Coming soon...The Business of Blockchain

EMERGE@Simpson is working with an independent adjunct professor (Tom Meyers) to offer a "Business of Blockchain" class through Simpson's C&G program.  Tom is becoming known in the metro for his work on Blockchain and has been provided background materials being used at MIT on similar classes.

Initial plans call for a 6-week, 1 credit-optional, class that combines learning the "Emerge and Pivot" approach to value creation using the "business case for blockchain" as the lead example in the class.  The goal is to separate the value from the hype.

​By combining the two topics, we can approach a wider set of corporate stakeholders, both companies and their employees, as Carver Connections, mentors, and investors.  Plans call for classes to be offered in conjunction with the West Des Moines Incubator and at Simpson's West Des Moines campus.

​Having this type of flexible class available will also benefit on-campus students seeking blockchain information and position Simpson well in the metro for this emerging technology.  One investment team has inquired about combining this with an actual digital currency mining platform as an EMERGE@Simpson venture.

ExpresSeed would be a potential customer for that venture, as the future of food supply export appears to be using blockchain recordkeeping of DNA information alongside transactional information, according to former USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack at a recent speech.

​Next steps are for the team to finish developing the curriculum, test marketing the class to potential customers, and making plans for a summer class.