Australian Technology group Lakeba and Macquarie University have announced a partnership to boost the commercial focus on Blockchain technology development at the tertiary level.
Recognised for being one of the first innovation companies in Australia to have live commercial blockchain technology pilots in this market and overseas, Lakeba was approached by Professor Tom Smith, Macquarie University, to provide practical exposure and active involvement in blockchain developments for students enrolled in the University.
“This partnership recognises the relevance and rise of Blockchain technology and the way in which Lakeba Group leads the rapid commercialisation of these developments, and the benefit of involving students when applying innovative thinking to business problems,” said Giuseppe Porcelli, CEO and Founder of the Lakeba Group.
“Our vision for Blockchain technology innovation fuels much of the focus of the 100 developers in our business. Our approach to development is as bold as it is grounded, driven by our desire to bring scalable solutions to market and maintain first-mover advantage.
“The World Economic Forum predicts blockchain technology will enable 10% of global GDP within the next 10 years. The significance of this forecast, and the enormous amount of effort being invested in blockchain developments globally, means we have an industry responsibility to share our innovation knowledge with this new generation of students. They will be our future technology leaders,” said Giuseppe.
“Macquarie University occupies a unique position amidst Australia’s largest high-tech precinct, with more than 300 leading companies on campus or in the surrounding industry hub. This provides our students and staff with access to outstanding research and innovation opportunities with some of the world’s leading organisations. It also provides opportunities for partner organisations to connect with highly motivated and capable students, through student placements, internships and cooperative programs,” said Anne Cooper, Associate Dean, Corporate Engagement, Macquarie University.
“Partnerships with companies such as Lakeba are significant for our students and are a continuation of the active engagement Macquarie has established over the years with key industry sectors. Sustaining the accelerator program with Lakeba will provide a critical multi-disciplinary learning opportunity for our students in exposing them to the fast-paced field of blockchain technology innovation. The program will operate as part of Macquarie’s award-winning PACE (Professional and Community Engagement) program” said Anne.
“Lakeba has demonstrated industry leadership in the blockchain development sphere, and we look forward to immersing our students in the cut and thrust of the commercial world of blockchain technology,” said Professor Tom Smith.
Darren Younger, Chief Growth Officer and co-founder of Lakeba Group, said the students will be brought into live projects including Lakeba’s Blockchain against Fraud (BAF) working alongside leading financial institutions, as well as the Blockchain for Energy initiative. Globally, Blockchain for Energy development is a high growth market, with a cumulative market cap of $1Bilion, involving over 122 energy companies. Blockchain for Energy is one of the most active programs of any sector.
“We believe the optimal learning opportunity is for students to be immersed in commercial environments where the technology is going through the live development phase, and where they can actively participate and contribute to the innovation journey,” Darren said.
Selection into the blockchain commercialisation accelerator program is designed to attract the brightest and most passionate students who show an aptitude and desire to become drivers for technology innovation. In line with the disruptive nature of the technology, the selection process is likely to include a hackathon with groups of students competing for entry to the program.
About Lakeba Group
Lakeba is an established ‘Start-up Studio’ with extensive experience delivering solutions that incorporate latest technologies such as AI, Mixed Reality and blockchain. The company is headquartered in Manly, Sydney, NSW, with offices in Europe, UK, USA, India and Singapore. Through their unique business platform Lakeba rapidly creates, builds and scales new products and services to drive value for businesses and communities across the globe.
The company has taken a first mover advantage, rapidly expanding its blockchain capabilities and engaging with industry to drive the opportunities inherent in this new technology.
