Blockchain Industry Leaders Gather in Seattle for Blockchain NW Conference
On June 5th, 60 speakers and over 800 people gathered at the first-ever blockchain and cryptocurrency conference in Seattle, WA. With industry leaders from all over the country sharing their vision of decentralized technology, the capital of the Pacific Northwest is proving to be a hub for blockchain innovation.
Building a Blockchain Community
The Blockchain NW conference organized by growth marketer and blockchain influencer, Justin Wu, assembled several significant and exciting blockchain projects of the Seattle region and beyond. With the scenic Seattle waterfront as the backdrop, the event welcomed companies like DragonChain, LifeID, Stably, and New Alchemy.
Panelists from regulatory and investment sectors contributed relevant insight to a growing community of cryptocurrency enthusiasts and blockchain integrators. The nascent blockchain environment is constantly changing, and emerging blockchain projects are eager to cooperate beyond the individual enterprise to build prime technology for the world.
Seattle Becoming a Blockchain Hub
Following the price hype of Bitcoin’s repeated rise and fall, major media and investors were drawn to the potential of blockchain applications and cryptocurrency-related businesses – creating a new scene for decentralized innovation in big cities worldwide.
With Seattle’s infamy as home to headquarters of tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, and Tableau, it was only a matter of time for the city to foster the rapidly expanding blockchain industry.
Chief Operating Officer at LifeID, Tyler Boscolo expressed his enthusiasm for the blockchain community in Seattle:
“I think it’s a really well-connected community right now… a lot of interconnectedness. It’s awesome to see young blockchain companies in the area work with one another.”
As a community looking to disrupt industries through blockchain technology, Seattle is becoming home to projects with diverse, real-world applications. This is in contrast to the “air coins” of many companies in the sector seeking to capitalize on hype rather than legitimate services or applications.
Boscolo added to his statement by saying:
“I think people are really starting to put pen to paper and build real technology.”
CEO and Co-Founder of Stably, Kory Hoang described the array of blockchain projects stemming from the Seattle region:
“It’s very diverse from fintech to venture capitalists. Seattle covers a lot of the sectors within the blockchain space… It’s a lot more enterprise-focused than what I see in the crypto scene.”
Still in its early stages, the blockchain industry is growing to become a global force for change, and the community behind it has become unified under that common goal.
Vlad Mkrtumyan, Founder of Cryptocurrency Traders of Seattle explained the openness of Seattle’s blockchain community:
“I think what’s great about the Seattle community is everyone is so open and willing to help each other… Everyone here is willing to talk to one another. It’s so early in the game, everyone is willing to help each other get ahead.”
The collective productivity of blockchain projects in Seattle continues to attract talent from around the world, putting the tech capital of the Northwest in prime position for growth.
Adding to his statement, Kory Hoang, CEO of Stably shared his thoughts on the future outlook of blockchain in Seattle:
“There’s a lot of talent a lot of great programmers/developers and a lot of capital in both cities too…. I think as more major companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Boeing, for example, start integrating blockchain into their existing infrastructure they’re going to need more blockchain service providers… I think it’s going to be great in the long term.”
Blockchain NW revealed Seattle to the world as a fresh hub for blockchain development, and with new, unique projects coming to fruition, the tech capital of the Pacific Northwest will surely uphold its title.
Check here for the conference website and find Justin Wu on Twitter here.