There's a Better Way to Find the Best Candidate for the Job

vervoe.com
by Omer Molad

Whenever the time comes to recruit new team members, companies tend to fall back on the same processes they’ve long relied on. After all, change is inevitably accompanied by risk, and few hiring managers are willing to try a new methodology with an unproven effect on their business.

However, as technology evolves, so too does the most effective way to conduct business. In the case of recruitment, this means embracing the latest hiring software innovations.

Today, hiring software eliminates the need for companies to waste hours of precious manpower evaluating every single applicant manually. Instead, intuitive software uses automation (and finely tuned interview scripts) to propel candidates from one stage to the next, effortlessly whittling down the applicant pool until only the most qualified individuals remain.

Learn why your company should ditch the phone screens and resumes and find a modern way to find the best candidate for a job on your team.

 Are Job Interviews Outdated?

Yes and no. While the evaluation process involved in interviews is often integral in determining whether a candidate has the character and qualifications for the role, the traditional way in which they are carried out is due for an overhaul. Too often, interviews have devolved into informal chats that have little to do with candidates demonstrating their qualifications for the role. They also present a number of problematic factors, such as blatant dishonesty or even personal bias. Simply put, in-person interviews have become more trouble than they’re worth.

Consider the fact that more and more workers are transitioning into remote work, and the concept of meeting face-to-face with a potential employee makes even less sense. True, it’s essential to get a clear picture of the applicant’s personality, but traditional interviews neglect the need for skills assessment. Why take an applicant’s word (or resume) at face value when you can allow him or her to prove their worth before you ever make a decision? Thankfully, automated hiring software maintains a focus on testing for the skill set required for each position and providing a clear idea of what employers can expect once the candidate begins work.

The Value of Hiring Software

So how does hiring software work, and how can it help you give your recruitment a much-needed update? For starters, there’s no need for hiring managers to engage applicants from the outset. In fact, it isn’t until the final crop of applicants remain that employers interact with them at all, liberating hiring managers from being bogged down in every step of the process. The software and the inbound hiring technology is able to assess the finest candidates for every position automatically.

Once applications are received, all candidates are invited to complete an online skills assessment, typically either a simulation or a quiz tailored specifically to the position. This allows employers to identify workers’ current skills and knowledge base, instead of trusting their past experience (no matter how relevant) to indicate how well they’ll perform in this role going forward. From there, the automated hiring system auto-sorts the results, ranking candidates based on their performance in each stage of the assessment process. No additional screening is necessary, and the most qualified members of the applicant pool naturally rise to the top. Only then do employers intervene and make the final decision based on these results.

Imagine how much easier it will be to cut more than a hundred candidates down to just a handful, knowing full well the extent to which each applicant is prepared to handle the tasks required by the position. Empowered with such an in-depth look into each remaining candidate, the traditional hiring method finally plays its role, opening up the door for the resume reviewing and interviewing most commonly associated with recruitment efforts. Only now the process takes a matter of days, not weeks or months. 

Outside the Box

Setting aside the way businesses are used to filling open positions, it’s easy to see the inherent value in automated hiring software. When you bring in a new team member, it shouldn’t be such a laborious process, and with the latest technology at your fingertips, there’s no reason it has to be.

Rather than spending your valuable resources meticulously poring over each application and conducting a parade of interviews, the time has come to modernize and develop a more thorough — and less tiresome — way to explore which candidates will make the greatest impact on your business. Of course, every company has its own set of specific hiring needs, but the beauty of automated hiring is that it can be tailored to fit the position in question.

This is no one-size-fits-all approach to recruiting new employees but an innovative way for companies to save time and resources without sacrificing the results they need to thrive. With the right technology, you can identify the best possible candidates for your team.

Original Post: https://vervoe.com/blog/theres-a-better-way-to-find-the-best-candidate-for-a-job/

How to Deal with Samsung Gear Virtual Reality Overheat?

techfuturae.com

Don’t you hate getting the Samsung Gear VR overheat message when you are in the middle of your VR experience? Well, I absolutely cannot stand it.

So, I set out to search for all the ways I could delay the overheating process (since prevention is not an option).

Though, not pleasing, your screen may have the irritating overheating message more frequently than you want.

In this nifty little guide, I have compiled all tricks and tips for you (with pro tips as a bonus!!) to make sure that you never have to go through the overheating situation in the middle of a game again.

With so many methods listed here, why not try out which method works for you!

What Will You Need?

You will need the following things along with your Samsung phone, Gear VR headset, and charger:

·         Standard size aluminum foil for heat sink

·         Electrical tape and scissors

·         Cooling gel pack

Before You Start the VR

Here is all you need to do to get started.

