For the last 18 months, VeChain101.com has been doing its best to cover the latest news from around the VeChain world. This is by no means a one-person job, so VeChain101, which was always meant to be a community collective, was more than thrilled when some new faces offered to help out. We are hopeful that the additional hands will help us create more content, cover more news, and reach a wider audience. Here’s a quick introduction:
Karen is a professional web designer who runs her own company. Karen Thomas Web Design specializes in building websites for businesses across the Northern Wales area. She has been a member of the VeChain community for 2 years, and very much believes in the team and their professional approach to the development of the project. “I like how they take the time to consult with business leaders in order to remove the blocks and make adoption as easy as possible.I truly believe that what will we will see in the future will be bigger than we can currently conceive and I’m excited to be along for the ride.”
Kou is a business owner who previously worked at Google and has lived in 5 different countries. He first heard of VeChain in late 2017 and joined the community in early 2018. What stood out for me was their focus on solving real world problems and their client and customer-centric approach. To be honest, at the beginning I was a bit skeptical about the project (it sounded too ambitious or “too nice to be true” and with all the ICO scams that were going on I was a bit suspicious) but the quality of the team and partnerships ended up convincing me.
Oh… and about that site redesign
Over the last few weeks, we’ve worked to freshen up the appearance around here. Thanks to the volunteered efforts of our team, we were able to redesign the site to load faster and be more optimized, particularly for mobile users, which unsurprisingly makes up the majority of our traffic. A lot of upgrades were made on the back end, improving the template and cleaning up the various modules so that it’s easier to find and read the news you are looking for. If you have any feedback for us, feel free to contact us and let us know!
The electrification of transportation always seems like a good thing from a renewable energy standpoint. Most people focus on the cleaner process of powering electric vehicles (EVs) compared to traditional engines, which burn carbon-based fuels and contribute to around 75% of the world’s carbon monoxide emissions. However, the challenge of switching to electric batteries is not just an issue of developing the technology. The demand for key raw materials such as Lithium is growing rapidly, up 20% in 2019 according to Forbes, adding to the strain on supply chains. This was an issue before COVID-19 – now it’s even more important. Currently market penetration for EVs is only at around 2.2%. That number is expected to skyrocket to around 70% by 2050 based on compound annual growth rate models.
This raises many new environmental concerns with the procurement and disposal of Lithium-powered batteries. As the demand and price for Lithium grows, many smaller suppliers are springing up in less regulated regions, and using alternative mining forms which are more damaging to the environment, reducing the potential positive impact EVs could have. This creates an opportunity for blockchain as a method of transparency, proving the clean production and mining of raw materials.
A case for DNV GL & My Story
As a leader in the certification of energy industry processes, DNV GL is a natural choice to verify the supply chains of EV battery and raw material suppliers. Erik Dugstad of the DNV GL Energy Advisory for the Nordic & Baltic region spoke about this in an article published on DNV GL’s Energy official WeChat account. The article, entitled “What impact will the rising electric vehicle industry have on our grid” acknowledged that there are human rights and environmental considerations regarding the source of battery materials. Dugstad suggested that DNV GL’s My Story would be the perfect tool for battery manufacturers looking to provide customers and end consumers with verification that these eco-friendly vehicles were actually produced in a way that is friendly to the environment. For many buyers, the whole purpose of switching to an EV is to reduce their carbon footprint, and having proof of that on the public blockchain is a great way to build trust in that regard.
In fact, the risk of not providing verification is that as mining processes become more and more damaging, consumers could become disenchanted with EVs altogether, hurting the industry and setting back the natural progression of technology. My Story solves this by first uploading key supply chain data to VeChain’s public blockchain, with DNV GL providing a verification that the process was done correctly and free of human tampering.
An article in Chinese medical technology media platform VCBeat revealed that Bayer’s G4A startup round in China has produced a partnership with VeChain to collect and track supply chain data for Bayer’s clinical trials. The platform, known as Csecure, can monitor user and product data entered into the platform to ensure it is consistent throughout the trial, leading to improved safety and precision.
