As Virtual Reality (VR) gains traction in the business world, it’s great to see start-ups and small businesses lead the way. The possibilities of uses are limitless – from training to marketing and in the case of Onda Origins, sales. The founder used VR to pitch Microsoft headquarters when they were searching for a sustainable coffee provider. It proved to be the winning formula to get the gig of being the sole provider of coffee for the corporation, who’s choices are determined by their values. Microsoft employees can also put on a VR headset and see the farmers who actually grew their coffee. With the addition of blockchain for transparent transactions to ensure farmers get their compensation, this start-up has fully embraced emerging tech and how it can be used to promote sustainable business.
Scott Tupper with grower Ivonne Herrera. (Santiago Billy Photo)
Virtual reality is just one example of how a Seattle startup called Onda Origins aims to transform the coffee business. The latest move is a foray into blockchain, the trendy technology that acts as distributed ledgers secured by powerful cryptography algorithms — it is the underpinning for Bitcoin — and could create new types of tech products and services.
While the world’s biggest coffee company, Starbucks, is eyeing blockchain, Onda Origins is already deep into it as a way to create a verifiable bean to cup experience for customers. Onda uses blockchain to create transparency for customers, who can see exactly where their coffee comes from, and for growers to get maximum revenue out of every bean they produce.
