Startup Focus with Game-Changers, Presented by SAP: Recent Episodes
Bonnie D. Graham
Game-changing technologies are transformational, exciting and disruptive for a reason. They shake up the status quo. They get you thinking about new ways to scale, compete and grow. They move you in amazing new directions. Take Big Data. In the last few years, Big Data has gone from buzzword du jour to making a significant impact in all facets of our public and private lives. Whether serving-up finely-tuned ads on Social media sites, or delivering better services to residents in cities, the impact and potential of Big Data are just beginning to be realized. Join host Bonnie D. Graham for Startup Focus with Game-Changers, our series about today’s top innovative Startups and emerging trends in the Big Data space, including Augmented Reality, Internet of Things, Machine Learning, Predictive Analytics, and learn how you can grow your business and profit.
The buzz: Congratulations! How do you know when your tech startup is a success? A big enterprise answers your call. What’s in it for them? Your disruptive products and solutions deliver the innovation they cannot develop on their own due to cost, change-resistant culture, lack of agility, and sluggish internal creativity. Our panel of startups and advisors will share insights on the entrepreneur’s journey from vision to getting the big players to say “Yes!” The experts speak. Ian Nazzari, Huru Systems: “For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled” -Richard Feynman. Simon Bain, SearchYourCloud: “And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly: what is essential is invisible to the eye” -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Dave Katona, SAP: “Anyone can cook, but only the fearless can be great” -Chef Gusteau, Ratatoulle. Join us for The Startup Mindset: Innovation for Sale.
The buzz: “The customer’s perception is your reality” (Kate Zabriskie). Computers, mobile phones and devices listen, learn, speak in human-like cognitive interactions, thanks to Artificial Intelligence. Smart companies are marrying AI-savvy bots with a human touch to help customer service reps prioritize, respond better, and proactively offer solutions that may eliminate the need for service. Can AI revolutionize your customer service interactions and service models? The experts speak. Bejoy Narayana, Boodskapper: “I've never met anyone who likes calling a business. And no one wants to have to install a new app for every service or business they want to interact with” (M. Zuckerberg). Dave Katona, SAP: “I believe that at the end of the century the use of words and general educated opinion will have altered so much that one will be able to speak of machines thinking without expecting to be contradicted” (A. Turing). Join us for Beyond Offshoring: Customer Service Reinvented by AI.
The buzz: Where does the average Joe store their money? In a bank’s current or savings account or a safety deposit. But the blockchain could become a new repository of value (R. Botsman). Blockchain is redefining how we transact in the digital world where digitized trust is required. WEF research found 58% of tech execs expect 10% of global GDP ($5.3 trillion) to be stored on the blockchain by 2025. Are startups paying attention? The experts speak. Drew Hingorani, Ai-BlockChain: “It’s not about perfect. It’s about effort. And when you bring that effort every single day, that’s where transformation happens. That’s how change occurs” (Jillian Michaels). Peter Ebert, CryptoWork: “Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve” (J.K.Rowling). Andreas Fichter, SAP: “We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don't…be lulled into inaction” (Bill Gates). Join us for Blockchain, Trust and Startups.
The buzz: “The real secret of success in Government 2.0 is thinking about government as a platform” (Dr. Mark Drapeau). “Government of the people, by the people, for the people” resonates around the world, yet polls reveal deep distrust of governing institutions that forget the people. Enter E-Government and Open Government. When combined, they pave the way for Government 2.0, a next generation collaborative technology using social media, cloud computing, new technologies and AI-based apps to increase citizen participation. The experts speak. Colleen Hardwick, PlaceSpeak: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” (President Franklin D. Roosevelt). Michelle Specktor, IPgallery: “Reality leaves a lot to the imagination” (John Lennon). Mark Noronha, SAP: ““Every man…feels that he is a participator in the government of affairs, not merely at an election one day in the year, but every day” (Thomas Jefferson). Join us for Smart Citizens: How to Make Government More Accountable.
The buzz: “Retail is undergoing a massive change, and there is a chance for new leaders to emerge and older brands to reinvent themselves. (Kirsten Green) Retailers: Your in-store customer experience can account for up to 98% of total sales. Going digital shouldn't mean focusing on “clicks” instead of “bricks”. To compete with online retailers, brick-and-mortar stores need to transform. How? Tesla acts strictly as a showroom, with no on-hand inventory and only online ordering. Apple, Microsoft, Target and Walmart adopt the latest technologies to bring the customer back to the retail floor. Need help? Tech startups can help make your in-store experience shine again. The experts speak. Guillaume Waline, Indigo Connected Retail: “Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it (Winston Churchill). Steve Rietzke, SAP: “If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time” (Steve Jobs). Join us for Digital Shopping Era Clicks vs. Bricks: Rescuing Brick-and-Mortar.
The buzz: “In 2017 over 2000 AI driven startups were being born...” (paganresearch.io/startups-that-are-leading-the-ai-space-right-now/). From self-driving cars to drones to smartphones, intelligent homes and voice assistants – artificial intelligence is ingrained into every technology we use, whether Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, or others. How do new companies in the AI space imagine and develop breakthrough apps to help enterprises change the world for the better and smarter? Meet one and find out. The experts speak. Surrendra Reddy, Quantiply: “Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like” (Lao Tsu). Steve Rietzke, SAP: “Every particular in nature, a leaf, a drop, a crystal, a moment of time is related to the whole, and partakes of the perfection of the whole (Ralph Waldo Emerson). Join us for AI: Smarter Technology, Smarter World.
