2.1.3. eCitizens

The eCitizens of BlockchainValley are the backbone of our ecosystem and catalyst for all interactions. They represent our smart community around which the participatory development of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies will be built.

The first problem to solve is to help consumers understand their engagements within the complexities of these advanced technologies, which can lead to new unintended and unexpected social or economic consequences, such as data surveillance, or robotic work automation for instance. Some of these provocative challenges can be solved through a form of monetized collaborative consumption within BlockchainValley, where the eCitizen at the very least is aware of opportunities and challenges these technologies bring that can enable direct access to its activity and private data, which can be controlled and monetized by the eCitizen.

eCitizens will have possibilities to purchase products and subscribe to services that eCompanies offer on the Digital Platform. In the future, the eCitizen should also be able to perform peer-to-peer (p2p) transactions, such as exchange of second-hand products, electricity exchange and private initiatives. However, eCitizen involvement goes way beyond purchasing Fourth Industrial Revolution products and services through BlockchainValley. They will be motivated to actively improve the Digital Platform experience with their participation and contributions in the form of reviews, comments or articles, subject to embedded reward mechanisms or eCompany incentivization policies.

The eCitizen consumer will also be able to influence improved development and marketability of Fourth Industrial Revolution products and services, by reviewing eCompanies, and participating in their R&D, testing new products and services and helping determine whether these initiatives are fit for purpose or beneficial for human consumption. Another development will give eCitizens an opportunity to share and monetize data at their own free will, by seamlessly activating this feature within their profile accounts.

The 4IR Token is the only means of payment for all above-mentioned transactions.

These interactions will happen as Digital Platform activity within the smart community. This way, BlockchainValley helps to include consumers in client product development within a complex paradigm of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies from the very start. Companies that understand this are more likely to succeed as all consumers need to get involved1.