Blockchain: working together to find innovative applications

What is blockchain?

A blockchain is a shared, fraud-proof and immutable record of digital transactions between parties who do not (necessarily ) know or trust each other. This eliminates the need for trusted intermediaries in the exchange of digital assets such as files, certificates, title deeds and so on.

The transparency, fraud-proof nature and immutability of blockchain ensures:

• increased safety
• enhanced privacy
• data and system resilience
• democratisation of digital services and products
• greater transparency
• cost savings
• increased efficiency in cooperation between chain partners

Blockchains are useful in transactions between machines, people and organisations where a central trusted intermediary is undesirable or unfeasible. Unfeasible, for example, in international payment traffic or in complex (logistical) processes. It may be undesirable if it’s in society's interest for there to be a high degree of transparency (surrounding the making) of that transaction. Examples include government actions (the benefits affair) and also social media (fake news) and new developments such as the Metaverse. Exclusive control by a few tech companies over the next, much more radical, phase of the Internet is undesirable.

TNO and blockchain

Blockchain has a major impact on all sectors involving data or other value elements within and between chains. For example, energy supply, financial services, logistics, agri-food and healthcare. We are committed to bringing together knowledge and expertise on blockchain in partnerships, and from there to further develop blockchain in various sectors. The aim is to help the Netherlands innovate in order to sustainably strengthen the competitiveness of its businesses and for the welfare of society.

Reliable data sharing with blockchain

Blockchain creates trust in digital information transactions, including between parties who do not (necessarily) know or trust each other. We are working on blockchain technology that allows consumers to control their own data. They can then deliver the data in such a way that businesses can be 100% certain that the data is genuine. Businesses no longer need to check this data before, for example, issuing an insurance policy or renting out a vehicle.

With ‘self-sovereign identity’, we design complex administrative processes to enable you to manage all your affairs online and in real time with just one click. Completely privacy-friendly.

See our projects on self-sovereign identity

Tracking products

In addition to self-sovereign identity, the Blockchain roadmap focuses on provenance (origin of products). Blockchain can bring transparency to all kinds of supply chains, allowing consumers to learn more about the origin of their clothes or food. For example, we are working on blockchain solutions in logistics chains and for food safety. We've also created an application for tracking cannabis trials by the Dutch government looking into legalising the cultivation of cannabis.

Dutch Blockchain Coalition

We are a co-founder of the Dutch Blockchain Coalition (DBC). Within the DBC, we are working on the 'Blockchain for Good' mission: using blockchain technology to solve social and economic issues. We do this by contributing to so-called 'use cases'. But we are also working on technological solutions to ensure that blockchain can really take off. Consider, for example, the issue of interoperability: how can different blockchain systems work together? We also engage in the legal, ethical and social issues.

Collaboration without limits

We are working on interoperability between different blockchain solutions. In the future, businesses and governments will be interlinked by different blockchains for all sorts of processes. We are looking at how we can efficiently and effectively organise the necessary cooperation.

Blockchain is not something you do alone

By definition, blockchain is a technology that lends itself to collaboration. And our strength lies in connecting people. This, combined with our substantive knowledge of blockchain and ICT, multi-sector domain knowledge, and our independence, makes us unique.

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