The World Economic Forum (WEF) has included a number of startups working with blockchain technologies in its Technology Pioneers cohort of 2018.

This year’s cohort lists 61 early-stage companies that are pioneering new technologies and innovations ranging from the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in drug discovery, the development of autonomous vehicles, advancing cybersecurity and reducing food waste, to applying blockchain to a decentralized engagement platform.

Blockchain startups included in the list include:

• BitPesa: A Kenya-based blockchain payments startup allowing companies to buy and sell currencies in frontier markets without using the US dollar as a middle currency.
• Everledger: A London-based startup harnessing cutting-edge technologies such as blockchain, smart contracts, internet of things (IoT) and machine vision to create solutions for encrypting the immutable provenance of an asset through a distributed ledger platform.
• EVRYTHNG: An IoT platform for digital identity and data management. The London-based startup recently announced the availability of the EVRYTHNG Blockchain Integration Hub.
• Grid Singularity: A Berlin-based green blockchain technology company that is leading the development of an open, decentralized energy data exchange platform under the auspices of the Energy Web Foundation (EWF).
• Horizon State: Based in Australia, Horizon State has built a token-based blockchain voting and decision-making platform that delivers unprecedented trust through the integrity and post-unforgeable attributes of blockchain technology.
• Melonport: A Switzerland-based startup is the provider of open-source blockchain software for digital asset managers.

“Innovation comes from all corners of the earth and from a very diverse group of entrepreneurs, and with this selection we recognize that,” said Cheryl Martin, Head of the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Member of the Managing Board at the World Economic Forum. “The next step is to help these Pioneers bring their solutions to complex world-critical problems to global markets and to take action for the public good.”