This interview is part of our new Blockchain In Supply Chain Management series, where we interview the world's leading thought leaders on the front lines of the intersections between blockchain and supply chain management.

In this interview we speak with Noam Eppel, co-founder and COO of Morpheus.Network, to understand how his company is using blockchain to transform the supply chain management business, and what the future of the industry holds.

1. What’s the story behind Morpheus.Network? Why and how did you begin?

NE: The global supply chain involves disconnected workflows and various inefficiencies. It is an industry still very much run on email, fax and manual paperwork. According to the World Bank, supply chain inefficiency is the number one world problem to solve in order to stimulate economic growth. Reducing these barriers to global trade could increase worldwide GDP by USD $2 trillion. I have 15+ years of experience in web development and information security while my co-founder, Dan Weinberger, has 15+ years experience in global supply. We founded Morpheus.Network to help solve these inefficiencies by utilizing emerging technologies (E.g., blockchain, IoT, RFID, machine learning, etc) and to help companies optimize and automate their global supply chain.

2. Please describe your use case and how Morpheus.Network uses blockchain:

NE: We operate a SaaS middleware platform which connects to over 100 different technologies and service providers (DHL, FedEx, Salesforce, UPS, Microsoft Dynamics, Twilio, SAP, China Post, various IoT devices, etc). Our platform provides supply chain managers with shipment and item visibility for automating safe and secure supply chains saving them time and money. One key strength of our platform is that we provide companies with a seamless way to adopt and benefit from emerging technologies such as blockchain without them having to radically change how they currently operate.

3. Could you share a specific customer/user that benefits from what you offer? What has your service done for them?

NE: We recently announced an agreement with logistics specialists Joffroy Group to provide superior supply chain visibility and automate their compliance processes. Joffroy services major clients including Pepsico, Dematic, Steris, Metso, Carl’s Jr, 3M, Cemex, and more.

Another customer, Changzhou Yi-Lift, based in China includes our Morpheus.Network QR code on many of their products including CMM machines, welding robots, CNC cutting machines, auto power coating lines, hydraulic press and more. As their products are shipped worldwide, our platform provides them with real-time visibility of their current location. This information could include details such as service records, changes of ownership, and locations of deployment. The information is securely hashed and a record of the transaction is stored on the Ethereum public blockchain. This prevents records relating to the equipment from being tampered with or deleted, creating a permanent, immutable history of events.

4. What other blockchain use cases in supply chain management are you excited about?

NE: We have multiple companies using the platform today, plus numerous pilots in industries including pharma, perishable goods, international import/export, compliance and customs documentation generation, and cosmetics and perfume fraud prevention. We developed our Fraud Prevention Protocol with SAP. These are all driven by blockchain technology.

5. Where will Morpheus.Network be in 5 years?

NE: We have a strong team of very experienced and talented individuals. We are laser focused on putting our platform into the hands of real customers so they can benefit from the platform immediately. Our platform is designed so that one company can adopt our platform and see immediate benefits, but as their partners and suppliers adopt the platform their benefits multiply further. Blockchain technology is in fashion and many companies are looking to jump on board simply because it is fashionable. But what we’re doing is solving real business challenges. We’re not just focused on making some cool technology. We’re focused on a real platform with actual customers who can adopt the platform and see immediate benefits. In 5 years, I expect to see large scale adoption of our platform, further integration with third-parties and I expect to see every major supply chain company utilizing and benefiting from blockchain technology in some capacity.