1. What is your Battery Level?

Using VR for more extended periods will end up draining your phone battery. Many people charge their phone while using VR but that overheats the phone beyond recommended temperatures, especially in case of quick chargers.

The reason is that you are already accessing graphical intensive applications on your phone and also heating it through charging.

·         Charge your phone before jumping into Virtual Reality.

2. Try Out New Apps Before VR

You may want to try out new apps or games to play during your VR. Download the apps before you insert the phone in the headset. Doing this will give you more playtime and also keep your phone cooler during the VR.

Continue in the original post: https://www.techfuturae.com/vr/guides/samsung-gear-overheat/

CRYPTOCURRENCY TAXES: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

mintdice.com

Taxes are one of the most important things to consider when dealing with assets of any kind, especially since failure to do so could lead to problems with the IRS. Some people are not aware that cryptocurrency is an asset, just like any other asset class when it comes to taxes. But the process may seem so complicated that people fail to file in their tax returns.

Since the emergence of Bitcoin and other altcoins, people have been trading and investing in digital currencies as well as running alternative operations such as mining, and lending. When Bitcoin hit its all-time high of more than $19,000 in December 2017, more investors entered the space, looking to partake in the gains.

Unfortunately, Bitcoin and other altcoins are still widely viewed as a means of exchange in illicit transactions. As a result, people do not realize that trading, ICOs, and all other activities that can turn into money, are taxable events.

Taxpayers are advised to research on cryptocurrency tax expectations and stay ahead of the game by filing taxes before the IRS comes knocking. Currently, only several hundred people have been filing crypto taxes each year, which shows that others are deliberately avoiding them. As digital currencies gain increased popularity, the IRS is more focused on cryptocurrency than ever and it is essential to pay all due taxes.

ESSENTIAL TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND

1. ALL CRYPTOCURRENCY TRADES AND SALES ARE TAXABLE

When considering cryptocurrency taxes, it can get confusing fast. These currencies are relatively new, and the industry is still figuring out the specifics of regulation, including fees. However, at the moment, cryptocurrencies can be taxed as either an investment or as a currency. Although the IRS has provided little information on the status of Bitcoin taxation, the organization regards virtual currencies as property for this purpose.

This means that certain related events such as trade and sales of crypto are taxable, and individuals must report them whether or not they lead to gains or losses. However, losses can offset gains and reduce taxes paid in the process. These capital gain implications apply as long as one cryptocurrency was exchanged for another currency including the US dollar, or spent on a taxable event. As an example, purchasing an altcoin like TRON using Bitcoin is treated as a sale and is, therefore, a taxable event.

Receiving digital currency as a form of compensation is also subject to federal tax laws. For example, a salary in the form of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Ripple is considered ordinary income at the fair market value of that currency at the time an individual receives it.

2. NOT ALL CRYPTO-RELATED EVENTS ARE TAXED

The IRS does not currently tax certain aspects of dealing with virtual currencies. One example is long-term investors who buy and hold these currencies. Unless they trade or sell them, they do not have to pay any taxes.

Most events, however, are taxable. Apart from trade and sale, spending digital currency is regarded as a tax event which can generate long-term and short-term gains and losses. Like other forms of compensation, air drops are also considered ordinary income on the day they are conducted. Its value on the first day forms its basis, and there will be a capital gain if the token is ever sold or exchanged. The same goes for initial coin offerings.

3. THE IRS IS MORE FOCUSED ON CRYPTO TAXES THAN EVER

The IRS examined records from 2013-2015 and observed that out of almost 150 million individual returns filed annually:

• Only 807 individuals submitted Bitcoin-related transactions on Form 8949 in 2013
• In 2014, only 893 individuals reported cryptocurrency-related transactions
• In 2015, the figure fell to 802

This observation led the IRS to conclude that many people were not reporting their transactions, thus prompting the decision to crack down on such individuals through exchanges.

Lately, the tax body has been putting a lot of effort into finding those who do not file their taxes. They’ve been partly successful in investigating unreported transactions in different forms and have also made headway in legally getting Coinbase to turn over transaction records for customers. The exchange was forced to submit information about users who have traded more than $20,000 worth of cryptocurrency.

Like any other asset, failing to pay taxes due on digital currencies is fraud and can attract up to five years in prison or a fine of up to $250,000. The attention on crypto taxes may increase as time goes on, so it is vital to start reporting such transactions as soon as possible.

4. THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF CRYPTOCURRENCY TAXES

The capital gains accrued on cryptocurrencies are taxable, and typically, there are two types of capital gains taxes: Long-term tax and short-term tax.

• LONG-TERM TAX

Long-term tax refers to capital gains accrued while holding cryptocurrency for more than a year before selling or trading it. They usually attract lower capital gains rates which range from 0% to 20%.

