Spotlight Asia – Pioneering tech innovators #2
In our Spotlight Asia series we’re celebrating some of the leading innovators and game-changers in the emerging tech sectors across Asian markets. It’s a guide to who-to-know and how they’ve shaped the industry for the future, an invaluable source focused on the up-and-coming and established minds in the emerging tech space.
As the rate of innovation increases exponentially through technologies such as blockchain, AI, and IoT, there’s a new breed of high-achievers entering the space. Others have further solidified their place in the sector with years of experience informing their ideas.
Jihan Wu co-founded one of the world’s leading manufacturers of Bitcoin mining devices
Jihan Wu graduated from Peking University in 2009 where he earned degrees in both economics and psychology, following which he went on to work as a financial analyst for a private equity firm.
After his discovery of bitcoin in 2011, and his consequent purchasing of 900 bitcoins with help from family and friends, he founded China’s first bitcoin community site “Babite”. He was also the first to translate Satoshi Nakamoto’s bitcoin white paper into Chinese.
In 2013, he co-founded Bitmain with microelectronics engineer Micree Zhan where they developed Antminer S1, the company’s first mining rig, and have now moved on to become one of the world’s leading manufacturers of Bitcoin mining devices.
Last year, Wu stepped down as co-CEO of Bitmain and founded Matrixport, a financial services company for cryptocurrencies based in Singapore. They are currently looking to raise $40 million and an increase in valuation up to $300 million.
Dr Sergei Shnizer created and developed a tool which increased the precision of embryo viability testing
Dr Sergei Shnizer plays a vital role for Carmel Diagnostics, who were the first company in the world to create a benchtop system that measures oxidative stress in body fluids at the point of care and within minutes.
Dr Sergei Shnizer is the inventor of TCL technology and the first to apply it to medicine. Specializing in Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, he developed an interest in the effect and mechanisms of free radicals in critically ill patients.
The Fertissimo TCL Analyzer measures oxidative stress, which is a powerful biomarker of embryo viability. This is a noninvasive analysis of the embryo’s reproductive potential and has seen a 20% average increase in embryos carrying on to conception.
Dr Shnizer was also a co-founder of SPM Ltd. (now OZ Recovery Technologies), which developed a device for treatment of diabetes wounds using ozone.
Prior to immigrating to Israel, he spent 15 years at Botkin Hospital in Moscow in the Department of Emergency Medicine and Hyperbaric Oxygen as Senior Physician. Dr Shnizer’s PhD thesis covered “Using Free Radical Activity Tests in Intensive Care Units.”
He has published over 30 articles in peer-reviewed journals.
Tzali Cnaani also helped create and develop the tool which increased the precision of embryo viability testing
Tzali Cnaani is also intimately involved with Carmel Diagnostics and has a proven track record in all facets of leading R&D and businesses, from inception to fundraising, product strategy, operations and sales management.
Previously, Cnaani was CEO of Lumitest, a company which developed a unique medical device to measure oxidative stress in biological fluids, establishing the technology through cooperation with medical centers and academia. Prior to that, he was CEO of SAE Afikim (Afimilk), a world leader in computerised dairy management systems.
Cnaani was EVP and member of the board of directors of Gambit Computer Communication.
Brendan Blumer’s Block.one recently launched Voice.com, a blockchain-based social media platform
Brendan Blumer had an interest in the internet from a young age, having developed the website “GaMeCliff” to sell virtual assets in the existing multiplayer online gaming communities of games such as EverQuest and World of Warcraft.
After GaMeCliff got acquired, his next online venture involved launching another gaming-related website, The Accounts Network in 2007, and then Okay.com in 2010, a data-sharing platform for real estate brokers in Asia.
Blumer then went on to form Block.one with Daniel Larimer, which is an open-source software publishing company specializing in blockchain technologies with their first project being EOS.IO – a blockchain protocol powered by the native cryptocurrency EOS.
They’ve recently launched the Voice.com beta in the US, and it is set to roll-out to other English-speaking countries. Voice looks to reward users who engage on the platform with Voice tokens, and is built on giving control back to its users.
The Bounties Network successfully combines cryptocurrency and project management
The Bounties Network offers a platform to create projects, collaborate, and get paid in cryptocurrency for doing jobs in any domain.
It empowers people to incentivise and self-organise, from freelancing to grassroots social action, and anything in between.
What do you think of our list? Do you agree with our choices? Tell us who you think should be featured in November for the European edition – or create a list of your own and share it with us!
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