Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Whitepaper
Abstract
1. Vision
2. Background
2.1 Bitcoin and Blockchain
2.2 Tokens
2.3 ICOs and Token Value
3. STEAMRole
3.1 Overview of the Network
3.2 What was Lacking
3.3 The Actors
Steamers
Role Models
Corporate Partners
Non-Profit Organizations
Foundations & Impact Investors
3.4 The Blockchain
3.5 Diverse Talent Pipeline
3.6 Proof-Of-Progress Dashboard
3.7 Future STEAMRole Development
Participation Requirements
Ranked-Choice Voting
4. RoleCoin
4.1 Overview
4.2 Technical Aspects
4.3 Proof-Of-Progress mining
All Members
Steamers
Role Models
4.4 Reward Adjustment
4.5 Allocation
4.6 Use Of Proceeds
5. Roadmap
5.1 Business Roadmap
5.2 Technical Roadmap
6. ICO
8. Team
9. Legal Information
DISCLAIMER
This whitepaper has been prepared solely for the purpose of informing potential contributors to the
RoleCoin Ecosystem with respect to a proposed technical implementation of, and architecture for,
the RoleCoin Ecosystem.
This whitepaper is non-binding in all respects and does not create any legal obligation of any kind
on any person (including STEAMRole). The ultimate implementation of the RoleCoin Ecosystem is
dependent upon several factors and risks outside of the control of STEAMRole, including regulatory
risks, contributor participation, the adoption of blockchain technology and the continued use and
adoption of the Stellar Lumens network. Prospective users of the RoleCoin Ecosystem and other
contributors to the RoleCoin Ecosystem are advised to contribute and/or participate at their own
risk and without reliance on any statement contained in this whitepaper.
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you
decide to be.”
Abstract
Billions of dollars are given every year by foundations, companies and impact
investors to organizations that provide education, training, and career development
to prepare students and aspiring professionals for careers in science, technology,
engineering, art/design and math (STEM and STEAM) fields. In fact, the annual
global spend on STEM/STEAM-related education and training initiatives exceeds
$100 billion.
Despite the increasing global need for STEM/STEAM professionals, immense
financial investment, and demonstrated commitment by many, the global shortage
of STEAM professionals persists. According to data from Randstad, in 2016, the
US alone had 3 million more STEM jobs available than skilled workers to fill them.
The landscape is littered with piecemeal solutions aimed at students, the
organizations created to help them, and the companies seeking to recruit them, yet
none of them tackle the core of the problem. “Young people are self-selecting out
of higher STEM/STEAM education classes because they can't see how these
skills apply to different professions and employers they're excited about,” says
Alan Stukalsky, chief digital officer at Randstad North America. He further states
that there is "a lack of education as to what careers are available and what jobs
are out there." STEAMRole, further fueled by RoleCoin and its associated
ecosystem, is uniquely positioned to solve this problem.
This paper outlines the philosophy and technical aspects for the STEAMRole
platform, with the goal of combining previously disparate components into a thriving
ecosystem where each actor’s incentives propel the success of the rest. We begin
by introducing our vision. We then discuss the problem faced by students and
aspiring young professionals as well as foundations and organizations committed to
helping them. Next, we provide the background and context necessary to
understand blockchain-based platforms and their unique offerings. Having laid the
foundation, we describe STEAMRole, its actors, and their expected interactions in
the STEAMRole marketplace. Of course, a market needs a currency. Hence we
introduce RoleCoin, and explain its properties, utility and its unique, proof of
progress, blockchain protocol. Finally, we set a roadmap for the future beginning
with an ICO and initial allocation.
1. Vision
Potential is a terrible thing to waste. Despite growing demand for
STEM/STEAM related professionals, too many young adults still fail to take
advantage of the immense opportunity this demand creates. There has been an
accelerating importance of technical knowledge in the past 20 years. Yet the larger
society, as often is the case, has been unable to keep up with this change and
continues to operate under the old paradigm. Our visible heroes are still athletes,
entertainers and celebrities. Statistically, these are improbable avenues towards
prosperity. A failure to recognize this incongruence comes with a high opportunity
cost. A veritable gold mint is open to those who acquire the kinds of specialized
knowledge and skills our society runs on. The opportunity is further enhanced by
another phenomenon. The internet has made knowledge virtually free.
We believe these facts, considered in combination, lead to an obvious
conclusion: Despite all of the information available, there’s a gross lack of inspiration
available. Inspiration fuels aspiration, especially when it’s accompanied by an
explicit roadmap to success and a little direct guidance.
STEAMRole is a solutions-driven platform that connects aspiring young
professionals (Steamers) with inspiring role models (STEAMRole Models) who
provide roadmaps of the skills and behaviors necessary to achieve their goals.
