BLOCKPOOL

Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies (BDLTs) cover a revolutionary potential but their uptake and deployment to value chains other than financial ones remains slow. Among other causes, fragmentation and a series of obstacles to their market deployment hamper the diffusion and pace of adoption of BDLTs by SMEs.
Blockpool.eu (https://blockpool.eu/) aims to enhance SME innovation capacity by providing better innovation support. We will use the power of intermediary organisations (clusters, federations…) and cross-regional industrial networks to Pilot the acceleration of SME uptake and deployment of BDLTs. Our consortium thus aims to accelerate the cross-border uptake and deployment of BDLTs by/to European SMEs. Blockpool.eu aims to grow beyond the Pilot Project to become a sustainable Portal for BDLT deployment.
We will build and strengthen SMEs’ and intermediaries’ BDLT capacity in a cross-value chain fashion, and strengthening both supply and demand sides through 1) a Blockchain “deployment pool” and 2) generic support activities. Besides enabling actions toward framework conditions and the capacity increase of SMEs, intermediaries and to another extent policy makers and regulators, Blockpool.eu will develop a Deployment Pool: 25 SME projects will be selected through an Open Call allocating at least 50% of the total project budget to test and validate new BDLT solutions (TRL7+) in most prominent sectors (e.g. supply chain, energy, healthcare, Fintech, Insurance, Legal, Shipping & Social Good). SMEs will also benefit from the support of our Mentors Network, training (MOOC/Webinars), as well as other innovative tools..

– Accelerating European SMEs’ uptake of BDLTs
– Enabling the broader deployment of BDLTs
– Structuring framework conditions
Specific objectives of Blockpool.eu

– Create a clearer understanding of the BDLT market and underlying trends in complementarity with the European Blockchain Observatory/Forum
– Develop a comprehensive mapping and the resulting pool of BDLT specialists (solution, technology and service providers) that will support the development of an accurate framework for a faster and more effective diffusion of BDLTs

– Communicate, raise awareness and diffuse knowledge and best practices on BDLTs across European Regions and Member States
– Develop synergies/complementarities with initiatives such as the Blockchain Observatory/Forum
– Offer common knowledge repositories to the broadest audience, SMEs and intermediary organisations being first in line, followed by policy makers and regulators
– Organise liaison and build structural relations with other stakeholders, players and initiatives across European value chains in order to ensure a streamlined understanding and vision
– Diffuse information and communicate on the resulting vision and framework, using evidence from the deployment pool and sharing information and knowledge with multiple targets as well as through multiple channels
– Contribute to the structuring of the community in the form of a business network by facilitating the structuration and building of key linkages between relevant organisations, such as organized in the context of the foreseen clustering and collaboration event)