TechBurst Talks

Your board has an AI strategy. It's probably rubbish. Nathan Bell has spent 25 years delivering transformation programmes inside the world's biggest telcos. Now a Partner at Kearney, he's the person companies call when the proof-of-concept graveyard keeps growing and the CFO starts asking uncomfortable questions. In this episode: why most AI programmes are expensive theatre, how to actually get ROI, and why your change management track record matters more than your technology choices. We also get into agentic AI gone wrong — a recruiting agent that only wanted to hire golfers, a CEO town hall that triggered a queue at HR, and an AI agent that doxxed a developer and got its creator hired by Sam Altman. Make of that what you will. Plus rapid-fire telco takes and a deeply scientific Australia vs Netherlands lifestyle quiz that ended in a draw. Time Stamps: 00:00 — AI Strategy Hype vs Reality: Why Most Exec Talk Is Rubbish 00:37 — Is This AI Wave Different from Dot-Com, Cloud, and 5G? 02:19 — From Boardroom Buzz to Production: The Proof-of-Concept Trap 03:44 — How to Actually Get ROI: Start Small, Make Big Bets, Fund Like a VC 06:47 — Low-Hanging Fruit: Internal Knowledge, Customer Service, and Procurement 09:16 — Metrics That Matter: MVP Milestones Over 2-Year "Goals"  11:21 — Making the VC Model Real: Phased Rollout and Cultural Change 13:26 — Market Whiplash: When AI Adoption Threatens Your Revenue Model 14:51 — AI as a Business Capability, Not a Shopping List of Tools 16:10 — Agentic AI and the Human Factor: Bias, Process Drift, and Set-and-Forget Myths 21:10 — The People Side of Agents: Fear, Trust, and How Leaders Miscommunicate 24:41 — Why AI Transformations Fail: Change Management and HR as the Quarterback 26:44 — When Agents Go Rogue: The Python Library Incident and What It Signals 28:28 — Who's Responsible for AI Agents? Why Human-in-the-Loop Still Matters 29:19 — When AI Monitors AI: The Two-Agent Marketing Campaign Story 31:03 — Legacy, Culture and Operating Model: Why Big Firms Struggle to Adopt AI 33:49 — Ethics, Bias and Copyright: The Legal Minefield of Generative AI 35:40 — Who's Winning with AI and Why: Consumer Goods, Banks and Telcos 38:01 — Regulation Reality Check: EU AI Act, Vendor Audits and the Air Canada Case 39:37 — Where Telcos Should Start with AI: Customer Service, Vendors and Billing 41:41 — Transformation Lessons from Telcos: People, Forgive the Past, Progress Over Perfection 44:39 — AI Hype vs Jobs Reality: Using AI to Augment People, Not Just Cut Headcount 46:51 — What Still Motivates Transformation Leaders + Rapid-Fire Telco Takes  51:49 — Finale: Australia vs Netherlands Quickfire (and a Perfect Tie)

The New World Order: It's Not a Transition, It's a Rupture The world's gone completely mental since Andy Staples left The Economist and launched GeoPol Asia. Turns out his timing was perfect - just in time for Trump's tariff chaos, military interventions, and the complete breakdown of the "rules-based order" everyone keeps banging on about. The old playbook is dead. This isn't your typical trade spat or diplomatic tiff. As Mark Carney put it at Davos: we're witnessing a rupture, not a transition. And from Singapore's "grave concern" over Venezuela to Japan's new PM calling China's bluff, everyone's scrambling to figure out what the hell comes next. Andy breaks down why Singapore's politicians are probably doing constant eye-rolls dealing with Trump's "favours from friends" tariff nonsense, why Malaysia's quietly winning at this geopolitical game, and whether we're all heading to the pub because the world's ending (spoiler: we're definitely putting our coats on). If you're trying to run a business in this chaos or just want to understand why everything feels completely unhinged, this is your reality check. Timestamps:  00:00 Welcome Back, Andy Staples!  00:26 Reflecting on a Year of Chaos  02:00 Predictions and Realities 04:45 Hard Power and Global Dynamics  05:28 Trump's Davos Speech  08:27 Middle Powers and Global Order  11:47 Asian Geopolitical Landscape  14:36 Japan's New PM and China Relations  17:49 Elections and Political Shifts in Asia  20:25 Singapore's Resilience  21:56 Johor's Investment Boom  23:12 Vietnam's Economic Resilience  24:13 US-Singapore Relations  26:44 Business Sentiment in Asia  30:27 Geopolitical Risks and Predictions  34:08 Rapid-Fire Questions  40:06 Closing Thoughts and Future Outlook Key Takeaways: The US has shifted to unilateral military action as policy tool "Middle powers" like Canada, Singapore, and the EU are exploring Plan B Asia's playing the ultimate balancing act between US security and Chinese economics Business leaders need to build "geopolitical muscle" or get left behind We're all walking towards the pub, but hopefully it stays open About Andy Staples:  Andy is the founder of GeoPol Asia, offering geopolitical advisory services to businesses navigating Asia's complex political landscape. Previously at The Economist, he specialises in helping Western MNCs understand the shifting power dynamics and build their "geopolitical muscle" for this new era. Connect with Andy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystaples/  Learn more about GeoPol Asia: https://geopolasia.com/

Telco's Sophistication Paradox: Why They Can't Explain Their Own Genius The Telco Century Club (100+ years of telco experience between us) is back with a brutal reality check on an industry that's mastered building brilliant technology but completely botched explaining why anyone should care. Charles teams up with telecoms veterans Rob Jones (Sylva Growth Partners) and Chris Lewis (Lewis Insights, The Great Telco Debate) for an unfiltered dissection of why 25 years of "transformation talk" has changed absolutely nothing. From Telstra's genius digital twin platform that died because no one could pitch it internally, to network APIs that sound impressive but solve problems nobody asked for - this episode exposes the sophistication paradox that's killing telco innovation. Key Battlegrounds: Why telco layoffs are a perpetual pattern, not strategic responses The "build it and they will come" mentality that's still sabotaging 5G monetisation How MVNOs are eating traditional operators' lunch through superior segmentation AI-native platforms making MVNO entry cheaper and easier than ever Middle Eastern operators like e& and STC outplaying Western telcos with actual execution The coming satellite reality check (spoiler: it won't replace mobile networks) Network APIs heading to the technology graveyard alongside network slicing Reputation-Staking Predictions for 2026: Chris bets on AI chatbots finally becoming genuinely useful. Rob sees Google dominating user experience through AI integration. Charles predicts internal AI efficiency gains - if telcos can resist their urge to overcomplicate everything. Plus: Will the US take a stake in Nokia or Ericsson? And our final verdict on whether telcos will transform, disappoint as usual, or somehow make things worse.   Timestamps: 00:00 The Telco Century Club Returns 00:53 18 Months Later: Still Building Tech Nobody Understands 03:13 The Layoff Epidemic: Why It Never Actually Ends 08:04 Telco to TechCo Dreams Meet Harsh Reality 10:02 Network APIs: The Communication Disaster Continues 20:26 AI Reality Check: Separating Hype from Hope 28:20 Why OpenAI Might Go Broke (And Apple's Playing It Smart) 29:15 MVNOs Quietly Stealing Market Share 33:14 AI-Native Platforms: The MVNO Revolution Nobody Saw Coming 36:41 Satellite Hype Crashes Into Indoor Coverage Reality 41:15 2026 Predictions: Putting Reputations on the Line 49:35 Final Verdict: Will Telcos Finally Transform or Keep Disappointing?

Here's the complete description with show notes for Libsyn: IoT Reality Check: Fresh Insights from the Latest Benchmarking Report - Matt Hatton from Transforma Insights Breaks Down What's Really Working In this episode of TechBurst Talks, I sit down with Matt Hatton, founding partner at Transforma Insights, to dive deep into his latest IoT peer benchmark report covering 27 MNOs and MVNOs worldwide. Matt brings over 15 years of industry experience, having founded Machina Research (sold to Gartner in 2016) before launching Transforma Insights. We explore the most surprising findings from his fresh research, including the rise of SGP 32 for eSIM localization, how AI is finally being used for IoT-specific operations rather than just generic business functions, and why many connectivity providers are diversifying into adjacent markets like fixed wireless access. Matt breaks down the persistent challenges around network fragmentation, explains why IoT growth remains steady rather than explosive, and shares his outlook for 2026. We also discuss the symbiotic relationship between IoT and AI, where IoT provides the essential data feeds that make AI applications truly valuable. The conversation wraps up with some personal insights about music, favorite bands, and best concert experiences. SHOW NOTES: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background Matt Hatton introduces himself as founding partner at Transforma Insights, sharing his journey from telematics and M2M days through founding Machina Research (sold to Gartner in 2016) to his current focus on IoT, AI, and edge computing. 00:17 Transforma Insights and IOT Market Overview of Transforma Insights' focus areas and Matt's specialization in connectivity, mobile network operators, MVNOs, and the supporting infrastructure that makes IoT deployments possible. 00:56 Telecoms and Connectivity Focus Discussion of the complexity and diversity of IoT solutions, covering the full tech stack from devices through networks, platforms, and applications - and why telecoms expertise is crucial for understanding the space. 02:51 IOT Peer Benchmark Reports Deep dive into Transforma Insights' comprehensive research analyzing 27 MNOs and MVNOs worldwide - the methodology, scope, and dual purpose of identifying industry trends while helping enterprises evaluate connectivity providers. 04:43 Surprising Findings in IOT Key discoveries from the latest report including: localization trends driven by regulatory and performance needs, AI evolution from generic business tools to IoT-specific operations, and diversification into adjacent higher-revenue markets like fixed wireless access. 15:25 Challenges in IOT Connectivity The persistent problem of network fragmentation - 2G/3G shutdowns, patchy 5G rollouts, NB-IoT adoption challenges, and why the mobile industry's choppy technology evolution continues to complicate global IoT deployments. 19:25 SGP 32 and Its Impact Explaining SGP 32 eSIM localization technology in layman's terms - how it enables better multi-country IoT connectivity, reduces reliance on roaming, but doesn't solve all the commercial relationship challenges. 26:22 The State of IoT: Current Trends and Challenges Assessment of where IoT stands today - realistic expectations vs. hype cycles, the role of specialist players vs. major tech vendors, and why steady incremental growth remains the norm. 26:52 The Evolution of IoT: From Telematics to Today Matt's perspective on IoT's steady evolution since 2011, the importance of expectation management, and how regulated mandated use cases provide the few "hockey stick" growth moments in the industry. 28:54 The Role of Major Tech Vendors in IoT Discussion of how major tech vendors have stepped back from IoT, the transition from buzzword marketing to business-as-usual implementations, and the value of focusing on business outcomes rather than technology labels. 31:57 The Intersection of AI and IoT Exploring how IoT serves as the "eyes and ears" for AI systems, enabling interaction with the real world through applications like video analytics, autonomous driving, and industrial optimization. 33:41 Future Trends in IoT: Looking Ahead to 2026 Key trends for the coming year: AI-IoT integration, video analytics adoption, compliance and regulatory drivers, and the continued shift toward value-based selling over connectivity selling. 35:33 The Impact of Satellite Connectivity on IoT Current state and future potential of satellite IoT - from traditional high-value asset tracking to new capabilities from Starlink and others, plus the limitations and cost considerations that remain. 38:43 Personal Insights: Music and Career Reflections Lighter conversation about shared musical tastes in punk/alternative rock, first concerts (Ned's Atomic Dustbin vs. a legendary $10 show featuring Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, and Red Hot Chili Peppers), favorite bands, and career reflections. 45:20 Conclusion: Reflecting on IoT's Progress and Future Wrapping up with realistic optimism about IoT's steady progress, the importance of business case-driven implementations, and looking forward to continued industry evolution. Guest: Matt Hatton, Founding Partner, Transforma Insights Key Companies/Technologies Mentioned: Vodafone, AT&T, Verizon, Telefonica, SGP 32, eSIM, NB-IoT, LTE Cat-1, 5G RedCap, Starlink, Machina Research, Gartner Subscribe to TechBurst Talks for more expert insights on IoT, AI, and emerging technologies.