The buzz: Where does the average Joe store their money? In a bank’s current or savings account or a safety deposit. But the blockchain could become a new repository of value (R. Botsman). Blockchain is redefining how we transact in the digital world where digitized trust is required. WEF research found 58% of tech execs expect 10% of global GDP ($5.3 trillion) to be stored on the blockchain by 2025. Are startups paying attention? The experts speak. Drew Hingorani, Ai-BlockChain: “It’s not about perfect. It’s about effort. And when you bring that effort every single day, that’s where transformation happens. That’s how change occurs” (Jillian Michaels). Peter Ebert, CryptoWork: “Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve” (J.K.Rowling). Andreas Fichter, SAP: “We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don't…be lulled into inaction” (Bill Gates). Join us for Blockchain, Trust and Startups.
The buzz: “I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying ‘No’ to 1,000 things” (Steve Jobs, Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 1997). The $1M Question for disruptive technology entrants: Compete or collaborate with the established players in your target market? But it’s more complex than that. Incumbent companies aware of newcomers’ challenges can acquire the best or disrupt themselves by exploring and rolling-in innovations on their own. Hmmm…The experts speak. Yusuf Jazakallah, Recruitment Smart: “Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough” (Elon Musk). Frederick Ronse, Ovinto: “In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present” (Francis Bacon). Mayank Mathur, SAP: “Disruptive technology should be framed as a marketing challenge, not a technological one” (Clayton Christensen). Join us for The Disrupter’s Dilemma: Compete or Collaborate with Incumbents?
The buzz: “The customer’s perception is your reality” (Kate Zabriskie). Computers, mobile phones and devices listen, learn, speak in human-like cognitive interactions, thanks to Artificial Intelligence. Smart companies are marrying AI-savvy bots with a human touch to help customer service reps prioritize, respond better, and proactively offer solutions that may eliminate the need for service. Can AI revolutionize your customer service interactions and service models? The experts speak. Bejoy Narayana, Boodskapper: “I've never met anyone who likes calling a business. And no one wants to have to install a new app for every service or business they want to interact with” (M. Zuckerberg). Dave Katona, SAP: “I believe that at the end of the century the use of words and general educated opinion will have altered so much that one will be able to speak of machines thinking without expecting to be contradicted” (A. Turing). Join us for Beyond Offshoring: Customer Service Reinvented by AI.
The buzz: “Enterprise technology is big business, and the startup sector is bustling with companies capitalizing on the growth of demand for tools in the world of big data, devops, cloud, mobility, the internet of things and security scares” (Scott Carey). Ever buy enterprise software to streamline your workflow, boost productivity and enhance operations – but it’s hard to integrate and confuses your knowledge workers? Look to startups for the tools to help your knowledge workers unlock new opportunities for digital business. The experts speak. Florian Meichsner, Sablono: “The best things in life are on the other side of terror” (Will Smith). Prithvi Sen Sharma, Prakshep: “Wisdom, like other precious substances, must be torn from the bowels of the earth” (J Cardan). Gary Parnell, SAP: “Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by the traffic from both sides.” (Margaret Thatcher) Join us for The Future of Enterprise Software: Startups to the Rescue!
The buzz: “Since 2015, I have invested in 22 startups in the mobility space.” (Ted Serbinski, Techstars Mobility) Mobility is moving at triple-Internet speed in our Mobile 2.0 world, as BYOD adoption and enterprise-wide B2E, B2B and C2B disrupt traditional computing as well as our personal, professional and commercial digital dynamics. Can startups play a role? Yes, if they embrace the mindset of mobility and deliver cutting-edge solutions for the challenges and opportunities facing companies across all industries. The experts speak. Bejoy Narayana, Boodskapper: “…robots will be able to do everything better than us...I mean all of us” (Elon Musk). Fouard ElNaggar, Sapho: “The past is an illusion. You must learn to live in the present and accept yourself for what you are now” (Bruce Lee). Mayank Mathur, SAP: “The trend has been that mobile was winning. It's now won” (Eric Schmidt) . Join us for The Mobility Mindset: Startups Take A Leading Role.
The buzz: “There's probably 5000 times more solar energy than the humans will ever need…It's a celebration of the abundance of human creativity combined with the abundance of the natural world” [William McDonough). Utilities are starting to grasp that the energy system of the future will fail without innovation, while facing consumer demands for better service and environmental sustainability. How to succeed? Employ or partner with innovative startups who think out of the box using AI, Internet of Things, and Blockchain. The experts speak. Dr. Christina Wuerthner, Enersis Suisse AG: “Investigate what is, and not what pleases” (Goethe). Ian Nazzari, Huru Systems: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles…credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena” (Theodore Roosevelt). Dave Katona, SAP: “Life is all about seating and lighting” (Graydon Carter). Join us for Startups and Utilities: Powering-Up People, Saving Billions.
The buzz: “The Personalization of the Consumer is disrupting the market, elevating the selection of consumer goods…into…self-expression” [R. Caldbeck). Consumer Products startups producing tangible goods like food and clothing may get less media attention than tech startups like Facebook and Uber, but are just as innovative. But with shoppers looking beyond price and features for companies with a social and environmental conscience, how can new CP entrants break in? The experts speak. Sathish Gajaraju, Sensify: “Bond: ‘A gun and a radio. It's not exactly Christmas, is it?’ Q: ‘Were you expecting an exploding pen? We don't really go in for that anymore.’” (Skyfall). Sanchita Sur, Emplay: “To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable” (Beethoven). Dave Katona, SAP: “And to use something as elegant as a tree…why don't we knock that down and write on it?” (W. McDonough. Join us: Consumer Products Startups: New Ideas, Fresh Technology, Better Solutions.
