Peter Hurd-Watler


Entrepreneur: Peter Hurd-Watler


I


dea: Veras Technologies INC. Empowering people to make informed decisions and enable them


to vote on their phone from anywhere. The need: 7%! That number can mean


many different things to many different people. To Peter Hurd-Watler it meant time to focus on a way to help make that number bigger. 7% was the percentage of voters age 18-24 in the last Alberta provincial election. Veras, a blockchain driven solutions business, aims to help supplement future elections and decisions with technology advancements at the push of a few buttons from a smartphone. The hope is that through this platform, decisions can be made easier, more accessible to those who need it, and traceable through data collected through blockchain technology. Through research, Veras was able to identify the need and want for a better way to make sure election results were legitimate. Technology:With the use of


blockchain becoming more mainstream in different sectors, Veras leveraged the knowledge to create the software and prototype which was then used to create


a minimal viable product to attack this project. Hurd-Watler will also use Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence to help with authentication. One of the hurdles, according to Hurd- Watler, is showcasing the power of blockchain voting and how it can streamline the entire process to those who are more comfortable with the current voting process. Validation: Some of the best


validation came from Veras’ experience in the 150 Startups Innovation Rodeo pitch competition with Craig Elias. Veras not only won the regional pitch, but the overall pitch which resulted in a $10,000 seed money grant, and an opportunity for Hurd-Watler to attend Draper University in Silicon Valley in 2021. The idea was so successful that Veras, and Hurd-Watler are in discussions with municipalities to add this platform to help supplement elections moving forward. Veras did reach out to the city of Calgary about the possibility of Veras for upcoming elections in that city, but was asked to start a bit smaller and is now focusing on municipalities between ten thousand and


one hundred thousand residents. Partnership: Initially working out of


the University of Lethbridge, Peter was introduced to Brandy Old and the Agility Program. From there, and moving through the business model journey, Peter was then teamed up with Jefferson Gardner of Inbridge Inc, a blockchain leader in Southern Alberta based within Tecconnect., as an industry supervisor for an applied study Peter did in 2019. Marketing:With the onset of the


coronavirus and the need for public safety measures currently, and moving forward, the need for this type of offering to decide elections is becoming more and more in demand. Veras has already been featured on many news outlets such as Global News. Some of the best marketing for Veras’ blockchain voting platform will come out of early adopters in the political realm. Having advocates for a voting system that can help with current challenges will ultimately speak to the benefits of blockchain voting and move it towards becoming a normal and viable option for elections into the future.


www.veras.ca. www.facebook.com/verasblockchain www.linkedin.com/company/verasblockchain 16 • Lethbridge ENTREPRENEURS


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