50 Innovative Companies to Watch 2021
The Silicon Review
“Unlike centralized systems, the Smart Hub users themselves have more control over the network, lead its adoption, and get benefit from the revenue stream.”
OBORTECH is an easy to participate and simple to use unified communication and data exchange hub underpinned by blockchain and IoT for supply-chain.
The project was founded in 2019, and is headquartered in Tallinn, Estonia.
Interview Excerpt: Tamir Baasanjav
Q. Given that the supply-chain industry has multiple actors with varying technical capacities, how does OBORTECHglobal OU manage to stay at the forefront?
Existing digital systems are primarily dedicated to specific organizations and their own environments only. Those systems are hard to be adopted by other players with different conditions. Players who lack IT resources and knowledge can’t build and maintain those systems by themselves. Thus, we aim to provide a one-stop platform for everyone in the supply chain to create their own digital ecosystems and interact with their partners via a decentralized blockchain network.
What if we have a simple and easy-to-use fully digital network like Facebook in the supply chain that everyone has equal participation rights, controls their own data, decides whom they want to connect, shares information remotely in a unified format, receives real-time notifications, and gets valued based on their performance histories verified by other members in the network instead of complex procedure by a single organization?
We aim to build the Smart Logistics Hub, a decentralized and democratic digital ecosystem that favors all actors in the supply chain regardless of their size and IT capability.
Q. Due to a lack of skilled IT experts, outdated technology, and inefficient business models, the overall supply chain sector struggles with complicated and costly logistics procedures. How does OBORTECHglobal OU fit in this scenario?
It’s a unified communication hub. It’s a decentralized/democratic network. It’s a simple-to-use digital ecosystem for all.
Based on the effective combination of Blockchain and IoT, the Smart Hub will revolutionize the current logistics system into a simple and secure mechanism while introducing unified communication, better tracking methods, and more transparency.
Q. Let’s talk about your team of experts and their role at OBORTECHglobal OU. How did you form your dream squad, and how unique is it?
Enkhbat Dorjsuren, Logistics Lead and Co-founder: He has 20 years of experience in the logistics and transportation sector. He is the CEO of Mongolian Express LLC, one of the largest inland transport and logistic companies in Mongolia. He has an extensive network in the Mongolian transportation and logistics sector.
Tungalag Sukhbat CFA, CFO: She is a finance and investment professional with more than 20 years of experience. She has worked in different domains, including strategic and financial consulting, central banking, corporate banking, asset management, and multilateral development programs in managerial and expert positions. She achieved CFA Charter in the UK and a member of the CFA Institute. Moreover, she is a Certified Business Appraiser of Mongolia.
Zoljargal Dashnyam, Chief Counsel: Zoljargal, a Harvard Law graduate, has extensive corporate law and private equity experience. Her portfolio of clients includes investment banks, multinationals, mining companies, and investment funds. She was ranked as a top-tier lawyer in Mongolia for nine years. She is a senior partner of the leading law firm in Mongolia, DB>S LLP.
Alok Gupta, Blockchain Architect: He is a certified blockchain developer with over 12 years of experience in application development and deep knowledge of Hyperledger Fabric architecture and functionalities. He was in the top five percent of Blockchain Architecture Design course conducted by IBM and IIT, a leading technology institute in India.
Maxim Prishchepo, Blockchain Architect: He is a blockchain architect with more than six years of experience in blockchain development and 20 years of experience in complex financial IT systems architecture designs. He is a qualified analyst in crypto banking and finance. He worked as a core blockchain developer and architect for Energi, 0chain, and Wagerr projects. His main areas of specialization are Bitcoin, Ethereum, PIVX, ZCash, and other open-source-based blockchain solutions.
Mauro Andriotto, Adviser: He is internationally recognized as one of the blockchain and Security Token Offering (STO) leaders. He is a professor of Corporate Finance and the University of Geneva – UBIS. He is an independent expert at the European Commission for Horizon 2020, where he approves public grants for startups. He is also the former quantitative leader at EY for the South Europe area. He advises the project on the European market and fundraising.
Garry Pinder, Adviser: He is a Managing Director of Intermodal Solutions Group (ISG). ISG is a global company supplying container rotation systems for the mining, grain, and ship loading industries. It operates in 12 countries and a wide network of client bases in the South American region. He advises the project on the South American market of containerized transportation of agricultural and mining products.
Al Ewers, Adviser: Al Ewers is the Chairman of Potrero Capital. He is a cryptograph Pioneer with multiple exits. He’s a founding member of the Silicon Valley Blockchain Society, Architect of the 1st Billion Euro Crypto Floats. He’s specialized in strategic business development, consulting for start-ups, global 500 companies, and NGOs.
He and Potrero Capital advise the project in fundraising from Silicon Valley investors and develop strategic partnerships globally.
Q. How do you plan to transform your company into a future that is unfolding before you?
Using blockchain, we aim to solve one of the most complex and big problems faced with any economy of the world, which is supply chain inefficiency.
So, in order to smoothly and effectively enter the market, the company will take the following commercialization strategy with three stages due to consumer demands and interests in the solution.
First stage: According to the consultation with early partners, interests in and demands for real-time track and trace of a shipment were high and immediate. Thus, the project will first deliver a simple and one-stop solution for a real-time track and trace platform free of charge.
Second stage: Once the network of various stakeholders in the supply chain process is built, the platform’s communication and data hub on blockchain-based shipment event and document exchange will create more value among the network members. At this stage, a fee is charged for a transaction fee model per container/truck shipment tracked over the Smart Hub.
Third stage: Once the network is fully grown and sufficient data is gathered, the platform will transform into a marketplace of various services and communications for all supply chain participants. “A social network” for the supply chain is built. Furthermore, a Token-Driven Economy will be introduced to the marketplace participants to exchange services and promote their contract performances via the Smart Hub.
Each actor in the supply chain has its ecosystem of the network. For instance, any freight forwarder/3PL has a client network, including exporters/sellers and importers/buyers. At the same time, exporters/sellers or importers/buyers have partner networks of transporters and 3PLs. If the Smart Hub is successfully adopted by one of the actors in the supply chain, that actor can spread the Smart Hub to other players in that supply chain. Thus, OBORTECH will take a partner-driven approach for the promotion of its business. In each supply chain ecosystem, the project will select an anchor or champion partner to attract potential clients and promote the network and the Smart Hub adoption there. A revenue-sharing model will be offered to anchor partners.
Q. Is there anything else you want us to highlight that we might have missed?
The Smart Hub is a truly decentralized and democratic network.
Unlike centralized systems, the Smart Hub users themselves have more control over the network, lead its adoption, and benefit from the revenue stream. Before joining, every new member in any supply chain network of the Smart Hub needs to be invited and approved by existing members of that supply chain network in the Smart Hub. If any member in the network misbehaves or inserts false information multiple times, that member’s score/rating in the network will be downgraded by other members.