Catawba Digital Economic Zone with Joseph McKinney

If you’re a regular listener of this podcast you may be familiar with the term Special Economic Zone (SEZ). In short, SEZ refers to an area where business and trade laws are different from the rest of the country. Typically, these zones will have laws or legal codes and regulations that make it attractive for businesses to relocate there. Today on the show you’ll learn all about these zones and more as we sit down with Joseph McKinney, CEO of the Catawba Digital Economic Zone (DEZ), a new SEZ established by the Catawba nation based in the Carolinas. In our conversation, we break down the economic and philosophical objectives of the Catawba DEZ and its unique legal and regulatory frameworks as well as how this zone is integrated into tribal governance. We also discuss the Catawba DEZ’s special focus on FinTech, digital assets, advancing the digital economy, and why this gives them a competitive edge. Learn about the work they’re doing to explore physical infrastructure for data centers, supercomputers, and crypto mining, and why Joseph believes this has the most promising revenue-generating potential. Today’s episode takes a deep dive into SEZs and DEZs and breaks down how they can benefit indigenous people when implemented correctly, as well as what it takes to institute good governance. To learn more, make sure you tune in for key insights on this expansive and important topic!   Key Points From This Episode:   ●     Get to know today’s guest, Joseph McKinney, his background, and how he became CEO at Catawba Digital Economic Zone (DEZ). ●     An overview of the Startup Societies Network and how it was founded. ●     A breakdown of DEZs and how they work. ●     The regulatory advantages of DEZs. ●     The authority that Native Americans have within their states and how that applies to regulatory governance. ●     How DEZs are creating a middle gro