Technology Revolution: The Future of Now

The buzz: "Even incubators/accelerators [in India] that have been around for years, and have "processed" 50+ startups, usually don't have even one startup that has achieved impressive revenues/valuations" (Source). 90% of startups fail. Doomed from the start? Likely if they work with accelerators, which invest low seed capital in multiple startups for 12-week mentoring, expecting most to flop when Demo Day investors say No. If you're a wannabe entrepreneur or a serial entrepreneur with your eye on the next big prize, here's another path. Venture studios dawned in the late 00's when successful-exit tech entrepreneurs assembled experts and investors to create their own ventures or boost the commercialization of post-incubator, post-accelerator, post-corporate innovation labs. We'll ask Don Deloach at Rocket Wagon Venture Studios, Chris Morgan at Lantern Partners, and Chris Rezendes at Spherical | Analytics for their take on Hatching Your BIG Idea: Venture Studios and Startup Success.

The buzz X2: "Humans have been co-evolving with their technologies since the dawn of prehistory…. Coping with this new means liberating ourselves from such categories as 'human,' 'technological,' and 'natural' to embrace a new techno-human relationship" (Allenby & Sarewitz). "Growing up I always considered the interaction of humanity and technology presented in the original Star Trek series as a fairly accurate representation of the way things would someday go. Then came the Next Generation's Borg…our future may have more in common with the Borg" (J. Huang). Uncertainty and dramatic changes are not new, but our human window of tolerance is being stretched to the limit more than ever. As a global civilization, we've been catapulted into the awareness that we need new technohuman ecosystems. How we react, adapt and evolve will define our success. We'll ask Judy Ryan, Jacob Perkins, Marti Konstant and Lynda Roth for their take on Falling to Pieces? Technohuman Game-Changers to the Rescue!

The buzz: "The Factory of the Future has an evolving definition…even different names…Smart Manufacturing, Industry 4.0 or the Digital Enterprise…Perhaps manufacturing will at last be able to leave behind the public impressions of labor-intensive, dirty and dangerous worksites…Only one characteristic of the Factory of the Future that is essential: A creative mindset for problem-solving and out-of-the-box thinking is key to embracing new technologies…Stubborn adherence to traditional processes…will cause serious roadblocks." (industryweek.com) "Industry 4.0, smart manufacturing, the next industrial revolution…more than just a flashy catchphrase.…Reports peg the smart factory industry to touch USD 215B by 2025…there has been no major economy in the world that is not embracing it." (cio.economictimes.indiatimes.com). We'll ask Marty Groover, Derek Dyer and Matthew Stemmler at C5MI and Don Young at YASH Technologies and C5MI for their take on The Future of the Factory of The Future.

The buzz: Ripped from the headlines. "Your Apps Know Where You Were Last Night, and They're Not Keeping It Secret" (NY Times 12/18): "Dozens of companies use smartphone locations to help advertisers and even hedge funds. They say it's anonymous, but the data shows how personal it is…One path tracks someone from a home outside Newark to a nearby Planned Parenthood, remaining there for more than an hour…" And April 3, 2020: "Google is publicly releasing the data it's already collecting about people's movements during the coronavirus pandemic…to show the types of places people are visiting across 131 countries and regions…it hopes tracking movement trends over time and by geography could help shape and inform governments' and public health officials' response to the coronavirus pandemic. We'll ask Heather Federman at Big ID, Joe Jerome at Common Sense Media and Kenesa Ahmad at Aleada for their take on "Everyone Knows Where You Were Last Night and Right Now: The Future of Location Data.

The Buzz: "Entertainment is ultimately an attention business, and the competition for attention has never been fiercer with new entrants from tech firms and non-media brands jumping into content production … With the explosion in content, consumers today are often overwhelmed when choosing content to watch." Apple unveiled star-studded content slate for its TV+ streaming service. Walmart is reportedly developing Vudu-branded streaming original content. Quibi, mobile-first short-form video content from top Hollywood creators, sold $100M in upfront ads with six advertisers. Netflix nears 150M subscribers globally. Hulu, fully owned by Disney, is ramping up original programming. Amazon Studios is hoping the majority of the audience will watch its Oscar hopefuls on a smaller screen. We'll ask entertainment industry veterans Lori Hammel, Victor Verhaeghe, Joanna Bonaro and Alex Webb for their take on Make Me Laugh, Make Me Cry, Make Me Smart! The Future of Entertainment Delivery.

