• Tech/Startups
    • Startups
    • Technology
    • News
    • Startup Spotlight
  • Work/Life
    • From The Trenches
    • Work Remote
    • Workplace
    • Best Recruiters
    • Best Office Spaces
    • Growth Hacks
  • Lifestyle/Culture
    • Best in LA
    • Travel
    • Lifestyle
    • Wellness
    • Office Pets
    • Cannabis Culture
  • Food & Drink
No Result
View All Result
   
  • Tech/Startups
    • Startups
    • Technology
    • News
    • Startup Spotlight
  • Work/Life
    • From The Trenches
    • Work Remote
    • Workplace
    • Best Recruiters
    • Best Office Spaces
    • Growth Hacks
  • Lifestyle/Culture
    • Best in LA
    • Travel
    • Lifestyle
    • Wellness
    • Office Pets
    • Cannabis Culture
  • Food & Drink
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Technology

Musing Over The Consensus 2019 Conference

A recap on the Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Technology World Conference

Chad Hahn by Chad Hahn
May 21, 2019
in Technology
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Last week I attended my first Blockchain Week in NYC, headlined by the Consensus 2019 Conference from CoinDesk.  Although I missed day 1 of the conference (Mother’s Day duties kept me from traveling sooner – once you’re married, you’ll understand), I found the speakers, panels, and discussions to be lively and indicative of the significant progress in the blockchain space.

Here are some musings about the conference and the state of Blockchain in general:

Wall Street or Comicon?

Last year’s event attracted 8-9 thousand people, while this year’s event had about half that amount.  Apparently, this year’s event was more buttoned-down (no costumes), reflecting a continued maturation of the space.  Case in point: I saw more than one suit barking into their earpiece about some deal they’re working on.

Enterprise Ready?

Enterprise adoption (or lack of) was a big topic at the conference this year.  More to come on this in a separate blog, but it seems enterprises are more interested in the transparency and immutability aspects of the technology, as opposed to decentralization.  While Joe Lubins of the world preach about a future decentralized utopia, enterprises are looking to ride the wave without disrupting their own business. (This makes Binance’s BNB token and plans for a decentralized exchange a bold move in my book, and a good example of a company willing to decentralize itself.)

Control-C

The Construct and Changelog tracks were meant to provide technical details on various protocols and implementation considerations, but they mostly felt like glorified commercials.  The few events I attended here were long on style and short on substance.  

Moving Beyond the Money?

In walking through the Exhibit areas, it’s clear a heavy focus is still on crypto and financial services businesses.  Wallets, mining, exchanges, security token platforms – all were well represented by companies looking to rise above the noise.  Anyone who thinks there aren’t mass-adopted apps should look no further than wallets and exchanges gaining huge traction despite the crypto-winter.

Consulting’s Big Bet

All the big service companies (and a few niche providers) were well represented at the conference.  Deloitte had a lounge and a large exhibit; so did Microsoft and IBM.  Accenture hosted a lunch while Tata Consulting had advertisements plastered throughout.  Blockchain-related service revenue is unlikely a big part of the pie at these companies today, but their presence is a telling sign about where they think blockchain is headed.

Blockchain’s White Male Problem (Author’s race and gender duly noted…)

Speaking of Accenture’s hosted lunch – they sponsored a panel on diversity, which included women of many races and backgrounds talking about the importance of diversity in the blockchain space.  It was an important and timely topic, yet I was shocked at the audience’s rude behavior during the panel.  The largely white, male audience was extremely rude, talking so much over their lunches that they were drowning out the speakers.  Ironic that the audience’s behavior essentially validated the problems described by the diversity panel in real time. 

Really, a Cowboy Hat?

I’ve heard about the famous cowboy hat that Jimmy Song – the influential bitcoin core developer – wears in public.  But seeing him wearing it in the conference hall struck me as a little silly.  As a born-and-raised Texan, if you’re the type of person that wears a big cowboy hat, you’re also the type of person who takes it off indoors. 

