Instructors:

  • Julien Prat (CNRS, CREST, ENSAE and Ecole Polytechnique)
  • Daniel Augot (INRIA and Ecole Polytechnique)

 

Format: 24 hours


Summary:

The digitization of markets is proceeding at an ever-increasing pace, deeply transforming how customers shop for products and services, but also how firms interact with one another. The design of internet platforms and Blockchain protocols raises new challenges that  can only be grasped through a sound understanding of computer science and economic incentives. We will explore the economic concepts (market design, pricing mechanisms…) and computer science tools (interface design, blockchain protocols...) students need to  acquire in order to participate to this transformation. The course will put an emphasis on Blockchains because of their disruptive potential, thus preparing students for the next wave of innovations. The material will be conveyed through a combination of lectures and seminars. In order to cover the width of the field, we will invite academics but also experts working in the private sector (e.g. Capgemini, PwC…) as well as startup founders. Hence the course will combine theoretical insights with hands-on experience and case studies.

The composition of the class will reflect the interdisciplinarity of the topic by bringing together students from computer science and economics. Students will form teams and elaborate an original platform or blockchain design, using the analytical tools and returns of  experience presented during the course. Each project will be concluded by a pitch in front of experts who will assess its strengths and areas for improvements.