Top Highlights from Blockchain Ireland Week
The blockchain ecosystem is growing in Ireland. Read the top highlights from Blockchain Ireland Week.
The first edition of Blockchain Ireland Week brought together hundreds of entrepreneurs, enthusiasts, developers, and corporate leaders over 7 days to grow the blockchain ecosystem in Ireland. Blockchain Ireland started as a small forum of Ireland’s leading DLT experts, and today it has grown to hundreds of members, who work together on updates to standards, knowledge sharing and collaboration opportunities with industry leaders, investors, innovators, and startups amongst its ranks.
Over 50 events took place across the island of Ireland from 24–31 May. Below are some highlights of the week:
“Blockchain is to trust, that web was to communication.” -Heather Humphreys, Minister for Business, Enterprise & Innovation and Fine Gael TD for Cavan Monaghan.
ConsenSys Grants Hackathon
Incredibly, the top teams at the ConsenSys Hackathon during the Blockchain Ireland Week were the last minute teams. Winners Philip Tuomey, Bernardo Vieira, Thomas Moran and Paul Geraghty each came individually to the Hackathon, with Bernardo coming all the way from Lisbon.
Solviz a visualization tool that makes blockchain developers’ lives easier took the top prize of €2000. The runner up team went home with €1000 for a project that focuses on a digital asset verification toolset for non-blockchain devs and users. The third team won €500 for ideating a solution to secure one’s future through smart meters.
Seed to Salsa: building a blockchain application in minutes with Viant
Niamh O’Connell from Viant engaged a captivated audience to build a supply chain live in minutes on @viant_io.
Watch how Viant, a ConsenSys formation, worked with the World Wildlife Fund and Traseable to revolutionize the tuna industry. By tracking the product supply chain, Viant authenticates sustainable fishing practices and high standards from bait to plate.
Mastercard Blockchain Challenge
Mastercard Dublin hosted a hands-on learning experience where participants solved a cryptographic puzzle built into the MasterCard blockchain.
Trust Machine private screening
ConsenSys Ireland hosted an exclusive screening of Trust Machine in the Stella Cinema, Ranelagh.
Hacktivist and Blockchain expert Lauri Love fights extradition in Trust Machine, as his computer skills are perceived as a threat to local governments. The Trust Machine movie delves into the phenomenon of tech innovators ruffling feathers of banks and network pundits that see cryptocurrencies and their underlying blockchain technology as a threat to their business practices.
Trust Machine explains distributed ledger technology and examines why some institutional banks are verbally reluctant to adopt the technology, while organizations like UNICEF embrace it as a method to help refugee children.
Dublin City University Masters in Blockchain announcement
Heather Humphreys, Minister for Business, Enterprise & Innovation and Fine Gael TD for Cavan Monaghan announced the launch of the online Dublin City University Master’s degree in Blockchain, in conjunction with Skillnet Ireland.
The course is aimed at IT professionals working in the country and will be primarily taught online, part-time, over two-years. To qualify for direct entry, candidates must have a Level 8 Honours Degree (2.2) or higher in Computer Science, Computing, Computer Applications or a related discipline.
Preparing Ireland for the future, Chief Executive of Skillnet Ireland Paul Healy said, “A highly skilled workforce is one of the essential ingredients for Ireland to be a leader in Blockchain technologies. This Master’s program will help ensure we have the right skills available for companies and IT professionals to enhance their blockchain technology capability and to seize the immense opportunities that are available.”
Backed by the blockchain bullish Irish Government, newly accredited university programs, the IDA Blockchain Expert Group, and the development of the current regulatory landscape in Ireland, Blockchain Ireland Week demonstrates that Ireland is well on its way to becoming a European blockchain hub.
ConsenSys Ireland thanks all of the attendees for showing up, and we hope to see you around the community!
Connect with ConsenSys Ireland @ConsenSysIr
Blockchain Ireland Week is a celebration of the unique community surrounding a core technology which will enable so many industries to transform in the next century. Blockchain Ireland is a combined effort of government and Irish based companies, led by the IDA Blockchain Expert Group, to help promote and share information on blockchain in Ireland. With almost fifty events held nationwide, Blockchain Ireland Week showcased the advances in blockchain innovation, education and research, and industry first projects that have been born in Ireland to the wider blockchain ecosystem.
Follow the Twitter activity of #BlockchainIrelandWeek.
Disclaimer. The views, information, and opinions expressed are solely those by the author above do not necessarily represent the views of Consensys AG. They are meant for informational purposes only, are not intended to serve as a recommendation or investment advice to buy or sell any securities, cryptoassets, or other financial products.