Why IoT Failed (And What's Finally Working) - Alistair Fulton After 25 years in IoT, Alistair Fulton has watched the industry make nearly every mistake possible—and he's not holding back about what went wrong. From incubating Microsoft's Azure IoT platform to growing Semtech's IoT division to $300M in revenue, Alistair witnessed the gap between IoT's trillion-dollar promises and harsh reality. This isn't another tech hype conversation—it's a brutally honest autopsy of IoT's failures and a rare look at what's actually working now. What You'll Discover: How inflated market forecasts ($7T → $1.7T overnight) poisoned the entire industry The LPWAN wars and why "one technology to rule them all" was always a fantasy Why telcos completely failed at IoT despite owning all the connectivity How successful IoT companies today avoid using the word "IoT" entirely Regional reality check: what's working in US, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East Why AI is about to repeat IoT's worst mistakes The counterintuitive winning strategy: work within existing industries, not against them Alistair's journey spans the entire ecosystem—from building $20M custom solutions to creating platforms at Microsoft, Hitachi, Semtech, and Blues. His frank assessment reveals why brilliant technology repeatedly crashed into business reality, and more importantly, what's finally breaking through. Key Insights: Market hype vs. adoption reality Technology wars that nobody won Platform strategy failures and successes Global market dynamics by region Climate tech applications that actually work AI making IoT's exact same mistakes This conversation cuts through decades of buzzwords to reveal what actually drives technology adoption. Whether you're building IoT solutions, investing in emerging tech, or trying to understand how industries really change, Alistair's hard-won wisdom is essential. Episode Timeline: 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:13 Alistair's Background in IoT 00:42 Career Journey and Key Roles 03:06 Insights on IoT Industry Challenges 06:38 Early IoT Market Missteps 10:44 Collaboration and Ecosystem Building  11:18 Technological Wars and Lessons Learned 1 8:44 Current State of IoT 20:03 Naive Optimism and Realizations in IoT  21:10 The Shift from Tech Talk to Business Solutions 22:28 Challenges and Risks in IoT and AI 24:43 The Evolution of IoT and Industry-Specific Solutions 31:52 Global Perspectives: IoT in the US, Europe, and Asia 43:15 The Middle East: A Promising Market for IoT 52:45 Reflections and Future Outlook Blunt, pragmatic, and refreshingly honest about the gap between tech hype and business reality. Video podcast available on YouTube 

Antony Slumbers is a leading voice on the future of real estate, keynote speaker, and educator on AI for property leaders. Antony Slumbers doesn't just talk PropTech—he created it. Long before "PropTech" was even a word, he launched the UK's first commercial real estate website in 1995. Now he's teaching the industry how to survive what's coming next. This isn't your typical tech cheerleading session. Antony cuts through the noise to explain why PropTech's cooling hype actually signals its maturation. The party's over. Now comes the real work. The brutal truth? Most real estate companies are trapped in silos, burning millions on point solutions that don't talk to each other. Meanwhile, smart operators are building ecosystems that orchestrate data, tools, and trust into genuine competitive advantages. We dive into Space as a Service—Antony's concept that predicted the death of the 20-year lease. Real estate has flipped from creating bonds for investors to creating experiences for humans. Miss this shift, and you're toast. Then there's Generative AI. MIT just dropped a bombshell: 95% of corporate AI projects are failing spectacularly. We break down why this mirrors every tech adoption cycle in history—and what the winning 5% are doing differently. The warning is clear: Companies that don't master these tools will face competitors operating at 5-10x their speed. It's "slowly then suddenly" time. We close with Antony's unfiltered take on tech hype. Spoiler: he really hates the Metaverse. Timestamps: 00:00 – From art history to PropTech pioneer 01:58 – Launching the UK's first real estate website (1995) 02:18 – PropTech reality: hype is cooling, adoption is heating up 03:58 – Why big firms waste millions on innovation theater 06:01 – Breaking silos: the only way forward 17:05 – Space as a Service: bonds are dead, experiences win 24:25 – GenAI's 95% failure rate (and what works) 30:00 – The "slowly then suddenly" competitive apocalypse 38:27 – Tech rants: why the Metaverse is anti-human You can watch the Video Podcast on Spotify or my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson Stay tuned, I'll be releasing 10 - 15 "60 Second Insight" video shorts at: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson/shorts  As always, please LIKE, SHARE and SUBSCRIBE.  More information: Follow Antony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonyslumbers/ More on Antony's Gen AI for Real Estate Course: https://www.antonyslumbers.com/ 

div]:bg-bg-000/50 [&_pre>div]:border-0.5 [&_pre>div]:border-border-400 [&_.ignore-pre-bg>div]:bg-transparent [&>div>div>:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&>div>div>:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8"> _*]:min-w-0"> Building the IoT Ecosystem That Actually Works - Wienke Giezeman (The Things Industries) The Collaborative Approach That Made LoRaWAN a Global Success Wienke Giezeman didn't just build a company—he built an entire ecosystem. As CEO and co-founder of The Things Industries, Wienke has orchestrated one of the most successful collaborative strategies in IoT, growing from a startup idea to managing 3 million connected devices and $4M in annual recurring revenue. This isn't another IoT hype conversation. It's the inside story of how open collaboration, shared infrastructure, and ecosystem thinking created real market success where others failed. What You'll Discover: The Power of Collaborative Strategy: Why "building this thing together" became a $4M ARR business model How sharing IP and standards actually strengthened competitive position The counterintuitive VC challenge: selling collaboration over market domination Real IoT Success Fundamentals: Why hardware is incredibly hard (and why they stopped doing it) How the solution drives the entire business model, not the technology The shift from wide area networks to private networks as the real value Startup Wisdom for IoT Entrepreneurs: "Own the domain problem on the business side" - the key insight most miss Why you need 15-20 minutes of business discussion before any tech talk The window cleaning sensor: a masterclass in understanding customer problems Ecosystem Building That Actually Works: How The Things Network became the go-to platform for developers globally Building developer ecosystems when you're not trying to "eat the entire pie" Why promoting competing technologies strengthened their market position Key Insights: Market Reality vs. Hype: Wienke witnessed IoT at peak hype ("almost where AI is right now") and learned why most crashed into business reality Technology Evolution: The journey from shared infrastructure dreams to private network success - what actually creates sustainable value Business Model Truth: Why successful IoT companies focus on solutions, not connectivity features Partnership Philosophy: How radical openness and collaboration can create competitive advantages instead of vulnerabilities About Wienke Giezeman: CEO and co-founder of The Things Industries, creator of The Things Network, and architect of one of the world's largest LoRaWAN ecosystems. From a 2015 startup idea born in Singapore to managing millions of connected devices across thousands of customers worldwide. Episode Highlights: The Singapore IoT event that changed everything (2015) Building shared LoRaWAN infrastructure: vision vs. reality Hardware lessons learned the hard way (via Kickstarter) Creating developer ecosystems through radical collaboration Why domain expertise trumps technology expertise The future of open networks and collaboration For: IoT entrepreneurs, ecosystem builders, hardware startups, platform strategists, and anyone interested in how collaboration can create competitive advantages. Episode Length: [Insert actual length] Key Topics: IoT, LoRaWAN, Ecosystem Strategy, Platform Business Models, Hardware Development, Startup Strategy, Collaborative Business Models Pragmatic insights from someone who built the IoT ecosystem that actually works - through collaboration, not competition. Video podcast available on YouTube

_*]:min-w-0 !gap-3.5"> The Reality Check You Need Jeff Apcar spent 24 years as a Distinguished Engineer at Cisco and has zero patience for tech BS. After 46 years in the industry, he's watched every hype cycle crash and burn. What's Actually Broken 5G? Overhyped garbage that nobody can monetize. IoT? A connection problem pretending to be a collection solution. Service providers? Becoming irrelevant dinosaurs while hyperscalers eat their lunch. What's Actually Scary But quantum computing? That's where things get genuinely interesting—and genuinely terrifying. Jeff breaks down what's actually working in tech, what's pure marketing fluff designed to separate you from your money, and why Google and Amazon are systematically destroying traditional telecoms. Plus: why AI makes him both excited and deeply worried about dumbing down an entire generation. No BS Promise No vendor pitches. No sugar-coating. No fairy tales about the "digital transformation." Just 46 years of brutal honesty about where tech is really heading and why most of it is built on lies. Listen to a tech veteran who's seen it all expose the industry's biggest scams and reveal what's actually worth paying attention to. This isn't another tech podcast peddling hope - it's a reality check from someone who helped build the internet backbone and watched it all go sideways. Warning: Contains explicit opinions about your favorite tech companies and why they're probably lying to you. Listen & Watch 🎧 Listen on all major platforms 🎥 Watch the full video episode on YouTube: YouTube.com/@charlesreedanderson What You'll Learn Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Jeff's 46-year tech journey 01:10 What being a Cisco Distinguished Engineer actually means 03:06 MPLS and how it changed enterprise networking forever 06:46 Why 5G is struggling and service providers are lost 10:52 Network APIs: The latest pipe dream? 15:07 IoT reality check: Connection vs. collection 19:55 Starlink and why LEO satellites actually work 21:59 How satellite internet created the digital nomad revolution 23:22 AI: Godsend or threat to expertise? 24:41 Why AI is getting dumber and what that means 31:09 Quantum computing: Game changer and nightmare 32:27 Why C-suite executives don't understand their tech risks 36:25 Career reflections and the proudest moment 37:58 Best case scenario: Tech saving lives

Space-Based Computing Revolution: Building Data Centers in Orbit with Rob DeMillo From JPL to Orbital Computing: The Future of Space Technology In this episode of Tech Burst Talks, Charles sits down with Rob DeMillo — former JPL engineer, serial entrepreneur with 7 exits from 9 startups, SparkLabs Venture Partner, and CEO of Sophia Space — to explore the cutting-edge world of orbital data centers and space-based computing. What You'll Learn About Space Computing Rob shares his extraordinary journey from space science at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to revolutionizing cloud animation, and now pioneering data centers in space. Discover how Sophia Space's innovative modular "tile" technology is built from first principles for the space environment — not retrofitted Earth technology. Key Topics Covered: Orbital computing platforms and their real-world applications Defense and security use cases for space-based data processing Air traffic control and disaster response capabilities Real-time edge processing in low Earth orbit Entrepreneurship insights from building 7 successful startups Space technology trends and market opportunities Show Notes & Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 00:37 Career Journey and Achievements 01:51 Entrepreneurial Ventures and Exits 04:46 Joining Mandala Space Ventures 08:51 Sophia Space and Orbital Data Centers 09:39 Innovative Tile Technology 12:46 Market and Future Plans 16:29 Challenges and Opportunities in Space 18:08 Why Orbital Data Centers? 19:57 The Heat Problem of Data Centers 20:29 Advantages of Space-Based Data Centers 21:23 Use Cases for Space-Based Computing 22:15 Real-Time Applications and Sensor Fusion 24:23 Technological Advances Enabling Space Computing 25:27 Scaling and Deployment of Orbital Data Centers 27:58 Commercial Applications and Future Prospects 33:22 Advice for Entrepreneurs 34:41 Motivation and Future Plans 38:34 Conclusion and Final Thoughts About the Guest: Rob DeMillo Rob DeMillo brings decades of experience in aerospace engineering, venture capital, and startup leadership. His track record of 7 successful exits demonstrates deep expertise in scaling space technology companies and identifying breakthrough innovations in the NewSpace economy. Watch & Subscribe 🎥 Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson 🎧 Listen on all major platforms ⚡ Catch the "60 Second Insights" — short hits of the smartest stuff from each episode: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson/shorts Subscribe and hit the bell to stay ahead of the latest in space technology, orbital computing, and aerospace innovation.

Middle East's Tech Revolution: From Regional Ambitions to Global Leadership with Nokia's Danial Mausoof The Middle East's Rise as a Global Telecom Innovation Hub In this episode of TechBurst Talks, Charles sits down with Danial Mausoof, Vice President of Mobile Networks for the Middle East & Africa at Nokia, to explore how the Middle East tech ecosystem is transforming from regional player to global innovation leader. Discover why the region is no longer playing catch-up but is actively leapfrogging global telecom standards through strategic government investments, cutting-edge infrastructure, and visionary leadership. What You'll Learn About Middle East Tech Innovation Key Topics Covered: Middle East telecom transformation and government-driven digital initiatives Private 5G networks deployments in Saudi Arabia and UAE (ADNOC, Aramco case studies) 6G technology development and AI integration in telecommunications Network APIs monetization strategies for telecom operators Satellite connectivity expansion across Africa and emerging markets Trust-based business culture and its impact on regional tech growth Global talent attraction to Middle East tech hubs Deep Dive: Regional Telecom Innovation Danial breaks down how Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and UAE's digital transformation initiatives are creating unprecedented opportunities for telecom innovation. Learn about the critical role of private 5G networks in industrial applications and why the Middle East is becoming the proving ground for global telecom technologies. Show Notes & Timestamps 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:22 Danial's Role and Background at Nokia 01:56 Middle East Innovation and Visionary Leadership 03:21 Geopolitical Risks and Stability in the Region 06:34 Talent Influx, Trust-Based Business Culture 22:19 Private 5G Networks in Action (ADNOC, Aramco) 26:39 6G, AI, and the Next Telecom Leap 29:24 Satellite as a Complement to Traditional Networks 31:57 Why the Middle East Is a Testbed for Global Innovation 35:37 Final Thoughts and What's Next About the Guest: Danial Mausoof Danial Mausoof leads Nokia's Mobile Networks strategy across the Middle East and Africa, overseeing telecommunications infrastructure development in one of the world's fastest-growing tech regions. His insights provide a unique perspective on regional telecom trends, 5G deployment strategies, and the future of connectivity in emerging markets. Critical Insights for Telecom Leaders This episode reveals why telecom monetization is crucial for industry survival and how AI-powered network APIs are creating new revenue streams. Danial also explores the geopolitical stability factors that make the Middle East an attractive destination for global tech investment. Watch & Subscribe 🎥 Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson 🎧 Listen on all major platforms ⚡ Catch the "60 Second Insights" — short hits of the smartest stuff from each episode: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson/shorts Subscribe and hit the bell to stay ahead of Middle East tech trends, telecom innovation, and global connectivity developments.