View this post on Instagram

#Blockchain live drawing summarising a talk Shermin gave on Blockchain and the Future of the Web Credit: Riesenspatz.de #bitcoin #smartcontracts #decentralize #cryptocurrency #crypto

A post shared by BlockchainHub (@blockchainhub) on Oct 27, 2017 at 6:26am PDT

The Echo-Chamber

I watched a great panel about the History and Future of Money with Fred Wilson of Union Square Ventures and Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase.   Sometimes those of us who are deep into blockchain forget how little the general public knows about our space.  Fred said it best when he commented, “if you walk down 6th Avenue, 90 out of 100 people probably don’t know how to buy Bitcoin.”  Something to keep in mind… 

Laura Shin is The Bomb

My favorite session was at the end of the conference when Laura Shin interviewed Olaf Carlson-Wee in a fireside chat.  I’ve admired Laura’s coverage of the blockchain space for a long time and I’m an avid listener of her Unchained and Unconfirmed podcasts.  Olaf was a great panelist, answering Laura’s provocative questions in a very thoughtful and well-spoken manner.  

Controversy Backfired

Laura’s session was followed by a fireside chat with Justin Sun, the founder of TRON.  The moderator, Pete Rizzo of CoinDesk, seemed to angle the interview to catch Justin off guard with tough questions about the controversies surrounding TRON, but Justin answered earnestly and willingly, despite being cut off multiple times by Pete.  It made for an awkward an unrevealing interview – a poor way to wind down the conference.

In Summary

There is some sense that Consensus, like many conferences, is full of hype creators while the real work continues far away in garages and basements.  I believe this movement is broad and deep — only the tip of the iceberg was visible at an event with a $1200 ticket price.  While I found the conference to be very informative, the movement is in your favorite project’s telegram channel, your local meetups and your technical debates with other blockchain enthusiasts.  Those venues are just as informative and necessary to help blockchain achieve its potential.


Also, check out Blockchain: Trust Is Not A Binary Option

Tags: bitcoinblockchainconferencecryptocurrencyTechnology
Chad Hahn

Chad Hahn

Chad Hahn is a Vice President at Pariveda Solutions, a digital consultancy with offices across the US. Chad is a technology executive and entrepreneur with 20 years of experience in business development, strategy and execution of technology-focused initiatives. He has started and successfully exited two service businesses, one of which was focused on social enterprise. He has a strong background in digital strategy, organizational change and enterprise architecture, with deep expertise in both traditional and emerging technologies.

Related Posts

How To Use iPhone’s Voice Memos App to Record Any Drop-In Audio Chat

by LA STARTUPS
April 8, 2021
How to use iPhone's Voice Memos app to Record, Edit and Export Audio Recordings

iPhone's Voice Memos app is a user-friendly tool that allows anyone to document whatever they are saying or hearing as of the moment, using just their phone's built-in microphone. Although, some might prefer adding an external stereo microphone for a...

Read more

How To Start a Club on Clubhouse – The In-App Way

by LA STARTUPS
April 7, 2021
How To Start a Club on Clubhouse

Clubhouse is not designed to be exclusive but rather, the company aims to make it available for everyone. This may seem contradictory when the only way anyone can access it is when they get to be invited. Also, it looks...

Read more

Quilt Launches a Drop-In Audio Social Network Focus on Self Care

by John Diep
April 4, 2021
Quilt Launches a Drop-In Audio Social Network Focuses on Self Care

Quilt is created with the goal of re-humanizing social media in mind - making it feel safe and inclusive for everyone. They call themselves an "audio social network for live, supportive, feel-good conversations." Gone are the days when all that...

Read more

What Is Houseparty? And, Why Its Popular Among Gamers

by LA STARTUPS
April 3, 2021
What is Houseparty? And, Why Its Popular Among Gamers

Houseparty had become very popular because hosting a group chat from this platform is super easy. Rather than having to make a call, users can just drop in or out of a "house" - at any time. The app makes...

Read more

What is Web Service Testing? How To Effectively Test It?

by Bob Boydston
March 31, 2021
What is Web Service Testing? How To Effectively Test It?

Web Services have become a preferred method in creating web applications.  It allows for development to encapsulate the production of the software on a piecemeal basis.  In this way, you can simply add new functionality without impeding with code that...

