Atlanta entrepreneur Cory Henry is looking for diamonds in the rough, children and young adults in low-income communities with the desire and aptitude to be the nation’s future leaders in business, the military and the arts. His hook? Bring early digital literacy to middle and high school students, show kids and young adults how to use it, and then get out of the way.

Henry is the founder of the nonprofit STEAM Revolution. Recognizing Atlanta’s global leadership position in the fintech industry and the opportunities it represents to tech-empowered individuals, Henry has just inked a “power user” licensing deal with blockchain disrupter SIMBA Chain to bring the easy-to-use, smart-contract-as-a-service platform to students in Atlanta and DeKalb County public schools in opportunity-rich communities as well as to a new blockchain studies cooperative at Morehouse College, a private, historically black men’s school. The license will allow an unlimited number of student users to access the SIMBA Chain platform and learn to develop, deploy, and interface with blockchain distributed applications (Dapps) with little or no formal training in computer science.

STEAM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, arts, and math; academic centers that are the basis of technology. STEAM knowledge is the key to students breaking through socioeconomic barriers and into life-changing careers. Henry says that blockchain is so new, minorities and women have a unique opportunity to define how the technology is applied, whether to fintech, the battlefield or entertainment industry, which is why he’s partnering with SIMBA Chain.

“As a graduate of West Point, a military veteran and a long-time member of the West Point Field Force, which mentors highly qualified high school students to enter the Academy, I see how technology is changing the skillsets both the military and industry requires of leadership. Blockchain technology is in its infancy and with SIMBA Chain’s help, STEAM Revolution will help students get onboard as leaders and entrepreneurs,” he explains.

Henry adds, “SIMBA Chain was our top choice of blockchain partners for two reasons. First, they have multiple contracts with industry, the U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Energy. Second, our license includes their do-it-yourself platform as well as strategic build partner status for more complicated blockchain applications.”

SIMBA Chain’s blockchain and smart-contract-as-a-service technology was created at the University of Notre Dame, with a grant from DARPA, the Defense Advance Research Projects Agency. Since its founding in 2017, SIMBA Chain has landed numerous enterprise users like Dow and Boeing, secured millions in government contracts, and won accolades like TechCrunch’s Top Pick in Blockchain at Disrupt Berlin in 2019.

SIMBA Chain Co-founder and CEO Joel Neidig says the STEAM Revolution partnership ranks right up there as a major win. “Blockchain is an extremely complicated technology to master. SIMBA Chain’s easy-to-use platform is unique because anyone with an idea and passion to see it through can master blockchain. What makes the partnership with STEAM Revolution so powerful is thousands of school kids and young people will learn blockchain with SIMBA Chain, which will create a talent pipeline fintech companies, the military and other enterprise-level companies across industries desperately need.”

SIMBA Chain/STEAM Revolution

STEAM Revolution will debut its blockchain offering this fall in middle and high schools in Atlanta and DeKalb County and at Morehouse College. SIMBA Chain is SIMBA creating a STEAM digital coin students earn as they reach new blockchain skill levels. The blockchain coins can be added to resumes much like other skills and knowledge-based certifications.

The time to create digital opportunities for youth is now, says Henry. “We are entering an era of decentralized thinking and organization where thanks to technologies like blockchain, leadership and decision-making authority are distributed throughout organizations. We can’t wait until college to teach our children computer science. Do it now and they will be well prepared to lead for life.”

About SIMBA Chain, Inc.

 SIMBA Chain’s cloud-based, Smart Contract as a Service (SCaaS) platform enables industry and governments to quickly develop and deploy Web 3.0 distributed applications (Dapps) for many blockchains and across many platforms. SIMBA Chain was the recipient of TechPoint’s 2019 Mira Award for New Product of the Year and 1st Source Bank’s 2019 Commercialization Award. The SIMBA Chain platform supports Ethereum, Quorum, RSK, Stellar, and Hyperledger as well as other blockchain protocols.

About STEAM Revolution, Inc.

STEAM Revolution is a STEAM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Arts-Mathematics) based educational service organization.

We are a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to adding value to the education of our kids. We are a coalition of industry professionals, educators, community organizations, and parent/student committees. We believe that with proper exposure and experience, every student can enjoy and bring their dreams to life. Working today to CHANGE TOMORROW! Learn more.