I introduced and moderated the ASU O’Connor College of Law’s Center for Law, Science and Innovation luncheon on January 16th, 2019 themed Blockchain and Energy Policy Forum in Downtown Phoenix with details at http://events.asucollegeoflaw.com/blockchain/energy-policy/.
Here’s my brief introductory presentation and the luncheon agenda along with the Arizona Tech Council’s State & Federal Fintech policy brief for 2019 FYI. You can access the complete Public Policy Guide at https://www.aztechcouncil.org/arizona-technology-council-public-policy-guide/.
The luncheon series will continue with programs on February 20th (Blockchain: Smart Contracts, Real Estate, and Supply Chain), March 20th (Blockchain and Healthcare) & April 17 (Blockchain: Privacy and Identity). Details at http://events.asucollegeoflaw.com/blockchain/.
Presentation to the New York Association for Energy Economics on October 12th 2017 on how blockchain and distributed ledger technology is being applied to the power sector. The talk focused on examining emerging applications, the limitations of the technology, while also looking to the future of distributed ledgers and their potential impact on the energy value chain.
Blockchain will potentially disrupt some key parts of the supply chain in many different sectors. This presentation presents an introduction to potential use cases for blockchain in the energy sector in general and a few comments regarding impacts on the hydropower sector.
“Blockchain & Energy: hype or solution?” - Simone AccorneroEIT Digital Alumni
Learn about the current status of the energy transition, the importance of energy flexibility and how blockchain can help overcome market and technological challenges.
Energy as a Service: Blockchain & the Emerging Energy Cloud 5/23/19Mark Goldstein
I presented “Energy as a Service: Blockchain & The Emerging Energy Cloud” at ASU Law’s Governance of Emerging Technologies & Science (GETS) Conference (https://events.asucollegeoflaw.com/gets/) on May 23, 2019 in Phoenix, AZ. It details the transition from traditional one-way power grids to two-way grids to an energy cloud with emerging peer-to-peer and transitive energy markets enabled by blockchain. A newly decentralized power ecosystem with low friction brokering and transactions, accompanied by regulatory reform, will be foundational for the fourth industrial revolution and offer new solutions to industry and sustainability issues.
Peer to peer transactions of tokens representing generative photo voltaic capacity of kWh production at the facility level. An Ethereum enabled glimpse into the community energy sharing economy of the future
Presentation to the New York Association for Energy Economics on October 12th 2017 on how blockchain and distributed ledger technology is being applied to the power sector. The talk focused on examining emerging applications, the limitations of the technology, while also looking to the future of distributed ledgers and their potential impact on the energy value chain.
Blockchain will potentially disrupt some key parts of the supply chain in many different sectors. This presentation presents an introduction to potential use cases for blockchain in the energy sector in general and a few comments regarding impacts on the hydropower sector.
“Blockchain & Energy: hype or solution?” - Simone AccorneroEIT Digital Alumni
Learn about the current status of the energy transition, the importance of energy flexibility and how blockchain can help overcome market and technological challenges.
Energy as a Service: Blockchain & the Emerging Energy Cloud 5/23/19Mark Goldstein
I presented “Energy as a Service: Blockchain & The Emerging Energy Cloud” at ASU Law’s Governance of Emerging Technologies & Science (GETS) Conference (https://events.asucollegeoflaw.com/gets/) on May 23, 2019 in Phoenix, AZ. It details the transition from traditional one-way power grids to two-way grids to an energy cloud with emerging peer-to-peer and transitive energy markets enabled by blockchain. A newly decentralized power ecosystem with low friction brokering and transactions, accompanied by regulatory reform, will be foundational for the fourth industrial revolution and offer new solutions to industry and sustainability issues.
Peer to peer transactions of tokens representing generative photo voltaic capacity of kWh production at the facility level. An Ethereum enabled glimpse into the community energy sharing economy of the future
Blockchain Transactive Energy _ BEC (july 15th 2018) pdfcrlima10
Invited talk at the annual US NARUC - National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners to introduce innovative Blockchain concepts in Transactive Energy and how the Utilities of the Future will evolve using these frameworks.
IEEE Blockchain in Energy P2418.5 WG Standards (October 2019_Claudio Lima) crlima10
The IEEE Blockchain Energy Standards, P2418.5 provides an open, common, and interoperable reference framework model for blockchain in the energy sector. It also covers three aspects: 1) Serve as a guideline for Blockchain use cases in the Electrical Power industry; Oil & Gas industry and Renewable energy industry and their related services. 2) Create standards on reference architecture, interoperability, terminology, and system interfaces for blockchain applications in the Energy sector by building an open protocol and technology agnostic layered framework. 3) Evaluate and provide guidelines on scalability, performance, security, and interoperability through evaluation of consensus algorithm, smart contracts, and type of blockchain implementation, etc. for the Energy sector.
An Energy Blockchain Retrospective: Is Blockchain Delivering on Promises from...Jill Kirkpatrick
EWF will provide a look at the past, present and future of energy blockchain, covering the evolution of investment activity, key use cases and early findings on the real opportunity blockchain technology holds for unlocking significant value for energy players.
P2P trading platform - Blockchain solution for electricity provider*instinctools
Innovations that matter! The idea of the Lition company was to develop a P2P trading platform for an open and direct energy exchange. It is now available for more than 41 million German households. Find live demo, project details and Lition's feedback in the slideshare document!
www.instinctools.com
Digital First - Managing Disruption in the Digital EconomyIOT Collaborative
IOT Collaborative - Digital Innovation – Strategy, Process and Governance
November 1, 2018
Youngjin Yoo
Weatherhead School of Management
Case Western Reserve University
Sustainable Blockchain and Blockchain for Climate Action Soren Gigler
The presentation focused on the role blockchain can play in supporting the green transition. There is an urgent need to enhance the sustainability of blockchain. At the same time, blockchain offers important and unique opportunities as an enabler to enhance the sustainability across all sectors of the economy and contribute to climate action
Intervención Olavi Luotonen. Comisión europea. Scientific Officer, New Infrastucture Paradigms and Experimental Facilities en las Primeras Jornadas de Centros de Conocimiento. Citilab Cornellà #citilab #joceco
"Next Gen Grid Tech Commercialization" for Duke University Energy Initiative ...Josh Gould
Guest lecture on "Next Gen Grid Tech Commercialization" for Duke University Energy Initiative graduate level course entitled: “Emerging Energy Technologies – From Lab to Market.” (790-01)
Data-driven and digital procurement governance:Two well-known elephant talesAlbert Sanchez Graells
This presentation assesses emerging regulatory trends in data-driven and digital public procurement governance and, in particular, the European Commission’s ambition for the single digital procurement market. It was delivered at the Information Law and Policy Centre's Annual Lecture and Conference held at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in London on 22 November 2019
Keynote: Data isn’t just valuable, it’s going to save the planet! Miles CheethamAlan Quayle
TADSummit EMEA Americas 2021 Keynote: Data isn’t just valuable, it’s going to save the planet!
