Sixth Annual
June 2020
Hosted by Bitfury and ACTAI Global
on Sir Richard Branson's Necker Island
Sixth Annual
June 2020
Hosted by Bitfury and ACTAI Global
on Sir Richard Branson's Necker Island
The annual Blockchain Summit, hosted every year by Bitfury and ACTAI Global, is a gathering place for tech experts, world leaders and global changemakers to discuss the applications of blockchain technology for good.
The past five Blockchain Summits have fostered innumerable partnerships and projects, including the Global Blockchain Business Council, the Blockchain Trust Accelerator and the Blockchain Alliance. These are just three examples of the powerful impact that dedicated leaders can have when they join forces beyond the conference room—and think about how to solve ever-pressing global challenges.
Valery Vavilov, CEO and co-founder of Bitfury
This exclusive event invites world leaders and visionaries for a set of intimate discussions highlighting critical issues and solutions and to lay out the framework for a world where humankind is fully benefiting from blockchain technology.
The reasons algorithms behind AI become biased are myriad. One possible solution, according to Adam Caplan, Salesforce’s head of blockchain, is to structure and track the disorganized data using a shared, distributed ledger, or blockchain, similar to the ledger that tracks bitcoin transactions. At the fifth annual Blockchain Summit, Caplan described how the consumer resource management (CRM) giant is looking into ways blockchain can track the origin of biased data. The summit, which aims to inspire interdisciplinary projects that benefit society, is hosted by Bitfury, a member of Forbes Blockchain 50.
It is this interconnectedness of the global economy that another participant of the Blockchain Summit thinks is central to blockchain’s ability to do more than just break down borders. Summit co-host and co-founder of blockchain startup Bitfury, Valery Vavilov, explained how he thinks the nature of competition itself could eventually be undone.
Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson literally stood up today at his resort in Marrakesh, Morocco, and committed his Virgin companies to ending the use of single-use plastic. Like a set of dominoes in reverse, the audience, comprising about 30 blockchain entrepreneurs, a senior-level government official, retired regulators and more, stood up beside him and in front of him. Branson was speaking on a panel called “Saving the Planet (A Bit at a Time)" during Bitfury's annual Blockchain Summit.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, the leaders behind the Blockchain Summit, normally hosted at Richard Branson's own personal Necker Island, saw an opportunity. The Category 5 storm that destroyed the retreat and thousands of private residences last year forced the event's cohosts to reevaluate its setting, and they wanted to do so with a sense of purpose.
Ever since Silicon Valley’s elite became interested in cryptocurrency, they have grappled with the question of how, in their quest to build these decentralized, blockchain-based systems that have the power to democratize society, they should manage their own privilege and influence.
When Roya Mahboob, 30, a serial entrepreneur from Afghanistan, began her startup, Women’s Annex, a platform for women to upload blogs and videos and be paid for views, the company found that paying the women didn’t empower them financially. While by law Afghan women could have bank accounts, their families didn’t want them to. “For one woman, her husband always hit her and took all the money from her,” said Mahboob, who then learned about Bitcoin and decided to begin paying the women with it.
Many blockchain and crypto asset-focused conferences have an obvious financial focus. But the most idealistic and socially conscious of them, the Blockchain Summit hosted by the Bitcoin mining and blockchain services company Bitfury Group and venture capitalist Bill Tai, commenced Tuesday on Sir Richard Branson's private island, Necker, with a different bent. Before even arriving on the island, some attendees on the same flight dived right into discussions of how to use crypto tokens to create social good such as reducing air pollution.
Hosted by blockchain services company Bitfury and its board member, venture capitalist Bill Tai, with special support from Credit China Fintech, this year’s summit on Necker Island features attendees from around the globe such as former Estonian president Toomas Ilves, renowned Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto, Afghan tech CEO Roya Mahboob and Greek European Parliament member Eva Kaili.
Not only is Necker Island a wonderful place to relax and unwind, it’s also a great setting for free thinking and innovation. It has an incredible power to prompt people to think differently and dream big. Knowing this, every year we welcome a number of groups to the Island for gatherings that encourage inspiring collaborations. One of my favourite annual get-togethers is the Blockchain Summit. The technology behind the Blockchain has great potential to change the world in an incredibly positive way. It may be a niche subject that many people haven’t heard of, but it’s something that all business leaders should become interested in and educated about. It’s an extraordinarily pervasive technology that touches a lot of mankind.
What is arguably the most exclusive blockchain industry conference, the Blockchain Summit, sponsored by the BitFury Group and MaiTai Global, kicks off its second annual event this Saturday on long-time innovator, futurist and entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island in the Caribbean. This year, the notable attendees of the Blockchain Summit include Marietje Schaake, a member of the European Parliament whom the Wall Street Journal called “Europe’s Most Wired Politician;” Jim Newsome, the former chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the New York Mercantile Exchange; and Beth Moses, aerospace engineer for Virgin Galactic.
