Madrid, 10/18/2024 – Five blockchain technology projects emerged yesterday as winners of the second edition of Alastria’s Blockchain Awards, a public-permissioned blockchain platform and a key meeting point for blockchain technology development. Metrovacesa, the Polytechnic University of Madrid, Onyze, Xpander by Teknia, and Blue Room Innovation received awards in a ceremony held on Thursday at Madrid’s Wizink Center, attended by leading figures from the blockchain ecosystem.
During the awards ceremony, the need for collaboration between the private and public sectors to continue advancing this technology was emphasized. Evidence of this was the attendance of Ignacio Azorín González, Director of Digital Strategy for the Community of Madrid, who closed the event by highlighting the regional government’s commitment.
“We are moving toward a model where, within blockchain and Web 3, certain sectors like finance, health, and logistics are beginning to shine, with use cases demonstrating clear utility. The Government of the Community of Madrid is committed to supporting the creation of blockchain infrastructure that will allow the deployment of use cases by 2025. The public sector plays a key role in the country’s digital transformation. We will support this development and are already working on this public-private collaboration with Alastria to roll out use cases,” said Ignacio Azorín.
Miguel Ángel Domínguez, President of Alastria and host of the ceremony, celebrated “the start of collaboration with the public sector to fund innovative projects.” “This technology will make the world a better place and is only just beginning its journey,” he stated. “The Blockchain Awards are a platform for showcasing projects that are achieving concrete results. Blockchain investment in Europe has not stopped and continues to grow, focusing on projects with real social impact,” added Daniela Corredor, COO of Alastria.
The ceremony also featured Javier Molina, a well-known digital asset expert, as the master of ceremonies. He highlighted Alastria as a “coordination example,” adding that “Alastria sits at the heart of the blockchain ecosystem, facilitating communication between the public and private sectors.”
This year, the Blockchain Awards were presented in five categories: “Decentralized Digital Identity,” “Tokenization and Digital Assets,” “Industrial Use Cases,” “Web3,” and “Sustainability,” with 18 finalists out of 47 entries. A jury of national and international experts, selected for their experience and commitment to blockchain technology development, carried out the finalist and winner selection process, in which Alastria members also participated.
Alastria’s “Blockchain Awards” are an honorary distinction aimed at recognizing and showcasing the contributions that the winning projects are making toward blockchain adoption. This second edition was sponsored by Arsys, S&M Services, Hopla, and Cleardent.
Blockchain Awards 2024 Winners
The award for Best Blockchain Project in “Decentralized Digital Identity” went to Digital Academic Credentials (Polytechnic University of Madrid), which develops sovereign, verifiable digital identity for academia. It enables students to manage their academic credentials securely and verifiably through blockchain. This solution, promoted by eleven Spanish universities, protects academic data privacy and integrity, reducing fraud and optimizing administration. Current credentials include the “University Degree Possession Credential” and the “Student ID Credential.” The project addresses identity theft and data protection in academic settings, providing verifiable credentials for degrees and student IDs, in compliance with GDPR and eIDAS 2 regulations. Interoperability enables these credentials to be used in multiple systems.
Onyze, the next-generation digital asset custody and exchange project, won in the category of Best Blockchain Project in “Tokenization and Digital Assets.” Registered in Spain and Andorra, Onyze offers B2B solutions that ensure regulatory compliance and maximum security with a scalable infrastructure. It facilitates digital asset integration for banks, asset managers, and fintech companies, offering a plug-and-play solution that guarantees asset custody and operations with regulatory compliance and cold storage security through a multi-vault system in segregated environments.
In the category of Best Blockchain Project in “Industrial Use Cases,” the winner was Digital Battery Passport – Vehicle 4.0 (Xpander by Teknia), which applies blockchain for tracking electric vehicle batteries. The project aims to improve traceability and sustainability of electric car batteries across the entire value chain by creating a digital product passport. The platform uses blockchain to store battery information, from mineral extraction to recycling, ensuring that data is accessible to all actors in the chain. It is currently in use by Ford.
Metrovacesa Space (Metrovacesa), an immersive virtual space for exploring and reserving homes, was recognized as the Best Blockchain Project in “Web3.” Through an avatar, users can explore Metrovacesa’s promotions and make home pre-reservations using BIZUM, digital currency, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. It also offers areas dedicated to digital art and support for young Proptech entrepreneurs.
Finally, the Best Blockchain Project in “Sustainability” award went to CircularTrust (Blue Room Innovation), a decentralized ecosystem supporting sustainability and the circular economy. It allows the creation of digital product passports to promote traceability, sustainability, and transparency in the supply chain. Using decentralized digital identities and verifiable credentials, the ecosystem improves operational efficiency and facilitates collaboration among various actors, promoting sustainability in sectors such as steel, recycling, textiles, and construction. This project is supported by major corporations and entities such as Ecoembes, Celsa Group, and Adalmo.
“I want to congratulate both the winners and the finalists of this edition of the Blockchain Awards by Alastria. These projects showcase the tremendous talent and innovation in our ecosystem and demonstrate how blockchain technology is integrating into the productive fabric of our country,” said Miguel Ángel Domínguez. “We are seeing blockchain applications transforming diverse sectors such as automotive, real estate, and finance, where new opportunities are emerging as traditional finance converges with decentralized finance. Additionally, digital identity for students and fostering the circular economy illustrate how blockchain can solve real problems and promote sustainability. These awards show that blockchain can be a key tool to drive economic growth and provide Spain with a competitive advantage.”
Blockchain to Offset the Event’s Carbon Footprint
In line with ESG principles, Alastria calculated and offset the event’s carbon footprint, in collaboration with ClimateTrade. For the CO2 emissions calculation, ClimateTrade considered variables such as transport, energy, accommodation, and food, using its calculator developed in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. The event’s carbon footprint amounts to 1.82 tons of CO2, which will be offset with a project from ClimateTrade’s portfolio.
“Events like this consume energy, generate transport emissions, and produce waste, which damages the environment. Like last year, we calculated and offset our carbon footprint using our partner ClimateTrade’s marketplace. This initiative reflects Alastria’s commitment to sustainability and demonstrates how blockchain can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” explained Miguel Ángel Domínguez.
Blockchain Awards
Alastria has established this event as an internationally recognized showcase that amplifies projects making a significant impact across various sectors through the application of this disruptive technology. Eligible for the “Blockchain Awards” were small, medium, and large companies, foundations, non-profit organizations, and public administrations with projects related to digital transformation or development that add value to the services they offer, their business model, their industry, and/or contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals by using blockchain as part of their functionality.
This year’s jury included Luis Garvía, member of Alastria’s Board of Directors and Director of the Master’s in Financial Risk Management at Comillas Pontifical University; Alfredo Muñoz, Professor of Commercial Law at Complutense University of Madrid and member of Alastria’s Advisory Board; Mariana de la Roche, founder of de la Roche Consulting and member of INATBA’s Board of Directors; Ilan Meléndez, regional leader of LACChain; and Sandra Adrián, legaltech advisor and CEO of Modo Cripto.