• SHORT-TERM TAX

Short-term capital gains apply to cryptocurrency an individual has held for less than a year and are taxed as ordinary income. This means that the marginal rate on that cryptocurrency will also apply to the short-term gains.

5. CRYPTO TAXES USUALLY REQUIRE TWO TAX FORMS

When filing cryptocurrency tax forms, it is essential to know which ones to use for different events. For now, there are two separate forms used.

Most investors are expected to use the sales, and other dispositions of capital assets Form 8949. In this form, they describe the digital assets they’ve traded, the purchase and sale dates, the amount made during the trade, the net gain or loss and the cost of the trade.

The other is Form 1040 Schedule D, which individuals use to document short-term and long-term gains and losses, using information from Form 8949.

6. CRYPTOCURRENCY MINERS ARE REQUIRED TO PAY TAXES

Cryptocurrency earned by miners during the mining process is subject to income taxes. This means that miners are expected to pay taxes on all their earnings. The IRS considers mining, self-employment and under tax laws, the body charges miners a self-employment tax, usually about 15.3%. However, they can deduct expenses like electricity. Mining rewards are regarded as ordinary income at the fair market value of the mined currency, the day the miner received it.

7. CRYPTOCURRENCY TOKENS MAY BE TAX-EXEMPT

According to the IRS, a taxable cryptocurrency is one that either has an equivalent value to a real currency or can be substituted for one. A token, on the other hand, is a cryptocurrency that represents a service or asset. This means that crypto tokens which represent services without acting as a currency may not be subject to federal tax laws since the definition does not apply to them.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Taxes are the part of cryptocurrency that people seldom hear about because many aspects are still unclear. However, it is something that every individual must take seriously. For now, the IRS’ investigation is not yet heated, and investors can take advantage of the lack of strict actions, to file their taxes. The IRS updated its cryptocurrency tax guidance in 2014, but hopefully, shortly, it will come up with more specific guidelines.

Original Post: https://www.mintdice.com/blog/cryptocurrency-taxes-what-you-need-to-know

HIRING ONLINE HIRING: CAN YOU HIRE SOMEONE WITHOUT MEETING THEM?

vervoe.com

Today we can do so many things remotely. We can do our grocery shopping from the couch, we can pay bills or buy tickets without lining up, and we can see what our dogs are doing in the backyard from our phones. We even know when our ride will arrive without needing to speak to anyone. We owe that to technology, which has made our lives so much more convenient.

“Space isn’t remote at all. It’s only an hour’s drive away if your car could go straight upwards.”

– Fred Hoyle

Technology is not a substitute for everything though. Sometimes, our practical objectives can be achieved with greater speed but the intangible, human touch is missing. Just like the sensation of a scented candle can’t be experienced remotely, body language may be harder to read and rapport can be more difficult to generate. A handshake or an embrace are not possible.

The hiring process is a negotiation, with a view to form a partnership. Technically, that partnership is between a business and an employee. But in reality, it is a partnership between human beings who need to work together and achieve common goals.

Does that mean that you have to meet each candidate in person before hiring them? Not necessarily. But you do need a plan for overcoming the challenges that the physical distance can create.

It’s common to distinguish between skills and behaviors, sometimes referred to as hard skills and soft skills, or, to quote Seth Godin, “functional skills” and “real skills”.  Thinking of hiring in this way can help break down the assessment into targeted components.

Let’s apply this approach to remote hiring. Here is a simple, four-step process that won’t let you down.

Step 1: Separating the Substantive and Human Touch Components

It’s good practice to always start with the job description and align the hiring process to the daily activities that will be performed in the role.

First, make a short list of all the things you’d like to assess. Next, split out the things that you think fall into the “human touch” category. These are things you would normally gauge when you’re in the same room as someone, such as chemistry, warmth or even communication style.

Try to resist the temptation to label every so-called soft skill as “human touch”.  For example, things like grit, motivation or teamwork are very substantive and can be assessed online and offline. The way to think about the “human touch” category is to focus on the things you might pick up in the first 30 seconds of meeting  someone. It’s the first impression.

Let’s call everything else “substantive”.

Step 2:  Substantive Assessment

Use performance-based hiring methods to assess all the “substantive” skills and behaviors you identified. This includes“functional skills” and “real skills”.

Everything will be online due to the distance. You can conduct two-way, live interviews, that require you to participate in each interview. This can be done over Skype or Hangouts.

If you want to save a lot of time, you can conduct automated interviews, which are one-way, on-demand interviews, so you will only have to spend time viewing the responses. Automated interviews will help you simulate tasks that are typically done on the job. Each candidate will answer an identical set of questions so there won’t be any interviewer bias. Writing an expert interview script is key to success here.

You may also choose to conduct an accredited personality test, or construct a cultural fit questionnaire that compares the candidate’s values and behaviors to those of your business.

