Unchained: Blockchain Business Forum 2024

Fifteen years ago, it was probably fair to say that very few folks outside of a computer lab were talking about blockchain. In 2008, a white paper authored by the creator of Bitcoin, which launched in 2009, detailed the link between blockchain and cryptocurrency. Since then, the applications for blockchain have multiplied and what was once mostly a topic for programmers has become a necessary topic of understanding for finance and other business professionals.

On Friday, February 2, two UCLA Anderson student organizations, the Technology Business Association at Anderson (AnderTech) and the Entrepreneur Association, are presenting the second annual Unchained: Blockchain Business Conference at UCLA Anderson.

As Anderson’s marquee blockchain event, the conference’s goal is to educate attendees on the latest news and trends across Web3 and crypto, while establishing UCLA Anderson as an essential resource that connects emerging business talent with opportunities across the industry and strengthens Los Angeles’ position as a leader in the global Web3 space.

Harrison K. Jung (’24) serves as vice president of crypto and Web3 for AnderTech and is one of the student organizers of Unchained. He says that this year, Unchained presents a trio of panels addressing enterprise business applications, the journey of building Web3 products and businesses, and crypto and DeFi investments.

Enterprise Business Applications: Scaling for the Future

Stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency whose value is backed by a commodity, a different currency or other financial assets. The idea is to create a cryptocurrency token with a stable price. On August 7, 2023, PayPal announced its launch of stablecoin PYUSD, marking a huge milestone in the journey of traditional financial institutions adopting Web3 technology. “The shift toward digital currencies requires a stable instrument that is both digitally native and easily connected to fiat currency like the U.S. dollar,” said Dan Schulman, president and CEO of PayPal. This Unchained panel will discuss stablecoins and other enterprise use cases for blockchain that students, enthusiasts and business leaders should be paying attention to in 2024 and beyond.

Speakers:

Amanda Schwartz Ramirez (’10), Founder, Garden Labs; COO Advisor; Former Dapper and PayPal
John Nahas, Senior VP of Business Development, Ava Labs
Larry Pang, Head of Business Development, IoTeX
Moderator: Jonas Simanavicius, Co-Founder and CTO, Syntropy

Builders: Pioneering Growth in Bear and Bull Markets

Twenty-twenty-three was generally thought of as a down year for crypto, yet VCs still invested $10.3 billion into Web3 startups. As reported in an article on The Block, a leading research and analysis publication in the blockchain space, “In 2023, venture capitalists injected $10.7 billion into crypto and blockchain startups, marking a 68% decrease from the $33.3 billion invested in 2022 … Notably, the proportion of deals allocated to pre-seed, seed, and Series A startups increased in 2023, while mid and later-stage deals declined compared to the previous year.” Our panelists will detail the challenges of fundraising and building products and services in highly dynamic markets.

Speakers:

Luke Katz (’22), VP of Growth, Seratonin
Ryan Caradonna (’22), Founder and Co-CEO, EQ Tickets
Tim Tello, Founder and CEO, 3thix
Moderator: Wyatt Hilkene (EMBA ’25), Director of Operations, 4K.com

Crypto and DeFi: Investing in Tomorrow

In a landmark decision, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved 11 bitcoin ETFs on January 10, 2024. The next week, total trading volume crossed $11 billion and bitcoin surpassed silver to become the second largest ETF commodity in the US. According to The Block, “This achievement is attributed to the increasing demand from institutional and retail investors seeking exposure to BTC.” Although the direction of crypto regulation remains unclear, this panel will touch on general crypto sentiment and investments not only in the U.S., but also in key regions of Europe and Asia.

Speakers:

Benjamin Tsai (’01), Co-Founder and President, Wave Digital Assets; Lecturer, UCLA Anderson
Jun Park, Senior Investor for Gaming/IP, Hashed; Forbes 30 Under 30 Alumnus
Kenny Wu, Investments Associate, Taisu/EMURGO Ventures
Mona Hautala, Vice President, Taisu/EMURGO Ventures
Moderator: Sam Borghese, Co-Founder and CEO, Zeal Reserve; Lecturer, UCLA Master of Quantitative Economics Program
 

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