The Tech Blog Writer Podcast - Inspired Tech Startup Stories & Interviews With Tech Leaders, Entrepreneurs And Innovators

Vincit is not just another software company. It is on a mission to restore faith in the future with human-driven digital transformations. They help their customers with holistic digital transformation, design & develop software for all kinds of uses & devices, and maintain them for you. Vincit was also named in Fast Company's list of Best Workplaces for Innovators 2020 worldwide. The company also prides itself on keeping complex things as understandable and easy-to-use as possible. Today's guest is Ville Houttu, Founder and CEO of Vincit, California. Previously, he helped the Finnish company to reach 350 employees and make it public on Nasdaq First North marketplace. After the IPO, he moved to California to start Vincit's local subsidiary. During the first two years of operations, he has built a team of 30 developers in California, acquired OC's two hottest digital branding agencies, XTOPOLY and Devise Interactive, and was named the 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Greater Irvine Chamber of Commer

Last week, a new Playstation and Xbox arrived. The video game industry is now worth $146bn, and that's before the holiday season gets underway. But, the entire industry is about to be revamped by more than just new hardware. Microsoft unveiled its Netflix-style cloud gaming service in Sept with the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. New research from Clarivate reveals that more than four in five gamers who do not currently play cloud games say they will start cloud gaming in the next twelve months. In its report 'Cowboys, combat and candy: cloud gaming through the lens of IP' on levels of innovation and brand creation in the $146 billion gaming industry as evidenced by patent, trademark, and domain name activity, Clarivate explores the drivers of change both in terms of technical transformation and also the companies behind it. Clarivate's databases power research around the world for major universities, brands, and organizations across the globe. Just recently, it also went through a $900M acquisition with CPA Global

Maria Gotsch is the President and CEO of the nonprofit venture capital fund Partnership Fund for New York City and Co-Founder of the FinTech Innovation Lab, a New York City-based accelerator program that pairs fintech startups with leading financial institutions. Maria has been called New York City's "Fintech Ecosystem Architect" by Institutional Investor magazine and has an unparalleled view of how major financial institutions are sourcing and incorporating technology into their businesses. Maria has a unique vantage point as a guide to emerging fintechs and liaison to the world's leading financial institutions. Maria also has the enviable position to know what types of technologies financial institutions are working to adopt and what technologies are most promising. For more than ten years, Maria and the FinTech Innovation Lab have helped fintechs conduct hundreds of proofs-of-concept, with 14 alumni companies having been acquired after graduating from the Lab. We discuss the best practices for fintech sta

Lee McQueen, the former winner of The Apprentice and leader of the award-winning business, Raw Talent, shares his story and how it led to his latest tech startup. McQueen has a genuine passion for developing solutions that enable organizations to select and develop people. Phoenix51 is a new technology platform enabling data driven decisions & bringing people assessment into the digital age. Underpinned by a core understanding of talent analytics's importance, he is a firm believer that a data-driven approach to assessment will define the next epoch in talent assessment and beyond. I learn more about Phoenix51, a tech platform for remote hiring & onboarding. There is already a host of blue-chip clients on board, including Reach PLC, IHG, CenturyLink, Tottenham Hotspur, TP/ICAP, and Mediacom. We discuss how the HR technology-enabled platform allows organizations to make data-driven decisions at every stage of the employee journey, from hiring through to benchmarking, training and retention, guaranteein

The Connected World is only as strong as the people who protect it. NETSCOUT delivers service visibility and protects the digital infrastructure that supports our connected world. Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks are coordinated attempts to disrupt the regular availability and performance of a targeted website or online service by flooding it with traffic, and they have been on the rise in 2020. Recently, Netscout has published data focusing on the UK since the start of the year. The data showed how attacks had changed significantly compared to previous years, with the key findings being: • Attacks destined to the United Kingdom increased by 62% year-over-year, bandwidth spiked 56% upwards, and throughput increased by 43%. • Since the global COVID-19 Pandemic in early- to mid-March, the number of observed attacks increased month-over-month. • The most common DDoS vector for attacks against the United Kingdom during this period was DNS Reflection/Amplification. In today's episode, Darren Anstee, CT

