Most people learned about blockchain in relation to the decentralized digital currency that it underpins, but quickly use cases emerged in dozens of different industries leading to an explosion of blockchain-based startups.

Whether it be in supply chain, healthcare, the Internet of Things, finance, security, or even AI, blockchain development startups are some of the most buzzworthy ones of 2018.

For our blockchain startups list, we chose the most successful and innovative companies to help you understand just how versatile the new technology is. Their cutting-edge ideas will transform how businesses operate in the coming decades.

Aiming to capitalize on the influencer marketplace, PATRON hopes to disrupt the stranglehold that Silicon Valley and firms like Facebook and Google have over powerful media influencers. The Japanese startup is working on creating a network where companies and influencers can come together and transact.

The firm raised almost $30 million between public and private ICOs, and has been actively developing a platform to connect influencers directly with companies, cutting out the agencies in-between that often charge a premium for making such connections. With the global influencer marketing to reach $10-billion worth by 2020, PATRON is poised for success if they can deliver on their goals.

Buddy

One of the hottest blockchain startups is focused on making blockchain integration easier for companies looking to implement the technology. There is often a fog surrounding just how to put together a blockchain-based solution, and Buddy is working to automate the application development and deployment process.

Already boasting high-profile partnerships with the likes of Github, Google Cloud Services, Microsoft Azure and Amazon Marketplace, Buddy claims to have 200+ companies using their app development system. Their ICO is currently at the private sale stage, and a solid team and roadmap make this Polish firm one to watch.

Healthcare is a data-intensive industry where both privacy and access of information are equally important, so it’s no surprise some of the biggest blockchain startups are in this space. BurstIQ is trying to consolidate users’ health data into a secure ‘data wallet’ that they can have better control over.

Identity management is one of the key strengths of the blockchain architecture, and BurstIQ recently announced a partnership with Shyft, a blockchain-based identity verification company. The goal is to allow governments, healthcare institutions, and patients to securely manage, share and access healthcare information while maintaining full HIPAA compliance.

This Silicon Valley startup is working on blockchain-based security for the Internet of Things (IoT.) Recently, they secured $12 million in Series A funding. While many of us are aware of consumer IoT devices like thermostats, refrigerators and light switches, larger industrial machines are going to soon all be connected as well.

This data that can be tagged to production and devices from the assembly line all the way to a consumer purchase needs securing, and Xage aims to be an industry leader in this segment. Their goal is aiding in leveraging this critical data throughout the IoT ecosystem. GE Ventures has invested in the company, further solidifying its place among top startups.

Supply chain is a favored industry for integration of blockchain technology. The consensus architecture means pinpoint accuracy in tracking a product end to end. In August, CargoX showed they were a leader in the space by going live with a blockchain-based Bill of Lading system.

The Slovenian startup raised $7 million in a January ICO, and they have been working quickly to bring solutions to market. At the same time, the supply chain industry is quickly embracing blockchain technology, with giants like Maersk working directly with IBM to develop proprietary systems.

Touting a secure personal ID and payment system based on blockchain architecture, Nuggets aims to capitalize on another key strength of the technology. They recently won ‘Consumer Anti-Fraud Security Solution of the Year’ at the payment awards, and completed a successful ICO.

Creating a whole ecosystem of security features, the Nugget ID will help to secure users’ online purchases, phone interactions and mobile payment apps using biometrics. The system works without storing any personal data, creating the ultimate personal security.

Another player in the secure identity space is Civic, who are targeting businesses as well as consumers for their offerings. When you think about how many times and places you need to provide your ID, and the friction that can create — from opening a bank account to applying for a job to signing up for an ICO — imagine if there was a secure digital app to verify your identity.

That is what Civic is building, and the sheer number of uses that their solution can have surely makes them one of the top blockchain startups.

Filament

In the hardware or IoT space, there is lots of room for blockchain-based solutions. Filament is working to be a leader in the hardware-based portion of the industry. They have released a hardware device that can verify blockchain transactions at the silicon level. The idea of blockchain as hardware instead of software cuts crucial development time out of subsequent development projects.

By integrating the blockchain down to the hardware level, Filament is removing yet another potential security loophole from blockchain ecosystems.

The Sky’s the Limit

As you can see, almost every industry can benefit from the security and transparency that blockchain solutions can provide. As the technology matures, these bleeding-edge blockchain startups are going to be the leaders of tomorrow.