American Metaverse Association

US Metaverse Association Official Report | April 2024

The US Metaverse Association is pleased to announce that Mr. Laurent Dubois, Head of the EU Digital Identity System Project, has been awarded the 2024 Governance Innovation Award in recognition of his groundbreaking leadership in building a secure, scalable, and interoperable digital identity framework across Europe—laying a critical foundation for metaverse governance and trust infrastructure.

As the architect behind one of the world’s most ambitious digital identity programs, Mr. Dubois has led the European Union’s efforts to establish a unified, citizen-centric identity system that balances privacy, sovereignty, and cross-border interoperability. His work has provided a model not only for EU digital infrastructure, but also for the development of trusted identity frameworks in the emerging metaverse ecosystem.

“Trust is the currency of the metaverse, and Mr. Dubois has built its bank,” said the Association’s President. “Through visionary policy design and technical foresight, he has created a system that empowers individuals, strengthens democratic values, and provides a secure backbone for digital society—both online and in the metaverse.”

Mr. Dubois began his work on digital identity during his tenure with France’s Ministry of Digital Affairs and later led the European Commission’s cross-national digital ID strategy. Under his leadership, the EU Digital Identity Wallet—which allows citizens to authenticate, share, and control their digital credentials—was launched across multiple member states. The framework has now become a cornerstone for Europe’s future digital services, including health, finance, education, and virtual governance applications.

A key aspect of Mr. Dubois’ achievement is the incorporation of zero-knowledge proofs, decentralized identity (DID)protocols, and cross-jurisdictional trust frameworks—making the EU’s digital ID system one of the most advanced globally. His team has also worked closely with the World Economic Forum, ISO standardization bodies, and major cloud providers to ensure security, scalability, and legal alignment.

The Governance Innovation Award is granted to individuals who have made significant contributions to policy, legal, and systemic architecture for the metaverse and its associated digital ecosystems. Mr. Dubois’s work exemplifies the intersection of regulatory innovation and technological integrity, providing a replicable model for nations and platforms around the world.

In his acceptance remarks, Mr. Dubois stated: “The metaverse must be anchored in human rights, transparency, and verifiable identity. I am honored to contribute to a future where technology strengthens—not weakens—our democratic foundations.”

Mr. Dubois will speak on “Digital Identity, Digital Sovereignty, and the Future of Virtual Citizenship” at the Global Metaverse Innovation Summit 2024, to be held this October in Palo Alto, California.