Corporate Survival in the US-China Crossfire: Geopolitical Intelligence for Asia Business Leaders Navigating Supply Chain Wars and Superpower Tensions with GeoPol Asia's Andrew Staples In this explosive TechBurst Talks episode, host Charles sits down with Andrew Staples, battle-tested geopolitical expert who transitioned from The Economist to founding GeoPol Asia, his own strategic advisory firm. Together, they dissect how corporations across Asia are caught in the crossfire of escalating US-China tensions, tariff wars, and supply chain disruptions. This isn't academic analysis — it's corporate survival intelligence from the trenches. What You'll Learn About Asia Business Strategy Critical Insights for Corporate Leaders: Supply chain repositioning strategies amid US-China trade tensions Investment paralysis affecting multinational corporations in Asia Vietnam's tariff backlash and Southeast Asian manufacturing shifts China's strategic overseas expansion and corporate implications Singapore vs. Middle East competition for global innovation talent Venture capital slowdown across Southeast Asian markets Western MNC strategy adjustments in Asia-Pacific regions Deep Dive: Geopolitical Risk Management Staples reveals how multinationals are paralyzed by uncertainty, with investment plans on hold while executives scramble to navigate everything from Vietnam's tariff policies to China's Belt and Road initiatives. Learn why Western MNCs find themselves demoted to third-tier priorities by nervous headquarters. Key Geopolitical Themes: Corporate crossfire between competing superpowers Japan's demographic crisis spurring unprecedented innovation Miscalculation risks in Asia-Pacific geopolitical landscape Expat management strategies in dynamic Asian markets Global order fragmentation and business adaptation Show Notes & Timestamps 00:08 Introduction and Guest Background 04:17 Geopolitical Climate and Business Impact 06:44 Navigating Uncertainty in Asia 11:02 China's Strategy and Global Influence 13:57 Challenges for Western MNCs in Asia 15:54 Middle East vs. Asia: Innovation and Investment 20:05 VC Slowdown and Future Strategies 22:09 Advice for Western Expats in Asia 23:31 Networking and Curiosity in Asia 24:52 Geopolitical Risks in Asia 26:22 Future Prospects and Global Order 29:58 Personal Reflections and Predictions 37:27 The Allure of Japan 39:49 Conclusion and Final Thoughts About the Guest: Andrew Staples Andrew Staples is founder of GeoPol Asia, bringing deep expertise from his tenure at The Economist to provide strategic geopolitical intelligence for corporations operating in Asia. His analysis helps C-suite leaders navigate the complex intersection of politics, economics, and business strategy in the world's most dynamic region. Essential Intelligence for Asia Operations This episode exposes the volatile landscape where Singapore battles the Middle East for innovation talent, venture capital dries up across Southeast Asia, and supply chain uncertainty forces strategic pivots. Whether you're repositioning operations or managing teams across Asia's dynamic markets, Staples provides the intelligence needed to survive the corporate crossfire of our fractured global order. Watch & Subscribe 🎥 Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson 🎧 Listen on all major platforms ⚡ Catch the "60 Second Insights" — short hits of the smartest stuff from each episode: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson/shorts Subscribe and hit the bell to stay ahead of Asia geopolitical trends, corporate strategy insights, and supply chain intelligence.

Global Tech Supply Chains Under Siege: Tariffs, AI Revolution, and the Race Beyond Smartphones Smartphone Industry Disruption and Manufacturing Pivot Strategies with Bryan Ma In this episode of TechBurst Talks, Bryan Ma joins Charles to unpack the seismic shifts reshaping the global smartphone and device industry. From US-China tariff warfare to Apple's manufacturing exodus toward India and Vietnam, they break down how supply chains are being reengineered in real time. Discover the latest AI integrations transforming everything from smartphones to PCs, plus exclusive insights from Computex 2025 revealing the future of consumer technology. This episode connects the dots between geopolitics, innovation, and what might finally succeed the smartphone era. What You'll Learn About Tech Industry Transformation Key Industry Insights: US-China tariff impact on smartphone manufacturing and pricing Apple's India strategy and Vietnam manufacturing expansion Samsung's supply chain adaptation and competitive positioning AI PC revolution: separating hype from reality Smartphone AI integration and practical use cases OpenAI's hardware ambitions and partnership strategies Foldable phone evolution and market adoption trends Deep Dive: Supply Chain Geopolitics Bryan Ma reveals how tech giants are navigating tariff uncertainty, with Apple leading the charge in diversifying manufacturing away from China. Learn about Samsung and other OEMs' responses to trade tensions and how the PC industry is adapting to new geopolitical realities. AI Technology Breakthroughs: AI PC deployment across consumer and enterprise markets Samsung's AI innovations in mobile devices Search for killer AI use cases in everyday technology OpenAI's strategic moves into hardware partnerships AI adoption speed versus deployment challenges Show Notes & Timestamps 00:10 Introduction and Greetings 00:23 Annual Update on Smartphones and Devices 00:41 Impact of Tariffs on the Tech Industry 04:03 Apple's Strategy to Navigate Tariffs 05:31 Samsung and Other OEMs' Responses 11:56 PC Industry and Tariff Implications 14:13 Shifts in Global Manufacturing 16:33 AI PCs: Hype or Reality? 20:28 AI on Smartphones: The Evolution 21:21 Samsung's AI Innovations 21:48 The Search for AI Use Cases 24:30 OpenAI's Big Move 25:30 Future of AI Hardware 27:13 AI's Rapid Adoption 28:00 Challenges in AI Deployment 29:18 Foldable Phones and Future Trends 31:12 Wearables: The Next Frontier 35:40 Computex Highlights 38:21 Conclusion and Final Thoughts About the Guest: Bryan Ma Bryan Ma brings deep expertise in global technology markets, supply chain dynamics, and consumer electronics trends. His analysis provides crucial insights into how geopolitical tensions are reshaping tech manufacturing and driving innovation in AI-powered devices. Critical Intelligence for Tech Leaders This episode exposes how tariff policies are forcing unprecedented supply chain pivots, while AI integration creates new competitive battlegrounds. From wearables as the next frontier to Computex 2025 revelations, get the intelligence needed to understand where tech is heading next. Watch & Subscribe 🎥 Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson 🎧 Listen on all major platforms ⚡ Catch the "60 Second Insights" — short hits of the smartest stuff from each episode: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson/shorts Subscribe and hit the bell to stay ahead of tech industry trends, supply chain intelligence, and AI innovation developments.

AI-Powered Billboard Revolution: How Digital Out-of-Home Advertising is Disrupting Traditional Marketing Real-Time Ad Targeting Meets Street-Level Intelligence with Flow City's Dagny Lacka 🚀 AI is transforming advertising, and in this TechBurst Talks episode, we dive deep into how digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising is revolutionizing the marketing landscape. Charles sits down with Dagny Lacka, founder of Flow City, who explains how her company uses AI algorithms, foot traffic analytics, and real-time bidding to make billboard advertising as dynamic and targeted as online ads. No more static two-week campaigns — now brands can target the right people, at the right time, in the right place. What You'll Learn About AI-Driven Advertising 🎯 Key Insights for Marketing Leaders: AI revolution in outdoor advertising and programmatic DOOH buying Real-time ad purchasing and precision audience targeting strategies Challenger brand strategies using AI to compete with industry giants Future of DOOH technology: 3D billboards and hyperlocal campaigns Smart city integration and audience movement prediction Cost optimization through AI-powered campaign management Deep Dive: From Static to Smart Advertising Discover how Flow City connects AI technology, footfall data, and premium ad inventory to help brands buy smarter and target better. Learn why traditional retail analytics failed but DOOH became the perfect match for AI-driven audience insights. Revolutionary Ad Tech Features: Dynamic content delivery based on real-time location and audience data Risk-free advertising: Clients only pay when ads are actually seen Strategic campaign distribution over months instead of concentrated bursts Competitive pricing intelligence to avoid high-cost advertising slots Show Notes & Timestamps [00:00] Introduction [01:30] What is Digital Out-of-Home Advertising? [04:15] How Flow City is Changing the Game [08:30] Dagny's Journey: From Journalism to AI & Advertising [12:00] AI & Footfall Analytics in Advertising [16:30] The Pandemic Pivot: Turning Crisis into Growth [21:00] AI's Role in Pricing & Campaign Optimization [25:15] Challenger Brands vs. Big Advertisers [30:00] How Flow City Works for Clients [34:00] The Future of Digital Out-of-Home Advertising [37:30] Startup Challenges & The London VC Scene [40:00] Final Thoughts & Closing About the Guest: Dagny Lacka Dagny Lacka is founder of Flow City, bringing expertise from TV advertising and digital marketing to revolutionize outdoor advertising technology. Her company helps challenger brands compete with industry leaders through AI-powered ad placement and smart city analytics. Case Study: David vs. Goliath in Advertising Learn how a challenger brand outperformed an industry leader using Flow City's AI-driven approach — a victory so decisive that the incumbent eventually went into administration. This episode reveals how startups and new brands can now compete with industry giants using targeted, affordable ad placements. Future of Advertising Technology Explore the next generation of DOOH innovations: 3D digital ads, transparent screens, and hyperlocal targeting that allows global brands to customize campaigns per city and neighborhood. Discover how AI is improving real-time engagement, making campaigns more interactive and effective. Watch & Subscribe 🎥 Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson 🎧 Listen on all major platforms ⚡ Catch the "60 Second Insights" — short hits of the smartest stuff from each episode: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson/shorts Subscribe and hit the bell to stay ahead of AI advertising trends, marketing technology innovation, and programmatic advertising developments. Whether you're in marketing, AI, or just curious about how technology is reshaping the advertising industry, this episode is packed with insights on how challenger brands are using AI to disrupt traditional advertising and take market share from established players.

B2B Marketing Revolution: Creativity vs. Corporate BS in Tech Industry Portfolio Career Mastery and Authentic Personal Branding with Jon Buckthorp 🚀 Tech, Marketing, and a Football Obsession—What Could Go Wrong? In this episode of TechBurst Talks, Charles sits down with his old mate Jon Buckthorp—Commercial Director of Differentiated, founder of Jon B Studios, and the kind of guy who juggles marketing, content, board advisory roles, and a questionable football allegiance (looking at you, Lincoln City). They cut through the noise of B2B marketing, diving into the strategies that separate industry leaders from the pack. What You'll Learn About B2B Marketing Excellence 🔥 Key Insights for Marketing Leaders: Creativity as a secret weapon in tech marketing strategies Personal branding authenticity versus corporate messaging Portfolio career development and multi-role management B2B marketing innovation beyond traditional approaches 5G marketing challenges and breakthrough strategies Women's sports marketing and underserved audience opportunities Deep Dive: From Corporate Giant to Marketing Entrepreneur Discover Jon's journey from Vodafone to building his portfolio career, including the creation of Differentiated for B2B creativity and Jon B Studios for influencer marketing redefinition. Learn how to stay authentic in a world of corporate BS while building genuine impact. Marketing Strategy Breakthroughs: Deliberate marketing approaches that cut through industry noise Creative B2B campaigns that deliver measurable business results Innovative marketing techniques for complex technology products Personal brand building without losing professional credibility Women's Sports Alliance and promoting underrepresented markets Show Notes & Timestamps 01:15 Welcome to TechBurst Talks with Jon Buckthorp 02:05 Jon's Journey in Tech and Marketing 04:00 The Birth of a Portfolio Career 05:10 Inside Differentiated: Creativity in B2B Marketing 06:36 Jon B Studios: Influencer Marketing Redefined 08:15 Challenges and Triumphs of Personal Branding 17:40 The Women's Sports Alliance: Promoting Women in Sports 19:45 Future Goals and Aspirations 21:30 B2B Tech Marketing: The Good, The Bad, and The Creative 22:50 Deliberate Marketing Strategies 23:33 B2B Marketing Success Stories 26:35 Challenges in 5G Marketing 28:20 Innovative Marketing Approaches 33:25 Personal Reflections and Career Advice 36:05 Fun and Personal Questions 41:40 Closing Remarks About the Guest: Jon Buckthorp Jon Buckthorp is Commercial Director of Differentiated and founder of Jon B Studios, bringing deep expertise in B2B tech marketing, creative strategy, and personal brand development. His portfolio career spans telecoms marketing, content creation, and sports marketing innovation through the Women's Sports Alliance. Essential Resources for Marketing Professionals Connect with Jon's Work: Differentiated: Website | LinkedIn Women's Sports Alliance: [Website](Web Site) | LinkedIn Follow Jon: LinkedIn | X | BlueSky Download: Differentiated's "Art and Science Research Report" Raw Insights on Career and Creativity This episode delivers no-BS lessons on career development, creativity, and making genuine impact in B2B tech marketing. From Vodafone corporate experience to entrepreneurial ventures, Jon shares the brutal truth about building authentic personal brands while driving business results. Watch & Subscribe 🎥 Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson 🎧 Listen on all major platforms ⚡ Catch the "60 Second Insights" — short hits of the smartest stuff from each episode: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson/shorts Subscribe and hit the bell to stay ahead of B2B marketing trends, personal branding strategies, and creative marketing innovation. This one's raw, insightful, and packed with practical lessons on career development, creativity, and making an impact in B2B tech marketing. Tune in, laugh a little, and maybe even learn something about football along the way.

