bitcoin scalability;
also offers open asset and
smart contract technology
• ConsenSys: financial advisory
firm helping companies adopt
enterprise blockchain;
provides services, not
products
• BitFury: software and
hardware solutions for asset
transactions via blockchain
(formerly manufactured bitcoin
mining hardware)
Leading Startups
• R3: consultancy helping
companies to deploy
blockchain; protocol agnostic
• Digital Asset Holdings:
blockchain for securities;
considered by many to lack a
real product despite massive
funding and interest
• Hyperledger Project: open-
source effort with code
contribution from over 40
blockchain companies; lacks
notable progress; originally
run by DAH, and increasingly
led by IBM in recent months
Consortia Groups
• Microsoft: hosts a cloud dev
environment on their cloud
(Azure); protocol agnostic,
• including Ethereum
Blockchain as a Service
(EBaaS), Eris, and others
• IBM: hosts a dev
environment on their cloud;
recently announced a “highly
secure” blockchain solution
intended to meet enterprise
needs
• Intel: Hyperledger
contributor, with early-stage
efforts within the space
Fortune 500
• Bitcoin: most secure and
widely used public
blockchain; largest
cryptocurrency by market
cap and volume
• Ethereum: leading open-
source public blockchain for
smart contracts;
administered by a non-profit,
with no clear plan for
monetization; offers
proprietary programming
language and integrations to
encourage adoption
Public Blockchains
Data Source: CoinDesk; Pitchbook; Assorted Founder Calls
21. Findings informed based on a variety of founder, investor, and customer discussions
2121
Completed:
Planned / Scheduled:
22. Review of key risks when assessing blockchain companies
22
Infrastructure Constraints
Many companies working in the application layer are building upon underlying infrastructure that isn’t ready with regard to scalability and security
Minimal Real-World Viability
Many use-cases are nice-to-haves that make little sense in reality for a variety of factors (e.g. authenticity for artwork, sneaker tracking for verifying
authenticity) due to need for network affect, adoption cost, sales cycle timelines, etc.
Slow Traction from Incumbents for Moon-Shot Implementations
Many companies are trying for “moon-shot” implementations of the technology, which creates issues with long-stage enterprise contracts given a lack of
trust around the unproven tech – hence, many of these approaches fail to mature from POC/pilot to production deals and live implementations, while ones
that try to do the dirty work in less sexy industries, like Ripple, have been able to get their leg in the door
Difficulty Converting POCs / Pilots to Live Production Deals
Companies focusing on infrastructure struggle converting clients to production because they are “forcing” the technology on companies that don’t
understand it, don’t clearly identify the need, or struggle with integration due to cost, time, and risk-adversity
Limited Domain Expertise
Many solutions companies in the space have no experience selling to enterprises, resulting in issues with taking their product to market and harming
adoption
Network Affects
Transactions operate best when parties all run the same system – creating a need for network affects to kick in before a platform can take off; however,
this is the chicken and the egg problem, since adoption will be slow until critical mass is reached
Funding Considerations
While insiders expect M&A activity to accelerate within the next 12-24 months – i.e. enterprise companies acquiring blockchain service providers to
expand their product offerings – exit opportunities to date are marginal, made riskier given high valuations and crowdfunded projects, which complicate
cap tables Data Source: Assorted Founder and Investor Calls
23. 2017 will mark an acceleration in live production deals by FIs in certain use-cases
23
• Driven by efforts to increase scalability, decrease latency, improve security, and drive
use for asset transfer beyond cryptocurrency
• Ethereum and Bitcoin appear to be the two dominant platforms
Public Blockchains
• Initially set up on-premise behind firewalls for deployments with sensitive data, as with
Ripple Connect; hence, early adoption will be in low-risk, non-mission-critical
transactions
• Most organizations will eventually have several blockchains for different use-cases,
similar to the large number of intranets from different vendors today
• Interoperability between ledgers will become critical – this may require a public
blockchain for inter-party transactions, or perhaps Ripple’s ILP will manage to meet the
need
• Within 2-5 years, new markets will emerge around blockchains, such as analytics of
this new public data, new financial products adapted to this new enabler, etc.
