Blockchain Accelerator Opens in Paris With 30 Participants

June 20 Update: this article has been updated to remove an erroneous statement that the newly opened Chain Accelerator was the “first” one to open in Europe.

France became host to a blockchain accelerator as Paris moves to become the “capital of ICOs,” Finance Magnates reports Monday, June 18.

Chain Accelerator, a joint scheme involving around thirty cryptocurrency and finance entities and professionals, aims to offer mentoring to international blockchain startups.

Among the list of participants in the blockchain scheme are Gatecoin CEO Aurelien Menant and HSBC head of digital innovation Diana Biggs, with more surprising participation from legacy finance parties such as former SWIFT CEO Leonard Schrank.

The move comes against a backdrop of increasing friendliness towards cryptocurrency innovation by French authorities, finance minister Bruno Le Maire warning in March that France “should not miss out on the blockchain revolution.”

“At a time when the President and the Government want to make Paris the capital of the ICOs, Chain Accelerator is positioning itself as a key player,” Nicolas Cantu, co-founder of Chain Accelerator, said in comments quoted by various sources.

“In France, as everywhere in the world, blockchain projects face many uncertainties and complexities, whether financial, legal, or technical. Yet, this technology will revolutionize our daily lives,” Paris National Assembly member Pierre Person added in comments which echoed Le Maire.

“It is essential today to have both a legislative framework enabling its full development and structures enabling the emergence of such projects. Our country must become a leader in blockchain.”

Chain Accelerator is based in Paris’ Station F, self-described as “the largest” startup campus in the world.