Mete Al is a well-known voice in the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry. He shares his expertise as a speaker, mentor, analyst, investor, and advisor, focusing on strategic, business, and tech advancements. As a co-founder at ICB Labs, he’s instrumental in guiding businesses through digital transformation, with a strong emphasis on blockchain tech, digital tokens, and cryptocurrencies.
Mete brings vast knowledge of Blockchain, Stablecoins, and Scrum practices. He’s passionate about helping people understand the ever-changing world of cryptocurrency and the possibilities it unlocks.
At TOKEN2049, a significant Web3 event held in Singapore, we had the opportunity to speak with Mete Al. Our conversation touched upon the crucial link between education and Web3, the development of a secure metaverse environment for children, and the future path of learning.
Mete Al serves as a Project Lead at ICB Labs, a project dedicated to constructing the next iteration of education utilizing blockchain technology. Their primary aim is to establish a safe, accessible, and equitable educational platform for learners globally, expanding beyond the existing cryptocurrency user base.
The foundation of this project stemmed from recognizing a considerable gap in the educational landscape and acknowledging the distinct ways the younger generation interacts with technology. ICB Labs operates as a comprehensive ecosystem built on its own EVM-compatible blockchain, complete with a metaverse, an “access NFT” mechanism, and a unique token. This entire structure was created collaboratively with academic institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Find out more about ICB Labs’ exclusive ecosystem through the interview provided below.
ICB Labs now consolidates projects like ICB Network, ICB Verse, and KYC NFT. What considerations were weighed when uniting these under a single brand?
It wasn’t about sacrifices, but rather realizing a shared vision: a complete and integrated project. Our journey began with the understanding that a blockchain solution was needed to address the educational needs within the cryptocurrency sector.
The pandemic highlighted the remarkable adaptability of the next generation. They have evolved significantly; their learning methods have changed, and they embrace tablets and AI in all aspects. This inspired us to develop a novel educational approach built upon blockchain and the metaverse. We intentionally designed our ecosystem, including access NFTs, a native token for transactions, and a metaverse, to cater to children’s needs across various developmental levels.
Looking ahead 3-5 years, which area – AI, metaverse, or education – do you believe will be the primary driver of ICB’s growth?
AI and the metaverse are undoubtedly the future. Over the next half-decade, they will be integral to our lives. It’s similar to Bitcoin’s early days; early adopters understood its potential. Our mission is to leverage this future to tackle a fundamental problem: ensuring equal access to quality education for everyone worldwide. This is about creating an equitable world.
Imagine students already utilizing GPTs, capable of finding answers beyond their professors’ knowledge. What challenges will arise in five years with Generation Z and Alpha facing instructors that we trust today? This marks the next chapter in life. In five years, we will live in the metaverse.
Your target demographic includes children and students. How do you plan to engage them and integrate them into your ecosystem?
Unlike most crypto projects focused on traders, we work directly with educational institutions and universities globally. We maintain strong relationships with NGOs, like the World Changers group, and universities spanning the UAE, Romania, and Hong Kong. Our NFTs serve as “access NFTs,” rather than speculative digital art. Within our metaverse, users access learning spaces and virtual classrooms instead of purchasing virtual land. We meet students where they already are.
ICB Labs plans to revolutionize global credential systems via verifiable credentials/NFTs and decentralized identity. How are you addressing regulatory and privacy concerns in various regions as you implement this?
Our NFT-based identity system primarily focuses on verifying user age, which is essential when working with children of different ages. Our KYC NFT token helps establish a secure environment. Users under 18 require parental consent and initial KYC procedures. This enables us to build distinct, age-appropriate areas within our metaverse.
For instance, users over 18 are restricted from entering areas created for users under 18. Those who have not completed KYC retain access to the metaverse with view-only rights, without the capability to interact. This process ensures the ongoing safety of the platform.
What major technical or scalability challenges has ICBX encountered in creating its Layer-1 chain, and how are you overcoming these issues?
We realized early on that our intended applications would demand high performance. This led us to develop our own EVM-compatible blockchain, ensuring rapid transaction speeds and the adaptability to scale as needed. We can enhance the blockchain’s speed and handle growing activity by adding more validators and RPCs. Naturally, as with all blockchains, future upgrades will be needed, but we designed it to be scalable from the beginning.
Explain the Talent Hub. What’s its purpose, and who are your development partners?
The Talent Hub offers a space where students can develop and refine their ideas and concepts. Students can present an idea, and our AI agent will help create a business plan, marketing strategy, and social media management. Another AI agent will assess the project’s viability, and if approved, we will assist in tokenizing it through an NFT or a crypto token.
We then assist in the sale of these assets to fund their idea, taking a 5% commission. It functions as an incubator for the future generation. We are currently in discussions with major industry players like AWS and Vecturis Capital, with the intent for them to serve as accelerators inside the Talent Hub.