A start-up which aims to make Blockchain technology and cryptocurrency payments an everyday feature of mainstream shopping has announced that “one of the most renowned representatives of the crypto community” is joining its advisory board.

Eligma is developing an e-commerce platform enabling consumers to shop on multiple websites through a unified account, along with an artificial intelligence (AI) system which uses the data this generates to offer personalized recommendations on new products and deals. An inventory is going to allow users to keep track of their purchases and discover the best (and most profitable) time to sell unwanted items on second-hand websites. Meanwhile, customers in brick-and-mortar stores will be able to buy items using cryptocurrency through a system called EliPay.

Building an advisory team

Charlie Shrem, a vocal advocate of cryptocurrency who was one of the earliest adopters of Bitcoin, is the latest adviser to join Eligma.

The company claims he has substantial entrepreneurial experience, including senior roles at a multi-platform cryptocurrency wallet venture and a firm promoting the use of cryptocurrency in the business community.

His arrival comes at a critical time for Eligma, with its technology yet to be tested in real-world environments, and the company hopes his background will enhance its progress.

Shrem, whose interests include commerce and the development of a social economy, told Cointelegraph (CT): “Eligma stands for an exceptional revolution, not only in the shopping sense, but also in terms of making the general public aware of the practical advantages that cryptocurrencies offer.”

Shrem is joining other advisers who each bring expertise from their time collaborating with some of the world’s biggest companies.

Eligma describes Andy Baynes as a “consummate visionary” who previously worked with Steve Jobs and Tim Cook at Apple – and introduces Hermann Eul as a “seasoned top executive in telecommunications and security” following his time at Intel. Gary Dillabough worked at eBay for a decade, while Peter M Moricz served as the vice president of the JP Morgan Private Bank in London between 2014 and 2016.

Dejan Roljic, the founder and CEO of Eligma, told CT that he is certain the contributions of these advisers – and others – “will result in a product that is far-reaching in its technology but easy and practical to use at the same time.”

Preparing for “Bitcoin City”

Mr Shrem’s arrival comes as Eligma prepares to put its system for cryptocurrency transactions to the test at a mall in Ljubljana, the capital city of Slovenia. The company claims that its technology is going to make Bitcoin City, a complex with more than 450 stores and the first shopping center in the world where cryptocurrency payments can be made.

According to Roljic, the starting phase of testing is going to go ahead as planned after the company signed letters of intent with five of Bitcoin City’s biggest retailers. Eligma says further features are going to be trialed gradually over the coming months, paving the way for expansion to the United Kingdom in the middle of 2019.

“We are planning to make Eligma a worldwide platform, but we need to start on a smaller scale to gather enough data and figure out the best practices to proceed further,” he told CT.

Roljic is continuing to spread the word about his business – with an energetic speech at the Crypto Summit 2018 in Zurich helping Eligma win the award for best pitch with 47.7 percent, seeing off competition from 22 other initial coin offerings.

Eligma’s crowdsale is beginning on April 17 and is going to conclude on May 8. 60 percent of the company’s supply of 500 mln ELI tokens are being offered to the public.