Topia is an HR tech company specializing in Global Talent Mobility, helping businesses deploy, manage, and engage employees anywhere in the world. The arrival of COVID and a shift to remote working is responsible for an increased need for the Topia tech platform. Many employees can now work from anywhere and everywhere. But it creates a series of challenges. Steve Black, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Topia, believes data is changing the world and wants to be part of it. I invited him onto the podcast to learn more about the story behind Topia. We also discuss the following: The massive demand from organizations struggling to monitor tax exposure and automate payroll withholdings. Why companies need a way to track newly remote workforces to optimize tax obligations, save up to 25%+ per year in local tax obligations, and mitigate the risk of penalties and audits that target distributed workforces. The UK government’s controversial campaign to get workers back in the office. Steve doesn’t think the i

Today, there is a huge gap in public access to data-driven, actionable health information — information that can potentially affect the decisions we make about our care. Consumers make more informed decisions about where to eat dinner or what car to buy than who gives them healthcare. How is tech changing this? David Vivero is the co-founder and CEO at Amino. A healthcare financial wellness benefit that eliminates barriers for employees, and their families, to access affordable, high-quality medical care. They do this by combining data, design, and consumer-first thinking. David believes there are differences that matter in health care, but without data, it's been hard to see those differences and thus choose care accordingly. By using their data to uncover powerful insights and publish stories like we have about C-sections, they hope to help individuals answer important questions about their care. Ultimately, David and his team believe that this kind of transparency can move the needle on improving health ca

Ericom Software is a leading provider of Zero Trust secure access solutions that protect organizations from advanced cybersecurity threats. Leveraging innovative isolation capabilities and multiple secure remote access technologies, Ericom solutions enable secure policy-driven access to mission-critical cloud and on-premises business systems and resources, including the public Internet, without impacting end-user productivity. John Peterson joins me on the podcast to talk about the Application Isolator. I learn how it provides enterprise organizations with the capability to add zero-trust network access and micro-segmentation controls to their existing VPN infrastructure, offering an alternative to costly software-defined perimeter technology. John is a Michigan bred, 30-year serial entrepreneur, executive leader, technology evangelist, and innovator with small, medium, and large company experience. I have worked in numerous capacities that have included efforts in Research & Development, Technical Suppor

Jennifer Bisceglie is the founder and CEO of Interos, an AI-powered multi-tier, multi-factor risk management platform that helps customers understand risk in their multi-tier, global supply chains. With a team of analysts, Interos researched and assessed individual suppliers, providing customers complete supply chain maps, identifying risks, and alerting businesses to areas that required attention. Keeping pace with the growing complexity of global supply chains required finding a faster way to keep pace with the complex risk-influencing events that occur every day. In 2015 the company took a massive leap forward, embracing the power of emerging technology and beginning development of an automated platform that would provide multi-tier, multi-factor risk scoring on a continuous basis. Today their knowledge graph contains and analyzes information on over 50 million relationships, making it the world’s largest company database. Using this technology coupled with natural language processing, and machine learning

The e-signature market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 34.7% to reach $9,073.1 million by 2023.* The demand stems from surging security concerns among enterprises, an increasingly challenging regulatory environment with more stringent requirements for authentication and compliance, a growing global e-commerce market, and environmental concerns fuelling the paperless movement. Additionally, the Coronavirus pandemic, which has a profound effect on the nature of work, can only drive further adoption of technologies that enable decentralized collaboration, expanding the e-signature and video conferencing market. Syngrafii – A LegalTech/regtech company is offering a compelling and enhanced alternative to other eSignature providers and has many applications across Fintech, financial services, legal, automotive leasing, and real estate, to name a few sectors. Syngrafii provides a complete suite of products including eSignatures, and a video signing room (VSR™). VSR is a patented, all-in-one electronic signing sol