[translated from Chinese] After this partnership with Bayer, our greatest feeling was their rigor [precisness] towards the medical industry. This precision extends beyond just product design to include precision in communication, and in with communication between Bayer’s related business departments. We can really feel the complete meticulous attitude that Bayer has for the medical and health cause. – Sunny Lu, VeChain CEO
The article featured an interview with G4A Project Manager Ding Songen, who spoke about the importance of startups in Bayer’s own corporate structure. He pointed out that technical strengths alone were insufficient, and that Bayer looked at other factors like quality of the company’s team, project experience, value proposition, and even the financial situation of company. This led to a cooperation with VeChain as Bayer looks to improve the management of clinical trial drugs.
Ding continued to state that Bayer has been exploring the G4A program in China since 2016. “In the continuous communication with Chinese local start-ups, our understanding of the field of digital health is also deepening. In the end, G4A tried to find a new entry point in the field of digital health to achieve the goal of shaping a new health experience.”
The G4A partnership could have a lot of advantages for VeChain. In addition to CSecure being used internally with Bayer, G4A partners gain access to exclusive mentors, networking opportunities, and regional support. The whole process of engaging with such a large medical organization should bring valuable experience for VeChain’s product development team, as they better understand the professional needs of a leading medical enterprise.
We engage with the brightest minds both inside and outside of Bayer while identifying emerging trends and needs at the intersection of humans and technology, and transform them into new products and solutions for people. -GFA Website Mission Statement
VeChain’s infrastructure forms the backbone of two groundbreaking new apps for healthcare, including a web app for certified medical institutions to upload a patient’s medical records, as well as a mobile app for tracking disease tracing and other diagnoses.
With a rising population and longer life expectancies, healthcare systems are adopting new technologies to cater to more patients and make faster and smarter diagnoses; ultimately, offering a better patient experience. This is particularly true now. A look around the world shows countries like South Korea and Singapore developing COVID-19 tracking apps, and China has already introduced a number of provincial level “health code” QR systems.
Data sharing, however, remains a critical pain point. According to a 2019 SAP report, health system executives believe that “the greatest impact on improving patient experiences is data sharing between providers, payers and government and industry”.
Sharing sensitive personal information comes with important security and privacy concerns so we were eager to learn how the E-NewHealthLife and E-HCert App will overcome these challenges.
Enter the E-NewHealthLife and E-HCert Apps
E-NewHealthLife and E-HCert App are two blockchain enabled platforms that give patients control over their health records, improve medical data sharing and increase hospital operational efficiencies. While the E-HCert mobile app allows individuals to validate medical test results with third parties, the E-NewHealthLife web app simplifies the process of visiting a hospital.
Through the E-NewHealthLife medical data management system, doctors can upload a patient’s Electronic Health Record (EHR) onto the blockchain which, with the patient’s authorisation, can be temporarily accessed by other institutions; essentially acting as a patient passport. Through a unique personal card and an app, individuals can quickly identify themselves, keep track of their health history, and help hospitals improve their performance. Being able to readily share your own medical data means hospitals can treat you faster and in a more informed way without having to carry out unnecessary testing; even when you are abroad. Digitising current paper-based processes also reduces operational efficiencies and allows healthcare institutions to better track and monitor a patient’s hospitalisation journey; enabling them to carry internal audits and performance asset assessments.
I-Dante, a Cyprus-based development team, worked with VeChain’s ToolChain to build the E-HCert app. Ferdinando Chiacchio, product manager at I-Dante, attributes VeChain’s fee delegation capabilities and modular, scalable and permissioned infrastructure as key factors to develop B2B solutions on ToolChain. Due to the sensitivity of personal medical records, having a permissioned network is critical for privacy and security concerns and less volatile transaction fees makes it easier to build business-friendly solutions. In his opinion, having a flexible and modular architecture is essential as it enables I-Dante to progressively add more functionalities and services into the platform, which is what enabled them to develop the E-HCert app in less than three weeks.
