Dinis Guarda is joined by computer scientist, academic and serial entrepreneur Professor Yu Xiong and DecentraNet founder Matt McKibbin to explore the new citiesabc project, which aims at creating a global index of cities and ranks them along the dimensions of smart cities infrastructure and sustainability. They also go into detail in the need of creating a 4IR Blockchain Magna Carta that lays down the foundation for collaboration in technology.
Professor Yu Xiong, a computer scientist, academic and serial entrepreneur believes that the United Kingdom is in a privileged position to lead in the blockchain industry. In the midst of one of the worse crisis, brought about by the Covid-19 coronavirus, Prof. Xiong shares his expertise on technology and highlights the much needed collaboration between countries to leverage the full potential of 4IR technologies and blockchain. Joined by citiesabc founder Dinis Guarda and DecentraNet founder Matt McKibbin, Prof. Xiong believes that to achieve so, the world needs a 4IR Blockchain Magna Carta that lays down all the tech foundational aspects fro colaboration. Likewise, in his opinion, cities are the perfect common ground where all these principles collide. citiesabc, his latest project – along with Dinis Guarda and other global thought leaders, aims precisely at that.
As the world enters one of its defining moments, the need to develop and implement new technologies is greater than ever. Collaboration is critical in that endeavour, as no sole entity, whether a country, organization or individuals can do it alone. And blockchain, as Prof. Xiong states, can have a key role in it. Blockchain, if well used as a set of foundational tools and especially as an ideology that can enhance, decentralise and empower the global societies and economies within a new framework, self regulated P2P governance and particularly creating more transparency and the distribution of opportunities.
In the upcoming post-coronavirus times, Blockchain is particularly important as it enables global infrastructure systems, smart contracts and new governance possibilities that can empower better financial, supply chain and healthcare solutions
That is why Professor Yu Xiong and Dinis Guarda are so eager to create a truly collaborative and inclusive 4IR Blockchain Magna Carta for Humanity, with cities, where more than 60% of the global population lives, at the center of it.
Citiesabc, as Professor Yu Xiong explains, aims at building a global index platform where all 4IR foundational technologies, specially blockchain, collide, amid leveraging a level of collaboration between them that would allow worldwide society to build and share critical data for future generations.
Professor Yu Xiong is an academic, researcher and serial entrepreneur. He was trained as a computer scientist, then became a professor in various business schools across the UK. He is active in doing research, growing start-ups, creating his own companies. During his career, he has wide publications in top academic journals, and created business impact in multiple industries.
His research has been published in world leading and international excellence journals including European Journal of Operational Research, International Journal of Production Research, International Journal of Production Economics etc. His research has been funded by EPSRC (Engineering and Physic Science Research Council), Department of Business, Energy and Industry Strategies, British Academy, British Council, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapults, China National Science Foundation etc. Professor Xiong is a Fellow of University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. He is also President-elect of Chinese Economic Association of EU/UK.
Dinis Guarda is the founder of citiesabc.com. He is an author, academic, influencer, serial entrepreneur and leader in 4IR, AI, Fintech, digital transformation and Blockchain. With over two decades of experience in international business, guest lecturing in universities like Copenhagen Business School and C level positions. Dinis has been focused on how to digital transform cities, reinvent nations and create sustainable empowerment smart cities. Dinis has worked with new tech, building digital transformation, fintech strategies for governments and global organisations, and central banks. Dinis has co-created a bank, and been involved in the inception of innovative solutions for society and cities such as tokenisation and digital currencies. Dinis has created various companies such as Ztudium, techabc, openbusinesscouncil.org and fashionabc.org among others.
Matt McKibbin is the founder of Decentranet. He has been a blockchain evangelist since 2013 when he coordinated the DC Blockchain Meetup and was heavily involved in the BitAngels investment group. Matt is the former Co-Founder and Chief Decentralization Officer at d10e, the world’s leading conference on decentralized technologies, philosophies and social organization. He serves as an advisor to Dispatch Labs, ImpactPPA, Humaniq, Securrency, and Loci and has been involved in several early-stage blockchain startups, including Ubiquity and Trive.news. Matt is a prolific and sought-after speaker as an expert on decentralization at leading conferences worldwide. He has been featured in dozens of media publications, including Bloomberg, Nasdaq, TechCrunch, CoinDesk, CoinTelegraph, Bitcoin Magazine, and more. Matt received his Bachelor’s of Arts in Physics from West Virginia University.
Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.
