Dec 18, 2018 - This case details one of the United Nations Develop Programme’s projects applying technological solutions to some of the humanitarian agency’s most pressing challenges. As a test case, the UNDP sponsored Blockscale Solutions to build a reliable land registry proof of concept in the state of Haryana, India, as a means of reducing bureaucratic corruption and expediting humanitarian aid in the aftermath of natural disasters. The case compares Haryana’s current system of land administration with the long-term benefits and obstacles to implementation of a blockchain-based system.

Aug 13, 2021 - No longer at proof-of-concept or pilot stage, blockchain applications are changing processes and practices for the better in business and society. This research reports on the status of transformational projects for registering assets, tracking the flow of assets, automating contract administration, and streamlining industry workflows in construction, insurance, mining, retail, and transportation. It features a case study of the UK based company Circulor, which has transformed the cobalt chain of custody for good. Finally, the authors anticipate the long-term impact of blockchain technology on global financial markets, identity management, an...

Jan 12, 2018 - The healthcare systems of many countries work for neither the medical professionals nor the patients they serve. It is the only industry where innovation drives costs up. The problem ultimately resides in industrial-age thinking about healthcare delivery, where intermediaries hoard data, assume patient ignorance, and exclude anyone without insurance. This project flips the model: patients co-create and own their data, have full access to it, and can monetize it on the blockchain.

Feb 18, 2020 - This research describes many industry consortia within the blockchain enterprise space and describes the goals of three in particular—Blockchain Insurance Industry Initiative, Enterprise Ethereum Alliance, and Hyperledger, hosted by the Linux Foundation. The project involved interviews with twenty-five executives and thought leaders who are innovatively deploying blockchain technology in industries ranging from artificial intelligence to healthcare. It lays out the business case for joining blockchain consortia including developing standards for technologies and building trust and confidence in new technology solutions. It distills the best...

Feb 09, 2021 - This research project surveys what federal governments can do to exploit the next era of technology across their operations, within their economies and society, and with their allies and global partners. It focuses on the threats and opportunities facing the United States—including China’s increasing dominance in global supply chains and strategic innovation. It also speaks to challenges the new administration faces, and recommends five areas for immediate action: securing digital systems, citizen identities, and personal data; embracing cryptocurrencies and launching a digital dollar; transforming government services and culture; engagin...

Jul 31, 2019 - This project examines how blockchain supports user centric identity systems, through such technological primitives as public key cryptography, hashing functions, zero-knowledge proofs, and homomorphic encryption. Its authors set nine benchmarks—technical specifications, governance, security, privacy, recovery and revocation, user experience, data controls, and degrees of decentralization and self-sovereignty—by which prospective users and ecosystem partners might assess different identity services and compare them to each other and the status quo. The purpose is to help users map their goals to the technical features necessary for achievi...