Interview with Soeren von Varchmin

Who are you and where in the world are you?

My name is Soeren von Varchmin, President of NamesCon and CloudFest. I am a global resident who currently resides in Barcelona and works in Cologne.

Tell us a little bit about Namescon and what it means to investors?

NamesCon 2018 (Global), takes place in Las Vegas from January 28-31 and is the largest domain-industry conference in the world. We have developed this conference with the clear needs of the domain industry in mind, and see it as a platform for attendees to spend time with compelling keynote speakers, participate in illuminating break-out sessions and peer-to-peer workshops, as well as take part in valuable networking events designed to build new relationships and further their business enterprises.

With respect to investor attendees, we believe they will find much to see and explore during our event. Topics such as domain security, data mining, and cryptocurrency are but a handful of areas we believe bear relevance to the space in which investors operate. We also suspect this group will find of keen interest our “nail-bite-inducing” live/online auction (January 30 4:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.), where some of the most valuable domain names are up for grabs to the highest bidders! Definitely something not to be missed!

The next Namescon Global is scheduled for January 2018 at the Tropicana in Las Vegas and this year the focus will be on Blockchain.  Can you tell us why you have chosen to bring Blockchain into the conversation?

The industry-wide conversation around Blockchain gains steam with each passing day. Investors in particular became early adopters of Blockchains technology thanks to Bitcoin, as it was easy to draw parallels between digital currency and domains as valuable assets. Blockchain as a broader technology therefore becomes a natural topic in which to highlight during Namescon - it’s trending and attendees are hungry to know more.

What do you anticipate will be the main discussion points at or after the conference when it comes to Blockchain?

We believe the multiple applications of Blockchain will be an ongoing theme throughout NamesCon and long after it comes to an end. This technology has the potential to revolutionize how we do business. While it was originated to manage cryptocurrency, today the technology is being explored broadly in such areas as the securing of medical records, the execution of smart contracts, and the prevention of voter fraud.

How do you anticipate Blockchain will affect the domain industry?

As previously referenced, there has been a lot of chatter as of late regarding the exciting projects happening around Blockchain. Startups are working diligently and looking at host of different industries - one of which is most certainly the domain industry - with which to apply this technology. Most of the projects are still in their infancy but it is clear that we have only scratched the surface.

What are you most looking forward to about Namescon Global 2018?

Wow - you know for me it’s impossible to point a finger at one particular moment during NamesCon that I anticipate will stand out above the rest. With such a robust lineup of speakers, breakout sessions, exhibitors and networking sessions - this event has all the makings of an experience not easily forgotten.

Which domain investor should we watch out for on the dance floor?

Watch out for the indian domain investors. We had NamesCon India as our first NamesCon outside US earlier last year and those guys clearly know how to party.