Together, these pools of high achievers and those who seek to emulate them, serve
as a vital and constantly evolving pipeline to leading companies that have a high
demand for access to fresh talent.
Believing that when all participating components in an ecosystem work in
synergy, their success is multiplied, STEAMRole’s platform will also include solutions
for the traditional problems faced by philanthropic foundations and non-profit
organizations that provide STEM/STEAM training, as well as companies looking for
a leg up in acquiring and fostering promising, diverse talent. STEAMRole’s unique
blockchain-based dashboard will ensure that Companies and Organizations are
part of an entirely transparent system, where each investment can be tracked with
full confidence, eliminating any second guessing or the moral hazard that comes
with organizations self-reporting their successes. This new trust-less system will
reduce subjectivity and optimize efficiencies in connecting the flow of contributions
to their best use.
All of this will be enhanced by the unique properties of distributed ledger
systems and crypto-currencies to create an access controlled marketplace where
all actors have the freedom to interact with one another and create new and
innovative associations within the network.
2. Background
2.1 Bitcoin and Blockchain
In October 2008, someone (or a group), operating under the pseudonym
Satoshi Nakamoto, proposed a new kind of digital currency to a mailing list of
cryptography hobbyists. The eight-page white paper proposed a peer-to-peer
electronic cash system, called Bitcoin, “based on cryptographic proof instead of
trust, allowing any two willing parties to transact directly with each other without the
need for a trusted third party.” The ensuing nine years have been a rollercoaster ride
for believers and skeptics alike.
Today, Bitcoin, while still not routinely understood, is a household name.
Regular coverage can be found on all major media platforms. Despite this
ostensible interest in the new technology, the popular conversation almost entirely
focuses on the meteoric rise in Bitcoin’s price and its volatility. Only occasional,
often exasperated, reference to the underlying tech is made.
To view Bitcoin as solely an asset for speculation is to fail to understand its
revolutionary promise. At its core, Bitcoin’s importance comes from its role as a
proof-of-concept for blockchain technology. The blockchain, in turn, is significant
for its ability to create trust-less, transparent, distributed systems, and the new set
of financial instruments that they accommodate. These instruments open up unique
markets and opportunities for human cooperation and collaboration.
Early adopters and technical experts have come to realize the sweeping
promise of blockchain-based systems and accompanying decentralized markets.
As a result, more than a thousand ICOs have launched in the past two years.
Laymen, and those slow to adopt, have decried the rise of the ICO as a way to
raise funding, yet complaining that over a thousand companies are now based on
the blockchain is akin to complaining 25 years ago that a thousand companies
were web-based.
2.2 Tokens
Although Bitcoin has enjoyed the lion’s share of attention, there are more
than 1,300 types of cryptocurrency, with new ones emerging almost daily. What
makes the various crypto coins and tokens unique is that they come with built-in
programing languages of various complexities. What this means is that each
cryptocurrency can be programmed to follow specific rules that are essential to its
use and no third party is required or empowered to insure the rules are followed.
Imagine your dollar buying water but being unable to buy cigarettes. This bizarre
notion is reality in the world of crypto currencies and smart contracts. What results
is an entirely new set of economic instruments that reveal previously inaccessible
economic vistas of innovation and collaboration.
2.3 ICOs and Token Value
It’s common to see ICOs, incorrectly, compared to IPOs. Besides a nominal
similarity they have little in common. Accordingly, an overview of this new
mechanism for funding is desirable for potential ICO participants.
Participants in an ICO are not investors in the company in the traditional
sense, as they do not receive any company stock in return. Instead, they receive
the platform’s token at its earliest possible price, with an eye towards value gained
through potential platform growth and, by extension, increased demand for the
coin.
There are two categories of motivation for buying tokens early in the
platform’s life: value and speculation.
● Those buying for value understand the vision of the platform and believe in its
implementation. The tokens in the initial sale are simply the most economical
way to be able to have access and early influence once the platform is
operational.
● Speculators operate under different incentives. They buy tokens in the
anticipation of price appreciation and plan to sell them for profit at some
future point.
Market forces are blind to motivation. The demand for the token, interacting with
supply, sets the market price. As an additional benefit, now stakeholders in the
protocol’s success, the ICO participants are incentivized to promote and participate
in the platform’s growth. Some act in an entrepreneurial capacity, building services
around the protocol. Others simply evangelize. Both help drive the platform forward
and increase participation.
Once the platform is operational, the utility of the coin is the main source of
its demand. Early buyers may now choose to use the coins on the platform or sell
them to those who will. Since supply of the token is capped in the long run, price
will be determined by the number of users on the platform.
3. STEAMRole
3.1 Overview of the Network
The STEAMRole network will connect all groups and actors interested in
helping to shepherd young talent towards successful STEM/STEAM careers.
