Latest news with #BFT
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
We Can't Regulate Our Way to Crypto Leadership. We Still Need Science
The following open letter was written by Dan Boneh (Stanford), Joseph Bonneau (NYU), Giulia Fanti (Carnegie Mellon), Ben Fisch (Yale), Ari Juels (Cornell), Farinaz Koushanfar (U.C. San Diego), Andrew Miller (University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign), Ciamac Moallemi (Columbia), David Tse (Stanford), Pramod Viswanath (Princeton).Here's a multiple choice question. Algorand, Arbitrum, Avalanche, Axelar, Babylon, Cardano, Cosmos, Eigenlayer, Espresso, Flashbots, Oasis, Starkware, Sui. Byzantine Fault Tolerant (BFT) protocols, digital signatures, formal verification, maximal extractable value (MEV), public-key cryptography, proof of work, rollups, trusted execution environments (TEEs) used in blockchain systems, verifiable random functions (VRFs), zero-knowledge proof systems. Which of the following is true of the companies, projects, and concepts listed above? A) They were invented / created by researchers employed at or with deep roots in academic institutions. B) They have fueled and transformed the crypto / blockchain industry. C) They demonstrate how essential academic innovation is to the crypto / blockchain industry. D) All of the above. The answer is D. The lion's share of these innovations happened at universities, largely in the United States. Both the White House and Congress are working to support and accelerate innovation and bolster U.S. dominance in the crypto economy and the blockchain technologies that power it. The White House has established the Presidential Working Group on Digital Asset Markets, while two major pieces of legislation, the GENIUS and STABLE bills, are pending in Congress. There is a crying need for regulatory and legislative reforms that prioritize and support innovation in crypto while enforcing robust protections for consumers. Efforts to accomplish these things sensibly are to be applauded. At the same time, though, we are on the brink of seeing massive cuts to academic research funding in the United States. The White House budget proposal for 2025 includes a cut of 55% for the National Science Foundation (NSF). In the meantime, China increased its budget by 10% last year. NSF is the source of most federal funding for research in computer science at U.S. universities. It's the main source of funding that has driven crypto innovations like those in the list above. Companies provide little funding for academic research because it's not product-specific. So defunding NSF means defunding scientists in the U.S.—including those leading crypto innovation. We are academic researchers in the field of crypto, representing five U.S. universities. Alongside our teaching, we conduct research and train PhD students. While market cap is a short-term indicator of the crypto industry's health, the number of PhD students studying blockchain is a long-term one: it reflects the depth of future scientific leadership. That pipeline is already thinning. Several of us could not take on new PhD students this year due to the uncertain U.S. funding climate. And we are not alone. Several of the companies in the list above were co-founded by former members of our academic groups or by us. If future members of our groups vanish alongside scientific funding, so will successful future founders of crypto companies in the U.S. And PhD students don't just start companies. They are also the engine that powers academic and ultimately industry research, doing the brain- and labor-intensive work behind the technical innovations that lead to faster, more secure blockchains. PhD students in our groups played a key role in creating or advancing in many of the concepts in the second list above. If they vanish, so will the breakthroughs they would have brought to the industry. When we're funded to do research and stay on the cusp of innovation in crypto, we're also better teachers—able to equip students with the latest advances. That means stronger technical leaders educated in the U.S. Better regulation and legislation could be a boon to crypto. But U.S. leadership in crypto won't be secured by policy alone. At the forefront of crypto innovation is science—and U.S. universities have long been its powerhouse. If you're a farmer trying to ensure a strong harvest, it's wise to upgrade your equipment and expand your fields. But if you stop planting seedcorn, no amount of machinery will save the crop. If you care about U.S. leadership in crypto, contact your congressional representatives and senators. Urge them to support the research funding that has made American universities the seedbed of global scientific and technical leadership—blockchain technology Boneh is a Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at Stanford University, and advises a16z crypto and several projects in the blockchain space. Joseph Bonneau is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at New York University. He has served as an advisor for Zcash, Algorand, Chia, O(1) labs and Espresso Systems and as a Research Partner at a16z crypto. Giulia Fanti is the Angel Jordan Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. She is a co-director of the Initiative for CryptoCurrencies and Contracts (IC3), a member of Department of Commerce Information Security and Privacy Advisory Board (ISPAB), and a member of the UK Financial Conduct Authority's Synthetic Data Expert Group (SDEG). Ben Fisch is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Yale University. He is a co-founder of Espresso Systems and has advised several prominent crypto projects, including Chia and Filecoin. Ari Juels is the Weill Family Foundation and Joan and Sanford I. Weill Professor at Cornell Tech and a Computer Science faculty member at Cornell University. He is also a co-director of the Initiative for CryptoCurrencies and Contracts (IC3), Chief Scientist at Chainlink Labs, and author of crypto thriller novel The Oracle. Farinaz Koushanfar is the Nemat-Nasser Endowed Chair Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of California San Diego. She is also the founding co-director of the UCSD Center for Machine Intelligence, Computing, and Security (MICS), and a Research Scientist at Chainlink Labs. She is a fellow of ACM, IEEE, and the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). Andrew Miller is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. He is also a co-director of Flashbots[X], a co-director of Initiative for CryptoCurrencies and Contracts (IC3), and a board member of Zcash Foundation. He has been an advisor to Cycles, Chainlink, Inco, Clique, and Pi2. Ciamac Moallemi is William von Mueffling Professor of Business and the director of the Briger Family Digital Finance Lab at the Graduate School of Business at Columbia University. He is also an advisor to several firms in the blockchain and fintech space. David Tse is the Thomas Kailath and Guanghan Xu Professor of Engineering at Stanford University. