Authority Magazine Declares “The Future is Now” in Interview with VIA’s CEO Colin Gounden

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Staying true to the mission of Authority Magazine, a publication “​​devoted to sharing in-depth, and interesting interviews, featuring people who are authorities in Business, Pop Culture, Wellness, Social Impact, and Tech,” Fotis Georgiadis selected VIA’s CEO Colin Gounden for an in-depth interview.

The interview, shared on Medium, covers Colin’s personal experiences in his career, including the most interesting story and what movement he would inspire, and most importantly, the cutting edge technological breakthroughs at VIA:

The biggest technological breakthrough our team at VIA is currently working on is Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs). I think that when we look back 20 years from now, ZKPs will be seen as one of the biggest innovations of our time.

Colin also takes a deep-dive into the incredible work going on at VIA related to Web3 and gives his 60-second VC pitch:

VIA’s been in Web 3 (blockchain and smart contracts) for more than 5 years. We’re just hitting the inflection point for really big adoption (single digit millions to double digit millions). We’ll make investors look brilliant for backing our growth to get to that $Bn+ valuation mark and, at the same time, doing it with a terrific sustainability mission.

For the full interview, visit Authority Magazine’s post on Medium.

InsideHook Highlights VIA CEO Colin Gounden’s Insights About Web3

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Kirk Miller of InsideHook took a deep dive into Web3 in his latest article, “The Answers to All Your Not-So-Stupid Questions About Web 3.0”. Through expert interviews, the article delivers insights including how Web3 will change our day-to-day to the kinds of companies that will thrive in this new environment.

VIA’s CEO Colin Gounden, gave his thoughts on the power of Web3:

“In 2004, James Surowiecki published a book called The Wisdom of Crowds — the basic premise is that many non-experts are smarter than a few experts,” says Colin Gounden, CEO of VIA, a blockchain-based Web3 platform for privacy-protected data analysis. “Surowiecki had collected incredible and well-researched examples ranging from guessing the number of jelly beans in a jar at a county fair to locating a lost U.S. Navy submarine. Businesses that are willing to leverage Web3 to harness the wisdom of crowds rather than rely on the expertise of a few are going to benefit the most from Web3.”

For the full article, visit the InsideHook website.

GreenTech National Funding Lab in Oklahoma Selects VIA for Clean Energy Program

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VIA is proud to join the inaugural cohort of the GreenTech National Funding Lab. Considered a highly competitive program, VIA was one of only ten companies chosen from across the country to form the inaugural cohort.

GreenTech National Funding Lab is the latest program to be launched by OK Catalyst, an office out of the University of Oklahoma, which assists in identifying opportunities to work with several participating Federal agencies including the Department of Defense (DOD), NASA, Department of Energy (DOE), and National Science Foundation (NSF).

Support from GreenTech National Funding Lab will accelerate VIA’s focus on delivering clean energy solutions to the Southeastern U.S. including, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Georgia. 

“Oklahoma in particular is a leader in clean energy generation technologies and forward thinking when it comes to data privacy issues,” said Joe Babiec, SVP Strategic Initiatives at VIA. He continued, “We’re thrilled that OK Catalyst has opened its doors for the first time to companies outside of Oklahoma to join one of their highly successful programs. We feel that VIA’s core technology will have immense value to support this community in their clean energy and data privacy goals.”

Though VIA’s participation in the GreenTech National Funding Lab is just getting underway, VIA has already identified a Web3 energy initiative within the state of Oklahoma. VIA envisions this application of the company’s blockchain technology as the first of many good things to come from its partnership with OK Catalyst and the GreenTech National Funding Lab.

Swiss Cognitive, World-Leading AI Network Selects VIA for Guest Article

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Swiss Cognitive, World-Leading AI Network selected VIA’s CEO, Colin Gounden, to share his point of view on the relationship between clean energy and blockchain technologies. The importance of clean energy in today’s economy and VIA’s long-standing expertise in this area were the primary reasons VIA was invited to write on this topic for Swiss Cognitive’s readers. In the article, Colin talks about how the decentralization of energy through rooftop solar panels and electric vehicles has created the ideal environment for blockchain to achieve solutions in clean energy:

“In a way, energy has evolved to become more adaptable to working with blockchain. Decentralization is at the core of Web3 and blockchain technologies – there are many players, in many locations, who interact but aren’t centrally controlled. As keen followers of energy and clean technologies will know, the last five years has seen an exponential increase in the decentralization of power.” – Colin Gounden, CEO of VIA

Colin’s guest article can be found on the Swiss Cognitive’s website.

