Startup Focus with Game-Changers, Presented by SAP

The buzz: Congratulations! How do you know when your tech startup is a success? A big enterprise answers your call. What’s in it for them? Your disruptive products and solutions deliver the innovation they cannot develop on their own due to cost, change-resistant culture, lack of agility, and sluggish internal creativity. Our panel of startups and advisors will share insights on the entrepreneur’s journey from vision to getting the big players to say “Yes!” The experts speak. Ian Nazzari, Huru Systems: “For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled” -Richard Feynman. Simon Bain, SearchYourCloud: “And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly: what is essential is invisible to the eye” -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Dave Katona, SAP: “Anyone can cook, but only the fearless can be great” -Chef Gusteau, Ratatoulle. Join us for The Startup Mindset: Innovation for Sale.

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). Join us for Beyond Offshoring: Customer Service Reinvented by AI.

The buzz: Where does the average Joe store their money? In a bank’s current or savings account or a safety deposit. But the blockchain could become a new repository of value (R. Botsman). Blockchain is redefining how we transact in the digital world where digitized trust is required. WEF research found 58% of tech execs expect 10% of global GDP ($5.3 trillion) to be stored on the blockchain by 2025. Are startups paying attention? The experts speak. Drew Hingorani, Ai-BlockChain: “It’s not about perfect. It’s about effort. And when you bring that effort every single day, that’s where transformation happens. That’s how change occurs” (Jillian Michaels). Peter Ebert, CryptoWork: “Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve” (J.K.Rowling). Andreas Fichter, SAP: “We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don't…be lulled into inaction” (Bill Gates). Join us for Blockchain, Trust and Startups.

The buzz: “The real secret of success in Government 2.0 is thinking about government as a platform” (Dr. Mark Drapeau). “Government of the people, by the people, for the people” resonates around the world, yet polls reveal deep distrust of governing institutions that forget the people. Enter E-Government and Open Government. When combined, they pave the way for Government 2.0, a next generation collaborative technology using social media, cloud computing, new technologies and AI-based apps to increase citizen participation. The experts speak. Colleen Hardwick, PlaceSpeak: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” (President Franklin D. Roosevelt). Michelle Specktor, IPgallery: “Reality leaves a lot to the imagination” (John Lennon). Mark Noronha, SAP: ““Every man…feels that he is a participator in the government of affairs, not merely at an election one day in the year, but every day” (Thomas Jefferson). Join us for Smart Citizens: How to Make Government More Accountable.

The buzz: “Retail is undergoing a massive change, and there is a chance for new leaders to emerge and older brands to reinvent themselves. (Kirsten Green) Retailers: Your in-store customer experience can account for up to 98% of total sales. Going digital shouldn't mean focusing on “clicks” instead of “bricks”. To compete with online retailers, brick-and-mortar stores need to transform. How? Tesla acts strictly as a showroom, with no on-hand inventory and only online ordering. Apple, Microsoft, Target and Walmart adopt the latest technologies to bring the customer back to the retail floor. Need help? Tech startups can help make your in-store experience shine again. The experts speak. Guillaume Waline, Indigo Connected Retail: “Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it (Winston Churchill). Steve Rietzke, SAP: “If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time” (Steve Jobs). Join us for Digital Shopping Era Clicks vs. Bricks: Rescuing Brick-and-Mortar.

The buzz: “In 2017 over 2000 AI driven startups were being born...” (paganresearch.io/startups-that-are-leading-the-ai-space-right-now/). From self-driving cars to drones to smartphones, intelligent homes and voice assistants – artificial intelligence is ingrained into every technology we use, whether Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, or others. How do new companies in the AI space imagine and develop breakthrough apps to help enterprises change the world for the better and smarter? Meet one and find out. The experts speak. Surrendra Reddy, Quantiply: “Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like” (Lao Tsu). Steve Rietzke, SAP: “Every particular in nature, a leaf, a drop, a crystal, a moment of time is related to the whole, and partakes of the perfection of the whole (Ralph Waldo Emerson). Join us for AI: Smarter Technology, Smarter World.

