Tuesday, December 11, 2018
What's next for BlockLand?
by Charles Stack, CEO, Flashstarts
The Blockland Solutions Conference, an initiative to put Cleveland at the forefront of blockchain adoption in the United States, successfully wrapped up on December 4th. With sold-out crowds, world class keynotes, and energized community members, the conference sparked interest from large businesses and inspired attendees to take action moving forward.
One of the recurring comments/questions has been ‘So What’s Next?” It is absolutely essential that we keep our great momentum going. Listed below for the purposes of starting an end-of-year brainstorming effort are my thoughts on 8 very specific next steps with related audacious goals. Please view this list as a starting point for a general community discussion.
Blockland Next Steps with specific short term goals.
1. Establish Business Clusters and Blockland Ambassadors to test and deploy blockchain solutions. Goal: 6 clusters, 1,000 ambassadors by Q2 2019.
2. Train blockchain developers. Goal: 50 Solidity coders every Quarter in 2019, 100/Q in 2020.
3. Bitcoin enable regional merchants. 2000 Merchants by Q4 2019.
4. Build City Block Innovation Hub (Opportunity Zone). Goal: announce Q1 2019, open Q1 2020.
5. Fund blockchain investment funds: Goal: Flashstarts $6M Pre-seed Fund, Jumpstart $100M Seed Fund by Q2 2019.
6. Develop and deploy procedures for processing startups that express interest in Blockland. Goal: Q4 2018.
7. Cultivate and attract blockchain companies. Goal: 10/Q1, 20/Q2, 30/Q3, 40/Q4, 100/2019, 200/2020.
8. Blockchain friendly new governmental policies. Goals: TBD
In addition, here is a web page listing all the spectacular local, national, and global press coverage the Solutions Conference and Blockland generally just received.
Like every new technology ever; after an initial wave of hype there is a ‘trough of disillusionment’ We are in it now. Both bitcoin prices and blockchain projects are having a very tough time right now. But know that this is precisely the time when financial fortunes and lasting economic futures are truly built. So enjoy the holidays, cogitate on Cleveland’s crypto future, Blockland's next steps/goals, and plan on jumping back in with both feet in the New Year.
Becky Morgan - December 18, 2018
One of our challenges is that the blockchain-uneducated (99% of population) believe blockchain and bitcoin to be the same thing, and bitcoin to be crazy gambling with money and/or black market.
To rejuvenate the momentum we need to build a mid-level of appreciation for its potential. I don’t understand how electricity works but I’ve mastered the light switch. A few more commonly understood examples will help us.
PS: I’d like to be part of your #1 item!
PPS: Even if block chain turns out to be a Betamax, it can never be a bad thing to build technical expertise in our city.