THREE QUESTIONS TO COLIN LOYENS, CO-FOUNDER OF K.I.S.S PROJECT AND MEMBER OF THE WALCHAIN NETWORK

They are our clients, our friends, good contacts or just people we met. They have a new vision, they are running great projects, they are developing new services or they just want to share their story. We interview key people of the blockchain and fintech ecosystem: if you want to be next, please email us at blockchain@havas.com.

Can you introduce yourself?

I am an engineer with 6 years of international experience (UK, China, India, and Canada) and I am currently working as an investment manager for the Walloon Region. I finally co-founded WalChain with my peers in Wallonia to boost the adoption of blockchain technologies and make the Walloon authorities and companies aware of the stakes of this revolution.

In my extra time, I am launching a disruptive project with ecological, social, and economic impact called K.I.S.S.

In short, money has been created to support the economy during the covid crisis. K.I.S.S. wants to do the same to finance the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).

In fact, lack of money is the root of all main issues (Climate, social …) and, with the blockchain, we finally have in our hands a tool to build trust and so, like the banks, to create money.

K.I.S.S provides a tool, a crypto-money, to governments to allow them to invest in the real economy and to reach on time the 17 SDGs.

Finally, blockchain technology was the missing piece to be able to realize this project which means a lot to me.

What is WalChain (objectives, members…)?

WalChain is an initiative emerging from Walloon startups active in blockchain technology.

It all started in December 2020, when, with other blockchain project holders we decided to exchange our common passion. We didn’t know each other for most of us, but we were all working on a blockchain-oriented business, and so we were facing the same challenges and obstacles.

Eventually, we all shared the same vision about blockchain and its potentially positive impact on Wallonia.

Directly, we realized there was something to build together and it was still time to put Wallonia on the blockchain world map. It became quickly evident that a blockchain business network would be the best vehicle to promote the technology, to help the emergence of a new Walloon ecosystem and to promote Wallonia (and the members of the network) internationally.

The regional investment fund W.IN.G by Digital Wallonia and the Agence Du Numérique which supports the emergence of digital technologies in Wallonia positively welcomed the initiative, gave us their full support and actively helped us put the initiative in place.

After a few weeks of administrative meetings to ensure a strong foundation, the WalChain business network was officially launched to promote the “Made In Wallonia”.

WalChain is the Walloon blockchain network aiming to promote the blockchain “Made In Wallonia”.

WalChain’s mission is to promote, educate and demystify:

• Raise awareness: show in a simple and accessible way the challenges and benefits of blockchain technology;
• Stimulate the development of blockchain technology: promote the offer of services, support blockchain projects through networking and identify the needs of companies;
• Train technical and strategic talents: setting up training sessions;
• Act as a Think Tank: inspire Walloon players through best practices and testimonials from peers, stimulate reflection and formulate proposals on practices and the establishment of a legal framework favorable to the development of blockchain.

WalChain gathers blockchain startups, companies, investment funds, clusters, research centers, and educational players.

Concretely, WalChain has launched its first TesNet for its members and a first call for projects in the Agrifood sector thanks to a partnership with the Wagralim competitiveness cluster.

Two months after the official launch, we are proud to announce that we have more than 100 blockchain enthusiasts participating to the WalChain Discord and 40 members in the network.

What are the specificities of the Wallonia blockchain ecosystem?

Wallonia has been at the forefront of research on cryptography and blockchain for a long time. In 1998, UCLouvain deployed the first global blockchain on the web, with funding from the Belgian government within the framework of Belspo (TIMESEC project). Professor Jean-Jacques Quisquater is cited in second place out of the 8 references by the founding paper of bitcoin.

Furthermore, Wallonia has numerous sectors which could benefit directly from blockchain value proposition: Agrifood, Pharmaceutical, animal husbandry, logistics, biotechnologies, the environment, energy, craft products, gaming, culture, etc.

Finally, WalChain’s size. As Wallonia is small, every WalChain actor knows each other and so, it is easier to be aligned, to find compromise and to collaborate towards the same goal: create value for the Walloon region in a European spirit.