The 2014 IBM Business Tech Trends report: Raising the game
We can all see that cloud, big data & analytics, mobile, and social are becoming more and more important to businesses, but certain companies are using these transformative technologies to truly thrive and stay ahead of the pack! If you are like me, I'm sure that you are curious about the secret ingredients that make these companies successful while others might struggle.
The 2014 IBM Business Tech Trends report examines these successful companies - called Pacesetters - and looks at the key characteristics that they exhibit. And here's the good news: I'm hosting a webcast for the public release of the Business Tech Trends report on August 21st, and you are invited!
Watch my video for further details:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb0Nb-UuUSs&w=560&h=315]
Joining me for the webcast will be Ray Wang, Principal Analyst, Founder & Chairman at Constellation Research, Inc., and Susanne Hupfer, Research Lead for the study from the IBM Center for Applied Insights. We'll also hear from IBM Business Partners Pitney Bowes, Esri, Hootsuite, and Fiserv to get their point of view. This will be a great webcast with tons of info!
Register now for the webcast. I know you'll learn valuable info and discover the secrets of becoming a Pacesetter!
Content creators for Digital Assets -- More Creative in the "green"
I was fascinated by an article I just read about the impacts of colors on your mood. In particular, the article had strong insight into the color green on your creativity. Lately, several companies have been asking me how to inspire their team's creativity especially for digital content.
As companies become more social, organizations are increasingly looking for digital content and media skills. In the digital age, content is becoming king and so digital content creators are the new kingmakers! With $135bn being spent on digital content, CMO’s see custom content as the future of marketing.
So is this one idea, to sit these new kingmakers in green rooms? Is this why actors room up in a "green room?"
TGIF: Rosie powers through to win SmartCamp Cambridge with mobile and predictive!
I'm thrilled to announce that Rosie is the winner of the SmartCamp Cambridge event!
Rosie is a leading SaaS provider of predictive online and mobile shopping applications to local merchants. Their solution is aimed at improving the grocery store shopping experience by predicting the grocery items shoppers need before they run out, at the lowest price from local grocers and online retailers.
What does their solution do for grocery retailers? Rosie provides e-commerce, delivery opportunities, and deep data services. And for consumers, Rosie enables them to shop online for their favorite local stores for delivery or in-store pickup. No more running up and down the aisles looking for what you need! Rosie provides it in a mobile app!
And here's another tidbit about Rosie: they're focused on diversity with a workforce that is 50% women! Now that's an ingredient for success!
VacantBoards uses Big Data and Analytics for the SmartCamp Lagos win!
Imagine a company that uses big data and analytic software to capture data on the flow of traffic to determine the value of advertising on billboards. A solution like that could help small businesses, as well as enterprise-level businesses, maximize their advertising dollars when selecting the right billboard.
You don't have to imagine that company, because we found them at a SmartCamp event! VacantBoards was announced the winner of SmartCamp Lagos!
VacantBoards developed the very solution I described above. Driven by big data and analytics, their solution is a game changer in the African advertising industry. And, even better, their solution is provided at the touch of your fingers through a mobile app! How powerful is that?!
Congratulations to VacantBoards and to the Lagos ecosystem for putting on another great SmartCamp!
A New Video Blog Series on Internet of Things!
Today we start a full video coffee blog series on internet of things.
Heading to BlogHer '14 next week? Why Blogging is a gateway drug!
BlogHer is one of my favorite content networks and events. So I was very excited to have the opportunity to talk to co-founders Elisa Camahort Page and Jory Des Jardins.
We talked about developing more opportunities for women in tech, why when thinking mobile you need to think tablets, and how in certain markets every blogger needs to be a pinner.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wLtLx_ZJUo?rel=0]
If you haven’t already, make sure you check out BlogHer!
Internet of Things - Monday Coffee Break Video!
The internet of things is growing in importance, especially in a set of industries!
Today's Coffee Break focuses on the Internet of things!
Bluemix Girls Night out! Diversity improves performance and increases innovation
Organizations that are the most inclusive of women in top management achieve 35% higher return on equity (ROE) and 34% better total return to shareholders versus their peers – and research shows gender diversity to be particularly valuable where innovation is key, according to research conducted by Illuminate Ventures.
Despite women making up more than 50% of the population, women are conspicuously absent in IT. Only 3% of tech companies were founded by women, and, of venture-backed startups, only 1.3% have a female founder and only 6.5% have a woman CEO. Women make up half of all consumers, but by not having their voice included in the development of today’s new technology, the world is missing out on a wave of new technology and products that would appeal to both genders.
Women in IT has always been low, but today it is even lower than 30 years ago. Today, women represent 12% of all computer science graduates. In 1984, they represented 37% of all computer science graduates.
Much of this has to do with exposure to computer science before college and during college. According to Code.org, nine out of ten schools don't even offer computer science classes, and in 28 out of 50 states, computer science doesn't count towards a math or science credit.
This is why I love the focus on more women in Computer Science! Join our movement to get more women in Tech!
In Japan, our team hosted a great event for a "Girls Night Out" around the cloud!
If you are interested in hosting a "Bluemix Girls Night Out" in your region, please let me know!
2014: Year of the Entrepreneur
Have you noticed the new energy around Entrepreneurship?
For instance, Shark Tank is one of the most popular family shows. Families are teaching their kids about the potential and the feasibility of changing the world.
We now have Restaurant Start-up and even Walmart is running a "entrepreneur" event to gather new products for its US stores.
And more women are also joining the trend .... did you know that nearly 20% of angels invested in women-led businesses — the percentage grew more than 40% from the previous year, according to the Center of Venture Research.
Why is this the case?
1. There is more access to capital and it costs less to start a business. With new technologies like cloud, the cost to begin a start up is less, and areas like social enable businesses to market like the large companies for less.
2. There is more "hope" now in the economy that in the past few years. Yes, CNBC says we are in the period of overjoy, there are signs that our economy is improving -- it's a good time to start a business.
3. Corporate America isn't fulfilling the "need to show value" and to "change the world." To attract and retain the best employees, companies should be more proactive and willing to invest in their workers' future. Many believe they have to create their own company to get that culture.
4. Mentoring abounds. I see IBM offering business and technology mentoring. Virgin is focused on mentoring in the UK and the list goes on. Mentoring provides confidence to get started!
5. Support is pervasive. Unlike in the past, support for start-ups exists in networking groups, meetups, and beyond. For example, for women entrepreneurs, some groups are National Association of Women Business Owners, Women's Toolbox, PBWC, WITI, and Women 2.0.
I love this time of Entrepreneur Energy and know 2014 will truly be the Year of the Entrepreneur!