Dec 15, 2017 - This research looks at smart contracts and distributed ledger technology applied to farming and food sustainability. Its use cases include food provenance and food safety from farm to fork, local agricultural cooperatives creating local prosperity, and financial innovations in funding and insurance tailored to underserved communities of farmers.

Nov 21, 2019 - Insurance is a significant industry worldwide: in 2017, total global gross written premiums tallied $4.8 trillion. In this white paper, Henry Kim and Muhammad Izhar Mehar of the Schulich School of Business offer clear guidance for evaluating potential blockchain use cases in commercial insurance. They take a “first principles” approach rooted in historical and economic perspectives and provide a more scientific framework for comparisons. It is a practical work for professionals responsible for sizing up the potential of distributed ledger technology in the insurance industry.

Nov 24, 2020 - This project explores applications of blockchain technologies to the market for property insurance. The authors explain how distributed ledgers could simplify and speed up both proof of insurance and the processing of insurance claims and open up markets for microinsurance. Property insurers and insurtech innovators could offer a new generation of radically simplified and less expensive insurance products with simpler terms automated through smart contracts, which would reduce much of the operating costs of traditional insurance companies, their actuaries, accountants, and adjustors.

Dec 23, 2019 - This research explores how blockchain technologies could address the challenges of the market for life insurance. Through initiatives such as open IDL and consortia such as B3i and The Institutes RiskStream Collaborative, the insurance industry is exploring use cases where blockchain could deliver near-seamless automated processes, more secure data sharing, uniform compliance, and better fraud prevention. New business models such as peer-to-peer insurance and insurance-as-a-service will likely gain traction as insurance technology start-ups move into life insurance.

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...

Aug 31, 2019 - This project explores how blockchain technology will optimize the deployment of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs), including those with electric vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. It looks at the Mobile Open Blockchain Initiative, which involves 80 percent of world’s auto manufacturers and leading tech firms. It covers such implementation challenges as blockchain latency and scalability, communications network latency, device security, and regulation. Finally, it raises concerns about data privacy on immutable distributed ledgers as well as the legal liabilities of CAV ownership and usage.