Toronto, CANADA; July 12, 2021 – The Blockchain Research Institute (BRI), the world’s largest independent blockchain think-tank, and Standard Bank Group, Africa’s largest bank, are excited to announce the launch of Blockchain Research Institute Africa (BRI Africa).
The partnership will establish BRI Africa as the preeminent blockchain think-tank in Africa, building on the work of the BRI and leveraging Standard Bank Group’s deep network across the continent. BRI Africa will bring together industry leaders, academics, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and researchers to undertake ground-breaking research on blockchain technology, bridging the gap between the technological functionality of blockchain and the real market need.
“Standard Bank Group has been a pioneer in leveraging blockchain and distributed ledger technologies to bring speed and transparency to our large and growing customer base across Africa”, said Ian Putter, Head of Blockchain at Standard Bank Group. “We believe that this development will form a key part of our efforts to drive digital transformation and will be of great benefit to both our clients and the continent that we call home.”
BRI Africa will provide member organizations with research on the strategic opportunities, challenges, and implications of blockchain technology in business, government, and society. In addition, the BRI and BRI Africa will provide a range of educational deliverables in the form of webinars, books, conferences, and an online course, a collaboration of the BRI with INSEAD, Europe’s top-ranked business school, and Coursera, the largest platform for online education.
“As a global leader in the blockchain ecosystem, the Blockchain Research Institute believes that the best way to steward the blockchain revolution is to collaborate with leading regional partners who share our vision and ambition”, said Don Tapscott, Executive Chairman at the Blockchain Research Institute. “We believe Standard Bank is the perfect partner to steward the blockchain transformation of Africa, starting with the launch of BRI Africa.”
BRI Africa will also take an active role in coordinating sustainable development and innovation across the African blockchain ecosystem. They will leverage a global network both within the blockchain space and across traditional industries to showcase the transformative potential of blockchain technology, further working with their partners to model and establish sustainable development goals.
“Launching the Blockchain Research Institute’s new partnership with Standard Bank, BRI Africa, is a major milestone on our journey of global blockchain transformation”, said Joan Bigham, BRI Managing Director. “BRI Africa will quickly lead the region in blockchain education, opportunity and innovation and we look forward to working with them.”
Contact:
Noah Lehman
Director of Communications
Blockchain Research Institute
noah@tapscott.com