Samsung Galaxy AI Revolution: On-Device Intelligence and Enterprise Mobile Solutions Next-Gen Smartphone AI Features and B2B Innovation with Samsung's Ian Chong In this episode of TechBurst Talks, Charles sits down with Ian Chong from Samsung Electronics to explore his work on the mobile B2B team and the cutting-edge advancements Samsung is making in AI technology for smartphones. Discover the revolutionary Galaxy AI capabilities, including breakthrough features like Circle to Search, Live Translate, and Transcript Assist. Ian reveals why on-device AI processing is critical for ensuring both security and speed, and discusses Samsung's strategic collaborations with major tech players. What You'll Learn About Samsung's AI Innovation Key AI Technology Insights: Galaxy AI features transforming smartphone user experience On-device AI processing for enhanced security and performance Live translation capabilities for real-time business communication Enterprise AI applications across law enforcement and finance Samsung's open ecosystem and technology partnerships Rugged device solutions for industrial and field operations Future AI developments in retail, healthcare, and B2B sectors Deep Dive: Enterprise Mobile AI Solutions Explore how AI is being implemented across industries like law enforcement and finance, with Samsung leading the charge in mobile B2B innovation. Learn about customer insights on AI adoption and how businesses are leveraging hyper-connected devices for competitive advantage. Revolutionary AI Features: Circle to Search technology for visual information discovery Transcript Assist capabilities for meeting and content management Live Translate functionality breaking down language barriers Security-first AI architecture protecting sensitive business data Industry-specific AI applications tailored for vertical markets Show Notes & Timestamps 00:45 Welcome to Tech Burst Talks 01:00 Introducing Ian Chong and His Role at Samsung 01:35 AI Innovations in Samsung Smartphones 02:13 Galaxy AI Features in Action 04:25 Live Translate and Business Features 08:00 Samsung's Security Measures 10:49 Rugged Devices for Various Industries 13:27 Customer Insights on AI 16:58 Samsung's Open Ecosystem and Partnerships 21:45 Enhancing Experiences with AI 22:21 Addressing AI Skepticism 24:25 The Power of Hyper-Connected Devices 25:38 Future of AI and Gen AI 26:44 AI in Retail and B2B Applications 29:36 Transformative AI in Healthcare 31:20 Personal Addictions: Coffee and Crazy Socks 36:18 Reflections and Future Aspirations 38:29 Final Thoughts and Farewell About the Guest: Ian Chong Ian Chong leads mobile B2B initiatives at Samsung Electronics, bringing deep expertise in enterprise smartphone solutions, AI technology integration, and industry-specific mobile applications. His work focuses on delivering cutting-edge AI capabilities that transform how businesses operate and communicate. Enterprise AI Transformation This episode reveals how Samsung's Galaxy AI is revolutionizing business operations through intelligent mobile solutions. From real-time translation for global teams to AI-powered transcription for meetings, discover how on-device processing ensures data security while delivering lightning-fast performance. Industry Applications Explored: Law enforcement AI tools for field operations Financial sector solutions with enhanced security Healthcare AI applications transforming patient care Retail innovation through connected device ecosystems Future AI developments across vertical markets Personal Side: Coffee Culture and Sock Collections On a lighter note, Ian opens up about his passion for coffee culture and his quirky sock collection, providing insights into the personality behind Samsung's mobile innovation. The conversation wraps up with discussions about the future of AI and its transformative potential across different sectors. Watch & Subscribe 🎥 Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson 🎧 Listen on all major platforms ⚡ Catch the "60 Second Insights" — short hits of the smartest stuff from each episode: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson/shorts Subscribe and hit the bell to stay ahead of Samsung AI developments, mobile technology trends, and enterprise smartphone innovation.

In this episode of TechBurst Talks, we're cutting through the AI hype and making sense of the endless buzzwords flooding the industry. You've heard them before—AI, ML, DL, LLM, SLM, RAG, ChatGPT, Custom GPT, NLP—but what do they actually mean?   Joining me is Bernard Leong, host of the Analyse Asia podcast, founder of Dorje.ai, and a leading expert in AI. Together, we break down these terms in a way that's accessible, practical, and bullshit-free—no matter your background.   What makes this episode different? Bernard and I learn in completely different ways: 🔹 Bernard, a theoretical expert, dives deep into concepts. 🔹 I, a hands-on learner, need to see how AI applies in the real world. By blending these perspectives, we'll bring clarity to the chaos of AI jargon—whether you're an industry pro or just trying to keep up. 🎧 Listen on all major platforms 🎥 Watch the full video episode on YouTube: YouTube.com/@charlesreedanderson Show Notes 01:00 Welcome and Introduction to AI 01:26 Bernard Leon's Background and Expertise 04:30 Understanding Artificial Intelligence 05:10 Big Data vs. Artificial Intelligence 06:29 Machine Learning and Deep Learning Explained 10:23 Generative AI: The Game Changer 17:30 Real-World Applications of AI 21:56 AI in Everyday Life and Business 31:14 The Evolution of Wind Turbine Maintenance 32:50 ChatGPT Revolutionizes Data Cleaning 34:21 Ethical Considerations in AI 37:09 Federated Learning and Privacy 38:47 AI's Impact on Jobs and Productivity 44:49 Future Trends in AI 49:48 Challenges in AI Adoption 51:57 Introducing Dorje.ai 55:24 Final Thoughts and Advice on AI  

In this episode of the Techburst Talks podcast, we delve deep into the current challenges and future prospects of the telecom industry. I'm joined by industry veterans Chris Lewis from Lewis Insight and Rob Jones, CEO of Bluefire, the discussion spans a wide array of topics including: the financial viability of 5G - is anyone actually making $$$? the adaptation of telcos to new technologies like IoT - can telcos deliver complex solutions? and the increasing importance of customer-centric business models. The conversation also examines the role of #AI in transforming the industry, the impact of global markets, and the structural changes needed to stay competitive. The trio emphasizes the necessity of partnerships, the limitations of current business models, and the importance of personalized services in the evolving telecom landscape. 00:00 Introduction to Telecom Industry Challenges 00:13 Meet the Experts: Chris Lewis and Rob Jones 01:07 Chris Lewis: Insights on Telecom Dynamics 02:02 Rob Jones: Global Telecom Experience 02:49 Current Trends in the Telecom Industry 06:46 Challenges in Telecom Pricing and Competition 10:32 Strategies for Telecom Operators 13:14 The Role of Connectivity in Telecom Services 15:52 Telcos and the Competitive Landscape 28:26 The Future of IoT in Telecom 31:12 Learning from Other Industries 31:54 Economic Evolution and Partnering 33:29 Structural Changes in Telecom 35:28 Impact of AI on Telecom 37:41 Challenges and Opportunities with AI 49:24 Future of Telecom: 6G and Beyond 58:15 Collaboration and Personalization in Telecom 01:02:58 Concluding Thoughts  

TechBurst Talks Season 4 Episode 2 IoT Re-Imagined: Practicality over Promises In this episode of the Tech Burst Talks podcast, host Charles interviews Gerhard Loots, CEO of Kallipr.  Gerhard discusses his transition from running the IoT business at Telstra, Australia's largest telecoms operator, to a startup environment, his current role at Kallipr and the company's innovative IoT solutions. He elaborates on Kallipr's unique approaches to sensor technology, total cost of ownership, and real-world applications in industries like rail and water management.  The conversation also touches on global IoT market trends, including the rise of India as a tech superpower and the impact of satellite connectivity. Gerhard shares personal anecdotes and offers a glimpse into his future vision for Kallipr, emphasising digitising infrastructure and leveraging AI for efficient data management. 00:40 Welcome Back, Gerhard Loots! 00:48 Career Transition: From Telstra to Kallipr 02:40 Introducing Kallipr 03:51 Competing in the Global Market 04:52 Focus on Total Cost of Ownership 06:35 Real-World Use Cases and Success Stories 11:00 Fun with B2B Marketing 13:30 Future Plans for Kallipr 19:00 Industry Insights and Market Trends 32:40 Personal Stories and Fun Questions 38:00 Closing Remarks and Farewell     Follow Kallipr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kallipr/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kallipr   Kallipr's entertaining B2B videos (about time someone made tech fun!)   Edge Battery Change video  https://youtube.com/shorts/oMDikM3Wi24?si=cglkUMVEoHYsU5hC   Radar Tech Demo: Scientific Beer Evaluation  https://youtu.be/PE_QsYIxy18?si=Gu7KJDBNSLmkD1rz   How we IP68 Test Our IoT Devices  https://youtu.be/xj5NWMu9D0g?si=JQn_ocLXD29YoUmH   20 Year Battery Life https://youtu.be/Jybt_4eC91M?si=JVCK1l94MYf1GsUm  

The tech industry loves to talk about disruption, innovation, and the next big thing—but what about the one algorithm we still struggle to solve? Ourselves. In this episode of TechBurst Talks, we're shifting gears. No hype, no buzzwords—just a raw, honest conversation about life, purpose, and what truly matters beyond the boardroom. Joining me is Uma Thana Balasingham, a former tech leader turned purpose-driven entrepreneur. She's navigated massive career shifts, personal reinvention, and the kind of introspection that most of us avoid. We dive into the Hoffman Process, a transformative experience that forces you to look inward, break old patterns, and unlock what's truly holding you back. Why do high achievers—people who seem to have it all—feel stuck? And more importantly, how do we get unstuck? Let's get into it.   01:15 Uma's journey of Self Discovery through the Hoffman Process    07:56 Introducing solitude in your life   11:40 The Corporate Perception of Self Help: "Are you OK" versus "Investing in yourself"   14:30 Uma's new venture ELEVATE - and her first three startups   21:40 Why Now? What led Uma down the path of Self Discovery?   25:00 How this journey helped ease her transition from tech industry leader to purpose-driven entrepreneur   40:40 Uma's journey to financial stability and independence   45:00 Five Year Outlook: What will success look like?   49:30 Why "How are you?" is now one of the most interesting questions someone can ask Find out more about Uma: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/umathana/  Instagram: @rawwithuma @umathana1 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RawWithUma    Find out more about ELEVATE: https://www.elevateasia.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevateasia  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevate-the-business  Instagram: @elevateasiaorg    Find out more about the Hoffman Process Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HoffmanCentre/ 

If you keep up to date with the latest technology news, you know that the momentum and investment has shifted from Asia to the Middle East. But gone are the days where countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE just import technology and talent - the new trend across the Middle East is how to create a home-grown technology startup ecosystem - and this is what we are going to cover in today's podcast.  Let's face it - money is not going to be an issue - but as we have seen from other countries, just throwing money at the startup ecosystem is no guarantee that it will be successful.  To help us go through this topic, we are joined by the Partner & Co-Founder of SparkLabs Group, Bernard Moon. SparkLabs has made a name for itself by launching accelerators and VC funds in Asia, Australia and the US, but now they are entering the Middle East market, so let's see what has drawn SparkLabs to that region - and what Bernard thinks will be the critical success factors to making sure they get a return on their investments.  Show Notes: 00:00 Intro to Bernard Moon and SparkLabs Group 02:30 SparkLabs new accelerator programs in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi 06:00 How does SparkLabs plan to find the "best of the best" startups in the Middle East 08:45 Do you see any similarities between the Middle East markets and other countries where you have had success with your accelerators (e.g. Korea, Taiwan)? And are there any specific opportunities and / or risks compared to the other markets you operate in?  14:30 What are the critical success factors for the Middle East markets to develop a home grown startup ecosystem? And what is the role of academia in creating this? 20:30 What does SparkLabs look for in startups that they want to invest in? And are there any red flags that you watch out for? 24:00 What will it take for SparkLabs to view their entry into the Middle East accelerator market a success? 26:00 What can countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE learn from other markets, like Singapore, that haven't made the most of their investment / funding of their local startup ecosystem? 30:00 Why are startups keen to be involved with SparkLabs versus the many other accelerator programs in the market? 33:00 Last week, SparkLabs listed it's USD 100m SPAC (Special Purpose Acquisition Company) on Nasdaq. Can you give us an overview of how this came about and what your strategy for the SPAC is? More information on SparkLabs can be found here: Contact Bernard directly: [email protected]  SparkLabs Saudi Arabia SparkLabs Korea SparkLabs Taiwan SparkLabs Cultiv8 SparkLabs Group  

In Part II of our Middle East Deep Dive, we talk with Carrington Malin to find out how the government's in the Middle East are driving unprecedented growth and innovation.  But it's more than just the tech, they are up-skilling their workforces and training students on how to leverage emerging technologies to transform the traditional industries that support their economies - and develop new ones. Exciting times to say the least... Show Notes: 1:00 Intro to Carrington Malin and the various roles he has played in the Middle East's technology ecosystem for the past 30 years.  5:00 How Middle East governments are driving innovation that leverages emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence by dedicating funds to support their initiatives and creating detailed action plans and deliverables to ensure they go beyond the hype.  11:00 The region's plans to build "home-grown" taken to support it's tech and innovation initiatives 16:00 The growth in large language models (e.g. Abu Dhabi's Technology Innovation Institutes Falcom LLM that rivals ChatGPT and OpenAI) 23:00 How government policies and regulations will ensure the countries like Dubai will lead the way globally around autonomous vehicles - and not just self-driving taxis, they are getting ready for flying taxis 30:00 How government-led initiatives is transforming the region's talent pool You can follow Carrington's Middle East AI News on Substack and LinkedIn.

