ETHDenver2023: Key Insights for Building a Decentralized Health Ecosystem
We had the privilege of sharing the HealthBlocks story with web3 enthusiasts from around the world at ETHDenver. Our mission at HealthBlocks is to help people live healthier and longer lives, and we believe that health data from devices like smartphones, wearables, and sleep trackers plays a crucial role in achieving this goal. In our decentralized health ecosystem, we bring together gamification of a healthy lifestyle with decentralized data analysis, computation, and exchange.
At ETHDenver, we had many inspiring conversations with builders, VCs, students, healthcare professionals, and Uber drivers about the future of health and how web3 fits into that. From these discussions, we took home several key insights that we believe are essential for building durable and impactful solutions in the web3 space.
1. Vision is essential 🔑
With so much exciting innovation happening in the tech space, it's crucial to keep asking ourselves what we're building and why. It's tempting to just start building, but having a true understanding of the problem is key to creating good solutions. At HealthBlocks, we're focused on decentralized identities, decentralized data storage, decentralized data analysis, off-chain compute, and decentralized data exchange/marketplace. By keeping our vision clear and focused, we're able to stay on track and create solutions that truly address the needs of our users.
2. Dare to build cathedrals 🏛️
In the fast-paced world of web3, jumping on the next hype train and developing the latest X-to-Earn concept or questionable DeFi product can be tempting. However, we believe that to make a real impact, we need to focus on building things of enduring value. As Richard DeVaul noted at the IoTeX - Connect Smart Devices to Smart Contracts #R3alworld event, "Dare to build cathedrals." So many people in the web3 space see the potential the technology has to disrupt industries. However, it will only happen if people are willing to build things that can disrupt industries and that’s not easy! Only with a tremendous amount of commitment, dedication, grit, and a bit of luck, it’s possible.
3. Be prepared for everything 🧘♂️
In web3, if knowledge is power, then flexibility is your superpower. It's essential to keep an open mind and be mindful of potential tunnel vision when it comes to technology, especially in web3. Building cathedrals solely on web3 tech can be challenging, so it's important to be flexible in integrating web2 and web3 solutions to create strong, resilient foundations that can scale. Putting the problem and solution before the technology is key.
While these technologies are still very young and rapidly evolving, it's crucial to have a Plan A, B, and C to ensure that we're ready to go when the timing is right and to have backup plans to keep progressing. Ultimately, it all comes back to understanding the problem and having a strong vision for the solution.
At HealthBlocks, we're excited to use web3 tech for our data infrastructure to give ownership and control of health data back to users. By building a decentralized health ecosystem, we're creating a platform for individuals to take control of their health data and use it to live healthier, longer lives.
We believe that by staying focused on our vision, daring to build cathedrals, and being prepared for anything, we can make a real impact in the web3 space and beyond.