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Welcome to the latest in our series of interviews with innovators in the world of blockchain, with Frederik Gregaard, CEO of the Cardano Foundation, in the hotseat. This non-profit organization, based in Switzerland, exists to advance Cardano as a public infrastructure across a wide range of industries.
The first obvious question to answer sounds simple: what is the Cardano protocol? It’s a question Frederik answers in-depth over the course of his answers, but for now you need only know that it’s a third-generation blockchain platform that’s designed to be scalable and sustainable.
“[One] misconception is that all blockchains are energy-intensive, when Cardano has been designed for sustainability from the beginning,” Frederik told us. Before adding: “Many still underestimate how blockchain can serve as public infrastructure rather than just private applications.”
So what of scalability? Frederik cites outdated regulatory frameworks as a challenge that often prevents progress, but points to healthcare and public services as areas that can scale. And he insists that are good reasons for such sectors to embrace blockchain: “In public services, blockchain can reduce bureaucracy by creating tamper-proof records of land titles, business registrations or academic credentials.”
Our interview starts with Frederik’s journey into this sector – but it might help you to know that he has previously served as Director and Head of Digital in PwC’s Financial Services Advisory practice and as Director and Head of Institutional Business at Saxo Bank Switzerland.
My initial impression of blockchain was its potential to transform trust within digital systems. With my background in traditional banking, I quickly recognized that blockchain could eliminate intermediaries while enhancing security and transparency. What started as intellectual curiosity evolved into a strong conviction that we could create more inclusive and accountable systems for both society and business.
At Cardano Foundation, we’re seeing remarkable non-financial blockchain applications through our partnerships. In January 2025, we worked with FC Barcelona to introduce the “BarcaVerse,” a community-owned virtual platform where fans can connect globally while earning ADA rewards and NFTs.
Blockchain technology is also transforming how real estate transactions are processed. Tokenance, a blockchain and AI software developer, partnered with YurekAI, an AI-powered real estate platform, to deliver RE-TWIN on the Cardano blockchain. By creating comprehensive digital twins of real-world property, the platform offers easy access to architectural designs, floor plans, location details, property features, images, and historical records.
The Cardano Foundation recently worked with Serviceplan Group, Europe’s largest independent agency group with 6,500 employees, to build Masumi, a decentralized AI agent network protocol on Cardano. This innovative protocol enables AI agents to interact seamlessly, share data, and collaborate on complex tasks, unlocking new possibilities for agentic services.
Our partnership with Switzerland for UNHCR demonstrates how blockchain enables transparent humanitarian aid, with 20% of stake pool rewards funding UNHCR’s Innovation Program and 80% supporting missions for displaced people.
Following the Plomin hard fork, Cardano has finalized its shift to decentralized governance, transferring control from founding entities to community-led structures with Delegate Representatives. This exemplifies how blockchain can build more inclusive, accountable systems for social good.
In healthcare, blockchain can create secure, patient-controlled health records that follow individuals throughout their lives while maintaining privacy and security. For supply chains, blockchain brings transparency, allowing consumers to verify the ethical sourcing of products and businesses to quickly identify contamination or counterfeiting. In public services, blockchain can reduce bureaucracy by creating tamper-proof records of land titles, business registrations or academic credentials.
At Cardano Foundation, we’re demonstrating through partnerships with organizations like SERPRO, the world’s largest state-owned Information Technology company. Another misconception is that all blockchains are energy-intensive, when Cardano has been designed for sustainability from the beginning. Many still underestimate how blockchain can serve as public infrastructure rather than just private applications.
Many regulatory frameworks weren’t designed with decentralized systems in mind, creating confusion for businesses wanting to implement blockchain solutions. Working with policymakers and blockchain leaders is critical for success. With new pro-crypto administrations, 2025 is an exciting time for the global crypto community.
Blockchain is a trust layer that can enhance both AI and IoT. For AI, blockchain can provide transparent, immutable records of training data and model decisions, addressing growing concerns about AI accountability. It can also create markets for data that train AI systems, properly compensating individuals for their contributions. For IoT, blockchain can secure device identities and enable direct machine-to-machine transactions without centralized platforms.
