Teams and Captains

Hyper 42

The team´s blockchain solution Hypertrace aims to make it easier, faster and safer for logistics companies and for customs authorities to identify cargo that could contain illegal and/or dangerous goods. At the point of manufacture, certificates are created with information on the products, they are tacked with RFID chips (transmit real time data via GPS). Batches of goods that are packed together for transport will have a smart seal applied to the batch, which, if broken, would raise an alert in real time. Along the chain, each time the goods are handed over, the entity handing the goods over and the recipient confirm the transfer via digital handshake. All events are stored on the blockchain ensuring transparency and the immutability of the data.

Logistics operators and customs authorities can scan and check the journey of the goods as shown on the blockchain via mobile applications. They can also rate the manufacturer in accordance with the level of their legal compliance as evidenced in checks. This information could be used for future risk analysis.

As a next step, the team is looking for logistic operators willing to work with them on a pilot.

Cryptomice

The team’s solution aims at making the validation of the authenticity of a product as easy as possible. By creating a virtual twin which cannot be cloned or falsified, and which is linked to the physical product and registered on the blockchain, stakeholders in the supply chain can verify the digital transfer of the virtual twin. The absence of a virtual twin which would normally be sent ahead digitally through the supply chain, would raise a red flag which could be transmitted to logistics operators, customs and consumers. Only the virtual twin together with the physical product confirm the authenticity of the product.

By using the shipment number already existing for logistics purposes and relating it to the product and its digital twin, the solution enables logistics operators to easily verify authenticity without needing to change their systems. Consumers would be able to verify authenticity through use of an app.

The solution developed by the team is blockchain agnostic. As a next step, the team is looking for feedback from brand owners and a pilot with some of them.

Links

The team’s solution seeks to combine a high level of security for the original authentication with the tracking of events throughout the journey of the product. The team uses a new and patented type of QR code which can only be printed by specific printers assigned to the manufacturer. These enable the manufacturer to securely label the product, but also any further packaging layers around the product, which all get their own OR codes. Every scan of the QR code is recorded as an event on the blockchain. If a fake product is detected, warning flags are triggered downstream for the product’s further journey (for example customs).

Furthermore, the team’s solution envisages an incentive system for consumers to also scan the product. Independently of whether the result of the scan shows, be it a genuine or a fake product, the consumer gets a reward in the form of points that can be redeemed for special brand related experiences, for example, meeting the designer.

As a next step, the team is looking to create an entity to commercialise their solution and work with brands on the implementation.

Nano4u

The team’s vision is to make Europe a leader in anti-counterfeiting solutions. In view of growing regulatory requirements placed on companies to authenticate and track products in certain sectors (for example EU Falsified Medicines Directive), there is a need for secure and immutable solutions. nano4U provides true, highly secure authentication at the product level. The natural fingerprint of each individual product is measured and securely stored in the unique product identifier printed on the products package. A very flexible and open blockchain solution (called TrustedOrigin4U) that naturally links into existing track and trace systems allows to securely follow the product’s journey through all levels of the supply chain all the way to the end customer. Anybody along the supply chain, including the final consumer can establish the authenticity of a product with a smartphone even without internet connection. TrustedOrigin4U fully works with all existing product and transport codes and does not require any special equipment. By establishing trusted links and facilitating data interchange between various existing logistics and governmental databases nano4U’s TrustedOrigin4U blockchain solution strongly increases the quality of available data and supports custom officials and logistics companies in identifying threats while very reliably establishing if a cargo has been tampered with.

The Pirate Busters (Amaris + Unchain.io)

The team’s solution, TRUSTTRACK, was created to support customs in identifying efficiencies and leading to a higher success rate in stopping fake products. At manufacturer level, a unique QR is added to the packaged product. The handling units into which packages are assembled are sealed and accompanied by an NFC (Near Field Communication) chip. An unbroken sealed handling unit could be fast-tracked through customs and ease their resources. The system has an integration layer that can integrate with other databases (for example, the EUIPO’s Enforcement Database).

In addition, the team envisages a possibility for the brand to make a reward available. If anyone in the supply chain discovers a fake product, they can claim the reward, incentivising them to perform the checks.

The team considers that the solution would be of particular use to small businesses and for small parcel consignments. They are looking to find a partner and identify brands and freight forwarders for a pilot.

ReCheck

This team has developed the solution for a Zero-dispute shipping process with which they look to facilitate the processes, in particular of logistics operators. Using a new kind of unique identifier that is copy-proof, the team’s solution links identifiers, serial numbers and other identification information on the blockchain. An NFC chip which has been included tracks the product along the supply chain and all events are recorded on the blockchain. Products identified in that way can be fast-tracked by logistics operators and by customs. The system can integrate with other databases (for example, the EUIPO´s Enforcement Database).

In addition, the solution envisages that all stakeholders along the supply chain put a stake (tokens) into the system, which happens automatically when they scan the information. Once the overall contract has been successfully executed, the stakeholders get their tokens back. The more honestly the stakeholders execute the contracts over time, the less future stake they have to put in, leading to positive reputation ratings that can be taken into account by the other players. The consumer can also avail himself of potential advantages, such as confirmation of additional product information (for example a football shirt worn by a famous footballer) or, depending on the brand owner, special benefits upon his next purchase.

The team’s solution is in principle blockchain agnostic and they are looking to identify brand owners and market place operators with whom to work on implementing it.

Space Systems

The team is looking to create a solution for trusted ocean transport. During ocean transport, incidents can occur, which might not been directly known by the stakeholders (including infiltration of the supply chain with pirated goods). The team’s solution seeks to bring together the relevant stakeholder, namely the freight forwarders, oceans carriers, customs and insurance companies, to create a transparent solution.

