Halsey Minor is among one of the latest big names to venture into blockchain. Where the name may be unfamiliar to most people, truth be told Minor helped pioneer the Internet revolution and shaped the future of technology as we know it. His first significant accomplishment was founding the iconic CNET in 1994, known for its technology reviews and news. In fact, it was one of the first internet companies to make enormous profits, which was acquired by CBS Corporation for $1.8 billion in 2008.
He also co-founded Salesforce, working closely with Marc Benioff and John Dillon. As one of the earliest supporters, he invested $19.5 million of his own money in 1999 and became the second-largest shareholder when the company IPO’d with a 10% stake.
To the blockchain
Minor is no stranger to the Blockchain, having founded the Coinbase competitor Uphold. However, in 2017, he went further down the rabbit hole launching VideoCoin, which describes itself as “video infrastructure for the blockchain-enabled internet.”
VideoCoin has raised over $36 million in pre-ICO funding from early investors and the team has a primary goal of leveraging the blockchain to store, encode, and stream videos at a cost-efficient rate. It also plans on using unused computers in data centers to power its network. They aim to rival competitors such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud in their ability to offer lower prices at scale.
It’s easy to get lost in the narrative when discussing the often over-hyped blockchain space, but with Minor at the helm and aspirations of being the new Blockchain-powered AWS, VideoCoin certainly merits excitement. Here’s why:
1. Next-gen vlogging
Vlogging will now get an upgrade thanks to vLogger, an AI-driven technology allowing you to follow athletes in real-time. Consumer preferences in video are evolving away from passive viewing and more towards interactivity. There is a trend towards technologies that connect the viewer with their favorite celebrities and content creators–Twitch being just one example. Any new technology that enhances the ability of the viewer to feel genuinely connected to an influencer, especially in real-time, is worth taking seriously.
2. Content transparency and control
Privacy and content are increasingly important to creators and the best way to empower them is by enabling full transparency. VideoCoin’s PowerTube feature grants that exact level of control over distribution, monetization, and overall content strategies.
3. Upgraded VR & 360
One my favorite things about VR is seeing the limits continue to be pushed when it comes to scene immersion. Live Planet takes it a step further for creators with their end-to-end VR system that enables seamless capture and distribution of 4K VR & 360 video. You can check it out for yourselves, here.
I’m hopeful, folks. There’s still a need for actual innovation and quality in the blockchain space. The recent downturn is helping to filter out scams and low-quality investments, leaving room for companies with strong leadership and technical expertise to lead. Utility of tokens along with traditional business indicators like quality of team, size of market and depth of technical innovation will increasingly be key.