“Volcano exploded” – these words could be used to sum up, what is currently happening in the digital word. Blockchain disruptive technology is already transforming various industries, thus no wonder that Innovatika Blockchain Corporate Roundtable was genuinely crowded.
More than 50 people, representatives of the largest companies from multiple sectors such as banking, insurance, energy, retail, FMCG, hospitality did not miss the event to meet up with blockchain experts and early adopters of this technology. Blockchain raises many emotions especially that Innovatika gave the opportunity not only to talk with practitioners but also to perform transactions in real cryptocurrencies – the discussions didn’t come to an end. That’s just how it must be when passionate people, who want to be a part of the development of the most revolutionary technology since the advent of the Internet, meet.
Why Innovatika invented BCR?
“The idea of BCR arose because of discussions with our clients. We realized that many of them, in corporations, feel that blockchain is nowadays one of the most important trends and that it is a topic you that needs to be addressed. Still, there is uncertainty on how to start. BCR – a series of meetings through which we want to show the possibilities of blockchain and create a platform to share information, discuss and find inspiration – because that is what we all need.”- said Wojtek Wodyński, the product owner in Innovatika.
Blockchain in a nutshell
There were four presentations. Our guest speakers – practitioners, openly talked about real use cases, legal aspects and financing business growth through ICO. They shared insights. One of the speakers was Maciej Jędrzejczyk from IBM, whose speech, surprisingly was not technical, but solid business – Maciej talked about real projects and blockchain implementation in various industries all around the world but also in Poland. “What? How? Wow!” – It was the title of the presentation – was packed with numerous examples of the use of this technology in business. In the end, everyone understood why Maciej chooses such title – “Wooooows” were going through the room while the outcome of the blockchain implementation might be really spectacular.
We asked Maciek what his opinion on Innovatika’s initiative is? “BCR might be the first step on the way. I believe that as the corporations will see how blockchain might change their markets and creates opportunities for new business models, they will start to perceive themselves not as observes but as members of a wide business community in the new digital economy. ” – said Maciej Jędrzejczyk from IBM Services.
BCR hosted Jan Dąbkowski (IBM Services), who is responsible for carrying out the practices and projects Blockchain, was also with us. With Jan we talk a little bit about how blockchain technology evolved in recent years: “Blockchain is definitely a milestone, it is the disruptive technology, and it will soon induce massive changes in the business world. We all remember the Internet bubble in the year 2000 and talks about the huge success of the digital economy. Then it was premature, but now we have exactly what the visionaries predicted 15 years earlier.” – explained Jan Dąbkowski IBM Services.
Like in Marines
Innovatika’s own presentation “How to start?” was definitely very practical too. Krzysztof Reński, Innovatika board member responsible for projects delivery showed in simple soldier steps, how to build a startup:
- Find the right team of „startup navy seals.”
- Separate them from the „main corporate forces.”
- Provide them with specific startup equipment and process
- Field them ASAP
- Demand fast learning and cost-effective validation results.
These five steps explained and backed with examples convinced many that the setting up a separate business entity, functioning next to (not inside) the corporation might be the best way to validate the concept of using blockchain.
ICO
BCR was also to show how the company might be successfully funded on the blockchain. Katarzyna Królak Wyszyńska, Innovatika CEO and host of the event, talked with Filip Wieczyński, Business Development & Communications Officer at Coinfirm why and more importantly how to effectively carry out ICO.
The real thing
Finally, after that, it was time to try to make real blockchain transactions. Participants got some real cryptocurrencies – it was not 5 million ;-), but it was a little something to start. From 6 accounts /wallets/ at each table – the transfers were successfully made. Then BCR guests decided to make charity cryptocurrency donation to Wikimedia Foundation. Wikimedia supports the provision of free educational content around the world, and its most prominent project is Wikipedia. In the beginning, there were some small problems, while most of the participants had cryptocurrency “in their hands” for the first time but eventually, all transactions were made, and a few days later there were over 1000 blockchain confirmations of the donation to Wikimedia.
The first Innovatika BCR was very successful, and the interest in it shows how such initiatives are needed. We hope everyone left the meeting with heads full of ideas and inspired. The best summary of the Blockchain Corporate Roundtable event seems to be Jan Dąbkowski’s words: “We had a variety of interesting speakers, a variety of interesting areas of application of this technology have been shown. People saw where it already operates, and where else it can. I think this should result in other meetings and projects that were inspired here today.” – Jan Dąbkowski from IBM Services.
Ideas and projects are being formed in our minds. Blockchain in different areas of business is becoming increasingly popular, and probably nothing will stop its development. We are sure the blockchain is a technology that will change the business landscape.
