TAU forges into blockchain research
Tel Aviv University and hi-tech entrepreneur Moshe Hogeg have joined forces to establish an institute for applied blockchain research. The Hogeg Institute for Blockchain Applications will aim to promote research, instruction and dissemination of knowledge regarding blockchain technology applications. It is the first initiative of its kind in Israel and one of only a handful worldwide.
Blockchain is a technology that enables secure online business activity and verification of transactions between various parties, without requiring a central or trusted management entity. The management entity is replaced by digitally signed “blocks” of information that create a decentralized data structure, the signed content cannot be changed once established without being identified by the Blockchain.
The institute, in the framework of the Coller School of Management at Tel Aviv University (TAU), is being supported by Hogeg, who donated NIS 7 million.
Prof. Dan Amiram, associate dean of the School of Management, has been appointed as head the institute, while Dr. Jacob Mendel will serve as its director.
At the agreement signing ceremony, Hogeg said, “I am delighted that we found the much-needed link between entrepreneurs, business and academia. This is a natural continuation of investment in the field of education of students in Israel, something I believe is of the utmost importance. The establishment of this institute will facilitate in-depth research and contribute to accelerating technological development and its application in most areas of our lives, and for the benefit of entrepreneurs and businesses in Israel and worldwide. I believe that by granting knowledge, practical tools and scholarships to students, we will help train the next generation which will spearhead the next technological revolution.”
TAU president, Prof. Joseph Klafter, added that the institute will create a framework for promoting innovative research and applications in this emerging field that could have far-reaching ramifications.
Prof. Moshe Zviran, dean of the Coller School of Management, emphasized the importance of establishing the institute.
“Blockchain technology allows consistency, security and transparency,” Zviran said. “It therefore lowers the barriers to creating marketable digital assets and allows people and organizations who do not know or trust each other to promote processes and conduct transactions reliably and safely in a wide array of fields. The Coller School aims to be at the forefront of endeavors to improve, implement and understand the anticipated impact of this technology. The establishment of the institute is part of our strategy to lead entrepreneurship and innovation in all fields of management and business, and to serve as pioneers in the research and teaching of blockchain technologies in Israel and worldwide.”
Hogeg is a high-tech entrepreneur who has invested in a variety of Israeli and international technology companies and is considered one of the best-known investors in Israel. In recent years, Hogeg has led, initiated and invested in a large number of technology companies, including in digital currencies and blockchain, in Israel and worldwide.