6 Questions for Cristina Dolan of InsideChains – Cointelegraph Magazine

We ask the buidlers within the blockchain and cryptocurrency sector for his or her ideas on the business… and throw in a couple of random zingers to maintain them on their toes!

This week, our 6 Questions go to Cristina Dolan, co-founder and chief working officer of InsureX Technologies, an alternate insurance coverage market primarily based on blockchain, and CEO of InsideChains, which builds massive consortia and marketplaces with financial token layers to facilitate the worldwide trade of information and transactions.

Cristina is an engineer, entrepreneur and creator who has efficiently embraced superior applied sciences to construct and develop disruptive companies all through her profession in media, telecommunications, e-commerce and, extra lately, fintech. As an early adopter of crypto and blockchain applied sciences, she co-founded and suggested blockchain-enabled firms in local weather tech, insurtech, healthtech and crypto buying and selling. As a veteran of evolving networked applied sciences, she is at the moment centered on cybersecurity, which has turn into probably the most speedy monetary materials ESG and sustainability danger organizations face in the present day, and co-authored a lately printed guide: Transparency in ESG and the Circular Economy, Capturing Opportunities Through Data (out there at ESGdataBook.com).

1 — What has been the hardest problem you’ve confronted in our business to this point?

In the early days of crypto and blockchain, I’d communicate on panels the place individuals would say issues like, “Crypto and blockchain are only used by bad actors.” Unfortunately there are nonetheless “leaders” that discuss concerning the prison actions which are enabled by crypto and blockchain that “need to be stopped.” It is superb that they haven’t realized from the novel transformation of media and e-commerce by the evolution of related applied sciences.

It is unlucky that some “leaders” simply don’t perceive that the evolution of latest applied sciences additionally aligns with the altering wants of communities. Technology adoption is without doubt one of the most vital pillars of company sustainability! (Look at Blockbuster or Kodak!) When firms fail, it impacts the communities, companions and even the native tax base that pays for companies like schooling. We stay in a world that’s evolving quicker and quicker, and regulators need increasingly more knowledge and transparency — you’ll be able to’t keep in enterprise with out adopting new applied sciences.

The great thing about the hyper-innovation that has advanced from the curiosity in crypto and blockchain is unparalleled by another disruptive know-how. It has influenced innovation from cybersecurity, which makes use of cryptography, to produce chain, which wants transparency greater than ever earlier than!

Lack of understanding might be the hardest problem. It is difficult to maintain up with the accelerating evolution of know-how within the context of social wants, like improved sustainability knowledge monitoring or improved managed entry to healthcare knowledge.

Today, there’s a requirement to be a self-learner simply to maintain up, and it takes up numerous time. Even for these of us who’re curious and like to be taught and give attention to fixing issues with know-how, the avalanche of evolving applied sciences can really feel overwhelming. 

2 — Does it matter if we ever work out who Satoshi actually is or was?

I hope that Satoshi Nakamoto stays a thriller endlessly! While there was numerous detailed hypothesis round who was engaged on the foundational constructing blocks and who was influential within the public-key cryptography and decentralized architectures, you will need to hold the know-how separate from the conduct or private actions or a person. Our “networked” tradition is stuffed with “celebrity” figures who’ve massive social media followings and endorse merchandise. This type of movie star can be a distraction to the affect and evolution.

Bitcoin is the grandfather of an unimaginable age of hyper-innovation which is difficult to know with all of the advanced interrelated layers, like economics, know-how, politics, or just how one can transact with Bitcoin. Adding a star layer to Bitcoin would simply add extra polarization and misunderstanding than what already exists, creating an pointless distraction or excuses to disregard the transformation that’s coming rapidly. Celebrity figures like Elon Musk have moved the crypto markets.

Organizations that don’t embrace know-how won’t be sustainable. We have seen many examples of this over the previous few a long time. Moving from a figurative illustration to an precise human who shall be depicted as having doable political or financial pursuits will solely turn into an excuse for some leaders to disregard the requirement to rework to fulfill the wants of a altering society.

3 — When you inform individuals you’re within the blockchain business, how do they react?

Years in the past I’d publish social media posts about blockchain and crypto, and folks would say “block-what?” At the time, I used to be working within the fintech area, the place some friends within the institutional monetary buying and selling area would make jokes about it — “…there she goes again talking about crypto or blockchain…” Of course, lots of them transitioned into the area later as their business started to shrink.

Today, there’s a completely completely different response. Many individuals are desirous to be taught extra concerning the applied sciences and the potential trajectory of transformation. I do get numerous calls from individuals who have “lost their keys” and wish to know if there’s a solution to discover them — after all, if it was that simple to resolve for misplaced keys, individuals would have unlocked a few of Satoshi’s Bitcoin by now!

Focusing on cybersecurity, I do get numerous questions on custody and safety. There are so many individuals throughout all industries who at the moment are doing extremely fascinating issues within the area. It is enjoyable to pay attention and study doable options to crucial social points using the know-how. People at the moment are interested by using these applied sciences inside vital or refined enterprise processes, and collaborating on doable options is now much more enjoyable!

4 — Which two superpowers would you most wish to have, and the way would you mix them for good… or evil?

Speed-related superpowers can be probably the most useful in a world that’s evolving at hyper velocity. While some individuals would possibly describe me as being energetic, I’d like to have the flexibility to do extra and expertise extra every day!

First can be associated to journey velocity that may allow motion from one location to a different location with out site visitors jams or airport check-in protocols, which have gotten extra difficult with the pandemic. So a lot time is wasted in touring. As we start to plan extra face-to-face conferences that require placing journey time into the calendar to reach in time, it’s clear that being able to journey at gentle velocity would save time. While the carbon footprint for journey might be decreased since there wouldn’t be a requirement for conventional autos, I’m certain that touring on the velocity of sunshine would create some important warmth. 