Students and aspiring professionals (Steamers) will be able to interact with Role
Models and follow their paths to professional success. Organizations dedicated to
helping foster young talent in their respective fields will further incentivize and
support Steamers as they progress. Role Models will provide inspiration and
guidance by publishing their Roadmaps to success and highlighting watershed
moments and pivotal turns in the road. They will further be incentivized and
supported by companies who wish to cultivate and have access to a pipeline of
young, diverse talent. Finally, large impact investors looking to make a meaningful
and measurable difference, will pollinate the network with contributions, fueling the
interactions between all participants.
3.2 What was Lacking
Though the undersupply of STEM/STEAM professionals has been observed
for some time, past attempts have had several significant flaws. First, they have
focused on access to pertinent education and training, or lack thereof, as a root
cause of the problem. Yet, when considered carefully, it’s apparent that knowledge
acquisition is cheaper than it has ever been, and anyone with access to the internet
has access to a vast array of free or inexpensive online educational resources.
To date, most attempts to solve the undersupply problem largely ignore the
dearth of inspiration. As noted previously, while information is widely available,
inspiration is not. With rare exceptions, you can’t be what you can not see.
Additionally, the vast majority of entities aimed at solving this problem have
failed to provide the necessary guidance, transparency and feedback mechanisms
required to insure that their respective solutions are working, nor have they built in
customized incentives for all actors.
3.3 The Actors
Steamers
Steamers are young aspiring professionals and students looking to begin
their career or progress in their current one. They create a profile and provide the
relevant demographic information. After the profile is completed, Steamers can
discover careers that interest them by swiping through the profiles of STEAMRole
Models. They “Follow” those that they find inspirational, receiving story clip videos in
their feeds and access to the Roadmaps that chart a path to success in that field.
Each Roadmap includes a checklist of skills. Steamers can begin to check off the
delineated skills, and progress towards the career of their choice. The potential
success of this process is enhanced by each item on the checklist being connected
to readily available educational resources that will help them build their needed
skills. Steamers are rewarded for the progress they make by gaining access to
internships and job openings posted on the STEAMRole platform. Thus, when they
have acquired the necessary skills, STEAMRole heightens their ability to make a
seamless transition into an actual career. Additional rewards and incentives are
provided by access to RoleCoin (see below).
Role Models
STEAMRole Models are working professionals looking to give back and
inspire the next generation. They can join the platform in two ways. They can visit
STEAMRole and sign up directly, or they may be on-boarded by their employers
who are members of the STEAMRole ecosystem.
The profile creation process is similar to that of Steamers. STEAMRole
Models provide information including gender, ethnicity and interests. Alternatively,
they may sign up using their existing LinkedIn profiles. To enrich their profiles, they
are prompted to add story clips by creating a video answer to the “question of the
week.” Just as with Steamers, STEAMRole Models are rewarded when they make
extra contributions to the platform (see RoleCoin, below). STEAMRole Models are
given limited access to the profiles of the Steamers who are following their
roadmaps and can reward those who are doing exceptionally well (see RoleCoin
below) -- if they so choose. They can also recommend Steamers who stand out to
their employers. Corporate Partners would have an advantage over those
employers who are not (see below).
Corporate Partners
The relentless need for new talent is one of the most critical issues
companies consistently confront. As demand for STEM/STEAM professionals
increases, it becomes even more imperative to find new ways to draw from fresh
pools of talent. STEAMRole offers companies a new and innovative way to both
recruit and cultivate talent.
To become part of the platform, Corporate Partners pay a subscription fee in
RoleCoin. They then gain access to the various functions designed to help them
find the next crop of employees. To help fuel this process, Partners may encourage
their existing employees to join the platform as STEAMRole Models, optimizing their
ability to steer available talent towards becoming ideal candidates. Through their
dashboards, Partners can follow those Steamers who are following the roadmaps
of their own employee STEAMRole Models, as well as search the broader Steamer
community for emerging talent. Finally, Corporate Partners can reach out to
qualified Steamers with internships and job openings, via the platform, as soon as
they are ready to hire.
Non-Profit Organizations
Education, training and career development focused non-profit organizations
benefit from STEAMRole’s ability to provide ongoing inspiration and career guidance
to help fulfill the aspirations of the groups they serve. Similar to how Corporate
Partners help populate the platform with STEAMRole models, organizations supply
it with Steamers to whom they are tied. Through their dashboards, these
organizations have the ability to Follow their member-Steamers, track their
progress, and assess the effectiveness and outcomes of their own programs
(measured in terms of continued engagement, skills development, and the job
readiness of their graduates). Just a few examples of organizations that could
clearly benefit from utilizing the platform include Girls Who Code,
summersearch.org, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE),
EastBayCollegeFund.org, etc.