Private Blockchains
Financial institutions and other customers are
familiarizing themselves with the technology in
risk-adverse use-cases on private blockchains
Regarding verticals, financial services will be the
first adopters, followed by insurance, healthcare,
governments, and other regulated use-cases
_____
"If 2015 was the year we work up to blockchain,
2016 is the year people are running their proof
of concepts. 2017 is when you’ll see the first
live applications. 2020 is when you’ll see
significant adoption, and in 2025 we’ll see a
tipping point in some markets. That’s 10 years
out.”
–CBDO of Digital Asset Holdings
Data Source: CoinDesk
24. Agenda
Review of blockchain protocols: bitcoin, public, and private blockchains
Assessment of adoption trends and notable players
Appendix
24
25. Collaboration drives the industry, while competition presents a long-term consideration
25
While many companies are targeting similar use-cases, customers, and channel partners, few blockchain providers have market-ready
products, and thereby collaborate with other founders in order to prove the technology, educate customers, and facilitate
adoption. Founders we have spoken with openly support this period of collective progress, and only expect to encounter competitive
challenges once customer adoption expands beyond POCs and innovation labs towards production deals in 2017.
Blockchain Solutions Shared Channel Partners Shared Customers
Many developers and founders at leading startups – including ConsenSys, Eris, and Bloq – also actively contribute to the
development of public networks such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. In many ways, today’s blockchain community is small and highly
collaborative.
Sample Study: Blockchain for Financial Services
Data Source: Assorted Founder and Investor Calls
26. Early hype cycle enabled large raises, yet some
companies struggled to deliver on product and customer
integrations
• Strong interest from enterprise customers results in long
sales cycles paired with high burn rate for technical
teams
• Many operate in sectors prone to high compliance costs
and regulation (e.g. bitpay), and sometimes even with
unclear revenue opportunities given shifts in the industry
Newer companies with strong emphasis on infrastructure
exhibit ”scrappy” operations and long plays in the market
• Small, yet highly technical and experienced teams keep
burn low while the market develops
• Developing beachhead markets via PoCs, “ambassador”
companies, and channel partners for their technology as
the groundwork to achieve a long-term vision
Capital intensity varies widely based on timing, initial go-to-market, and company dynamics
26
1: Employees – costly dev teams, management, and sales teams
2: Compliance and regulation – key in heavily moderated verticals (e.g. currency, banking)
3: Integration – long timetable for enterprise sales paired with high burn necessitates large raises
Typical Costs:
Highly Capitalized with High Valuations Limited Funding, with Focus on Infrastructure
Most blockchain companies fall in one of two camps:
Data Source: Assorted Founder and Investor Calls; Pitchbook
27. Ethereum presents a compelling alternative to Bitcoin, albeit with notable drawbacks
27
Ethereum offers a powerful platform for
smart contract applications, but
remains in active development with large
questions over the efficacy of its
consensus mechanism following the DAO
hack
Ethereum Is The Most Widely Used Platform for Smart Contract Applications
Unlike Bitcoin, it offers a high degree of programmability with its own Java-script-style
language, Solidity, and is integrated with most cloud dev environments and consortia
groups
Ether Presents a Valid Alternative to Bitcoin
The cryptocurrency Ether is the second largest by market cap (behind Bitcoin), and is
traded on every major exchange globally
Network Performance Raises Protocol Questions for the Non-Profit
Developers of the ethereum protocol have been working to increase the network’s
throughput and efficiency since its launch in 2013, with mixed progress (i.e. data
sharding)
Concerns Over Centralization Emerge After June 2016 Fork
