The Irish Tech News Podcast

In this podcast, Shane is joined by In this podcast, Shane is joined by Filip Lövström, CEO and Co-Founder of Opibus, a leading electric vehicle manufacturer based in Nairobi. Filip speaks on his background and what his company does. He also provides an insight into the massive potential for electric vehicles in the region. He also explains what makes Opibus' approach unique and different from other manufacturers and gives his thoughts on what the future holds for electric vehicles, discussing the possibilities of reaching 100% electric vehicle usage in the future. About Filip Filip Lövström is the CEO and Co-Founder of Opbus, who recently secured $7.5 Million dollar investment. Filip spotted a gap in the East African market and founded Opibus, which has gone on to become Africa's leading electric vehicle manufacturer. Filip started out as a mechanical engineer and has spent the last 10 years working on electric vehicles. Opibus set up its operations in 2018 in Kenya. He aims to deliver Technology and Climate Solutions that are available today. About Shane Shane is currently interning with Irish Tech News. He is in his third year of studying Journalism at NUI Galway where he also studies IT and has an interest in programming and web development. He has also previously studied game design and development before deciding to study journalism. He also likes to write about sport in his spare time. His main areas of interest are football, rugby and basketball. He is currently interning with Irish Tech News which will last for the duration of his third year in university., CEO and Co-Founder of Opibus, a leading electric vehicle manufacturer based in Nairobi. Filip speaks on his background and what his company does. He also provides an insight into the massive potential for electric vehicles in the region. He also explains what makes Opibus' approach unique and different from other manufacturers and gives his thoughts on what the future holds for electric vehicles, discussing the possibilities of reaching 100% electric vehicle usage in the future. About Filip Filip Lövström is the CEO and Co-Founder of Opbus, who recently secured $7.5 Million dollar investment. Filip spotted a gap in the East African market and founded Opibus, which has gone on to become Africa's leading electric vehicle manufacturer. Filip started out as a mechanical engineer and has spent the last 10 years working on electric vehicles. Opibus set up its operations in 2018 in Kenya. He aims to deliver Technology and Climate Solutions that are available today. About Shane Shane is currently interning with Irish Tech News. He is in his third year of studying Journalism at NUI Galway where he also studies IT and has an interest in programming and web development. He has also previously studied game design and development before deciding to study journalism. He also likes to write about sport in his spare time. His main areas of interest are football, rugby and basketball. He is currently interning with Irish Tech News which will last for the duration of his third year in university.

We have all heard of the increase in phishing scams via emails and texts that are designed to steal financial details from you. One of the most popular ones claims to be from An Post and in the run up to Christmas more and more of these will be received. I have gotten numerous texts from Irish mobile phone numbers over the last few weeks stating “ANPOST: Payment of import duty/tax & advance fee of €1.99 is required for your shipment to be processed. Pay securely via xxxxxxxxxx”. The xxxxxxxxxx at the end of the text is actually a link to a website where your payment is processed. Another person who received one of these phishing attacks is Morten Kjaersgaard CEO Heimdal Security, a cybersecurity company based in Copenhagen. Morten received an email supposedly coming from the GLS courier company, informing him of an incoming package in his name and for the delivery of which he had to make a small payment. Morten talks to Ronan about the email he received, what he did next, how the scam works and how his research and development team managed to infiltrate the attackers. More about the phishing scam: The email/text is a phishing scam and clicking the link within the email/text takes the recipient to a phishing web page with credit/debit card inputs for the victim to execute the payment for the package delivery. Once the recipient fills in their credit/debit card details, all the data is then sent to the attackers through a Telegram chatbot, onto a public Telegram channel, which basically makes the 3.000 stolen credit/debit cards to date visible not just to the attackers but also to anyone else who is aware of the Telegram channel’s existence.

