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#214 Christopher Fabian & Shaun Conway: Unicef & Ixo: Towards More Transparent Humanitarian Projects

1,242 views · Published 19 December 2017 · 1:06:19 · Indexed 29 October 2026

Channel: Epicenter Podcast · 2017 · Science & Technology

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We're joined by Christopher Fabian, Co-founder of Unicef's Innovation Unit. We discuss how the global non-profit institution leverages innovative technology to solve real-world problems in humanitarian work. We explore the different applications of blockchain in the UN and Unicef, as well as the challenges we can anticipate when deploying these technologies in the developing world. Shaun Conway, Founder of Ixo Foundation, also joins the discussion as a startup working Unicef and talks about the value of a global reputation network for humanitarian projects.

Topics discussed in this episode:
- Chris' and Shaun's respective backgrounds
- A bit of background on the UN and Unicef
- Unicef's Innovation Unit and Venture arm
- How Unicef evaluates the different technologies in the space (public, permissionned, etc.)
- The challenges faced when deploying new technologies in the developing world
- Unicef's recent experimentation with an Ethereum smart contract
- Potential applications for blockchain at the UN and Unicef
- Unicef's Venture arm and the types of projects in which they invest
- Ixo Foundation, their collaboration with Unicef and the value of a Proof of Impact blockchain network


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Epicenter is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain, Sébastien Couture & Meher Roy.

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