Miles Cheetham, Co-Chair Open Energy Steering Group, developing standards-based marketplaces for environmental & financial data.
How Open Banking proved how we could share data securely at scale (and we’ve now realised that it’s one use case of many)
Open Energy showed how the approach and infrastructure is transferable to other sectors (and that interoperability across sectors is possible)
What else is possible? (when you start thinking about what you can do with data, you realise the wealth of use cases and problems you can solve)
How data will lead us to better decisions (informing corporate and consumer behaviour, investments/use of capital etc.)
What we need to do to make this real? (what government, treasuries, regulators and industry need to do)
Blockchain Working Group
Annual Report
December 2021
Blockchain Working Group
Ruth Day*
Chair
Commissioner, Chief Information Officer
Commonwealth Office of Technology
Working Group Membership
Jim Barnhart*
Deputy Commissioner
Commonwealth Office of Technology
David Carter
Commonwealth Office of Technology
Karen Wilson*
Public Service Commission
Robert Thorne*
Energy and Environment Cabinet
Josh Keats*
Kentucky Office of Homeland Security
Wesley Hamilton
Recycladata
Grace Simrall
Louisville Metro Government
James Meece
Louisville Metro Government
Senator Brandon Smith
Kentucky Senate, District 30
Anthony Ellis
Cabinet for Economic Development
Dr. Brian Houillion*
University of the Cumberlands
Christopher Poynter*
Owensboro Municipal Utilities
Designee, Kentucky Municipal Utilities Association
Chris Hayes*
Kentucky Electric Cooperatives
Designee, Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperatives
Adam Koehler
Reversed Out
Clark Snowden*
Louisville Gas and Electric
John Woeltz
Bluegrass Blockchain
Administrative Support
Alice Lawson
Legislative Research Commission
Karen Chrisman
Commonwealth Office of Technology
* Members appointed or designated in compliance with KRS 42.747
Blockchain Working Group
Background
The Blockchain Working Group is a collaborative panel of subject matter experts defined in Senate Bill 55, and
subsequently codified in Kentucky Revised Statute Chapter 42.747, with the mission to evaluate the feasibility
and efficacy of using blockchain technology to enhance the security of and increase protection for the state's
critical infrastructure, including but not limited to the electric utility grid, natural gas pipelines, drinking water
supply and delivery, wastewater, telecommunications, and emergency services.
The membership of the working group is comprised of nine members defined in KRS 42.747 as well as an array
of representatives from state and local government, public utilities, and private sector business who were
chosen based on their knowledge and engagement with blockchain technology to ensure a broad depth of
knowledge and insight. Through spanning these various government and business sectors, the group can
explore and document those opportunities that place the Commonwealth in the forefront in the support and
usage of blockchain technology as a tool to empower business in the state.
The group convened for the first meeting on September 9, 2020 and has held regularly occurring meetings to
develop the contents within this report based on the mission as defined within the Senate Bill and resulting
Kentucky Revised Statutes. The primary goals of the initial report are to define blockchain in relation to mission
of the working group, provide short term tactical recommendations, and highlight those areas of opportunity
where a more strategic analysis by the wor.
B17: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Thai Chamber of Commerce, and AmCham Thail...Kullarat Phongsathaporn
"The New Digital Economy: Creating Thailand-U.S. Commercial Opportunities Conference" by U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Thai Chamber of Commerce, and AmCham Thailand, Panelist for "Blockchain - Implications for Thailand and Other Emerging Markets " (24 Sep 2018)
Blockchain Transactive Energy _ BEC (july 15th 2018) pdfcrlima10
Invited talk at the annual US NARUC - National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners to introduce innovative Blockchain concepts in Transactive Energy and how the Utilities of the Future will evolve using these frameworks.
IEEE Blockchain in Energy P2418.5 WG Standards (October 2019_Claudio Lima) crlima10
The IEEE Blockchain Energy Standards, P2418.5 provides an open, common, and interoperable reference framework model for blockchain in the energy sector. It also covers three aspects: 1) Serve as a guideline for Blockchain use cases in the Electrical Power industry; Oil & Gas industry and Renewable energy industry and their related services. 2) Create standards on reference architecture, interoperability, terminology, and system interfaces for blockchain applications in the Energy sector by building an open protocol and technology agnostic layered framework. 3) Evaluate and provide guidelines on scalability, performance, security, and interoperability through evaluation of consensus algorithm, smart contracts, and type of blockchain implementation, etc. for the Energy sector.
An Energy Blockchain Retrospective: Is Blockchain Delivering on Promises from...Jill Kirkpatrick
EWF will provide a look at the past, present and future of energy blockchain, covering the evolution of investment activity, key use cases and early findings on the real opportunity blockchain technology holds for unlocking significant value for energy players.
P2P trading platform - Blockchain solution for electricity provider*instinctools
Innovations that matter! The idea of the Lition company was to develop a P2P trading platform for an open and direct energy exchange. It is now available for more than 41 million German households. Find live demo, project details and Lition's feedback in the slideshare document!
www.instinctools.com
Digital First - Managing Disruption in the Digital EconomyIOT Collaborative
IOT Collaborative - Digital Innovation – Strategy, Process and Governance
November 1, 2018
Youngjin Yoo
Weatherhead School of Management
Case Western Reserve University
Sustainable Blockchain and Blockchain for Climate Action Soren Gigler
The presentation focused on the role blockchain can play in supporting the green transition. There is an urgent need to enhance the sustainability of blockchain. At the same time, blockchain offers important and unique opportunities as an enabler to enhance the sustainability across all sectors of the economy and contribute to climate action
Intervención Olavi Luotonen. Comisión europea. Scientific Officer, New Infrastucture Paradigms and Experimental Facilities en las Primeras Jornadas de Centros de Conocimiento. Citilab Cornellà #citilab #joceco
"Next Gen Grid Tech Commercialization" for Duke University Energy Initiative ...Josh Gould
Guest lecture on "Next Gen Grid Tech Commercialization" for Duke University Energy Initiative graduate level course entitled: “Emerging Energy Technologies – From Lab to Market.” (790-01)
Data-driven and digital procurement governance:Two well-known elephant talesAlbert Sanchez Graells
This presentation assesses emerging regulatory trends in data-driven and digital public procurement governance and, in particular, the European Commission’s ambition for the single digital procurement market. It was delivered at the Information Law and Policy Centre's Annual Lecture and Conference held at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in London on 22 November 2019
Keynote: Data isn’t just valuable, it’s going to save the planet! Miles CheethamAlan Quayle
TADSummit EMEA Americas 2021 Keynote: Data isn’t just valuable, it’s going to save the planet!