The Buzz: "To become a Hacker you need skills, a strong presence of mind and what not? But before that all you need is an inspiration with a pinch of motivation…." (www.tech2hack.com). "What hackers do is figure out technology and experiment with it in ways many people never imagined. They also have a strong desire to share this information with others…." and "Most hackers are young because young people tend to be adaptable. As long as you remain adaptable, you can always be a good hacker" (Emmanuel Goldstein, Dear Hacker: Letters to the Editor of 2600). Human Stupidity, that's why Hackers always win" (Med Amine Khelifi). "The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear…" (Kali Linux). "Never tell everything you know…" (Roger H. Lincoln). Will the rest of us ever catch up to them? We'll ask George Rettas at TF7 Radio, Erich Kron at KnowBe4, Mike DePalma at Datto, and Alex Reid at Green Cloud Technologies for their take on The Future of Out-Hacking The Hackers.

The Buzz: "As video adoption for content marketing continues to rise, there's no doubt that more organizations are looking to online video to improve their strategies…smartphone and tablet adoption has created a prime opportunity for more mobile video content" (www.brainshark.com). Still not convinced? "The sheer cost of video production has come down to a point where there are no barriers to entry. Buyers have devices that can play videos with them at all times" (Joe Pulizzi). "Humans are incredibly visual and powerful, moving images help us find meaning" (Dan Patterson). "More than 150 million people view videos online every year, most of them ripe to hear your business's pitch if you produce and market your video effectively" (Vern Marker). We'll ask these experts for their take: Lorraine Maurice, SAP; Richard Hegarty, Digital Marketing Institute; Barbara Giamanco, Social Centered Selling; and Marco Cai, SAP. Join us for Look Ma! I'm On Camera. The Future of B2C Video.

Today's buzz: "Auto makers look into their crystal balls – and their shops – to get an idea as to what's fueling the car of 2025. Most car makers agree: The next 10 years will see more change in the auto business than the last 20" (theglobeandmail.com). "Self-driving cars…once found only in science fiction, are about to become a reality" (Goldman Sachs, 2016). "When you think of a flying car one might think of The Jetsons. The company Terrafugia is working to get its flying car off the ground by 2025" (Business Insider, 2016). "In any major city in the world, you'll find smog…mostly from cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks…things are about to get better.…the car won't disappear, it will just be powered by different energies, and in some cases, take on new shapes" (thoughtco.com). We'll ask the experts for their take: Meg Divitto, Divitto Design Group; Mike Lackey, SAP; Marty Groover, C5MI; and Bill Newman, SAP. Join us for Fasten Your Seatbelt: Ready for Your Future Ride? – Part 2.

The buzz (according to www.impactbnd.com): "Social media is ever-changing. There's always a new crazy way people can document every aspect of their lives, but what if you're a business? With so many social media sites already out there and even more popping up each day, where do you begin? Do you create a Facebook account or do you hop on whatever "the new Pinterest" is today? Utilizing social media in your business strategy…gives you the chance to connect with fans, customers, and prospective customers on a more personal, human level." Popularity stats in terms of registered users: Facebook – 1.7B users, Twitter – 310+M, Instagram – 500M age 18–29, Flickr – 100M, Pinterest – 84M, LinkedIn – 20M, YouTube – 2B. Join us for Digital Selling Wheel of Fortune 2025: Insta, LinkedIn, iPhone, YouTube, Twitter, FB? as we ask experts Kirsten Boileau at SAP, Mark "The Sales Hunter" Hunter and Nicho Lagersten at Digiteyes for their predictions.

The Buzz [literally!]: "Drones in the sky, drones in the sea, drones on land: this is the future of human augmentation" (popularmechanics.com). "From a military innovation, to an exciting hobby, to a technology that's transforming commercial industries, the use of drones has rapidly changed over the past years — and future opportunities in the field are limitless" (calu.edu). What does this have to do with YOU? Public safety and emergency services professionals in law enforcement, fire rescue, emergency management, and the non-profit/NGO sector are already using drones aka UAS – unmanned aircraft systems – to help save lives and protect property. What does this mean to your future health and safety? We'll ask four experts: Christopher Todd, AIRT (FL); Captain Vern Salle, Chula Vista Police Department (CA); Chief Charles Werner (ret.), DRONERESPONDERS (VA); Captain Michael Leo, Fire Department of NYC (New York). Join us for What's Up? It's A Drone for Your Good!