IOHK and University of Edinburgh Announce Blockchain Technology Laboratory

IOHK is known in the digital currency community as a leading blockchain research and development company.

Today it has some exciting news as it has announced alongside the University of Edinburgh, the establishment of a Blockchain Technology Laboratory within the university’s School of Informatics.

The lab will be a credit to bringing together academics and students in collaboration on blockchain research and development with a focus on industry inspired issues.

IOHK CEO and Co-Founder Charles Hoskinson said: “IOHK is delighted to be partnering with the University of Edinburgh, a world-leading institution in information, cognition and computing research and teaching. The partnership will develop IOHK’s core business area, cryptocurrencies and blockchain related technologies, and nurture and develop the global talent in these areas in the United Kingdom.”

This new high-tech laboratory will serve as HQ for IOHK’s expansive network of global university partnerships. This is almost identical to the launch attached to the Tokyo Institute of Technology with a center opened alongside IOHK on one week ago.

This new blockchain lab will be helmed by Professor Aggelos Kiayias, holding the title of Chain in Cyber Security and Privaxy at the University of Edinburgh and Chief Scientist at IOHK.

Professor Kiayias commented: “We are very excited regarding this collaboration on blockchain technology between the School of Informatics and IOHK. Distributed ledgers is an upcoming disruptive technology that can scale information services to a global level. The academic and industry connection forged by this collaboration puts the Blockchain Technology Lab at Edinburgh at the forefront of innovation in blockchain systems.”

The Principal of the University of Edinburgh, Sir Timothy O’Shea, said: “We are delighted to be at the forefront of UK institutions in the field of distributed ledgers and proud to have a dedicated research laboratory for industry inspired research in this important emerging area.”

Jeremy Wood, IOHK Co-Founder added, “IOHK’s partnership with the University of Edinburgh provides unique opportunities for current students to become the next generation of blockchain and cryptography leaders. As a headquarters for IOHK’s international academic research community, we expect to see the university facilitate innovative projects that drive how businesses and governments approach blockchain and cryptocurrencies.”