An interesting and useful conversation by Jamil with Armel Leslie from Peaks Strategies The Opportunities and Challenges of Public Relations within the Crypto Industry, with Armel Leslie and Peaks Strategies Armel Leslie is a Partner at Peaks Strategies delivering integrated brand-building campaigns for clients across the capital markets ecosystem with a strong reputation and expertise across alternative investment management and digital assets/crypto. Armel began his career at Walek & Associates in 1999 where he rose to a Partner by the time of its sale to integrated PR agency Peppercomm in 2013, where Armel was Senior Director of Capital Markets. Following his time at Peppercomm, Armel was a Senior Vice President at Sloane & Company, where he oversaw some of the firm’s leading financial services clients.He graduated cum laude with a BA in History from Baruch College (CUNY) in New York, where he worked at the Press Office his senior year. A Native of South Africa, he also attended the University of South Africa (UNISA). He is a Board Member and Treasurer of American Friends of Tikvot, a philanthropic organization headquartered in Israel. Jamil Hasan is a crypto and blockchain focused podcast host at the Irish Tech News and spearheads our weekend content “The Crypto Corner” where he interviews founders, entrepreneurs and global thought leaders. Prior to his endeavors into the crypto-verse in July 2017, Jamil built an impressive career as a data, operations, financial, technology and business analyst and manager in Corporate America, including twelve years at American International Group and its related companies. Since entering the crypto universe, Jamil has been an advisor, entrepreneur, investor and author. His books “Blockchain Ethics: A Bridge to Abundance” (2018) and “Re-Generation X” (2020) not only discuss the benefits of blockchain technology, but also capture Jamil’s experience on how he has transitioned from being a loyal yet downsized former corporate employee to a self sovereign individual. With over ninety podcasts under his belt since he joined our team in February 2021, and with four years of experience both managing his own crypto portfolio and providing crypto guidance and counsel to select clients, Jamil continues to seek opportunities to help others navigate this still nascent industry. Jamil’s primary focus outside of podcast hosting is helping former corporate employees gain the necessary skills and vision to build their own crypto portfolios and create wealth for the long-term.

How Street Life and Travel Writing Helped One Man Become a Bollywood Actor, Meet Very Famous People, and Become a Leading Crypto Evangelist, with Monty Munford  Monty Munford is a tech journalist and the Chief Evangelist and core contributor to the Sienna Network project.He is a keynote speaker/emcee/moderator/interviewer at prestigious events around the world and has spoken at more than 200 global events interviewing figures such as the late John McAfee, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Steve Wozniak (twice in Beirut and Vienna), Kim Kardashian (once in Armenia), Ghostface Killah, ZZ Top, Guns N’ Roses and many others. Jamil Hasan is a crypto and blockchain focused podcast host at the Irish Tech News and spearheads our weekend content “The Crypto Corner” where he interviews founders, entrepreneurs and global thought leaders. Prior to his endeavors into the crypto-verse in July 2017, Jamil built an impressive career as a data, operations, financial, technology and business analyst and manager in Corporate America, including twelve years at American International Group and its related companies. Since entering the crypto universe, Jamil has been an advisor, entrepreneur, investor and author. His books “Blockchain Ethics: A Bridge to Abundance” (2018) and “Re-Generation X” (2020) not only discuss the benefits of blockchain technology, but also capture Jamil’s experience on how he has transitioned from being a loyal yet downsized former corporate employee to a self sovereign individual. With over ninety podcasts under his belt since he joined our team in February 2021, and with four years of experience both managing his own crypto portfolio and providing crypto guidance and counsel to select clients, Jamil continues to seek opportunities to help others navigate this still nascent industry. Jamil’s primary focus outside of podcast hosting is helping former corporate employees gain the necessary skills and vision to build their own crypto portfolios and create wealth for the long-term.

