Emilie Allaert, Head of Luxembourg Blockchain Lab; Credit: LBL

On Thursday 16 June 2022, the Luxembourg Blockchain Lab (LBL), an initiative launched at the end of 2019 to facilitate cross-industry collaboration between the private sector, academia and government, and to push the adoption of Blockchain and other distributed ledger technologies (DLTs) in Luxembourg, announced that it has become an innovation cluster for the benefit of the economy and society.

The LBL will fulfil its mission to help the Grand Duchy and its various industries grasp the opportunities brought by the DLT technologies. This will be made possible via knowledge dissemination, support to project bearers with a link to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and developing concrete solutions to achieve development targets.

The innovation cluster is also overseeing the Blockchain stream of the recently launched Digital Learning Hub (DLH) after signing a collaboration agreement with Luxembourg's Minister of Education, Children and Youth, Claude Meisch. The initial training courses introduced the main principles of blockchain, its programming, as well as its legal and financial implications. This offering will be completed by dedicated learning paths, customised to the needs of various professionals, launching in the winter semester.

Previously the Head of Operations and Projects at The LHoFT, Emilie Allaert, has been appointed as the Head of the LBL. With more than ten years of experience in the financial industry and especially the last five years where she has been involved in numerous projects related to blockchain and digital assets at the LHoFT, Ms Allaert will collaborate with the various industries present in Luxembourg and navigate the DLT technology innovations to raise awareness on its multiple applications.

Hosted within the entity of Infrachain asbl, the LBL is a collaborative entity combining the expertise and research capabilities of academia with strong industrial leadership from its five founding members: Infrachain, Lëtzblock, The LHoFT, the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) and the Interdisciplinary Center for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT), which reinstated their support to the initiative.

The LBL is open to collaborating with partners from the private and public sector to bring a new vision for Blockchain in Luxembourg by providing stronger solutions and tackling the hurdles encountered in the development of technological projects. Infrachain community members will also have the opportunity to join the LBL collaborative ecosystem.

Following the success of the launch edition of the Luxembourg Blockchain Week in 2021, with more than 1,000 attendees, the LBL will host its second edition from 3 to 7 October 2022, allowing an international audience to get an unique oversight of the technology’s potential and its impact for citizens and businesses. More information will be available via: www.blockchainweek.lu.

Ms Allaert said: “DLT technology is at a tipping point where we need to act and deliver concretely solutions to the economy. It is essential to perceive the potential impact and support DLT can bring on the global sustainability goals strategy. The Luxembourg Blockchain Lab being recognised as a cluster will help reach out to a wide range of actors and facilitate collaboration and solutions using DLT.”