The buzz: “I would love to momentarily pause time while people line up on my doorstep waiting to pay me hard cash for a product that doesn’t even exist. It’s worth a shot, right?” [Naresh Jain, infoq.com). You’re a startup with fantastic ideas you KNOW will take your industry by storm. Wow! Will you sell the vision before spending to design and build – or design and build before you sell and risk market rejection – or switch between the two? Be strong and remember Thomas Edison’s words: “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.” The experts speak. Colleen Hardwick, PlaceSpeak: “Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it” (Goethe). Fouard ElNaggar, Sapho: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth” (Mike Tyson). Luisa Silva, SAP: “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself” (Henry Ford). Join us for Path to Startup Success: Sell-Design-Build vs. Design-Build-Sell.
The buzz: “There is a fierce war for talent and a startup has a feeling of newness” [James Canton). In search of elusive growth, Campbell Soup Co. invested $125M in a venture fund to help finance food startups. The lion’s share of the U.S. grocery store food and beverage category growth since 2013 has come from 20,000 small companies outside the top 100. Moral: startups and established companies should collaborate, not compete. The experts speak. Sanchita Sur, Emplay: “Don’t only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets, for it and knowledge can raise men to the divine” Beethoven). Sami AlSayyed, ShortPoint: “If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late” (Reid Hoffman). Dave Katona, SAP: “An awful lot of successful technology companies ended up being in a slightly different market than they started out in” (Marc Andreessen). Join us for Dancing with the Elephants: How Startups and Corporates Collaborate.
The buzz: “A company shouldn’t get addicted to being shiny, because shiny doesn’t last” [Jeff Bezos]. New U.S. businesses make up nearly all net-new job creation and 20% of gross job creation, with loud hype about emerging startup ecosystems and government support. Reality check: governments pour millions into “hip” facilities and government venture funds invest in “best local”, regardless of product-market fit. Stop! Successful startups are built through careful iteration and a laser-like focus on customers, not big-splash. The experts speak. Colleen Hardwick, PlaceSpeak: “If I’d asked people what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse” (H. Ford). Dave Katona, SAP: “The country needs and, unless I mistake its temper, the country demands bold, persistent experimentation ... common sense to take a method and try it: If it fails, admit it frankly and try another … above all, try something” (F.D. Roosevelt). Join us for Beyond Tax Incentives: Governments and Startup Ecosystems.
The buzz: “You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world … but it requires people to make the dream a reality” (Walt Disney). Hiring the right people is important for any business, especially for a startup. When your money is tight and credibility has yet to be established, the lack of resources and recognition can make it difficult to attract and retain the best and brightest. The bottom line: a wrong hire can set your business back months or years and even prevent you from taking off altogether. The experts speak. Ted West, BOHH Labs: “Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours and you’ll drift in that direction” (Warren Buffett). Patrick Giusti, Point Inside: “Rational thoughts never drive people's creativity the way emotions do” (Neil deGrasse Tyson). Dave Katona, SAP: “I hire people brighter than me and then I get out of their way” (Lee Iacocca). Join us for Critical HR for Startups: Top Talent on a Shoestring Budget.
The buzz: “The customer’s perception is your reality” (Kate Zabriskie). Computers, mobile phones and devices listen, learn, speak in human-like cognitive interactions, thanks to Artificial Intelligence. Smart companies are marrying AI-savvy bots with a human touch to help customer service reps prioritize, respond better, and proactively offer solutions that may eliminate the need for service. Can AI revolutionize your customer service interactions and service models? The experts speak. Bejoy Narayana, Boodskapper: “I've never met anyone who likes calling a business. And no one wants to have to install a new app for every service or business they want to interact with” (M. Zuckerberg). Dave Katona, SAP: “I believe that at the end of the century the use of words and general educated opinion will have altered so much that one will be able to speak of machines thinking without expecting to be contradicted” (A. Turing). Join us for Beyond Offshoring: Customer Service Reinvented by AI.
The buzz: “The sooner we drop the ‘e’ out of e-commerce and just call it commerce, the better” (Bob Willett). Many retailers have made great digital online strides, but focusing on “clicks” vs “bricks” may shortchange their in-store customer experience worth up to 98% of total sales. How to stay innovative and relevant to compete online? Traditional transactional stores are assuming new roles, like Tesla’s showroom-only locations and Apple’s mini-schools. The experts speak. Cathy Han, 42 Technologies: “Often when you think you're at the end of something, you're at the beginning of something else” (Fred Rogers). Josh Marti, Point Inside: “Take actions that will stand the test of time as having been the correct ones and not merely the expedient ones” (Robert Kay). Dave Katona, SAP: “If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful” (Jeff Bezos). Join us for Whither Main Street: Rescuing Brick & Mortar in the Online Commerce Era.
The buzz: “It got a little stressful in my first 2 years of high school, trying to make conference calls with investors in between classes, but I definitely learned a lot of important time-management lessons” (Ben Casnocha). Young startups have big dreams of changing the world and staying independent, but their cash-strapped wallets cry out for a generous angel. In reality, they’re hoping a VC will offer coaching, business support and financial backing to fund development and continuous innovation so the startup can stay relevant, create jobs and grow. But how to pick the right investor, and when to adjust plans or disconnect? The experts speak. Aharon Weiner, Capriza: “A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be” (Wayne Gretzky). Mark Noronha, SAP Startup Focus: “Any time is a good time to start a company” (Ron Conway, early stage investor). Join us for The Startup Mindset: Raising a Round - Money, VCs and Startups.
