IBM Blockchain Pulse

The IBM Blockchain Pulse has had the privilege of hosting several returning guests this season but few have worked in industries as heavily impacted by COVID-19 as our guests today; Matt Zarracina and Ken Lesnik, the founders of True Tickets.   While the live events business has been upended during the pandemic, True Tickets mission has remained totally unchanged. Their work to push clients and customers further into the realm of digital ticketing has never been more relevant.   In their last episode together a year and a half ago, Matt and Ken shared how they transitioned from a B2C company to a B2B company. In this episode, in the midst of the COVID-era, they focus on how all the ways in which their own business has adapted and evolved — and, of course, how the larger blockchain business ecosystem has adapted and evolved as well. Don’t miss out on this thoughtful and illuminating conversation!   Key Takeaways: [:00] An excerpt from today’s episode. [:44] About today’s episode with Matt Zarracina and Ken Les

The IBM Blockchain Pulse has had a lot of extraordinary guests featured on the podcast so far. They’ve featured leaders in government and business, space tech executives and designers, as well as startup founders and seasoned executives alike. But, an artist is yet to make an appearance!   In today’s episode, Matt is joined by a multidisciplinary artist, Erin Zhao, who leads the conversation to an area of Blockchain that IBM Blockchain Pulse has yet to delve into.   Joining the conversation, as well, is return guest, Nigel Gopie, Director of Artificial Intelligence Applications and Blockchain Marketing at IBM. In this episode, he helps to tell the story of IBM’s collaboration with Erin and how they’ve managed to rethink the art consumption experience in our COVID-19 era. They also speak about the importance of interconnectedness, transparency, and trust, in Erin’s art and blockchain tech itself.   Key Takeaways: [:00] An excerpt from today’s episode. [1:01] About today’s episode with Erin Zhao and Nigel Gopie

Is now the time to adopt blockchain technology for supply chain? In this episode, Matt Hooper welcomes back Rachel Wolfson of Cointelegraph to get her journalistic perspective on why supply chains can benefit from adopting blockchain.  Rachel has been writing about the tech industry for nearly 10 years and has been focusing specifically on blockchain and cryptocurrency for the past two. She is the host of the blockchain podcast, The Crypto Chick, a public speaker, and a journalist who contributes to a multitude of publications and interviews some of the most influential people in the enterprise blockchain space today.   In their conversation today, Matt and Rachel discuss why right now (during the pandemic) is as good of a time as any for enterprises to adopt blockchain. In fact, it may be the best time to! On IBM Blockchain Pulse, Matt often speaks with business leaders hungry to embrace this innovation that is blockchain; to implement the efficiencies blockchain brings to the supply chain. While we’re exper

Kicking off season 4 of the IBM Blockchain Pulse podcast, Matt Hooper is welcoming on his first guest, Harold Hughes!   A lot has changed since season 3 of IBM Blockchain Pulse. We are now in a time of tremendous uncertainty, moving into a future that will look vastly different than anything we’ve previously imagined. And in the midst of so much change, hope can sometimes feel scarce — which is why Matt Hooper is thrilled to present today’s conversation with Harold Hughes, founder and CEO of Bandwagon, an analytics and identity management company that uses blockchain to help event venues and entertainers create a more personalized fan experience while eliminating ticket fraud. Harold’s journey as a founder is awe-inspiring (and not just because it led him to the blockchain industry)! It’s inspiring because he has built a thriving business built on real customer need, iterating and evolving over the past 6 years, joining an accelerator only when he thought it could help him scale — and he’s done nearly all of

This episode of IBM Blockchain Pulse marks another first for Matt Hooper! He is welcoming back his first return guest, Maribel Lopez, the founder and Principal Analyst of Lopez Research!   Last time Maribel was on the show, she and Matt dove into blockchain and transformation and discussed whether or not blockchain hype had peaked. Today, they’re shifting gears and taking a look at how companies can get started with blockchain. They discuss how companies can move from pilot phase to production, work within or even help set governance standards, and general obstacles many organizations need to overcome as they implement a new technology strategy. Maribel also shares some examples of projects that have successfully moved from the pilot phase to production and what she believes to be the most challenging bits to the “BLT” (Business, Legal, Technical) aspects of blockchain!   There’s a lot of key takeaways and valuable insight in this episode with Maribel Lopez, so be sure to stay tuned!   Key Takeaways: [:00] An

