11 Jan 2025
The meeting focused on the development of a web 3 technology directory, particularly blockchain solutions, and the challenges jurisdictions face with blockchain-based voting.
A recent global forum brought together over 100 companies and organizations from across a dozen countries, including representatives from government, military, banking, media, academia, and the tech industry. The event showcased a dynamic exchange of ideas about secure and anonymous voting systems, signaling a significant surge in interest and engagement from diverse sectors.
The forum’s agenda extended well beyond its scheduled time, as 55 participants remained for an additional 20-minute Q&A session. This unplanned extension highlighted the audience's deepening curiosity and investment in exploring innovative solutions for secure voting.
Gerard, one of the key moderators, opened the forum by introducing the GBA BMM, the Voting Group leader Susan, and other notable speakers. Susan, a renowned expert in the field, was lauded for her leadership and insights. Gerard also took the opportunity to promote the GBA’s Trusted Solutions Directory, spotlighting DeVOTE’s inclusion in the Elections Experts section.
Among the speakers, Amelia presented a compelling narrative about her experiences in the U.S., discussing both the barriers and successes she encountered. She concluded by advocating for a multifaceted approach to adoption, emphasizing the importance of platforms like DeVOTE and Voatz in driving progress.
Linda demonstrated the remarkable growth of Voatz, showcasing its journey from zero to five million voters and its active presence in seven countries. Her presentation provided a clear example of the potential scalability and impact of secure voting solutions.
The forum also featured an engaging presentation on global advancements in election systems. One speaker highlighted the recent UN IGF Dynamic Coalition meeting in Riyadh, which emphasized the modernization of electoral processes worldwide. The announcement of a strategic partnership between DeVOTE, Acki, STEM, and OCI underscored a collective commitment to advancing true anonymity and Web3 solutions. This partnership aims to extend secure voting applications beyond public elections to sectors such as healthcare, supply chain management, and corporate proxy voting.
The community-driven ethos of DeVOTE was a recurring theme, with its open-source foundation and phased adoption strategy serving as a roadmap for industry integration. The speaker’s vision of gradually tackling low-hanging fruits across industries before aspiring to facilitate U.S. presidential elections resonated strongly with attendees. Notably, blockchain professor Adri from Holland and other participants lent unexpected support to this forward-thinking approach.
The forum concluded with a palpable sense of momentum and collaboration. As diverse stakeholders continue to rally around secure and anonymous voting technologies, the potential for transformative change across multiple industries becomes increasingly clear. Events like this forum serve as vital platforms for driving innovation and building a global consensus on the future of voting systems.