Read more

What Is Clubhouse? And How Does It Work

by LA STARTUPS
March 30, 2021
What Is Clubhouse? And How Does It Work?

Five out of six people in the US report that they feel lonely. A good amount of the youth portion of this statistic uses social media. Social media and feelings of loneliness can be correlated, and one can be the...

Read more

What Is Twitter Spaces? And How To Join

by LA STARTUPS
March 29, 2021
What Are Twitter Spaces And How To Join

Following the success of the audio chat app, Clubhouse which reached the $1B dollar mark in terms of valuation in less than a year, while still on beta, Twitter recently launched Twitter Spaces for a few select individuals to participate...

Read more

Facebook Making Its Own Version of Clubhouse, The Popular Drop-in Audio Chat App

by LA STARTUPS
March 22, 2021
Facebook Making Its Own Version of Clubhouse, The Popular Drop-in Audio Chat App

Startups that manage to hit the one billion dollar mark are so rare and finding one is almost as impossible as finding a mythical unicorn. This is why startups like the home-sharing leader, Airbnb, and video game company, Epic Games...

Read more

The Impact of Blockchain Technology on the World 

by LA STARTUPS
February 17, 2021
The Impact of Blockchain Technology on the World 

When it comes to modern technology, the changes that the tech space is seeing are unprecedented. Whether it is artificial intelligence, self-driving, rocket technology, or even the processing power of personal computers, technology is having more of an impact on...

Read more

Digital Transformation: Future-Proof Your Business With Technology

by LA STARTUPS
December 21, 2020
Digital Transformation: Future-Proof Your Business With Technology

If there’s one thing for certain that the past couple of months proved, it would be that keeping up with tech is essential for businesses. This was already the idea even before the pandemic hit, that traditional businesses need to...

Read more
Load More

POPULAR READS

  • 15 Best Restaurants in Orange County, California

    15 Best Restaurants in Orange County, California

    66 shares
    Share 26 Tweet 17
  • 15 Best Stationery Stores to Stock Up on Everything From Art Supplies to Notebooks

    634 shares
    Share 254 Tweet 159
  • 10 Top US VC Firms Investing in Beauty Right Now

    105 shares
    Share 42 Tweet 26
  • The Top 10 Most Popular Dog Breeds in North America

    36 shares
    Share 14 Tweet 9
  • The 2021 Guide to 15 Coolest Restaurants in Los Angeles

    32 shares
    Share 13 Tweet 8
  • 15 Best Tech Recruiters in Los Angeles

    422 shares
    Share 169 Tweet 105
  • 9 Great Places to Visit Near the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

    1725 shares
    Share 690 Tweet 431
  • 14 Best Podcast Studios to Rent in Los Angeles

    33 shares
    Share 13 Tweet 8
  • How To Dress Like a Tech Titan

    60 shares
    Share 24 Tweet 15
  • 15 Best Korean Restaurants in Los Angeles – Revealed 

    34 shares
    Share 14 Tweet 9

THE LATEST

4 Questions to Ask a UX Agency Before Hiring Them
How To Hire

Top 4 Questions to Ask a UX Agency Before Hiring Them

April 14, 2021
Dave.com Launches a Banking App To Helps Improve Your Financial Health
Startup Spotlight

Dave.com Launches a Banking App To Help Improve Your Financial Health

April 14, 2021
Brainbase Continues Rapid Growth with Addition of Chefclub and Moose Toys as New Customers
Startups

Brainbase Continues Rapid Growth with Addition of Chefclub and Moose Toys as New Customers

April 13, 2021
Podcast: Drew Houston on 'How Dropbox Got Started'
Podcast

Podcast: Drew Houston on ‘How Dropbox Got Started’

April 13, 2021

OUR PARTNERS

  • WeWork
  • BLANKSPACES

About

Los Angeles Tech Startups

A digital lifestyle publication that covers the culture of startups and technology companies in Los Angeles. It is the go-to site for people who want to keep up with what matters in Los Angeles’ tech and startup space from those who know the city best … people who live, work, and hang in L.A.