— Dimitrios Neocleous Ⓥ (@_DiNeocleous) May 21, 2020
“The E-NewHealthLife highlights the ultimate Patient Centrality. Redefining the HealthCare industry by leveraging the power of the VeChain Thor public blockchain. I would like to thank the teams that worked hard during these difficult and unprecedented times to build such a complex and sophisticated ecosystem solution.” Dimitris Neocleous
While the E-NewHealthLife contains a person’s full health history, the E-HCert App acts as a certification wallet via which patients can receive, verify and validate their medical test results with third parties. According to Dimitris Neocleous, VeChain ecosystem manager, “where other big companies are focusing on contract tracing, the E-HCert focuses in the return to the society and addresses the new normal in a responsible and cautious way”.
If you are tested negative for COVID-19 (or positive for its antibodies), for example, you will be able to voluntarily prove your immunity through the app and gain access to public places or travel abroad. Enthusiasts will be pleased to know that the plan is to extend the app in mid-June to all lab tests provided by the Mediterranean Hospital.
Something that wasn’t mentioned but is equally important is the benefit of countering falsified medical records and prescriptions; a problem that in 2018-19 alone, cost the UK’s NHS an estimated £1.27 billion. By only allowing accredited institutions to upload medical records on the blockchain, the integrity of the data is maintained, with the possibility to trace and detect the source of any foul play.
The project is still at an early stage, with the Mediterranean Hospital of Cyprus being the sole institution currently implementing it. However, it has promising potential and will benefit from network effects. There are many tools that could be integrated into the platform and I am curious to see which ones will be prioritised. A vaccination booklet, for example, could be added into the E-HCert App to help patients (specially children) track their vaccination schedules and make an appointment if needed. Projects to gamify and promote healthy lifestyles could also be developed by awarding “milestone badges” to people who achieve specific health goals. As more countries and institutions join the platform, the ability to automatically translate standardised medical test results could also be introduced.
The options are vast and I am confident that the project will have a positive impact on the healthcare system. It is important, however, to remember that the medical industry is a highly regulated and protected sector so enthusiasts should remain patient. Personally, I am excited about the societal value E-NewHealthLife can bring and look forward to see it grow and, hopefully, become the success it deserves to be.
A recording of the webinar can be found below:
For more information about the E-HCert App visit their website.
For most people, blockchain gaming is one of those enigmas. Highly-sought after collectible NFTs can go for tens of thousands of dollars, with one first generation CryptoKitty going for $150k.
For months, NFT-creation platform VeriArti has been teasing the release of one of the upcoming titles coming to VeChain. On Tuesday, users finally got their hands on the opening wave of collectibles. The sale didn’t last long, with all 150 babies being claimed in around 8 minutes. Adding to that, these infants weren’t cheap, with a price tag of between $30-$150 dollars per card.
Block Babies by the numbers:
500 – Total number of cards to be sold this month 10,000 – Total cards, including items, to be minted as NFTs. These cards create a mainnet transaction every time they are used in a quest, sold, leveled up, or battled. $1000 – Amount being offered in a bug bounty to participants from the opening round. $2000 – Purse for the Baby Battle Royale #1, a opening tournament scheduled for late June
The Nursery builders
What started as a relatively small project has quickly blown up: in a recent article on Medium, Block Babies talked about the 8 different members working on different elements of game design, art, and production. Joining the original team are new game developers from Bamboo Labs, as well as blockchain game house ChicMic Studio, who are all helping make the actual game in Unity3D and the Photon multiplayer engine. This should come as a reassuring sign for those worried about gameplay. Unlike many NFT dApps, Block Babies has no intention of making cardcollecting the primary feature.
VeriArti founder shares confidence in the project. “Block Babies was the first project to approach us when they realized they wouldn’t need to engage with crypto tokens and smart contracts. They could simply add the cards they wanted, specify variables and then do that they wish, which has always been our goal in NFT adoption. We happen to have lucked out that our first project using VRA tokens happens to be an incredibly hard-working team with an idea that had enormous potential. This game alone will bring a lot of eyes to VeChain and VeriArti as an NFT platform.”
The momentum is clearly building, and the battlefield is set to open around the end of the month. That will lead up to the opening knockout-style tournament one month later, which will carry a purse of $2,000. So how can people get involved? Whether your goal is to play the game, or you are just curious and want to support an organic community project, head on over to https://blockbabies.world/ and register. And if you need any further incentive, know that Block Babies intends to sponsor all blockchain gas (VTHO) fees for the game. Rabid VeChain supporters will literally be able to sit at home burning VTHO by battling their babies.
