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Global Wellness Institute Launches Web 3.0 Initiative to Explore the Future Intersections between Technology and the Multitrillion-Dollar Wellness Economy

Industry veteran Mia Kyricos, software pioneer Frank Pitsikalis, and other global technologists and wellness entrepreneurs will examine how the metaverse, NFTs, cryptocurrency, and more will transform the business of wellness

Miami, FL – June 29, 2022 – The nonprofit Global Wellness Institute™ (GWI), the leading research and educational resource for the $4.4 trillion global wellness industry, announced today the launch of a Web 3.0 initiative. The project joins GWI’s portfolio of 34 diverse global initiatives and comes at a time when the metaverse and other developments in technology stand to disrupt the business of wellness and society at large.

“The wellness industry, as noted in The Future of Wellness 2022 Trend Report, has notoriously been slow to embrace technology,” said Mia Kyricos, president and founder of wellness advisory firm Kyricos & Associates LLC, GWI Advisory Board member, and founding chair of the Web 3.0 Initiative. “This is our opportunity to seize the moment and prepare ourselves for a fast-emerging Web 3.0 world. This includes hot topics like the metaverse as a force not only for business growth but also societal good, as it could boost the wellbeing of our planet’s citizens in dramatically new ways.”

The initiative is vice-chaired by Frank Pitsikalis, former CEO and founder of ResortSuite, a leading provider of spa, wellness and hospitality software, acquired by Agilysys in 2021. It will focus on helping wellness business leaders navigate and harness the power of Web 3.0-driven technology in a post-pandemic world.

“This initiative is timely and much-needed: Technology is quickly transforming so much of human life, from how we work to how we heal; there remains much confusion about the impact the digital world has on our health; and wellness businesses are uniquely high-touch and often tech-averse,” said Pitsikalis. “We felt a calling to tackle these issues–and the new challenges and opportunities that Web 3.0 presents–by bringing together leaders with informed perspectives from around the world.”

Kyricos, who has led global wellness innovation and brand strategy for companies such as Hyatt, Spafinder Wellness, and EXOS, believes true innovation often comes from leaders and disruptors outside of an industry. With this belief in mind, the initiative set out to gather members in academia, technology, digital design, finance, gaming, innovation, and other target industries. At the same time, it also aims to include wellness leaders from established, tech-driven companies and/or those who are already working or advising in the space. Global representation and diversity are also top priorities for Kyricos, who will also serve as a judge for the Web 3-focused “Call for Innovation: Wellness and the Metaverse” competition at the 16th-annual Global Wellness Summit taking place in Tel Aviv later this year.

Members of GWI’s Web 3.0 Initiative currently include:

  • Jenny Burns, CEO of Magnetic, the United Kingdom’s largest independent innovation and design company
  • Gon Arie Jaffe, CEO of Israel-based YogaBulldogz, an army veteran and an investor, developing a yoga studio in the metaverse complete with a proprietary NFT collection
  • Kate Hancock, a serial entrepreneur, international speaker and co-founder of Metaverse XYZ, named one of Trip Advisor’s 2021 Top Asian American Influencers
  • Hasher Nabi, an India-based aerospace engineer and blockchain “passionpreneur,” serving as a cryptocurrency and blockchain project advisor
  • Constantine Goltsev, chief technology officer and co-founder of the world’s first personal trainer powered by artificial intelligence, Altis. A Ukrainian-born technologist, Goltsev has successfully exited multiple companies over two decades.
  • Joana Santos, professor at the University of Lisbon and Business School Lausanne, who teaches innovation, strategy, digital marketing and technology. She also helps direct ISEG Executive Education in Portugal.
  • Veronica Schreibeis Smith, CEO of Vera Iconica Architecture and host of the popular podcast, Architecture of Being: Composing a Conscious Life, which explores the impact that our surroundings, whether environmental or digital, have on longevity, vitality and happiness

The initiative’s inaugural meeting was held in May and they plan to meet every six weeks. It will welcome guest speakers to share 15-minute innovations across the Web 3.0 space as part of its evolving agenda, with the ultimate objective of serving as a crucial educational resource for wellness-related business leaders around the globe.

To learn more about GWI’s Web 3.0 initiative, visit: https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/web-3-0-initiative/.

 

About the Global Wellness Institute: The Global Wellness Institute (GWI), a nonprofit 501(c)(3), is considered the leading global research and educational resource for the global wellness industry and is known for introducing major industry initiatives that bring together leaders to chart the future. GWI positively impacts global health and wellness by educating public institutions, businesses and individuals on how they can work to prevent disease, reduce stress and enhance the overall quality of life. Its mission is to empower wellness worldwide.