Santa Monica, California
hello@lastartups.com

Instagram Twitter

Follow Us

  • Good, better, best. Never let it rest, Til your good is better and your better is best. Hang in there, we’re in this together. .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

#businessstrategy #businessstrategies #smallbusinesstips #businessgrowth #businesssuccess #entrepreneurial #entrepreneursofinstagram #smallbusinessowner #smallbusinesslife #womanbusinessowner #womanownedbusiness #smallbusinesslife #bizowner #socialmediatips #socialmediastrategy #socialmediatraining #personalbranding #socialmediamanagegment #smallbusinesstips #facebookmarketing #instagrammarketing #solopreneurs #entrepreneuriallife #moneytips #collegedebt #investingtips⁣ *** #lastartups
  • Great spot for some delicious #boba in LA. Check @bobaguys #culvercity .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

#foodlover #food #delicious #instafood #foodie #yummy #foodgasm #lunch #tasty #eat #foodpic #foodstagram #yum #meal #amazing #foodpics #hungry #plate #gourmet #dinner #foods #eating #delish *** #lastartups
  • Visiting LA, check out this tiny booklet, Insta L.A., listing of 101 must-stop destinations around the city. .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

#travel #travelgram #instatravel #trip #travelling #travelphotography #vacation #traveler #instatraveling #tourist #igtravel #instago #travelblogger #traveller #mytravelgram #instapassport #travelblog #traveltheworld #travels #travelphoto #traveladdict #travellife #aroundtheworld #socialenvy #instagood #photooftheday #fun #tourism #traveling *** #lastartups
  • Such a beautiful day in #santamonica #santamonicapier Take a break, enjoy your weekend with friends and family. .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

#weekend #weekendmood #weekendoff #friday #happy #friyay #friends #weekendvibes #fun #goodmorning #life #party #mood #relaxing #enjoy #saturday #sunday #nicetime #gooddays #goodweekend #weekendgetaway #weekendaway #weekendstyle #getaway #weekendtime #weekendlove #weekendready *** #lastartups
  • Excited to be a part of the OC startups eco. Great team hustling at great startups.

#startups #business #startup #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #entrepreneurs #marketing #startuplife #smallbusiness #innovation #entrepreneurlife #technology #businessowner #tech #startupbusiness #success #digitalmarketing #motivation #coworking #businessman #branding #o #businesswoman #ceo #businessowners #b #onlinebusiness #lastartups #networking
  • Beautiful day in #westla .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

#streetphotography #streetphoto #streetphotographer #streetlife #streets #photo #photos #pic #pics #socialenvy #picture #pictures #art #picoftheday #photooftheday #color #all_shots #exposure #composition #focus #capture #moment #hdr #hdrspotters *** #lastartups
  • Great meeting you @perchmobility - great mission, provides unlimited charges for a minimum fee to scooter juicers in LA. Everything you need to turn into a super charger overnight. They provide the location, power, and racks. .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

#businessstrategy #businessstrategies #smallbusinesstips #businessgrowth #businesssuccess #entrepreneurial #entrepreneursofinstagram #smallbusinessowner #smallbusinesslife #womanbusinessowner #womanownedbusiness #smallbusinesslife #bizowner #socialmediatips #socialmediastrategy #socialmediatraining #personalbranding #socialmediamanagegment #smallbusinesstips #facebookmarketing #instagrammarketing #solopreneurs #entrepreneuriallife #moneytips #collegedebt #investingtips⁣ *** #lastartups
  • Great meeting @laincubator today, an inclusive green economy startup incubator in LA
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

#entrepreneurship #entrepreneurs #billionaire #cruise #cruiselovers #wework #nola #discoverla #girlboss #tshirtdesign #dtla #coffee #custimized #garyvee #nolastyle #supportsmallbusiness #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneurlifestyle #family #prayinghands #nolove #welivebaby #welive #birthdayparty #equality #repost *** #lastartups
  • Do what you love every day .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