This part of the hiring process should be highly structured. At the end you will know two things about your candidates: what they can do and how they approach their work.

You’re nearly there.

Step 3: Human Touch 

Start with a pre-recorded video to get a sense of how the candidate speaks, smiles and makes eye contact. There are no right answers here, just intuition.

Timed interview questions that simulate real-world customer scenarios are great in the “substantive” part of the assessment, but not here.

What we’re looking for here is a relaxed environment, not a pressure cooker. Ask candidates to speak about the last project they worked on, about their favorite hobby or about something they really enjoy doing. The answers don’t matter. It’s about connecting on a human level.

End with a live video discussion. Keep it informal. You’re only talking to people who you know can do the job well at this stage. The focus should be on assessing fit and validating everything you learned so far.

Arranging for several people from your team to speak with the top couple of candidates by phone or video is always an option.

Step 4: Reference Checks 

Given the remoteness, reference checks are an extremely important component of the hiring process and they should be used wisely.

Notwithstanding any video recordings you watch and live video discussions you conduct, you still haven’t met your preferred candidate in person. That’s nothing to fear, but speaking to someone who has worked directly with the person you’re about to hire will add a lot of value. It will help you fill in any remaining gaps.

The focus of the reference checks should be on how the candidate interacts with others. Here some of the questions you could ask the referee:

• When did you see the candidate out of her comfort zone?
• What kind of personality type does the candidate not get along with?
• What kind of management style would the candidate not respond well to?
• Describe the candidate when he is having a bad day.
• What does it take to get the candidate off balance?
• When the candidate is at his best, what stands out the most?
• If the candidate works on a project with two other peers, will she take the lead?

Original Post: https://vervoe.com/blog/online-hiring-can-you-hire-someone-without-meeting-them/

15 MOST SUCCESSFUL BLOCKCHAIN STARTUPS

mintdice.com

The blockchain market is anticipated to grow to over $7.5 billion by 2024 according to a report by Grandview Research. This is largely due to its adoption across multiple industries as more companies emerge with different use cases for the technology. In a world filled with flaws in every major system, there is potentially no limit to the applications of technology like blockchain.

A blockchain is a distributed ledger which stores data in an immutable way. Since records cannot be altered, the technology targets systems in which transparency, authentication, and tracking are required. This covers a wide range of applications from shipping, to real estate, global supply chain management, art, financial transactions and more.

There is also the added bonus of high-level security due to the more technical aspects of blockchain in which transactions are added to it. When blockchain first emerged, it was known mainly as the supporting technology behind Bitcoin and soon after, other cryptocurrencies as well.

As the frenzy behind the major digital currencies reduced, newer blockchain startups emerged and with time, older corporations like IBM, Microsoft, Mastercard, and Amazon carved out their own operations in what has become a rapidly growing niche.

Today, the blockchain ecosystem is a diverse ball of large and small corporations, merchants, governments, research and development. The blockchain ball does not seem like it will stop rolling anytime soon. For now, a handful of blockchain startups are dominating the space and providing opportunities for growth, employment, and even investment. Here are the top 15 blockchain startups.

1. MOBILEGO

This is one of the most interesting and successful blockchain startups that has emerged over the past few years. It was created by a group of young developers with the vision of combining the entertainment of the gaming industrywith the financial efficiency of blockchain technology.

MobileGo is a mobile cryptocurrency gaming platform which allows gamers to benefit from playing up to 500 free games. The gaming industry has proven to be a profitable one, and there are many opportunities for the application of emerging technologies to make the experience even better for its users. Games like Fortnite and PUBG have shown that there is an interest in multiplayer games which allow communication between gamers in different locations.

As an example, Fortnite has amassed a user base of more than 200 million players and about $1.2 billion in sales so far. MobileGo offers a similar model with its platform.  In return for playing, gamers are credited with cryptocurrency known as Gshare Gold, with which they are allowed to enter into tournaments. When they enter these tournaments on the website, they can win MGO tokens which can be stored in a wallet like Lumi, Coinomi or Myetherwallet. It can also be exchanged for other currencies on a cryptocurrency exchange like HitBTC, DigiFinex, or Bitfinex.

According to the MobileGo website, “The MGO token has an extremely broad scope of application, providing numerous benefits for different populations. For gamers, it will facilitate peer-to-peer matchplay and decentralized tournaments, serving both as a match reward and an entrance fee. Moreover, token holders will be able to earn additional discounts for purchasing in-game content.”

2. BRAVE

Brave is popular for gaining over 20 million downloads of what is credited as the first blockchain-fueled browser in the world. The company was first established and incorporated in 2015, as Hyperware Labs Inc in Delaware. Later, it was registered in California with its name changed to Brave Software, Inc. and is currently headquartered there.

