Startup Focus with Game-Changers, Presented by SAP 6o6s6x

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 Thomas Edison’s words: “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.” The experts speak. Colleen Hardwick, PlaceSpeak: “Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it” (Goethe). Fouard ElNaggar, Sapho: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth” (Mike Tyson). Luisa Silva, SAP: “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself” (Henry Ford). us for Path to Startup Success: Sell-Design-Build vs. Design-Build-Sell.

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 Thomas Edison’s words: “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.” The experts speak. Colleen Hardwick, PlaceSpeak: “Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it” (Goethe). Fouard ElNaggar, Sapho: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth” (Mike Tyson). Luisa Silva, SAP: “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself” (Henry Ford). us for Path to Startup Success: Sell-Design-Build vs. Design-Build-Sell.

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 your art, but force your way into its secrets, for it and knowledge can raise men to the divine” Beethoven). Sami AlSayyed, ShortPoint: “If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late” (Reid Hoffman). Dave Katona, SAP: “An awful lot of successful technology companies ended up being in a slightly different market than they started out in” (Marc Andreessen). us for Dancing with the Elephants: How Startups and Corporates Collaborate.

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 your art, but force your way into its secrets, for it and knowledge can raise men to the divine” Beethoven). Sami AlSayyed, ShortPoint: “If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late” (Reid Hoffman). Dave Katona, SAP: “An awful lot of successful technology companies ended up being in a slightly different market than they started out in” (Marc Andreessen). us for Dancing with the Elephants: How Startups and Corporates Collaborate.

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 . 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 focus on customers, not big-splash. The experts speak. Colleen Hardwick, PlaceSpeak: “If I’d asked people what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse” (H. Ford). Dave Katona, SAP: “The country needs and, unless I mistake its temper, the country demands bold, persistent experimentation ... common sense to take a method and try it: If it fails, it it frankly and try another … above all, try something” (F.D. Roosevelt). us for Beyond Tax Incentives: Governments and Startup Ecosystems.

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 . 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 focus on customers, not big-splash. The experts speak. Colleen Hardwick, PlaceSpeak: “If I’d asked people what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse” (H. Ford). Dave Katona, SAP: “The country needs and, unless I mistake its temper, the country demands bold, persistent experimentation ... common sense to take a method and try it: If it fails, it it frankly and try another … above all, try something” (F.D. Roosevelt). us for Beyond Tax Incentives: Governments and Startup Ecosystems.

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 prevent you from taking off altogether. The experts speak. Ted West, BOHH Labs: “Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours and you’ll drift in that direction” (Warren Buffett). Patrick Giusti, Point Inside: “Rational thoughts never drive people's creativity the way emotions do” (Neil deGrasse Tyson). Dave Katona, SAP: “I hire people brighter than me and then I get out of their way” (Lee Iacocca). us for Critical HR for Startups: Top Talent on a Shoestring Budget.

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 prevent you from taking off altogether. The experts speak. Ted West, BOHH Labs: “Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours and you’ll drift in that direction” (Warren Buffett). Patrick Giusti, Point Inside: “Rational thoughts never drive people's creativity the way emotions do” (Neil deGrasse Tyson). Dave Katona, SAP: “I hire people brighter than me and then I get out of their way” (Lee Iacocca). us for Critical HR for Startups: Top Talent on a Shoestring Budget.

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 Narayana, Boodskapper: “I've never met anyone who likes calling a business. And no one wants to have to install a new app for every service or business they want to interact with” (M. Zuckerberg). Dave Katona, SAP: “I believe that at the end of the century the use of words and general educated opinion will have altered so much that one will be able to speak of machines thinking without expecting to be contradicted” (A. Turing). us for Beyond Offshoring: Customer Service Reinvented by AI.

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 Technologies: “Often when you think you're at the end of something, you're at the beginning of something else” (Fred Rogers). Josh Marti, Point Inside: “Take actions that will stand the test of time as having been the correct ones and not merely the expedient ones” (Robert Kay). Dave Katona, SAP: “If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful” (Jeff Bezos). us for Whither Main Street: Rescuing Brick & Mortar in the Online Commerce Era.

