The Difference Engine | B2B Category Design | Private Equity | Venture Capital

If you’re a regular listener of the show then you’ll know that we’re always banging on about two things: European category leaders and AI. Well, while sniffing around this year's SaaStr event, our dreams came true. We think we found a potential AI category leader based in Cologne, Germany.Could Jaroslaw Kutylowski’s translation service, DeepL, be the golden goose?Also in today’s episode, We’ll take a look at how Apple is redefining privacy and why London Tech Week needs a big rethink.What to look forward to:01:24 Can Europe create an AI category leader?12:41 Apple will redefine the meaning of AI privacy.17:54 What is the point of London Tech Week? There is more information on how to design your category on our blogFollow us on LinkedIn:Paul Maher Jonathan Simnett Want to create a podcast for your business or brand? Contact Flamingo Media to make it happen.

Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi. Three of the greats, and sometimes under-rated manufacturers of automobile. From Honda’s engines revolutionising motorsport to Nissan making the iconic British Austin 7 cars under license, they’ve got a rich history. But where will the future take them? How will their new joint research venture create fundamental software for the next generation of SDVs? It’s clear that not only are manufacturers seeing a shift in value from parts to software, but that consumers are too. Mainly, we just want Apple CarPlay…Also in today’s episode, we’ll look at whether it was Crowdstrike’s desire to pursue commercial hegemony that put the globe’s IT systems into disarray, why analysts are predicting that Apple will lose 4-5% of profits after the Google court ruling, and we’re not sure what this says about the UK’s tech industry but only six people are actually entrepreneurs in Computer Weekly’s list of UKTech50…What to look forward to:0134 - Putting the SDV in SUV1733 - What CrowdStrike teaches us about the wisdom of creating ‘platforms’.2816 - The Sage of Omaha-ha isn’t funny over in Cupertino3319 - The UKtech50 2024 - APPARENTLY the most influential people in UK technologyThere is more information on how to design your category on our blogFollow us on LinkedIn:Paul Maher Jonathan Simnett Want to create a podcast for your business or brand? Contact Flamingo Media to make it happen.

In the last episode, we began our exploration of the greatest tech acquisitions of all time, concluding with Booking.com at number six. Their purchase of Priceline returned an impressive $46.6 billion. Now, we move into the top five. These acquisitions dwarf what has come before, each one generating returns of over $100 billion.So, who is going to be number one? (It’s probably not who you think.)Also in today’s episode, We’ll ask who are the best people to lead a Category Design project and what can be learnt from when Dell and EMC collided. What to look forward to:00:33 The greatest tech acquisitions of all time (part 2)15:26 How to set up the ultimate category design team25:54 When categories collide - Dell and EMC   There is more information on how to design your category on our blogFollow us on LinkedIn:Paul Maher Jonathan Simnett Want to create a podcast for your business or brand? Contact Flamingo Media to make it happen.

Decisions, decisions, decisions. Every workday is just a collection of decisions. Who to hire, when to sell, what shirt goes with this tie. We take a punt and hope it pays off. But what about the decisions with the biggest payoffs? What are the best business decisions of all time? In today’s episode we uncover the stories behind the greatest tech acquisitions ever.Were category leaders created or bought?Also in today’s episode, We’ll find out how AI is reframing the employee experience and what happened when Elon Musk and Twitter collided. What to look forward to:00:37    The greatest tech acquisitions of all time (part 1)18:22    How is AI re-framing the employee experience?25:54    When Categories Collide - Elon Musk & TwitterThere is more information on how to design your category on our blogFollow us on LinkedIn:Paul Maher Jonathan Simnett Want to create a podcast for your business or brand? Contact Flamingo Media to make it happen.

Last month the start-up news publication Sifted introduced us to Europe's fastest growing fintechs. The 10 listed companies are successfully bucking the trend and managing to raise capital in these difficult times. Congratulations to them. However, today on the Difference Engine, we take it one step further. We find out which of these fintechs are not just better, but different.Do any have a shot at becoming a category leader?Also in today’s episode, We’ll find out how AI is promoting the proliferation sloppiness and learn from the chaos that arose from Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.What to look forward to:00:36    Will Europe produce new fintech Category leaders?14:47    Is AI creating sloppiness?23:12    When Categories Collide - Microsoft & Activision BlizzardThere is more information on how to design your category on our blogFollow us on LinkedIn:Paul Maher Jonathan Simnett Want to create a podcast for your business or brand? Contact Flamingo Media to make it happen.