The uniqueness of the Brave browser lies in the distribution of tokens to users as a reward for watching ads. These tokens, known as Basic Attention Token (BAT), can be exchanged for cash on a cryptocurrency exchange later. Brave aims to give users control over their data and the ads they view by blocking off invasive ads and refusing to monitor user location and activity. There has been discontent over how larger corporations such as Google or Facebook distribute content and show ads.

Brave Software's newer developments include a feature that will allow users to choose which ads to receive, between those sold by the company and those blocked by the browser. The company will pay its content publishers 55% of ad revenue, while the company, its users and ad partners will get 15% each.

Users will also be allowed to donate a portion of their proceeds to content publishers through simple micropayments.  To launch its platform, Brave Software and its Basic Attention Token ad platform have been backed by investors such as Founders Fund, Digital Currency Group, Propel Venture Partners, Foundation Capital, Huiyin Blockchain Venture, Danhua Capital, and Pantera Capital.

3. TENX

This is a Singapore-based blockchain project that is bringing digital currencies closer to people by allowing them to safely store their cryptocurrency in a cloud multicurrency wallet.

TenX offers a digital wallet and physical card that people can use to spend digital currencies, even at stores that do not normally accept cryptocurrency. This solves the problem of not having enough places to spend all the digital currency that users continue to accumulate.

Users can set spending rules as well as daily spending limits, purchase limits, and withdrawal limits for their cards using a DSS. This gives them control over their funds. Cardholders can also choose which cryptocurrencies they would like to spend and even split them into percentages.

Currently, the platform has no transaction fees. However, there is an issuing fee of $15 for a physical card and $1.50 for a digital one. Users are also required to pay an annual fee of $10 if they don’t spend up to $1000 in a year.

The TenX platform has modern safety and efficiency features such as:

•   2-factor authentication (2FA) to secure and protect all accounts
•   Multi-signature cold storage wallet management for the long-term safety of user funds.
•   Industry standard private key storage for every TenX Wallet which will eventually give way for their COMIT network, which will allow users to store the keys themselves.
•   Email account notifications for any account activity or breaches.
•   Data encryption
•   Fingerprint unlock on mobile devices.

TenX has plans to release new developer tools for businesses, startups, and merchants and explore other asset classes such as blockchain ETFs.

4. STATUS

Status is similar to telegram but comes off as a more sophisticated platform. It provides an easy way for users to interact with decentralized applications on the Ethereum blockchain. Decentralized applications (DApps) became popular after the creation of Ethereum, the platform which enables developers to build them.

As the capabilities of the Ethereum blockchain grew, so did the number of decentralized applications and projects which there are now thousands of. However, they are so many that it can be difficult for users to keep track of all their favorite applications.

This is where Status comes in, allowing such users to interact with these decentralized applications on Android or iOS. According to Status, connected devices become light client nodes on the Ethereum blockchain network and as a result, they can be used to access the Ethereum ecosystem from anywhere in the world.

The building blocks of the Status ecosystem include:

•   Its app on which users can chat, carry out transactions, and access DApps.
•   Incubate, an incubator for early-stage startups that require funding, legal support, and mentorship.
•   Embark, a simple framework for developers who want to build and deploy their own decentralized applications.
•   Studio, an integrated developer environment designed to give educational support for DApp development.
•   Nimbus, a research project and light client implementation for Ethereum 2.0
•   Keycard, a card-form hardware wallet.

Status is slated to function as both an Ethereum browser and a decentralized messenger platform. Using this hybrid system, the company plans to increase its reach and level of user adoption, while staying close to Ethereum's mission and principles.

The messenger will be a way for users across the globe to effectively communicate and carry out private transactions with each other. The browser, on the other hand, will be able to find and run any Misk or Metamask-compatible decentralized applications. It is open source and any developer can list their applications whenever they want. Currently, there are already some DApps listed on the platform, including Gnosis, uPort, Ethlance, Oasis Exchange, Aragon, Ujo, and Etherisc.

5. EOS

This is a decentralized platform for the creation of smart contracts and has been one of Ethereum's biggest competitors, in light of the larger currency's poor performance. EOS is extremely popular in the blockchain ecosystem, mostly due to its groundbreaking ICO in which the company raised $170 million. Block.One, the company behind the EOS ICO first revealed its testing environment at BlockshowAsia in 2017.

Soon after, the company published its plans in a whitepaper and the EOS platform was released as an open source software platform in June 2018. Block.One sold 1 billion EOS tokens on Ethereum's network to ensure fair distribution of their tokens. 10% is reserved for the company, 20% were sold off in the first five days of the ICO, and 70% is reserved and traded at market value.