The buzz: “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary” (Vidal Sassoon). The question that dominates the mind of every aspiring entrepreneur: “How do we repeat the successes of the past and become the next Apple, Google, Facebook, or Microsoft?” Successful CEOs often simply say they were “lucky”. But if we dig deeper, can we discover a formula that can help the next generation of CEOs create something that makes the world a better place? The experts speak. Alexander Rinke, Celonis: “I'm convinced that about half of what separates successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance…Unless you have a lot of passion about this, you’re not going to survive” (Steve Jobs). Dave Katona, SAP Startup Focus: “If the rule you follow brought you to this, of what use was the rule?” (No Country for Old Men, 2007 film by Joel and Ethan Coen). Join us for The Startup Mindset: If I Could Do It All Over Again: Hindsight and Blind Ambition.
The buzz: “I love Los Angeles. It reinvents itself every two days” (Bill Connolly). Los Angeles, the heart of the movie production and entertainment industry, is under pressure to provide new and exciting avenues for promoting their valuable content. Enter new startups poised to ensure that 100-plus years of movies, TV shows and other content get in front of consumers who are increasingly adopting digital, social, and viral channels. These startups are also ready to help production studios and related businesses monetize their unique content and preserve their brand in today’s global marketplace, which threatens to dilute the dominance LA once held. The experts speak. Sathish Gajaraju, Sensify: Obanno: “Bond, get on the train” (Skyfall, 2012 film). Mayank Mathur, SAP Startup Focus: “All good ideas start out as bad ideas, that’s why it takes so long” (Steven Spielberg). Join us for The Startup Mindset: LA Woos Tech Startups to the Movies.
The buzz: “...at their core, fashion and tech...both teeter on the edge of the absurd in an effort to shepherd in the future” (Ashton Kutcher) Retail fashion shopping is supposed to be an enjoyable consumer experience. Reality check: Crowded malls, under-staffed brick and mortar stores, and the overall fashion market space are sucking valuable margin out of today’s top brands. Where to turn? Startups with innovative technology to help Retailers and Fashion companies grow global market leadership to the next level of prosperity. The experts speak. Sanjiv Gupta, OpsVeda: “As long as you’re going to be thinking anyway, think big” (Donald J. Trump). Cathy Han, 42 Technologies: “Change before you have to” (Jack Welch). Dave Katona, SAP Startup Focus: “Sometimes life’s going to hit you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did” (Steve Jobs). Join us for The Startup Mindset: Technology on the Fashion Runway.
The buzz: “Help, I need somebody. Help, not just anybody” (The Beatles). Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet of Things are percolating into the enterprise landscape, but not all companies are poised to quickly adapt and adopt new technologies. Where to turn for help? Startups that are leaders in their market segments. The experts speak. Clive Pearson, Qualex: “In business, as in baseball, the question isn’t whether or not you’ll jump into analytics. The question is when. Do you want to ride the analytics horse to profitability…or follow it with a shovel?” (Rob Neyer). Sathish Gajaraju, Sensify: Obanno: “Do you believe in God, Mr. Le Chiffre?” Le Chiffre: “No. I believe in a reasonable rate of return” (Casino Royale). Dave Katona, SAP Startup Focus: “Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations” (Steve Jobs). Join us for The Startup Mindset: Redefining Enterprise Software.
The buzz: “AI is not a synthetic brain floating in a case of blue liquid…” -Jeff Goodell. Artificial intelligence -AI- has evolved from the days of early interactive voice response systems. Could “Press 1 for English” soon be gone? AI applications, Augmented and Virtual Reality are shifting how enterprises and consumers manage their business and personal lives, with proactive device assistants on smartphones, wearables, and more. What role do tech startups play? The experts speak. Richard Smullen, Pypestream: “One has to passionately believe it is possible to change the industry, to turn it on its head, to make sure that it will never be the same again” -Richard Branson. Shaun Stüger, BoodsKapper: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do” -H. Jackson Brown’s mother. Mark Noronha, SAP Startup Focus: “The dream is finally arriving” -Bill Gates. Join us for The Startup Mindset: Enterprise AI Hype vs Reality.
The buzz: “It’s all good” -Bob Dylan. These are exciting times for tech startups working on breakthrough innovations in the Internet of Things -IoT- space, including the Industrial IoT -IIoT-, IoT for Healthcare, IoT for Manufacturing, and other business-critical areas. Why? Big enterprises are poised to take advantage of your innovations using the real time processing power of the IoT platform and IoT analytics to uncover value in their network of sensors and devices, and improve their top and bottom line results. The experts speak. Christopher Bouveret, iTiZZiMO: “If you went to bed last night as an industrial company, you're going to wake up today as a software and analytics company” -Jeff Immelt. Pieter van Schalkwyk, XMPro: “The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do” -Michael Porter. Mayank Mathur, SAP Startup Focus: “Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master” -Christian Lous Lange. Join us for The Startup Mindset: IoT Scenarios Adding Enterprise Value.
The buzz: “I prefer being a small fish in a big pond” -Stacey Keibler. When it comes to dealing with Big Data and its challenges, big enterprise organizations may lack the agility to understand and prepare. Where to turn for help? Lean, mean, agile startups to the rescue. Why? Technology startups offer fresh energy and new innovations not only to tech giants like Google or SAP, but can also help big companies across all industries remain viable in the connected economy. And this type of successful collaboration can lead to startups being acquired by Big Data companies. Yes, it can be a win-win for all. The experts speak. Christopher Carter, Approyo: “War is 90 percent information” -Napoleon Bonaparte. Surendra Reddy, Quantiply: “In God we trust: all others bring data” -W. Edwards Deming. Mark Noronha, SAP Startup Focus: “The most valuable commodity I know of is information” -Gordon Gekko, Wall Street, 1987 film. Join us for The Startup Mindset: Reality of Big Data in the Enterprise.
