Blockchain world meets up in Greater Zurich Area

The conference is focusing on blockchain research. What are the advantages of this?

When researchers from around the world present exciting research results, participants get to experience first hand in which direction the blockchain journey is heading. This is important in a field that is constantly on the lookout for new applications. Our conference is now the only one in the world to be certified by IEEE, the world's largest technical professional organization for the advancement of technology. This means that we are also qualitatively on the right path. In addition to technology, we also have a strong focus on economic approaches and regulation, which allows us to create a comprehensive conference on this subject. 

For a digital topic such as blockchain, why is it still necessary to meet in person?

Personal exchange is irreplaceable in many cases, for example when it comes to group discourse or initiating cooperation with partners who may not come from the same discipline. And that’s our idea: we bring together specialists from the fields of technology, business and regulation. After all, the conference is backed by the School of Information Technology at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and the Crypto Valley Association, which works to advance the Swiss blockchain economy.

But only some of the speakers come from Switzerland, so the conference isn’t a showcase for Switzerland.

Blockchain is a global topic, and the best and brightest are coming to Zug. Crypto Valley is also benefiting from this. Some of the stars of the blockchain scene will be speaking at the conference, such as Bitcoin core developer Peter Todd or Abbas Ali, from the London blockchain company R3. At the same time, Crypto Valley has on hand experts from innovative companies like Validity Labs, Dfinity or ChainSecurit . And we are delighted that Thomas Moser, Deputy Head of the Swiss National Bank, is one of our speakers, given that the debate on how Switzerland will handle digital assets in the future is being followed closely around the world.

What role will the blockchain events parallel to the conference play?

The entire blockchain ecosystem will be showcased to an international audience. During the second Swiss Blockchain Investor Day, investors will meet entrepreneurs with unique ideas. And the first Swiss Blockchain Hackathon will take place as part of Crypto Valley Week – the winners will be allowed to present their ideas at the Investor Day.

Which direction is the scene moving towards especially fast?

The potential is massive because blockchain is a powerful background technology. The scene in Switzerland is very active; in addition to the crypto-economy field, the topic of value chains has a very strong presence. A case in point is the Zurich-based start-up Modum, which will be at the conference. Last but not least, we also have promising blockchain approaches for the Internet of Things, healthcare and identity management.

About:

René Hüsler is the director of the School of Information Technology at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences, which is located in Rotkreuz in the canton of Zug. In this capacity and as a member of the Zug-based Crypto Valley Association, he is co-organizer of the Crypto Valley Conference on Blockchain Technology. The conference, which will take place on June 24-26 in Zug, is being held for the second time. Over one hundred speakers will present on blockchain topics from the fields of technology, economy and regulation. Further information can be found on the conference website: http://www.cryptovalleyconference.com/

Interview: Yvonne von Hunnius