Miles Cheetham, Co-Chair Open Energy Steering Group, developing standards-based marketplaces for environmental & financial data.
How Open Banking proved how we could share data securely at scale (and we’ve now realised that it’s one use case of many)
Open Energy showed how the approach and infrastructure is transferable to other sectors (and that interoperability across sectors is possible)
What else is possible? (when you start thinking about what you can do with data, you realise the wealth of use cases and problems you can solve)
How data will lead us to better decisions (informing corporate and consumer behaviour, investments/use of capital etc.)
What we need to do to make this real? (what government, treasuries, regulators and industry need to do)
Blockchain Working Group
Annual Report
December 2021
Blockchain Working Group
Ruth Day*
Chair
Commissioner, Chief Information Officer
Commonwealth Office of Technology
Working Group Membership
Jim Barnhart*
Deputy Commissioner
Commonwealth Office of Technology
David Carter
Commonwealth Office of Technology
Karen Wilson*
Public Service Commission
Robert Thorne*
Energy and Environment Cabinet
Josh Keats*
Kentucky Office of Homeland Security
Wesley Hamilton
Recycladata
Grace Simrall
Louisville Metro Government
James Meece
Louisville Metro Government
Senator Brandon Smith
Kentucky Senate, District 30
Anthony Ellis
Cabinet for Economic Development
Dr. Brian Houillion*
University of the Cumberlands
Christopher Poynter*
Owensboro Municipal Utilities
Designee, Kentucky Municipal Utilities Association
Chris Hayes*
Kentucky Electric Cooperatives
Designee, Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperatives
Adam Koehler
Reversed Out
Clark Snowden*
Louisville Gas and Electric
John Woeltz
Bluegrass Blockchain
Administrative Support
Alice Lawson
Legislative Research Commission
Karen Chrisman
Commonwealth Office of Technology
* Members appointed or designated in compliance with KRS 42.747
Blockchain Working Group
Background
The Blockchain Working Group is a collaborative panel of subject matter experts defined in Senate Bill 55, and
subsequently codified in Kentucky Revised Statute Chapter 42.747, with the mission to evaluate the feasibility
and efficacy of using blockchain technology to enhance the security of and increase protection for the state's
critical infrastructure, including but not limited to the electric utility grid, natural gas pipelines, drinking water
supply and delivery, wastewater, telecommunications, and emergency services.
The membership of the working group is comprised of nine members defined in KRS 42.747 as well as an array
of representatives from state and local government, public utilities, and private sector business who were
chosen based on their knowledge and engagement with blockchain technology to ensure a broad depth of
knowledge and insight. Through spanning these various government and business sectors, the group can
explore and document those opportunities that place the Commonwealth in the forefront in the support and
usage of blockchain technology as a tool to empower business in the state.
The group convened for the first meeting on September 9, 2020 and has held regularly occurring meetings to
develop the contents within this report based on the mission as defined within the Senate Bill and resulting
Kentucky Revised Statutes. The primary goals of the initial report are to define blockchain in relation to mission
of the working group, provide short term tactical recommendations, and highlight those areas of opportunity
where a more strategic analysis by the wor.
B17: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Thai Chamber of Commerce, and AmCham Thail...Kullarat Phongsathaporn
"The New Digital Economy: Creating Thailand-U.S. Commercial Opportunities Conference" by U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Thai Chamber of Commerce, and AmCham Thailand, Panelist for "Blockchain - Implications for Thailand and Other Emerging Markets " (24 Sep 2018)
Developments in the blockchain space are happening at a rapid pace and we can witness institutions and companies exploring blockchain use-cases, recognizing their absolute grounds in the blockchain (networks), architecting protocols and reaching out to parties (potential partners) to convince them of co-founding or joining the proposed network. However, there are some shortfalls in their approach that has been a major reason behind the slower-adoption rate of blockchain technologies. An enterprise level value-creating DLT network can only happen if companies and government can work together to revisit their current approach. In this document, we will try to outline a policy approach that might help eliminate key obstacles for network formation.
This presentation was shared by Cab Morris of the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation on the June 5th at the Banking Digital Currencies seminar.
The Blockchain Imperative: The Next Challenge for P&C CarriersCognizant
Blockchain, a universal ledger and data-storage platform, can help P&C carriers address some of their most critical business challenges and significantly alter the way they operate. Although the technology has yet to achieve widespread adoption in the insurance space, the time is ripe for carriers to begin thinking about, exploring and experimenting with blockchain.
I introduced & moderated an Arizona’s Fintech Ecosystem & Opportunities Session at the SciTech Institute's Arizona STEM & Innovation Summit on 9/17/19 in Scottsdale, AZ. Arizona’s financial technology (fintech) sector is among the most promising and fastest growing in our technology community. There’s a broad and robust fintech community here developing and delivering a diverse range of products and services that have the potential of disruption for traditional financial services companies, supply chain/logistics, the securitization of data, and others blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) applications. Arizona has shown leadership in breaking down regulatory barriers with the potential to inhibit fintech innovation and emerging business models accelerating the use of electronic signature & smart contracts, creating a fintech regulatory sandbox, and most recently a property technology sandbox. We discussed why Arizona is fintech friendly and heard from some great fintech companies based here.
Distributed Ledgers: Possibilities and Challenges in Capital Markets Applicat...Cognizant
Distributed ledgers - blockchain technology - stands to make numerous financial services activities more secure, autonomous, and efficient. Here's a walk-through of a range of potential use cases: IPO issuance, trade agreements and settlements, confirmations, etc. and a strategy for transition.
Blockchain for Financial Institutions (the beginning)Karnan Ariaratnam
Organizations ranging from small start-ups to major global banks and government agencies are already investing in Blockchain technology, is your organization thinking about it?
