On Tuesday, IT giant Fujitsu announced it is offering a five-day program – available in Europe, the Middle East, India, and Africa (EMEIA) – that allows organizations to develop a minimum viable blockchain or distributed ledger technology (DLT) product. At the program's core, Fujitsu and each participating organization test blockchain business ideas that can potentially be implemented at a larger scale. Fujitsu asserts that if creators use this proof of business approach prior to developing a proof of concept, they can avoid many pitfalls common to blockchain and DLT projects.
Frederik de Breuck, head of Fujitsu's Blockchain Innovation Center, commented on the program's intent:
"Blockchain and other DLTs hold the potential to transform organizations and entire industries. Inspired by high levels of interest from our customers, we have created this ready-to-go package not only to jump-start the customers' blockchain efforts but also to review and improve existing projects. Available immediately across the EMEIA region, we expect this assessment to have a major impact on unlocking blockchain's potential for business use cases."
However, the program seems more suited to people without a pre-existing product. In an interview with The Register, business developer and lead architect at Fujitsu's Blockchain Innovation Center (BIC) Chris Pilling, described how the program could be utilized by clients who are seeking to develop a product from scratch.
The program starts with an introduction to blockchain technology, and then Fujitsu works with the client to define a problem, analyze it, and develop a use case. The next three days see the Fujitsu team develop a prototype and consider web applications and integration. On the last day, Fujitsu presents the product to the client and demonstrates how it could meet the organization's business need.
The program's framework puts the ball in the client's court: It is up to each organization to decide what to do with the product and the accompanying analysis. Clients can continue to develop the product, save it for later, or scrap it entirely. However, per Fujitsu's terms and conditions, clients cannot take their prototypes to rival tech companies.
The program is overseen by the Blockchain Innovation Center, which is located in Brussels, Belgium. The center opened on March 21 with the intent of conducting research and collaborating on blockchain projects. One of the center's goals is to expand blockchain technology outside of financial services "as a new architecture for information systems and sectors of all kinds."
One of the center's loftier goals is to create "the city of the future," with a focus on technology as well as "sociological and demographic factors, societal organization, economic functioning and ecological challenges." Fujitsu said it will promote the research and development of smart city services in Brussels and other cities.
Fujitsu's productization program starts at €9,900 (approximately $11,560 at time of press).