The average home now has an increasing number of connected devices. The so-called Internet of things (IoT) are adding an always-online connection to almost every new home appliance, from refrigerators to toasters and doorbells. It has been reported that every second, around 127 new devices are connected to the Internet, and it's also predicted there will be 75 billion IoT devices by 2025. But these home devices could be attacked by hackers to steal consumer data. Many organizations stress the importance of protecting connected devices like smartphones or smart speakers; however, consumers overlook a list of other IoT devices when thinking about security in their homes. Hidden in plain sight, smart appliances, connected light bulbs, or routers can be used as a gateway for hackers to infiltrate home networks and steal data. Still, they are not typically called out as security threats. With more devices being added to the market daily, what do consumers need to know to protect themselves from a hack in their own

Matt Body is an ex MoD penetration tester turned mobile security specialist. He has reverse-engineered hundreds of mobile malware samples reviewing the techniques used by cyber crooks to steal data or money from their targets. With this information and knowledge, he has helped craft an AI-based system to help thwart mobile malware with Traced. I recently learned more about what threats businesses face on their mobile devices. For example, the rise of Stalkerware is even affecting users in Apple's walled garden. But 61% of companies still say they have no employee mobile protection whatsoever. However, I wanted to learn more about how machine learning can detect suspicious apps. But also why just detecting apps isn't enough. Matt shares with me Traced's vision to make the invisible visible. It's about creating software that shines a light on threats that are invisible to traditional forms of detection. It's about transparency in pricing and making sure their software protects people by being easy to understand

Zuryc is a partner to its clients, solving business problems with technology solutions. By eliminating the burden of traditional IT obstacles, Zuryc’s seasoned professionals deliver an experience focused on security, scalability, and speed. With a keen ability to anticipate tomorrow’s needs today, Zuryc pairs customers with technology that evolves as business goals change and that anticipates and avoids obsolescence. Zuryc leverages over three decades of experience in the information technology industry, with service areas including security and cyber defense; IT as a Service (ITaaS); cloud technology; business technology; and hardware. Zuryc stays ahead of the curve in making insurance agents, financial advisors, and, most importantly, their clients financially successful at every stage in their lives. PlanFacts is a suite of web-based financial planning tools for lead generation, Social Security maximization, retirement planning, insurance needs analysis, estate planning, and business continuation. I wanted

For the tens of millions of people across the US, managing chronic conditions, weekly doctor's visits, and prescriptions continue to rise, along with their collective cost of care. But everything about your health is connected to everything else: your body and mind, your doctors and medications, your diet and sleep habits, your happiness or unhappiness. After reading this, I invited Eric Hamborg of MOBE to find out more about using technology to join up the dots. MOBE was founded in 2014 to address a gap in the healthcare system for people who may not be receiving the assistance they need to address their unique and persistent health challenges Eric shares his journey with MOBE and how their algorithm uses data science. We also talk about how technology is creating a more proactive and reactive approach to healthcare.

The event industry has been hit harder than most by COVID. I wanted to learn more about how event producers and organizers can overcome the pandemic's obstacles with technology. I also want to explore how virtual platforms be leveraged to ensure that virtual events are on par with physical events. Jasper Donat is the CEO of Branded, the company behind AllThatMatters, Music Matters, Gaming Matters, Digital Matters, Sports Matters, the YouTube FanFest, and It's a Girl Thing. Founded in 2002, Branded is recognized as a top 10 Event Marketing Agency by Marketing Magazine. Branded partners with organizations to create, produce, and commercialize integrated multi-media platforms that connect, engage, inform, and entertain consumers. In the past decade, Branded has live-streamed hundreds of events from Asia to North America to the Middle East. Over the past few months, All That Matters has begun its metamorphosis, transforming itself into an always-on conference, networking, and content experience. We dare to look t

