The Irish Tech News Podcast

NFT was just named 2021's "Word of the Year” for Collins Dictionary. And what better time to talk about NFTs than now? Marieta speaks with David Minns, creator of a 10,000 NFTs collection, called “Mini Mutants”. The project aims to raise £1,000,000 to donate to multiple charities. David talked about the initiative as well as about how his two sons have been involved in the design of the pieces. The Mini Mutants project hopes to attract the attention of celebrities that can help to reach the goal of one million pounds. There are special pieces dedicated to sportspeople, singers, actors and more that are waiting for their signature and are going to be sold to the highest bidders. David also explained the process behind creating non-fungible tokens and putting them on the market. He talked about traditional and digital art and why he thinks that NFTs are here to stay and will dominate over physical pieces of art in terms of sales in the future. About Marieta: Marieta is a student journalist, currently pursuing a degree in Coventry University. She is from Bulgaria and moved to the United Kingdom three years ago to prepare for a career in journalism since she believes it best suits her interests and strength. Marieta has a passion for writing and is keen on producing digital content. She is a driven and creative aspiring journalist who is always on the lookout for a good story.

Jamil chats with Matt Dixon from EVAI to learn more about this interesting project. Discovering the True Underlying Economic Value with Research and Ratings Methodologies that Leverage AI and Machine Learning, with Matt Dixon and EVAI Matt Dixon, CEO and Founder of Evai.iohas over 30 years of experience in the financial services sector. A former consultant to the World Bank and FCA CF30 accredited financial advisor, he has been inspired to use his experience to bridge the worlds of traditional finance and digital asset investment.Before founding Evai in 2019, Matt designed and implemented successful algorithmically traded funds regulated by the FCA. The concept for the Evai.io business was formed when he returned to education to study his MsC at the University of Brighton, where he was introduced to Professor Andros Gregoriou.During the course of his studies, Matt and Andros discussed the failure of financial ratings during the 2008 economic crisis and debated ways in which the learnings could be applied to the fast-growing cryptocurrency sector. The vision was to create a world-first decentralised and unbiased cryptoasset ratings platform driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning.Over the last two years, Matt has evolved the Evai cryptocurrency ratings concept from an exploratory whitepaper into a fully-fledged crypto technology company that has attracted over $5m in funding and currently employs 50 staff. The sellout funding rounds have enabled the Evai team to fast track the ratings platform development with the Evai Ratings launching in May 2021.Evai OverviewFounded in the UK in 2019, Evai has set up its global HQ in Dubai’s CV Lab ecosystem offices within the new DMCC Crypto Centre, which is rapidly establishing itself as a hub for the development and application of crypto and blockchain technologies Evai has pioneered the world’s first decentralised and unbiased cryptoasset ratings platform to allow investors to assess the true value of crypto, DeFi and NFT assets. The unbiased platform is needed in the marketplace which is now worth over $2 Trillion and features over 12,000 assets. Ratings on 1000+ cryptoassets are now available on the Evai platform and over 2,000 will be available by the end of 2021. Access to the Evai ratings is free and users can sign up at Evai.io $5 million has been raised to fund and fast track the development of the industry leading Evai ratings platform, which is built on world renowned economic research and driven by AI and ML Leading economic research developed by Professor Andros Gregoriou of the University of Brighton has been used to develop and optimise the unbiased Evai cryptoasset ratings platform. Professor Andros Gregoriou of The University of Brighton, Co-Founder and Chief Research Officer at Evai, has written over 100 leading research papers and has presented his work to the CFA, FCA, London Stock Exchange and is an advisor to the Bank of England. His globally recognised work includes the 2011 Liquidity Asset Pricing Model and 2019 Seven Factor Pricing Model, which was developed following analysis of 80 years of data from all US listed securities between 1927-2014. Professor Gregoriou has developed the unique multi-factor model to provide an autonomous solution for universally recognised unbiased ratings on all cryptoassets Dr. Marwan Al Zarouni, CEO of Dubai Blockchain Center has recently joined the Evai team as a Blockchain advisor and has been working on initiatives to develop the platform and grow adoption via education programmes and events in the region.

