Over time, more and more is being run by the internet. We do shopping online, we communicate online, we do banking online. We are sending information to several entities without even realizing it. Let’s give all these records a name: blocks. Then what do we call a sequence of these blocks? That’s easy, you’re right, blockchain. The invisible technology that can change the world.

Think of blockchain as a historical fabric underneath recording everything that happens exactly as it occurs (Marvin, 2017). The data are transformed into transcripted blocks, unabling modification, and can be accessed across the whole world. The fact that everyone can access it, does not mean it is vulnerable for fraud, and that’s what is the most amazing part about this new system. Failure of the blockchain is impossible; there is no chance for hacking or corruption. The most (or only) well-known example of blockchain is the Bitcoin. Major industries are beginning to shift towards the blockchain principle, yet so little is known about it, making it one of the most misunderstood technologies of 2017.

For those who are still part of that group that does not understand it, watch and learn!

Let’s pick an industry, and try to understand the implications of blockchain for this industry: healthcare. There are several ways in which blockchain could possibly be adopted in this industry, improving performance, from which I will explain one. Health organizations can direct information to blockchain, allowing the information to arrive immediately at the place necessary, obviously without enabling people to unrightfully access it. The clinical data gets tracked in the health system, after which for example a doctor or pharmaceutical can access the necessary information. A patient’s ID is however non-identifiable for a layman. The next step would be that analysis can be conducted on these data, combined with patient’s characteristics by entities who have the right to access the data. Patient’s IDs are still non-identifiable (Deloitte, 2016).

With this system, new insights can be uncovered and potentially new medical cures or systems can be developped. Blockchain implemented in the healthcare industry is still in its infacy and far from ready-for-use, but the idea is there. Now it is important that the right people are working on it, in order to make sure the healthcare industry is not lacking behind related to new technologies.

So what do you think, will this work? And are there more ways in which blockchain can be implemented in the healthcare industry?

Everyone is looking for that trailblazing, groundbreaking idea. An app that makes your homework. A medicine that prevents you from hangovers. A pan that never allows your food to burn. Or a simple beer brewery. Even though you do not know anything about beer. Nor marketing. Sounds like a plan, right?

It happened to Aussie Liam Mulhall. No starting capital, no entrepreneurial knowledge. Just the wish to start his ‘Brewtopia’. Sounds like a doomed failure to me. Now, fifteen years later, Brewtopia is Australia’s #1 producer of custom branded beverages (Brewtopia, 2017).

So what happened along the way? Crowdsourcing happened! Mulhall asked his network via an email to think together with him about how to set up this idea. Within only three years, Mulhall saw his beloved Brewtopia grow to a publicly-listed enterprise with millions of profits per year.

His smart technique has been adapted by many, from small start-ups to large worldwide enterprises. In 2006, it finally received a name: crowdsourcing. Ever since, thousands of projects have been realized with a little help of the creativity of others. Doritos used customer’s ideas to create its yearly Superbowl commercials (Mainstreethost, 2016), Starbucks encouraged its customers to decorate their Starbucks cup (Starbucks Newsroom, 2015), and Airbnb asked their travellers to submit videos, to make the short film Hollywood & Vines (Skift, 2014).

Given the benefits, you would almost forget about the downsides. It is important for companies to realize they should still come up with their own creative ideas; they should not become dependent of crowdsourcing as a means to new business ideas. There will never be the guarantee that enough qualitative ideas or solutions will arise.

So, crowdsourcing is an amazing idea, but do not lose your own creativity. To quote Albert Einstein: “creativity is intelligence having fun.”