See our point of view on Blockchain, please reach out to me to discuss further (karnan.ariaratnam@ca.pwc.com)
Changing the Landscape of Accounting using Blockchain TechnologyDr. Amarjeet Singh
Blockchain Technology or known as the Distributed
Ledger Technology (DLT) is becoming the game changer in
the business industry because of its disruptive and
transformative ability. The study aimed to determine the
factors that influence the professional accountants to accept
to use blockchain technology. Data were from 30 professional
accountants working in the Kingdom of Bahrain as
respondents using descriptive method of research. They were
chosen using a non-probabilistic sampling.
The study found out that professional accountants
are slightly aware that blockchain technology is designed to
be reliable since it relies on peer-to-peer network; immutable
stored data; contained permanent and timely financial
records and less effort to reconcile information from different
computer systems. It was found out that the technology would
likely impact to the accounting profession. Professional
Accountants would probably use the Blockchain Technology
in the business processes because of its perceived usefulness
and technology task fit and might use on perceived ease of
use.
The data implies that there is no significant
relationship between the level of awareness of the blockchain
technology and the level of likelihood that it will impact the
accounting profession.
The study can conclude that the behavioral
intention of the professional accountants to use because of its
perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and technology
task fit. However, one of the platforms that need to address
by the professional accountants is the acquisition of
knowledge on blockchain technology through inclusion of the
said technology on curriculum designing and continuing
professional development programmes. There is a need for
the creation of statutory legal framework to effectively
operationalise the said technology.
This thought leadership is a report detailing how Blockchain can be industrialized in ASEAN and how its potential can be unlocked across organizations.
The report also clearly illustrates the implications of Blockchain, its key developments, how it impacts countries across ASEAN and a five-point test for assessing the fit of Blockchain for specific processes, all serving to provide meaningful insights into the current state of the FinTech industry in the ASEAN region.
"This thought leadership is a report detailing how Blockchain can be industrialized in ASEAN and how its potential can be unlocked across organizations. The report also clearly illustrates the implications of Blockchain, its key developments, how it impacts countries across ASEAN and a five-point test for assessing the fit of Blockchain for specific processes, all serving to provide meaningful insights into the current state of the FinTech industry in the ASEAN region."
Arizona Broadband Policy Past, Present, and Future Presentation 3/25/24Mark Goldstein
Mark Goldstein, Arizona Telecommunications & Information Council (ATIC) Chair presented Arizona Broadband Policy Past, Present, and Future on March 25, 2024 at the Arizona Broadband for All special meeting briefly recapping 35-years of Arizona broadband policy and initiatives.
IEEE Computer Society Phoenix Chapter - Internet of Things Innovations & Mega...Mark Goldstein
Mark Goldstein, President of International Research Center delivered his annual technology deep dive, this year into the Internet of Things Innovations & Megatrends to the IEEE Computer Society Phoenix Chapter (http://ewh.ieee.org/r6/phoenix/compsociety/) exploring the emergent Internet wave, the Internet of Things (IoT), on track to connect tens of billions of new sensors and devices in the coming years. Waves of change are rolling through home, business, government, industrial, medical, transportation, and other complex ecosystems. He examined how IoT will be implemented and monetized creating new business models from pervasive sensor deployments and data gathering as myriad wireless technologies will connect smart spaces at home, at work, and in public space including autonomous transportation accompanied by new privacy and security risks. View to explore IoT’s roadblocks and operational challenges, emerging standards and protocols, gateway and wireless integration, and big data strategies and opportunities bringing you the insight and strategies to leverage emerging IoT opportunities.
IEEE Computer Society Phoenix: Next-Generation Wireless Overview & Outlook 12...Mark Goldstein
Mark Goldstein of International Research Center presented “Next-Generation Wireless Overview & Outlook” to the IEEE Computer Society Phoenix Chapter (https://ewh.ieee.org/r6/phoenix/compsociety/) on Wednesday, December 14 in a hybrid meeting at Grand Canyon University. In it, he explored the next-generation wireless landscape with its underlying emerging technologies, protocols & standards, market trends & opportunities in a deep dive presentation covering all of today's wireless essentials. New spectrum and technologies driven by a rapidly evolving application landscape will be served up in innovative ways through 5G/6G mobile, Wi-Fi 6E/7, CBRS, White Space, mmWave, GEO/MEO/LEO satellite & varieties of LPWAN connecting billions of new IoT sensors & devices spread around smart spaces & enabling autonomous transportation. Explore emerging wireless advances, roadblocks & operational challenges bringing you the insight and strategies to leverage emerging wireless opportunities going forward.
ATIC Engagement with Telehealth Advances in ArizonaMark Goldstein
The Healthcare Leadership Council (HLC, https://www.hlc.org/) held their Redefining American Healthcare Panel on 11/2/22 on telehealth best practices. Arizona Telecommunications & Information Council (ATIC, https://www.arizonatele.org/) Chair Mark Goldstein presented “ATIC Engagement with Telehealth Advances in Arizona” recapping Arizona’s 30 years of progressive broadband and telehealth policy initiatives.
I participated in the Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference (SWAMC) Summit on 3/3/22 in Anchorage, AK on the Broadband Internet Connectivity Panel on behalf of Grant Management Associates (GMA). I delivered this brief Broadband Funding Presentation to kick off the panel discussion. The SlideShare version also incorporates a two page broadband funding summary at the end.
Next-Generation Wireless Overview & Outlook Update 12/8/21Mark Goldstein
Mark Goldstein of International Research Center presented a Next-Gen Wireless Overview & Outlook to the IEEE Computer Society Phoenix (https://ewh.ieee.org/r6/phoenix/compsociety/) on Wednesday, 12/8/21. He explored the next-generation wireless landscape with its underlying emerging technologies, protocols & standards, market trends & opportunities in a deep dive presentation covering all of today's wireless essentials. New spectrum and technologies driven by a rapidly evolving application landscape will be served up in innovative ways through 5G/6G mobile, Wi-Fi 6E, CBRS, White Space, mmWave, satellite & varieties of LPWAN connecting billions of new IoT sensors & devices spread around smart spaces & enabling autonomous transportation. Explore emerging wireless advances, roadblocks & operational challenges bringing you the insight and strategies to leverage emerging wireless opportunities going forward.