Today’s episode of the ​IBM Blockchain Pulse ​podcast features a great conversation with Rick Torres, the CEO and President of National Student Clearinghouse.  This is a first for the podcast, as Matt Hooper has yet to have a leader in the field of education on the show! Rick has dedicated his life to solving problems in the space of education and his current work with the National Student Clearinghouse is no exception. The National Student Clearinghouse’s goal is to “help education go further” and the work they do goes from improving students’ career readiness to understanding student outcomes to much more.So what are some of the educational progresses already underway? And what will the ecosystem look like in a couple of years? This conversation with Ricks covers this along with credentialing, verification and of course blockchain! Don’t miss out. Key Takeaways:  [:00] An excerpt from today’s episode.[:36] About today’s episode with Rick Torres.[1:42] Matt welcomes Rick on to the podcast![2:15] Rick shares

Our latest guest is Chelsey Delaney, Global Design Lead for Blockchain Services at IBM, who brings a unique and personal view to the blockchain discussion. Namely, a design-centric view — it’s in her job title after all!   Coming away from this interview, our host Matt Hooper felt inspired anew about the practical implementations of blockchain technology and particularly about the key distinctions Chelsey has made in her own work. As systems are improved all built all together, what seems to be particularly important is the importance of collaboration in the ecosystem.   This was one of Matt’s absolute favorite episodes to record — and when you tune in, you’ll know exactly why. The unique perspective that Chelsey brings as a Global Design Lead is both inspiring and motivational.    [CTA Button][Learn how innovative companies and individuals use blockchain for social good]   Often, we focus the discussion around what blockchain is or what it does. In this episode, Chelsey directs the conversation around how b

We live in a connected world. You know how many episodes of this show refer to a global supply chain and how blockchain can transform said supply chain? Well, that’s because that’s how goods and services travel globally. And any company looking to do business has to think globally, which doesn’t always come easily.   Enter Maribel Lopez, the founder and principal analyst at Lopez Research, whose job is to help the most ambitious of business leaders. This sort of work requires a collaborative spirit as well as a deep knowledge of the most significant innovations happening every corner of the globe — from AI to IoT to blockchain. Maribel gets to spend her days guiding leaders through these changes and Matt couldn’t be more excited to be interviewing her this episode! There are few people out there with as much insight into the adoption and implementation of breakthrough technologies on a global scale as Maribel, so don’t miss out on today’s episode!   Key Takeaways: [:00] An excerpt from today’s guest, Maribel

Have you ever met someone who truly loved their job so much that you found yourself grinning ear-to-ear as you listened to them explain how they spend their days? Well, Matt Hooper sure has! His guest today, Bill Stark, is the President of IBM Business Partner Cognition Foundry. The passion with which Bill describes his job in today’s episode will leave you inspired and thinking about the many opportunities emerging technologies are bringing about for startups and society. At Cognition Foundry, Bill and team help clients deliver innovation that matters to the world. They understand that early days can be frustrating for founders and that it’s easy to get stuck and not be able to get your idea off the ground. That’s why they help startups grow their idea, scale it up, and make it become sustainable and everlasting. It’s powerful and exciting work.   In this episode, Bill talks about the work that goes on at Cognition Foundry every day, how technology (and more specifically, blockchain technology) can help star

While your host, Matt Hooper, has only been passionate about all things decentralization for 5 years, his guest today, Dr. Sean Stein Smith, was an early champion of our blockchain future. Dr. Smith is a Professor at Lehman College, a member of Wall Street Blockchain Alliance’s Advisory Board, a member of Gilded Finance’s Advisory Board, an author at IBM Blockchain, and an award winner of the NJCPA ‘19 Ovation Award. He is a widely quoted expert at the intersection of blockchain, cryptocurrency, and accounting; has worked with dozens of print publications; and has appeared on numerous live TV broadcasts to discuss said topics.   In this episode, Matt and Dr. Smith have a blast talking all things regulation, the future of traditional accounting roles, and the ways in which blockchain can upend the crowdfunding industry! They also talk about how the implementation of blockchain in the field of sustainability accounting could open up new revenue streams, some of the current mainstream use cases of blockchain, an