The popularity of EOS is also largely due to the launch of the platform’s mainnet, as well as a steady rise in its price and market capitalization which has landed it a position as the fifth-largest cryptocurrency.

Like Ethereum, EOS is a decentralized operating system which supports and hosts decentralized applications through a series of interesting features and functionalities.

Businesses can successfully build the blockchain version of apps and retain the feel of a regular web-based application with the added benefits of blockchain technology such as security, efficiency, and transparency. EOS also claims that it has eliminated transaction fees and promises speeds of millions of transactions per second. This is not the case for many other digital decentralized platforms.

6. PATRON

Founded by Japanese influencer Atsushi Hisatsumi, Patron is a blockchain platform geared towards modifying the current influencer marketing model. It is a modern influencer ecosystem, in which people can pay for influential posts or influencers, through the system’s token.

Although influencer marketing has been predicted to grow into an $8 billion industry by 2020, influencers still encounter earning problems in the system. For one thing, a lot of them are held back by agents and agencies which charge large commissions of up to 40% and without these agencies, influencers find it difficult to get new clients.

Patron basically cuts off the intermediary from the process, giving clients a way to search for influencers on the platform, hire them, and pay directly to them. It works on the same principle as Airbnb, which allows people to become hosts without being subjected to outrageous requirements.

Not only will this allow influencers to earn more, but it will also boost the way marketing is done in that part of the world. Companies will be able to reach influencers easily, and more influencers will be willing to enter the market due to the positive environment which encourages the establishment and growth of their own brands.

Atsushi Hisatsumi is a popular influencer, award-winning singer, dancer, DJ, and entrepreneur who specializes in marketing and creating a better environment for marketing professionals. The budding blockchain startup conducted its ICO private sale and pre-sale in February 2018, raising $10 million and $20 million each.

The token sale event was backed by software development and ICO marketing company Extravaganza, and raised $40 million in total. Patron was also supported by IOTA co-founder, David Cohen, and Coinhills founder, Francisco Jo.

7. TRADOVE

This decentralized platform is trying to change the way B2B marketing is typically done. According to its statement, "The marketing effect for B2B is different from consumers. In the consumer space, it is users who generate users. In the B2B space, it is opportunities that generate opportunities. We aim to create a go-to place for companies to advertise to other companies over the Internet in a precise way, just like Google does in the consumer space, and eventually create a B2B ecosystem in which anyone who wants to do business will come to our site, a multibillion-dollar company."

Its platform is a light, fast and secure B2B payment network for cross-border transactions and became immensely popular when it had one of the top ICOs in 2018. TraDove is responsible for launching the world’s first B2B token, which will possibly create a demand for cryptocurrency within marketing circles.    

                  

Tradove claims to do the following things:

•   Connect people, products/services and companies using a private business network and industry associations, etc.
•   Help buyers and sellers to save time by providing a way for them to find each other.
•   Provide transparency within the B2B space by making information less one-sided.
•   Give companies a better way to target other companies for advertisement, more accurately and efficiently over the internet.
•   Provide a B2B cloud storage service for companies to store marketing material such as whitepapers.
•   Offer B2B Big Data, Machine Learning and Analytics services for matching people and companies.

TraDove's main asset is an ERC20 standard token known as B2BCoin. It will be used on the platform for B2B sales and marketing campaigns. The company issued 1,000,000,000 B2BCoins of which 50% were released for its ICO and 20% is reserved for operational use.

8. CELSIUS NETWORK

Celsius network is a blockchain lending startup which allows borrowers to use their digital currency holdings as collateral. The platform has been doing well since its establishment and recently announced that it lent out $630 million worth of cryptocurrency-backed loans within the last five months of 2018.

The statement on their website reads: "Celsius launched its services in July 2018 and since, we have done over $600M in coin loans. We used the interest we earned from these coin loans to buy BTC, ETH, and other cryptocurrencies to pay interest to our community of Crypto depositors and to buy back CEL tokens. We also funded the industry's largest single dollar loan of $5,000,000."

Lending is one of the many ways to monetize the growing popularity of crypto-assets. It happens on an individual level on many exchanges already. Having a trusted platform in which users who do not want to spend their cryptocurrency but require fiat currency is necessary.

For example, a user may hold Bitcoin but need fiat currency to pay bills and may not want to go through the hassle of exchanging their cryptocurrency which they’ve decided to HODL for fiat currency. With Celsius, they can just put it up as collateral and take it back when the loan is repaid.

Based in London, Celsius Network also provides users with the option of interest-earning wallets, and claims that they have a user base of more than 15,000 people spread across 100 countries. Since the interest rates that Celsius offers are relatively low, borrowers find it an attractive deal. Loans can be secured for as low as 4.5% APR, but the company only accepts a limited number of digital currencies-- Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC) andRipple (XRP).

