The buzz: “The Personalization of the Consumer is disrupting the market, elevating the selection of consumer goods…into…self-expression” [R. Caldbeck).

The buzz: “The Personalization of the Consumer is disrupting the market, elevating the selection of consumer goods…into…self-expression” [R. Caldbeck). Consumer Products startups producing tangible goods like food and clothing may get less media attention than tech startups like Facebook and Uber, but are just as innovative. But with shoppers looking beyond price and features for companies with a social and environmental conscience, how can new CP entrants break in? The experts...

The buzz: “I would love to momentarily pause time while people line up on my doorstep waiting to pay me hard cash for a product that doesn’t even exist. It’s worth a shot, right?” [Naresh Jain, infoq.com).

The buzz: “I would love to momentarily pause time while people line up on my doorstep waiting to pay me hard cash for a product that doesn’t even exist. It’s worth a shot, right?” [Naresh Jain, infoq.com). You’re a startup with fantastic ideas you KNOW will take your industry by storm. Wow! Will you sell the vision before spending to design and build – or design and build before you sell and risk market rejection – or switch between the two? Be strong and remember Thomas Edison’s words: “I...

The buzz: “There is a fierce war for talent and a startup has a feeling of newness” [James Canton). In search of elusive growth, Campbell Soup Co. invested $125M in a venture fund to help finance food startups. The lion’s share of the U.S.

The buzz: “There is a fierce war for talent and a startup has a feeling of newness” [James Canton). In search of elusive growth, Campbell Soup Co. invested $125M in a venture fund to help finance food startups. The lion’s share of the U.S. grocery store food and beverage category growth since 2013 has come from 20,000 small companies outside the top 100. Moral: startups and established companies should collaborate, not compete. The experts speak. Sanchita Sur, Emplay: “Don’t only practice...

The buzz: “A company shouldn’t get addicted to being shiny, because shiny doesn’t last” [Jeff Bezos]. New U.S.

The buzz: “A company shouldn’t get addicted to being shiny, because shiny doesn’t last” [Jeff Bezos]. New U.S. businesses make up nearly all net-new job creation and 20% of gross job creation, with loud hype about emerging startup ecosystems and government support. Reality check: governments pour millions into “hip” facilities and government venture funds invest in “best local”, regardless of product-market fit. Stop! Successful startups are built through careful iteration and a laser-like...

The buzz: “You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world … but it requires people to make the dream a reality” (Walt Disney). Hiring the right people is important for any business, especially for a startup.

The buzz: “You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world … but it requires people to make the dream a reality” (Walt Disney). Hiring the right people is important for any business, especially for a startup. When your money is tight and credibility has yet to be established, the lack of resources and recognition can make it difficult to attract and retain the best and brightest. The bottom line: a wrong hire can set your business back months or years and even...

The buzz: “The customer’s perception is your reality” (Kate Zabriskie). Computers, mobile phones and devices listen, learn, speak in human-like cognitive interactions, thanks to Artificial Intelligence.

The buzz: “The customer’s perception is your reality” (Kate Zabriskie). Computers, mobile phones and devices listen, learn, speak in human-like cognitive interactions, thanks to Artificial Intelligence. Smart companies are marrying AI-savvy bots with a human touch to help customer service reps prioritize, respond better, and proactively offer solutions that may eliminate the need for service. Can AI revolutionize your customer service interactions and service models? The experts speak. Bejoy...

The buzz: “The sooner we drop the ‘e’ out of e-commerce and just call it commerce, the better” (Bob Willett).

The buzz: “The sooner we drop the ‘e’ out of e-commerce and just call it commerce, the better” (Bob Willett). Many retailers have made great digital online strides, but focusing on “clicks” vs “bricks” may shortchange their in-store customer experience worth up to 98% of total sales. How to stay innovative and relevant to compete online? Traditional transactional stores are assuming new roles, like Tesla’s showroom-only locations and Apple’s mini-schools. The experts speak. Cathy Han, 42...

The buzz: “It got a little stressful in my first 2 years of high school, trying to make conference calls with investors in between classes, but I definitely learned a lot of important time-management lessons” (Ben Casnocha).