Following the DAO Hack in July 2016, the Ethereum community voted in favor of a “hard
fork” to reclaim the funds – resulting in two active Ethereum blockchains and raising
strong questions over the network’s security and decentralized nature
Data Source: CoinDesk
28. Blockchain-based smart contracts present a new paradigm in asset registry and transaction
28 Data Source: CoinDesk; pwc; Deloitte; Oliver Wyman
Smart Contracts
Distributed Ledger
(i.e. the Blockchain)
New
Business
Models
Real-Time Transaction
Distributed (P2P)
Provenance
Regulatory Inclusive
New Cash Products
Think of smart contracts as a new form of
registering or transacting assets enabled by
the blockchain, which in turn may be
manifested in new business models
29. Review of blockchain’s core benefits and risks
- Permanent, transparent ledger enables increased transparency and
auditability while reducing risk of data loss or conflicting records
- High divisibility of ‘units’ facilitates fee-less micro-transactions
- Higher efficiency and reduced friction through the elimination of
centralized authority for P2P interactions lowers transaction costs
- Public or private, depending on the blockchain protocol, with
customizable permissions allowing sensitive data to be managed
- Identifiable and programmable units enable smart contracts for more
effective management of digital assets and offline P2P agreement
For instance, cash flows within a company’s departments may
be programmed for specific uses within a certain timeframe,
thereby reducing counterparty risk and securing compliance
up-front
- Elimination of single points of failure and reduced need for trust
Key Benefits
- Variable throughput capacity between blockchain protocols suggests
an uncertain scalability, and potential concerns over transaction
latency
- Possible consensus protocol flaws, i.e. in the event of malicious
agents on the network, may result in a lack of complete asset
security
- Uncertain regulations in certain use-cases, particularly those
handling sensitive assets such as healthcare, securities settlement,
and contracts
- High deployment costs, particularly in data sensitive, complex data
operations, may prove an inhibiting factor in blockchain adoption, and
at the very least extend the timetable for deployment
- Shift from centralized authority to an autonomous, digital, and
decentralized network for trusted P2P transactions challenges
societal and industry norms, and may face sharp resistance
- Irreversible transactions (e.g. the DAO hack)
Primary Concerns
29 Data Source: CoinDesk; pwc; Deloitte; Mastering Bitcoin
30. Detailed analysis of the blockchain ecosystem
30 Data Source: Blockchain Angels
Product/Service Category:Sectors:
Confirms strong industry interest for blockchain in financial applications, underlying infrastructure, and bitcoin services.
Nascent product categories hint at a broader interest that will likely grow into new sectors in the coming years.
31. Illustrating the bitcoin blockchain protocol
Jim owes Alice money
for lunch. He installs an
app on his smartphone
to create a new Bitcoin
wallet. A wallet app is
like a mobile banking
app and a wallet is like
a bank account.
To pay her, he needs
two pieces of
information:
his private key and her
public key.
Jim gets Alice’s public
key by scanning a QR
code from her phone, or
by having her email him
the payment address, a
string of seemingly
random numbers and
letters.*
The app alerts Bitcoin
‘miners’ around the
world of the impending
transaction. ‘Miners’
provide transaction
verification services in
exchange for bitcoin.
1
All pending transactions
in the past 10 minutes
are grouped for
verification. The miners
verify that Jim has
enough bitcoins to
make the payment by
completing complex
cryptographic
computations.
Once verified, the new
block joins the prior
block so a chain is
made – the
blockchain. This
provides an immutable
and permanent audit
trail to prove occurrence
and timing of
transactions.
*Note: a bitcoin address is a hash (i.e. condensed version) of the public key to add an additional layer of security by not showing the public key until a transaction occurs
31
All the transactions in
the block are now
fulfilled and Alice gets
paid.