PhxMobi Next-Generation Wireless Overview & Outlook Briefing 11/13/21Mark Goldstein
Mark Goldstein of International Research Center presented this Next-Gen Wireless Overview & Outlook Briefing to the PhxMobi Emerging Tech Festival (https://phxmobifestival.com/) on Saturday, 11/13/21. He explored the next-generation wireless landscape with its underlying emerging technologies, protocols & standards, market trends & opportunities in a deep dive presentation covering all of today's wireless essentials. New spectrum and technologies driven by a rapidly evolving application landscape will be served up in innovative ways through 5G/6G mobile, Wi-Fi 6E, CBRS, White Space, mmWave, satellite & varieties of LPWAN connecting billions of new IoT sensors & devices spread around smart spaces & enabling autonomous transportation. Explore emerging wireless advances, roadblocks & operational challenges bringing you the insight and strategies to leverage emerging wireless opportunities going forward.
Mark Goldstein of International Research Center (http://www.researchedge.com/) delivered an Arizona Fintech Innovation & Regulation presentation to an Arizona State University (ASU) Law Class for Professor Gary Marchant on 11/9/21 in Phoenix, AZ. Arizona’s financial technology (fintech) sector is among the most promising and fastest growing in our technology community. There’s a broad and robust fintech community here developing and delivering a diverse range of products and services that have the potential of disruption for traditional financial services companies, supply chain/logistics, the securitization of data, and others blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) applications. Arizona has shown leadership in breaking down regulatory barriers with the potential to inhibit fintech innovation and emerging business models accelerating the use of electronic signature & smart contracts, creating a fintech regulatory sandbox, and most recently a property technology sandbox.
This recent presentation to ASU ShapingEDU Universal Broadband Project team (https://shapingedu.asu.edu/project/universal-broadband-access-us) covers Arizona Broadband Policy: Past, Present, and Future including the rise and activities of the AZBSN COVID-19 Digital Access Task Force (https://www.arizonatele.org/covid19-about.html).
Next-Generation Wireless Overview & Outlook Update 12/9/20Mark Goldstein
Mark Goldstein of International Research Center presented a Next-Gen Wireless Overview & Outlook to the IEEE Computer Society Phoenix (https://ewh.ieee.org/r6/phoenix/compsociety/) on Wednesday, 12/9/20. He explored the next-generation wireless landscape with its underlying emerging technologies, protocols & standards, market trends & opportunities in a deep dive presentation covering all of today's wireless essentials. New spectrum and technologies driven by a rapidly evolving application landscape will be served up in innovative ways through 5G/6G mobile, Wi-Fi 6E, CBRS, White Space, mmWave, satellite & varieties of LPWAN connecting billions of new IoT sensors & devices spread around smart spaces & enabling autonomous transportation. Explore emerging wireless advances, roadblocks & operational challenges bringing you the insight and strategies to leverage emerging wireless opportunities going forward.
Mark Goldstein of International Research Center (http://www.researchedge.com/) delivered an Arizona Fintech Innovation & Regulation presentation to an Arizona State University (ASU) Law Class for Professor Gary Marchant on 11/5/20 in Phoenix, AZ. Arizona’s financial technology (fintech) sector is among the most promising and fastest growing in our technology community. There’s a broad and robust fintech community here developing and delivering a diverse range of products and services that have the potential of disruption for traditional financial services companies, supply chain/logistics, the securitization of data, and others blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) applications. Arizona has shown leadership in breaking down regulatory barriers with the potential to inhibit fintech innovation and emerging business models accelerating the use of electronic signature & smart contracts, creating a fintech regulatory sandbox, and most recently a property technology sandbox.
Next-Generation Wireless Overview & Outlook Update 7/25/20Mark Goldstein
Earlier this month I presented and posted my Next-Generation Wireless Overview & Outlook presentation, a deep dive covering the next generation wireless landscape with its underlying emerging technologies, markets, and trends capturing all of today's wireless essentials. Since then I’ve substantially tweaked and expanded the deck, fortifying this brief briefing. Enjoy!
Next-Generation Wireless Overview & Outlook 7/7/20Mark Goldstein
On July 7, 2020 I presented a Next-Generation Wireless Overview & Outlook deep dive covering the next generation wireless landscape with its underlying emerging technologies, markets, and trends. I’ve tried to capture all of today's wireless essentials in this brief briefing. Enjoy!
Arizona as an Innovation Hub Update 2/22/20Mark Goldstein
I’ve presented “Arizona as an Innovation Hub” a number of times and have continued to update the deck to highlight Arizona’s “success by sector” driven by concerted focus, regulatory reform, and an emerging vibrant ecosystem, as well as a detailing the related economic development organizations and resources. This version updates the deck for Arizona’s new facts and initiatives here in 2020. There are backup slides with additional details for Arizona’s autonomous vehicles and blockchain/fintech initiatives, as well as an appendix of Arizona technology industry and workforce statistics.
IEEE Computer Society Phoenix Chapter - Internet of Things Innovations & Mega...Mark Goldstein
Mark Goldstein, President of International Research Center delivered his fifth annual deep dive into the Internet of Things Innovations & Megatrends to the IEEE Computer Society Phoenix Chapter (http://ewh.ieee.org/r6/phoenix/compsociety/) exploring the next Internet revolution, the Internet of Things (IoT), expected to connect tens of billions of new sensors and devices in the coming years. Waves of change will roll through home, business, government, industrial, medical, transportation, and other complex ecosystems. We examined how IoT will be implemented and monetized creating new business models from pervasive sensor deployments, data gathering, and advanced analytics, driving societal transformations accompanied by new privacy and security risks. View to explore IoT’s roadblocks and operational challenges, emerging standards and protocols, gateway and wireless integration, and big data strategies and opportunities in this presentation.
The Autonomous Revolution of Vehicles and TransportationMark Goldstein
This presentation to the Greater Phoenix Mensa Regional Gathering on November 29, 2019 is a detailed overview of the transformation of transportation through autonomous vehicles and the advent of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) on the ground and in the air, including why Arizona is a hotbed for development and deployment, insight into the enabling sensor and communication technologies, and a forward-looking view of societal impact, markets and opportunities. Waves of change will roll through the transportation industry and practices as autonomy ramps up in personal and mass transportation, as well as in logistics/delivery segments. We examine how autonomous vehicles will be developed, deployed and monetized, creating new business models across the transportation sector. Explore autonomous vehicles roadblocks and operational challenges, emerging standards and protocols, connected services and their associated big data strategies and opportunities.