Foundations & Impact Investors
At the apex of the ecosystem sit Impact Investors. These include large
philanthropic foundations, venture funds, and wealthy individuals committed to
affecting comprehensive change (e.g. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation).
STEAMRole provides them with a dashboard to track the short- and
long-term impact of their investments. The STEAMRole dashboard enables any
foundation/impact investor that gives money to know with full confidence where
each investment is being spent, and the outcomes (also known as
“Proof-of-Progress”) those investments have produced. This allows them to more
efficiently allocate their resources in the future.
3.4 The Blockchain
Distributed ledger technology, or the blockchain, is a game changer in
addressing the undersupply problem of STEM/STEAM professionals. Properties
unique to the blockchain make it the perfect choice as the backbone of RoleCoin.
The trust-less nature of the blockchain ensures that all actors in the ecosystem can
have full confidence in the integrity of every transaction. The platform’s RoleCoin
element is a vital one for Corporate Partners, Non-profit Organizations, and Impact
Investors as each of them must have full confidence that the information they are
basing their decisions on is pristine. Furthermore, because each RoleCoin token’s
path, both in and out of the network, is easily tracked, investors will have access to
the kind of qualitative information that was simply impossible to access in the past.
The blockchain and its ability to support its own currency, offers further
advantages to members of the network. Through the power of smart contracts,
investors can dictate precisely the conditions under which their tokens are
allocated, giving them easy and automatic ways to reward those they deem
deserving with additional funding.
3.5 Diverse Talent Pipeline
The Diverse Talent Pipeline (DTP) is a dashboard available to Corporate
Partners that allows them to inspire, track and shape potential future hires. They
can signal exactly the kinds of skills and employees they are looking for by
encouraging their current employees to sign up as STEAMRole Models and adding
the Roadmaps that made them suitable candidates for their current positions.
The dashboard also enables Corporate Partners to discover candidates
based on their demographic profiles and their level of progress toward acquiring the
necessary skills to be hired. Partners are able to use this pipeline to offer interviews
and internships to individuals who can help them maximize the benefits that a
diverse workforce provides. Additionally, if Partners identify exceptional candidates
who have not yet completed acquiring all the skills a Roadmap outlines, they may
choose to provide them with RoleCoins as incentives, or as rewards once their
checklist is complete.
3.6 Proof‑Of‑Progress Dashboard
The Proof-of-Progress (PoP) dashboard is available to any foundation,
non-profit organization, or large impact investor that funds students with Rolecoins.
The dashboard allows them to track the Rolecoins they have donated. If an investor
chooses to give to an organization rather than to individual Steamers, the
organization is then added to the investor’s tree and high level information about
how the organization has chosen to spend the coins is made available. This
information includes aggregate demographic and proof-of-progress data from all
Steamers and STEAMRole Models who ultimately benefited from the utility of the
gifted RoleCoin.
3.7 Future STEAMRole Development
STEAMRole believes that the users of the platform have unique and valuable
information about the successes and deficiencies of a platform. We want to
empower our users to share that knowledge and have a voice in the platform’s
future. Consequently, STEAMRole will provide a democratic system for suggesting
and voting on platform changes. Any member of the platform holding the requisite
amount of Rolecoins will be able to add a suggested change to be implemented.
Every four-to-six months, a voting round will be held to steer future development.
Participation Requirements
To participate in making suggestions, a voting user must hold 100 role coins
at the time of voting.
Ranked-Choice Voting
The voting will follow a ranked choice format. Each participant will rank their
preferred implementations from 1st to 5th. Points will be awarded accordingly. The
implementation with the most points will move to the top of the queue. The
STEAMRole Development team will then begin working towards implementations,
prioritized by ranking. Progress will be updated as a percentage to completion.
4. RoleCoin
4.1 Overview
Simply, RoleCoin is the currency of the STEAMRole network. All transactions
require RoleCoin and all rewards are paid in it. The coin will serve an important
function in incentivizing the actors in the network to help grow it further. Whenever a
contribution is made on the platform, the contributor is awarded in Rolecoins.
Rolecoin’s Proof-of-Progress (PoP) protocol will leverage Stellar Lumens
Blockchain technology. Stellar was designed from the ground up to support efficient
trading. Using Stellar’s blockchain, any RoleCoin can be bought and sold
immediately on Stellar’s decentralized exchange by means of Stellar’s native offer
mechanism. Holders of Rolecoin will not have to rely on a third party exchange to
list or make a market for them. STEAMRole will embed Stellar’s exchange into its
Proof-of-Progress dashboard for easy access. A Rolecoin wallet will also exist
within each user account on STEAMRole’s network.
