Beyond IoT is back for its fourth consecutive year in January 2021. Like most conferences it has had to adapt to the constraints of a global pandemic and has decided to go virtual. Whilst the virtual experience is in itself exciting the biggest change to the Beyond IoT brand is the introduction of it’s very first podcast series.
Beyond IoT 4.0 is extending its offering to a limited podcast series that will launch two podcast episodes a week, in January, on the run up to the virtual conference on the 25th.
What began as a desire to offer more than just a conference, quickly evolved into a platform to showcase, in particular, start-ups and entrepreneurs working in the Tech for Good space. Each episode offers insights from exceptional women and men who saw a problem or identified a need in society that could be solved with a digital, tech innovation. This not only highlights the importance of Technology Research but also the necessity for mentor programmes such as “New Frontiers” National Programme for Developing Entrepreneurs and UCC’s “Ignite”. Not to mention the long list of funding grants from Enterprise Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland. to name but a few.
The podcast is hosted by Nimbus Research Centre’s marketing team Laura Blake and Emily Stickland, who, have only recently learnt to immerse themselves in the tech world. Having Laura and Emily navigate the digital revolution with their guests creates an atmosphere on the show of organic, honest, and for the most part hilarious conversation where guests and hosts alike learn from each other and at times surprise themselves on what they discover.
“The name ‘Digitise or Die’, stems from a Forbes quote stating that in 2021 40% of businesses that don’t adapt their offering online or transform their business practices digital, will fail”, says Emily. “It’s a provocative title aimed to evoke a sense of urgency for rapid transformation”.
Having the guests be primarily female was by accident rather than design however it does highlight, the real, growing female presence in the tech world as well as the entrepreneurial one. Laura adds “The Revolution of Females in Tech is so inspiring and when recording the podcasts we see the same themes come from each conversation, that women tend to be drawn to pragmatic problem solving of emotional based, social issues.”
That’s not to say the male guests haven’t been equally inspiring. The ‘Digitise or Die’ podcasts illustrate to anyone out there who has a business idea, to quite simply, take that idea seriously. Each guest identifies all the help that is out there and readily available but most importantly discusses the real challenges with running a start-up and the opportunities out there to overcome them.
In terms of Digitisation, technology is not something that is here to replace humans, it is a tool for society and industry to utilise to enhance and transform day to day life. The podcast guests have each done this and have proved that digitalisation is the future and absolutely anyone is capable of it.
The podcast will start being aired on the 4th of January 2021.
For more information on the podcasts go to: www.beyondiot.ie or check out the Beyond IoT social platforms on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