This is the first in a series on Technology and Innovation trends in the Middle East. Things have gone quiet in Asia post-pandemic - and the global recession has not helped.  However, the Middle East is thriving.  Hardly a week goes by where there isn't another jaw-dropping announcement related to emerging technologies like AI, autonomous vehicles and the Metaverse in the Middle East - or the massive investment in initiatives like Saudi Arabia's NEOM.  To help us delve deeper into the Middle East's technology innovation landscape, I'm joined by Danial Mausoof. He's based in Abu Dhabi, but covers the Middle East and Africa as part of his job, so we are lucky to have him with us to share his unique insights and perspectives. Show Notes: 02:45 Key market trends in the Middle East 06:30 The Talent Issue: How the Middle East is starting to build a local talent pool to drive and support innovation 08:30 Overview of the three key markets: Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Abu Dhabi 13:00 Why the recession has not derailed tech spend in the Middle East. 16:45 The state of 5G in the Middle East - and why they could lead in 5G monetisation 23:00 Artificial Intelligence: How the combination of investment, education and regulation is making the Middle East a leader in AI 28:00 Smart Cities: How the greenfield Smart Cities like NEOM will drive global innovation 33:00 Autonomous Vehicles: How the Middle East's progressive regulatory environments have ensured they will lead in self-driving taxis and, believe it or not, flying taxis 40:00 Our future forecasts - when will we go beyond the hype on…. 5G 5G monetisation Artificial Intelligence Large Language Models (e.g. ChatGPT) Metaverse Smart Cities Autonomous Vehicles

We need to face the facts - our Return to the Office strategies are failing. Giving away free beer once a week is not enough to make our employees WANT to come back to the office. So what will make them? That's what we are going to discuss today.  I'm joined by Helen Snowball, JLL's Global Head of People Solutions and Experience, to discuss how showing empathy, creating purpose and delivering enhanced employee experiences are the keys to attracting and retaining talent in the post pandemic world.  Show notes: 00:30  Intro to Helen Snowball, Global Head of People Solutions and Experience, JLL 03:30  How delivering enhanced employee experiences can help attract and retain the best talent 07:55  How JLL has managed the transition back to the office for its 100,000+ workforce by implementing the hybrid model that employees want 12:30  How upskilling middle management to manage hybrid work environments is vital to make your return to the office successful  14:30  Why ignoring the human impact of the pandemic - and a lack of empathy - has led to the failure of most our return to the office strategies   18:30  The importance of trust when implementing a hybrid work strategy - and why hybrid should be viewed as an opportunity, not a threat 23:30  What can companies do (spoiler alert: focus on purpose) to attract and retain the best talent and mitigate the risk of the Great Resignation? 31:30  What mistakes do companies make with their return to the office strategies and initiatives? 34:30  What advice do you have for people trying to redesign their organisations for the Future of Work? 37:30  What do you do to keep yourself motivated, energised and inspired?

One of the challenges with Sustainability is that while people like talking about it, it can be hard to find people driving real impact. But luckily for you, today's guest is one that it driving impact. In this episode of the TechBurst Asia podcast, we will speak to Adrien Desbaillets, the CEO and Co-Founder of Salad Stop, about the growth of his business - and how they were able to deliver SouthEast Asia's first Net Zero F and B outlet.   00:30 Intro to Adrien & SaladStop!   05:00 How technology and a drive to innovate has contributed to their expansion to 65 stores in 8 markets across Asia 07:15 How SaladStop! Incorporates sustainability into its strategy and operations, including launching Southeast Asia's first Net Zero F&B outlet 09:40 The challenges SaladStop! overcame to launch a Net Zero store - and what challenges they will have to overcome to have all their stores achieve Net Zero by 2030. 13:15 How SaladStop! Educates its customers on their sustainability journey  14:55 What does the future hold for SaladStop!? 16:15 What advice do you have for someone who is interested in starting a F&B business, raising Venture Capital funding and creating a Net Zero store? 19:45 Adrien's passion for wearable technology 22:15 If you had to start a new business that couldn't be in the F&B industry, what would it be and why?    

Apple recently announced it's latest smartphones and smartwatch, so it's time to bring Asia's top device analyst - IDC's Bryan Ma - back onto the TechBurst Asia podcast to discuss what these launches mean to the industry.  00:45  Overview of the Apple Launch Event 02:00 Apple goes after the competitive athlete market with the Apple Watch Ultra - what does it mean for vendors like Garmin and Suunto? Or the other leader smartwatch - the Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro.? 08:00 Bryan's view of the new Apple iPhone 14 Satellite communications eSIMs 09:30 Why does the new iPhone 14 have a satellite connection?  12:00 Apple goes eSIM! Why they made the shift and what it means to the mobile operators.  15:15 Huawei's launch of its Mate 50 flagship smartphone - nice device, but it's still 4G only 17:45 When is keeping Apple from launching a foldable smartphone? And when can we expect it? And could there be a foldable iPad? 19:00 Comparing Samsung's S22 to the latest iPhones 20:00 If you had to pick one device from the iPhone 14, Samsung S22, Samsung Flip and the Huawei Mate 50, which one would you pick and why? 21:00 The device manufacturer's dilemma - how to differentiate in a mature market? 22:30 What's the latest on the Chinese & Indian device markets - and has the pandemic slowed demand? 26:00 Is the chipset shortage finally sorted? 27:10 How do you see the market for smartphones and smartwatches developing - and how can the device manufacturers differentiate? 28:15 The latest on the PC market (pandemic driving growth) and AR/VR - and when can we expect an Apple VR headset?

Just 10 years ago, today's guest (Rafael Aldon) worked in telecoms in the UK. But over the past decade, he moved to Singapore as he first transitioned to Private Equity, then early stage Venture Capital, and finally into Impact Investing. It's been quite a journey! He's also the co-host of 2 podcasts (Investing for Impact and Disruptors for Good) on Cause Artist, which is a discovery hub for conscious consumers, social entrepreneurs and impact investors.  If you don't know what impact investing is, you'll love this episode because it will give you a solid understanding not only of what it is, but why it is so desperately needed. And if you already do know about it, you'll still enjoy hearing about his amazing journey.  Show Notes: 01:30 Rafael's journey from Telecoms to Private Equity to Early Stage VC to Impact Investing 10:00 What led you to narrow your investment focus to Impact Investing? 12:00 Difference between ESG Investing & Impact Investing 15:00 Raf's focus on regenerative businesses - and what does regenerative mean? 18:00  What is Regenr8? 22:00 The value you get from angel investing 24:00 What is the current state of Impact Investing in Asia & globally? Is it still niche? 26:30 What needs to be done to drive more Impact investing 29:00 Can we get enough momentum going to help us address the global climate challenges before it's too late? 31:00 What are the biggest risks we face that will prevent us from making progress towards addressing those issues? 33:30 What advice do you have for start-ups that are playing in the Impact space? 37:30 You can do your career all over again. What would you rather be - an Impact Investor or a Rockstar?  

After a decade of struggling to live up to the hype, augmented reality and virtual reality are finally gaining traction in the B2C and B2B spaces. Today, we will sit down with Auggd's Matthias Krampe to discuss the 3 main reasons for this. First, the technologies and ecosystems that support AR & VR have evolved considerably. Second, B2B customers are starting to understand how these technologies can be leveraged to deliver tangible business value through a variety of use cases. And third, they are intrinsically linked to the Metaverse, which has to be approaching the top of the hype curve.  Whether you agree with Zuckerberg - and believe that we will all live and work in the metaverse - or whether you agree with NYU marketing professor Scott Galloway that the metaverse is "a giant flaming bag of sh*t", one thing is for sure, the hype around the metaverse is driving the AR & VR industries But the question is, can this new found interest help AR & VR reach mass adoption? 01:30 Intro to Matthias and his augmented reality  firm, Auggd 05:30 What types of AR industry solutions (e.g. construction) does Auggd create? 07:00 Glimpse Group - the AR / VR collective - acquired Auggd in 2021 08:00 Augmented reality has struggled for adoption. What has held it back from reaching its potential? 12:30 What are the key trends (industry trends, hardware and evolution, 5G, etc) driving the AR industry? And is the talent shortage holding the industry back? 16:30 What industries (construction, retail, training) are driving AR adoption?  18:45 How is the virtual reality industry progressing - and what trends are driving it?  21:30 How long will it be before we are having meetings in the metaverse? 30:30 On a scale from 1 to 10, how overhyped is the metaverse? 35:30 You have looked at hundreds of AR and VR solutions, what are some of the best - and worst - solutions you have seen? Auggd: www.auggd.com The Glimpse Group: www.theglimpsegroup.com

As we approach the end of 2021, we enter into one of the tech industry's favourite seasons - 2022 Predictions. While all the industry evangelists will be predicting what mega-trends are going to transform our cities next year, I'm going to take a different approach. I'm going to focus on the mega-blockers that we need to overcome in order to live up to the industry hype.  And to do this, I am joined by 3 guests who sit in different areas of the Smart Cities ecosystem.  - Josh Sattler, A/CEO - General Manager Innovation, Growth and Development Services at City of Darwin in Australia - Tim Kobe, Founder & CEO of the global strategic design firm Eight Inc. - Zachary Wang, the Founder & CEO of Neuron Mobility, a leading rental e-scooter company and micro-mobility technology developer operating in cities across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, South Korea and Canada. For simplicity's sake, view it this way. Zach represents the tech innovator's supplying Smart City solutions, Josh represents the market demand, and Tim the planning and design side that has to liaise between the supply and demand side.  Show Notes: 01:20 Guest Intros 03:40 Smart Cities have not lived up to the hype. What types of challenges have you encountered that are holding back innovation? 07:35 Mega-blockers for the adoption of AI / Facial Recognition: how to overcome citizen's concerns over data privacy 15:00 Mega-blockers for the adoption of Urban Mobility: eScooters, eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft - aka Flying Taxis), etc. 20:50 Mega-blockers for the adoption of Sustainability solutions: balancing ROI and social impact 27:40 We have the technology to deliver transformative solutions, but sometimes people and processes hold us back. What do we need to do as humans to become Smart City enablers instead of blockers? 34:00 Rapid Fire round Do we need more government regulation to drive innovation? What is the one thing that needs to happen to the Smart Cities ecosystem to drive more innovation? What's the biggest risk that Smart Cities face in 2022? What's your personal wish list?  - Tim - name one client you would like to work with - Josh - if you could lead any city's Smart City initiatives, which would it be? - Zach - if Neuron could "win" one new city in 2022, which city would it be? Let's close on a positive - tell me something that you are proud of that happened during the pandemic.   