Tech on Reg Interviews VIA CEO Colin Gounden for Podcast on Decentralizing the Energy Industry

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Dara Tarkowski, host of Tech on Reg, invited VIA’s CEO Colin Gounden as a guest on Episode 48 of the podcast. During the episode, “Decentralizing The Energy Industry” Colin talks about how Web3 is the next internet frontier, signaling a decentralized approach to the web, underpinned by blockchain technology. Colin explores where we are heading with Web3, what it means for data privacy, and how it’s taking shape in different industries.

One of our favorite quotes from Dara Tarkowski during the podcast was how VIA and clean energy relate:

“What VIA is doing is really combining up-and-coming technologies that have become so newsworthy that average consumers are starting to talk about this technology in a way that technologies have done for sometime with the desperate need for clean energy that has been so topical and the topic of every political race around the world. And VIA is right at the intersection.”

To listen to the full podcast, visit the Tech on Reg website. 

VIA’s Joe Babiec and Advisor General Tom Blackstock Participate in 3-Day JETC Conference

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VIA was proud to participate in this year’s JETC Conference. This is the first time the conference has been in person in three years, with over 2,000 attendees participating.

To kick off the event, VIA’s SVP, Strategic Initiatives, Joe Babiec and Advisor, General Tom Blackstock, set up shop in the exhibit hall that included over 150 participating companies. The duo had excellent conversations with fellow attendees about the ways JARVIS™ supports facilities management.

A peek into VIA’s booth at JETC.

On Day 2, General Tom Blackstock moderated the panel, “SMEs in Installation Facility Management and AI” with Joe Babiec, Major General William T. Nesbitt, and Lowell Ursey, Integration Branch Chief, NDR PMO. The panel covered how to prioritize facility investments in an environment where demands on today’s military facilities are increasing and budgets to support improvements to critical infrastructure are tight.

General Tom Blackstock moderating the panel discussion (photo courtesy of JETC Conference committee).

For a full recap on the event including a fun 2-minute video, visit the JETC website.

Colin Gounden Joins Wharton’s Sarah Hammer for Conversation about AI, Blockchain, and Clean Energy

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VIA’s CEO Colin Gounden joined The Wharton School’s Sarah Hammer for a conversation about how the use of blockchain, crypto, and AI connects to clean energy. Speaking specifically about technology in the crypto space, Colin commented:

“In general, we see the technology and tech stack evolving so fast in the crypto space that it’s where innovation is happening. Anytime that you want to provide a technology solution, you want to go to where the innovation is happening fastest.”

For more great questions and insights from Colin and Sarah’s chat, check out the full recording here.

That Tech Pod Interviews VIA CEO Colin Gounden

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Laura Milstein and Gabi Schulte of That Tech Pod interviewed VIA’s CEO Colin Gounden for the latest episode of their podcast which covers topics ranging from data privacy to tech innovations. During their chat, Colin described how valuable Web3 is for the future of data privacy and more specifically, how it plays a critical role in making data more accessible:

“It doesn’t matter how good your AI is, your math is, or your quant skills are if you can’t get access to data … the most successful companies in the world, the biggest market caps, the ones that have grown fastest, they did it by saying data is valuable, we need to learn from that data. Blockchain and Web3 are making vast amounts of data available to everyone, not just a select few.”

For the full 34 minute episode, play it here.

Swiss Ambassador Markus Börlin Interviews VIA CEO Colin Gounden

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VIA’s CEO Colin Gounden was invited by Ambassador Markus Börlin, Consul General of Switzerland to join him for an interview in New York City. During the interview, Colin talks about the reasons we selected Switzerland as a European office for VIA and why blockchain and AI are critical to the clean energy transition happening in Switzerland. Watch the full interview below.

EPRI Tests VIA Data Privacy Platform Through Independent Evaluation Process

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VIA’s blockchain-based data privacy platform successfully passes independent validation

SOMERVILLE, Mass., March 2, 2022 — VIA, the only U.S. Department of Defense cybersecurity accredited blockchain provider, is pleased to share that after an objective evaluation process, the company successfully completed an independent validation of the functionality of key data privacy protection features of its blockchain-based software platform. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), a leading energy R&D non-profit, began testing VIA’s platform capabilities at the request of multiple power companies to address the requirements of data analytics for clean energy rollout and individual consumer data privacy. Notable observers of the validation process included American Electric Power (AEP), Consolidated Edison (ConEd), Électricité de France (EDF), Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), and Salt River Project (SRP). 

“Data privacy and cybersecurity are critical challenges facing the grid, and are requirements for the clean energy transition,” said Matt Wakefield, director of information, communication, and cyber security (ICCS) at EPRI. “The energy industry needs to explore and evaluate privacy-preserving technologies like VIA’s to maintain reliable and affordable electricity.”

