Learning is the new Black! A Must See Business Tech Trend Webcast Thursday!

Are you a user of Instagram? In preparation for the upcoming 2014 Business Tech Trends webcast on Thursday, Aug. 21st, my team at IBM has put together some really neat and useful Instagram videos that highlight some of the topics we will discuss during the webcast. Please check them out!

You don't have to have an Instagram account to view the videos. But, if you do use Instagram, feel free to like and comment on them!

Register now and add the August 21st webcast to your calendar. Don't miss this great opportunity to hear about the secrets of successful companies! Join the thousands of individuals, enterprises (large and small!), academicians, and startups for our webcast!

I know you'll learn and benefit from our conversation on the key characteristics of pacestting companies. It will be an hour well spent!


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!

japan girls night out

 


Announcing our newest BlueMix Garage: The Israel ALPHAZONE!

AlphaZone_blog_fullimage

 

Are you ready to accelerate your startup? Click here to access the IBM Alpha Zone: A Bluemix Garage!

Have questions? Check out our FAQ here!

Didn't register for this semester? Click here to apply (Second semester registration starts October 2014).


TiEcon: 4K startups, Watson, BlueMix, IoT and more!

I really had a great time at TiEcon this past week. What an event! From my Internet of Things keynote to the Watson presence and BlueMix workshop, the largest entrepreneur conference in the world was packed with a phenomenal array of business and thought leaders from across the planet!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP-T0ijrtuE]

More on TiEcon


Upcoming Cloud Webcasts!

I want you to be aware of some great opportunities on Codename: BlueMix and SoftLayer coming up in a matter of days. There are two webcasts you can attend to learn about our new and exciting cloud-based solutions!

BlueMix is fantastic for building, managing and running apps and services of all types (web, mobile, big data, new smart devices). The May 15th webcast will benefit developers and Business Partners alike on hearing how BlueMix offers a low-risk, secure, cost sensitive environment—using new capabilities and technologies geared towards the cloud.

Here's a brand new video to help you get up to speed on the power and potential of what BlueMix has done for others and what it can do for you!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbXN2mz90b0&w=560&h=315]

SoftLayer provides a robust, scalable and secure platform for born-on-the-cloud applications. The May 22nd webcast will provide an introduction to SoftLayer and cover the business strategy for Business Partners, the value proposition, and the subscription model.

Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to sign up for both webcasts. You don't want to miss them!


Who will win the Mobile App Throwdown at IBM Impact? You decide!

Voting for our Mobile App Throwdown finalists has started, and I need your help in determining who wins!

I’ve listed them all below, together with their video submissions. All you'll need to do is watch the finalists' videos and then vote for your favorite finalists. I've included a handy-dandy link at the bottom of each video for you to vote!

We will announce the winner during the IBM Impact keynote on Wednesday, April 30th. Here's the finalists:

Arxan

Arxan provides advanced software security technology to the market place and delivers superior customer satisfaction.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Prw-q2bTk4g?rel=0]

Vote for Arxan!

 

ClickSoftware

ClickSoftware delivers a complete end-to-end mobile workforce solution that meets the vital needs of the field service industry.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKa8Wf70RJk?rel=0]

Vote for ClickSoftware!

 

Exigen Insurance

Exigen Insurance Solutions provides core system software to insurers of every size to help them achieve outcomes that matter - revenue growth, cost efficiency, and market and channel expansion.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOw_vkxciqE?rel=0]

Vote for Exigen!

 

PointSource

PointSource has evolved from a dynamic IT firm specializing business process management to a pioneer in transforming businesses with mobile.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WOlndEyWSE?rel=0]

Vote for PointSource!

 

Stay tuned: the winner of the IBM Impact Mobile App Throwdown will be announced on April 30!


By 2019, Most Developers in the World will live in India! IBM Loves India INNOVATION!

Today, the developer ecosystem in India is the second largest in the world, and by 2019, it will be the largest in the world. 

There are about 18.2 million software developers worldwide, a number that is due to rise to 26.4 million by 2019, a 45% increase, says Evans Data Corp. in its latest Global Developer Population and Demographic Study.

Today, the U.S. leads the world in software developers, with about 3.6 million. India has about 2.75 million. But by 2018, India will have 5.2 million developers, a nearly 90% increase, versus 4.5 million in the U.S., a 25% increase though that period, Evans Data projects.

India is ready and Social!   It is the land of Creativity, Bollywood and rich Social Networks!

India is land with rich cultural heritage, creativity and vibrancy. Bollywood is a testimony of that.  Last time I was in India, it was my birthday and we celebrated in style with the great music and people!  The soft power of India is visible on the world map. The nation of young developers has risen to the opportunity that a smarter planet can offer them.

In preparation for a business trip to India, I tweeted about my excitement and energy to spend some time in India as I’ve seen it grow as an emerging and innovative country. I have visited India before, meeting with customers and being the keynote speaker at industry leading events. I arrived in India after a long flight and nightmare experience in baggage claim. The hotel seemed like a reprise and all thoughts were focused on collapsing into sleep.

When I arrived at the hotel around 11 p.m., the hotel general manager told me that he had put the “group” waiting for me in a conference room, because it had become too large for the lobby. I was not expecting any group and made sure I told the IBMers from the region to greet me in the morning as to not take them away from their families so late at night. After completing the check-in process, I turned to the conference room where the hotel had directed me, not realizing that my “tweet” had become a connection point.

Here in Mumbai, thousands of miles away from my home in the United States, was a group of people who knew me only by my blogs, LinkedIn groups, and tweets. They trusted my expertise and were anxiously waiting to greet and talk to me about Social Business. Through that one tweet, some of the most dedicated followers in India had determined which conference I was speaking at, and therefore at which hotel I would be staying. They had also determined the flight by asking the front desk for the “expected time of arrival,” so they gathered and hoped for some time with me, which I gladly gave to my new “friends.”

I was amazed that this tweet had truly been heard across the world, and trusted by thousands of people. My connectedness had engaged this group. While social media’s growth in India will be largely dependent on the penetration of broadband, this “group” was proof that the global connectedness had extended to the Indian people from one person to another and one business to another.

We believe that Developers from this part of the world can change the game for a Global Impact

There is transformation happening the world over. In a smarter planet everything is connected. People and devices. There are millions lines of codes in a fighter aircraft. Software development and deployment is not only impacting human lives but is re writing a whole generation. BlueMix is  a level playing field for enterprise and individual developers

Codename : BlueMix is an enterprise-grade platform that allows you to build Apps as if you are playing in a sandbox! You can now create Apps with the efficiency of a cold-blooded cyborg with a single solution environment with instant services, runtimes, and infrastructure you need to push your future ideas into the present.

IBM Brings the Bluemix days in 10 Indian Cities!!

To tap into the technology skills, the BlueMix days will travel to all top developer populated cites in India.   The vibrant startup ecosystem can jump start through these events and we are seeing that the valley is not anymore confined to valley anymore. Startups with intent to impact global technology are emerging from these cities. For example,  Ideas and prototypes around wearable devices are coming from places like, Startup Village ( a startup incubator) from Cochin, Kerala ( popularly known as God’s own country ).

Generic-Poster-25th April 2014

The Institute of Academic excellence and research can add value to our business - – India has invested in technology leadership and nurturing them from very beginning and world of technology is enjoying the fruits.   Cloud Foundry as an open source platform can be a game changer for Sis looking for the next big idea.

Bluemix makes you cool. – Have you tried bluemix.net ? Trust me hexagons are cool!!!!

Bluemix Hexagons