The Basics of Blockchain: Ethereum, Bitcoin, & More

Tom Serres is a seasoned entrepreneur, public speaker, and technology executive. He is Co-Founder of Animal Ventures, a venture studio and consultancy focused on building startups, educating executives, and designing comprehensive strategies to help large companies, governments, and SMEs take advantage some of the most advanced technology companies coming into the market. Animal Ventures focuses on tech companies operating in verticals such as Blockchain, Digital Media, Artificial and Augmented Intelligence, and Internet of Things.

Tom is the host of a new tech show called Tech on Politics, a personal experiment to interview some of the greatest minds in technology, media, venture capital, and government about the convergence of technology, politics, and government.

Tom’s first company, Rally, was the largest political fundraising platform in the United States. He is considered one of country’s leading thinkers on entrepreneurship, corporate innovation, technology, politics and online fundraising. In 2013, Tom was named one of America’s Most Promising CEO’s under 35 by Forbes Magazine for his work with Rally. Tom has helped millions of users connect with nonprofits, advocacy groups, political campaigns, and individual causes to raise awareness and money online. Over a few short years, Rally hosted 70,000 organizations and grew to nearly a billion dollars in fundraising volume.

In June 2012, Tom made history by raising Rally’s $7.9 million Series A venture capital round — the largest ever — entirely online. As one leading tech publication put it, Rally’s founder decided “to put his desired-money where his mouth was and raise the cash online.”Tom’s been recognized by Campaigns and Elections Magazine with their Innovator Award in 2012 and as a Rising Political Star. He has discussed online fundraising, the cause economy, and entrepreneurship on CNN, ABC News, CNBC, and Fox News.

Forbes Magazine also named Rally one of America’s Most Promising Companies of 2013. Rally raised venture capital from some of the first investors in Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and PayPal.

Bettina Warburg is Co-Founder of Animal Ventures, a venture studio and consultancy focused on building startups, educating executives, and designing comprehensive strategies to help large companies, governments, and SMEs take advantage some of the most advanced technology companies coming to market. Animal Ventures focuses on tech companies operating in verticals such as Blockchain, Digital Platforms, Artificial and Augmented Intelligence, and the Internet of Things.

Bettina is a thought-leader in the emerging blockchain space and leads the blockchain practice at Animal Ventures, including research, development, and commercialization across the ecosystem of blockchain innovation. She partners her network with governments and members of the Fortune 500 to help drive the global commercialization and integration of blockchain technology. Bettina first became interested in blockchain technology’s ability to shift entire systems, disintermediating many traditional trusted parties through her research on cutting-edge governance practices.

Bettina is passionate about the convergence of technology and politics and the impact it will have on our future. She is the Executive Producer of a new tech show called Tech on Politics, interviewing some of the greatest minds in technology, media, venture capital, and government about the convergence of technology and politics. Prior to Animal Ventures, Bettina received her MSc from Oxford University and BS from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and developed a keen interest in global governance and cultural diplomacy. As a Public Foresight Strategist at the Institute for the Future, a Silicon Valley think tank, Bettina brought a futures lens to a variety of strategic initiatives with top corporations, foundations, education institutions, and city governments. While at IFTF, she also developed its future of philanthropy and future of governance research practices, looking to reimagine society for an age of planetary challenges and human responsibility.

In 2016, Bettina was invited by TED to be one the first speakers ever to unpack the topic of blockchain to a global audience. She has given talks and curated conferences such as Skoll World Forum, Salzburg Global Seminar, City Innovate Summit, Personal Democracy Forum, and numerous universities around the world. Bettina’s work has been cited in publications such as The Atlantic, Center for Public Impact, ICMA.org, and the San Francisco Chronicle.

Dr. Wagner has been a professor of Information Systems at Villanova University since 1991.  He received his Ph.D. in MIS from the University of Kentucky in 1992.  While at Villanova he has developed over 30 new IS courses, including Enterprise Systems, Mobile Application Development, and Enterprise Data Management. He has co-authored three books and over 35 peer-reviewed journal articles in IT-related fields.  He has been involved in several e-commerce and mobile app startups.  In 2004 he was identified as an “industry thought leader” by SAP.  Recently (2015), he was the recipient of the Meyer award for Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship and was a co-winner of the 2011 Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers’ award for Excellence.  He received a research grant from Google (2016) in the area of wearable computing.  In 2016 he was also awarded the Carmody Award for Teaching Excellence.  He is currently at the forefront of efforts to integrate Blockchain concepts into the academic curriculum.

Since his days when he studied Classics, he has been a history nut and has lived in Greece working on the Agora Excavations in Athens.  He also likes to hike and keep active gardening, brewing beer, and beekeeping.