EPRI’s evaluation process used Advanced Metering Infrastructure (smart meter) data as a use case. Smart meter data has value to both traditional power providers and also new entrants to the energy sector (see chart below).

User of Smart Meter DataUse Case
System OperatorCalculating grid service requirements
Electricity RetailerTariff setting
Network OperatorDemand growth forecasting
Solar Installers and EV Charging CosCustomer targeting and pricing
Amazon, Google, City PlannersAmazon, Google, City Planners Proxy of citizens’ activity levels over time and geography to direct services, manage infrastructure, target marketing

“The value of smart meter data to make communities cleaner, safer, and more equitable is clear,” said VIA CEO Colin Gounden. “At the same time, individual consumer privacy is a top priority. Data privacy technologies, like VIA’s platform, enable a “no trade-off” solution where insights from data can be leveraged for good while individual data privacy is guaranteed.”

VIA’s platform passed several scenarios representative of typical requests made to power companies for their meter data. The specific data privacy protection algorithm employed “K-anonymity” along two dimensions: number of customers and amount of data per customer per request. Smart contracts that controlled the K-anonymity rules were stored on VIA’s blockchain, the first and only blockchain to have cybersecurity accreditation from the U.S. Department of Defense up to top secret level. In addition, VIA’s multi-cloud platform capabilities were demonstrated on both Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure.

As data privacy rules evolve, VIA continues to validate its software platform with the strictest regulations worldwide. As an example, VIA is currently working with legal experts in Switzerland to match recent Data Privacy Act enhancements passed in September 2020 due to be enforced later this year.

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About EPRI

Founded in 1972, EPRI is the world’s preeminent independent, non-profit energy research and development organization, with offices around the world. EPRI’s trusted experts collaborate with more than 450 companies in 45 countries, driving innovation to ensure the public has clean, safe, reliable, affordable, and equitable access to electricity across the globe. Together, we are shaping the future of energy.

About VIA

90% of the world’s data is trapped in silos. VIA makes it accessible. Trusted by leading government agencies and clean energy companies around the globe, VIA’s secure, digital collaboration platform overcomes the most common barriers to AI: lack of data, data quality issues, and data privacy risks. VIA enables decentralized energy data analysis at the locations where datasets are stored. Blockchain-based permissioning ensures that only anonymized or aggregated results are transmitted instead of the underlying datasets. VIA brings AI to data 100 times faster than alternatives. As the first and only U.S. Department of Defense-wide cybersecurity accredited blockchain application, VIA’s platform is the driving force to unlock data-driven business cases for power and energy service providers. VIA is headquartered in Somerville, Massachusetts, with a technology center in Montreal, Quebec, and European offices in Denmark and Rotkreuz, Switzerland. For more information, please visit www.solvewithvia.com.

Three Years Running: VIA Again Named to Tech Tribune’s Best Tech Startups List

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We did it again! For the third year in a row, VIA was named to Tech Tribune’s Best Tech Startups in Somerville list. We join nine companies in Somerville, Massachusetts that are shaping the local tech scene with solutions in the engineering, AI, healthcare, robotics, and utility spaces.

Tech Tribune chose the companies for the 2022 list based on four deciding factors including, 1) revenue potential, 2) leadership team, 3) brand/product traction, and 4) competitive landscape. We recently moved our Somerville headquarters to accommodate our growing team and look forward to continued contributions to the community. 

For the full list of startups, check out Tech Tribune’s website.

U.S. Department of Defense Selects VIA for Seventh Contract

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VIA expands work with U.S. Air Force in multi-million dollar contract for JARVIS™, VIA’s cyber secure building and runway maintenance software platform

SOMERVILLE, Mass., February 17, 2022 — VIA, the only U.S. Department of Defense cybersecurity accredited blockchain provider for data privacy, integration, and analysis, announced today that it has been awarded a new two-year, multi-million dollar contract with the United States Air Force (U.S. Air Force). The contract solidifies the existing partnership between VIA and the U.S. Air Force to support data-driven decision-making for base safety, mission readiness, and comfort for personnel. Selected over more than 160 competitors, VIA will collaborate with the U.S. Air Force’s Air Mobility Command (AMC) to make JARVIS™, VIA’s blockchain-based building and runway maintenance software platform, the standard for analyzing infrastructure condition across multiple air bases worldwide.

Tasked with instantaneous global responsiveness, AMC supports missions through airlifts, air refueling, air mobility support, and aeromedical evacuation across air bases and air strips worldwide. 

