Tokyo Institute of Technology Forms Blockchain Collaborative with Hong Kong Fintech Firm
Posted on February 25, 2017 by Kryptous
Input Output Honk Kong (IOHK), a blockchain developer, and the Tokyo Institute of Technology have teamed to create a blockchain collaborative within the Tokyo Tech School of Computing.
The two institutions will promote joint research in blockchain related technologies. IOHK researchers will join Tokyo Tech, while professors and graduate students will tackle industry challenges.
The institutions recognize that cryptocurrencies can revolutionize not only the banking system, but also societies worldwide by providing more efficient and inclusive ways to make financial transactions.
Crypto Challenges In Sight
The partnership, called the Input Output Cryptocurrency Collaborative Research Chair, aims to tackle the blockchain/cryptocurrency sector's various challenges. One goal is to develop young professionals and to educate society about the new technology.
"This collaboration has two main goals: the first is develop our business area, which is cryptocurrencies and blockchain related technologies in the fundamental level," said Charles Hoskinson, IOHK CEO and co-founder. "The second is to nurture and develop global talent in these areas in Japan."
Yoshinao Mishima, president of Tokyo Tech, said the initiative matters because the school wants to enhance the collaboration with industries and universities in Japan and abroad by delivering groundbreaking results in research and engineering that will be published in scientific journals.
Researchers from both institutions will deliver knowledge via joint activities, including seminars and the production of academic papers. Courses related to blockchain technologies will include cryptographic protocols and cryptocurrencies. Unlike the traditional university research partnership model, all laboratory research will be open source and patent-free, meaning the findings will be designed to help the industry at large.
Also read: Input Output Hong Kong takes its stab at 'Bitcoin 2.0'
Continuing A Relationship
The creation of the Collaborative Research Chair is the continuation of a 6-month joint agreement between the two parties.
The collaborative research chair, along with a center at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, is the first in IOHK's growing global network of technology laboratories.
The chair is specifically designed to:
1. Research blockchain-related technologies and related areas
2. Nurture global talent and expertise
3. Promote collaboration among researchers worldwide
The chair will conduct research in fields related to blockchains, such as computer science, distributed systems, game theory, programming languages and cryptography.
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