The buzz: “I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying ‘No’ to 1,000 things” (Steve Jobs, Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 1997). The $1M Question for disruptive technology entrants: Compete or collaborate with the established players in your target market? But it’s more complex than that. Incumbent companies aware of newcomers’ challenges can acquire the best or disrupt themselves by exploring and rolling-in innovations on their own. Hmmm…The experts speak. Yusuf Jazakallah, Recruitment Smart: “Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough” (Elon Musk). Frederick Ronse, Ovinto: “In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present” (Francis Bacon). Mayank Mathur, SAP: “Disruptive technology should be framed as a marketing challenge, not a technological one” (Clayton Christensen). Join us for The Disrupter’s Dilemma: Compete or Collaborate with Incumbents?

The buzz: “Enterprise technology is big business, and the startup sector is bustling with companies capitalizing on the growth of demand for tools in the world of big data, devops, cloud, mobility, the internet of things and security scares” (Scott Carey). Ever buy enterprise software to streamline your workflow, boost productivity and enhance operations – but it’s hard to integrate and confuses your knowledge workers? Look to startups for the tools to help your knowledge workers unlock new opportunities for digital business. The experts speak. Florian Meichsner, Sablono: “The best things in life are on the other side of terror” (Will Smith). Prithvi Sen Sharma, Prakshep: “Wisdom, like other precious substances, must be torn from the bowels of the earth” (J Cardan). Gary Parnell, SAP: “Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by the traffic from both sides.” (Margaret Thatcher) Join us for The Future of Enterprise Software: Startups to the Rescue!

The buzz: “Since 2015, I have invested in 22 startups in the mobility space.” (Ted Serbinski, Techstars Mobility) Mobility is moving at triple-Internet speed in our Mobile 2.0 world, as BYOD adoption and enterprise-wide B2E, B2B and C2B disrupt traditional computing as well as our personal, professional and commercial digital dynamics. Can startups play a role? Yes, if they embrace the mindset of mobility and deliver cutting-edge solutions for the challenges and opportunities facing companies across all industries. The experts speak. Bejoy Narayana, Boodskapper: “…robots will be able to do everything better than us...I mean all of us” (Elon Musk). Fouard ElNaggar, Sapho: “The past is an illusion. You must learn to live in the present and accept yourself for what you are now” (Bruce Lee). Mayank Mathur, SAP: “The trend has been that mobile was winning. It's now won” (Eric Schmidt) . Join us for The Mobility Mindset: Startups Take A Leading Role.

The buzz: “There's probably 5000 times more solar energy than the humans will ever need…It's a celebration of the abundance of human creativity combined with the abundance of the natural world” [William McDonough). Utilities are starting to grasp that the energy system of the future will fail without innovation, while facing consumer demands for better service and environmental sustainability. How to succeed? Employ or partner with innovative startups who think out of the box using AI, Internet of Things, and Blockchain. The experts speak. Dr. Christina Wuerthner, Enersis Suisse AG: “Investigate what is, and not what pleases” (Goethe). Ian Nazzari, Huru Systems: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles…credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena” (Theodore Roosevelt). Dave Katona, SAP: “Life is all about seating and lighting” (Graydon Carter). Join us for Startups and Utilities: Powering-Up People, Saving Billions.

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 speak. Sathish Gajaraju, Sensify: “Bond: ‘A gun and a radio. It's not exactly Christmas, is it?’ Q: ‘Were you expecting an exploding pen? We don't really go in for that anymore.’” (Skyfall). Sanchita Sur, Emplay: “To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable” (Beethoven). Dave Katona, SAP: “And to use something as elegant as a tree…why don't we knock that down and write on it?” (W. McDonough. Join us: Consumer Products Startups: New Ideas, Fresh Technology, Better Solutions.

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 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). Join 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). Join 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 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 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, admit it frankly and try another … above all, try something” (F.D. Roosevelt). Join 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). Join us for Critical HR for Startups: Top Talent on a Shoestring Budget.

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). Join 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 support 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). Join 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 passion 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). Join 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). Join 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). Join us for The Startup Mindset: Technology on the Fashion Runway.