Over the past few years, delivering sustainable solutions and reducing carbon emissions have moved up the corporate agenda. But while many people like talking about it, few are ready to act.  One reason that people claim that holds them back is that sustainability solutions come with a green premium  - which is the additional cost of choosing a clean technology over one that emits a greater amount of greenhouse gases. But that's not always the case anymore.  In this podcast, we are joined by the CEO & Co-founder of Ampd Energy, Brandon Ng. His company proves that you don't have to increase your costs to decrease your carbon emissions.  01:40 Intro to Brandon & Ampd Energy  - How an approach from Gammon Construction in Hong Kong changed Ampd's focus to reducing carbon emissions in the construction industry 05:00 Ampd Energy targets the construction industry, which is an industry laggard when it comes to driving productivity and innovation. However, you are seeing very strong traction in your home market in Hong Kong. What is driving your success? - Sole focus is on the construction industry - First customer was a marquee company - Gammon Construction - Electric Vehicles have been in Hong Kong for over 10 years, so battery technology is viewed as "ready for primetime", not an emerging tech.  - The business case stacks up. Ampd Energy doesn't come with a "green premium", it actually reduces costs from the current solutions deployed.  10:00 Hong Kong's Construction Industry Council partnered with Hong Kong's Development Bureau to launch at HKD 1 Billion (USD 130m) Construction Innovation Technology Fund. How has this been adopted and leveraged by the construction industry and what benefits has it delivered? 12:45 What are the biggest challenges you face when trying to win new business? - Lack of product awareness leads to misconceptions and misunderstandings about what we do - Fear of change 14:45 What is your business model? Do customers have to buy (CapEx) yoru solution or can they lease (OpEx) it?  15:45 What are your key objectives to grow your business over the coming 12 - 24 months - Increase market share in HK - Expand to Singapore and other markets across Asia - Continue to educate and advocate for greener, cleaner and quieter construction sites using Ampd's products 18:00 What impact has the rise in importance of sustainability and reducing carbon emissions had on your business? - Investment firms holding industry responsible for the carbon emissions 19:30 What are the Critical Success Factors for driving your long term (5-10 year) growth and success? And the biggest risks? - Urbanisation  - Bridging the gap in debt financing to give Ampd the working capital to build more product in advance of orders received - Attracting talent 25:45 What do you know today that you wish you knew when you started Ampd in 2015? 26:40 When you expand into new markets, will you go direct or leverage channel partners? 28:00 How can the audience follow Ampd Energy or get in touch with you? Website: www.ampd.energy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ampd_energy/ Brandon Ng: https://www.linkedin.com/in/branng/

If you are a regular listener to the TechBurst Asia podcast, you'll know I love talking about OpenRAN, which is kind of strange. I have spent much of the past 20 years looking at the solutions that can leverage the latest and greatest networks, but I am far from an expert when it comes to what it takes to build those networks - and even less of an expert on the technology they run on. So why does OpenRAN fascinate me? Well, it isn't the technology behind it, it's the disruptive business, operating and financial models that it creates. And I like to see how the industry will respond to this disruption.  And let's face it, OpenRAN has been riding pretty high on the hype curve, so I want to understand what it will take for it to live up to that hype.  Today's guest is uniquely suited to help me understand this. He has spent the past couple years working on the groundbreaking Rakuten OpenRAN deployment in Japan, so he's seen first hand the benefits OpenRAN can deliver - and the challenges faced when deploying it.  In addition to that, he works for a company that, on the surface, looks like it would be one of the main companies disrupted by this new model, so I want to understand why they are embracing it.  He is Terry McCabe, Nokia's Chief Technology Officer for Asia Pacific & Japan, where he spearheads Nokia's 5G technology strategy. And yes, we'll talk a bit about 5G - and 6G - as well.  Show Notes: 01:30 How does Nokia define OpenRAN? 04:10 OpenRAN has the potential to disrupt how mobile operators will purchase their networks in the future - yet that didn't stop Nokia from being an early supporter of the OpenRAN Alliance.  What was the rationale behind that decision? 05:30 The first major OpenRAN network deployment was Rakuten in Japan - and Nokia was one of the vendors involved in it. What were your major learnings from this deployment? 09:30 What are Nokia's plans for the next phase of OpenRAN? 10:45 It hasn't always been smooth sailing for OpenRAN, not least when Nokia and some other vendors halted their participation in the OpenRAN Alliance due to concerns raised by the US government about IP protection. That has since been resolved, but is this a sign of the challenges OpenRAN will face in the future? 12:00 When some operators, like AT&T, talk about their plans for OpenRAN, they state their initial deployments will be for in-building and rural coverage. Does that mean we won't see it deployed in city centres? 13:15 What does the ideal OpenRAN customer look like? 14:15 OpenRAN and its potential role in Private 5G 15:30 Who / What / Where should we be keeping an eye on for the next phase of growth for OpenRAN? 17:30 Some people believe that it's too late for OpenRAN to be leveraged for 5G network deployments, meaning that it's real impact would be on 6G deployments. Would you agree? 18:30 What are the Critical Success Factors for OpenRAN to live up to the hype? 19:30 What are some of the risks OpenRAN faces (e.g. energy consumption, openness) 21:30 How do you think the OpenRAN Alliance will evolve - and what impact will the hyperscalers have on the industry? 23:35 What's your prediction for how OpenRAN will evolve in the near term (12-24 months)? 26:00 What are the Best & Worst Case Scenarios for OpenRAN in the medium to long term (5-10 years)? 28:00 Beyond OpenRAN, what else excites you about the future of connectivity? (spoiler alert: 6G, Enterprise Solutions, Private Networks)

Welcome to the final episode of our 3 part series on Emerging Tech Trends with our guest, Analyse Asia's Bernard Leong. In part 2, we covered the latest developments in Drones, AI and digital transformation. For this final episode, we'll dig deep into what's going on with Crypto, what are NFTs, why have they become so popular and how can they be used - and then we'll close out by addressing the big one - what the hell is going on with China.  (note: this podcast was recorded prior to China's recent announcement that declares all crypto-currency transactions illegal - amazing how fast things change!) Show Notes: 00:40 What's the latest trends we need to know about Crypto & Blockchain? - Private blockchains are just databases - and they have failed 02:10 The latest killer apps - Decentralized Finance (DeFi) & Non Fungible Tokens (NFTs) - NFT use cases beyond memes - Creating a syndicate - Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAO) - Countries issuing their one cryptocurrency - like the Digital Chinese Yuan  07:40 Bitcoin / crypto and the Sustainability issues 11:00 The latest on the US / China trade war - There will be two supply chains - China and the rest of the world 15:40 China's crackdown on its own consumer tech vendors  - China's trying to avoid the demographic time bomb that the US, Japan and Singapore face 18:30 How China imposes "shock therapy" on its own ecosystem - Making online education market non-profit - Killing off the 9x9x6 work culture - The US, Japan and Singapore killed off their own manufacturing industries - China wants to retain theirs and copy Germany's model - Crackdown on children's gaming - limited to a few hours per week during specific times 25:00 If I'm a Chinese tech billionaire, should I be scared right now? 25:40 What's next for Bernard and Analyse Asia 28:10 What have you been reading lately that had the most impact on you?

In the first episode of this 3 part series, we did a role reversal, where I switched from being the host - to being the guest to share my views on the latest trends, opportunities and risks related to Smart Cities and 5G.  For this episode, it's back to normal - I'll be interviewing Analyse Asia's Bernard Leong to get his take on the future of drones, the latest developments around AI and Machine Learning, and what digital transformation trends evolved due to the pandemic.  Show Notes: 00:00 Bernard hasn't been on a podcast in two years, including his own Analyse Asia podcast. What has he been up to in the meantime? 01:30 How has the pandemic impacted the future of drones? Are you more or less optimistic? 09:15 What are the latest trends we need to know about in AI and Machine Learning? - How Machine Learning works - What's real and what's hype? - Artificial General Intelligence vs Artificial Narrow Intelligence 21:00 AI's Ethics Dilemma - how do we overcome privacy concerns, the data bias problem, etc.  27:45 What are the COOL emerging solutions that are leveraging AI? 32:00 The pandemic has fast-tracked everyone's digital transformation agendas - what are the key trends (e.g. eKYC) that we need to know about?  

Welcome to the first of a 3-part series on emerging trends in Asia's technology and innovation ecosystems. In this episode, we are going to look at how the Smart Cities & 5G are progressing - and we have a special guest to help us delve into that topic...me. That's right, the host becomes the guest - and we have a special guest host as well.  Many of you will know him as the former host of the hugely successful Analyse Asia podcast - and he was also the guest on my first ever TechBurst Asia podcast. He's none other than Bernard Leong, making his first podcast appearance in over 2 years.  In parts 2 and 3 of this Emerging Trends series, we will revert back to the normal format, with Bernard joining us as the guest to discuss a wide range of topics, including the latest on drones, AI, digital transformation, crypto, NFTs and what in the world is going on in China. Parts 2 and 3 will be out in the coming days, so stay tuned.  Show Notes: 01:15 What are your learnings from doing the TechBurst Asia podcast? And what have you learned from interviewing your guests? 03:15 What is the right user experience for a citizen in a Smart City? 05:45 Smart Buildings: What is the ideal experience for the business owner or facilities manager?  09:00 Why have Smart Cities not lived up to the hype? 12:05 How has Covid pandemic changed the way that people look at Smart Cities? 14:10 How will cities evolve to address the remote working trend? 17:30 Smart City Rankings - why did you create the CRAP Smart City Ranking 19:15 What metric would you use to make a "good" Smart City ranking? 20:40 How do you evaluate the progress on Smart Cities, IoT & 5G? 23:10 What will be the key applications that will leverage 5G? 25:35 If I gave you a magic wand, what would you want to see in the next 3 - 5 years?  

In a recent TechBurst Asia podcast, we delved deep into Singapore's startup and venture capital ecosystems. Not surprisingly, they are both evolving well. But what I wanted to do as a follow up is look at the wider Southeast Asia startup and venture capital ecosystems to see how countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and the others are progressing.  To help me with this, I am joined by my good friend Chris Tran, who has been supporting start-ups in those countries for the past 12 years. This makes him ideally suited to discuss how the markets are developing, identify what works and what needs improvement. And I'm also keen to learn more about the launch of his new Boutique Investment Bank that supports Southeast Asian Technology Entrepreneurs and Investors, Cap Connect.  Show notes: 00:00 Intro to Cap Connect and what led Chris to launch his own boutique investment firm 05:15 How does Chris source deal flow across the many countries in SE Asia 08:00 How is the startup ecosystem evolving across SE Asia, including Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines 16:00 How does the VC industry support SE Asia? Is it all Singapore-based or has each country developed its own funding ecosystem? 19:30 What's the good, the bad and the ugly about Singapore innovation and VC industries? 21:30 What industries are driving innovation across SE Asia  26:30 How has the pandemic impacted startups across the region - and what has been the impact on valuations? 32:00 How Chris got into venture capital and what brought him to Singapore 12 years ago 33:00 What Chris looks for in a founder or startup - and what are the red flags 34:30 What advice do you have for aspiring venture capitalists? 37:45 Tell us something about yourself that will surprise us (note: I recommend listening to this, it is the funniest segment of any podcast I have ever recorded)

We hear the hype about how great our mobile networks are, yet when I speak with enterprise customers, they always talk about the challenges they face to get fast and reliable connectivity across their global sites and operations.  In this podcast, we are going to talk to a Singaporean-based start-up about how they help customers address those challenges. Blue Wireless started in Singapore in 2015, but already supports customers across 80+ countries. We are joined by their Founder and CEO, Ivan Landen, to discuss their start-up journey and how they are committed to doing one thing - and to doing that one thing well - Connectivity.  Show Notes: 01:45 Background on Ivan and his company, Blue Wireless 02:45 The Blue Wireless start-up journey 08:40 From one country to 80 in six years 13:00 Many tech vendors are moving into adjacent sectors, but Blue Wireless focuses on solving just one problem - connectivity. Why did you choose to only focus on your core competencies? 14:45 What does your typical client look like - and industry verticals do you target? 26:50 Is 5G impacting customer demand?  30:45 What's next for Blue Wireless? 32:30 What do you know today that you wish you knew when you started Blue Wireless?    

