Innovation Undercover enjoyed talking with Marianna Bonanome, Head of Education Outreach at SandboxAQ. SandboxAQ brings Quantum Tech and AI together to solve challenging problems impacting society. 

Quantum computing is a revolutionary approach that speeds up solutions to complex and previously unsolvable problems faster and more accurately.. According to McKinsey & Company, industries like life sciences, chemicals, automotive, and financial services will potentially gain $1,3 trillion in value by 2023 with the help of quantum.

Renu and Michael dove into the fascinating futuristic world of quantum computing with Marianna, who succinctly summarises the three verticals at SandboxAQ and why they matter. You will also be inspired to explore the details of quantum resistance, simulation, optimization, navigation, cryptography, and many other things this immense technology offers.

Some of the topics we discussed:

1. Exploring ways to shore up existing security protocols to make them quantum resistant

2. Talent: Pull in the brightest, the best, and the brightest from across multi-disciplines together

3. Education: Setting up a minor degree program in quantum engineering

4. Working with the US AirForce

5. Diversity tipping point for Quantum and the opportunities it presents

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This episode was produced by Khrystyna Khmilovska.

Innovation Undercover loved chatting with Dominique Reese, Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Plug and Play Tech Center & Laura Miller, VP of Customer Success at Voxel. Plug and Play Tech Center is one of the most prominent venture capitalists in Silicon Valley and the world’s largest innovation platform. 

According to Pew Research Center, most of the ethnic workforce other than Asians are underrepresented in the STEM industries, except for Asians. The share of Black employees in tech industries was 9%, and Hispanics were at  8%. Gender inequality also persists even among white workers. White females annually earn $30 000 less than their male peers.

Renu and Michael discovered from Dominique and Laura how Plug and Play Tech Center navigates this lack of representation. One of the ways of being proactive in correcting these inequalities is their DE&II-focused initiative, DRIVE, which stands for Diversity, Respect, Inclusion, Visibility, and Equity. You will also know about the story behind the founding of Plug and Play, the life journey of its founder Saeed Amidi and why the organization has expanded so rapidly. 

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This episode was produced by Khrystyna Khmilovska.

Innovation Undercover had a wonderful conversation with Deborah Watkins, Founder & CEO at Care Bridge International. Care Bridge International is a data analytics insurtech  that drives the next-generation claim process by forecasting lifetime medical treatment and costs for claims.

In the US, healthcare expenses represent 17.6% of national GDP, which is $600 billion more than expected for a country of that size and wealth.  According to McKinsey & Company, this number can be significantly reduced by $300 to $450 billion, only by implementing data intelligence.

Renu and Michael discussed with Deborah all the benefits and pitfalls of bringing data intelligence to the health care and insurance industries and how it influences the various stakeholders, such as physicians, patients, or claim adjusters. You will also learn how Deborah combines her nursing background with data science to form a valuable business. And even more, the answer to the question “Will AI replace your job?”  is also covered in this episode.

Some of the topics we discussed:

Other titles we considered:

1. We Respect the Expert’s Opinion, but the Data Says a Different Story

2. Making The Machine and Human Work Together for Better Results

3. It’s the Most Exciting Thing and the Most Terrifying Thing I’ve Ever Done

4. I Look at It and Say, That Makes Sense

5.That’s How We’re Made. We’re Made to Be Connected

This episode was produced by Khrystyna Khmilovska.

Innovation Undercover had a wonderful conversation with James Sanders, Ecosystem Developer at Baloise Group. Traditionally an insurance company, Baloise is now building a mobility ecosystem by investing in start-ups and has been deeply involved in innovation on this front.

According to the United Nations, 258 million children and youth were out of school because of poverty, discrimination, and lack of resources.  Education and equality are one of the leverages and aspects of democracy. At the same time, equity is the primary tool for equality. It provides access to the same opportunities by distributing the resources to those who need them most, thus equalling the playing field. It promotes fairness, social mobility, economic growth, diversity, and inclusion. On the contrary, equal distribution of resources only maintains inequality.

Renu and Michael defined with James the differences between these concepts agreeing that “Opportunity should be there for everybody.” James also reflected on how being the son of high-ranked military parents, coaching baseball, and living in various places such as Australia to Switzerland influenced his vision of both genders, business, and life. He also shares some valuable insights into how Baloise has been diversifying their core business in the recent past.

Some of the topics we discussed:

Other titles we considered:

1. Hey, You Take It, You Learn From It, and Move On to the Next Thing

2. I Was Made in Japan, but I Was Born in California

3. Everyone Can Bring Something to the Table

4. You Can Always Find Value in Everything

5. I Don’t Think I’ve Been the Smartest Person in the Room, Since Maybe Kindergarten

This episode was produced by Khrystyna Khmilovska.

Innovation UnderCover was joined by Karen Wendt, President & Angel Investor at SwissFinTechLadies. SwissFinTechLadies is a female FinTech Community that seeks to encourage and involve more women in the industry by boosting incubator/accelerator programs, mentoring, and theme events.

