Metaverse, decentralized finance and the future of the planet

Anyone who attends an event like the Web Summit Lisboa, one of the biggest in innovation and technology in the world, can understand a little of what I’m going to talk about; but, for those who haven’t had the opportunity to experience this sample of the future, I would like to share my experience and reflection.

Four days were immersed in a tsunami of content and information. So much happened that, at times, it was difficult to assimilate and choose what to watch. The program featured approximately 400 talks that addressed various topics, such as data, metaverse, blockchain, cryptocurrencies, fintechs, design, advertising, artificial intelligence, games, sports, politics, energy, future of the planet and e-commerce, among others.

Having my bias towards innovation, technology and business, some major themes caught my attention and made me reflect on the trends of an even more connected society. Certainly, metaverse is a theme that is very strong – and not as we heard initially, a virtual world that tries to replicate reality. I saw a boom on the subject within different companies and startups, especially relating the metaverse to art, games and finance. I bring this with one of the highlights of the event.

Within the finance theme, I saw very strong debates about the use of cryptocurrencies and the decentralization of finance (DeFi) – a term that encompasses a variety of applications and projects on the blockchain. In this sense, a presentation about the first cryptocurrency created for students caught my attention. Through an application, it provides ways to learn about Web3, financial education, in addition to payments with very low transaction fees. I also saw the large number of startups that were there presenting their solutions related to Open Finance, a movement that is already present in about 80 countries around the world.

Another highlight was the theme “data”, present in the most different content tracks and constantly permeating lectures and discussions, whether in the areas of Marketing, ESG or Finance. This topic attracts me because I understand data as a powerful way to enable business and make companies more predictive. But we need to go further and also talk about the use of our personal data. I had the opportunity to attend a lecture by Tim Berners-Lee, a British physicist, computer scientist and professor at MIT, who in 1989 made the first proposal for the creation of the web. After 33 years, he continues on his mission to evolve the internet, following with the startup Solid Project the purpose of remaking the digital world and putting people back in control of their personal data.

Last but not least, it was also possible to observe various contents about the future of our planet. Whenever I have the opportunity, I point out that it is no longer possible to think about innovation separately from sustainability, a reasoning that was reinforced at the event. I followed many talks that brought issues related to the environment, renewable energies, decarbonization, among others. I am extremely happy to see that an event of this kind is discussing – both in the lectures and by the entrepreneurs and companies present – solutions to solve the problems of our society.

An event of this size shows us the speed that the market needs to keep up with trends, both in terms of how we deliver experiences to consumers and how we manage to capture their attention in an increasingly fast and dynamic world. It is incredible to witness such a rich moment of exchange to reflect on what future consumption will be like.

This article was originally published in Meio & Mensagem.