Events / June 2018
Blockchain for Social Impact Conference

Blockchain for Social Impact Conference organized by Institute for Peace / Blockchain for Social Impact Coalition

Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

Blockchain for Social Impact Conference by Blockchain for Social Impact Coalition (BSIC)



As blockchain becomes the shared infrastructure for more and more people to collaborate with one another, participate in global marketplaces, access essential services, and protect their personal data and assets, it is the responsibility of the larger tech community and governments around the world to make sure this technology reaches the vulnerable populations who need it and stand to benefit from it the most. The global refugee crisis, the fragile state of democracy in many regions, communities without infrastructure, and our planet’s unsustainable agricultural practices are constant reminders that there is much work to be done and that the task is too large for any one project or organization to make a lasting impact.

This June, the Biannual Blockchain for Social Impact Coalition Conference will bring together government officials, leading NGOs, charities, think tanks, impact investors, technologists, and innovators to harness the talent, enthusiasm, and resources of the impact community and to strategize about and develop blockchain-based solutions to pressing global challenges in the following areas: identity management, refugee resettlement, supply chain, energy, financial inclusion, human rights, democracy, and voting.

The Conference will be an opportunity to meet the specialists and organizations who are building solutions on the ground and working with key stakeholders, end beneficiaries, and governments to make an immediate and concrete difference in the developing world. Winners from this year’s Decentralized Impact Incubator will also present their projects, which are focusing on global issues regarding reliable hardware, refugee support, agriculture practices, and mechanisms for democracy.

We hope that you will join us for this day of learning and discovery as we discuss the state of the technology, scaling solutions, regulatory frameworks, design thinking, and how we can best collaborate to develop and deploy humanitarian blockchain solutions. We look forward to addressing the urgent issues of our time head-on, to working together to make blockchain a vital and accessible resource for citizens around the world, and to laying the groundwork for a sustainable, distributed, and shared future.

Confirmed speakers:

Joe Lubin, CEO, ConsenSys

Lesly Goh, CTO, World Bank

Nick Beglinger, Co-Founder & CEO, Cleantech21 Foundation

Rohini Srihari, Chief Data Scientist, PeaceTech Lab

Tomicah Sterling Tillemann-Dick, Director of the Bretton Woods II, New America

Rave Mehta, Managing Director / Board Member, Mehta Group

Decker Rolph, Board Director, Calvert Impact Capital

Leanne Kemp, CEO and Founder, Everledger

Chris Fabian, Senior Advisor on Innovation to the Executive Director, UNICEF

Matthew Iles, CEO and Founder, Civil

Meghan O’Donnell , Director Financial Inclusion, World Council

Alexander Dale, Senior Officer, MIT Solve

Yorke Rhodes, Director, Microsoft