Trusted facilitator: Atos discusses its place in the blockchain ecosystem

Atos’ global lead for blockchain, Klaus Ottradovetz, confirmed TBR’s assessment that as many companies move beyond evaluation and proof of concept to implementation of blockchain solutions, the broader IT ecosystem will see the benefits and acceleration of a networking effect. If IoT marries analytics to connectivity, blockchain binds transactional partners in an ever-increasing series of interwoven networks. Within those blockchain ecosystems, collaborative models with multiple stakeholders sharing costs and benefits provide the backbone for new value-generating services based on the advantages delivered by blockchain. To illustrate his point, Ottradovetz described a crop insurance solution (which recently won the Technology Excellence in Blockchain award at NASSCOM) as an ideal use case for blockchain, in which the various stakeholders, including insurers, reinsurers, farmers and content providers would all benefit. The solution uses smart contract functionality and mobile payment to create a cost-effective and fully automated claim settlement process, which also strengthens the trust between the two entities. Insurance companies can use the application to collate weather data through satellites and measure weather conditions (e.g., rainfall, drought), which are then used to compensate farmers for crop losses.

Atos adds value to blockchains by working with all stakeholders   

Ottradovetz noted, and TBR agrees, that our report did not include many details on Atos’ blockchain practice, which resides with the Business and Platform Solutions division and leads industry-specialized go-to-market activities and service delivery around consulting, integrating and operating blockchains. Atos taps into the Infrastructure and Data Management division for hosting and running nodes in blockchain networks and also integrates offerings from its Big Data and Cybersecurity division, such as cybersecurity services and IP-based products like the Evidian Identity and Access Management software suite and the Trustway Hardware Security Module. Ottradovetz said Atos has focused on working with its existing clients, including in the government sector, and that Atos acts as a “services provider” and is “not in a position of taking value from others within the blockchain ecosystem, not taking value out of the product chain.” In a characterization that TBR believes accurately describes Atos’ market position, Ottradovetz said the company serves as a “trusted” functionary, “the independent advisor to each stakeholder…we help [clients] build a cooperative blockchain.”