In recent years, Sustainability has risen to the forefront of the strategic objectives for companies and governments. What concerns me is that when I speak with some of the leaders in ESG, they say there is still too much talk...and too little action. Well, that's not the case for all companies. In this podcast, we'll speak to Renee Peet, Head of Product Management and Marketing for Xylem, about how they lead by example. Xylem is ranked as one of the, if not the, world's best company with regards to sustainability objectives and deliverables. If you want to learn how you - and your company - can make a difference, I truly recommend you listen to this episode.  Show Notes: 01:45 What does water have to do with Sustainability? 05:00 Who is Xylem - and what role do they play in the Sustainability ecosystem? 08:15 What types of solutions does Xylem provide  - and how do they differ for developed and developing markets? 13:50 Who are the major players in the Water Sustainability ecosystem? 14:30 What impact has the pandemic had on your customers? Are they moving forward or holding back? 18:30 How does Xylem drive innovation and how do they engage the wider ecosystem to deliver it? 23:30 Driving a Sustainability agenda at a high level is easy - how does Xylem ensure that it permeates to all levels within the organisation? 29:30 What are the biggest challenges the industry faces? 32:30 Bottom line - what's the worst case scenario if we don't address the world's water issues? 34:30 And the best case scenario - what does the ecosystem need to do to make sure we don't hit the worst case scenario? 36:30 What can I - and we - do on a personal level to help avoid water / climate disaster? Do your part, check out: https://www.xylem.com/en-ms/watermark/

Keeping up with Asia's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems is challenging because the region's DeepTech, Venture Capital and Start-up ecosystems are incredibly complex and diverse. Today, we are going to try to break it down by focusing on the ecosystems in just one country - Singapore.  We are going to discuss three key topics. First, we'll look at DeepTech to discover the latest trends and to understand what unique challenges start-ups in this space face.  Second, we'll look at the state of Venture Capital in Singapore, and, more specifically, is there enough VC funds available to support the longer commercialisation cycles of DeepTech Startups.  Finally, we'll discuss how the start-up ecosystem is evolving and find out what cool new innovations are on the horizon.  To do this, we are joined by David Toh, the Interim CEO of NTUitive, which is the innovation and enterprise subsidiary of Nanyang Technological University (NTU), which is ranked Number 12 in the latest World University Rankings.   Show Notes: 01:00 Intro to NTUitive, including how it supports start-ups and engages with the technology innovation ecosystem.  06:00 How does NTU look at DeepTech? And some examples of DeepTech solutions coming out of NTU.  13:30 What unique challenges do DeepTech start-ups face? And due to their longer commercialisation cycle, how do they set near-term success metrics? 19:30 Where has NTUitive been successful, and where is there room for improvement? 21:30 David's journey from semicon engineer to equity analyst to fund manager to the world of Venture Capital.  27:45 Some of the start-ups David has helped on their start-up journey 29:45 What's the current state of Singapore's start-up and venture capital ecosystems? 37:45 What characteristics does David look for in start-ups - and are there any red flags that would prevent him engaging with a start-up.  43:45 Let's look five to ten years in the future, and DeepTech has been incredibly successful in Singapore. How did the ecosystem evolve to enable that success? Alternatively, let's say that DeepTech bombs. What mistakes did the ecosystem make? 48:30 What advice do you have for someone who is thinking about creating a start-up? Or someone who wants to go into Venture Capital?  

The global pandemic has wreaked havoc on many industries - with the Food & Beverage industry one of the hardest hit. Most countries, at some point, have had to ban dining in - and even once that restriction is lifted, they have limited the restaurant capacity to only 50-70% of the pre-pandemic levels. To survive financially, restaurants have had to pivot their business and operating models online to create new revenue streams.  In this episode, we are going to look at the role tech has played in helping restaurants overcome these unprecedented challenges.  If you live in Asia and like food, you'll know today's guest, Dave Pynt. Dave is  the chef and owner of the one Michelin starred restaurant Burnt Ends - which is currently ranked #14 on Asia's Top 50 Restaurants and #59 globally.  Show Notes: 01:30 Intro to Dave and how a surfer from Western Australia developed into one of Asia's top chefs 08:00 Dave's restaurant portfolio, including 2 x Meatsmiths in Singapore, another Meatsmith in Doha and The Ledge in the Maldives 10:50 How Dave leveraged tech in the pre-Covid world 12:45 How the Burnt Ends Group has used tech to transform their operations 18:30 How does a restaurant with no IT department drive digital transformation? 24:00 What's next for Burnt Ends Group (hint: BE to move from Teck Lim to Dempsey - and a Brew Pub launching in 2023) And more chats about Dave's favourite places to eat, the importance of good ingredients and what it's like to cook a wild boar on a spit on the slopes of Mt. Fuji.

Last week, GSMA hosted Mobile World Congress 2021 in Barcelona. Because we are still in a pandemic, it was quite different from previous events.  But what I want to know is what was the latest news and buzz coming out of MWC. And luckily, I know someone who attended the event in person - so let's get the lowdown from him.  Ferry Grikpink is a Senior Partner with McKinsey & Company,  the founder of McKinsey's Center for Advanced Connectivity and McKinsey's Global Lead, Digital & Analytics, for Technology, Media & Telecommunications.  Show Notes: 03:00 What were the key themes at MWC 07:00 The US (284) has nearly as many cities with 5G coverage as China (376), but it only has 10% of the number of 5G subscribers. What causes this variance? 14:00 The latest on OpenRAN, including the announcements from NTT/NEC, Google Cloud and more 17:00 Data Privacy - has the operator's failure to monetise mobile advertising created a new Value Proposition for them? 20:00 The coolest solutions at MWC, including multi-player AR gaming, creating mesh networks from chipsets and more.  23:00 Rapid Fire Q's  - Biggest surprise at MWC - Biggest disappointment - Wish List - what wasn't discussed that should have been?

There's a new tech industry buzzword floating around that I need to understand better - and that buzzword is OpenRAN. The reason I need to understand it better is because it seems like it has the capability to transform the way mobile operators purchase, deploy and support their networks.  In the old days, it was easy, you rang up one of the network equipment manufacturers, like Nokia, Ericsson or Huawei, and they built your network. But with OpenRAN, operators can choose from hundreds of vendors and thousands of network configurations. That sounds complex - so I want to understand better what OpenRAN is - and why are so many companies and operators are excited by it.  In this podcast, we are joined by the Founder & CEO of the global business advisory firm BlueFire, Rob Jones, for our introduction to OpenRAN. Show Notes 02:00 Intro to Rob & BlueFire 05:00 What the hell is OpenRAN - and why should we care about it? 07:30 The transformation from buying from one vendor (e.g. Nokia, Ericsson, Huawei) to the OpenRAN model 11:00 OpenRAN promises massive OpEx and CapEx savings, can it deliver on those promises? And if so, what does that mean for the network equipment manufacturers.  18:00 Will the reduced costs de-risk 5G network investments and increase deployments? 22:00 How will the OpenRAN ecosystem evolve, and what role with the likes of Nokia, Ericsson and Huawei play in it? 27:00 The role of the hyperscalers - how Microsoft, Google, AWS and Facebook have jumped on the OpenRAN bandwagon. 31:00 OpenRAN's role in Private 5G 32:00 What will it take for OpenRAN to be a success? 35:00 What are the biggest risks across the OpenRAN ecosystem that could prevent it from living up to the hype? 40:00 Examples of mobile operator innovation, including Rakuten and Malaysia's 5G strategy 45:00 The bottom line - will OpenRAN live up to the hype  

The pandemic put unprecedented pressures on the healthcare industry. Few countries were prepared for the crisis, which not only exposed the inefficiencies within the healthcare industry, but also led to many unnecessary deaths.  The TRUTH is - many healthcare systems around the world are in desperate need of repair, but the QUESTION is, can technology save the healthcare industry?  To help me answer this question, I am joined by Craig Vercruysse from the Lean Healthcare Practice at Moss Adams, and the former Chief Operating Officer, Chief Process Officer & Chief Information Officer for California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.  Show notes: 01:45 Craig's background in the healthcare industry 05:30 What is the LEAN management system - and how can it be deployed to benefit the healthcare industry? 09:45 How the US got its initial Covid response so wrong - and why Craig wasn't surprised 14:30 Why the US transitioned from contact tracing to testing 22:30 The positives that came out of the pandemic, including the re-tooling of the manufacturing industry to address the PPE shortage, the explosion of TeleHealth and more.  30:00 While the US screwed up its initial Covid response, it has done remarkably well with vaccinations. What changed to allow this? 35:00 Vaccine Passports may be required for travel in the future, but how can they be deployed, supported and secured? 39:30 Can technology save healthcare and help address the "collective trauma" being experienced by the frontline workers, transform the patient experience and solve the lack of interoperability amongst healthcare providers? 46:30 How wearables and sensors will drive the personalisation of patient management 56:30 The impact that automation will have on healthcare workers - and do we need a Universal Basic Income?  

This TechBurst Asia podcast will give you your gadget fix for 2021. We will discuss Smartphones - which ones are doing well (Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi), which ones are struggling (Huawei, LG), and what features you can expect in the coming years.  We will look at the smart wearables market to see if Smartwatches have finally lived up to the hype, and to find out if anyone can catch the Apple Watch. And finally, we'll get the lowdown on the latest announcements from Apple about its latest iPad innovations, the launch of AirTags, and the new colourful iMacs. To help us with this analysis, we are joined by one of the world's leading device analysts, IDC Asia Pacific's Bryan Ma.  SHOW NOTES: 02:00 Who is winning the smartphone race? 04:00 LG exits the smartphone market - what mistakes did they make? 06:30 Why do so many smartphone vendors fail (Nokia, BlackBerry, LG) 08:50 How the China / US trade war has led to Huawei's chipset crisis 14:30 What are the latest features (cameras, foldables, rollables)  that are driving the market? 18:00 What impact is 5G having on the smartphone market? 20:40 What the hell is a rollable phone? And do we need it? 22:00 When will Apple come out with a foldable phone? 23:00 Apple is releasing an iPhone software update with a new privacy feature that requires apps like Facebook to ask for the user's approval to track them. Facebook hates this, I love it, what does Bryan think? 27:20 Can 5G's speeds and low latency save AR/VR? 31:00 The latest on wearables - the big three vendors (Xiaomi, Apple, Huawei) are running away with it. Can Google save Fitbit? Should Samsung give up on the smartwatch market? And can anyone catch the Apple Watch? 39:00 Apple's new product launches - the slick new iPads, colourful iMacs and surprise launch - Apple goes into tracking with AirTags.  49:00 Bryan's predictions - what will the world look like in 5 years for smartphones, wearables and AR / VR / Mixed Reality headsets. 

In recent years, we have seen an increase in the number of initiatives that have raised global awareness about the importance of gender diversity, the challenge of the gender pay gap - as well as the issue of a lack of women in senior leadership positions. But while these initiatives draw more attention to these issues, what I want to understand is has this attention led to progress. Are we getting any closer to closing the Gender Gap? And today's guest, Uma Thana Balasingam, is ideally suited to help me delve deeper into this question. In her day job, she's the Vice President of the Partner & Commercial Organization for VMWare in Asia Pacific. She has also been recognised by CRN in their "Most Powerful Women of the Channel" global list, and she also features in Singapore's Top 100 Women in IT. But she does so much more across the ICT ecosystem than just that.  She's also the Co-Founder of Lean In's Singapore Chapter and the Founder of Lean In Women in Tech Asia and  Women in Tech Singapore.  Show Notes: 02:00 Intro to Uma - how she got where she is today 07:20 The opportunities the pandemic created for VMWare 10:00 How has the pandemic affected how you communicate with your internal and external teams? 14:00 What do you understand today from a business perspective that you wish you understood 5 or 10 years ago? 17:00 How has an introvert thrived in what many would think are extrovert roles? 20:00 We hear about gender equality and the gender pay gap, but the question is, are we really making progress? 24:00 The World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2021 highlights the massive gender gaps in emerging jobs - what do we need to do to improve this? 31:30 Intro to Lean In Singapore  33:30 What is unconscious bias? And can you give us examples of where you have experienced it? 42:40 The Provocative Questions. Uma and I agreed that I would be intentionally provocative in this section - asking her questions that some men might want to ask, but won't because they are concerned they will be branded as sexist.  64:30 What can men do to help create fair and equal environments for women?

The amount of data that we create, capture, and consume is growing exponentially. In fact, according to IDC, the amount of data we will create in the next three years - will be more than the data we created over the past 30 years. That sounds great, but it does raise a lot of questions.  What are companies and governments doing with that data? Is our data being used ethically? Who should be responsible for setting  the regulations about how data captured can be used? These are just some of the questions that we will discuss in this podcast.  Today's guest, Michael Conlin, will help delve deeper into these questions. He currently is the Chief Technology Officer for Definitive Logic, a US-based analytics and digital transformation specialist vendor, and was previously, the first ever Chief Data Officer for the U.S. Department of Defense (and almost the U.S. Data Czar - listen in to find out what happened).  Show Notes: 02:00 The journey that led a psychology major to become the first Chief Data Officer for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) 09:00 The transition from the private to the public sector - what attracted Micheal to the DoD? 14:30 What was it like on Day 1 when you realised you were responsible for straightening out the data structure and strategy for the DoD's 3.2 million employees and across its 13,000 operational IT systems? 20:00 The U.S. has a Border Czar, Bird Flu Czar & Cybersecurity Czar - was he the Data Czar? 23:30 What are the main differences between being a CTO/CDO in the public versus private sector - and what unique challenges did you face with the DoD? 33:15 Why do we still trust Facebook despite its data breach that released the personal information of 533 million users - but don't trust the government with our data? 43:15 The role of Ethics in Artificial Intelligence 52:15 Who should be responsible for setting the rules and regulations relating to the acceptable and ethical use of data captured by companies, governments, etc.? 60:00 Microsoft recently signed a USD 22 Billion contract with the US military to deliver 120,000 HoloLens mixed reality headsets. If you were the CDO/CTO overseeing this for the military, how would you mitigate the risks - and what opportunities would you see for the devices? 67:15 You recently left the U.S. DoD and its 3.2 million employees for Definitive Logic and its 250 employees. What led to the change?  71:30 The Fun questions How does an introvert like you thrive in situations that require you to play the role of an extrovert? Tell us about your interesting hobbies, including being a blacksmith, enamelist, glass gaffer, goldsmith, sculptor & lapidary. Prince William was recently crowned the world's sexiest bald man - are you disappointed that you weren't nominated?

