To support and fast-track the development of Blockchain initiatives within the French ecosystem, a group of companies, academics and public institutions have launched an association called Alliance Blockchain France. This consortium will strive to deploy a shared Blockchain infrastructure that will gradually open to all French industries and institutions seeking to harness the benefits of Blockchain.
Like its European peers, France will soon have a Blockchain infrastructure backed by large corporations, academics, start-ups, and SMEs, making this technology accessible to stakeholders of all sizes.
There is a trend toward building networks of trust all around the world, but particularly in Europe. Indeed, several national Blockchain network initiatives have been launched. Around 10 of them are in Europe, including: Alastria in Spain (with over 600 members) and ID Union in Germany (focused on decentralized identity management).
In the coming months, members of Alliance Blockchain France will join forces to build a leading Blockchain infrastructure with the following goals:
- Make Blockchain technologies accessible to all and create a shared space for collaboration and experimentation;
- Enable any public or private entity to access open and trusted Blockchain networks—thinking about European interoperability—by becoming a catalyst for innovation and promoting synergies among its members in order to respond to calls for proposals as a collective;
- Join the French and EU sustainable development efforts (CSR, circular economy, etc.).
The association also aims to ensure that French companies remain economically competitive: Blockchain has been shown to afford significant productivity gains while strengthening the trust surrounding and security of exchanges between its users.
The association will also foster initiatives that contribute positively to democratic and environmental values. To this end, it will focus on taking the following measures:
- Defining and developing Blockchain networks, with the aim of creating common digital assets shared by French industry and institutions;
- Raising awareness about Blockchain and showcasing it as a key technology for the digital transformation of French companies and institutions, following these steps:
- Identify and champion how Blockchain can be used;
- Contribute to building a common and industry-wide vision on using Blockchain;
- Communicate and help to spread information about Blockchain, including in education settings and within government working groups, in France and around Europe; - Promoting cooperation between its members, through the following tasks:
- Create shared infrastructures to host projects owned by Association Blockchain France members;
- Spread the word about national, EU and international calls for proposals, and encourage consortia and joint projects between its members;
- Facilitate sector-specific working groups for encouraging and cultivating projects and services (including CSR, circular economy, finance, supply chain, identity and healthcare); - Providing services to association members and, more widely, to any public or private entity:
- Access to one or more Blockchain networks so that data can be exchanged securely;
- Use of services developed by the association.