Taking Back Your Personal Data and Why Artists Should Create Their Own Platforms for Fan Engagement, with DJ Sam Feldt and Fangage More about Sam DJ, producer, entrepreneur and sustainability pioneer Sam Feldt has established himself as one of the most sought after electronic artists of recent times. Building his career around distinctly feel-good sound, Sam already has a double album and a multitude of top-selling releases under his belt. The platinum-selling DJ and producer has proven himself to be an entrepreneur at heart, with his own platform Fangage - meant for artists to connect with their fans better - and the launch of his own record label Heartfeldt Records in 2020.  On top of this, with his project Heartfeldt Foundation, Sam is passionately working towards a more social and sustainable dance music industry. With this foundation he promotes a sustainable lifestyle according to the Do-Give-Inspire and Empower model and aims to combine the reach of a lot of different influencers to create awareness around sustainability issues. The mission of the foundation is a common thread for the entire Heartfeldt business chain: Heartfeldt Records, Heartfeldt Radio and Heartfeldt Events. Both in music and life, Sam definitely has his sights set firmly on the future. Heartfeldt Foundation In his entrepreneurship, Sam is always looking for ways to help out others and protect our planet. This same philosophy will be applied to Sam’s extracurricular endeavor to mitigate the climate impact of his DJ activities as much as possible. He is aware of the fact that as a DJ he flies all over the world and thus has a large carbon footprint. For this reason, his flight behavior is measured and calculated, visitors to Heartfeldt events are asked about their way of transport to his shows and 1% of the stream earnings of Heartfeldt Records releases goes to Heartfeldt Foundation. “The whole idea is to maximize the impact of what I’m doing,” Sam elaborates. “The transition to a circular economy is something that we are all part of and I think companies and people who are trying to do their best for the environment, should get attention and support.” As an ambassador of Plastic Promise, Plastic Soup Foundation and partner of Blond:ish Bye Bye Plastic, many positive adjustments are already made within the events sector. Sam Feldt believes sustainability is needed in all areas of our consumption. He is therefore open to working with all interested parties in order to investigate the ways in which life, from everyday consumption of food and drinks to flying and performing music, can be made sustainable. Jamil Hasan is a crypto and blockchain focused podcast host at the Irish Tech News and spearheads our weekend content “The Crypto Corner” where he interviews founders, entrepreneurs and global thought leaders. Prior to his endeavors into the crypto-verse in July 2017, Jamil built an impressive career as a data, operations, financial, technology and business analyst and manager in Corporate America, including twelve years at American International Group and its related companies. Since entering the crypto universe, Jamil has been an advisor, entrepreneur, investor and author. His books “Blockchain Ethics: A Bridge to Abundance” (2018) and “Re-Generation X” (2020) not only discuss the benefits of blockchain technology, but also capture Jamil’s experience on how he has transitioned from being a loyal yet downsized former corporate employee to a self sovereign individual.

Securing the future of Cryptocurrencies with Sean Brizendine and SecureX. Sean Brizendine has been in Bitcoin and Blockchain technology research and development since 2011. He is an ICO Bench Expert Top 50 in the world. Sean is a Certified Blockchain Professional. As a regular speaker at the NASDAQ Marketsite, he is co-author of numerous papers regarding Blockchain/Cryptocurrencies and taxes with well-known European Union lawmaker Ksenija Cipek 'Dame of Honour'. Sean is an Advisor to many successful Blockchain projects including 1stcoin. linkedin.com/in/sean-brizendine-707 Jamil Hasan is a crypto and blockchain focused podcast host at the Irish Tech News and spearheads our weekend content “The Crypto Corner” where he interviews founders, entrepreneurs and global thought leaders. Prior to his endeavors into the crypto-verse in July 2017, Jamil built an impressive career as a data, operations, financial, technology and business analyst and manager in Corporate America, including twelve years at American International Group and its related companies. Since entering the crypto universe, Jamil has been an advisor, entrepreneur, investor and author. His books “Blockchain Ethics: A Bridge to Abundance” (2018) and “Re-Generation X” (2020) not only discuss the benefits of blockchain technology, but also capture Jamil’s experience on how he has transitioned from being a loyal yet downsized former corporate employee to a self sovereign individual. With over ninety podcasts under his belt since he joined our team in February 2021, and with four years of experience both managing his own crypto portfolio and providing crypto guidance and counsel to select clients, Jamil continues to seek opportunities to help others navigate this still nascent industry. Jamil’s primary focus outside of podcast hosting is helping former corporate employees gain the necessary skills and vision to build their own crypto portfolios and create wealth for the long-term.

