A coalition just formed to advocate for wider adoption of blockchain tech in Pennsylvania

As blockchain application expands beyond the investing and financial world, we’ve seen the digital, decentralized transactions ledger used by everything from digital art to gaming. In June, we even saw Pennsylvania legislators form the Emerging Technologies Caucus with a goal to stay updated on the latest policy and regulatory developments in the tech sector, including blockchain, and to support entrepreneurs in the state.

Now, a new organization advocating for the wider use of blockchain technology has been formed in Pennsylvania by three tech, investing and government affairs professionals.

The PA Blockchain Coalition was founded by Dominic Folino, John Cox and Lara Coviello, all cryptocurrency enthusiasts with experience in financial services who saw how applicable blockchain already was and will likely grow to be in financial services, Folino told Technical.ly.

Folino, the president of the org, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, said they had been searching for groups or orgs about blockchain in the region, and decided to start one of their own when they couldn’t find any. The coalition broadly aims to be an org for blockchain users, allies and industry leaders to work together to widen the acceptance of the technology and educate legislators and tech regulators about its applications.

By day, Folino is the president of Spectrum Strategies, a public affairs firm specializing in government affairs and business development. He’d seen legislators introduce bills in recent months (at least 18 federal crypto and blockchain bills so far this year) and wanted Pennsylvanians to get in on the action.

“Our main goal is to educate legislators and Pennsylvanians about how we think blockchain is an important thing to grow here,” he said.

The org’s leadership is looking to other states’ legislation and trends, and is connected with national and global blockchain orgs to keep its finger on the pulse of the industry. There’s clear room for growth in the way both private companies and the public can use the technology, Folino said.

The coalition is in its infancy, Folino said, as the trio are working to grow a board and gain members after launching a few weeks ago. They don’t yet have a rigid set of goals, but know that in the new year, they’ll be organizing meetups and other events for folks interested in learning more. (If you’re interested, you can reach out via the org’s contact us form.)

“We are excited to educate Pennsylvanians about the benefits and diverse uses of blockchain technology and look forward to the possibilities is presents for the Commonwealth,” said Cox, the org’s secretary, in a statement.