Access to safe and nutritious food is key to maintaining physical and mental well-being as well as socioeconomic development.
Unsafe food strains healthcare systems and harms national economies, tourism and trade. The WHO estimates that food-borne diseases are responsible for 600 million people falling ill and 420,000 deaths every year and, according to market research agency Markets and Markets, the global food safety testing market will reach US$24 billion by 2023.
With rising demand for a transparent and better controlled food supply chain, producers are pressured to invest in new technology to stay ahead. Ensuring food safety however, is not an easy task. Supply chains are globally interconnected so good collaboration between governments, producers and consumers is required.
These challenges were the focus of VeChain’s 3rd webinar – hosted by Sarah Nabaa, VeChain’s VP for SE Asia & Australasia, and David Inderias, CEO of Fresh Supply Co and member of the APAC Provenance Council.
“Like building your own car” – David Inderias reveals the pointless nature of private chains
David Inderias, the vocal founder of Fresh Supply Co, isn’t known for beating around the bush. On May 13th, he co-hosted the VeChain Bootcamp alongside VeChain Southeast Asia & Australia GM Sarah Nabaa. As two founding members of the APAC Provenance Council, they were well-positioned to educate the audience on the challenges the industry faces in convincing producers and manufacturers to digitize their supply chains.
Inderias is under no delusions about the task at hand, and unlike others in the space, doesn’t have blockchain adoption as a primary concern. Instead he is focused on bringing value to his customers, whether it’s through blockchain, IoT, digital product identity services, or his ultimate wild card, improved trade finance. The APAC Provenance Council uses Mastercard and Alipay to decrease the time it takes b2b farmers to get paid for their labors, with one caveat – supply chain and provenance info must be verified. To do that, Inderias has entrusted VeChain as the main provider.
This is because he sees little value in building a private network himself, a strategy pushed heavily by large firms like IBM Blockchain and select Big Four accounting firms. He points out that companies in the past did this merely to “check a few boxes” and show their innovative side, without considering the value it brings. He compared it to building your own car, in the sense that it might be a commendable feat on its own, but leaves all kinds of questions regarding whether or not it can perform well enough out on the road. With a number of reliable and exceptional car companies on the market, why bother?
The exceptional car company in this metaphor is VeChain’s ToolChain, which Inderias claims allows him to quickly customize and iterate solutions for a wide range of producers and their vastly different needs. Sarah Nabaa recalled how at their first meeting, David was skeptical that VeChain might be a competitor – now he recognizes that they are one of the few companies with enough credibility and functionality to be trusted in the APAC Provenance Council.
Still, Inderias was pragmatic about the steps that would need to be taken. He wasn’t about to rush out and force solutions down a client’s neck, insisting that properly designing, assessing and reassessing the solution would be necessary to make sure it was done intelligently, and that it provided the most possible value to his paying customers. He laughed about cryptocurrency communities on the internet who often push blockchain projects to show transactions, stating “If you think it’s easy, why don’t you try and sell it [the solution].” He continued to say that his customers include ranchers and family-owned farms that have been operating profitably for multiple generations. “They don’t need you. They don’t think they need you. You better have a very clear explanation of why they need to change”.
Understanding that mentality is key to how Inderias runs his business, especially in an era plagued by COVID-19. He claims to be a technophile, but is aware that most of his customers aren’t. ToolChain allows him to skip the cryptocurrency and technical side and get right to the important stuff – helping his customers improve business processes.
Food supply chain strategies in post-COVID19 world
Sarah kept the pace going throughout the webinar with her own perspective on enterprise adoption. Drawing from her experience with clients, she shared the typical steps involved in a typical ToolChain project and explained how VeChain’s SaaS interface helps managers make better informed decisions.
Typical steps for a process builder project
In her view, the benefits of blockchain should not be restricted to the food industry and should rather be adopted by other industries to disrupt key areas like manufacturing, supply-chain visibility and automation, digitising chain of custodies and sustainability.