ICON is one of the world's largest decentralized networks, scalable for public and private blockchain use cases. ICON is used for real-world applications in banking, healthcare, education, government, and more. Recently, ICONLOOP, a top blockchain enterprise company in South Korea, helped launch a COVID-19 contact tracing app for Jeju Island, Korea's most popular domestic tourist destination. The app uses ICONLOOP's Digital Identity solution to tie each person's verifiable credential to a record stored on a highly secure private blockchain network. I chat with Min Kim about all this and much more. Min Kim has 15+ years of experience in the financial and technology industry. He started his career in Deutsche Bank's technology investment banking division in San Francisco, later becoming COO at Tapas Media and CSO at DAYLI Financial Group, Korea's largest fintech holding company. Min discusses connecting blockchain to the real world and how governments and institutions in every vertical can integrate blockchain

Since COVID, board and leadership teams have had to make most senior hires in enterprise tech entirely without in-person meetings. For example, HIEC has appointed tens of executives and board directors worldwide into enterprise tech without any in-person meetings, including CEOs and board members. Who would have ever thought that a few months ago? How do you build relationships with your new Exco/Board? How do you assess your own leadership team when you can’t meet them over coffee/wine/dinner? How do you collect all the data points you need to make an impact after your 90 days? Tim Robson and Anita Sands join me on Tech Talks Daily to talk about all this and more. We also explore how to create belonging for new hires and the organizations generally, so they culturally stick and build trust even when working remotely. Tim Robson has spent two decades in executive search, appointing Independent Board Directors, Board Advisors, CEOs, and C-Suite Executives in the technology, software, and professional services

Do you find the news experience frustrating? News outlets that were respected in the past are now increasingly partisan and biased. That's led to thousands of new sources, but it's hard to know which ones to trust. When you finally find an article you want to read, you're often asked to buy a full subscription just to read that one article. Arjun Moorthy and his team had those same frustrations, so they decided to apply their skills gained at Stanford, IIT Madras, and Waterloo to solve this problem close to their hearts and help the world to love reading news again. They believe that the best news enlightens us, brings us together, and improves our communities. But can they do that with technology and eliminate bias? Arjun joins me on Tech Talks Daily to share how they are helping people get the most credible stories on critical trending news topics. The Factual analyzes the credibility of over 20,000 stories every day on dimensions such as diversity of references, neutral tone of writing, author expertise on

When it comes to engaging with customers digitally (as we all must do nowadays, vs. face-to-face), leading with empathy and capturing the human experience has never been more important. SundaySky CEO Jim Dicso shares how customers Kaiser Permanente, DISH, and Comcast successfully used emotionally intelligent multimedia to better connect with customers and improve the customer experience (CX). The campaigns his team is building with household brands guide other marketers that want to engage customers more quickly over digital while having limited data about the individual, including: Contextualizing customers' first experience with a brand by creating interactive media that lets them guide the journey or get to self-service assistance faster Using buildable, modular video and multimedia Converting static text pages (How we're making your trip safe during COVID; Here's the discounts we're providing our members as a result of COVID) into dynamic media that re-engage customers contemplating a purchase in the futu

Many Americans want to transform law enforcement in the U.S., evident in both the non-stop protests and in recent polling. But while there is an appetite for change, the exact ways police departments should move on from here has been less clear. Envisage Technologies, creators of the Acadis Readiness Suite, are sparking engaging discussions around the keys to building and managing tomorrow’s police department. Acadis is the most comprehensive public safety training and compliance software platform for officer performance management, use of force reports and cases, decertification, and analytics, and used by nearly 2M first responders nationwide. Ari Vidali is the founder and CEO of Envisage Technologies, a unique software company developing training and compliance ecosystems for Law Enforcement, Public Safety and Military professionals. Envisage is the sixth high-tech enterprise for which Vidali has served as the lead founder and visionary. His current work spans a host of interconnected disciplines: next-gen