The buzz: “I prefer being a small fish in a big pond” -Stacey Keibler. When it comes to dealing with Big Data and its challenges, big enterprise organizations may lack the agility to understand and prepare. Where to turn for help? Lean, mean, agile startups to the rescue. Why? Technology startups offer fresh energy and new innovations not only to tech giants like Google or SAP, but can also help big companies across all industries remain viable in the connected economy. And this type of successful collaboration can lead to startups being acquired by Big Data companies. Yes, it can be a win-win for all. The experts speak. Christopher Carter, Approyo: “War is 90 percent information” -Napoleon Bonaparte. Surendra Reddy, Quantiply: “In God we trust: all others bring data” -W. Edwards Deming. Mark Noronha, SAP Startup Focus: “The most valuable commodity I know of is information” -Gordon Gekko, Wall Street, 1987 film. Join us for The Startup Mindset: Reality of Big Data in the Enterprise.
The buzz: At the hop. With the right music, startups and large enterprises can enjoy a mutually beneficial dance – even as industries are being disrupted. How? Enterprises can gain innovation faster from startups rather than on their own: identify and invest early in the right startups on reasonable terms and help them grow: collaborate with startups to redefine mature and slow-to-adapt industries. Music, please! The experts speak. Frantisek Vrabel, Semantic Visions: “Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them” -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Bastian Nominacher, Celonis: “People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do” -Steve Jobs. Maria Luisa Silva, SAP: “It is not the strongest of the species or the most intelligent who will survive but the one most responsive to change” -Darwin, Megginson. Join us for The Startup Mindset: Mice Dancing with the Elephants.
The buzz: Congratulations! How do you know when your tech startup is a success? A big enterprise answers your call. What’s in it for them? Your disruptive products and solutions deliver the innovation they cannot develop on their own due to cost, change-resistant culture, lack of agility, and sluggish internal creativity. Our panel of startups and advisors will share insights on the entrepreneur’s journey from vision to getting the big players to say “Yes!” The experts speak. Ian Nazzari, Huru Systems: “For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled” -Richard Feynman. Simon Bain, SearchYourCloud: “And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly: what is essential is invisible to the eye” -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Dave Katona, SAP: “Anyone can cook, but only the fearless can be great” -Chef Gusteau, Ratatoulle. Join us for The Startup Mindset: Innovation for Sale.
Today’s buzz: Enterprises. Some startups simply refuse to start small, preferring to approach the enterprise market in hopes of landing a big customer from the get-go. Success may come to the startup who understands the enterprise audience, is savvy about positioning their products, and knows their own strengths and weaknesses. If this is a lot to get your arms around, or you’re still trying to get it right, we’ve got first-hand insights from in-the-trenches startup veterans who figured it out. Christopher Carter, CEO, Approyo: “Do not be afraid to fail. Go In prepared and ready to lay it all on the line. If you lose, lose with style and grace. You never know when or what the end really is.” Vish Canaran, President, CEO and Chief Data Scientist, Liquid Analytics: “Software = Team. The best teams build the best software. Join them and Deepak Aher, SAP Startup Focus for SAP HANA, for much more on Startups Selling to the Enterprise: Dare to Dream Big – Part 2.
Today’s buzz: Handheld Future
Enterprise mobility is moving at triple-Internet speed in our Mobile 2.0 world. Adoption of BYOD and enterprise-wide B2E, B2B and C2B is disrupting traditional computing. Startups have the agility, flexibility and entrepreneurial spirit to be on the cutting edge of it all. How does your startup embrace the mindset of mobility – which is dramatically changing our digital dynamic – personally, professionally, and commercially? Sanjay Shirole, SAP, offers this insight from Sergei Brin, Google co-founder: “Google Glass will help fight the antisocial and ‘emasculating’ habit of compulsive smartphone checking.” Join Sanjay, Jon Siegal of Fan Appz, and Craig Bassin of EasyAsk for an insider look at Startups and Mobility: The Handheld Future.
Today’s buzz: Startups in Telco. The globally booming telecommunications industry faces the herculean task of offering superb, multi-channel user experiences while maintaining the integrity of their global service and infrastructure. Telco’s need help! But can smart tech startups poised to enhance the mobile platform have a significant impact if carrier and government policies continue to vary dramatically country-to-country? And how closely should these startups align with Telco industry giants? The experts speak. Wendy Chen, SILK: “The future of how we work and communicate will be defined by the emerging world.” Yaniv Mor, Xplenty: “Big Data is the new lifeline for Telecommunications giants – a goldmine waiting to be explored!” Gowri Shankar, Naya Ventures: “Facebook purchase of Whatsapp is actually a steal. The mobile operators probably lost twice that number in revenues in the last four years.” Join us for Startups and Telcos: Let’s Talk!
Today’s buzz: High-Tech. Today’s lean-and-mean startups have the advantage of being well-positioned to adopt and scale high-tech innovations. But they have to carefully choose which innovations to adopt and which to offer. The experts speak. Ron Wessels, SAP: “Entrepreneurs need to live their passion yet maintain their balance. Beware that entrepreneurs tend to worship their work, work at their play, and play at their worship. This approach is out of balance and will not lead to fulfillment” (R. Wessels with Chuck Swindoll). Dan Somers, Warwick Analytics: “The philosophical problem with ‘big data’ is that it flies in the face of everything we’re told about the environment and recycling… In other words, we need to pinpoint Grandma’s engagement ring rapidly amongst the other junk and recycle the other electrons.” Balaji TT, Saggezza: “It is not the size of data that matters, it is what you do with it!” Join us for Startups and High-Tech: A Distinct Advantage – Part 2.
