009: Building a Successful IoT Business w/ Bosch's Thomas Jakob

Building a successful IoT business in Asia Pacific isn't easy, but Bosch Software Innovations has done just that.  In this podcast, I speak with Thomas Jakob, Regional President for Asia Pacific, to find out how Bosch developed their impressive IoT solutions portfolio. What I found most interesting is that while many tech vendors drive innovation by acquiring innovative companies, Bosch has built many of their own custom solutions – and partnered with start-ups to jointly develop others – to meet the diverse local requirements of the Asia Pacific market.  We hear about the importance of the "localisation" of solutions – Bosch in Asia Pacific is the perfect example of how it should be delivered. (Note: In January 2020, Bosch Software Innovations was renamed Bosch.IO) Show notes: 1:40 Intro to Thomas 2:50 Tell us about Bosch Software Innovations  4:20 Which industries does Bosch work with in Asia? 7:00 How Bosch is using technology to transform the agriculture industry 8:45 How Bosch sources innovation 10:00 Bosch's new lift/elevator management solution 13:50 How Bosch has leveraged Smart Building solutions to IoT-ise their business 16:35 An overview of Bosch in China 18:40 The importance of localised solutions that meet customer requirements Anti-counterfeit solutions in China Greenhouse farming solutions in Japan Oyster farming in Australia 25:00 What has kept the IoT industry from reaching its potential 29:25 What is the most interesting IoT market in Asia? 31:45 Name one solution over the past decade that has exceeded your expectations? And failed to live up to expectations? 35:20 The fun questions Electric or classic cars? German or Singaporean food? Christmas by the fire or the beach?