Blockchain technology has profound implications for every business and every aspect of our lives. I'm not just talking about cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, it's much bigger than that. It's about the power and the potential of the underlying technology platform. Now, that's not to say that bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are unimportant. They and other digital assets will be critical in many uses and also to the bigger picture. The peer-to-peer exchange of value like money, securities, intellectual property and even the data in our identities. That's why banks everywhere are looking at their business opportunities when it comes to blockchain. But it is not just banks that are going to benefit from this technology. Maybe you're an entrepreneur and you're looking for different ways to build a new business, or an artist, or musician looking for new ways to make a living off your creations, or an immigrant who's sick of paying high fees to send money to your family in your country of origin. Maybe you're a consumer who wants to know where that Romaine lettuce really came from, or an aid worker who needs to identify the titles of landowners so you can rebuild their homes after an earthquake, or a citizen fed up with the lack of transparency and accountability of your government leaders. Blockchain is a tool for protecting your privacy, your security, and your property rights. If you think all the data you generate might actually be worth something, and you should maybe get paid for it, then we've got good news for you. As we sit here today, innovators all over the world are building blockchain based apps for each of these goals, and they're just beginning. Now, there is a lot of hype around blockchain. As with any disruptive technology, there are many different sources of information. Trying to learn about blockchain can sometimes feel like drinking water from a fire hose. We believe, though, that those who understand the underlying design principles of blockchain will have a better shot than those that don't. And that is why we created this specialization, Blockchain Revolution for the Enterprise. Hello. I'm Don Tapscott. And I'm Alex Tapscott. And we are co-authors of the book, Blockchain Revolution: How the Technology Behind Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies is Changing the World. We're also co-founders of the Blockchain Research Institute, a global organization based in Toronto, Canada. We have a diverse group of experts doing research on this blockchain technology. We're coming up with new ideas for using blockchain to solve all kinds of problems, including some of the world's most intractable challenges like climate change, widespread economic insecurity, and others. We're happy to be partnering with INSEAD one of the world's leading and largest graduate business schools on this first of a kind specialization. The goal of our partnership is to share what we've learned with you. We're using our book, Blockchain Revolution, as a core text and we're using the new paperback edition. The Internet took off because of the many common interests of its key stakeholders. Stakeholders like governments, civil society organizations, technologists, companies and people like you. The blockchain revolution requires leaders too and perhaps you could be one of them. In this specialization, you're going to learn what blockchain is, how it works, and what makes this technology so revolutionary. We're going to teach you about the various categories of cryptoassets, and the way they can be transacted on a blockchain. You will understand how this technology is disrupting business models and financial services, offering organizations real choices in how they create and manage value. Finally, you're going to take all of this knowledge and do something that we call, a blockchain opportunity analysis. You'll identify a specific problem in your own industry or your own organization that you want to solve using blockchain technology. You can use this analysis to pitch your idea to your own organization or even to potential investors. These are exciting and perilous times. We expect a period of volatility, speculation, and even in some misuse. But if we all get this right, we will fundamentally change business and society for the better. Transforming how we interact online, how we exchange value, and importantly, who gets to participate. If we get it wrong, this technology could become a tool for vested interests to further gather wealth, data, and influence, or worse, it could become a platform for some new surveillance society. So, rather than predicting a blockchain future, we are advocating for one. We're arguing that this technology should succeed because it could help us usher in a new era of prosperity. We believe the economy works best when it works for everyone. Ultimately, our message is about prosperity for all. We're excited about the wave of innovation underway and we're delighted that you're joining us. We have a lot of ground to cover in our time together. So, hang onto your seats and let's do this.
