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USC Marshall Hosts Inaugural Blockchain Event

First VanEck Southern California Blockchain Conference convenes visionary blockchain leaders with business students from across the region.

10.19.22
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On Nov. 10 and 11, future developers, founders and builders will convene at USC to hear and learn from premier experts in blockchain technology.

Hosted by the USC Marshall School of Business VanEck Digital Assets Initiative, the VanEck Southern California Blockchain Conference will bring together students from across the state for an unrivaled opportunity to hear from industry experts and participate in hands-on workshops aimed at equipping talented students with the tools needed to build the future of blockchain.

“After talking with many students, it was clear this type of immersive event was needed,” said Anthony Borquez, assistant professor of clinical entrepreneurship at the USC Marshall Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies. “Yes, attendees will hear from leaders in blockchain, cryptocurrency, the metaverse and more, but they will also participate in workshops and classes designed to catapult the builders of the future. We are proud to have now created the largest blockchain event in Southern California.”

“I believe we are just starting to see what blockchain can do. In many ways, this feels like the early stages of the internet when we didn’t quite know how ubiquitous it would be, but we knew it could be huge.”

— Anthony Borquez, Assistant Professor of Clinical Entrepreneurship, USC Marshall

Conference organizers are expecting around 3,000 attendees, including blockchain student groups from universities across the state. The lineup of speakers includes leading developers, founders, builders and investors, such as Cathie Wood of Ark Invest, Mathieu Nouzareth of The Sandbox and Jeffrey Amico from Andreessen Horowitz.

“Blockchain is a transformational technology that will have seismic implications on the global economy and massive geopolitical ramifications, said James Healy, adjunct professor of blockchain and fintech. "The VanEck Digital Assets Initiative will provide our students with educations, skill sets, and a support network to lead this paradigm shift.”

Conference attendees will:

  • Learn from experts across a wide range of fields, from prominent founders and developers to respected researchers.
  • Gain hands-on experience building advanced hybrid smart contracts by attending technical workshops.
  • Get a wide range of insight and perspectives on hot-button issues in topic-specific panel discussions.
  • Meet up with a community passionate about Web3 and blockchain technology at a variety of social events.

“I believe we are just starting to see what blockchain can do,” said Borquez. “In many ways, this feels like the early stages of the internet when we didn’t quite know how ubiquitous it would be, but we knew it could be huge.”

He added: “The students of today are the ones who will build the companies and the tools to fulfill the promise of blockchain. It’s a very exciting time.”

Through this conference, organizers want to advance the development of blockchain technologies in the region and solidify Los Angeles’ position as a Web3 hub. For this year, the conference is aiming to bring industry-leading founders in infrastructure, DeFi, CeFi and NFTs as well as crypto-native investors to present their work, along with theses of the industry, and to educate the audience, largely made up of students and developers.

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