9. MENLO ONE

Menlo is a blockchain framework for developing and deploying decentralized applications (DApps) in a simple and efficient way. While the idea of decentralized applications may come off as complex, Menlo is letting developers create them in a similar way to the centralized applications that they are used to developing.

It can be used to build various types of decentralized applications such as blogs, censorship-resistant social networks, eCommerce sites, or cryptocurrency exchanges, and is popular for their Proof-of-Reputation protocol which brings extra security measures to blockchain technology.

According to Menlo, their goal is "to aid the adoption of blockchain technology by helping people build great software. Our framework is designed as a launching point for entrepreneurs, startups and enterprise to build blockchain software by minimizing learning and cost of entry barriers. We'll help you build the future of decentralized technology through discovery, design, rapid prototyping, solution delivery, system integration, and ongoing support."

Menlo also gives companies the opportunity to outsource the development of decentralized applications without overshooting their IT or logistics budgets. The platform handles the installation, management, and provision of Blockchain as a Service (BaaS) tools so that companies can focus on their other tasks.

The Menlo Ecosystem consists of:

•   The Menlo ONE Token, an open source ERC20 Standard token on the Ethereum blockchain, which powers the entire system in terms of Gas and other payments. According to Menlo, it integrates seamlessly with the platform and ensures user-friendly transactions.
•   Content Nodes, which provide security and speed for the platform's operations, from developer to enterprise frameworks. According to Menlo, "They create a decentralized cloud server network run by individual users who are incentivized to deliver the correct content to websites or applications. Even the fastest blockchain today can't deliver content as quickly as a centralized cloud-based server."

10. GAMEFLIP

Gameflip is a Silicon Valley-based platform that allows users to trade digital games and goods in such games. Gamers own and develop every part of the platform, which now has more than 2 million members and a huge global digital goods marketplace in which more than 500,000 active monthly users transact millions in digital goods each month. The platform has the goal of becoming one of the best gaming marketplaces by offering a high level of security and transparency. It is achieving this through blockchain technology, which powers its ecosystem and digital asset, FLIP token.

Gamers can move their digital goods onto the blockchain when transacting and are provided enough flexibility to buy and sell them for cash. According to GameFlip, this ensures that the goods maintain their value. This, in turn, encourages more gamers to participate in the ecosystem.

Game publishers on the platform receive a commission for every transaction conducted by another gamer using FLIP, via the digital goods of the partnering publisher. The platform has plugins which monitor the blockchain history of all published goods so that payments and commissions are accounted for.

The gaming industry is embracing further technological advancement and platforms like GameFlip make things even more interesting. The idea of communicating with multiple players was one of the first exciting steps taken within the industry. Next, there were marketplaces which allowed users to trade items using in-game tokens. Now those tokens can be exchanged for real cash across the globe without any restrictions because of platforms like Gameflip. It’s no surprise that the company made it to this list.

11. BUDDY

Buddy is an application store that seeks to promote creativity among developers. It was created by a group of developers as a bedrock for other programmers who want to create on or off-chain blockchain apps and services. Basically, Buddy removes the load and pressure that developers face in automated processes, to give them more creative freedom. Although these automated processes are in place to simplify tasks, especially those that can easily become monotonous, they do not leave room for much creativity.

Usually, large organizations run many heavy daily operations, which take a long time to complete. This is why they use automation infrastructure to build systems faster. However, this also increases the amount of money spent on their DevOps while making it complicated and difficult to maintain. Such companies also face issues in speeding up shipping, delivery, and deployment for the technological products, and this puts pressure on their infrastructure because they rush to put out many items at the same time while also trying to bypass queues. Such operations are not sustainable without external help. Buddy has a large framework to allow these companies to focus on their shipping and other important metrics while DevOps is handled by the framework. This allows the companies increased speed, a reduction in cost and errors, greater efficiency, and flexibility.

Currently, the Buddy platform has more than 80 automation tools and actions categorized into work pipelines to simplify and speed up the building, testing, and deployment process for any type of DevOps work. In this marketplace, users can develop and deploy any software they want and the entire system runs on blockchain technology.

12. ADBIT

ADBIT is a media-focused blockchain startup with the aim of solving the issues of efficiency, distribution, and centralization within the media marketplace. The firm operates under the belief that media planning and buying should be autonomous, and has launched a solution to make this possible. The solution is known as CINCH Media Marketplace, the world's first blockchain powered media planning and buying platform for traditional media.

The media industry has several issues including monitoring and metrics. Currently, the process is carried out using ad surveys, which many users do not take out time to fill. This leads to an inaccurate assessment. There is also a lack of transparency regarding pricing, between sellers, buyers, and third-parties. There are extra costs incurred during reconciliation accounts, and using spreadsheets leads to even more errors and time consumption. ADBIT is giving media users a better way to manage workflow, reconciliation, a more transparent pricing process, and better monitoring using more accurate techniques like digital analytics.