4.2 Technical Aspects
Traditionally, tokens have been issued on the Ethereum network. However,
Ethereum is not always the ideal choice for ICOs. Recent expansion of application
on the network has led to slowing transaction times and increasing transaction fees.
Additionally, Ethereum’s Turing complete smart contracts are unnecessary for some
tokens, including RoleCoin.
Stellar token’s smart contract capabilities, including multi-signature
authorizations, generate dividends, limit who can hold tokens, and will fully satisfy
the requirements of RoleCoin. Transactions using Stellar are near-instant, with the
median transaction speed being 5 seconds. Just as importantly, fees on the Stellar
network are currently less than a penny.
While Stellar is less expressive than Ethereum, the simplicity of its transaction
model creates fewer pitfalls and hence can improve the security of applications that
do not require the full generality of Turing-complete smart contracts.
Simply put, Stellar’s model of atomic multi-operation transactions leads to
more auditable code, limits uncertainty, and decreases the risk of harm from any
actors who may seek to exploit program vulnerabilities. Moreover, Stellar offers
issuers the ability to freeze tokens in the event there is misuse.
4.3 Proof‑of‑Progress mining
Users of the platform can earn or mint Rolecoins (ROLEs) by partaking in
activities that enhance themselves and/or the platform. There are both
commonalities and differences based on the type of STEAMRole member the user
is. The different ways to mint are as follows:
All Members
o Every time a member invites someone to join the STEAMRole Platform
they are rewarded 5 ROLE
o When a new member joins the platform they are rewarded 10 ROLE
STEAMers
o Can mint additional coins every time a Roadmap skill is completed and
validated. Each validated skill earns the STEAMer 5 ROLE
o Can mint additional coins by following at least 10 STEAMRole Models.
Upon successfully following their first 10 role models, the STEAMer will
earn 10 ROLE
STEAMRole Models
o Every time a role model provides additional resources, like inspirational
(story clip) videos, they earn 5 ROLE
o Popular role models can also earn Rolecoins by producing webinars
that STEAMers pay to access, via a set number of ROLE
4.4 Reward Adjustment
The allocation of the tokens used to incentivize the growth of the network will
follow a proof-of-progress (PoP) protocol as explained in the previous section. As
the network grows, and more Rolecoins are mined, the number of Rolecoins
awarded will be automatically reduced.
RoleCoin’s blockchain will automatically do a weekly difficulty adjustment to
keep the number of newly mined Rolecoins that are awarded following
proof-of-progress consistent with its value at the time of ICO. Should the value of
RoleCoin increase over time, the number of awarded Rolecoins decrease.
Conversely, should the value of RoleCoin decrease, the number of awarded
Rolecons will increase as per the following formula:
Rn = Ro(Po/Pn)
4.5 Alloca on
The RoleCoin blockchain, once fully mined, will consist of 1 Billion RoleCoin.
o 35% (350,000 mil.) of the tokens (i.e., Rolecoins) will be allocated through
ICO and pre-ICO sales.
o 30% (300,000 mil.) of tokens are mined through the Proof-of-Progress
protocol. They act as rewards to anyone participating in the network.
o 20% (200,000 mil.) will be distributed to founders and shareholders who
provided funding to STEAMRole prior to the RoleCoin ICO.
o 15% (150,000 mil.) will be held in reserve by the company for future
employees, advisors and contributors to the RoleCoin ecosystem.
4.6 Use Of Proceeds
o Tech Development -- Engineering Team, Server costs, etc
o Sales – Sales team and resources for signing of corporate partners and
onboarding educational merchants
5. Roadmap
5.1 Business Roadmap
2017 Q1 o STEAMRole’s vision and
business model is conceived by
Clarence Wooten, its founder.
2017 Q2 o STEAMRole Inc. incorporated by
top tech firm Cooley
2018 Q4 o First third party educational
merchants begin accepting
RoleCoins for their services
o Corporate Partners can dispense
RoleCoins directly to STEAMers
and STEAMRole Models as
rewards
o First partnership with universities,
colleges and students advisory
organizations
5.2 Technical Roadmap
2017 Q1 o Initial conceptual designs are
created for the STEAMRole
mobile app.
o 1st software engineer is hired
2017 Q2 o Initial conceptual designs are
created for the Diverse Talent
Pipeline (DTP) dashboard
2017 Q3 o Two additional full-time engineers
are added to the STEAMRole
development team
2017 Q4 o STEAMRole mobile app begins
internal alpha testing.
2018 Q3 o Proof-of-Progress dashboard is
live
o First set of suggestions from role
coin community begin
implementation
o Voting on future application
enhancements begins for anyone
holding at least 100 Rolecoins
6. ICO
We believe that it is important that everyone who has the desire to participate
in the ICO has the opportunity (barring government restrictions in various
jurisdictions and that the tokens are widely available. The ICO will use a capped
structure with the total number of tokens sold during the ICO set at 350,000,000.