Jamil catches up with Ryan William to learn more about building the blockchain pipeline for future entrepreneurs and innovators.  The Importance of Professional Certifications, Continuing Education and a "Tech Chops" Skill Set in Crypto and Blockchain Industry, with Ryan Williams Ryan Williams is an adoring husband raising three young children and running his organization, The Blockchain Academy, from Napa California.  Ryan grew up on the east coast in New York and New Jersey attending Fordham University in the Bronx for his undergrad and achieving his Masters at New York University.  When Ryan isn't working to scale skills with powerful institutions he enjoys spending time traveling around northern California to hike, and occasionally laces up the boots to play Rugby. Ryan has partnered with over 300 higher education institutions to provide business and technical instruction towards industry-recognized certifications. As an EdTech evangelist, Mr. Williams works to leverage the latest technologies in order to improve communication and reduce the friction between the students, the educators building the talent pipeline, and hiring employers.www.theblockchainacademy.com Jamil Hasan is a crypto and blockchain focused podcast host at the Irish Tech News and spearheads our weekend content “The Crypto Corner” where he interviews founders, entrepreneurs and global thought leaders. Prior to his endeavors into the crypto-verse in July 2017, Jamil built an impressive career as a data, operations, financial, technology and business analyst and manager in Corporate America, including twelve years at American International Group and its related companies. Since entering the crypto universe, Jamil has been an advisor, entrepreneur, investor and author. His books “Blockchain Ethics: A Bridge to Abundance” (2018) and “Re-Generation X” (2020) not only discuss the benefits of blockchain technology, but also capture Jamil’s experience on how he has transitioned from being a loyal yet downsized former corporate employee to a self sovereign individual. With over ninety podcasts under his belt since he joined our team in February 2021, and with four years of experience both managing his own crypto portfolio and providing crypto guidance and counsel to select clients, Jamil continues to seek opportunities to help others navigate this still nascent industry. Jamil’s primary focus outside of podcast hosting is helping former corporate employees gain the necessary skills and vision to build their own crypto portfolios and create wealth for the long-term.

Solving the Student Experience Crisis from Covd-19 by Creating a Lasting Legacy, with H3RO3S Gregory Crous is the CEO of Swiss based H3RO3S AG. H3RO3S is a real-life blockchain gaming platform that aims to provide fun and income to people across the world. Gregory has come to understand that connecting with your target audience is the major ingredient to being a successful business. Gregory has had the opportunity to present the H3RO3S idea to Theresa May at the World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland and she loved it. Gregory holds a BA in International Relations from Queen Mary University, London UK. Jamil Hasan is a crypto and blockchain focused podcast host at the Irish Tech News and spearheads our weekend content “The Crypto Corner” where he interviews founders, entrepreneurs and global thought leaders. Prior to his endeavors into the crypto-verse in July 2017, Jamil built an impressive career as a data, operations, financial, technology and business analyst and manager in Corporate America, including twelve years at American International Group and its related companies. Since entering the crypto universe, Jamil has been an advisor, entrepreneur, investor and author. His books “Blockchain Ethics: A Bridge to Abundance” (2018) and “Re-Generation X” (2020) not only discuss the benefits of blockchain technology, but also capture Jamil’s experience on how he has transitioned from being a loyal yet downsized former corporate employee to a self sovereign individual. With over ninety podcasts under his belt since he joined our team in February 2021, and with four years of experience both managing his own crypto portfolio and providing crypto guidance and counsel to select clients, Jamil continues to seek opportunities to help others navigate this still nascent industry. Jamil’s primary focus outside of podcast hosting is helping former corporate employees gain the necessary skills and vision to build their own crypto portfolios and create wealth for the long-term.