Globally, financial literacy is positively linked to income and wealth, and in Switzerland, while  62% of men could correctly answer finance-related questions, only  39% of women could do the same. Thus the importance of female education is evident as it significantly influences their long-term financial well-being.

Renu and Michael were happy to talk with Karen, who actively creates the future with more women in power by delivering book and film series on sustainable finance, leading the SwissFinTechLadies, and promoting investment in Switzerland. Thanks to our versatile guest, in this episode, you will dive deep into the financial world, get inspired to invest, and discover Karen’s drivers and measures of success.

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This episode was produced by Khrystyna Khmilovska.

Innovation Undercover reached out to Ravina Mutha, Co-founder at Enterprise Bot. Enterprise Bot fuels the future of Hyperautomation by delivering AI-powered e-mail, chat, and voice bots that make customers happier and reduces operational cost by 40%.

“Omnichannel experience is a requirement for survival” - that is how McKinsey & Company states it. According to  PWC, one in three customers will leave the brand after just one bad experience. That is where AI-powered bots are in handy, as they can significantly improve customer experience and reduce the chance of business failure.

Renu and Michael enjoyed talking to Ravina about the insights of running the omnichannel business, as Enterprise Bot has been developing AI-powered bots even before they became a buzzword. Being “a global entrepreneur, a mum of twins, and really into technology and business,” Ravina shared with us how she started her first business at 22 in India and continued her entrepreneurial path in Europe. Consequently, we also discussed the differences in business culture in Asia and Europe.

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This episode was produced by Khrystyna Khmilovska.

Innovation Undercover recorded an insightful conversation with Daniela Bar-Gera, Head of the Basel and Zurich Office at Plug and Play Tech Center. Plug and Play builds an ecosystem of entrepreneurs, investors, and corporations to create an innovative future for the world. Over the past 15 years, they united over 35,000 startups, 500 leading corporations, ventures, and universities across 20 industries.

Israel, also called “The Startup Nation” is a global leader when it comes to tech startup companies per capita. 2000 start-ups were founded in the last decade and raised $4.8 billion from investors only in 2016. Flourishing venture capital markets and flexible, creative economy industries are the main fuel for developing innovation there.

Renu and Michael enjoyed chatting with Daniela about the innovation landscape of Switzerland and Israel. Primarily, we discussed the motivation behind such developments in both countries and why the mature Swiss market should find the urge to grow. It was fascinating to hear it from Daniela, as she has an entrepreneurship DNA in her veins from her cyber security expert mom and entrepreneur dad.

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This episode was produced by Khrystyna Khmilovska.

Innovation Undercover immensely enjoyed their episode with Jean-Luc Zehnder – Co-CEO & Founding Partner at Virtido. Virtido is a Swiss-based software and business process outsourcing company whose talent acquisition platform grants clients access to abundant IT talent in a cost-effective manner.

Near-shoring is a trend expected to dominate in talent acquisition in the upcoming years, as it gives clients the benefits of outsourcing, avoiding many of its compromises, according to this report by Forbes.

Renu and Michael talked with Jean-Luc about his transition from working at one of the big four consulting firms in Zurich to working for a family office and to finally co-creating Virtido. We discuss the economics of near-shoring, especially in Eastern Europe, the key factors that companies look for while scouting for talent, and how to keep a remote workforce engaged. He emphasizes the importance of how important company culture is and how it can be maintained in a business model that is scalable.

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This episode was produced by Khrystyna Khmilovska.

Innovation UnderCover had an invigorating chat with Dr.Donnacha Daly, Head of AI & Machine Learning Studies at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences & Arts. His program is a trailblazer for Europe, where the students finish their Bachelor's degree after a project with an assigned industry partner. In HSLU, there is a keen focus on nurturing and educating Switzerland´s young talents in the six central Swiss cantons in an applied and practical set up.

Throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks! Dr.Donnacha Daly, Head of AI & Machine Learning Studies at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences & Arts, talks to Renu & Michael about his motto around driving innovation.

Dr. Daly, in this episode, details his experiences in Artificial Intelligence as he spent his early years in Ireland studying the topic. He then moves onto discussing his various roles in corporate Switzerland, his hiring mantras, intense focus on teams as central to innovation. He offers a deep perspective on the two different learning systems in Switzerland and how they matter for driving a culture of change.

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Innovation UnderCover had the pleasure to chat with Tiana Schowe, Founder & Coach at Curador Co & Vice President & Marketing at TranSharpe Solutions. The insurtech company brings technology and insurance together to create the most innovative solutions for the transportation industry.

The best way to learn is to ask questions. Tiana Schowe, Founder & Coach at Curador Co & Vice President & Marketing at TranSharpe Solutions, talks to Renu & Michael about her lifelong curiosity for new experiences and learnings.

She is a serial entrepreneur - starting at the age of 5, and now she juggles a key role in a transportation insurtech looking to digitally transform the old-fashioned trucking insurance industry, along with being a coach who is passionate about personal growth. In this episode, she talks about being a valley girl who moved to the Southern part of the US and then to Mexico for a while before falling into her 20-year-old career in commercial insurance.

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This episode was produced by Khrystyna Khmilovska.