Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News
      So, who exactly will buy Apple's R50 000 iPhone Duo

      Why Apple can’t tell you who its R50 000 iPhone is for

      11 September 2026
      'There are no adults in the room': the AI safety exodus

      ‘There are no adults in the room’: the AI safety exodus

      11 September 2026
      US in move to counter Huawei in Africa

      US in move to counter Huawei in Africa

      11 September 2026
      SAPS wants to deploy AI bodycams with facial recognition

      SAPS wants to deploy AI bodycams with facial recognition

      10 September 2026
      Lesaka's first profit comes as its merchant business goes backwards - Lincoln Mali

      Lesaka’s first profit comes as its merchant business goes backwards

      10 September 2026
    • World
      'This is not circular': Jensen Huang defends $3.5-billion MediaTek deal

      ‘This is not circular’: Jensen Huang defends $3.5-billion MediaTek deal

      2 September 2026
      AI-generated music banned from Australian charts

      AI-generated music banned from Australian charts

      26 August 2026
      Traders brace for a R4.5-trillion swing in Nvidia's value

      Traders brace for a R4.5-trillion swing in Nvidia’s value

      25 August 2026
      Russia building its own Starlink - and faster than expected - Vadym Skibitskyi

      Russia building its own Starlink – and faster than expected

      11 August 2026
      Meta AI will now tell parents if their teen is in crisis

      Meta AI will now tell parents if their teen is in crisis

      17 July 2026
    • In-depth
      Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis. Image: John Sears

      The plan to stop AI from breaking the world

      16 July 2026
      The internet has a Strait of Hormuz problem

      The internet has a Strait of Hormuz problem

      15 July 2026
      AI boom sparks rally, frenzy and fear

      AI boom sparks rally, frenzy and fear

      11 June 2026
      Every plug-in hybrid on sale in South Africa, ranked by price - Lamborghini Temerario

      Every plug-in hybrid on sale in South Africa, ranked by price

      7 June 2026
      What Wi-Fi 8 will mean for wireless networks

      What Wi-Fi 8 will mean for wireless networks

      1 June 2026
    • TCS
      Meet the CIO | Shoprite's Chris Shortt on what a supermarket becomes

      Meet the CIO | Shoprite’s Chris Shortt on what a supermarket becomes

      9 September 2026
      Rubicon's EV charging network is profitable - and growing fast - Watts & Wheels

      Rubicon’s EV charging network is profitable – and growing fast

      8 September 2026
      Winstone Jordaan on building a national EV charging network

      Winstone Jordaan on building a national EV charging network

      2 September 2026
      Watts & Wheels S1E8: 'Tesla lands in Africa, just not here'

      Watts & Wheels S1E8: ‘Tesla lands in Africa, just not here’

      24 August 2026
      TCS | Herotel CEO Van Zyl Botha on beating Starlink to South Africa

      TCS | Herotel CEO Van Zyl Botha on beating Starlink to South Africa

      14 August 2026
    • Opinion
      The fragile joint in the Capitec machine - Pambos Soteriades

      The R197-billion market the banks can’t reach

      25 August 2026
      South African tech's compounding debt problem - Jannie van Zyl

      Management consulting as we know it is over

      21 August 2026
      South African tech's compounding debt problem - Jannie van Zyl

      The most dangerous customer is the quiet one

      10 August 2026
      South African tech's compounding debt problem - Jannie van Zyl

      South African tech’s compounding debt problem

      29 July 2026
      The fragile joint in the Capitec machine - Pambos Soteriades

      Best network, worst vibes: the puzzle of SA telecoms

      20 July 2026
    • Company Hubs
      • 1Stream
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • Ascent Technology
      • AvertITD
      • BBD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CM.com
      • Contactable
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • HOSTAFRICA
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • IQbusiness
      • Iris Network Systems
      • Kaspersky
      • LSD Open
      • Mitel
      • NEC XON
      • Netstar
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Telviva
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Vodacom Business
      • Vox
      • Wipro
      • Workday
      • XLink
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Financial services
      • HealthTech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Policy and regulation
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Satellite communications
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
      • Watts & Wheels
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » Tech Shows » TechCentral » Interview | Behind SA cryptocurrency start-up Project Ubu

    Interview | Behind SA cryptocurrency start-up Project Ubu

    By Duncan McLeod24 July 2017
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    Get breaking news on WhatsApp

    Steve Sidley and Justin McCarthy

    [dropcap]I[/dropcap]n this episode of the TechCentral podcast, Duncan McLeod chats to two of the directors behind Project Ubu, a South African start-up that’s working to combine the idea of a universal basic income (but separate from government-led initiatives) with a blockchain-housed cryptocurrency.