Jamil catches up with the legendary futurist, forward thinker, blockchain advocate and friend of Irish Tech News, Don Tapscott. Don Tapscott, Executive Chairman of the Blockchain Research Institute, is one of the world’s leading authorities on the impact of technology on business and society. He has authored 16 books, including Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything, which has been translated into over 25 languages. In 2016, with his son Alex, he co-authored the global best seller Blockchain Revolution: How the Technology Behind Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies is Changing the World, now translated into 20 languages. According to the late, great Clay Christensen of Harvard Business School it is “the book, literally, on how to survive and thrive in this next wave of technology-driven disruption.” The paperback version of the book, updated with new material covering recent developments about digital assets, sovereign identity and Central Bank Digital Currencies was published in June 2018. In 2017, Don and Alex co-founded the Blockchain Research Institute, whose 100+ projects are the definitive investigation into blockchain strategy, use-cases, implementation challenges and organizational transformations. Since then Don produced a new book entitled Supply Chain Revolution: How Blockchain Technology Is Transforming the Digital Flow of Assets. The book debuted in June 2020 as the “#1 New Release” in the commerce category on Amazon.com. Don is a member of the Order of Canada and in 2019, then ranked as the 2nd most influential Management Thinker by Thinkers50, joined Professor Christensen, Michael Porter, Peter Drucker and others in the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame. He is an Adjunct Professor at INSEAD and Chancellor Emeritus of Trent University in Ontario where he served as Chancellor 2013-2019. It is hard to imagine anyone who has been more prolific, profound, and influential in explaining today’s technological revolutions and their impact on the world. Jamil Hasan is a crypto and blockchain focused podcast host at the Irish Tech News and spearheads our weekend content “The Crypto Corner” where he interviews founders, entrepreneurs and global thought leaders. Prior to his endeavors into the crypto-verse in July 2017, Jamil built an impressive career as a data, operations, financial, technology and business analyst and manager in Corporate America, including twelve years at American International Group and its related companies. Since entering the crypto universe, Jamil has been an advisor, entrepreneur, investor and author. His books “Blockchain Ethics: A Bridge to Abundance” (2018) and “Re-Generation X” (2020) not only discuss the benefits of blockchain technology, but also capture Jamil’s experience on how he has transitioned from being a loyal yet downsized former corporate employee to a self sovereign individual. With over ninety podcasts under his belt since he joined our team in February 2021, and with four years of experience both managing his own crypto portfolio and providing crypto guidance and counsel to select clients, Jamil continues to seek opportunities to help others navigate this still nascent industry. Jamil’s primary focus outside of podcast hosting is helping former corporate employees gain the necessary skills and vision to build their own crypto portfolios and create wealth for the long-term.

How do we move beyond the low hanging fruit and create something that brings about real change? How can we entice more incumbents to join the chorus of younger fintechs and insurtechs to tackle climate change, a challenge that extends beyond borders and across generations?  In this episode of One Vision, Theo and Arun chat with the masterminds of WhiteSight, Afshan Dadan and Sanjeev Kumar, on green fintech, the climate-conscious consumers, and trends to look forward to in 2022. If you enjoy the insightful reports from the WhiteSight team, this is definitely an episode you don’t want to miss.

In this conversation, Minter Dial discussed with Dr Naeema Pasha her new book cowritten with Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj, "Futureproof your career, How to lead and Succeed in A Changing World," published by Bloomsbury. We look at Dr Pasha's work on career resilience, how leaders need to mix science and empathy, fitting in versus belonging, and pluralistic leadership. Dr Naeema Pasha is Director of Future of Work, Equity and Careers in Henley Business School where she established the World of Work (WOW) to explore future of work readiness. Her work focuses on AI impact, human skilling and equity leadership. She recently led a major piece of research on Race Equity in Henley, which highlighted the importance of addressing Race from a future of work perspective. Naeema has contributed to various publications and media outlets including Wired, Forbes, The Voice, Stylist, Cosmopolitan, Raconteur, and the BBC.. She also contributed to Microsoft’s ‘Unlocking the UK's Potential with Digital Skills’ report. Naeema has been shortlisted as one of the Top 30 Global Thinkers, 2021 by HR Magazine, and was voted in the Top 50 Global AI Ethics Thinkers, 2020. She has also spoken at the UK Parliament on Equity and Future of Work. Minter Dial is an international professional speaker, elevator and a multiple award-winning author. He’s author of the WWII story and documentary film, The Last Ring Home (2016) as well as three business books: Futureproof (2017, Heartificial Empathy (2019) and You Lead (2021).

