Tokenized Marketplace for SMR Operators and Investors: Ian Chan at Consensus 2025

Ian Chan

Ian is a seasoned innovation leader with over two decades of experience driving transformative change across technology and finance sectors. Currently, Ian serves as a Special Advisor to Hygge Energy where he supports the company’s blockchain and AI strategy.

With a career spanning senior roles at global firms like Deloitte, Hewlett Packard and Thomas Cook, he brings a rare blend of strategic insight and operational excellence to every initiative. He has co-founded and advised multiple cutting-edge ventures across blockchain, AI and robotics.

His leadership is grounded in a strong track record of scaling ideas into global solutions.

Today, we are excited to feature Ian Chan on our blog. A seasoned leader in finance and blockchain innovation, Ian has been a long-time advisor, friend and champion of Hygge Energy. He recently represented Hygge at CoinDesk Consensus 2025, one of the leading global forums for blockchain, Web3 and AI innovation. In this conversation, he shares insights from the event and reflects on why Hygge’s mission continues to energize and inspire him.

Question: You spent 3 days at Consensus 2025, speaking with a wide range of people in the space, including investors, technologists, lawyers and other entrepreneurs. What was that experience like for you, personally and professionally?

Ian: There was a lot of energy in the room; it was great to see familiar faces and meet new ones. The event was well-curated, with a strong slate of speakers and mixer sessions. But what really stood out were the conversations I had in between the events. That’s when I got to discuss our idea around tokenizing small modular reactors (SMR) and creating a marketplace to connect investors and operators. People were not only receptive but also eager to build on the concept, and kept highlighting the need for this type of marketplace, which was inspiring and energizing.

I got to discuss our idea around tokenizing small modular reactors (SMR) and creating a marketplace to connect investors and operators. People were not only receptive but also eager to build on the concept.

Question: Was there a specific question or topic people kept bringing up when you pitched the idea?

Ian: Definitely. A lot of people asked why I’m working on this with Hygge. I explained that this isn’t something that came out of nowhere—we’ve been working on making renewable and clean energy viable for six or seven years. What’s exciting is that now the headwinds are finally turning into tailwinds. People are warming up to SMRs, especially given the rising energy needs from AI. Where there was a lot of fear about nuclear and not in my backyard thinking (NIMBY), the fear has subsided and everyone recognizes the need for new clean energy approaches.  And tokenization, which used to be quite unclear in terms of regulation, is now something U.S. regulators and  investors are starting to embrace. The “why now” question came up a lot, and the answer really is: the timing is finally right.

Question: How do events like Consensus help shape early-stage startups like ours?

Ian: It’s about how many quality interactions you can pack into a short time. At Consensus, I had over 40 meetings in three days. We spoke to regulators, top-tier legal teams, builders, investors—it was such a gambit of diverse individuals. That kind of density is hard to achieve anywhere else. You get those planned meetings, but also you just run into people, conversations with whom can be life-changing. Consensus does a great job of curating that environment.

People are warming up to SMRs, especially given the rising energy needs from AI. […] Tokenization, which used to be quite unclear in terms of regulation, is now something U.S. regulators and  investors are starting to embrace.

Question: Last question—and more of a personal one. You’ve been such a strong advocate for Hygge. What inspires you to believe in our mission the way you do?

Ian: It really comes down to the team and the vision. Raj and Prateek have always been clear about why they’re doing this, and I believe in the clarity of purpose. A world with more clean, renewable energy is a better world, and I’m proud to help make that vision reality.

Closing thoughts:

Events like Consensus are more than just industry gatherings. They’re crucibles for ideas, connections, and clarity of purpose. We are deeply grateful to Ian for representing Hygge with such commitment and for continuing to play an integral role in our journey toward a sustainable energy future.