22 3 4 5 6 7
Transaction Requested Transaction Authorized Transaction Executed & Recorded
Source: Deloitte, PWC
32. Bitcoin trading volume continues to grow despite volatility, competition
32
Bitcoin Trading Volume, 2015 - Present
Despite rapid growth in alternative
blockchain protocols for cryptocurrency,
namely Ether, Bitcoin maintains a firm status
as the leading challenge to traditional fiat
currency
Leading Cryptocurrencies, by Market Cap
Source: CoinDesk
33. General applications of cryptocurrency
Users
Cryptocurrency
Merchants
Exchanges
Miners
Hardware manufacturers
Mining
Bitcoin PoS
Bitcoin processing
Risk & fraud management
PSPs supporting bitcoin
International remittance
Bitcoin ATM
Bitcoin debit cards
Wallets
33
Bitcoin companies have
traditionally operated
within these sectors
_____
However, many leading
Bitcoin firms are beginning
to shift to a “hybrid”
model, meaning offering
blockchain solutions in
addition to their original
core business
Editor's Notes
Note: delineation between platform and software providers informs a framework for gauging future distribution strategies and sector leaders
Break down top blockchain startups by capital raised
Break down top investors in the space
Research the capital intensity / needs of these companies to help project how we would value a blockchain startup (particularly given these large series A rounds)
Mention past exits (namely M&As, including SecondMarket, Canaan Creative, DAH’s purchases, etc.)
List Recent Investments / Exits / Mergers to offer a more rich view of the funding environment??
List Recent Investments / Exits / Mergers to offer a more rich view of the funding environment
Include: SecondMarket Acquisition; Coinbase Series C; BitFury Series C; 21 round; Canaan Creative Acquisition; BitPay Series A; Digital Asset Holdings round / acquisition; Chain Series C; R3 CEV; Blockstream round; itBit Series A; Gem Series A; Circle funding rounds??; ConsenSys; Abra Series A; Align Commerce; Large company progress
Include issues (e.g. compromised markets; volatile bitcoin price; regulatory backlash such as in Russia; etc.)
Timeline of financial firm investment in bitcoin/blockchain: https://www.cbinsights.com/blog/insurance-tech-investing-2016/
Include: SecondMarket Acquisition; Coinbase Series C; BitFury Series C; 21 round; Canaan Creative Acquisition; BitPay Series A; Digital Asset Holdings round / acquisition; Chain Series C; R3 CEV; Blockstream round; itBit Series A; Gem Series A; Circle funding rounds??; ConsenSys; Abra Series A; Align Commerce; Large company progress
Include issues (e.g. compromised markets; volatile bitcoin price; regulatory backlash such as in Russia; etc.)
Timeline of financial firm investment in bitcoin/blockchain: https://www.cbinsights.com/blog/insurance-tech-investing-2016/
Prominent Exits:
SecondMarket (by NASDAQ)
Include: SecondMarket Acquisition; Coinbase Series C; BitFury Series C; 21 round; Canaan Creative Acquisition; BitPay Series A; Digital Asset Holdings round / acquisition; Chain Series C; R3 CEV; Blockstream round; itBit Series A; Gem Series A; Circle funding rounds??; ConsenSys; Abra Series A; Align Commerce; Large company progress
Include issues (e.g. compromised markets; volatile bitcoin price; regulatory backlash such as in Russia; etc.)
Timeline of financial firm investment in bitcoin/blockchain: https://www.cbinsights.com/blog/insurance-tech-investing-2016/
Briefly boil down the case studies, and extrapolate high-level trends that offer commentary on the space
Bitfury working w/ Georgia to register land title using blockchain
Honduras is using blockchain to build a land title registry, which will help to reduce land title fraud
IBM has developed a POC that uses blockchain tech to build a decentralized IoT
Guardtime’s blockchain-based data integrity solutions can be applied to the telco, defense, digital advertising, and public sectors (currently w/ Ericsson and Lockheed)
Consolidation within bitcoin, and shift to hybrid/blockchain
Slide describing Fortune 500 blockchain products / dev environments / their interest
Further Reading:
6 minute video primer on blockchain (very detailed)
CIO Explainer: What is Blockchain? (WSJ)
For “lack of complete asset security” E.g. hacked exchanges; recent hack of the DOA; Mostly just a concern in public networks?
This is done from a user perspective, but doesn’t explain the technology as well…consider making it more granular as well