Blockchains LLC, an innovative and ambitious blockchain company, has announced plans to build an entire smart city utopia in the middle of the Nevada desert. The city will be the first smart city built from scratch with blockchain technology at its core.
This visionary idea was announced by Blockchains LLC Jeffrey Berns at DevCon 4, the world’s biggest Ethereum-focused gathering of blockchain applications and platform developers.
Blockchains LLC also took their “blockchain smart city” announcement to Twitter:
All the speculation stops now! We are excited to announce that we are building the first smart city based on blockchain technology from the ground up. Complete with schools, businesses, renewable energy and homes. #blockchainsandbox pic.twitter.com/4i0I2dNxtS
— Blockchains LLC (@BlockchainsLLC) November 1, 2018
For those of you that don’t already know, Blockchains LLC made headlines earlier this year when they purchased over 60,000 acres of land in the Northern Nevada Desert for $170 million in cash.
Finally, on November 1, the speculation and rumors of what the company will use the land for were laid to rest: it will be used to build a smart city on the Ethereum blockchain.
The Blockchain Smart City
Berns has visionary plans for the city to be fully functional, with the inclusions of homes, apartments, markets, schools, a college campus, an esports gaming arena, and even a bank.
During Berns speech, he admittedly mentioned that he despises banks so much so that he bought one himself. Berns’ bank will be using blockchain technology to make it the most “customer friendly” bank in the world.
Not only will the smart city implement the use of blockchain technology at its foundation, it will incorporate 3 other key technologies: artificial intelligence (AI), nano technology, and 3D printing. He also pointed out that the city will become an incubator for the research of sustainable energy, clean water, and more.
To back this last point up, Berns mentioned a partnership with NV Energy, Nevada’s public electricity utility company. This energy partnership will see that customers are put in control of energy creation, consumption, storage, and transactions through the use of blockchain technology.
Will Blockchain LLC’s Visionary Smart City Work?
Of course, Berns visionary city has yet to be created, and it’s so early in the project that it’s really only in the “dreaming” stage. Which is why Blockchains LLC strategically announced their plans for a smart city at DevCon 4 — because they need a lot of help building it.
In the video for Blockchains LLC’s global event launch keynote, Berns states:
“We have a sandbox that has all of these tools, all of this potential. We have investors chomping at the bits for tax-free money. What we don’t have is the developer talent that we need because it’s such a huge undertaking. What we need is we need all of you to find ways to work with us, work for us, work around us, but join us in this cause. Help us.”
While this idea of a blockchain-powered smart city seems highly ambitious and futuristic, it may very well come true. Berns has already invested over $250 million of his own money into the project and secured a partnership with NV Energy, and he’s fully committed to it taking off if he can get the help.
However, it is still very early in the process, so we will have to keep a close eye on this one and see what developments are to come.
What do you think of this visionary idea of a “Blockchain Smart City”? Do you think Jeff Berns and Blockchain LCC can pull it off? Will the massive community of Ethereum developers jump on board to help make this vision come to life? Let us know what you think in the comment section below.