Today’s buzz: Consumer products. When deciding which products are worthy of their purchasing dollars, more shoppers than ever before are looking beyond price point and features to find trustworthy companies with a social and environmental conscience. What does this mean for technology-savvy startups eager to break into the consumer products market? It opens the door to exciting opportunities to offer buyers new, better choices and great experiences that turn them into loyal fans. The experts speak. Kay Jeschke, Greennaturelab Gmbh, myspotworld: “Humankind will only survive in the future if it acts sustainably. Only companies who act sustainably will be accepted by their customers.” Mike Bott, The Brandery: “There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” (Nelson Mandela) Dr. Ivan Markovic, HealthGames, Movimento: “Health is a game.” Join us for Startups and Consumer Products: Fresh Technology, Better Solutions
Today’s buzz: High-Tech. With technology innovations transforming nearly every facet of business, companies must assimilate quickly or be left behind. Startups, as streamlined organizations, have the advantage of being well-positioned to adopt and scale high-tech. But they must carefully choose which innovations to adopt and then which to supply. What impact is high-tech having on the startup community and which proficiencies should investors expect before funding them? The experts speak. Lamar Williams, Precogs: “Hold fast to your dreams, for without them life is a broken bird that cannot fly” (Langston Hughes). Arun Prasad, 1-Enterprise: “Data is not information, information is not knowledge, knowledge is not understanding, understanding is not wisdom” (Clifford Stoll). Faraz Hoodbhoy, AT&T: “Innovating at scale is lot harder than it looks. At our scale, we need to build a new Fortune 500 company or two every year.” Join us for Startups and High-Tech: A Distinct Advantage.
Today’s buzz: Health Care. The impact of technology innovation on health care has put us light years ahead of what was available a few years ago. But the advances are still more device-centric than patient-centric, more one-size-fits-all than patient-personalized. Can tech startups help move us in the right direction? The experts speak. James R. Griffin, Datric, Inc.: “The mHealth market is a $20B/year market that has failed to impact health care costs and live up to expectations. Of the Apple apps store’s 43,700 health-related apps, only 159 capture user-entered health data and fewer than 50 are related to medical condition management. The market is driven by consumer demand for apps and sensors with little regard for true risks, benefits, and health management capabilities.” Chris Carter, Approyo: “Big Data in the medical world can make us all healthier, and make it easier to analyze issues and provide cost savings.” Join us for Startups in Health Care: Taking the Pulse
Today’s buzz: Utilities. Beyond their original mandate to deliver water and power, utilities today are awash in waves of big data, go-green, and get-smart. What if a tech startup could help them swim to safety? The experts speak. Brian Weakliam, Bankhawk Analytics: “Information is the oxygen of the modern age. It seeps through the walls topped by barbed wire, it wafts across the electrified borders.” (Ronald Reagan) Derick Jose, Flutura: “The Utility sector is ripe for unlocking energy efficiencies by reducing technical and commercial losses along the complete grid value chain. It also offers to understand energy consumption patterns at a level of granularity previously not possible.” Luisa Silva, SAP: “It followed from the special theory of relativity that mass and energy are both but different manifestations of the same thing—a somewhat unfamiliar conception for the average mind.” (Albert Einstein) Join us for their insights on Startups and Utilities: Powering Up.
Today’s buzz: Doing the legwork. You have a brilliant idea for a well-researched, marketplace-needed service or product. You’ve recruited, inspired and engaged a savvy core team. You’ve raised a healthy stream of startup funding. What does it all add up to? Not much until you work the room at events and conferences, and get the attention of the right people at the right companies at the right time. Ready to learn how today’s successful startups do it? Live from TechEd, we’ll bring you words of wisdom from Kence Anderson, Apptimyze founder and CEO, United Software Associates founder Sam Bhat, and SAP Startup Focus Head of Global Market Enablement Robert Kapanen. Join us for Pounding the Pavement from Pitch to Positioning, and Tweet your questions and comments to #SAPRadio.
Today’s buzz: Retail. Today’s smart, digitally-empowered shoppers expect a seamless omni-channel retail experience that lets them combine online and brick-and-mortar browsing, shopping, ordering, and returning at their whim. Are you ready for them? The experts speak. Michael Harris, Optimus Advantage: “Imagine how delighted retail customers would be to negotiate their own price to buy the right product at the right time. And how delighted retailers would be to recover lost sales associated with sticker shock. Futuristic? Not!” Sam Bhat, United Software Associates: “People in the retail industry are better off knowing that if their cash registers are not ringing, it is because their competitors are doing a much better job at influencing customers.” Sanjay Shirole, SAP: “Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming.” (Richard Branson, Virgin Enterprises).” Join us for their insights and first-hand experiences on Startups in Retail: State of the Union.
You’ve developed a great solution, hit the ground running, and signed your first customer. Bravo! What’s next? Get the second customer, of course. But is it that simple? Ready to learn how today’s successful startups do it? The experts speak. Sanjiv Gupta, VSSOD Corporation: “You can't just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they'll want something new.” (Steve Jobs, Apple) Dr. Anthony Borquez, Grab Analytics: “A bad customer early on can lead to a bad product later.” Ted Sapountzis, NextPrinciples: If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate. (Thomas J. Watson, IBM) Sanjay Shirole, SAP Startup Focus, “Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming.” (Richard Branson, Virgin Enterprises) Join us for Getting Your First Customer, Then Your Second, and Tweet your questions and comments to #SAPRadio.
