Melissa Quinn, RightMesh Corporate Development Manager and Director of the Blockchain Users Group in Canada, joins us for a discussion on blockchain, mesh networks, and expanding opportunities for connectivity for people around the globe.   To kick-off our conversation, Melissa gave a brief overview of the technology RightMesh is harnessing to achieve their mission of expanding global connectivity. She explains that mesh networks allow devices, like smartphones and IoT devices, to connect directly peer-to-peer rather than relying on traditional Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Mesh networks allow devices to communicate with one another without being directly connected to the internet or cell service. This type of peer-to-peer connectivity allows users to interact in challenging circumstances, like when internet and cell service are disrupted due to natural disasters (like the recent hurricane in Puerto Rico), or in dense metropolitan areas in emerging markets where connectivity is unaffordable for the majority of the population. It can also benefit developed regions struggling with network congestion, which can happen at large conferences and sporting events.   For RightMesh, blockchain technology comes into play for several reasons. First, traditional means of online identification (like an IP address) don’t work on a mesh network because a mesh may not always be connected to the internet.  Integrating the protocol and platform with the Ethereum blockchain, provided a way to assign a unique identifier, or a MeshID, to each device in the network.  Secondly, RightMesh uses blockchain to incentivize network participation to build density. With their ERC20 token, RMESH, users are able to buy and sell data to connect meshes located in different cities (i.e. New York and Beijing) and reward nodes routing data in between.   Beyond RightMesh’s mission to connect the world through mesh networks, Melissa also hopes to foster continued participation in the blockchain community, especially by people who are new to the technology. When asked about how to encourage more women to get involved in the crypto space, Melissa reminds us that because the blockchain industry is still a nascent industry, no one should be too intimidated to jump in and learn.   Links for resources mentioned in the podcast: https://twitter.com/melissa_aquinn https://twitter.com/Right_Mesh https://www.rightmesh.io/ https://www.youtube.com/user/aantonop http://unchainedpodcast.co/