Blockchain Innovation Day 2025 Highlights Geneva's Role in Transforming Finance and Luxury

Corporate Innovation Day 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland, offered a deep dive into blockchain’s potential, highlighting its transformative impact on finance, luxury, and social causes. The event, organized by STORM Partners, reinforced Geneva’s role as a hub for blockchain innovation and its capacity to drive positive change. The conference, held on May 8th, featured various sessions that highlighted the challenges and opportunities within the blockchain ecosystem, from discussions on how blockchain protocols drive corporate innovation to the importance of security in Web3.

Elli Koch set the tone for the event with a warm welcome, followed by Vincent Subilia, General Director of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who emphasized the importance of innovation in Geneva. Subilia stressed that while the city had made progress in fostering innovation, more was needed to position Geneva as a global hub for blockchain and financial technologies. Axel Sabbag, Innovation Manager at STORM Partners, introduced Lightningbox, a service aimed at making blockchain innovations easier for institutions to implement. Sabbag elaborated on the practical aspects of using blockchain for real-world applications, stating that blockchain is not just a buzzword but a tool that can transform how institutions work and interact.

The discussion shifted to the role of blockchain protocols in driving corporate innovation. Moderated by DJ Bodden, the panel featured Alex Maaza from the Cardano Foundation and William De Ath from Hedera. Maaza discussed the significance of Geneva as a hub for blockchain, highlighting the city’s stability, trust, and regulatory framework. He further explained that open-source solutions were vital, allowing businesses to adopt blockchain without being bogged down by technological complexities. De Ath provided a counterpoint, highlighting the challenges of innovation, especially when it involves emerging technologies like blockchain. He stressed the importance of abstracting blockchain terminology and focusing on practical use cases rather than getting lost in the technology itself.

Security was another key theme of Corporate Innovation Day 2025, particularly in the context of Web3 innovation. Bryn Bennett, Senior BD Manager at Hacken, discussed the growing threat of hacks in the blockchain space. He highlighted that $2 billion was extracted through hacks in Q1 2025 alone, underscoring the scale of the issue. Bennett outlined Hacken’s mission to make crypto safer for everyone, offering services such as security audits, compliance advisory, and extended security. His emphasis on the need for robust security measures resonated throughout the session, as attendees recognized the importance of building trust in blockchain systems.

As the event progressed, the discussion shifted to the intersection of trust, technology, and regulation in finance. Milko Hensel, Head of Tech Banking at Maerki Baumann, Victor Busson, CMO at Taurus, and Liburn Mehmetaj, Partner at Walder Wyss, shared their insights on rebuilding finance from the inside out. Moderated by Sheraz Ahmed, Managing Partner at STORM Partners, the session focused on how regulations and tech could work hand in hand to rebuild financial systems. The panelists emphasized the importance of regulatory clarity in fostering innovation. Hensel said that for the crypto market to grow, clear, well-defined regulations were needed. Busson added that regulations could provide the foundation for businesses to innovate confidently, without the constant fear of future legal uncertainties. Mehmetaj pointed out that understanding the technology and its potential uses was just as important as navigating the regulatory landscape.

Another session focused on blockchain’s potential for positive social impact. Moderated by Jakub Dziadkowiec, the panel featured Olivier Anselmo, Deputy Executive Director at Switzerland for UNHCR, and Elodie Jallet, Partner at Impactify. Anselmo emphasized the importance of utilizing blockchain for humanitarian purposes, stating that blockchain allows for more transparent and efficient systems that can benefit those in need. Jallet agreed, adding that impact investing and blockchain are natural partners that can drive sustainable development. The session highlighted the growing interest in using blockchain to support social good and how organizations like UNHCR are exploring blockchain solutions to address challenges in humanitarian aid and global development.

Bassil Eid, Director of Finance & Risk at STORM Partners, presented a session on hedging fiat treasuries with crypto-assets. He explained how organizations can use hedging strategies to protect their assets and mitigate risks. Eid illustrated different examples, such as using stablecoins or platforms like AAVE and COMP, which provide stable yields. He explained that hedging doesn’t mean going all-in on crypto; it’s about using smart strategies to protect financial positions. The session provided valuable insights into how corporate treasuries can use blockchain and crypto-assets to diversify their portfolios and manage risk. Eid also discussed the importance of understanding concepts like impermanent loss in DeFi liquidity pools and how dollar-cost averaging (DCA) can be an effective strategy.

The day concluded with a panel on how blockchain technology is transforming the luxury industry. Franck Garnier, Head of Digital Innovation at Hublot, Pedro Lopez-Belmonte Eraso, Ex-Richemont, and Davide Di Stefano, Strategy & Operations Manager at Aura Blockchain Consortium, discussed the potential of blockchain to change the way luxury goods are tracked and authenticated. Garnier discussed the concept of scanning watches and turning them into NFTs. Di Stefano highlighted the value of blockchain in providing verified ownership and tracking data, especially in the secondary market. The panel also discussed the benefits of private blockchains for luxury brands, particularly in terms of cost reduction, data policy, and governance.