Micheál Killarney, and Prof. Stephen Daniels of DCU, are building a unified healthcare platform, Miko Healthcare. Starting with pharmacy, along with medication adherence, and expanding through healthcare via affiliations to build a marketplace. Miko Healthcare are also in the process of launching their alpha product. Ronan talks to Micheál Killarney about this and more. Micheál talks about his background, how Miko Healthcare came about, their alpha product, the current pandemic and their future plans. More about Miko Healthcare: Miko Healthcare have commercial partnerships agreed with Letsgetchecked, and Fitbit. They are also in contact with insurance, tele-consultation, addiction, diet, fitness, dermatology and wellness firms. Their adherence solutions has the potential to improve adherence from 50% to 98.9%. Currently non-adherence costs EU governments 125bn annually, taking 200,000 lives prematurely. Their cost base is about 1/3rd that of a regular pharmacy for example, and their model can access as many customers as 400 community pharmacies. They don't have a licence to sell medicine yet, however this is something Miko Healthcare hope to pursue in the future and they are focused on building their technology and commercial partnerships as it stands.

We catch up with Casper Andersen to learn more about his goal to ensure 50% of phone sales are refurbished models. About Casper Andersen Casper Andersen is Swappie's country manager for Ireland. His background is in investment banking and tech. Casper is overseeing the growth of Swappie in Ireland. About Swappie Since its launch in Helsinki in 2016, Swappie has become the Number 1 online destination for buying and selling refurbished iPhones in Europe. The Finnish start-up, which was founded by Jiri Heinonen and Smi Marttinen, now helps customers in fifteen countries choose environmentally friendly and affordable ways to stay up to date with the latest technology. The company’s aim is to have 50% of all smart phones bought refurbished ones. In June 2020 Swappie raised €35.8 million in a funding round to support its international expansion into new markets including Ireland. Since its launch here in 2020 over 30,000 Irish consumers have chosen to buy from Swappie. Research shows that more and more Irish consumers are increasingly considering opting for a refurbished device. People aged 18-24 years are even more likely to do so. 27% of Swappie’s customers are in this age bracket which is by far the largest group. All Swappie iPhones are refurbished by Swappie at their own factories in Helsinki and Estonia. They are put through a rigorous 52 step process covering cosmetics, hardware, battery and cleaning, and all Swappie spare parts have OEM quality. All Swappie iPhones also come with a 12-month warranty. Swappie’s Irish customers are served by English speaking staff in the company’s Helsinki Headquarters.

Building Robust Financial Smart Contracts and 'Correct by Construction' Proofs, with Ralf Kubli and the Casper Association Ralf Kubli is an experienced executive with a strong background in blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and decentralized technology.  Ralf’s career spans roles in M&A, sales and executive management positions in large corporations and technology startups.  He discovered Blockchain through a Fintech investment in 2015.  Since then, Ralf cannot unsee the transformative potential of this technology and has been involved in the blockchain space as an investor, advisor and board member.Ralf holds an MBA from Cornell and an M.A. in History from the University of Zurich. Jamil Hasan is a crypto and blockchain focused podcast host at the Irish Tech News and spearheads our weekend content “The Crypto Corner” where he interviews founders, entrepreneurs and global thought leaders. Prior to his endeavors into the crypto-verse in July 2017, Jamil built an impressive career as a data, operations, financial, technology and business analyst and manager in Corporate America, including twelve years at American International Group and its related companies. Since entering the crypto universe, Jamil has been an advisor, entrepreneur, investor and author. His books “Blockchain Ethics: A Bridge to Abundance” (2018) and “Re-Generation X” (2020) not only discuss the benefits of blockchain technology, but also capture Jamil’s experience on how he has transitioned from being a loyal yet downsized former corporate employee to a self sovereign individual. With over ninety podcasts under his belt since he joined our team in February 2021, and with four years of experience both managing his own crypto portfolio and providing crypto guidance and counsel to select clients, Jamil continues to seek opportunities to help others navigate this still nascent industry. Jamil’s primary focus outside of podcast hosting is helping former corporate employees gain the necessary skills and vision to build their own crypto portfolios and create wealth for the long-term.