

Industrial IoT Spotlight
Peter Rohde-Chen, Erik Walenza
The Industrial IoT Spotlight Podcast shines a light on digital solutions that are impacting businesses today. Our mission is to feature the companies that are building the next generation of enterprise technologies, from architecture design to data management to business model innovation.
Our hosts, Peter Rohde-Chen and Erik Walenza, are friends and entrepreneurs based in Shanghai, China. The Industrial IoT Spotlight is produced by Asia Growth Partners, a group of technology experts and business leaders, who help technology companies and corporates navigate technology development, implementation, and adoption in Asia.
Don't forget to follow us on LinkedIn @asia-growth-partners-agp or visit our website at https://asiagrowthpartners.com. You can contact Erik directly at erik.walenza@asiagrowthpartners.com
Our hosts, Peter Rohde-Chen and Erik Walenza, are friends and entrepreneurs based in Shanghai, China. The Industrial IoT Spotlight is produced by Asia Growth Partners, a group of technology experts and business leaders, who help technology companies and corporates navigate technology development, implementation, and adoption in Asia.
Don't forget to follow us on LinkedIn @asia-growth-partners-agp or visit our website at https://asiagrowthpartners.com. You can contact Erik directly at erik.walenza@asiagrowthpartners.com
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 19, 2022 • 48min
EP 142 - What motivates companies to adopt IIoT today - Greggory Garrett, CEO, CGS Advisors
In this week’s episode we were joined by Gregory Garrett, CEO of CGS Advisors, a strategic transformation advisory firm that helps companies plan and execute initiatives to compete in a connected world. He is also the host of the highly rated podcast You, Me and Your Top Three. In a change to our typical format, Gregory kicked off by interviewing Erik about his experience as an entrepreneur in China. They then switched roles and Gregory shared his perspective on the importance of establishing an ecosystem in order to create digital solutions that scale. Key Questions: How do you keep your knowhow fresh when you work in a dynamic industry? What is it like to be an American entrepreneur in China? Who should you surround yourself with in order to become a better leader? How do you build a vision for your company’s future? And when should you be open to changing that vision?

Aug 15, 2022 • 51min
EP 141 - How to seamlessly integrate real time IoT data streams - Brian Gilmore, Director of IoT & Emerging Technology, InfluxData
In this episode, we interview Brian Gilmore, director of IoT and Emerging Technology at InfluxData. InfluxData is the creator of InfluxDB, a pioneering time series platform that allows developers to build real-time IoT, analytics, and cloud applications with time-stamped data. They handle massive volumes of data produced by sensors, applications, and systems that change over time. Today, we discuss how next-generation databases create new opportunities by enabling organizations to seamlessly integrate real-time IoT data streams with cloud databases. We also dive deep into the relationships between database technology and adjacent innovations in AI, AR, and blockchain. Key Questions: What is the right way to think about “real time” from the perspective of a user? What are the unique uses of time series data, and what challenges does it present? How are AI, AR and blockchain being integrated into IoT systems? What recent database developments are improving management of complex IoT systems?

Aug 5, 2022 • 23min
EP 140 - How can next gen blockchain enable new business models - Tim Wagner, CEO, Vendia
This week we interviewed Tim Wagner, CEO of Vendia. Vendia is a real-time data infrastructure provider that enables companies to securely share data across organizations, applications, and data lakes. In this talk, we discussed the use of next-generation blockchain and server list infrastructure to solve data sharing problems related to security, privacy, and data management. We also explored the three body problem - how conventional IT, private ledgers, and public blockchains will work together to usher in the Web 3.0 era. Key Questions: What are the characteristics of a suitable use case for blockchain architecture? How to distinguish between private and public ledgers? How do data ownership and sharing mechanisms work for private blockchains? What is the functionality and business logic of next generation blockchains?

Jul 29, 2022 • 45min
EP 139 - How to efficiently convert raw data into high-value training data for AI - Tigran Petrosyan, Co-Founder & CEO, SuperAnnotate
Data annotation is the hidden champion of machine learning. It is the process of tagging image, video, text, and other data in order to prepare it for training a model. The quality of your data annotation makes the difference between insight and noise. In this week’s episode, we interview Tigran Petrosyan, co-founder and CEO of SuperAnnotate. We discuss how to manage and scale your annotation workflow, quickly spot quality issues in your data, and seamlessly integrate new data sets into your existing pipeline. We also explore how specialized agencies and AI are collaborating to accurately tag the high volume of data that AI training requires. Key questions: How to manage the key steps of the annotation process - annotate, manage, automate, curate, and integrate? How can you deliver ML projects faster without compromising on quality? How should you balance the efforts of internal teams, freelancers, and automated tagging to achieve the right cost structure and performance?

