In this episode, we discuss a hard tech startup’s journey from customer development to product design and prototyping to business viability and sustainable market growth.     Thierry van Landegem is Executive Director at mHUb Chicago. mHUB's mission is to develop an entrepreneurial ecosystem around physical product development and manufacturing, and to accelerate industry growth by cultivating a community of collaboration between entrepreneurs, innovators and manufacturers. mHUB is a mission-driven 501 (c) 3 organization designed to support the future economy through the fostering of ideas into sustainable businesses and development of talent. As a leading physical product and manufacturing innovation center in the U.S., mHUB is dedicated to supporting startups and businesses by creating the conditions for product innovation to thrive. mhubchicago.com mhubaccelerator.com    Contact Thierry: Thierry@mhubchicago.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/thierryvanlandegem   IoT ONE is a IIoT focused research and advisory firm. We provide research to enable you to grow in the digital age. Our services include market research, competitor information, customer research, market entry, partner scouting, and innovation programs. For more information, please visit iotone.com

EP077 - Hard tech accelerators for manufacturing hardware innovations - Thierry van Landegem, Executive Director, mHub Chicago.

The IIoT Spotlight Podcast shines a light on Industrial IoT solutions that are impacting businesses today. Every week, we interview an expert about IoT markets, technologies, or use cases. Our goal is to provide insight into the planning and implementation of IIoT systems, from new business models to technology architecture selection to data ownership and security. 

Our host, Erik Walenza, CEO of IoT ONE, has worked in China for 11 years and he is an active member of the Chinese innovation ecosystem. 
He is passionate about exploring the impact of digitalization in businesses, and through his position as Chair of the Technology and Innovation Committee in China he plays an active role in the exchange of best practices for innovation strategy and tech trends evolution in Asia, but also worldwide. Erik has interviewed over 100 CEOs and venture capitalists while building one of Shanghai’s largest entrepreneur networks. 

The IIoT Spotlight is produced by IoT ONE. IoT ONE is a specialized consultancy that researches digital landscapes and supports the development and implementation of digital transformation strategies in Asia and beyond.

Don't forget to follow us on LinkedIn @iot-one or visit our website at www.iotone.com. You can contact Erik directly at erik.walenza@iotone.com.

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In this episode, we spoke with David Puron, CEO of Barbara. Barbara specializes in secure edge computing platforms designed to enhance industrial operations. David shared insights on how edge computing enables real-time decision-making, improves data security, and optimizes network efficiency in various industrial applications. During our discussion, we delved into the practical strategies and real-world implementations that are shaping the future of industrial IoT through edge computing.   Key Discussion Points:   

EP 204

In today's episode, we're joined by Nikunj Mehta, Founder and CEO of Falkonry, a company revolutionizing plant operations with AI-driven insights. We explore the evolution of AI from project-based work to scalable software solutions, discussing the role of generative AI in automating data processing and simplifying output delivery. Nikunj shares insights on building trust in AI systems and leveraging wearables for real-time insights on the shop floor.  Key Discussion Points:  Falkonry's platform analyzes industrial equipment data to identify issues and trends. Software-based AI reduces implementation time and resources for companies. Challenges in AI adoption include building trust in AI systems and integrating diverse data sources.   To learn more about our guest, you can find him at:  Website: https://falkonry.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nrmehta/   

EP 203 - Scaling AI: Revolutionizing Manufacturing Operations

In this podcast, Erik hosts Ron Konezny from Digi, a company with a long-standing history in providing reliable hardware but has evolved to become a solutions provider focusing on IoT. Ron details his journey from his initial steps in the wireless communications industry to his role in integrating technology and business models at Digi, aiming to transform it into a solutions provider with a significant portion of its revenue being recurring. They discuss how IoT has evolved, the importance of considering a holistic system rather than fragmented pieces, and the challenges of managing IoT solutions. Ron emphasizes the shift towards hardware-enabled recurring revenue models and the integration of software and services to create more resilient and adaptable solutions. The conversation covers the role of AI in refining IoT data analysis, the potential and limitations of technologies like 5G and LoRa, and the strategic movement towards offering more comprehensive IoT solutions that allow customers to focus on leveraging data insights. Additionally, Ron reflects on Digi's venture into vertical integration with SmartSense, offering a turnkey IoT solution for condition monitoring, underlining the importance of domain expertise in developing impactful IoT applications.   00:11 The Evolution of IoT and Digi's Journey 01:32 The Transformation from Hardware to Solutions Provider 02:29 Navigating the IoT Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities 04:30 The Role of Services in IoT Solutions 16:27 Exploring Use Cases and the Impact of IoT 31:53 The Future of IoT: Technologies and Trends 36:24 Digi's Strategic Focus and Vision for IoT