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, and a recipient of the Claude E. Shannon Award in 2017 and the IEEE Richard W. Hamming Medal in 2019. He is also a co-founder of the Babylon Bitcoin staking protocol, currently ranked 8th in TVL (total value locked) among all DeFi protocols. Pramod Viswanath is the Forrest G. Hamrick Professor of Engineering at Princeton University. 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Scotsman
22-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
The power of teamwork: In fitness, business and beyond
Glasgow-based fitness brand, Body Fit Training shares their advice on why when it comes to achieving success – whether it's in the gym, on the sports field or in business – having the right team beside you makes all the difference. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... When it comes to achieving success – whether it's in the gym, on the sports field or in business – having the right team beside you makes all the difference. Just ask Body Fit Training's (BFT) Matt Thomas and Daniel Stewart. Former AFL teammates turned business partners, Matt and Dan know better than most the power of teamwork. After hanging up their boots, they weren't ready to leave the high-performance lifestyle behind. Instead, they teamed up once again – this time off the field – becoming the very first BFT franchisees. Fast-forward nearly a decade and they now operate five top-performing BFT studios across Melbourne and are integral players in shaping the future of the brand. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Here's why they believe having a strong team mentality sets you up for success in fitness – and in business. Daniel Stewart (far left) & Matt Thomas (far right), BFT's first-ever franchisees Accountability keeps you on track For Matt and Dan, having someone to show up with has always been non-negotiable. Back in their AFL days, training wasn't optional – your teammates relied on you, and you relied on them. That same principle carried through into their fitness and business partnership. It's much harder to hit snooze on a 6am gym session when you know someone else is waiting. And in business, it means shared responsibility. From strategy to studio maintenance, having two sets of eyes and a division of roles meant they could play to each other's strengths – and have honest conversations when things weren't quite going to plan. But it's not just about logistics. It's the emotional accountability too – someone who understands the pressure, the setbacks and the long hours. That kind of support helps keep momentum up even when motivation dips. As Matt puts it, 'When we trained together, it wasn't just about you – it was about not letting the team down.' Healthy competition that pushes your limits Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There's something uniquely motivating about training – and working – alongside someone who wants to win as much as you do. For Matt and Dan, that shared drive has always fuelled their friendship. Whether it was sprint drills or chasing new personal bests in the gym, there was always an edge of healthy competition that kept them both striving for more. That same energy translated into their business too. As the first-ever BFT franchisees, there was no model to follow – but there was always a goal to chase. From filling the studio with members to fine-tuning operations and planning for growth, their shared drive and healthy sense of competition kept them both locked in. It was never about outdoing one another – it was about lifting the standard together. Shared goals, stronger bond When two people are aligned on what they want to achieve, everything becomes simpler – and stronger. From day one, Matt and Dan were clear on their mission: build something that made a real impact, not just for themselves but for their community and for the BFT brand. That shared vision has been the foundation of their partnership. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It's what helped them through the toughest moments – the early mornings, the long days, the financial risks. When things got hard, they knew they were in it together. And when the wins came, they were shared too. For Dan, 'The reason we've been able to grow is because we've always shared the same vision and backed each other 100%.' That kind of alignment not only strengthens the business, it also deepens the trust and friendship that underpins it. Trusting the process (and each other) There's no blueprint for building something new. Back in 2016, when BFT was still emerging as an idea, there were no guarantees. But what Matt and Dan did have was trust. Trust in BFT's founder Cameron Falloon's vision, trust in each other and trust in their own ability to figure it out along the way. Starting out with three studios, they threw themselves into the business – from coaching classes to cleaning toilets. There were steep learning curves and sacrifices had to be made, but they stuck with it. That trust – in the process and the partnership – helped them navigate the unknown. And even as their business has evolved, that foundational belief hasn't changed. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As Matt recalls, 'We trusted in Cam's vision, and we trusted our ability to work out what we needed to do to be a success. That belief got us through and enabled us to start building something that would go a long way to us achieving our goals.' For Matt and Dan, teamwork is essential – it's the foundation of everything they've built. From the footy pitch to fitness studios, their success has always been rooted in trust, commitment and shared ambition. Having a strong team beside you creates a sense of accountability that keeps you going when it's tough. It fuels the kind of competition that brings out your best, aligns your energy around a shared purpose and gives you the confidence to take bold leaps – even when there's no roadmap.
