Traditional R&D, statistics and economics based policy setting, national state democracy won’t suffice. In fact, they produce the exact outcomes we are struggling with. This is how I see the article of Richard. It conveys one scenario how we might escape the historically evident cycle of advanced civilization followed by its demise.

In this scenario, the (digitally) empowered entrepreneur has to overcome certain roadblocks. And this is exactly what I want to bring about. There is a new movement and tech based on distributed consensus and digitally assured contract execution. The most promising project herein is Ethereum (www.ethereum.org). It allows everyone to enter a contract of whatever kind and trust its execution with minimal fees. Hence, (a) helps the internet to become a lawful place, (b) sourcing of expert know-how from around the world is a breeze, (c) failure proven and extractive banking cartels are disintermediated. Knock-on effects on the civil society include an efficient implementation of so called web of trust, i.e. identities backed by reputation.

What we need are new contestable spaces of opportunity, a new wild west, a new industrial revolution. I invite everyone who wants to know more and help towards adoption of this low entry barrier paradigm to drop me a line. In certain aspects, it will be wildly fruitful to partner with policy makers. Eventually, first mover countries shall host the new Silicon Valley.

And to address the physical proximity aspect, several local meetups are arranged world wide. I’m heading the Vienna Meetup (http://www.meetup.com/Ethereum-Vienna/).