The sale will be comprised of 6 stages with varying prices, as follows:
Amount to be Sold RoleCoin price = .10 cents
RoleCoin per $1000 invested
100,000,000 20,000 RoleCoin = 50% discount
50,000,000 16,667 RoleCoin = 40% discount
50,000,000 14,285 RoleCoin = 30% discount
50,000,000 12,500 RoleCoin = 20% discount
50,000,000 11,111 RoleCoin = 10% discount
50,000,000 10,000 RoleCoin = No Discount
Any unsold tokens that were allocated to the ICO will be transferred to the
user minting pool.
7.2 Diverse Talent Pipeline (DTP) dashboard
7.3 Proof‑of‑Progress (PoP) blockchain dashboard
8. Team
Founder and CEO, Clarence Wooten
Serial Entrepreneur and Product Architect
Clarence Wooten is a serial entrepreneur and product architect who has founded
and built successful ecommerce, marketplace, enterprise SaaS and Fintech
startups. Clarence was co-founder and CEO of ImageCafe.com, an online
superstore of prefabricated websites for small businesses. ImageCafe was acquired
for $23 million at the height of the dot-com boom by Network Solutions/Verisign in
November 1999, returning 11x to investors in under 11 months.
Clarence followed up his early success by founding and leading the development of
successful startups including Groupsite.com (a leading social collaboration platform
backed by Siemer Ventures), Progressly (an enterprise process workflow platform
backed by 8vc), and VentureFund.io (a data-driven marketplace connecting
startups with investors). Clarence is an angel investor and advisor to many other
Silicon Valley-based startups.
Clarence is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University and was honored as a
distinguished alumnus in 2010. He was named an honorary alumni of the University
of Maryland in 2006 and served on the board of trustees at Philadelphia University -
one of the nation's top design schools.
Recognizing that his life would be drastically different had he not been exposed to
technology and role models at a young age, Clarence set out to create a platform
that provides inspiration and guidance on a global scale by making it easy for others
to leverage role models to discover and pursue STEAM careers to better their lives.
STEAMRole is more than a company to Clarence, it's his calling.
Education Strategy Advisor, Roberto J. Rodriguez
Formerly President Obama’s Deputy Assistant for Education
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/author/roberto-j-rodr%C3%ADguez
Roberto J. Rodríguez is President and CEO of Teach Plus. He spearheads the
organization’s work to grow and strengthen the teacher leadership movement.
Roberto served in senior roles in the United States Senate and in the White House.
From 2009 to 2017, he developed and led President Obama’s education initiatives
to build systemic change and improve opportunity and outcomes across the
educational continuum. His efforts led to an increase of tens of thousands of
additional children enrolled in early education; new partnerships to better
personalize and re-design the high school experience to meet individual needs of
students; creation of a new, national focus on excellence in STEM education; and
more.
Roberto holds a Presidential appointment to the J. William Fulbright Foreign
Scholarship Board. A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, he is a graduate of the
University of Michigan and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Chief Marketing Officer, Yoli Chisholm
Formerly Director of Digital Marketing at Microsoft
Yoli Chisholm is an award-winning global executive who has led enterprise
marketing teams of 80+ for companies including Microsoft, eBay, Lavalife.ca and
Points.com in the US and Canada. Her digital marketing career has spanned
industries from technology, retail, e-healthcare, dating to travel and
tele-communications in multiple markets, globally. Her expertise includes the
government, enterprise organizations, SMB’s and NGO’s.
As a revenue marketer Yoli helps companies develop and market new products,
apps and services. Under Yoli’s leadership, MSN launched new vertical media
channels acquiring Canada’s leading retail, financial and gaming companies as
customers. Working at eBay, Yoli growth hacked innovative marketing technology
designed to increase new customer activation.
At Points.com Yoli increased user activation by 300% by developing a new
customer experience working with the world’s leading airline, hotel and credit card
companies. At Lavalife.com Yoli launched new mobile apps partnering with Verizon,
T-Mobile, Sprint, Bell etc. Most recently at Microsoft, Yoli improved their central
marketing organization’s digital marketing impacting their multibillion dollar
enterprise businesses including Azure, O365, Surface, Dynamics and Windows. As
CMO, Yoli will drive marketing planning and execution for strategic revenue growth.
Advisor, Keith Teare
Co-Founder of TechCrunch
Keith Teare is a Founder and Executive Chairman at Accelerated Digital Ventures
Ltd., a UK-based global investment company focused on startups at all stages. He
was a founder at the Palo Alto incubator, Archimedes Labs. Archimedes was the
original incubator for TechCrunch and, since 2011, has invested, accelerated or
incubated Silicon valley startups including Quixey; M.dot (sold to GoDaddy);
chat.center; Loop Surveys; DownTown and Sunshine.
