Blockchain: What is it good for?

[Michael_Bird]

Thanks to the perfect storm of slow news cycles, big marketing budgets, and Elon Musk's tweets, blockchain has been hyped beyond belief... and it's also been made way more complicated than it needs to be. So, what's blockchain actually good for?!

Today, we investigate the blockiest of all the chains, the most distributed of all the ledgers that is blockchain. HPE Senior Vice President Dr Eng Lim Goh comes armed with analogies to help us cut through the noise. Tony Costa, Senior Vice President and CIO at Bumble Bee Foods, tells us how blockchain is transforming their supply chain. Plus, HPE Solution Architect Florian Buehr shares the methodology he uses to get blockchain manufacturing solutions past the proof-of-concept phase!

Why Blockchain is more than just a fancy database

Since its inception in 2008, blockchain has been touted as the future of money, the answer to sustainability problems, the toughest tool in the security arsenal. But, the critics believe that almost every use case for blockchain can be achieved through easier and cheaper means. So, what is it good for?

Eng Lim Goh comes armed with analogies to helps us cut through the noise! We discuss immutability and transparency, the rise and rise of cryptocurrency, and the difference between private and public blockchain (and why you'd want to use either, or neither!). Plus, Dr. Goh explains how swarm learning and blockchain has unlocked a powerful new way to share learnings, rather than data.

Blockchain the enabler: from supply-chain optimisation to tech for good

While many blockchain projects are announced with great fanfare and then peter out a while later, use cases in the supply chain are booming. Tony Costa, CIO at Bumble Bee Foods, wanted to drive efficiency and integration when he began his supply chain optimisation project but it soon spun up into something bigger.

Tony shares how Bumble Bee are using blockchain to as an enabler to drive value in their supply chain, from Indonesian fisherman to US customer. We discuss partnership and communication, how to make the business case for blockchain, and why ethics, values and sustainability are equally as important as an innovation and technology agenda.

Blockchain and manufacturing: another job for the swarm

From automotive manufacturing to connected cars, Solution Architect Florian Buehr has explored a dearth of use cases that make blockchain, well, useful! We hear how Florian's recent work with a laser machine vendor uses swarm learning to overcome issues of sharing proprietary data and intellectual property. Plus, Florian shares his takeaways from the experience of creating a blockchain use case that both works and scales!

Key takeaways:

• Blockchain isn't the answer for everything, but it can be really revolutionary - just as much as your use case is!
• The Internet of Things may be key to blockchain's proliferation - its decentralised nature offers a solution to controlling vast numbers of devices.
• Start with a value proposition and then work out whether blockchain will be a pain reliever or a gain creator for your project.

Links and Resources:

AI & Blockchain: The Internet of Smart Things (video) | Eng Lim Goh

Swarm Learning: Turn your distributed data into competitive edge | HPE

Building a Transparent Supply Chain | Harvard Business Review

Bumble Bee Foods and SAP create blockchain to track fresh fish from ocean to table | Bumble Bee Bumble Bee Foods Website

The Benefits of Blockchain in Manufacturing | IIoT World

EU Blockchain Observatory & Forum

Eng Lim Goh | Twitter

Tony Costa | LinkedIn

Florian Buehr | LinkedIn

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Michael Bird
Hewlett Packard Enterprise

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