Green Living Magazine - EV & AV Futures Panel Introduction 9/27/19Mark Goldstein
I was pleased to participate in Green Living Magazine’s Electric and Autonomous Vehicles Event (https://greenlivingaz.com/arizona-events/eco-events/) on 9/27/19 at ASU SkySong in Scottsdale. Here's my introduction slides for The Future of Electric Transportation Panel moderated by Mark Hartman of the City of Phoenix. Also, I’m co-authoring a series of smart cities articles for Green Living Magazine with Kirk Busch/Big Data Southwest with the first of those available on the Green Living Magazine site at https://greenlivingaz.com/smart-cities-cultivating-in-arizona/.
Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Transform the Urban Landscape Presentation 9/1...Mark Goldstein
I recently introduced and moderated the Autonomous and Electric Vehicles Transform the Urban Landscape Panel at the Arizona Technology Council's 3rd Annual Smart Cities + IoT Summit on 9/12/19 in Scottsdale, AZ. This was the brief deck that led into a great panel discussion.
Arizona as an Innovation Hub Update 9/10/19Mark Goldstein
I’ve presented “Arizona as an Innovation Hub” several times and have continued to update the deck to highlight examples here in Arizona of “success by sector” driven by concerted focus, regulatory reform, and an emerging vibrant ecosystem, as well as a detailing the related economic development organizations and resources. This version adds/updates slides on Arizona’s aerospace & defense (A&D) sector, cybersecurity, data centers, smart cities/smart regions initiatives/ecosystems, and autonomous vehicles. There are backup slides with additional details for Arizona’s autonomous vehicles and blockchain/fintech initiatives, as well as an appendix of Arizona technology industry and workforce statistics.
The Autonomous Revolution of Vehicles & Transportation 6/12/19Mark Goldstein
I delivered an updated and expanded version of "The Autonomous Revolution of Vehicles and Transportation" to the IEEE Computer Society Phoenix (http://ewh.ieee.org/r6/phoenix/compsociety/) on 6/12/19 at DeVry University in Phoenix, Arizona.
It’s a detailed overview of the transformation of transportation through autonomous vehicles and the advent of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) including enabling sensor and communication technologies as well as why Arizona is a hot bed for development and deployment plus a forward-looking view of markets and opportunities.
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.
Kubernetes & AI - Beauty and the Beast !?! @KCD Istanbul 2024Tobias Schneck
As AI technology is pushing into IT I was wondering myself, as an “infrastructure container kubernetes guy”, how get this fancy AI technology get managed from an infrastructure operational view? Is it possible to apply our lovely cloud native principals as well? What benefit’s both technologies could bring to each other?
Let me take this questions and provide you a short journey through existing deployment models and use cases for AI software. On practical examples, we discuss what cloud/on-premise strategy we may need for applying it to our own infrastructure to get it to work from an enterprise perspective. I want to give an overview about infrastructure requirements and technologies, what could be beneficial or limiting your AI use cases in an enterprise environment. An interactive Demo will give you some insides, what approaches I got already working for real.
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/
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.
Securing your Kubernetes cluster_ a step-by-step guide to success !KatiaHIMEUR1
Today, after several years of existence, an extremely active community and an ultra-dynamic ecosystem, Kubernetes has established itself as the de facto standard in container orchestration. Thanks to a wide range of managed services, it has never been so easy to set up a ready-to-use Kubernetes cluster.
However, this ease of use means that the subject of security in Kubernetes is often left for later, or even neglected. This exposes companies to significant risks.
In this talk, I'll show you step-by-step how to secure your Kubernetes cluster for greater peace of mind and reliability.
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
Builder.ai Founder Sachin Dev Duggal's Strategic Approach to Create an Innova...Ramesh Iyer
In today's fast-changing business world, Companies that adapt and embrace new ideas often need help to keep up with the competition. However, fostering a culture of innovation takes much work. It takes vision, leadership and willingness to take risks in the right proportion. Sachin Dev Duggal, co-founder of Builder.ai, has perfected the art of this balance, creating a company culture where creativity and growth are nurtured at each stage.
GDG Cloud Southlake #33: Boule & Rebala: Effective AppSec in SDLC using Deplo...James Anderson
Effective Application Security in Software Delivery lifecycle using Deployment Firewall and DBOM
The modern software delivery process (or the CI/CD process) includes many tools, distributed teams, open-source code, and cloud platforms. Constant focus on speed to release software to market, along with the traditional slow and manual security checks has caused gaps in continuous security as an important piece in the software supply chain. Today organizations feel more susceptible to external and internal cyber threats due to the vast attack surface in their applications supply chain and the lack of end-to-end governance and risk management.
The software team must secure its software delivery process to avoid vulnerability and security breaches. This needs to be achieved with existing tool chains and without extensive rework of the delivery processes. This talk will present strategies and techniques for providing visibility into the true risk of the existing vulnerabilities, preventing the introduction of security issues in the software, resolving vulnerabilities in production environments quickly, and capturing the deployment bill of materials (DBOM).
Speakers:
Bob Boule
Robert Boule is a technology enthusiast with PASSION for technology and making things work along with a knack for helping others understand how things work. He comes with around 20 years of solution engineering experience in application security, software continuous delivery, and SaaS platforms. He is known for his dynamic presentations in CI/CD and application security integrated in software delivery lifecycle.
Gopinath Rebala
Gopinath Rebala is the CTO of OpsMx, where he has overall responsibility for the machine learning and data processing architectures for Secure Software Delivery. Gopi also has a strong connection with our customers, leading design and architecture for strategic implementations. Gopi is a frequent speaker and well-known leader in continuous delivery and integrating security into software delivery.
Generating a custom Ruby SDK for your web service or Rails API using Smithyg2nightmarescribd
Have you ever wanted a Ruby client API to communicate with your web service? Smithy is a protocol-agnostic language for defining services and SDKs. Smithy Ruby is an implementation of Smithy that generates a Ruby SDK using a Smithy model. In this talk, we will explore Smithy and Smithy Ruby to learn how to generate custom feature-rich SDKs that can communicate with any web service, such as a Rails JSON API.
UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series, part 3DianaGray10
Welcome to UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series part 3. In this session, we will cover desktop automation along with UI automation.
Topics covered:
UI automation Introduction,
UI automation Sample
Desktop automation flow
Pradeep Chinnala, Senior Consultant Automation Developer @WonderBotz and UiPath MVP
Deepak Rai, Automation Practice Lead, Boundaryless Group and UiPath MVP
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!
