Blockchain in Energy & Industry Raises $1 Billion – and Heads into Challenging Times | Cleantech Group
Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of keynoting the second edition of EventHorizon (EH), the largest conference on blockchain in the energy space. The bar for this event was set impossibly high after the last edition paved the way for a year of extraordinary developments in the space. The EH team delivered an even more impressive production, turning an old Berlin power station into a futuristic spaceship, and spoiling us with shows of lights, violins and acrobatics – not your typical energy conference. While we did not expect any less from Ed, Stefanie and team, we were left speechless a few times.
The craze on stage was a good reflection of the defiant rise of blockchain this year: massive coin offering rounds from very young startups, dozens of ventures sprouting all around the world, increasing interest from corporates and a continuous stream of announcements and releases. Overall, the growth of this space is unprecedented in modern energy history.
But as one attendee put it, the laws of physics must prevail, and gravity is inevitably pulling the blockchain hype down to earth. Regulators are cracking down on ICOs, investors are pointing out weaknesses of business models, and startups are realizing that scaling up governance and technology will stretch out their initial road maps.