Teare has a track record as a serial entrepreneur with big ideas and has achieved
significant returns for investors.
Social Impact Advisor, Ryan Scott
Founder of Causecast & CEO of ICO Advisory Group
As an advisor to half a dozen blockchain startups, founder of ICO Advisory Group,
and an ICO event organizer, Ryan is a an expert in Blockchain Token Sales.
Ryan has personally invested in many companies including Tesla Motors and
Lottery.com, and ICOs including Aidcoin, Lockchain, and Stellar. He has been a
serial entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, and New York for 26 years and
has founded both NetCreations (opt-in email marketing pioneer) and Causecast
(corporate volunteerism and giving portal).
He is an Advisor for BlockRX (pharmaceutical supply chain on the blockchain),
Karma International (membership and event management on the blockchain),
Crowdfunder (equity crowdfunding), Lottery.com (mobile lottery), Tiltify
(crowdfunding platform to gamers), Elige.re (crowdfunded computational biology on
blockchain), VINChain (vehicle history on blockchain), LoyaltyCoin (a coin to unite all
loyalty programs), and many more.
Advisor, David Drake
Executive Director LDJ Capital & Founder of SOHO Loft
David serves as board advisor to NAGA Coin, Coinme, ICOBox, Quantstamp
Technologies, 1World Online, BLOCKv and other successful ICOs.
Founder of The Soho Loft, a subsidiary of the VC division of the New York-based
private equity firm LDJ Capital, he is also the founder of US Crowdfund Intermediary
Regulatory Advocates (CFIRA) and US CrowdFunding Professional Association
(CfPA).
Fluent in six languages and born in Sweden, David lobbied for the JOBS Act
(Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act) in both the US and at the EU Commission,
and was a U.S. Commerce Department delegate at the Transatlantic Economic
Council forum.
David presents regularly as an expert on financial innovation and impact investing at
150+ annual and international events. He writes for a number of online publications
including forbes.com, equities.com and Thomson Reuters
Advisor, Dr. David Washington
Founder of Partnerships for Purpose (P4P)
David is a philanthropy consultant whose work focuses on bridging the worlds of
policy, business, and philanthropy for pro-social change. David serves as senior
advisor for philanthropy and policy to Lady Gaga and her Born This Way
Foundation.
Viewed as an innovator and entrepreneur, he oversees multiple projects in the
foundation, entertainment, and technology fields. David also serves as a Senior
Advisor to the Information Technology Industry Council, the world’s leading trade
association for technology companies including Apple, Cisco, Dell, and IBM. He
was also the founding CEO of Change the Equation, the President Obama-inspired
CEO-to-CEO initiative focused on improving the science, technology, engineering,
and math (STEM) achievement of our nation’s youth.
David is a former President Obama aide who served as an Associate Director in the
White House Office of Public Engagement, where he was the lead liaison to the
business and philanthropy communities. Raised in West Los Angeles, David is a
graduate of Yale University and studied abroad at Oxford University.
Advisor / Investor, Valerie Mosley
Director at AuditChain and Fmr. SVP at Wellington Management Company
Valerie Mosley is Chairwoman and CEO of Valmo Ventures, which creates,
collaborates and invests in companies, assets, and efforts that have significant
potential to grow, profit and add value to society. Valerie also serves as a Director at
AuditChain, a decentralized blockchain audit reporting protocol and ecosystem.
Prior to Valmo Ventures, Valerie was Partner, Senior Vice President and Investment
Strategist at Wellington Management Company, LLP, an $800 billion global money
management firm based in Boston. Over a 20-year tenure at the firm, she
personally managed billions of fixed income portfolios for corporate and public
pension funds, insurance company general accounts, endowment funds and
mutual funds. Valerie chaired Wellington’s Industry Strategy Group, which was
comprised of equity and fixed income experts, and identified key, secular
headwinds and tailwinds impacting specific industries
Valerie is a director of The Eaton Vance Fund Family, Dynex Capital (NYSE: DX), and
Progress Investment Management Company, a privately-held fund of funds. She is
an advisor to both the New York State Common Retirement Fund and the Risk
Audit Committee of the United Auto Workers Retiree Medical Benefits Trust. She
serves on the board of New Profit, a venture philanthropy fund, and also funds
early-stage technology companies through Mass Ventures, a public-private venture
capital fund in Massachusetts.
