Spain's Izertis consortium wins INATBA award for best blockchain project in Europe
The comsortium EBSI-Vector project, led by the technology multinational Izertis, has won the Inatba award, which recognises the best international projects in Europe in which blockchain technology has been used. Specifically, the Spanish company, together with its partners, has been awarded in the category of 'Innovation in the Public Sector', for the EBSI-Vector project for the implementation of the technological infrastructure to guarantee the veracity and traceability of the credentials of European Union citizens.
The so-called "Oscar" of European blockchain projects has distinguished EBSI-Vector as a "pioneer for its achievement in merging innovation and sustainability of this initiative", as announced by the organisation during the award ceremony, at the gala held in Brussels (Belgium) on Tuesday night. The firm beat the four other companies competing for the award in its category, including the US-based UNJSPF, the French company Archipiels, the Dutch company IoT Netherland, and the Belgian company SettleMint. During the awards ceremony, the American company FireBlocks was also recognised in other categories, as 'Best Economic ReFi', and UNHCR, as 'Best Sustainable Innovation Project' for its aid to refugees with this same technology.
We put Spain on the map with this large-scale implementation of decentralized or self-managed digital identity
"For us, what is really important is not only the fact that we were able to win this award, but that we are here. On the one hand, we are recognised as a major international player. Also, our capacity to drive large-scale projects, and also through such a disruptive and complex technology as blockchain and digital identity. Not only that, but we put Spain on the map for the first time in this field, with this large-scale implementation of decentralised or self-managed Digital Identity", explained Miguel Ángel Calero, Head of Emerging Technologies, and Nuria Rodríguez, Innovation Consultant at Izertis, after the awards ceremony.
An internationally recognised generation model
"Izertis is a rara avis in its kind because of its creative capacity, which makes it different: this is what has been recognised internationally in recent years. Within the company we have created a model that makes it possible for the team that develops innovation to be the same team that generates the market, i.e. many of the solutions we have been working on innovating for years are reaching the market in real time, which means that our path is the shortest so that our customers can use emerging technologies as soon as possible and in a proven way", emphasises Miguel Ángel Calero.
The technology company was the only Spanish company to compete for these awards
The EBSI-Vector project is an example of this, since "we had been working on digital identity for years", in a timeframe in which "everything was still to be done", and now we are months away from this technology being used in the private and public sector with regulatory clarity, and we are at the forefront internationally.
EBSI-Vector is a large-scale implementation, bringing together 50 partners from 20 countries, including the Spanish Mint (FNMT) and its French counterpart, La Poste, among others. Also more than 100 universities on the continent, and with the production of "a technology that didn't even exist three years ago," insists Nuria Rodríguez.
Inatba, the European organisation for the promotion of the blockchain
Inatba (International Association for Trusted Applications of Blockchain) was created in 2019 by the European Commission and is recognised as the reference body for the promotion, advocacy and adoption of DLT in Europe.