Loading the product container onto the ship, the first entry onto the blockchain is triggered. A chip (IOT Centre) in the container communicates with the ship’s terminal and, in turn, with a satellite. Satellite true positioning allows stakeholders to determine the exact location of the container on the ship in real time. Additional sensors in the containers measure the parameters of conditions such as temperature. Receiving the satellite data as well as data obtained from land-based intelligence, an Artificial Intelligence System will analyse all the data. In case of anomalies, for example an unexplained slowing down of the ship or a divergence from its course, red flags are raised, informing customs and all other relevant stakeholders. This allows all stakeholders to know exactly what happened to the container on the ship, which can feed into their processes.

As a next step, the team is looking into collaborating with ocean carriers.

Keyrock

The team’s solution is aimed at being an easy solution that can be implemented, in particular, by small and medium-sized companies. It seeks to create the base layer/ecosystem on which other, more complex, solutions could be built at a later stage. The base layer can integrate data from existing databases, such as EUIPO’s Enforcement Database.

The solution is focussed on the creation of a digital clone linked to the physical product, which is created at the point of manufacture with a QR code being assigned and registered on the blockchain. The product could be as small as a pen or as large as a container. The product is transferred between stakeholders in the supply chain via digital hand-shake (i.e. agree to transfer and agree to accept by the respective parties). Both the physical product and the digital clone always go together for a complete transfer. Nonetheless, trade can already take place on the basis of the digital clone alone.

The consumer can check via an app whether the product is genuine and see its journey along the supply chain.

During the Blockathon, the team was already in discussions with other groups as regards to a potential cooperation. As a next step, the team is looking to get on board a brand owner and a customs authority for a pilot project.

Hunterfeit

The aim of the team’s solution is to help producers of pharmaceuticals to ensure a safe track of medicinal products from the production to the consumer with technology monitoring every step. Linking a digital clone, created at the point of manufacture, to the physical product and to the serial numbers that will be obligatory on blisters and packages of tablets under the EU Falsified Medicines Directive, the solution can add linked hashes to every subsequent level of packaging, allowing clear identification. The solution can easily be integrated with existing systems for supply chain management.

Packages are sealed with unique temper proof seals to prevent the replacement of blisters and both the validity of the seal and of the serial numbers can be easily verified through scanning. If the system detects anomalies such as, for example a wrong or a duplicate serial number, this triggers a red flag down the line.

In addition, through the use of smart contracts, every stakeholder in the supply chain puts in a stake which is returned if the next player in the supply chain confirms through scanning that the content is authentic and the seal is still unbroken.

As a next step, the team is looking into cooperation with partners in the pharmaceutical sector as well as logistics operators.

FIDES

The team’s GOODCHAIN solution ensures that consumers engage with brand owners for social causes while at the same time helping them identify counterfeit products. It also economically incentivises brands by combining social causes and anti-counterfeiting. The solution, which can be used for any type of product, uses secure and cost effective technology.

Every product is identified with a unique secure QR code, applied at the level of manufacture. When applying the QR code to a product, the brand makes a pledge for a certain number of “impact points” in relation to a social cause. Along the supply chain, certification bodies will check that the authentic product is moving through the chain and confirm this with a certificate which will allow customs to fast-track the goods through the system, creating efficiency gains.

When scanning the purchased product, the consumer can scan the code and donate the impact point to the social cause, which will be honoured by the brand transferring an agreed monetary value to the cause. The advantage for the consumer is their contribution to social causes, the one for the brand is the meaningful engagement with social causes and with their consumers. If a consumer cannot redeem their impact points, this means that the product is a fake and this fact is fed back to the brand.

During the Blockathon, the team was already in discussions with other groups as regards to a potential cooperation. As a next step, the team is looking to creating a consortium of stakeholders and, in particular, working with a brand on a pilot project.

Seal

Seal creates Self Sovereign Digital Twins as well as a parcel for secure shipments called Rootbox.

Each product is embedded with a dynamic NFC chip that cannot be duplicated itself, and is registered on the blockchain. This creates a digital version of a physical product, and puts the rights holder in control of creating new products, not the manufacturer. Simply verify with a phone and you know the product is authentic, this completely solves the pain of counterfeiting. The products become self sovereign through the use of smart contracts, which can be used to settle import tarriffs directly when you claim ownership of the product. This way, logistics and customs do not need to worry about tax fraud anymore, since all products will be settled according to coded laws. Seal can track the entire journey of a product, even after the points of sale in the secondhand market, calculate the co2 footprint and provide a materials passports for recycling and disposal. Other product services can also be provided by building upon the open standard, such as custom marketing campaigns so brands can develop closer relationships with their fans. A new economic model is invented; when ownership changes, a small fee goes to the rights holder, so brands can make money on aftersales, multiple times over the course of the product lifecycle. Consumers can buy products with confidence on a marketplace by knowing exactly which specific product are buying.

The self sovereign products can be shipped in a Rootbox, which are sealed with a tamper-proof chip that links to all the products inside the parcel, so you can see what’s inside without opening the product. This is useful for customs risk analysis and results in zero liability for logistics, who are often penalized when actually the sender should be. As the box passes through packaging and transport, the relevant stakeholders can add information to both the boxes and products inside, for example the weight of the overall box or the route taken. The customs document flow is converted to a data flow, so customs already knows before departure whether or not it should receive custom clearance or not. This prevents customs workload and useless shipping for logistics.

As a next step, the team is looking into partnering with a brand of luxury goods as well as a packaging company for a pilot project.