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Last Updated: 2026
Melanie Swan image

Melanie Swan

Founder of several startups including DIYgenomics, GroupPurchase, the MS Futures Group, and the Institute for Blockchain Studies. philosopher, economic theorist, and entrepreneur

Summary
Biography
Vision
Recognition and Awards
References
Summaryarrow

Melanie Swan is a philosopher and economic theorist who has worked in various fields, including academic research, finance, and entrepreneurship. She has an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, an MA in Contemporary Continental Philosophy from Kingston University London and Université Paris 8, and a BA in French and Economics from Georgetown University. She is also a PhD candidate in Information Systems Biology at the Centre for Blockchain Technologies at University College London.

Swan is the founder of several startups, including the Institute for Blockchain Studies, DIYgenomics, GroupPurchase, and the MS Futures Group. Her research interests focus on emerging science and technology, particularly as directed towards biology, at the level of conceptual advance. She has currently focused on information systems biology approaches to biological risk management, DIYgenomics crowdsourced healthy cohort studies, and mathematical physics, quantum computation, and blockchain technologies applied to the multiscalar ecosystem study of precision health, disease, and ageing.

Swan is an instructor at Singularity University, an Affiliate Scholar at the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, and a contributor to the Edge's Annual Essay Question. She has also served as an advisor to research foundations, government agencies, corporations, and startups. In addition, she has designed collaboration simulations including "Discontinuity Futures," "Being an Entrepreneur" and "The Trader's Pit." She has published several books on topics such as blockchain economics, quantum computing, and the blockchain.

Biographyarrow

Melanie Swan is a philosopher, economic theorist, and entrepreneur known for her work in emerging science and technology. She was born in California, USA, and has an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, an MA in Contemporary Continental Philosophy from Kingston University London and Université Paris 8, and a BA in French and Economics from Georgetown University.

Swan's career has spanned academic research, finance, and entrepreneurship. She has held management and finance positions at J.P. Morgan in New York, Fidelity in Boston, and Arthur Andersen in Los Angeles. She served as the Director of Research at Telecoms Consultancy Ovum RHK, and she is currently a Research Associate at the Centre for Blockchain Technologies at University College London.

Swan is the founder of several startups, including the Institute for Blockchain Studies, DIYgenomics, GroupPurchase, and the MS Futures Group. She is a faculty member at Singularity University and the University of the Commons, an Affiliate Scholar at the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, and a contributor to the Edge's Annual Essay Question.

Swan's research interests focus on emerging science and technology, particularly as directed towards biology, at the level of conceptual advance. She has currently focused on information systems biology approaches to biological risk management, DIYgenomics crowdsourced healthy cohort studies, and mathematical physics, quantum computation, and blockchain technologies applied to the multiscalar ecosystem study of precision health, disease, and ageing.

In addition to her research and entrepreneurship, Swan is an accomplished author. She has published several books on topics such as blockchain economics, quantum computing, and the blockchain. She is also a workshop presenter at the Expanding Your Horizons math and science conference and has served as the Treasurer of the San Francisco-based non-profit Equal Rights Advocates.

Visionarrow

Melanie Swan's vision is to explore and develop new technologies and methodologies to solve complex problems related to biology, health, and aging. She believes that by combining emerging technologies such as blockchain, quantum computing, and information systems biology, we can create a more efficient and effective healthcare system that is focused on individualized precision medicine.

Swan also advocates for democratizing access to healthcare and research, and she has founded several startups and organizations aimed at this goal. DIYgenomics, for example, is a crowdsourced health research study that allows individuals to contribute their own genetic data to research projects. GroupPurchase is another startup that aims to lower the cost of healthcare by allowing groups of people to pool their resources and negotiate directly with healthcare providers.

Recognition and Awardsarrow
In 2018, Swan was named a Fellow at the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies (IEET). In 2016, Swan was named one of the "Top Women in Bitcoin" by Bitcoin Magazine. In 2015, Swan was awarded the Women in Bitcoin award at the Coinagenda conference. Swan's book "Blockchain: Blueprint for a New Economy" was named a finalist for the 2016 "Books for a Better Life" award. In 2013, Swan was a finalist in the Global Invest Her "Pitch Your Startup" competition. Swan has been invited to speak at numerous conferences and events, including TEDx, the World Economic Forum, and the Global Blockchain Summit.
Referencesarrow
  • Melanie Swan | Melanieswan.com 
  • Melanie Swan Philosophy and Economic Theory, the New School for Social Research | Edge
  • Melanie Swan Blockchain Theorist, New School University, NYC | Udemy 
  • Melanie Swan | DBLP 
  • Melanie Swan Live online courses, books, and videos on O’Reilly | Oreilly 
  • Melanie Swan Founder, Institute for Blockchain Technology | IICOM 
  • Melanie Swan Purdue University | Purdue · Department of Philosophy Information Systems Biology | Research Gate 
  • Blockchain: Blueprint for a New Economy 1st Edition by Melanie Swan | Amazon
  • Blockchain: Blueprint for a New Economy | Melanieswan 
  • Top 5 books to learn about blockchain | Cointelegraph 
  • The bitcoin book boom | Fortune 
  • Top Blockchain Programming Books to Read in 2021 | Analyticsinsight
  • Top Fintech and Blockchain Books | Fintechnews
  • Davide Malaguti shares his story about blockchain projects | Dailyscanner
  • How Blockchain Could Transform The Customer Experience | Customerthink
  • Why Blockchain Has the Potential to Serve as a Secure Accounting Information System | Cpajournal
  • Plantoids: the first blockchain-based artificial life forms | Bitcoinmagazine. 
  • Indian Government-Backed Program Offers Crypto and Blockchain Course | Bitcoinnews
  • Why March 10 was a big day for bitcoin | Fortune 
  • Blockchain AI: 5 Top Reasons the Blockchain will Deliver Friendly AI | Cointelegraph 

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Occupation
Research Associate at UCL Centre for Blockchain Technologies (CBT)
Known For
Economic Theorist, Entrepreneur
Education
"Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania Georgetown University Singularity University University of the Commons Kingston University London"
Website
https://www.melanieswan.com/
Social Media
linkedinx
Last Updated: 2026
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