#businessstrategy #businessstrategies #smallbusinesstips #businessgrowth #businesssuccess #entrepreneurial #entrepreneursofinstagram #smallbusinessowner #smallbusinesslife #womanbusinessowner #womanownedbusiness #smallbusinesslife #bizowner #socialmediatips #socialmediastrategy #socialmediatraining #personalbranding #socialmediamanagegment #smallbusinesstips #facebookmarketing #instagrammarketing #solopreneurs #entrepreneuriallife #moneytips #collegedebt #investingtips⁣ *** #lastartups
  • Life is short, don’t forget to enjoy life and breathe
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

#businessstrategy #businessstrategies #smallbusinesstips #businessgrowth #businesssuccess #entrepreneurial #entrepreneursofinstagram #smallbusinessowner #smallbusinesslife #womanbusinessowner #womanownedbusiness #smallbusinesslife #bizowner #socialmediatips #socialmediastrategy #socialmediatraining #personalbranding #socialmediamanagegment #smallbusinesstips #facebookmarketing #instagrammarketing #solopreneurs #entrepreneuriallife #moneytips #collegedebt #investingtips⁣ *** #lastartups
  • Getting around #siliconbeach is so easy, plenty of scooters around town
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

#businessstrategy #businessstrategies #smallbusinesstips #businessgrowth #businesssuccess #entrepreneurial #entrepreneursofinstagram #smallbusinessowner #smallbusinesslife #womanbusinessowner #womanownedbusiness #smallbusinesslife #bizowner #socialmediatips #socialmediastrategy #socialmediatraining #personalbranding #socialmediamanagegment #smallbusinesstips #facebookmarketing #instagrammarketing #solopreneurs #entrepreneuriallife #moneytips #collegedebt⁣ *** #lastartups
  • Starting the day with #bluebottlecoffee the fuel to keep us telling great stories in #la .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

#coffee #cafe #coffeetime #coffeelover #coffeeshop #instacoffee #coffeeaddict #latte #coffeebreak #latteart #espresso #starbucks #foodie #coffeegram #caffeine #yummy #coffeelove #foodporn #specialtycoffee #coffeelovers #baristalife #coffeelife #drink #cofee #capuccino #nescafe #morning *** #lastartups

Latest Jobs

60 Great Companies Hiring in SoCal Amid Coronavirus Economic Slowdown

50 LA Tech Companies Hiring During the COVID-19 Pandemic

50 Hot Startups Hiring in Los Angeles

Spring Labs Raised $23M in Series A, Hiring 11 New Roles

11 Top LA Startups Hiring Product Manager

TechStyle is Growing Fast, Hits 5 Million Members, Hiring 30

Spotify Moves to Downtown LA Arts District, Hiring a Bunch

Fintech Startup, Aspiration is Growing Fast, Hiring 20 More

App Development Platform, AppOnboard Raised $15M in Series B, Hiring 12

The Latest

4 Questions to Ask a UX Agency Before Hiring Them

Top 4 Questions to Ask a UX Agency Before Hiring Them

April 14, 2021
Dave.com Launches a Banking App To Helps Improve Your Financial Health

Dave.com Launches a Banking App To Help Improve Your Financial Health

April 14, 2021
Brainbase Continues Rapid Growth with Addition of Chefclub and Moose Toys as New Customers

Brainbase Continues Rapid Growth with Addition of Chefclub and Moose Toys as New Customers

April 13, 2021
Podcast: Drew Houston on 'How Dropbox Got Started'

Podcast: Drew Houston on ‘How Dropbox Got Started’

April 13, 2021
Share Movies and TV Shows

Bingie Launches a Platform To Discover, Discuss & Share Movies and TV Shows

April 13, 2021
  • About
  • Team
  • Contact
  • Share A Story
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • CCPA

© 2021  Creativewhiz, Inc.   Schmoozd    Modern Jobs

No Result
View All Result
  • Best in Los Angeles
  • Best Recruiters in Los Angeles
  • Coworking Spaces
  • Food & Drink
  • Growth Hacks
  • From The Trenches
  • How To Hire
  • Disclosure
  • About
  • Contact
  • Share A Story

© 2021  Creativewhiz, Inc.   Schmoozd    Modern Jobs

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Go to mobile version