EP 202 - Navigating IoT Solutions: A Dive into Digi's Evolution and Future

In this episode of the Industrial IoT Spotlight podcast, Erik Walenza of IoT ONE hosts Mike McCamon from the NFC Forum to explore the future of NFC technology. We explore how IoT device manufacturers are collaborating to drive the rapid development of NFC standards and technical capabilities. These efforts led to the NFC Forum’s recent release of its next gen technology development roadmap, which includes power harvesting, range extension, device-to- device connectivity, multi-tap use cases, and digital product passports for sustainability. Mike shares his vision for the potential of NFC beyond payments, such as in access control for building and data sharing between IoT devices. He also shares critical challenges yet to overcome, such as the need for improved user experience and range to simplify the design process for OEMs.    Five elements of the NFC Forum's technology development roadmap: power harvesting, range extension, device-to-device connectivity, multi-tap use cases, and digital product passports Potential applications of NFC technology beyond payment transactions, including access control, digital keys, and business card exchanges NFC's role in car connectivity and potential use in tracking high-value items through blockchain technology Disruption of QR code-based payment systems by NFC technology in retail environments    About Mike McCamon   Mike McCamon is a seasoned technology executive with over 30 years of experience in the tech industry. He is currently the Executive Director of the NFC Forum, an industry association dedicated to advancing NFC, standards and use cases. Under his leadership, the NFC Forum has grown to include over 300 member companies from all over the world.  Demonstrating a wide range of skills and passions he has been both the inaugural executive director of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group and later on the executive team that launched Water.org. He also led high-growth teams at Apple, Iomega, Intel and several startups. He is a frequent speaker and author on technology and social impact topics.   About the NFC Forum The NFC Forum, established in 2004, is a non-profit industry association comprised of leading mobile communications, semiconductor, and consumer electronics companies. Its mission is to advance the use of Near Field Communication technology by developing specifications, ensuring interoperability, and educating the market about NFC technology. The NFC Forum's global member companies share skills, technical expertise and industry knowledge to develop specifications and protocols for interoperable data exchange, device-independent service delivery, and device capability. Forum’s supporting certification program and user marks enhance and promote a consistent, reliable, seamless and secure NFC user experience. To learn more about joining the Forum, visit https://nfc-forum.org/

EP 201 - Tap, Pay, and Play: The NFC Forum's Guide to Contactless Technology

In this episode of the Industrial IoT Spotlight podcast, Kenta Yasukawa, CTO of Soracom, and Erik Walenza, CEO of IoT ONE, discuss the integration of generative AI with IoT. Kenta highlights how gen AI lowers the barrier to entry for AI and IoT solutions, enabling a broader audience to leverage machine learning without extensive data collection or model building. He outlines Soracom's platform capabilities, including secure connectivity and application integration, and its role in facilitating innovation for diverse organizations. They explore the value of IoT data in various applications and the importance of human involvement in AI decision-making. The episode emphasizes Soracom's commitment to customer-driven platform evolution and the potential of AI and IoT to revolutionize industrial connectivity.   Tune in to learn:  •      Potential applications of generative AI (gen AI) in IoT  •      Soracom's efforts in incorporating gen AI into its IoT platform  •      Challenges and opportunities in the collaboration between humans and AI in IoT scenarios  •      Use of gen AI to streamline processes and aid in logo design  •      Potential value of IoT data and its incremental value to different stakeholders  •      Bottom-up nature of AI solutions and its potential for driving innovation and connectivity in the industrial IoT space         

EP077 - Hard tech accelerators for manufacturing hardware innovations - Thierry van Landegem, Executive Director, mHub Chicago.

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