The twenty-first century is going to be the most disruptive, contentious period humanity has ever lived through. It will challenge our most sacred ideologies around politics, economics and social constructs. It will force humanity to adapt in ways we can't yet imagine. We are now living in a different world than a century ago, where algorithms and robots can take people’s jobs, where unemployment increases and social unrest is fueled by divisive social networks and a lack of economic opportunity, and where the impact of climate change is undeniable.  In this episode of One Vision, Theo and Bradley speak with our good friend, Brett King, author of a new book, The Rise of Technosocialism: How Inequality, AI and Climate Will Usher in a New World. We discuss the context of what is happening in society, the technology behind these changes, and where we are headed next.

It’s true, Tim Draper has picked losers. He tells me this even before I ask him. The VC legend who backed Hotmail, Tesla, SpaceX, Coinbase, Ledger and many other successful companies, readily coughs up that he has invested in lemons. Some he says have totally gone out of business, but others just didn’t get him the money back. “By the same token there are winners that make us a couple of times on the money and then some that 1000x the investment.” Asked to identify the single biggest element in both – either for success or failure, Draper is very sure of the common denominator. “Trust – entrepreneurs have to build trust amongst themselves, their team, their employees and their customers.” He also touches on another comment theme – regulation. “They need to feel free to innovate. And they can’t feel overwhelmed by government regulations.” Draper cites a single decision maker in the business – and faith amongst the team in that leader. “Another factor is that the winners are often a bit odd. Their ideas are sometimes left of centre and often I go - whoa, what are you doing?” Tune in to hear more from the Bitcoin legend Your host is Jillian Godsil, award winning journalist, broadcaster and author - her latest book is at https://persons-of-interest.io/

During the current pandemic businesses have had to revaluate how they operate and remote working and hybrid working has become a reality. One business which has seized on this is Huckletree who provide co-working space and allows businesses to scale up or down their office space during the pandemic. Ronan talks to Andrew Lynch, Co-founder and COO of Huckletree about this and more. Andrew talks about his background, how Huckletree started, what Huckletree does, office working during Covid, the impact of Covid, learning from your mistakes, the importance of having a good team around you, and broadband. More about Andrew Lynch: Andrew moved back from the UK earlier this year, where he did a master’s degree in real-estate investment, before working in private equity and then co-founding Huckletree. During that time Huckletree has opened 5 co-working spaces in the UK and one in Ireland. Andrew has seen companies join Huckletree Ireland as start-ups and grow and expand and, as they take on investment, grow very quickly to 30 or 40 people. The Dublin space brings its global member count to 2,000 people. 

In this episode of the podcast we catch up with Sean Higgins, cofounder of  Future Proof Insights to learn how our own bodies often tell us more about what we really think than we might realise. About Seán Higgins: In 2020 Seán Higgins co-founded Future Proof Insights, an insights agency that combines Consumer Research with Neuroscience to provide neural explanations for how consumers make judgements & decisions that ultimately impact behaviour. Seán is also a director of Future Proof Media, a full-service marketing agency based in Dublin. About Future Proof Insights: 95% of brain activity is completely irrational, yet people insist on measuring effectiveness via rational approaches. Future Proof Insights' aim is to remove objectivity from the creative & design process to help brands design better consumer experiences. They achieve this through the use of a cutting-edge research platform that allows for the collection of vast quantities of bio & neuro data in parallel to provide actionable insights that can be implemented immediately. Website link: https://www.futureproofinsights.ie/ Useful Information: https://www.futureproofinsights.ie/blog/ Neuromarketing in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge2TSFrbk0s Overview Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyzB5VSzwlw