The global pandemic has impacted every industry, but one industry that will face more impact than most is the Real Estate industry. In this podcast, we'll look at the pandemic's impact on the Future of Buildings from the Design, Build and Operate perspectives.  Guests: Tim Kobe Founder and CEO, Eight Inc.  Founder and Chairman, x8ventures Author of the new book, Return on Experience Thomas Jakob Regional President, Bosch.IO Asia Pacific Susheel Koul Division President - Corporate Solutions, JLL Asia Pacific Show Notes 02:00 Intro to the guests, their companies and the role they play in the Future of Buildings 03:30 What's something that the pandemic has fundamentally changed with your business? 08:40 Once you got over the initial shock of the pandemic, what opportunities did you identify that your companies should go after? 14:20 Let's say that I am your customer. Not only am I trying to ensure that I can create a safe and secure environment for my employees, customers and citizens to return to, but also an environment they WANT to return to. What advice would you give me? 21:15 You each sell products & services to corporate clients, but people are the end users. How do you incorporate the consumer - or employee - or citizen experience into your work? 27:50 One positive that has come about as a result of the pandemic, is that governments have used the time to fast-track their sustainability initiatives - which will hopefully lead to more green & energy efficient buildings in the future. How has this increased focus on sustainability impacted your company and your clients? 33:25 You each possess a vision for what is possible - even if the market isn't ready for it. Tell me about something your company has the capabilities to deliver, but you're still waiting for someone to say, "yeah, let's go for it". 38:20 The pandemic has forced companies to care more about the welfare of their employees. The question is, will this corporate empathy last when we shift into the post-pandemic world? 43:00 What is your key takeaway that the audience should remember for the post-Covid future? 47:00 Fast and fun round of questions What's your prediction for when we get back to business as usual - or will we? Tell me something about the future of work that will be fundamentally different post covid.  Work from home - will it last in a post-covid world?  Tell me something your company has done during the pandemic that makes you proud.  In pre-Covid days, we all spent much of our time travelling around the world for our work. But those days are long gone. What's the best - and worst - thing about not having the crazy travel schedule?

We live in a world where the latest technologies, including AI, 5G, and blockchain, have the capability to truly transform the way we work, live and play. The problem is, they don't always live up to the hype.  Far too often, the ICT industry pushes the latest technologies and solutions on the market and hope they get adopted, rather than by tailoring solutions to meet the market's needs and proving that they can deliver tangible business value. The supply and demand sides of the market don't work together as effectively as they should, and that's why we are lucky to have today's guest, Michael Gryseels, with us because he sits at the crossroads of technology supply and market demand.He's currently the Executive Vice Chairman of Thailand's True Digital Group and the Chief Digital Officer for CP Group, which is Thailand's largest private company and one of the largest conglomerates globally.  This combination of roles provides him not only with insights into the market's requirements - but also the capability to launch solutions to meet those requirements.  Prior to these roles, he spent nearly 20 years with McKinsey & Company, where he was a Senior Partner and led McKinsey Digital Labs in Asia. Show notes:  01:15 Intro to True Digital, CP Group and A Day in the Life of Michael 05:15 CP Group operates in 15 industry verticals. What process do you follow to identify the opportunities and source the innovation that will digitise these industries? 07:00 You have been in your roles for 3 years, can you give us some examples of the initiatives that you've implemented, or solutions that you've deployed, that you're proud of? 10:00 Status of 5G in Thailand, including which 5G use cases has True Digital identified, does Thailand's strong manufacturing sector create an opportunity for Private 5G, and what are the Critical Success Factors for operators to be successful in 5G? 15:10 Where would you like to see True Digital and CP Group in 3 years time? 17:15 When you look at the global mobile operators, which ones do you think are doing the best job at driving digital solutions? 19:00 When implementing digital solutions, companies often get stuck in what McKinsey defines as "Pilot Purgatory". What advice do you have for companies to overcome this? 22:10 Which technologies do you think will have the biggest impact in the next 12 to 24 months? 24:00 Fun Questions What do you know today about True Digital / CP Group / Thailand that you wish you understood when you started on this journey? You have lived in 15 countries - and worked in many more. Outside of Thailand, where did you find the most exciting place to work? When I was 16 years old, I had a blond mohawk, spent my after school hours skateboarding and attending as many punk rock shows as possible. What were you doing at 16? Let's say I have the power to turn back time - and I can turn you into a university student today. What would you study - and what would you want to do with your career?

We recently have talked about the future of 5G - and today - we will take that to the next level. We'll discuss the models being used to fund 5G investments, the consumer and enterprise solutions and services that will help operators monetise those investments and discuss which types of operators are best suited to capitalise on the emerging opportunities.  We are joined by Ferry Grijpink, a Senior Partner with McKinsey & Company based out of Amsterdam. Ferry is also the Founder of the McKinsey Center for Advanced Connectivity and is their Global Lead for Digital and Analytics for the Telecoms, Media and Tech Industry.  Show notes: 01:00 Intro to Ferry Grijpink, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company 02:20 How can operators monetise consumer 5G solutions and services - beyond gaming 06:00 The 5G funding models - is network sharing the way forward? 09:30 What is OpenRAN - and can it become a game changer? 13:45 Why do operators struggle to provide solutions and services to the SMB market segment? 17:30 Which industry verticals and use cases will drive the Enterprise 5G market opportunity? 20:45 What role - if any - will operators play in the Private 5G market? 23:30 Which telecoms markets do you find the most exciting? 26:35 What advice do you have for operators to help them build the infrastructure, solutions and services to be successful in the 5G world? 28:45 The fun questions - Which 5G buzzwords (e.g. OpenRAN, Private 5G, shared network infrastructure) will get the most hype in 2021? - What do you miss about living and working in Asia? - What would you do with your career if you weren't in consulting? Ferry has a new "5G Chart of the Day - all charts, no bullshit" newsletter. You can subscribe to it here: https://ferrycgrijpink.substack.com/  Keep an eye out for Ferry & I talking on Clubhouse soon...  

TechBurst Asia sat down with PwC's Mike Graham to discuss Southeast Asia's latest tech trends and the annoying buzzwords and catchphrases we have been forced to endure during the pandemic. We also talk about our predictions for what WILL - and WON'T happen in 2021.  Show Notes 01:00 Intro to Mike Graham and his multiple roles at PwC  08:20 Review of 2020: Which companies managed the pandemic well - and not so well? 12:15 What positives can we take from 2020? 15:50 What will the big stories in 2021 related to 5G in Southeast Asia 23:50 Why have Southeast Asia telcos lagged behind the global telcos with regards to innovation?   28:30 We keep hearing that during 2020, companies will implement 10 years of digital transformation in 2 months - can we keep the pace of change?  32:00 Which buzzword (e.g. 5G, OpenRAN, Digital Twins, FinTech) will have the biggest impact in 2021? 34:30 Random tech chats about OpenRAN, Rakuten, Jio, Drones, Smart Cities, higher education's role in PPP's, etc.  43:15 What WON'T happen in 2021? 47:00 What is the worst buzzword or phrase we created during the pandemic? 48:00 The importance of finding a way to decompress while working from home (spoiler alert: jigsaw puzzles help!) 52:00 PwC's new B2B digital marketplace to help their clients source innovative solutions - and help start-ups reach enterprise customers. 

In this podcast, we are going to take another look at 5G. In our last episode, we discussed whether Telcos will be able to monetise their 5G investments. We were pretty harsh in our criticism of the 5G ecosystem, but that doesn't mean that I don't think 5G will be a game changer. Rather, I just think we need to reset our expectations of capabilities and benefits that 5G will bring to the market. Yes, 5G will bring faster speeds, but that's just the tip of the iceberg.  In this episode, we sat down with Danial Mausoof, Nokia's Global Sales Head for Enterprise Services, to discuss what differentiates 5G from traditional networks - and and whether 5G will become the tech industry buzzword that FINALLY lives up to the HYPE. . Show Notes: 01:30 Danial's career journey with Motorola Solutions & Nokia  09:05 What differentiates 5G from the existing networks like 4G? 12:40 Today's 5G networks deliver faster speeds, but there is still more spectrum to be allocated that will support future 5G services (e.g. mission-critical services). How do you see 5G deployments evolving? 17:00 Nokia recently released its "5G Readiness Report", where it surveyed 1,628 global technology decision makers about "5G+ enabled digitalisation." To start, what the hell is 5G+ enabled digitalisation? 19:50 In 2030, 5G+ spend in 2030 will reach $4.5 Trillion - but only $600 Billion (13%) will be for public connectivity. $2.2 Trillion (48%) will be on Edge Infrastructure / Cloud Platforms. How is this related to 5G? 22:10 $900 Billion (20%) of this spend will be on Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning - how is this related to 5G? 24:40 The final $800 Billion (18%) relates to the deployment of Private 5G networks. Why do we need Private 5G networks - and why are companies like John Deere and Bosch deploying them to support their manufacturing plants? 30:00 86% of decision makers already have some kind of a 5G strategy - what are the use cases that are driving the strategic focus on 5G? 33:00 72% of those surveyed say they plan to invest in 5G by 2025. What do these enterprises need to do to make sure they get a positive ROI on these investments - and what challenges will they need to overcome? 36:20 How will 5G impact Smart Cities? 39:00 Tough Question #1: What are the security implications for 5G? 43:20 Tough Question #2: Let's say I am a tech decision maker managing the complexities created by the global pandemic - why should I give a damn about 5G? 45:20 Tough Question #3: 500,000 South Korean consumers have switched back to 4G from 5G - does that mean that we really don't need 5G? 47:15 Tough Question #4: As an industry, we have failed to live up to the hype around the latest tech trends (e.g. 4G, IoT, or Smart Cities). Will we learn from our past mistakes - or will 5G follow a similar path? 49:15 What is something going on in the 5G ecosystem that we should be tracking? (spoiler alert: it is OpenRAN) 50:30 Tell me about a solution that 5G will enable that I - as a consumer - should be excited about.  52:00 When do we have to start worrying about 6G? 

In 2021, most mobile operators in the developed markets will have launched 5G - the question is - will they be able to monitise it. And more importantly, do customers even care about 5G? Today's guest, Chris Lewis, has over 30 years' experience as a telecoms and ICT industry analyst, but don't let that scare you. While many analysts pontificate about their vast knowledge, Chris' insights are pragmatic and entertaining - which is why I like him so much.  Chris is also one of the UK's leading advocates for the visually impaired. Is the telecoms industry doing enough to drive inclusivity? Or are we creating yet another digital divide? And why doesn't his guide dog Varley have his own Instagram account?  Show Notes: 01:00 Intro to Chris Lewis, Founder of Lewis Insight and the Great Telco Debate 05:50 Connectivity - the invisible service  07:30 Highlights from the 2020 Great Telco Debate 11:30 Telcos in a post-Covid world: are we creating a two-tier Telecoms industry? 14:00 Are the Telcos ready for 5G? And do customers actually want or care about 5G? 20:00 Telcos have a sustainability issue - should we see more network sharing? 24:30 What the future holds for the tech industry analyst industry 27:00 The key to career success - find something you are passionate about 29:00 Telcos tell us the future is mobile - in reality, the world runs on fixed. And why the hell do telcos still charge us for having a home fixed line phone when no one has one?  36:00 Accessibility - are telcos doing enough to help? Chris is one of the UK's leading advocates for ensuring people with disabilities get access to the digital lifestyle through his work on the boards of the  Royal Institute of Blind and Vision 2020 Technology For Life initiative.  41:00 Telstra was ranked #1 globally in a recent ICT industry "Digital Inclusion Benchmark", which ranks vendors' focus on digital inclusion as part of their overall strategy.  42:00 Why doesn't Chris' guide dog Varley have his own Instagram account? 48:30 How telcos can use emerging technology to support guide dogs. In a difficult year like 2020, where charities for the visually impaired have struggled to raise money, why hasn't someone like Vodafone sponsored guide dog technology? Jon Buckthorp - over to you!