The group, which the summit web site described as comprising “the greatest minds in digital innovation,” explored multiple projects that would use the blockchain – the core ledger technology underlying bitcoin – to change the lives of billions of people.
Block Chain Summit, the exclusive bitcoin event held on Richard Branson's private island, has revealed a surprising advocate of blockchain technology.
According to tweets from Necker Island, actress Lucy Liu – better known for her work in Hollywood blockbusters and Sherlock Holmes reboot Elementary – joined participants for a Skype discussion on how the blockchain could play a role in identity management.
We recently hosted the Blockchain Summit, a four-day gathering of digital innovators that was organised by the team behind the MaiTai gatherings. It was fascinating debating new developments in the industry and mapping out what the future holds. The meetings didn’t just discuss topics like Bitcoin though. The likes of Hernando de Soto shared their thoughts on the future of the world, while we also played hard – as this incredible video of kitesurfing off the Great House roof shows. As I shared recently, a high-tech product was even conceived, developed and launched – all on the island.
But this May, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson is set to hold the conference on Necker Island, his 74-acre private island in the British Virgin Islands, to discuss the future of Bitcoin, Blockchain and digital currency. (Blockchain is the software infrastructure that supports Bitcoin transactions — not to be confused with Blockchain.info, which is a digital wallet service.)
Branson is sharing hosting duties with Valery Vavilov, the CEO of Bitfury, a company that develops servers for “Blockchain transaction processing,” Pro kiteboarder Suzi Mai and VC Bill Tai, the co-founders of MaiTai Global and George Kikvadze, the managing director of the Georgian Co-Investment Fund.
In May, British billionaire Richard Branson invited a select posse of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and technology advisers to his Caribbean residence for an exclusive pow wow on an issue occupying some of the top markets minds in the world. The topic for discussion on the picturesque Necker Island was the "blockchain."
The Bitfury Group is the world’s leading full-service blockchain technology company. Bitfury is building solutions for the future, with the most significant technologies of the millennium. Our mission is to make the world more transparent and trusted by innovating at every level of technology – hardware, security, and software – to put trust back into the equation.
For additional information please contact: rachel.pipan@bitfury.org Or follow our social media channels here:
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This Privacy Policy applies to the Bitfury website located at www.neckerblockchainsummit.com and describes how Bitfury collects and uses your personal data in the context of its website. For more information on our contact details see par. 11 ‘How to Contact Us.’ We are committed to safeguarding your privacy. Therefore, we encourage you to read this policy carefully.
We have divided this privacy policy into different paragraphs. Please review below.
1. Who We Are
We are Bitfury Holding B.V., our office is located at the Herengracht 168, 1016 BP Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Together with Bitfury Group Limited we are responsible for the collection and use of your personal data described in this privacy policy. References to “Bitfury”, “we” and “our” throughout this privacy notice collectively refer to the aforementioned legal entities.
Bitfury is the largest full-service blockchain technology company in the world. We develop and deliver cutting-edge software and hardware solutions necessary for businesses, governments, organizations and individuals to securely move assets across the blockchain.
Our expertise ensures successful, easy, fast, secure, and cost-effective connectivity to the blockchain. Bitfury is dedicated to advancing the blockchain community. Learn more about our bold leadership in bringing blockchain technology to the world.
We have determined our respective responsibilities for compliance with our obligations under applicable privacy legislation for processing your personal data in relation to our global processing activities by means of an arrangement between you and us. In summary, we have arranged that if you want to exercise your rights, such as your right to access, correct, erase, restrict, object or port personal data or to withdraw your consent, or if you have any questions about the processing of your personal data, you can contact Bitfury Holding B.V. in accordance with par. 11 ‘How to Contact Us’. Bitfury will ensure that you can exercise your rights and that your questions will be handled within a reasonable timeframe.
2. Types of Information Collected
When you visit our website to read or browse through website material or to download information we may collect and process the following categories of personal data:
a. Name, address, telephone number, e-mail address and other contact information.
You may choose to write to us, or fill out certain forms or online data requests, which provide your name, address, telephone number and/or e-mail address, and related information. We may use this information to respond to your questions and requests.
b. Our communication with you.
When you send us an email or otherwise communicate with us online (e.g. via social media), we register your communication with us.
c. Information we collect when you use this website.
When you use this website, certain information may be collected automatically, such as name of the domain and host from which you access the Internet, the browser software and operating system of your computer, the Internet protocol (IP) address of your computer and the Internet address of the site from which you linked directly to our site. We also collect information via cookies and similar technologies when you visit this website. For more information please read our Cookie Policy.
d. Information in relation to social media.