A graduate of Duke University, Valerie received her MBA in Finance from the
Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania
Advisor / Investor / Brand Ambassador, Adam Rodriguez
Actor CSI Miami, Criminal Minds, Magic Mike & Impact Investor
Adam Michael Rodriguez is an American actor, screenwriter and director perhaps
best known for his long running role as Eric Delko on CSI: Miami. He is currently
portraying Task Force Agent and the newest recruit to the BAU Agent Luke Alvez in
Criminal Minds and is also cast as 'Cookie’s' love interest on Fox's record-breaking
series Empire.
Adam's previous credits include the major release films, About Last Night, in which
he starred alongside Michael Ealy and Paula Patton, and Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad
All By Myself, which won him the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting
Actor in a Motion Picture.
Adam is an impact investor and serves is a brand ambassador, advisor and investor
at STEAMRole. He is bullish on RoleCoin's potential to transform the global
education philanthropy market. In his role as a brand ambassador, Adam assists
with the formation of strategic partnerships and leverages his celebrity to drive
awareness and interest in STEAMRole.
Advisor, Andrea Hoffman
Founder of Culture Shifting Weekend, Silicon Valley’s Top Diversity Conference
Andrea Hoffman is an advisor, dealmaker, strategist, speaker, author and the
founder and CEO of boutique management consulting firm Culture Shift Labs (CSL).
CSL advises companies, cities and philanthropists on growth and innovation
through diversity and inclusion (D&I). Andrea consults with C-suite executives
across a wide range of industries on finding new growth opportunities. By helping
clients see past long-held perceptions regarding the intersection of innovation,
inclusion and diversity, she guides them to insights that unlock new business
opportunities.
As a top-tier confidential advisor, strategist and dealmaker for the past two
decades, she has leveraged proprietary methodologies to solve diversity issues and
expand revenue for clients such as BMW, Carnegie Hall, Credit Suisse, GE
Ventures, Lumina Foundation, Shutterfly, SAP, Kapor Center for Social Impact, Ford
Motor Company, Verizon, Scholastic, Sony Electronics, and Time-Life, among
others.
Partnership Director, Sandra Randon
Sandra Randon is an international and domestic Business Development Director
with expertise in NGO and community based initiatives. Combining business
acumen and a passion for education, Sandra is the founding Board Member and
President of the Foundation for Education and Development www.ghrefed.org. With
a career that spans 15+ years working in South & North America as well as the
APAC region focused on outreach to Foundations and Government entities,
Partnerships and Program Development, Sandra combines her Masters in Public
Administration with her Masters in Psychology to drive collaborative partnerships.
Formerly Associate Director at the Westchester Hispanic Coalition (WHC), a
prominent community-based organization providing a range of services to
underserved communities, Sandra most recently worked as the Foundation for
Education and Development (FED) Director of Development where she secured
unprecedented funding commitments from bilateral and multilateral donor
organizations as well as private entities. Sandra's contributions were instrumental
during a critical stage of FED’s transformation from a small to medium-scale
organization. Sandra will bring her foundational ground-level experience to
modernizing and digitizing the business of giving.
Technology Team
STEAMRole’s Technology Team currently consists of former employees of
companies including Amazon, Microsoft, Wealthfront, eBay, VentureFund.io and
Progressly. Most are graduates of the world’s top universities, including UC
Berkeley, Johns Hopkins and Georgia Tech. The team as a whole has solid domain
expertise on Amazon AWS infrastructures, blockchain technology, consumer
mobile/social application development and fintech.
9. Revision History
Version – 0.4.1 – Clarence Edit – Fixed section 3.2 Actors.
Version – 0.4.2 – Softer language on reasons for not using Ethereum
Version – 0.4.3 – More Ether/Stellar edit. Some content cut, more should be added
in section 4.3. Removed reference to investing in section 2.3. More general
information, not selling the idea of expected coin appreciation.
Version – 0.4.6 – Added additional team / advisor bios and updated token
allocation
Version - 0.5 - Global edits and clarifications by Caroline Clarke
Version 0.51 - General updates with ICO etc.
Version 0.52 - Includes dashboard and app graphics
Version 0.54 - Added logo and corrected bonu calculations
*Privileges for ROLE token holders may be subject to change in the future.
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/23/why-we-have-a-shortage-of-tech-workers-in-t
he-u-s.html
"Over half of the students (52%) say they don't know anyone with a job in STEM,
revealing broad unfamiliarity with STEM skills and misperceptions about where
these skills can be applied," the study says.
For instance, research suggests that as children grow older, they're less likely to
pursue the subjects. In fact, "students 11 to 14 years old are 18 percent more
likely than students aged 15 to 17 to consider math one of their favorite
subjects."
Randstad data on the shortage of STEM workers. (from intro para)
https://www.randstadusa.com/about/news/employers-must-redefine-stem-to-attract-future-talent-according-to-new-ran
dstad-us-data/