Today’s buzz: Government. If you’re a startup seeking capital, resources, research grants, education, mentoring, and more, you may have turned to various levels of government for support. Which governments are helping and which are hindering entrepreneurial communities today? The experts speak. Greg Trahan, Louisiana Economic Development: “Government and communities can help build the architecture, provide support and resources, and shape policy and climate, but they can’t create startups unless they start acting like one.” Tom Suder, MobileGov: “The Pentagon, the world's largest office building of its time, was built in 18 months from conception to implementation. Now it takes the Department of Defense an average of 18 months to develop a policy memo. That has to change.” Aiaz Kazi, SAP: “After all, innovation is what America has always been about. Most new jobs are created in startups and small businesses.” (President Barack Obama) Join us for an eye-opening discussion on Startups to Governments: What Have You Done for Us Lately?
According to Dan Senor and Saul Singer’s book, Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle, Israel has the world's most start-ups per capita and the world's highest concentration of spending on research and development. Equally impressive, Israel attracted as much venture capital as Germany and France combined in 2008—nearly $2 billion. And Israel has more Nasdaq-listed companies than all of Europe and any country besides the U.S. How can this country of just seven million, and under continual military threat, be so fertile for innovation? The experts speak. Yaron Eppel, Mobideo Technologies Ltd.: “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new. (Albert Einstein) Saritha Sundaresan, SAP Startup Focus, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” (Margaret Mead, U.S. anthropologist) Join us for Startup Nation: Israel.
Today’s buzz: Tech startups. Certain entrepreneurs soar to success from the get-go. Others, not so fast – or at all. According to a July 2013 survey at www.statisticbrain.com, just 37% of information industry startups are still operating four years after launch (Entrepreneur Weekly, Small Business Development Center, Bradley Univ., Univ. of Tennessee Research). To kick-off our new SAP Startup Focus with Game-Changers Radio series, we’ll explore the critical factors that make a startup truly unique and primed for stardom in the highly competitive startup world. The experts speak. Frantisek Vrabel, Semantic Visions: “True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new. (Antoine de Saint-Exupery) Marty Pejko, Centerity: “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” (Albert Einstein) Manju Bansal, SAP: “When all is said and done, there is more said than done.” (Aesop) Join us for Why This Start-Up Now?
Today’s buzz: First things first. You’re a startup with a game-changing idea. How do you proceed: design and build before you sell it, or sell the vision before spending resources to design and build? Quoting the Bard, “Aye, there’s the rub.” Perhaps you simply need the agility to switch between both development modes, depending on each real-life scenario. The experts speak. James Sinclair, EnterpriseJungle: “’Sell-Design-Build’ is an invaluable model allowing a startup valuable time to validate their business case prior to engineering. Sell-Design-Build vs. failing by building a product no one wants.” Jan-Kees Buenen, SynerScope: “The more your product will create a paradigm shift, the more you may have to design and build some of it up front to create sufficient trust for your vision.” Kaustav Mitra, SAP: “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work” (Thomas A. Edison). Join us for the Path to Success: Sell-Design-Build vs. Design-Build-Sell?
Today’s buzz: The Valley. You’re an entrepreneur who birthed your visionary company outside Silicon Valley, despite its lure as the destination of choice for startups at all stages of maturity. Having second thoughts about it? Before you uproot your organization to relocate to the Valley’s legendary networking-rich, investor-friendly climate, be sure you understand how the Valley can deliver – and how it might disappoint. The experts speak. Dan Somers, Warwick Analytics: “If the Valley won't come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the Valley.” Nuno Sebastiao, Feedzai: “Moving to the U.S. effectively means that you are building the same startup twice! I love it.” Mark Noronha, SAP: “Tomorrow to fresh woods and pastures new.” (John Milton) Join us for the Relocating to Silicon Valley: Evaluating Priorities
Today’s buzz: Hindsight. How many times have you failed in business or a career? Rather than be measured solely on your successes, it could be so much more productive to be graded by the number of times you fell down, dusted yourself off, and got back up to try again, another way, another day. Smart entrepreneurs recognize the benefits of such retrospective thinking through the 20/20 rearview mirror of experience. And they have a wealth of knowledge to share. Vish Canaran, Liquid Analytics: “’To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield’ is the last line of Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tenneyson. They made me memorize this in cold Canada in grade school.” Ralph Treitz, Trufa: “And yet it moves.” (Galileo Galilei, 1564 – 1642) Andy Yen, SAP: “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” (Charles Darwin) Join us for more insights on Startup’s Rearview Mirror: If I could do it all over again.
Today’s buzz: Handheld Future
Enterprise mobility is moving at triple-Internet speed in our Mobile 2.0 world. Adoption of BYOD and enterprise-wide B2E, B2B and C2B is disrupting traditional computing. Startups have the agility, flexibility and entrepreneurial spirit to be on the cutting edge of it all. How does your startup embrace the mindset of mobility – which is dramatically changing our digital dynamic – personally, professionally, and commercially? Sanjay Shirole, SAP, offers this insight from Sergei Brin, Google co-founder: “Google Glass will help fight the antisocial and ‘emasculating’ habit of compulsive smartphone checking.” Join Sanjay, Jon Siegal of Fan Appz, and Craig Bassin of EasyAsk for an insider look at Startups and Mobility: The Handheld Future.