We are active on various social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
We only use this information to communicate with you and for statistical research. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of the social media platform that you used to use to get more information about the processing of your personal data.
For specific services or software, we may collect other types of information and use such information for different purposes than described in this privacy policy. We will inform you about this when you register for the specific service or download the specific software.
3. Collection of Information
We collect the aforementioned categories of personal data in the following ways:
a. We collect data you provide to us.
When you communicate with us via e-mail, online or social media, when you share personal preferences with us, we collect data directly from you.
b. Sometimes, companies we co-operate with also share your data with us.
Certain services are provided by us in co-operation with other companies (i.e. our group companies work together in processing your orders). These companies share your personal data with us if this is necessary for these services. We also share your personal information with these third parties (please see par. 6 ‘Information Sharing’ below).
c. Depending on your social network settings, we may receive information from your social network provider (please see above).
For example, when you follow us via social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, we can receive personal data of these platforms related to your profile.
d. When you use our website, we collect information via cookies and similar technologies.
For more information please read our Cookie Policy.
4. Use of Information Collected
The main purposes for which we use your personal information are:
a. To communicate with you.
If you send us an email or communicate with us online or via social media, we process your data for the purpose of responding to you.
b. For statistical research.
We use automatic tools (such as cookies) to perform statistical research into general trends regarding the use of this website and the behavior of the website’s visitors for the purpose of improving this website.
c. For record keeping and to comply with statutory obligations.
We collect, store and use your data for internal business purposes, such as record keeping and to comply with our legal and fiscal obligations.
5. Legal Basis
We collect, use and store your personal data to comply with the legal obligations we are subject to, if necessary for our legitimate interests or the interests of a third party, for the execution of an agreement, or on the basis of your consent.
If we process your personal data on the basis of your consent, you may withdraw your consent at any time by following the specific instructions in relation to the processing for which you provided your consent, by adjusting your settings (if available) or by contacting us (please see par. 9 ‘Your Rights’ below).
When we process your personal data for our legitimate interests or the interests of a third party, we have balanced these interests against your legitimate interests. Where necessary we have taken appropriate measures to limit implications and prevent unwarranted harm to you. Our legitimate interests may for example include security and safety purposes, to improve this website. For more information on these interests, please see the purposes for which we process your personal data above. More information on the balancing tests we perform is available upon request. Where we process your personal data for our legitimate interests or the interests of a third party, you have the right to object at any time on grounds relating to your particular situation (please see par. 9 ‘Your Rights’ below).
Where we process your personal data for a purpose other than that for which we collected it initially (and we rely on a legal basis other than consent or complying with legal obligations for this new purpose), we will ascertain whether processing for this new purpose is compatible with the purpose for which the personal data were initially collected. More information on this assessment is available upon request (please see par. 9 ‘Your Rights’ below).
6. Information Sharing
As a general rule we do not sell or share your personal data with anyone outside the Bitfury group. However, we do disclose or share data with the following categories of recipients for the following purposes.
a. For the support services we involve.
We use third parties for support services to this website, such as IT suppliers (e.g. SalesForce’s CRM system for processing your orders), social network providers, marketing agencies, credit and charge card companies and anti-fraud screening service providers. All such third parties will be required to adequately safeguard your personal data and only process it in accordance with our instructions.
b. Statistical research.
For statistical research we make use of third party software such as Google Analytics or social media platforms. These platforms also have access to the data they collect. For example, when you accept cookies for this website, we analyze cookie data for statistical research via Google Analytics.
c. Group companies.
When you use one of our services, it is possible that we share data with one of our group companies. For example, when you send us an e-mail about a subject that falls under the responsibility of one of our subsidiaries, we will forward your question to the correct subsidiary.
d. Ownership of Bitfury changes.
If ownership of Bitfury changes as a result of a merger, acquisition, transfer, sale of assets, reorganization or bankruptcy your personal data may be transferred to the successor entity.
e. Public authorities.
If we are required to by law, we also collect and share your identifying information with public authorities or governmental organizations.
Third party websites. This website contains links to third-party websites; if you follow these links, you will exit our website. While these third-party websites are selected with care, we cannot accept liability for the use of your personal data by these organizations. For more information, please consult the privacy statement of the website you are visiting (if such a statement is provided).
7. Security and Retention
Bitfury will ensure that your personal data are properly secured using appropriate technical and organizational measures, so that they are protected against unauthorized or unlawful use, alteration, unauthorized access or disclosure, accidental or wrongful destruction, and loss.
Your personal data will be retained for as long as required for the purposes described in this privacy policy or in so far as such is necessary for compliance with statutory obligations and for solving any disputes. For the retention period of the cookies used on this website, please see our Cookie Policy.