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 Technologies: “Often when you think you're at the end of something, you're at the beginning of something else” (Fred Rogers). Josh Marti, Point Inside: “Take actions that will stand the test of time as having been the correct ones and not merely the expedient ones” (Robert Kay). Dave Katona, SAP: “If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful” (Jeff Bezos). us for Whither Main Street: Rescuing Brick & Mortar in the Online Commerce Era.

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 and financial backing to fund development and continuous innovation so the startup can stay relevant, create jobs and grow. But how to pick the right investor, and when to adjust plans or disconnect? The experts speak. Aharon Weiner, Capriza: “A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be” (Wayne Gretzky). Mark Noronha, SAP Startup Focus: “Any time is a good time to start a company” (Ron Conway, early stage investor). us for The Startup Mindset: Raising a Round - Money, VCs and Startups.

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 and financial backing to fund development and continuous innovation so the startup can stay relevant, create jobs and grow. But how to pick the right investor, and when to adjust plans or disconnect? The experts speak. Aharon Weiner, Capriza: “A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be” (Wayne Gretzky). Mark Noronha, SAP Startup Focus: “Any time is a good time to start a company” (Ron Conway, early stage investor). us for The Startup Mindset: Raising a Round - Money, VCs and Startups.

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 Rinke, Celonis: “I'm convinced that about half of what separates successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance…Unless you have a lot of ion about this, you’re not going to survive” (Steve Jobs). Dave Katona, SAP Startup Focus: “If the rule you follow brought you to this, of what use was the rule?” (No Country for Old Men, 2007 film by Joel and Ethan Coen). us for The Startup Mindset: If I Could Do It All Over Again: Hindsight and Blind Ambition.

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 and related businesses monetize their unique content and preserve their brand in today’s global marketplace, which threatens to dilute the dominance LA once held. The experts speak. Sathish Gajaraju, Sensify: Obanno: “Bond, get on the train” (Skyfall, 2012 film). Mayank Mathur, SAP Startup Focus: “All good ideas start out as bad ideas, that’s why it takes so long” (Steven Spielberg). us for The Startup Mindset: LA Woos Tech Startups to the Movies.

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 leadership to the next level of prosperity. The experts speak. Sanjiv Gupta, OpsVeda: “As long as you’re going to be thinking anyway, think big” (Donald J. Trump). Cathy Han, 42 Technologies: “Change before you have to” (Jack Welch). Dave Katona, SAP Startup Focus: “Sometimes life’s going to hit you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did” (Steve Jobs). us for The Startup Mindset: Technology on the Fashion Runway.

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 when. Do you want to ride the analytics horse to profitability…or follow it with a shovel?” (Rob Neyer). Sathish Gajaraju, Sensify: Obanno: “Do you believe in God, Mr. Le Chiffre?” Le Chiffre: “No. I believe in a reasonable rate of return” (Casino Royale). Dave Katona, SAP Startup Focus: “Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to it them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations” (Steve Jobs). us for The Startup Mindset: Redefining Enterprise Software.

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 Smullen, Pypestream: “One has to ionately believe it is possible to change the industry, to turn it on its head, to make sure that it will never be the same again” -Richard Branson. Shaun Stüger, BoodsKapper: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do” -H. Jackson Brown’s mother. Mark Noronha, SAP Startup Focus: “The dream is finally arriving” -Bill Gates. us for The Startup Mindset: Enterprise AI Hype vs Reality.

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 and bottom line results. The experts speak. Christopher Bouveret, iTiZZiMO: “If you went to bed last night as an industrial company, you're going to wake up today as a software and analytics company” -Jeff Immelt. Pieter van Schalkwyk, XMPro: “The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do” -Michael Porter. Mayank Mathur, SAP Startup Focus: “Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master” -Christian Lous Lange. us for The Startup Mindset: IoT Scenarios Adding Enterprise Value.

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 successful collaboration can lead to startups being acquired by Big Data companies. Yes, it can be a win-win for all. The experts speak. Christopher Carter, Approyo: “War is 90 percent information” -Napoleon Bonaparte. Surendra Reddy, Quantiply: “In God we trust: all others bring data” -W. Edwards Deming. Mark Noronha, SAP Startup Focus: “The most valuable commodity I know of is information” -Gordon Gekko, Wall Street, 1987 film. us for The Startup Mindset: Reality of Big Data in the Enterprise.