In the 50 years since the moon landing, human beings have yet to go beyond the moon. And, if you would’ve asked our host Matt Hooper a few weeks ago, he would’ve said with a heavy heart that we look poised to stay that way too.  But, luckily enough for him, he’s gotten the chance to speak with Naeem Altaf, IBM Distinguished Engineer and CTO for Space Tech! The incredible work Naeem is doing shows not only the possibility of commercial space travel — but the arrival of it. And the most exciting part of it all? Blockchain is poised to help with some of the most ambitious aspects of it all.   Tune in to hear all about how blockchain could help simplify the process of building and preparing the ways in which we will get to space, how soon we can expect commercialized space travel to happen, some of the recent exciting breakthroughs in the industry, and much more!   The stars are within our grasp — and blockchain will help us get there! Key takeaways [:55] Matt Hooper introduces this week’s topic and guest. [2:30]

James Patchett on how the NYEDC is driving future innovation  Welcome back to the IBM Blockchain Pulse podcast! With the first episode back into the new year, our host Matt Hooper takes time to reflect on the progress made by the tech community in New York City where innovative technology is widely celebrated. It’s also where you’ll likely find a more thriving startup ecosystem than any other place in the country.   And speaking of New York, Matt couldn’t be happier to be joined by his guest, James Patchett — the President and CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation! NYCEDC is a not-for-profit organization that has been around for over 20 years, not as an agency, but affiliated with city government. The work James is doing with the EDC is inspiring and exciting. He is playing a major role in helping shape the future of the New York City.   In this episode, Matt and James discuss what NYCEDC is and how they think about job creation in New York and how the startup ecosystem in NYC works, som

How often does Matt Hooper get the chance to interview another podcast host?! Well — not ever — until now! Rachel Wolfson, host of The Crypto Chick is joining the podcast! And not only is Rachel a blockchain podcast host, but she’s also a public speaker and journalist who contributes to a multitude of publications. She has been writing about the tech industry for nearly 10 years and has been focusing specifically on blockchain and cryptocurrency for the past two. As a journalist, Rachel interviews some of the most influential people in the enterprise blockchain space and frequently travels the world for conferences![CTA Button][Learn how industries are revolutionizing business with IBM Blockchain] In this episode, Rachel shares her unique perspective on blockchain from the vantage point of a journalist. She highlights some of the top trends in the space right now, shares what you should know as an executive or blockchain developer when you’re looking to adopt a blockchain strategy — explaining why now is the

The deeper our host Matt Hooper dives into blockchain on this show, the more he is surprised by remembrances of the internet’s past. When the idea of connecting billions of people felt new and exciting, when we were all eager to be participants in a constellation of data, and when we all felt we had more control over our digital lives. Today’s first guest is an innovator whose career helped place him front and center of both the first internet revolution and our newer blockchain era — Irving Wladawsky-Berger! Around the IBM offices he’s referred to as the “legendary IWB”. He worked at IBM for 37 years and then an additional three years as a consultant. During those 40 years, Irving was involved with IBM in a variety of activities, mostly involving developing technologies and bringing them to market. Irving and Matt discuss some of the killer apps of the mid-90s during the dawning of the internet, what Irving identifies as the blockchain killer app of today, and some key questions enterprises should be asking

Today on the podcast, your host, Matt Hooper, is joined by one of his favorite people in the New York City start-up ecosystem, Mr. Wilson Lin! Wilson Lin is the Vice President at NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYC EDC) and is the Head of the initiative, Cyber NYC. In his role at EDC, Wilson is leading NYC initiatives to strengthen the city’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by partnering with leading VCs, entrepreneurs, major corporations, and academic institutions. They’ve invested $100 million into the initiative Wilson is spearheading — Cyber NYC — to strengthen the cybersecurity ecosystem and create thousands of jobs. Wilson and his team are truly making major strides in the area of cybersecurity and are working hard to bring together the best minds in NYC around cybersecurity!   Together in this episode, Matt and Wilson speak about EDC’s initiative (in particular, Cyber NYC), the exciting blockchain security applications Wilson is seeing being developed in NYC, how EDC is helping shape the next generatio