Fox News
20-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Jacob Fatu's 1st WrestleMania match yields United States Championship
LAS VEGAS – Jacob Fatu proved Saturday night in the first WrestleMania match of his career that he is an unstoppable force and there are no forces that could even come close to stopping him. Fatu carried LA Knight to the top rope and hit a huge Samoan drop before he completed two moonsaults and pinned Knight to become the new United States champion. Fatu arrived to the squared circle with Solo Sikoa firmly in his corner. Fatu removed a werewolf mask and sauntered down to the ring. Knight entered the stadium in style – pulling up in a Maserati before his music hit. Knight tried to outmatch Fatu, who pulled off incredible move after incredible move. It appeared Fatu was in the driver's seat and was going for a moonsault early in the match. Knight hit his own finishing maneuver, the BFT, seemingly out of nowhere. Was Knight going to pull out the win? Almost as Fatu kicked out as the ref's hand was coming down for the three count. Fatu regained control of the match and was able to add some gold around his waist. The "Samoan Werewolf" pulled up onto the WWE scene in June as Sikoa took over the Bloodline faction. He became the fierce enforcer behind Sikoa as they began to become the thorn in the side of the rest of the SmackDown roster. But Fatu was thrust into the chase for the United States Championship. He topped Braun Strowman to get the shot at Knight's title, in which he claimed from Shinsuke Nakamura. It's Fatu's first singles title since he joined WWE. His win marked the third title change of the first night of WrestleMania 41. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Associated Press
25-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Body Fit Training Strengthens International Presence with First Scandinavian Opening
Body Fit Training (BFT), the Xponential Fitness brand and global boutique fitness brand offering 50-minute group strength training classes led by highly accredited coaches, is thrilled to announce the debut of its first Scandinavian location in Oslo this month. Located in the Majorstuen neighborhood, the studio welcomes Scandinavians to experience the inclusive, coach-led strength and functional training classes that BFT is known for around the world. The Oslo studio marks the beginning of BFT's expansion into Scandinavia, which will be followed by locations in Stockholm and Copenhagen over the next year. The Scandinavian growth is being driven by Tage Flugeim, a seasoned fitness operator who launched his own gym and brought Barry's Bootcamp to the country 15 years ago as the first international market outside of North America. BFT is the first Xponential brand to the Scandinavian market. 'Scandinavians are going to love the community-based, science-backed, and inclusive workouts offered by BFT,' said Flugeim. 'There is so much untapped potential for the fitness scene in Scandinavia, and we're confident that BFT will take the country by storm with this Oslo studio and many more to follow.' 'We are so thrilled for Tage and his team to open their first location and plant the BFT flag in the Scandinavian market,' said Rich Burnet, Co-CEO of BFT International. 'We know the team has worked tirelessly to establish BFT's presence in Norway and we're excited to see them bring our strength and conditioning programming, approach and brand experience to many communities.' The Oslo debut continues BFT's growth across Europe, following openings in London, Glasgow, and Barcelona in recent years. With over 300 studios worldwide, there is a growing global demand for BFT and its strength and conditioning programming outside its well-established APAC markets, specifically in Europe and the United States. Currently, there are 50 studios in the U.S., with openings in California and New Jersey that were celebrated this month. 'It's remarkable to see how much BFT's workouts are resonating with clients all over the world, and strength training landing atop 2025 fitness trends will continue to add fuel to the fire,' said Bob Kaufman, President of Xponential International. 'With talented master franchisees like Tage, we are excited to see this brand reach new heights in the coming years.' ABOUT BFT Founded in 2017 in Melbourne, Australia by fitness industry veteran Cameron Falloon, BFT offers a community-based 50-minute group strength & functional training program across 14 workouts. BFT uses science and technology-based training techniques to drive individual member health goals in an inclusive, coach-led group environment. By combining strength and conditioning progressive programs, members benefit from training all three muscle fibers, planes of movement, and energy systems that aim to reduce fat and create lean muscle. BFT is headquartered in Irvine, CA and backed by Xponential Fitness, one of the leading global franchisors of boutique health and wellness brands. To learn more about BFT, visit SOURCE: Body Fit Training Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 02/25/2025 08:57 AM/DISC: 02/25/2025 08:58 AM
