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Dive Brief:
- Case Western Reserve University, in Cleveland, is adding a think tank to explore blockchain and other technology research interests such as the Internet of Things and augmented virtual reality, according to Cleveland.com.
- The Cleveland Blockchain and the Digital Futures Hub will bring the private research university together with local business, government, technology and academic groups. It is part of the "Blockland" initiative, which strives to make Northeast Ohio a research and development center for digital ledger technology.
- A permanent headquarters, funding and administrative group have not yet been identified for the Hub, and Cleveland.com reports that the group met only in person a handful of times.
Dive Insight:
The think tank was announced at a conference in Cleveland this week dedicated to the exploration and expansion of the use of blockchain in the city. However, "What the conference did not do was trace a step-by-step path to the success of Cleveland as a center for the blockchain", he wrote The Cleveland.com journalist, Emily Bamforth.
Nonetheless, the region's higher education institutions – which include a mix of public and private colleges of two and four years – they are expected to play a critical role, with many already exploring blockchain. Baldwin Wallace University, for example, plans to offer Certificates of professional development in technology next year, and local universities are exploring the addition of blockchain to technology titles.
Northeast Ohio is house of different industries with proven uses for blockchain, including distribution and logistics and production. And while there are local technological jobs in those industries for the taking, a report of May 2018 from a regional economic development group found there are not enough workers with the skills necessary to fill all of them. By 2020, 65% of jobs in the state will require a post-secondary credential, while only 54% of residents in northeastern Ohio have one in 2016.
Many cities in the United States are doubling on blockchain, gaining an edge over an industry that is starting to show its potential. As more information is stored and managed digitally, cities can use blockchain as a key element to restore trust and ensure security, according to May white paper from the National League of Cities. It can also help improve the efficiency and reliability of public services.
Universities play a fundamental role in blockchain initiatives in their cities and regions. For example, the Collective Blockchain of Austin, which defends the use of blockchain in the capital of the State of Lone Star, has collaborated with The University of Texas at the Austin Dell Medical School health work group and the Austin McCombs School of Business UT to explore uses for blockchain.
And in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Central New Mexico Community College is implementing blockchain internally and throughout the city. Starting August 2018, all students are offered the option of a blockchain diploma, and the college is working with the state attorney general's office and the city of Albuquerque to develop blockchain uses and train workers in technology.