Slack (or Teams) Automation for Bonterra Impact Management (fka Social Soluti...Jeffrey Haguewood
Sidekick Solutions uses Bonterra Impact Management (fka Social Solutions Apricot) and automation solutions to integrate data for business workflows.
We believe integration and automation are essential to user experience and the promise of efficient work through technology. Automation is the critical ingredient to realizing that full vision. We develop integration products and services for Bonterra Case Management software to support the deployment of automations for a variety of use cases.
This video focuses on the notifications, alerts, and approval requests using Slack for Bonterra Impact Management. The solutions covered in this webinar can also be deployed for Microsoft Teams.
Interested in deploying notification automations for Bonterra Impact Management? Contact us at sales@sidekicksolutionsllc.com to discuss next steps.
Transcript: Selling digital books in 2024: Insights from industry leaders - T...BookNet Canada
The publishing industry has been selling digital audiobooks and ebooks for over a decade and has found its groove. What’s changed? What has stayed the same? Where do we go from here? Join a group of leading sales peers from across the industry for a conversation about the lessons learned since the popularization of digital books, best practices, digital book supply chain management, and more.
Link to video recording: https://bnctechforum.ca/sessions/selling-digital-books-in-2024-insights-from-industry-leaders/
Presented by BookNet Canada on May 28, 2024, with support from the Department of Canadian Heritage.
2. Blockchain and Energy Policy Forum
Wednesday, January 16, 2019 Agenda:
Mark Goldstein, President, International Research
Center (http://www.researchedge.com/),
Introduction and Moderator
Landon Stevens, Policy Advisor to Arizona
Corporation Commission (https://www.azcc.gov/)
Commissioner Andy Tobin on the energy and
blockchain docket opened to study and make
recommendations regarding the use of blockchain
in energy trading and other applications
William Brandt, Director, ASU LightWorks
(https://sustainability.asu.edu/lightworks/) of ASU’s
Global Institute of Sustainability on a testbed for
the use of blockchain in p2p energy trading
Jaycen Horton, Principal Blockchain Architect at
Nori (https://nori.com/) on their carbon removal-
based token and open source market infrastructure
Gary Marchant, Professor, ASU Sandra Day
O'Connor College of Law (https://law.asu.edu/) on
sustainability and blockchain
http://events.asucollegeoflaw.com/blockchain/energy-policy/
Upcoming ASU Law
Blockchain Luncheon Forums:
Feb. 20 - Blockchain: Smart
Contracts, Real Estate, and
Supply Chain
March 20 - Blockchain and
Healthcare
April 17 - Blockchain: Privacy
and Identity
http://events.asucollegeoflaw.
com/blockchain/
7. Arizona Corporation Commission Blockchain Policy Recommendations:
Encourage the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) to work towards utilizing
blockchain for corporate records and filings initiating trials and pilots to develop
capabilities, gauge future direction, and, when appropriate, inaugurate full-scale
initiatives. Examine the potential to issue and trade securities on a blockchain
platform. The ACC has opened a docket to examine the use of blockchain
technology in Arizona’s energy industry to help manage the distributed power
generation and storage, transactive energy, renewable energy credits,
tokenization, IoT, cybersecurity, and other applications for distributed ledger
technologies on the grid.
Arizona Technology Council
2019 Public Policy Guide
https://www.aztechcouncil.org/arizona-
technology-council-public-policy-
guide/
Arizona Fintech Principles &
Policies on Pages 19-20
Federal Fintech Principles &
Policies on Pages 32-33
8. Arizona Technology Council (AZTC) Public Policy Guide 2019
(https://www.aztechcouncil.org/arizona-technology-council-public-policy-guide/)
State Section: Financial Technology (Fintech)
Principles
Arizona’s financial technology (FinTech) sector is among the most promising and fastest growing in our
technology community. There’s a broad and robust FinTech community here with a diverse range of products
and services that have the potential of disruption for traditional financial services companies. Arizona has
shown leadership in breaking down regulatory barriers with the potential to inhibit FinTech innovation and
emerging business models and should continue to cultivate a FinTech-friendly environment. Our goal is to help
drive state regulatory reform to allow use of virtual currency that meets the needs of Arizona’s FinTech sector
where innovations primarily rely on virtual currency. Arizona must provide a robust, streamlined supervisory
experience for virtual currency and non-bank firms that is transparent, provides a level playing field for
businesses that doesn’t favor larger players over small ones, and appropriately protects consumers from
harm. The following recommended paths target several areas in need of reform.
Positions
Digital Signatures and Smart Contracts – Traditional paper contracts can be quite inefficient and prone to
fraud, which is why digital "smart contracts" tied to immutable blockchains are emerging as an alternative.
Arizona lawmaker previously passed HB2417, the nation’s groundbreaking legislation that amended the
Arizona Electronic Transactions Act to include digital signatures recorded on a blockchain. This enshrined their
validity and enforceability for records or contracts. In the most recent session, the Legislature passed HB2603,
refining and improving the handling of any electronic record and electronic signature related to a transaction.
This regulatory innovation and clarity has helped Arizona emerge as a choice location for blockchain
companies that develop applications based on smart contracts. Ensure there are not regulatory burdens
implemented and update statutes as needed with new, emerging technologies.
FinTech Regulatory Sandbox – Fintech startups are particularly disadvantaged by the difficulties and costs of
complying with conventional state money transmission licensing regimens. Legislation was passed in the 2018
session to create the nation’s first state-level regulatory sandbox allowing limited access to Arizona’s market
for testing innovative financial products or services without first obtaining full state licensure or other required
authorization. Innovative initiatives now are allowed to germinate through creation of an “on ramp” or
regulatory “sandbox” with exceptions to licensing rules for new companies based on low volumes or limited
business activities that pose a lower risk to consumers
The sandbox and the innovations that emerge will help position Arizona as an innovative hub for financial
technology, as well as prove lighter regulation and consumer protection can coexist. The Council will work to
publicize the sandbox to help attract new participants and leverage successful outcomes while supporting
further efforts of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and Legislature to evolve and improve the program
over time. For example, expansion of the sandbox to allow selective insurance offerings and other financial
products and services that can benefit from technological innovation already closely regulated.
