Where are those much talked about blockchain apps?

Hello, world! After over a year of talking, scouting, planning and prototyping, we have just founded chain.ventures. But why?

At chain.ventures, we believe that blockchain technology really isn’t just a fad, but a technical invention with huge implications — that is yet to come. The buzz in the market for “something something with blockchain” is huge — hundreds of millions of investment dollars going into it. There are literally hundreds of companies, incubators, startups, ventures tackling blockchain right now.

But: Where can I download that app that provides me with those much talked about amazing blockchain benefits in a real-world use case? One that makes my life actually easier?

Most blockchain initiatives focus on one or more of the following:

• Cryptocurrencies (e.g. creating alternatives to Bitcoin, like Litecoin)
• Plattforms (e.g. providing programming environments and services to implement blockchain apps)
• Private Blockchains (e.g. networks between big banks to make intra-bank dealing cheaper for all parties)
• B2B applications (e.g.tracking solutions for supply chains)
• “Proof of concept” apps with appeal mostly for early adopters and have no specific easy to understand use case (e.g. blockchain timestamping services — “you can do anything with it”, well, amazing but not suitable for the average user)

See something missing? We did, too.

not your average blockchain user

At chain.ventures, we will build blockchain applications with real use for real people.

What we deem necessary for a broad appeal of a blockchain-powered app:

• Real utility: a clear-cut use case for consumers
• Designed for non-nerds: simple and thought-out UI, no tech-babble
• Blockchain embedded in the backbone: no need to know the tech or enter cryptic addresses
• Solid implementation: Normal people don’t care much for the “beta” tag, they want a working product. It is OK to start with a MVP, but a Minimum Lovable Product is even better.

These are our ground rules. And they are front and center in the design of our first project…. about which I’ll tell you all about, here on our blog. Soon :-)

chain.ventures is based in Hamburg, Germany. This is our blog — documenting the “behind the scenes” of starting a new business, discussing interesting topics around blockchain and sharing the creation of our first app.