The second can be associated to the velocity of ingesting data and understanding it. The quicker you’ll be able to be taught and join the dots, the quicker you’ll be able to apply the intuitive understanding in the direction of constructing useful options for the rising variety of issues our world faces in the present day. This would allow me to do what I like to do, however even quicker.

While residing endlessly creates points, together with the elevated demand for the restricted sources on earth, the thought of having the ability to do and expertise much more throughout our quick lives is an effective various.

5 — Name the stuff you personal that you just’ll by no means half with.

This is a superb query, as a result of my reply in the present day might be a little bit completely different from issues I’d have listed years in the past. For instance, a passport, which has been my gateway for studying, connecting and rising might be probably the most useful device I possess. While it may be changed if misplaced, it’s nonetheless one in every of my most vital possessions due to the chances it affords to interact with individuals all around the world. 

One of the teachings from the pandemic was in serving to me perceive how a lot I missed partaking with shut buddies all around the world. Unfortunately, throughout the pandemic, the passport didn’t provide the chance to journey, particularly if it represented residency in a rustic with excessive covid circumstances. During the pandemic, the passport wasn’t as useful because it had been all through my life. It was even inconceivable to interact with shut buddies who lived inside a mile of my residence. While the evolution of conferencing instruments has made it simpler to video convention, the character of the conversations tends to be extra transactional and environment friendly, which eliminates the chance to be taught or collaborate to the identical diploma. Travel is a superb present. Unfortunately, we’d like greater than only a passport to make it doable throughout the pandemic.

I’ve at all times liked stunning watches — the old school jeweled masterpiece variety — and have a treasured assortment that jogs my memory of vital milestones all through my life. It is such a deal with to put on a lovely timepiece, but I rely extra on my Fitbit today to trace my early morning runs no matter the place I’m on the earth. While I even have an Apple Watch Series 7, I nonetheless choose my Fitbit with its longer lasting battery and its environment friendly metrics.

It is unhappy to confess that my cell phone has turn into so vital to my day-to-day actions, communications and work. While I don’t use it for banking and keep away from SMS verifications as a result of it may be a safety danger, I acknowledge its worth in remaining engaged and lively each professionally and socially. It is changing into a much bigger a part of identification, and the required COVID-19 vaccine verifications are a lot simpler on a cell gadget. While having the most recent cell phone isn’t as vital, what’s vital is the connectivity and engagement. I really like the flexibility to seize a spontaneous image and ship it to a buddy or the flexibility to attach with individuals on demand. As an avid photographer with a big assortment of wonderful cameras from the previous Rolleiflex, Kodak Brownie and an previous tiny spy digicam, to the most recent Canon skilled DSLR cameras and lenses, nothing beats the spontaneous nature of utilizing a cell gadget to seize an emotional second and share it immediately with buddies. There remains to be a time and place for these stunning conventional cameras, however the smartphone has a singular use case. 

I treasure the extra conventional paintings my sons have made at school over time, which I’ve framed and positioned on my partitions, as a result of the artwork represents their pursuits and actions over time. Time feels prefer it passes quicker and quicker, and being able to take a look at their artwork and photos, which I’ve all through my residence, brings again the enjoyment and fantastic recollections. 

6 — What’s the way forward for social media?

Social media has advanced over the past 20 years as networked units, smartphones and specialised functions have matured whereas the those who use them are additionally evolving and getting old. For instance, Waze lets you recognize that folks chances are you’ll know are touring close by. You may argue that the shared financial system is a spinoff of social networks that enabled rising mobility and shared options inside communities. 

The nature of knowledge that’s shared on social media has modified because the demographics of sure networks have modified dramatically. Freedom of speech isn’t at all times welcome, and the flexibility to dam opinions have polarized communities. There are a plethora of various communications instruments which allow non-public communications. It is difficult to maintain up with all of the completely different choices and networks that buddies choose for direct communications. 

There is a transfer in the direction of smaller non-public teams on networks with encryption and safety. Mobile units have turn into a crucial part of how individuals talk and determine themselves; for instance, some COVID-19 vaccine verifications are depending on smartphone entry.  

While social media platforms the place influencers inform massive numbers of followers are nonetheless well-liked, they might want to evolve because the group matures. A special technique shall be required to draw youthful digital native generations who’ve a distinct relationship with their digital identification and the digital worlds they play and have interaction in. How they convey and have interaction could also be an extension of the video video games they take part in. It isn’t a shock to see the recognition in NFTs while you take a look at the recognition of digital objects in video video games over time which have generated billions of {dollars} for well-liked gaming platforms. The reputation of digital worlds the place identification is tied to digital illustration of a person’s pursuits and values will proceed to rise.

While there’ll proceed to be a wide range of specialised social networks that cater to skilled or different communities with widespread pursuits, the youthful digital native generations are going to be extra snug interacting and speaking by using their self-created digital identities in digital environments. Technologies are evolving rapidly to assist immersive environments to facilitate fascinating new interactions and experiences. The potentialities for the longer term are limitless and never essentially a direct extension of in the present day’s main social platforms. Who is aware of, possibly the longer term shall be about sharing digital experiences in the identical means individuals share TikTok video clips? This would require simple methods to create the experiences, and but we already see younger children creating interactive environments in Roblox.

A want for the blockchain group: 

Wishing the bold blockchain group continues in its pleasure for downside fixing and innovation. While not all issues will profit from the know-how, the vitality utilized to downside fixing by the evolution of the know-how is contagious and galvanizing! Hoping the ideation and creativity grows extra to handle among the world’s greatest issues!