Today’s buzz: Doing the legwork. You have a brilliant idea for a well-researched, marketplace-needed service or product. You’ve recruited, inspired and engaged a savvy core team. You’ve raised a healthy stream of startup funding. What does it all add up to? Not much until you work the room at events and conferences, and get the attention of the right people at the right companies at the right time. Ready to learn how today’s successful startups do it? Live from TechEd, we’ll bring you words of wisdom from Kence Anderson, Apptimyze founder and CEO, United Software Associates founder Sam Bhat, and SAP Startup Focus Head of Global Market Enablement Robert Kapanen. Join us for Pounding the Pavement from Pitch to Positioning, and Tweet your questions and comments to #SAPRadio
Today’s buzz: Government and you. You say you’ve checked every box required to bring your amazing tech vision to market. But does your prep list include navigating the everyday red tape of government bureaucracy – local, regional, national – and the even tougher challenges of selling to government, if that’s in your business plan? The experts speak. PV “Mohan” Mohanram, MIBS: “Doing business with government organization requires focus, patience and deep understanding of the process. Sometimes it can be messy and yet you need to stay on course and pursue it.” Padman Ramankutty, Intrigo: “He that can have patience can have what he will.” (Benjamin Franklin) Robert Kapanen, SAP: “Some people regard private enterprise as a predatory tiger to be shot. Others look on it as a cow they can milk. Not enough people see it as a healthy horse, pulling a sturdy wagon.” (Winston Churchill) Join us for valuable insights on Startups and Government: Getting Along.
Today’s buzz: The Valley. You’re a U.S. startup headed straight to Silicon Valley, eager to bask in its legendary startup-friendly climate. Slow down. First weigh the potential negatives against the so-called guaranteed positives. What can the Valley give you that you can’t get anywhere else? And what you can do outside the Valley that the Silicon aura can’t provide? The experts speak. Prakash Dwivedi, Mospry: “The secret of happiness is to always live in the ‘present'.” (Gautam Buddtha) Ori Fingerer, WeissBeerger: “Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art.” (Andy Warhol ) Aiaz Kazi, SAP: “Hell is empty and all the devils are here.” (William Shakespeare, The Tempest) Join us for the Pros and Cons of Starting Up Outside Silicon Valley.
According to Dan Senor and Saul Singer’s book, Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle, Israel has the world's most start-ups per capita and the world's highest concentration of spending on research and development. Equally impressive, Israel attracted as much venture capital as Germany and France combined in 2008—nearly $2 billion. And Israel has more Nasdaq-listed companies than all of Europe and any country besides the U.S. How can this country of just seven million, and under continual military threat, be so fertile for innovation? The experts speak. Yaron Eppel, Mobideo Technologies Ltd.: “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new. (Albert Einstein) Saritha Sundaresan, SAP Startup Focus, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” (Margaret Mead, U.S. anthropologist) Join us for Startup Nation: Israel.
You’ve developed a great solution, hit the ground running, and signed your first customer. Bravo! What’s next? Get the second customer, of course. But is it that simple? Ready to learn how today’s successful startups do it? The experts speak. Sanjiv Gupta, VSSOD Corporation: “You can't just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they'll want something new.” (Steve Jobs, Apple) Dr. Anthony Borquez, Grab Analytics: “A bad customer early on can lead to a bad product later.” Ted Sapountzis, NextPrinciples: If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate. (Thomas J. Watson, IBM) Sanjay Shirole, SAP Startup Focus, “Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming.” (Richard Branson, Virgin Enterprises) Join us for Getting Your First Customer, Then Your Second, and Tweet your questions and comments to #SAPRadio.
Today’s buzz: Doing the legwork. You have a brilliant idea for a well-researched, marketplace-needed service or product. You’ve recruited, inspired and engaged a savvy core team. You’ve raised a healthy stream of startup funding. What does it all add up to? Not much until you work the room at events and conferences, and get the attention of the right people at the right companies at the right time. Ready to learn how today’s successful startups do it? Live from TechEd, we’ll bring you words of wisdom from Kence Anderson, Apptimyze founder and CEO, United Software Associates founder Sam Bhat, and SAP Startup Focus Head of Global Market Enablement Robert Kapanen. Join us for Pounding the Pavement from Pitch to Positioning, and Tweet your questions and comments to #SAPRadio.
Today’s buzz: The enterprise space. Some startups refuse to play it safe by starting small, choosing instead to pursue the big-kids enterprise marketplace right out of the gate. Could be a smart move, but only if they’re prepared for its challenges. Our in-the-trenches experts speak. Christopher Carter, Approyo: “Life is too short. We need to seize our dreams, our goals, and our desires. If not, someone else will.” Padman Ramankutty, Intrigo: “Selling to the consumer is about selling positive emotions. Selling to the enterprise is about suppressing negative emotions. You might have lost the sale; you just don't know it because you have happy ears! Luisa Silva, SAP: “To be successful selling innovation in the enterprise market segment, one needs to speak the ‘language’. A fair amount of young innovative companies often focus on the magnificence of their offerings and soon encounter severe difficulties to succeed in this space.” Join us for Dare to Dream Big: Selling to the enterprise.
Today’s buzz: Tech startups. Certain entrepreneurs soar to success from the get-go. Others, not so fast – or at all. According to a July 2013 survey at www.statisticbrain.com, just 37% of information industry startups are still operating four years after launch (Entrepreneur Weekly, Small Business Development Center, Bradley Univ., Univ. of Tennessee Research). To kick-off our new SAP Startup Focus with Game-Changers Radio series, we’ll explore the critical factors that make a startup truly unique and primed for stardom in the highly competitive startup world. The experts speak. Frantisek Vrabel, Semantic Visions: “True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new. (Antoine de Saint-Exupery) Marty Pejko, Centerity: “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” (Albert Einstein) Manju Bansal, SAP: “When all is said and done, there is more said than done.” (Aesop) Join us for Why This Start-Up Now?