Jul 22, 2022 • 43min
EP 138 - What insight can water utility data provide to cities - Ricardo Gilead Baibich, CTO, Kando
In this episode, we interview Ricardo Baibich, CTO of Kando. We discuss the use of IoT data from water utilities to provide visibility into energy efficiency, infrastructure status, and population health risks and trends. We also explored the unique challenges faced by utilities due to the complexity of their networks and their inability to control the volume and quality of water flows into their systems. Kando is a data intelligence platform that brings data from waste water to help improve and support public health and the environment. Kando works with public authorities, municipalities, and water utilities to create operational visibility by leveraging IoT hardware and machine learning. Key Questions: What are the biggest challenges that utilities face in managing waste water infrastructure? How can utilities use waste water data and machine learning to understand population health trends? How can legacy software and hardware be integrated into a modern connected system? How can data analytics make a circular water cycle possible and preserve water in arid regions?

Jul 15, 2022 • 39min
EP 137 - How to automate tracking of large IoT device fleets - Roy Dagan, CEO of SecuriThings
Our guest today is Roy Dagan, CEO of SecuriThings. We explored the challenges companies face in securing IoT devices and understanding their performance. We also tapped into the increasing importance of automation and analytics for securing and tracking large fleets of devices. SecuriThings is a platform that provides real-time security and operational efficiency to improve system availability, organizational compliance, and cyber security. SecuriThings redefines the way organizations manage and secure their IoT devices at scale. Key Questions: Where are we today in our ability to secure large and diverse fleets of devices? How does securing an IoT device differ from securing a traditional IT system? How can you translate device data into accurate assumptions about security threats or operating problems? Is there a need for human intervention in the loop? Or can security operations be automated with sufficient training data? How can better device awareness lead to improved operational performance and ROI?

Jul 8, 2022 • 48min
EP 136 - How human-first AI creates better algorithms - Christopher Nguyen, CEO & Co-Founder, Aitomatic
How can industrial organizations optimize AI’s potential to build powerful operational capabilities? Leveraging their existing domain expertise is the key. Aitomatic helps companies level up their AI’s competitive edge by combining human and artificial intelligence. In this episode, we sat down with Christopher Nguyen, CEO and Co-Founder of Aitomatic, a knowledge-first app engine for industrial IoT that assists industrial companies in using their domain expertise to build more effective algorithms. We discussed why only 9% of manufacturers currently use AI in their business processes and how they can overcome data availability challenges. We also explored which use cases are best suited for a human-first AI development platform, and which work well with a traditional black box training approach. Key topics: Why are we not seeing AI takeoff in the industrial sector as often as we see it in consumer markets? What are the limits of modern AI solutions in enabling predictive and prescriptive analytics use cases? How can you manage the fundamental challenge of small data sets? How can your engineers and operators embed their know-how in an AI algorithm?

Jul 1, 2022 • 42min
EP 135 - How can AI improve IoT device security - Greg Murphy, CEO, Ordr
In this episode, we discuss the status of the PATCH Act for healthcare device security and the threats that it aims to address. We also explore how AI can be used to track and secure large networks of IoT devices that are impossible to manage with traditional security approaches. Our guest today is Greg Murphy, CEO of Ordr. Ordr is a device security platform that enables companies to see, know, and secure every connected device in their IoT, IT and OT infrastructure. IoT ONE is an IoT 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

Jun 24, 2022 • 50min
EP 134 - How to build or invest in platform businesses - Alex Moazed, CEO & Founder, Applico
In this episode, we discuss the challenges that traditional businesses face in developing or participating in platform business models and strategies that they can take to improve their chance of success. We also explore the digital business models that are most impactful for industrial companies. Our guest today is Alex Moazed, founder and CEO of Applico. Applico specializes in helping companies build and invest in platform business models. IoT ONE is an IoT 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

Jun 17, 2022 • 37min
EP 133 - How to connect NB-IoT devices over satellite - Gianluca Redolfi, Chief Commercial Officer, Sateliot
In this episode, we discuss the paradigm shift that is being enabled by a rapid reduction in satellite launch costs and the extension of the terrestrial NB-IoT protocol to space. We also explore the early adopter use cases for satellite connectivity including both primary connection and as a roaming service. Our guest today is Gianluca Redolfi, Chief Commercial Officer of Sateliot. Sateliot is a satellite communications operator that provides global and continuous NB-IoT connectivity to companies that make up the IoT Universe. IoT ONE is an IoT 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