In today’s episode, your host, Matt Hooper, is speaking with Alison McCauley! Alison is the founder and CEO of Unblocked Future as well as an author, speaker, and consultant. Her bestselling book, Unblocked: How Blockchains Will Change Your Business (and What to Do About It), answers the question: ‘Why do I need to get on board with this whole blockchain thing?’ and is helping non-technical executives all around the world to better understand how this technology will trigger change!   Growing up in a family of engineers, Alison ‘rebelled’ by becoming a social scientist. She was completely enraptured by what changes our behaviors as humans, what changes our minds — and overall: how our brains work. After she graduated, she became deeply fascinated by technology, our relationship with it, and how human behavior and emerging technologies interact. In the midst of studying this, she caught the ‘blockchain brain virus,’ and now works with organizations in adopting and leveraging new tech to drive forward a better

Blockchain and the importance of a toolset Karl Muth is a teacher, strategist, speaker and investor. He has spent his career advising, investing in, and starting new companies and wears many hats on both the professional and academic side. Professionally, Karl is the CEO of a blockchain startup called FRST.  FRST is an enterprise-grade blockchain and data analytics solution. Academically, Karl is a Professor across several disciplines at Northwestern University; Economics, Organizational Behavior, Public Fallacy, and Statistics. He also teaches a class on New Venture Strategies at Northwestern’s Pritzker School of Law.  [CTA Button][Bring new transparency, simplicity and efficiency to every financial transaction] This week on IBM Blockchain Pulse, your host Matt Hooper speaks with Karl about how his work academically has helped inform the way that he runs FRST; his introduction to blockchain and what originally drew him into the space; the ecosystem of cryptocurrency and the adoption of it; his thoughts and

Do you trust the food you eat? These days, more weight is being placed on conscious consumerism and people are beginning to really care about where they’re getting their food.   Blockchain, like so much technology, is generally agnostic. Its ultimate function is to make our lives easier, fuller, and richer. Food is also designed to make our lives easier, fuller, and richer — and trusting the food we eat is serious! People’s health is so often linked to the food they have access to, and when it’s not taken seriously, the results can be tragic. The global food supply chain needs to be made transparent and blockchain is the technology that can make this possible.    [CTA Button] [Explore food traceability with IBM Food Trust]   This week on IBM Blockchain Pulse, your host Matt Hooper’s guests are Dr. Nigel Gopie, the Head of Marketing for IBM Blockchain, and Alicia Noel, researcher of international food supply chain innovation, with a focus on blockchain applications, as well as the founder of Cultivati. Toda

This week, your host, Matt Hooper, is exploring the current inefficient ticketing industry and how blockchain is really shaking things up! He will be speaking with two of the people behind the hot, new, and exciting ticketing start-up: True Tickets. They’re an early-stage funded start-up providing digital customizable rights management for digital tickets to the ticketing issuer. Through blockchain, they are providing a scalable and secure digital ticketing experience while integrating with existing ticketing platforms and CRMs. They make buying, selling, and transferring entertainment tickets simple and safe!   Today, Matt while be speaking with Matt Zarracina, the co-founder and CEO of True Tickets; and Ken Lesnik, the Head of Business Development. They discuss how they first got True Tickets off the ground, where they got their first round of feedback, who their customers are and what their ultimate goal is, what it has been like to partner with IBM blockchain, and of course, how they are helping to replac

This week your host, Matt Hooper, is exploring some of the most innovative and exciting trends in supply chain that he’s come across! Joining him is an expert in the space — Daniel Wilson. Daniel is the Director of Strategy and Operations at Maersk for the TradeLens project — an open and neutral platform underpinned by blockchain technology and supported by major industry players! Through TradeLens, over 10 million events are processed every week. The platform promotes a more efficient, predictable and secure exchange of information through the power of blockchain.   In this episode, Matt and Daniel discuss Maersk and TradeLens in-depth. They talk about what shipping and innovation look like today, give their predictions about what the industry may look like 10+ years from now, how TradeLens came to fruition, and how blockchain records all the shipping data. Daniel also talks about his TradeLens roadmap, Maersk’s ecosystem strategy, and how he originally became interested in blockchain!   Key Takeaways: [:01]