On this episode of CoinGeek Conversations, two entrepreneurs from London’s incubator program Block Dojo speak to Charles Miller about their start-ups and how they can solve real world problems. 

First up is Ditto, an AI-powered platform that aims to help people combat loneliness. “We are in a global epidemic of loneliness,” says James Kirk, Ditto Founder and CEO. Research suggests that over half the adults living in the United Kingdom experienced loneliness in 2022. The platform which focusses on companionship and mental well-being will utilize advances in AI technology, allowing users to have human-like conversations with Ditto. 

The platform, which is connected to the internet, will have access to real time information, but unlike Amazon’s cloud-based voice service Alexa, it will proactively learn about its users’ lives. The platform will ask questions about the users’ likes and dislikes, store and remember this information and eventually match up users with other human beings with shared interests and experiences.  

James is currently working with a team of experts which includes an engineer with expertise in AI technology and a professor working in the intersection of AI and healthcare. 

According to James, there’s a role for technology in companionship. Some studies even show that people feel more comfortable speaking to a machine than a human being. As he points out, technology “is always there, it’s always going to say the right thing and it’s non-judgmental.” 

On the second part of the show, Tristan O’Dwyer, Founder and CEO of Vymt, talks about his platform for social media influencers who operate in the gaming sector. 

As he explains, today influencers receive all the revenue, leaving their followers unincentivized. Vymt takes a different approach by rewarding viewers with a blockchain-based token for discovering and following new talents. 

A QR code will randomly pop up on the screen while viewers are engaged in a video. The viewer will then scan the QR code and be directed to either a multiple choice question, an opinion poll or a feedback survey based on the content. If answered correctly, the user will be rewarded with a token that has real world utility.   

According to Tristan, the business model essentially allows users to move around the platform and find influencers. In turn, viewers’ attention is distributed equally and advertising revenue is likewise spread out. 

Catch these Dojo entrepreneurs on the first of four CoinGeek Conversations Summer Special Episodes.