Together with AMC, VIA will build and enhance dashboards that will serve as the one-stop-shop for all of AMC’s infrastructure strategy and decision-making processes. With the ability to access these critical insights from multiple data sources and locations in real-time, commanders will have what they need to make faster and better data-driven decisions about how to keep infrastructure safe, mission-ready, and comfortable while saving taxpayer dollars.

Brigadier General Thomas H. Blackstock, Jr. added: “When faced with mission-critical situations, it’s imperative to have best practices and trusted data ready to make timely, effective resource decisions. After seeing success at Tyndall Air Force Base and Al Udeid Air Base, it’s clear JARVIS will have a significant impact, improving our installation management on a global scale.”

Pictured above: A bird’s eye view of critical infrastructure statistics from JARVIS™.

“In partnership with AMC, VIA is adding to JARVIS leading-edge infrastructure management capabilities that will improve U.S. Air Force operations enterprise-wide. These enhancements will augment the ways airmen already use JARVIS to save significant time performing their civil engineering duties,” said Joe Babiec, VIA’s senior vice president of strategic initiatives. “Ultimately, JARVIS eliminates the data tasks that keep airmen from focusing on what matters most: safety, mission readiness, and the comfort of personnel.”

Already in use by Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, JARVIS enables airmen to make data-driven decisions 100 times faster than any other infrastructure decision-making support system by automating all data science tasks and quickly generating reports. 

Follow the latest from VIA by visiting https://www.solvewithvia.com/latest/ or on social media, including LinkedIn and @solvewithvia on Twitter and Instagram.

About VIA

90% of the world’s data is trapped in silos. VIA makes it accessible. Trusted by leading government agencies and clean energy companies around the globe, VIA’s secure, digital collaboration platform overcomes the most common barriers to AI: lack of data, data quality issues, and data privacy risks. VIA enables decentralized energy data analysis at the locations where datasets are stored. Blockchain-based permissioning ensures that only anonymized or aggregated results are transmitted instead of the underlying datasets. VIA brings AI to data 100 times faster than alternatives. As the first and only U.S. Department of Defense-wide cybersecurity accredited blockchain application, VIA’s platform, is the driving force to unlock data-driven business cases for power and energy service providers. VIA is headquartered in Somerville, Massachusetts, with a technology center in Montreal, Quebec, and European offices in Denmark and Rotkreuz, Switzerland. For more information, please visit www.solvewithvia.com.

Wharton Selects VIA to Join Highly Competitive Blockchain Accelerator

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VIA has an all-access pass to the club. The blockchain club. VIA is proud to be one of only 10 companies accepted into Cohort 1 of Wharton University’s Stevens Center Cypher Accelerator program. 

In this prestigious three-month program, VIA will work with the biggest names in blockchain such as Mark Cuban and Tim Draper. Together with direct feedback and coaching from powerhouse investors including Andresseen Horowitz, Bain Capital, Dexterity Capital, and Pantera Capital, VIA will work to advance the blockchain ecosystem alongside academics and other Stevens center experts.

“We’re excited to have so much one-on-one access to the leading thinkers and investors in blockchain,” VIA CEO Colin Gounden said. “While customers first started using our blockchain application in 2018, we only launched our own blockchain in 2021. This was driven by the cybersecurity requirements for our U.S. Department of Defense customers. We see the Wharton program as a way for VIA to sharpen our differentiation, accelerate our growth, and expand our market leadership position.”

To learn more about the Cypher Accelerator program, visit the Stevens Center website here.

Guidehouse Insights Names VIA as Leader in Energy Asset Management

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The continued integration of renewables into global electricity grids is accelerating the need for asset management technologies such as blockchain to streamline transactions, share information, and allow data access. VIA is proud to be recognized by market intelligence firm, Guidehouse Insights, as one of the top companies in this space, alongside Energy Web and LO3 Energy, that are meeting this demand with blockchain-based solutions. To learn more about the role of blockchain in energy asset management and why power providers are turning to VIA’s Global Data Asset Collaborative (GDAC™) to predict transformer performance while preserving data integrity, read the full piece here.

Swiss Media Features VIA and HSLU in Article on Securing Smart Meter Data

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Smart meters are rich with insights that can optimize the operation of the power grid. Yet, the current practice of gathering energy consumption and production data from a centralized source carries data privacy and security concerns. Our partners at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) recently penned a piece for Bulletin.ch about our research through the Swiss Federal Office of Energy to solve this dilemma. A key component of the KnowlEDGE project, VIA’s Trusted Analytics Chain™ (TAC™), allows utilities to access distributed datasets while maintaining cybersecurity and regulatory compliance.

To learn more about this work with HSLU and how it’s supporting Switzerland’s decarbonization goals, read the full article here.