raffisapire / block-institute

A global network of leaders committed to the future of blockchain technology

Block-Institute

A global network of leaders committed to the future of blockchain technology

Problem: The value of bitcoin exploded in 2017. Today, Coinbase has over 13 million accounts, compared to 10 million on Charles Schwab. As the financial market explodes, the ecosystem is rapidly trying to catch up to increased interest. There are many open questions to be asked about its place in the wider global economy. There are many developments and breakthroughs required to reach the potential speculators have priced into the currencies today. Stakeholders across technology, government, business and finance are starting to develop answers to the questions.

Solution: The Institute is a lobbying + think tank organization based in New York that acts on the behalf of the blockchain ecosystem. The mission is to foster leadership based on the enduring values of blockchain (decentralization, uncensorship, accessibility, and democracy).

The institute provides a venue, programs and fellowships to bring people from different backgrounds, all committed to realizing the potential of blockchain technology, together to discuss critical subjects frankly and freely

Mission:

1. Ideation: facilitate intellectual curiousity through fellowships, seminars for idea exchange, and space to test new concepts
2. Leadership: Empower a diverse, worldwide community of leaders across business, technology, government and nonprofit who are committed to realizing the potential of blockchain
3. Action: Lobby on the behalf of the ecosystem for specific outcomes, provide forums for reaching solutions on vital policy issues How

• International partnerships: Create network of partners with different outlooks and search for common ground that addresses global challenges
• Seminal Policy Program: Help leaders better understand how to principals of blockchain can be integrated into their organizations and the communities they serve. Foster responsible leadership focused on the values that give blockchain substance. The program helps deepen their knowledge, broaden perspective and enhance capacity to serve their communities. Safe haven that encourages discourse, mutual respect across diverse ideological backgrounds
• Fellowship Program: Year long program where emerging leaders can explore critical issues and drive action in their communities. Recipients can apply for fellowships in a growing number of subjects ranging from Governance to Protocol Economics to Scalability
• Research: Fellows are responsible for contributing research on critical issues and facilitating deep policy studies in roundtables
• Conferences: An annual Idea festival will engage the broader ecosystem with each other and experts
• Seminars & Events: Curated gatherings where leaders connect and share ideas

An example of what the group would work on, is advising the SEC on whether or not a certain token or instrument should be a security or not.

Revenue Streams:

• Unlike PACs of today, no one is paying us, we are a 501c3 taking donations.
  • We accept crypto and USD donations to offset capital gains
  • We accept tokens that projects no longer active want to move off their balance sheet

Customer Segments

• Crypto millionaires. Value to them is 1) tax write off 2) being a part of a mission they believe in 3) access to experts and thought leaders
• Financial institutions who are creating products and instruments and want to deliver value to their customers
• Developers and entrepreneurs building products and ecosystems
• Government stakeholders who want to know how to build their policies

roadmap 2018

1. Policy Program. Develop initial set of public policy standards that will define our policy program
   1. How: first hire is thought leader in the space who understand global macro trends and economy, has relationships with key stakeholders in the space and wants to draft up the institute’s stance
   2. Lobby examples: availability of exchanges in US and NY, Why or why not a specific token is a security, how we should be managing capital gains, rules around insider trading
2. Fellows. Bring on 10 Global Fellows across three subject areas, who commit to developing thought pieces and ventures following the program. Initial subject areas include Governance, Regulation, and Scalability
   1. Sign up proposal page, where people can submit their application for what topic they would like to research, what outcomes they would like to develop by end of year, and how they would carry that research forward after the
3. Host large event and smaller seminars. Bring stakeholders together to start having conversations based on what we wrote on #1.

2019

1. Liaise with government across the globe on the behalf of the ecosystem
2. Host second Policy Program
3. Expand Fellowship Program to 30 Fellows
4. Host Ideas Festival

2020

1. Promote the value to the public in the US, China, MENA and around the world
2. Host third and fourth Policy Program Cohorts
3. Expand Fellowship program to 50 Fellows
4. Host 3rd annual Ideas Festival

Key Metrics

1. Number of roundtables held
2. Number of critical public policies put in place
3. Number of fellows supported
4. Number of conferences / events held to bring network of leaders together

Cost Structure:

1. 501c3
2. Capital deployment in 2018
   1. Land - 1M
   2. Fellowships - 100K x 10
      1. Venture Grants $100K x 10
   3. Hires:
   4. Events: 300K
3. Commitment to put use of capital transactions on the blockchain for anyone to see on the website

Unfair Advantage

• Founder has unique combination of professional experiences in technology and non profit and leadership development, as well as unique ability to connect stakeholders across industries and organizations
• Network of thought leaders committed to supporting this idea

Fellowship Global Leadership Network: A community of entrepreneurial leaders from government, business, technology and finance from around the world. Chosen based on demonstrated accomplishments, they are selected to be a part of a sector-specific fellowship. In accepting the fellowship, they commit to taking action on pressing challenges being faced by the ecosystem today. The Institute helps these fellows turn their actions into significant developments by connecting them with stakeholders in government and finance.