The buzz: “It got a little stressful in my first 2 years of high school, trying to make conference calls with investors in between classes, but I definitely learned a lot of important time-management lessons” (Ben Casnocha). Young startups have big dreams of changing the world and staying independent, but their cash-strapped wallets cry out for a generous angel. In reality, they’re hoping a VC will offer coaching, business support and financial backing to fund development and continuous...

The buzz: “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary” (Vidal Sassoon). The question that dominates the mind of every aspiring entrepreneur: “How do we repeat the successes of the past and become the next Apple, Google, Facebook, or Microsoft?” Successful CEOs often simply say they were “lucky”. But if we dig deeper, can we discover a formula that can help the next generation of CEOs create something that makes the world a better place? The experts speak. Alexander...

The buzz: “I love Los Angeles. It reinvents itself every two days” (Bill Connolly). Los Angeles, the heart of the movie production and entertainment industry, is under pressure to provide new and exciting avenues for promoting their valuable content. Enter new startups poised to ensure that 100-plus years of movies, TV shows and other content get in front of consumers who are increasingly adopting digital, social, and viral channels. These startups are also ready to help production studios...

The buzz: “...at their core, fashion and tech...both teeter on the edge of the absurd in an effort to shepherd in the future” (Ashton Kutcher) Retail fashion shopping is supposed to be an enjoyable consumer experience. Reality check: Crowded malls, under-staffed brick and mortar stores, and the overall fashion market space are sucking valuable margin out of today’s top brands. Where to turn? Startups with innovative technology to help Retailers and Fashion companies grow global market...

The buzz: “Help, I need somebody. Help, not just anybody” (The Beatles). Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet of Things are percolating into the enterprise landscape, but not all companies are poised to quickly adapt and adopt new technologies. Where to turn for help? Startups that are leaders in their market segments. The experts speak. Clive Pearson, Qualex: “In business, as in baseball, the question isn’t whether or not you’ll jump into analytics. The question is...

The buzz: “AI is not a synthetic brain floating in a case of blue liquid…” -Jeff Goodell. Artificial intelligence -AI- has evolved from the days of early interactive voice response systems. Could “Press 1 for English” soon be gone? AI applications, Augmented and Virtual Reality are shifting how enterprises and consumers manage their business and personal lives, with proactive device assistants on smartphones, wearables, and more. What role do tech startups play? The experts speak. Richard...

The buzz: “It’s all good” -Bob Dylan. These are exciting times for tech startups working on breakthrough innovations in the Internet of Things -IoT- space, including the Industrial IoT -IIoT-, IoT for Healthcare, IoT for Manufacturing, and other business-critical areas. Why? Big enterprises are poised to take advantage of your innovations using the real time processing power of the IoT platform and IoT analytics to uncover value in their network of sensors and devices, and improve their top...

The buzz: “I prefer being a small fish in a big pond” -Stacey Keibler. When it comes to dealing with Big Data and its challenges, big enterprise organizations may lack the agility to understand and prepare. Where to turn for help? Lean, mean, agile startups to the rescue. Why? Technology startups offer fresh energy and new innovations not only to tech giants like Google or SAP, but can also help big companies across all industries remain viable in the connected economy. And this type of...

The buzz: “I prefer being a small fish in a big pond” -Stacey Keibler. When it comes to dealing with Big Data and its challenges, big enterprise organizations may lack the agility to understand and prepare. Where to turn for help? Lean, mean, agile startups to the rescue. Why? Technology startups offer fresh energy and new innovations not only to tech giants like Google or SAP, but can also help big companies across all industries remain viable in the connected economy. And this type of...

The buzz: At the hop. With the right music, startups and large enterprises can enjoy a mutually beneficial dance – even as industries are being disrupted. How? Enterprises can gain innovation faster from startups rather than on their own: identify and invest early in the right startups on reasonable terms and help them grow: collaborate with startups to redefine mature and slow-to-adapt industries. Music, please! The experts speak. Frantisek Vrabel, Semantic Visions: “Grown-ups never...