8. International Transfer of Your Data
Bitfury may transfer your personal data to countries other than your country of residence (including countries outside the European Economic Area). This occurs in the course of providing your services or because our group companies, partners or service providers have operations in countries across the world. The laws of these countries may not afford the same level of protection to your personal data.
In the course of providing your services or because our group companies, partners or service providers have operations in countries across the world, we may transfer your personal data to the Cayman Island, Georgia, Hong Kong, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine and United States of America.
The European Commission has determined that certain countries outside the European Union offer an adequate level of data protection (see article 45 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)). You can find an overview of these countries here.
Bitfury will ensure that adequate safeguards are in place to comply with the requirements for the international transfer of personal data under applicable privacy laws. For transfers of personal data outside the European Economic Area, Bitfury may use European Commission approved Standard Contractual Clauses as safeguards (see article 46 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)). Contact us to obtain a copy.
9. Your Rights
You may contact us (please see par. 11 ‘How to Contact Us’ below) to exercise any of the rights you are granted under applicable data protection laws, which includes (1) the right to access your data, (2) to rectify them, (3) to erase them, (4) to restrict the processing of your data, (5) the right to data portability and (6) the right to object to processing.
1. Right to access
You may ask us whether or not we process any of your personal data and, if so, receive access to that data in the form of a copy. When complying with an access request, we will also provide you with additional information, such as the purposes of the processing, the categories of personal data concerned as well as any other information necessary for you to exercise the essence of this right.
2. Right to rectification
You have the right to have your data rectified in case of inaccuracy or incompleteness. Upon request, we will correct inaccurate personal data about you and, taking into account the purposes of the processing, complete incomplete personal data, which may include the provision of a supplementary statement.
3. Right to erasure
You also have the right to have your personal data erased, which means the deletion of your data by us and, where possible, any other controller to whom your data has previously been made public by us. Erasure of your personal data only finds place in certain cases, prescribed by law and listed under article 17 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This includes situations where your personal data are no longer necessary in relation to the initial purposes for which they were processed as well as situations where they were processed unlawfully. Due to the way we maintain certain services, it may take some time before backup copies are erased.
4. Right to restriction of processing
You have the right to obtain the restriction of the processing of your personal data, which means that we suspend the processing of your data for a certain period of time. Circumstances which may give rise to this right include situations where the accuracy of your personal data was contested but some time is needed for us to verify their (in)accuracy. This right does not prevent us from continue storing your personal data. We will inform you before the restriction is lifted.
5. Right to data portability
Your right to data portability entails that you may request us to provide you with your personal data in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and to have such data transmitted directly to another controller, where technically feasible. Upon request and where this is technically feasible we will transmit your personal data directly to the other controller.
6. Right to object.
You also have the right to object to the processing of your personal data, which means you may request us to no longer process your personal data. This only applies in case the ‘legitimate interests’ ground constitutes the legal basis for processing (see par. 5 ‘Legal basis’ above).
At any time and free of charge you can object to direct marketing purposes in case your personal data are processed for such purposes, which includes profiling purposes to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing. In case you exercise this right, we will no longer process your personal data for such purposes.
You may withdraw your consent at any time by following the specific instructions in relation to the processing for which you provided your consent, by adjusting your settings (if available) or by contacting us (please see par. 11 ‘How to Contact Us’).
For more information on how you can withdraw your consent for cookies and similar technologies we use when you visit our websites, please check our Cookie Policy.
Under conditions we are entitled to deny or restrict your rights as described above. In any case, we will carefully assess whether such an exemption applies and inform you accordingly.
We may, for example, deny your request for access when necessary to protect the rights and freedoms of other individuals or refuse to delete your personal data in case the processing of such data is necessary for compliance with legal obligations. The right to data portability, for example, does not apply in case the personal data was not provided by you or if we process the data not on the basis of your consent or for the performance of a contract.
When you would like to exercise your rights, all you have to do is send your request to us using the contact details stated below (please see par. 11 ‘How to Contact Us’).
You can also contact us at if you have any questions, remarks or complaints in relation to this privacy policy. However, if you have unresolved concerns you also have the right to complain to the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens, http://www.dutchdpa.nl) located in The Hague, The Netherlands.
10. Changes to Privacy Policy
This privacy policy was most recently amended and replaces earlier versions. We may update and/or change the terms of our privacy policy, and we will post any substantive changes on our website and provide to you by e-mail prior to these changes taking effect, so that our users and/or visitors are aware of the type of information we collect, how it will be used, and under what circumstances, if any, we may disclose such information.
11. How to Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Privacy Policy related to our website, please feel free to contact us at the following e-mail or mailing address.
E-mail: legal@bitfury.com
Mailing Address: Bitfury Holding B.V. - Legal Department, the Herengracht 168, 1016 BP Amsterdam, The Netherlands