    In the podcast, Project Ubu chief technology officer Steve Sidley (formerly CTO at Altech) and marketing director Justin McCarthy explain how the concept will work in practice.

    “Its purpose is to apportion value to all humans, whether economically active or not, so that those trapped in poverty are provided access to the economy where they can create wealth,” the company explains.

    The idea is to create a cryptocurrency that unlocks dormant, inefficiently allocated and unrealised resources to create commercial and social value

    It was established as a “mechanism to enable the free-market redistribution of inefficient resources with the objective being to promote growth-enabling economic access to billions of excluded people”.

    The idea is to create a cryptocurrency that “unlocks dormant, inefficiently allocated and unrealised resources to create commercial and social value”.

    Founded by Bridge Capital director Dudley Baylis, the project has attracted several heavy hitters, including McCarthy, Sidley and former Vox Telecom CEO Douglas Reed.

    The advisory board includes former Wooltru CEO Colin Hall.

    In the podcast, Sidley and McCarthy talk about how the system will work and who will benefit. It’s a fascinating idea. Its backers think it could change the world. This is a podcast you most certainly do not want to miss!

    How to subscribe to TechCentral’s podcasts

    There are many ways to enjoy TechCentral’s podcasts, beyond simply streaming them from our website. A good way is by subscribing to them using an app on your phone, allowing you to listen in the car, at the gym or wherever you happen to be.

    The TechCentral Podcast RSS feed is available via iono.fm. Note that this is a separate feed to the weekly TalkCentral podcast, the RSS for which is available here. If you’d like both podcasts in one RSS feed, that’s here.

    Use the RSS feeds to subscribe to either podcast (or both podcasts) in your favourite reader (we recommend Pocket Casts for Android, iOS and Windows Phone — look for “TechCentral” in its search engine to find both shows).

    We are also available through iTunes. Simply open the iTunes app on your iPhone and search for “TechCentral” to find the two podcasts.  — (c) 2017 NewsCentral Media

    Add TechCentral as a preferred source on GoogleFollow TechCentral on Google NewsGet breaking news on WhatsApp


    Colin Hall Douglas Reed Dudley Baylis Justin McCarthy Project Ubu Steve Sidley top
    WhatsApp YouTube
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleNaspers rallies to new record high
    Next Article Software AG now drawn into Gupta ‘kickbacks’ scandal

    Related Posts

    Industry veteran Douglas Reed joins Huge Group

    Industry veteran Douglas Reed joins Huge Group

    22 October 2024

    18GW in unplanned breakdowns cripple Eskom

    2 November 2021

    Nersa kicks the Karpowership can down the road

    13 September 2021
    Company News
    Nitda, NDPC and Galaxy Backbone back CyFrica 2026

    Nitda, NDPC and Galaxy Backbone back CyFrica 2026

    11 September 2026
    Can an online school produce a scientist? CambriLearn has an independent answer

    Can an online school produce a scientist? CambriLearn has an independent answer

    9 September 2026
    The ASUS ExpertCenter Pro ET900N from Altron Arrow

    A petaflop on a desk – rethinking AI infrastructure for South Africa

    9 September 2026
    Opinion
    The fragile joint in the Capitec machine - Pambos Soteriades

    The R197-billion market the banks can’t reach

    25 August 2026
    South African tech's compounding debt problem - Jannie van Zyl

    Management consulting as we know it is over

    21 August 2026
    South African tech's compounding debt problem - Jannie van Zyl

    The most dangerous customer is the quiet one

    10 August 2026

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Latest Posts
    So, who exactly will buy Apple's R50 000 iPhone Duo

    Why Apple can’t tell you who its R50 000 iPhone is for

    11 September 2026
    Nitda, NDPC and Galaxy Backbone back CyFrica 2026

    Nitda, NDPC and Galaxy Backbone back CyFrica 2026

    11 September 2026
    'There are no adults in the room': the AI safety exodus

    ‘There are no adults in the room’: the AI safety exodus

    11 September 2026
    US in move to counter Huawei in Africa

    US in move to counter Huawei in Africa

    11 September 2026
    © 2009 - 2026 NewsCentral Media
    Built and maintained by Chronon
    • Cookie policy (ZA)
    • TechCentral – privacy and Popia

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Manage consent

    TechCentral uses cookies to enhance its offerings. Consenting to these technologies allows us to serve you better. Not consenting or withdrawing consent may adversely affect certain features and functions of the website.

    Functional Always active
    The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
    Preferences
    The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
    Statistics
    The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
    Marketing
    The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
    • Manage options
    • Manage services
    • Manage {vendor_count} vendors
    • Read more about these purposes
    View preferences
    • {title}
    • {title}
    • {title}