Tech To The Future

Sandra Helou is head of metaverse and NFTs at Zilliq, a Singapore-based blockchain company which aims to solve scalability issues, by using sharding technology for rapid transaction processing. She is responsible for ensuring that Zilliqa’s use of NFTs includes minting and trading them in an energy-efficient way. Sandra also heads up the company’s journey towards the metaverse and navigating which route Web 3.0 might take. In this in-depth conversation, Sandra gives listeners an insight into some of the complexities of her role, such as working to bridge the gap between the physical and digital world; describes the future of the metaverse as a space where ‘everyone belongs and connects;’ and describes ‘Metapolis,’ their highly immersive XR metaverse platform and the role Zilliqa will play in this emerging space.

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Dov and Sam Falic are co-founders of BlockBar, the world’s first direct-to-consumer NFT marketplace for wines and spirits. BlockBar connects consumers and collectors with stockists, offering buyers the opportunity to trade NFTs in return for unique drinks products from global brands like Glenfiddich, Hennessy and PATRÓN. In this in-depth conversation, Sam and Dov reflect on the journey to founding BlockBar, and the mission to use NFTs to solve problems in the industry; discuss how they’re bridging the generational barrier by educating both Gen Z and boomers in different areas; and share their plans to expand further by focusing on better educating consumers.

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Tom Ffiske is editor of Immersive Wire. Founded in 2016, the website aims to keep subscribers in-the-know about the latest developments in VR, AR and the metaverse. Tom is passionate about keeping a pulse on innovation and helping professionals interested in immersive tech to reach new heights. In this in-depth conversation, Tom discusses his latest book “The Metaverse: A Professional Guide,” and how we can work and expand our skill sets in the metaverse; explores whether there's a negative side to it’s creation; and shares what the future holds for VR and AR, and how it will change the way we consume the world around us. 

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Michael López-Alegría is chief astronaut for Axiom Space and commander of the Ax-1 mission. He joined NASA in 1992, and is a four-time astronaut holding NASA records for the most “spacewalks” and a cumulative extravehicular activity time of 67 hours 40 minutes. In this in-depth conversation, Michael reflects on the “overwhelming sensation” of his first acceleration and landing in space; discusses the Ax-1 mission this year, where he will become the first person to ever command an all-private crew to the International Space Station; and shares his predictions for the future.

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Vincent Buyssens is a creative digital strategist. Based in Antwerp, his digital consultancy agency Voidwalker helps brands navigate the communities, content and currencies that make up our internet society including the Metaverse and Web3, with a passion to make them more tangible for all. He also teaches courses on internet culture and the creator economy at Thomas More University. In this in-depth conversation, Vincent discusses the mission of Voidwalker, and why it's crucial to help the people, organisations and communities that are not so internet-native, claim their place in it; shares what the Metaverse means to him and the main possibilities it will bring, as more people value their digital lives over their physical lives; and gives his predictions for the next 10-15 years in technology, as it allows “more ways of connection and communication between people.”

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Apurva Shah is the founder and chief executive of Duality Robotics. Prior to this, he was head of creative technology and design systems at Capital One, and visual effects supervisor and member of the technical brain trust at Pixar. He is also an Adjunct Professor in emerging technology at the California College of the Arts, and an advisor for the non-profit ‘Kids and Art.’ In this in-depth conversation, Apurva reflects on the founding journey and mission of Duality Robotics, using the metaverse to solve real world problems; reflects on his time working for Pixar, with film credits including Ratatouille, Shrek, Finding Nemo and Toy Story 3; and gives his predictions for future trends, sharing why he believes the line between virtual and physical will “blur.”

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Jimmy Chan is the co-founder and chief executive of Oly Sport, the NFT blockchain-based horse racing platform. Prior to starting Oly Sport, Jimmy was CEO of Odyssey3D, a company which grew to be in the top 1% globally within the virtual reality real estate space, and is a recipient of Canada’s ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ award. In this in-depth conversation, Jimmy discusses the mission of Oly Sport, and how it allows players to buy, breed, and race virtual horses so gamers can “race-to-earn” within its Metaverse; reflects on his previous role at Odyssey3D, the company which brought the 3D virtual reality experience to Toronto; and shares why he believes we need to look to the future of technology as an opportunity to “connect our thinking into a unified way of understanding the world.”

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Today, I’m joined by Marc Palatucci, senior foresight associate at the Future Today Institute. Marc has served on the World Health Organization’s Learning Strategy Advisory Group, and is a senior deputy to the World Economic Forum’s Platform for Shaping the Future of Media, Entertainment and Culture. He also co-leads the MBA course in strategic foresight at the New York University Stern School of Business and serves as editor-at-large for Office Magazine. In this in-depth conversation, Marc shares his view on where tech is heading, with a particular focus on how smart eyewear will take us from “hands on to heads up;” discusses his work at the Future Today Institute, preparing clients for their future by making connections, not predictions; and dives into diminishing reality, and what being able to “minimise your surroundings” will mean for our daily lives.

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Hrish Lotlikar is co-founder and CEO of SuperWorld. Founded in 2017, the digital world enables users to buy, sell, collect, and curate over 64 billion unique plots of virtual land. The platform is mapped over the entire surface of the globe, allowing users to purchase from any place on earth. Prior to SuperWorld, Hrish co-founded Rogue Initiative Studios, and was also the founding managing partner of the early-stage VC fund Eastlabs. In this in-depth conversation, Hrish reflects on his background and journey into the AR and VR space; discusses how Superworld “personalizes the real world,” and it’s mission to enhance and empower societies; and shares the latest on his recent project in Barbados using Superworld as a “gateway to the metaverse.”

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Katharina Gehra is co-founder and chief executive of Immutable Insight. Founded in 2018, the advisory uses scientific analysis to advise and service companies in the blockchain and crypto industries. Appointed to the role in 2019, she manages the first BaFin registered crypto hedge fund in Germany ‘Blockchainfonds,’ and hosts the  ‘Block52’ podcast. In this in-depth conversation, Katharina reflects on starting out in the blockchain space, and how this led to her nomination to help guide the former Bundestag; discusses her thoughts on the future of blockchain, why she believes it will “change everything in the future;” and shares her work at Immutable Insight – how they apply real time analytics to help the industry make more informed decisions. 

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