Kimmo and I started out at the incredibly early time of 5:30AM to head off to Helsinki for the IBM Blockchain Seminar. After a slight public transport hitch (the 58A bus is not the same as the 58 bus, for your information) we arrived at the IBM office on Laajalahdentie 23 just after 8:30AM, where registration and entry was handled with impressive efficiency and swiftness. IBM kindly provided coffee, fruit and sandwiches for breakfast, and the presentations began.

As someone with limited Finnish language skills I was somewhat concerned that the presentations were to be in Finnish, but all the slides were in English, which meant that I could generally work out what the speakers were talking about.

Timo Koskinen, the CTO of IBM Finland provided a very concise summary of the uses and characteristics of blockchains, parts of which reminded me of some of the slides I presented at TUT a month ago.

This was followed by an update by Mika Lammi on on the Smartlog project underway in Kouvola. I’ve read all the materials I can get my hands on concerning this project, so there wasn’t anything surprising, but it looks like the project is on track, which is exciting. Finland should be proud of the fact that one of the world’s first non-financial blockchain projects is based right here among the snow and fir trees.

After a short coffee break, Kari Korpela from Lapeenranta University of Technology presented some materials on transaction processing between parties and the possible insertion of a blockchain system into what is traditionally handled by databases and invoicing. It’s reassuring to see that Finnish universities are taking a real and active interest in this new technology.

Arto Ahde then took the rather bold approach of presenting a live demonstration of IBM’s Bluemix system for setting up and configuring your own permissioned blockchain, which I hope to be trying out myself later this week. Fortunately for Arto everything appeared to run smoothly.

Finally there was a presentation by a speaker whose name I didn’t catch, but I believe he was possibly a director of sales for IBM’s Watson and Bluemix offerings, about how blockchains could be integrated with other business opportunities.

IBM then generously provided us with a full meal, with coffee or mineral water, and gave all the delegates (I would estimate about 60 or so participants) the chance to mingle and exchange details.

Both Kimmo and I thought it was a very profitable use of a Thursday, and I’m very grateful to IBM for providing the venue, refreshments, and of course food, both for thought and for our stomachs. And of course to Tea Suuronen for her organizational skills!