CINCH, an already existing platform allows ad agencies (its primary consumers) to view their media accounts and proposals easily while automating their workflow to increase efficiency. Since 2016, the platform has completed ad purchases worth more than $200 million. By acquiring the platform, ADBIT is buying itself an existing user base and a great starting point. This will also go well with the startup's media exchange which will have data collection tools to boost its sales process.

ADBIT is clearly one to watch since the ad space is highly separated. Larger companies like Google have conquered the space and it is a lot harder for the smaller companies to break through. Hopefully, with the help of blockchain technology, there may be some breakthroughs or completely newer ad models in some years.

13. DACC

This is considered the world's first content-based blockchain platform and organization that focuses on access and identity management at the infrastructure level. It seeks to offer content creators full ownership and control over their creative process, access to their work, money earned from it, as well as its storage. It already has a convincing value proposition and raised $4.7 million during its ICO.

Decentralized Accessible Content (DACC) is a platform that is set to revolutionize the digital content and media industry. Its blockchain will securely initiate, store, and manage access permissions to user and creator data. Creators can upload and share various types of content including songs, samples, and audiobooks.

Since the platform handles all processes, there are no third party fees or any other fees charged. As a result, creators can distribute their work freely with complete control over the proceeds. The process of distribution is via consensus, not influencers or label politics like those within the traditional music industry so the results are unbiased. The intellectual property of creators is also protected during this process, which is entirely straightforward. To use DACC, after uploading their work, content creators simply configure pricing settings, stating how much they want users to pay for their content. After this, the content is accessible to users who fulfill pricing conditions.

Each creator has to place a deposit for each uploaded content piece which will be refunded after one month from the date of publication if no plagiarism has been reported and sales, as well as reviews, have reached an 80% threshold. Depending on what the content creators want, the pricing options for content can be in the form of one-time payments, subscriptions or free of charge.

Contributors are rewarded with incentives for using the platform in many ways such as creating content, actively participating, and curating content. These rewards can come in the form of revenue as well.

14. GOLDILOCK

Goldilock aims to change the way data is stored and secured across the internet; the innovations allow for individuals and institutions to secure digital assets in storage that are physically disconnected from the internet

Goldilock is a cryptocurrency custodial service which hopes to make private key storage safer. It is launching on the NEO blockchain and will provide individuals and organizations with a better alternative to cryptocurrency data storage systems that are already on ground. These include cloud storage and hardware or digital wallets.

Goldilock is inventing a new type of secure digital asset management and storage service through its pending patent. The patent describes remote automated airgap security (RAAS) for the secure storage of cryptocurrency keys. This method will hopefully allow users to store private keys offline and online as needed. When the keys are not in use, they will be disconnected from the internet where they cannot be reached by cybercriminals and other unauthorized parties.

Private keys are the backbone of a user’s cryptocurrency wallet. If they fall into the wrong hands, the results can be the loss of funds and user data. This is why they have to be stored in a safe place. This hybrid method by Goldilock will adapt the online security of an exchange with the offline security of a hardware wallet. The Goldilock team is apparently still in talks with commercial clients concerning partnerships and applications of the technology in other industries.

15. FCOIN

FCoin is one of the most popular and successful blockchain startups on this list and has made headlines several times for controversy. It is a China-based decentralized and fully transparent cryptocurrency exchange which has created a new exchange model that the Chinese cryptocurrency community, as well as other exchanges, do not support. This model is known as trans-fee mining; it awards users with FT tokens, the official FCoin digital asset, for exchanging cryptocurrency. In fact, 51% of all FT is reserved for this purpose. This has made the exchange incredibly popular since users can earn more FT the more they exchange.

In 2018, FCoin reported daily volumes of up to $ 6 billion, which was more than the volume of all other exchanges combined. That is a startling figure for an exchange so young and the company has denied any wrongdoing. However, other exchanges like Binance argue that if FCoin's revenue depends on its token, then there is nothing to stop the company from fixing its asset price. It has also been compared to a Ponzi scheme, but there is no evidence to corroborate these claims. For now, FCoin and its new model have been successful despite never holding an ICO. The 80% profit sharing will return up to 80% to its active community.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Blockchain startups are emerging every day with fresher, bolder and more imaginative use-cases for the technology. However, many are swept under the carpet for unsustainable models and unachievable plans. Still, some companies have persevered and are proving lucrative and successful in such a competitive field. Whether it’s a company searching for better ways to distribute content or one that's inventing a better mining model, each of these companies is striving to make the world a better place. Success will always change hands as rapid development continues, so it's interesting to see which companies will emerge as success stories in the future.