What are Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies solving for? 

What is an initial coin offering and why the euphoria? 

Our panel will discuss Block Chain, paint the landscape of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, the technology, its application and what it is solving for. 

We’ll then turn to the “problems" with these cryptocurrencies, the view by some to solve those problems and we’ll discuss the opportunities that Block Chain opens, to potentially solve for global problems.

We plan to have speakers from Australia & overseas. We’ll aim to bring in capital, entrepreneurs, regulatory authorities,  and service providers, who are working on the cutting edge of this technology.

What is TiE APAC Fintech Special Interest Group (SIG)?

TiE APAC Fintech SIG aims to create a collaborative ecosystem across the TIE APAC community to facilitate funding and growth of Fintech and related businesses with international growth ambitions and contribute to the APAC Fintech ecosystem, consistent with TiE’s mission of fostering entrepreneurship globally through mentoring, networking, education, incubating and funding.

Participating TiE chapters: Melbourne, Hong Kong, Singapore, Chennai and Mumbai

Panel of Speakers

ALAN TSEN | Director, Fintech Australia

Alan is the Melbourne GM of Stone & Chalk – an independent, not-for-profit fintech hub which fosters and accelerates the development of world-leading fintech start-ups. He is also currently a board member of FinTech Australia where he has led numerous submissions to government departments on digital currency and blockchain tech – including the removal of â€˜double GST’ from digital currency and amendments to KYC/AML laws designed to incorporate digital currency. 

MANDEEP SANDHU | Director,  KPMG in Australia

Mandeep is the national consulting lead for Fintech at KPMG Australia, he is also a member of the firms global Fintech practice. Mandeep has 15 years experience in the design and execution of technology enabled business strategy. His focus is on working with clients across the financial services spectrum to develop transitional strategies and approaches as they move from incumbent business and operating models, to digitised modes of operations. This includes the application of distributed ledger technologies as an enabler of driving connected marketplaces and platform business models. Through his global role Mandeep works with both global Fintechs and financial institutions to identify opportunities and approaches for local Australian clients to leverage as part of their organic and inorganic growth strategies. Mandeep is currently advising Fintechs and start-ups on the both strategy development and capital raising.

KARTHIK IYER | CEO, Blockchainmonk, Chennai, India

Karthik Iyer is the India Ambassador of the P2P-Foundation (the world's largest think tank on decentralization and peer to peer), and founder and CEO of BlockchainMonk, a DLT research and consulting firm. He was part of one of the largest EU research project on P2P, P2PValue.eu. He holds close to half dozen degrees in technology, research and management from leading schools in Europe and Asia like KTH in Sweden, BI Norwegian Business School in Norway and Fudan University in China. He has over a decade of experience working for large technology firms such as Red Hat, Novell and Sun Microsystems and has successfully ran various hi-tech ventures in the past.

JOSEPH DANIELS | Partner, McCarter & English, New York

Joseph Daniels is Co-Chair of the firm’s Venture Capital & Emerging Growth Companies practice. He represents startup to publicly-held technology, life science and consumer companies, venture capital and private equity funds and investment banks in a wide range of seed and venture financings, mergers and acquisitions, IPOs and other public offerings. He has worked on the following transactions - both recent offerings. Additionally, he is working on several bitcoin and bitcoin fund related transactions.

PETER BULLOCK | Partner, King & Wood Mallesons, Hong Kong 

Peter Bullock acts for major information technology and telecommunications brands and for investors in and users of TMT systems and services. He advises on regulatory areas such as cyber risks, data law, FinTech and the digital economy, as well as employment law matters. He also has extensive experience in conducting litigation, arbitration, mediation and investigations. He is also an HKIAC Accredited Mediator.