TruBlo Newsletter #2

The Blockchain 50 of 2021. Apple pushing for user privacy. Plus: The next 50 years of technology.

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Trust and privacy have been high on the list of relevant topics this week. We collected relevant updates for this short newsletter. 

Is there a topic or project you would like to hear more about? You can reach us anytime via info@trublo.eu. Website: Trublo.eu


TruBlo Project 1st Open Call

Open until March 19, 2021. Apply here

Frequently Asked: Is it possible to apply to multiple NGI projects at the same time?

It is not possible to get funding for the same idea from different NGI projects. Here is our advice: You can apply to several open calls, provided your idea fits into the focus of the call. But once your idea gets accepted in one call, you have an obligation to cancel participation in the other. A short notice is sufficient to do so. 

Frequently Asked: How much funding is available per applicant?

Our 1st open call has a total budget of 950.000 Euro. Independent jurors will select the ten best projects. These projects will receive up to 75.000 Euro. After six months, the best two projects have a chance for an additional 100.000 Euros to extend their projects even further. How much an applicant can receive is subject to the legal status (single researcher or company). Our FAQ page has all the infos: LINK


News


Blockchain 50, 2021 (Forbes)

Forbes magazine published an updated list of relevant blockchain companies this week. 

Quote: “Bitcoin’s 2020 surge grabbed the attention of C-suite executives worldwide; not only are companies employing the technology underlying Bitcoin to perform tasks such as reconciling invoices and verifying product provenance, but dozens are now holding Bitcoin as a treasury asset.”

Many large companies on the list, with a wide range of use cases. Some are after financial gains, others work on better workflows based on blockchain (e.g. logistics). So, two fundamentally different approaches.

This mix of motivations is making it very difficult to judge how far blockchain is making inroads into the fabric of workflows, in reality. We need to have a bit of patience whether the projects will last.
LINK


Apple intensifies the focus on data privacy

The impression right now: Apple expects user privacy to become a reason for consumers to switch from one offering to the other – or even to stop using a platform that is not transparent. As a result the company is strongly pushing towards more privacy. 

This week Apple published a digital brochure called: “A day in the life of your data”. The story is about a father and his daughter spending a day in the park. How much data is shared and how is this data used? This is relevant user information, but of course with a PR twist. There are direct jabs towards Facebook and other platforms. LINK

In addition: Last week Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke at CPDP21, the EU Data Protection Conference. He took a strong stand against private data being used without transparency. Tim Cook on privacy


Facebook introduces new pop-ups asking for permission to use data

The business model of Facebook is in peril should users around the world change their views on sharing usage data. Recently the company introduced a new pop-up screen in their app on iPhones. Users are asked for permission that their data is used. It is one step against the the plans of Apple and Google to change the way how user data is handled. Expect to see this battle heat up further in 2021. 

In terms of reputation Facebook is not in the best position: “Fortune recently released its list of the World’s Most Admired Companies. Apple, for the 14th year in a row, sits at the top. Facebook isn’t even on the list. Seriously–there are 332 companies listed according to their reputation, and Facebook isn’t one of them.” LINK


The next 50 years in tech?

Benedict Evans writes a really good technology newsletter, with helpful analysis of what is going on. His key question is always: What does this mean? In addition, every year he puts together a presentation deck. Here he asks: What is next? This years presentation is called: The great unbundling. It is a long presentation, but full of data and analysis. The last chapter discusses what is going on right now: Privacy, trust, regulation of so far often unregulated internet platforms. Worth your time. LINK



Photo by Nick Morrison on Unsplash

5. February 2021

Written by Mirko Lorenz

Mirko Lorenz, Innovation Manager Research and Cooperation team at Deutsche Welle. More: DW Innovation

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