NHS works with Hedera Hashgraph and Everyware to monitor Covid-19 vaccine storage

The National Health Service (NHS) is working with Hedera Hashgraph and digital asset tracking and monitoring provider Everyware to monitor cold storage equipment being used to store Covid-19 vaccines.

Certain Covid-19 vaccines, such as the vaccine developed by Pfizer which was approved for use in the UK in December, require exact cold storage for ideal efficacy. Centralised distribution centres and transportation units can store the vaccine at the recommended -70°C for up to 10...

21 January 2021 | Government

Covalent and IBM partnership looks to fashion sustainability through blockchain

IBM and fashion brand Covalent are teaming up to explore the carbon footprint and supply chain of the latter's products.

Covalent, a brand recently launched by sustinabile technology provider Newlight Technologies, provides fasion accessories, including eyewear and handbags. The company's products are made using AirCarbon, a biomaterial which is meltable and can be used as an alternative to plastic and leather.

The brand will use IBM's blockchain to create a verified...

18 January 2021 | Supply Chain

Everledger and Rare Carat continue partnership for blockchain diamond provenance

Rare Carat, a jewellery marketplace provider, and blockchain technology firm Everledger are teaming up to deliver greater transparency and sustainability information on diamonds in the former's marketplace.

The companies noted the latest Everledger platform 'specifically aids demand generation for retailers searching for diamonds based on their sustainability efforts, credentials and compliance standards', as well as 'matching suppliers who want to securely share this valuable...

13 January 2021 | Applications

Jaguar Land Rover invests in Circulor for blockchain-based supply chain sustainability

InMotion, the venture capital arm of Jaguar Land Rover, has announced an undisclosed investment in blockchain technology provider Circulor.

Circulor, based in the United Kingdom and Ireland, offers 'traceability as a service', to enable tracing of raw materials throughout a global supply chain. Using a combination of GPS, biometrics and QR codes, as well as blockchain, movement of raw materials can be digitally verified at all points of the process.

The investment 'will...

6 January 2021 | Supply Chain

Singapore strides ahead in blockchain with new innovation programme and trade network

The government of Singapore has announced a number of initiatives aimed at increasing real-world adoption of blockchain technologies.

Speaking at the Singapore Blockchain Village Peter Ong, chairman of Enterprise Singapore (ESG), ushered in a new Singapore Blockchain Innovation Programme (SBIP). The programme will engage various companies, from large enterprises to technology providers, to help 'facilitate the development effort and use cases for blockchain technologies in...

7 December 2020 | Applications

World Economic Forum muses on blockchain for ‘unique’ Covid-19 vaccine distribution challenge

The past couple of weeks have seen plenty of good news in the shape of a potential Covid-19 vaccine, from Pfizer, to Moderna, to Oxford/AstraZeneca. But efficacy updates are only the first hurdle to clear. Production, distribution and rollout - particularly noting the first two and its requirement for cold storage - remain key issues.

The World Economic Forum's (WEF) blockchain division has previously explored how distributed ledger technology could be key to an 'equitable'...

24 November 2020 | Healthcare

Bayer explores agricultural blockchain network with BlockApps

Enterprise blockchain platform provider BlockApps has launched the TraceHarvest Network in collaboration with pharmaceutical giant Bayer.

The initiative is claimed to be the first blockchain solution of its kind to track and trace the full lifecycle of agricultural products beginning with the seed source. Other solutions are available, about which this publication has reported, including Cargill and Agrocorp's test to procure wheat cross-continent on a blockchain platform, yet...

20 November 2020 | Applications

The role blockchain can play in the increasing world of telemedicine

The industry of virtual health appointments, otherwise known as telemedicine, is booming as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the beginning of the pandemic in the UK, GP surgeries urged patients not to come into their practice to prevent the potential spread of the virus and health secretary Matt Hancock advised that consultations should be done by telemedicine where possible.

Since then, there’s been a dramatic increase in the use of telemedicine, with a survey by the Royal...

12 November 2020 | Healthcare

AB InBev’s latest blockchain trial aims for beer supply chain transparency in Europe

AB InBev has announced the launch of a new pilot which will use blockchain technology to give full transparency and traceability in its supply chain of barley.

The pilot scheme in Europe is in partnership with blockchain platform as a service provider SettleMint, while also being supported by Fujitsu.

The platform built by SettleMint will connect farmers, grain cooperatives, maltsters and brewers, with data gathered from each part of the brewing process, such as...

26 October 2020 | Supply Chain

Brazilian meat processor JBS to use blockchain technology for Amazon conservation

JBS S.A. has announced it is using blockchain technology for confidentiality and security of livestock transportation data as part of a wider program for conservation in the Amazon.

The Brazilian company, cited as the largest meat processing company in the world by sales, unveiled a program called 'Together for the Amazon', which features four pillars in total.

The first pillar, development of the value chain, concentrates on the JBS Gren Platform, is where the...

20 October 2020 | Supply Chain