Unblocked

Chapter 13. CORPORATE INVESTING IN BLOCKCHAINS

The blockchain is really going to change dramatically the whole nature of investing and saving in the future.

Myron Scholes, Nobel Laureate, Economics

Corporate investing in emerging technology is not a new strategy. Indeed, the last few decades have seen leading multinationals introduce active strategies to participate in external innovation. Blockchains obviously offer a new wave of disruptive opportunity for organizations that have expertise, a vision for how the technology will shape their market, and the access to make smart strategic investments. However, blockchains are also poised to influence the way a wider range of corporations invest and raise capital.

The Challenge and Opportunity in Early Moves

There is strong motivation to understand and navigate investment opportunity even as it is still emerging. Together, Alison Davis and Matthew Le Merle, coauthors of Corporate Innovation in the Fifth Era and highly active investors and advisors in the blockchain space, have researched how leading innovators such as Alphabet, Amazon.com, Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft invest in innovation. Alison is also a board member and advisor to some of the oldest and most active blockchain investment firms, while Matthew is Managing Partner at Keiretsu Capital, an early stage investment network with over $750 million in funding and active investment in the space. Over dinner, the two shared their perspective on the corporate investment ...