Japanese IT company Fujitsu has launched its new International Blockchain Innovation Centre in Brussels, Belgium, to explore the possibilities of the technology.
The International Blockchain Innovation Centre will undertake research with external partners and collaborate on projects with the aim of accelerating the development of blockchain and other distributed ledger technologies.
Blockchain technology has already had a transformative impact on financial services, and powers cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. However, according to Fujitsu, the system could potentially be applied to any sector in which ledger-based audit trails are needed.
The new centre will explore blockchain’s applicability to areas such as:
- Logistics;
- Supply chain;
- Smart contracts;
- Voting IDs; and
- Public ledgers, such as real estate ownership.
Fujitsu’s overall goal for the International Blockchain Innovation Centre is to draw all of these sectors together and use blockchain to deliver a host of services that will deliver on the promise of smart cities.
Why does blockchain have transformative potential?
Yves de Beauregard, head of Fujitsu Benelux, said that the high level of trust and security offered by blockchain makes it an attractive prospect for a range of commercial applications. He said: “We are already seeing high levels of interest from our customers in better understanding how they can integrate blockchain into business processes.
“[Blockchain] transactions are virtually impossible to alter, creating a high level of trust. This is just the beginning, as we intend to explore the wider potential use of blockchain in a variety of commercial areas.”
He added that the new centre would take advantage of Brussels’ position at the heart of Europe, to collaborate with partners throughout the EU on exploring and innovating. “Our new International Blockchain Innovation Center in Brussels demonstrates the importance Fujitsu attaches to blockchain as a technology, and to Brussels as location for supporting our international customers investigating or already implementing blockchain solutions.”
