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Blockchain-powered Web3 is coming and Atlanta startups want in
The Internet is 33 years old, and many believe the time has come for something new and less regulated. The days of internet hosting and data storage run by giant tech companies are coming to an end, and the rise of blockchain technology represents what many believe can, and should, be the future of the web.
The Atlanta Blockchain Centerowned and initiated by tech entrepreneur Marlon Williams, has been in business ever since the ribbon cutting ceremony with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens last June. The center is ready to pave the way for business owners and startups to create a new future for Web3. The vision for Web3 is a blockchain-based, decentralized web including cryptocurrencies, NFTs and DAOs.
According to Williams, the future of the Internet will be controlled by individuals, not companies, using blockchain technology. “Creators, the ones who upload the pictures, write the status messages, add personal information to these pages, they are the ones who are going to monetize their data online,” he said.
The Atlanta Blockchain Center is a 2,500 square foot space in Buckhead created to help nurture future projects and be a centralized learning center and collaboration space. The technology incubator Starter Labs runs the centre.
The center aims to improve existing blockchain technology by allowing entrepreneurs to learn from those already experienced in the field. Williams says there is a steep learning curve for startups looking to get involved in blockchain, and that the same learning curve can be applied to all new forms of technology and innovation. The center hopes to solve this problem by offering solutions and documented knowledge to those who seek it.
What is Blockchain?
Put simply, blockchain technology is a global, decentralized online book for documents and data. It is free to use by anyone and is not regulated by a single party. Blockchain allows users to store blocks of data online and securely connect that data to a global network of millions of computers, also known as blockchain. This allows users to store information easily and securely, without the need for intervention from a third party or intermediary.
Because the information stored on the blockchain is “pseudo-anonymous”, the transactions stored on the chain are visible, but the details are not. The network uses “miners” to verify transactions, keeping the chain transparent, safe and secure.
Why is this important to the future of the Internet? Well, for one thing, the rise of cryptocurrency has created a need for a better way to document and store online transactions. The blockchain can offer that. It also opens up the world of secure internet transactions to a global community, including low-income countries that often have little access to technology and digital resources.
Williams has stated that the center hopes to expand the use of blockchain technology. “When people hear Blockchain, they just hear bitcoin and cryptocurrency and NFT now… but before the development of Blockchain, there was no way I could send you a document and not have it anymore. In the information age, everything was really just a copy. Now can we transfer value over the Internet … and use Blockchain to eliminate middlemen across many industries.”
The Atlanta Blockchain Center is located near the Atlanta Tech Village, a hub of innovation and drive related to all things tech. The center recently announced its first incubation program, titled Immutable Founders. The group includes Revere XR, Wedge Inc. and Helix Automotive. Together, the group held its first meeting about two months after the center’s grand opening.
The future of digital technology is moving into the hands of the public, and Atlanta is here for it. The Atlanta Blockchain Center is the first of its kind in the Atlanta area, and its founders hope to expand the availability, accuracy and accessibility of blockchain technology to entrepreneurs from around the world. Doing so will help cement the future of Web3.0 as the Internet for the people rather than a digital platform that only benefits giant corporations and their investors.
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