9. Money Transmission Licensing (MTL) Regulation – Consider legislation on the application of Arizona MTL law
to digital tokens in concert with federal guidance and in cooperation with other states. The application of state
MTL regulation should not hinge on the use of fiat currency to purchase a token. Instead, the sale of a digital
token for fiat currency should be treated no differently than the sale of any other commodity. A number of
states have acted to include or exclude cryptocurrencies or virtual currencies in their MTL laws using broad
definitions that essentially include all digital tokens. In essence, this regulates the technology, not how it's
used. Also, many tokenized projects currently may have a central issuer or administrator but will become a
decentralized, user-run platform once operational, complicating the application of MTL and other state
regulations. Pending federal actions regarding the Division of Financial Institutions should be closely tracked as
they clarify treatment of the wide array of digital tokens, optimizing Arizona’s complimentary state MTL
regulation alongside federal evolution.
Regulatory Reciprocity Between States – The Council will work with other states and national organizations in
establishing common multistate MTL and virtual money regulation and licensure that would ensure legal and
regulatory reciprocity between participating jurisdictions. Companies involved in virtual currency activities are
multi-jurisdictional by nature. Any artificial restraints on their ability to operate without regard to geographical
boundary within the U.S. adversely impacts the significant cost-effectiveness and efficiencies that their
business models offer to other businesses and consumers.
Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) – Encourage the ACC to work towards utilizing blockchain for
corporate records and filings initiating trials and pilots to develop capabilities, gauge future direction, and,
when appropriate, inaugurate full-scale initiatives. Examine the potential to issue and trade securities on a
blockchain platform. The ACC has opened a docket to examine the use of blockchain technology in Arizona’s
energy industry to help manage the distributed power generation and storage, transactive energy, renewable
energy credits, tokenization, IoT, cybersecurity, and other applications for distributed ledger technologies on
the grid.
State Government Records – Examine utilizing blockchain by the Arizona executive branch for the
management and storage of state government records for cost, efficiency and security considerations;
initiating trials and pilots to develop capabilities; gauging future direction; and, when appropriate,
inaugurating full-scale initiatives. Offer leadership and assistance to Arizona’s counties in digitizing,
normalizing and consolidating property records following best practices, and ensuring compatibility with other
jurisdictions and open data protocols.
Decentralized Corporate Structures – Examine decentralized corporate structures that authorize this new
form of business entity and provide clarity and liability protections for participants. Decentralized projects,
including those operated via blockchain networks, do not necessarily fit within traditional state corporate
structures. As with many regulations that impose auditing/reporting/record-keeping responsibilities on a
central entity, corporate structures generally contemplate a central entity (corporation), or an individual or
small group of managers (LLC, LLP, etc.). Decentralized projects don't fit this mold. However, decentralized
project participants such as blockchain node operators likely constitute a common law partnership and could
be exposed personally to liability.
10. Federal Section: Financial Technology (Fintech)
Principles
Distributed ledger technology (DLT), otherwise known as blockchain, is perhaps the most talked about yet
most misunderstood emerging technology in the world today. Since its inception, secure DLT has widely been
viewed through the lens of virtual currencies, particularly the hype surrounding the buying and trading of
Bitcoin and other digital coin offerings. Indeed, surveys have shown that consumers are largely aware of what
Bitcoin is but do not know about or understand the blockchain technology that powers it.
Blockchain has the potential to revolutionize many sectors of the U.S economy if the proper legislative and
regulatory measures are taken to enable and foster its development. The technology brings significant
efficiencies to not only currency and financial transactions but also asset ledgers, global supply chains, IoT data
collection and decentralized social networking.
Positions
The Arizona Technology Council suggests policymakers consider developing policies and regulatory structures
for FinTech and blockchain environments that encourage developers and market participants to continue
innovating and providing solutions that will aid the public sector in achieving its mission and goals. To do so,
policymakers should understand the promise, the uses and the questions that blockchain currently presents.
The Council supports:
• Securities Law Clarification – The linchpin for tokenized projects in the United States is the application
of federal securities law to token sales. Initial coin offerings (ICOs) have arisen as forms of
crowdfunding for blockchain projects through the sale of digital tokens, many without adherence to
federal securities law. But if conducted properly, ICOs are legitimate forms of crowdfunding. The U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Congress should recognize this and develop rules that
make these forms of fundraising responsible yet accessible. Additionally, not all initial token sales are
ICOs and the SEC has yet to issue formal guidance for blockchain innovators seeking to make tokens
available for use on functional blockchain platforms. In the absence of such guidance, many innovators
have left U.S. markets to launch their projects overseas. The SEC should work with Congress and
stakeholders to create a responsible framework for regulating ICOs, as well as utility tokens as
differentiated from their regulation of security offerings.
• Regulatory Sandboxes – To help manage risk, drive economic development and develop a strong
regulatory regime, the Council recommends the federal and state governments consider creating
blockchain and emerging technology “regulatory sandboxes” and create an environment allowing the
development and growth of companies with limited regulatory roadblocks that allow innovators to test
different applications of blockchain. This will help foster U.S. innovation to keep pace in dynamic
international markets and lead to development of many new use cases. Federal agencies should issue
broad regulatory waivers for state sandbox participants and exemptions for transactions occurring
within state regulatory sandboxes, exerting a light regulatory touch on nascent state blockchain
initiatives. We also encourage adoption of an agencywide federal sandbox so innovators can take full
advantage of this testing model nationwide and internationally, ensuring legal and regulatory
reciprocity between participating jurisdictions.
11. • Creation of a Federal Blockchain Stakeholders Advisory Group – This group consisting of private
industry, academia, non-profits, and trade associations would be responsible for examining aspects of
the blockchain technology ecosystem to include:
o Current and future security requirements
o Regulatory environment
o Standards and interoperability
o Defined marketplace and potential for disruption
o Current use of blockchain technology by federal agencies
• Pilot Toolkit – The Council champions the use of a pilot toolkit, one of the more effective methods to
help incorporate blockchain technology. When considering the creation of a toolkit, the Council
recommends an organization focuses on:
o The reason why your organization would need blockchain.
o The workings of the blockchain protocol and technological framework options.
o Your organization’s information technology environment.
o How to develop sophisticated applications.
• Federal Government Records – Federal agencies and Congress should examine utilizing blockchain for
the management and storage of government records for cost, efficiency and security considerations.
Trials and pilots should be initiated to develop capabilities, gauge future direction and, when
appropriate, inaugurate full-scale initiatives.
Arizona Technology Council (AZTC) Public Policy Guide:
https://www.aztechcouncil.org/promoting-public-policy/public-policy-guide/
Fintech Policy Editor and Primary Author of State & Federal Fintech Section:
Mark Goldstein, International Research Center, markg@researchedge.com
(Version V01A - 1/14/19)