The BlockRoundTable Summit is here. The online event, meant to drive debate on the social impact of blockchain and the role the technology can play in sustainability solutions, takes place from 11 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Thursday, July 30. Event organizers will welcome speakers to the Microsoft Technology Center on Times Square in New York City. However, for attendees, BlockRoundTable will be a virtual event in which they can participate remotely from the comfort of their homes or offices.
There’s no doubt that adoption of distributed ledger technology — blockchain — is on the rise. For instance, the world’s third-largest retailer, Kroger (http://nnw.fm/v5Mtw), a behemoth with revenues that top $100 million, is using blockchain to trace food from the farm to its shelves. The giant grocer hopes the system will help it identify which products are safe for customers and which products to pull.
Meanwhile, Plastic Bank is out to clean up our watery planet. An estimated 8 million metric tons of plastics is added to the oceans every year. Plastic Bank wants to set up recycling systems in economically disadvantaged parts of the world, a solution that would kill two birds with one stone: cleaning up pollution and providing a livelihood for thousands.
The BlockRoundTable will give those working in blockchain, digital finance, green technologies and on climate change and social impact projects an opportunity to meet with investors. But the virtual conference is expected to be more than a talk shop. Hopefully, the insights and ideas generated in discussion will lead to projects that enhance social welfare and prevent further degradation of the environment. A number of leading industry figures, including David Whiting, Oz Sultan and James Haft, will make presentations.
Whiting is New York division manager of BlokTech, a leading blockchain event manager. Sultan has worked in fintech, social media risk (counterterrorism, online threats) and crypto compliance over the past 20 years. Notable projects include Moody’s Ratings Generator, social media and data products for the Economist, Alliant’s country risk matrixes on the Bloomberg Terminal and the global launch of Kinect for Xbox.
Haft is an internet media entrepreneur and merchant banker with broad experience in all aspects of early-stage business investing, fundraising, business strategy and M&A. As the founder and managing director of Pacific Alliance Limited, a merchant bank, he has significant global experience managing, investing in and advising companies involved in emerging technologies, the internet, integrated media, online advertising, online metrics, telecom, emerging markets, real estate and venture capital verticals.