Andy Cunningham, a tech industry veteran, discusses shaping Apple, working with Steve Jobs, and insights into tech positioning. She explores the uniqueness of Silicon Valley, the launch of Macintosh, adapting assets in the AI age, aligning company DNA with success, and innovation in the tech industry.

Jason Lemkin is not afraid to admit to his errors. In fact, a few weeks ago he eagerly shared them with a room full of people in East London. The founder of SaaStr revealed his top 10 go-to-market mistakes at this year’s SaaStr conference. So, who should you avoid hiring? Which cuts should you steer clear of? And what single word on someone's LinkedIn profile should raise a red flag?In addition, we'll delve into the recent acquittal of long-suffering tech tycoon Mike Lynch and analyze the repercussions of eBay's acquisition of Skype.What to look forward to:00:35 A conclusion to the Mike Lynch saga06:45 Top ten go-to-market mistakes according to SaaStr22:37 When Categories Collide - eBay and Skype There is more information on how to design your category on our blogFollow us on LinkedIn:Paul Maher Jonathan Simnett Want to create a podcast for your business or brand? Contact Flamingo Media to make it happen.

All eyes will be on Paris next month as they welcome athletes and fans from all over the world for the 2024 Olympic Games. However, the international sports day isn’t the only event drawing significant foreign investment into France. The 7th Choose France showcase announced €15 billion of industry investments, promising an estimated 10,000 jobs.Could this influx of capital be the driving force behind France’s sprint to category gold?Also in today’s episode, We’ll analyse the failed Apple advert. Are they losing touch with their audience? We’ll show you how a decent Category strategy can improve your chances of securing funding and we’ll go back in time to see what we can learn when categories collide.What to look forward to:00:33    Is France heading for tech Category leadership?10:02    Apple apologises for ad that ‘missed the mark’16:55    How does a decent Category strategy improve your chances of securing funding?28:11    When categories collide: Avago & BroadcomThere is more information on how to design your category on our blogFollow us on LinkedIn:Paul Maher Jonathan Simnett Want to create a podcast for your business or brand? Contact Flamingo Media to make it happen.

We are living in the age of regulation. Going forward, category creators will have to dance to the tune of the CRA, NIRS2, GDPR and numerous other weighty rulebooks. But, can we learn to love the music? Embrace the constraints? Turn the rules to our advantage and waltz our way to success.Also in today’s episode, We’ll analyse the emergence of `Storytelling` as, apparently, a new tech marketing discipline and look into our crystal ball to see how the line between VCs and PEs will become increasingly blurred.What to look forward to:00:30    Governments demand WhatsApp enforce age restrictions. 08:57    The emergence of `Storytelling` 12:41    What rules should you follow?20:48    The age of casino PEThere is more information on how to design your category on our blogFollow us on LinkedIn:Paul Maher Jonathan Simnett Want to create a podcast for your business or brand? Contact Flamingo Media to make it happen.

Electric vehicles are expected to make up 25% of all new passenger car registrations this year, with projections indicating that by 2030, EVs will capture two thirds of the market share. As consumer choices change, so does the whole transport ecosystem. This technological shift demands new fueling stations, tyres, job roles and even road design. So, are electric vehicles just an automotive upgrade or a whole new category?Also in today’s episode, We’ll analyse the aftermath of when categories collide, peer down our microscope to discover the unintended consequences of thinking small and learn how AI changing the design of every category blueprint?What to look forward to:00:30    How is AI changing the design of every category blueprint?12:03    What does the rollout of EVs tell us about building Categories?21:21    The unintended consequences of thinking small27:04    When categories collide - Microsoft & NokiaThere is more information on how to design your category on our blogFollow us on LinkedIn:Paul Maher Jonathan Simnett Want to create a podcast for your business or brand? Contact Flamingo Media to make it happen.