Author: CIO Times

Dreams do come true! Not always when we want them to, not always in the way we would like them to, but they do, if we are consistent in our efforts and focus on realizing them every moment. 

As for Cupid Chan, his dreams lay in the entertainment industry. He even won a singing contest as an undergrad in Vancouver, Canada, and an agent from Hong Kong invited him to join a media group afterward. However, after a 4-hour marathon debate with his parents, who believe the entertainment industry is risky and worthless and that he should focus on what he studied and treat that as his career, he gave up his dream.

Temporarily.

After graduating, Cupid took his first software engineering job in the Greater Washington DC area. To stay competitive, he decided to go for further studies (Master’s) at Johns Hopkins. But his childhood dream still lingered in his mind. Soon he learned he doesn’t have to be in the entertainment industry to be an entertainer. He can combine what he learned from school with what he is passionate about and make it his career – hence he identified himself as Technology Entertainer – he develops technology that is interesting not only for geeks but also intriguing and beneficial to everyone. “I use this principle at my work as an employee, in my keynote as a speaker, in my lecture as a professor (I am appointed as a Senior Fellow at both University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University), and at my company as an entrepreneur,” shares Cupid.

Since then, he has played different roles at different companies and become a consultant with some Fortune 500 companies as his clients. Because of his data and analytics background, he also played the Head of Big Data and Analytics role in one of those Fortune 500 companies – CSC (now it’s being split, merged, and acquired with HP, SRA, and GDIT) before he joined a company as their CTO. In his most recent venture, he took a leap of faith to start his journey and found Pistevo Decision to use technology to tackle the healthcare industry. 

From Living the Problem to Creating the Solution

Cupid met one of the co-founders, Dr. Ferdinand Hui, at an AI event, where they spoke – he from a technology perspective, and Dr. Hui from a medical perspective. While Dr. Hui was concerned about helping more patients and that the current system was more pro-doctor, Cupid was eager to get a great use case to build on the technology that he knew. Dr. Hui brought on board his colleagues at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Harry Quon and Dr. Phil Phan, and Cupid brought his technology buddy Calvin Chiew to the pool and found Pistevo to build a patient-centric system. But the next question was: “How?”

They tried a couple of things but didn’t feel like that’s what a patient wanted. In the meantime, Cupid was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and saw himself filling out redundant forms at different places (blood works, X-rays… etc.) with 90% of the content he had already filled in at other locations. It got him thinking, “For a patient-centric system, should I, as a patient, be the owner of my information, and if I want, I can press a button to share that with my doctors? Suppose a hyperthyroidism patient needs to go through that; what about patients with more complicated diseases like cancer?” So, they decided to build a system to help patients collect and share their data if required. 

Next Step: A Solution that Safeguards Data 

Sharing data sounds convenient. However, “data is the new oil,” and there are tons of value locked inside the data if we know how to harvest it. That’s what big companies do with customer data, while we, the data creator or owner, get no financial reward. Moreover, sharing data seems to invade privacy, a big no-no in this era. What can we do to let people harvest the value from the data while holding up data privacy, and even better, the data owner can earn money in the process? Because of his role as the Chair of the BI & AI Committee at Linux Foundation LF AI & Data since 2017, Cupid got chances to talk to industry leaders and learn that Federated Learning may be the solution.

“Even though everyone is talking about AI, traditional AI has at least two issues. (1) It collects data in a centralized location for a machine learning algorithm to run and build the model. But when the data is collected, data privacy is also already breached. (2) “Data is Fire.” Like sharing a fire from my torch with yours, I lose control of how you can use my fire right after that. You can keep passing along without my knowledge, and I cannot even “get it back.” Therefore, unlike tangible objects, the value of the data immediately drops the moment it’s shared because I cannot recoup it,” explains Cupid.

By using Federated Learning, one can turn the whole scenario around. Instead of collecting data in one place, the model is pushed out to where the data is located for training the model. Once done, the little improved model is sent back, without the data, to form the aggregated result. Hence, the data consumers achieve their goal because they have millions of quality data to train their models. Data owners still possess the data without losing privacy. And because data never leaks, data owners can now set a price for people to use their data. 

“Wait, Federated Learning in Healthcare? What about calling it Federated Healthcare?” One Sunday morning, Cupid woke up with this idea. Then he searched online; there was no such thing. So, he registered the domain FederatedHealthcare.com to promote this concept. This will be the Marketplace for the data owner, i.e., the patient, who can share their data as in the old traditional way if they don’t care about privacy. But they will also provide a way for people to share data privately. This will be a place for those who need high-fidelity healthcare data for research or to train their machine learning model. And the result of the model can use the very same platform to identify potential buyers who can benefit from it. This ecosystem will allow them to unlock the value of healthcare data without sacrificing data privacy or losing data value to propel research and improve healthcare as a whole.

The Process of Innovation

Innovation is optimally attained when you know well enough to develop a solid solution but do not know too much so that predefined boundaries do not limit creativity. This is why Pistevo has founders and partners from different areas. Each contributes their expertise from their domain. Once the pain points are shared, others can ask “dumb questions” to inspire a better solution that may not even be considered if you are in the domain for so long. 

“Success is built on top of many dumb questions because each dumb question leads to an incremental improvement heading toward the finish line. Moreover, the answers to those dumb questions are usually simple yet foundational. Without knowing them well is the same as building up a house on a sinking sand foundation,” shares Cupid.

Keeping up with Technology

As technology is dynamic, so should be your response to it, believes Cupid. “I still remember that the waterfall model was the gold software development standard while studying my undergrad. But now, everyone is adopting Agile. We are so spoiled with a quick turnaround. The average time a person will wait for a loading page is 4 seconds. If it’s longer than that, good luck to your site, as the user must most likely switch to something else. Nowadays, people do not have the patience to wait months or years to see the result. So, to make the solution scalable, the first thing is to make your solution “available” whenever the users need it,” he shares.

Unfortunately, users’ needs change over time quickly due to quick environment evolution. Hence keeping delivering value incrementally, hearing the feedback from the users, and incorporating enhancements into the next release is critical to making a solution scalable. The transition involves education and mindset changes. “But “feed your own dog food” by applying this theory to how to help our clients by showing them improvements time after time. Get them involved as part of the team in the process actively. This makes them co-own the product instead of just a bystander watching the game,” he says.

Challenging Time

The toughest time for Cupid was when he first switched from a technical to a managerial role. His inside pride said, “Now, you have a different status. Just hand off work to your team and enjoy being a manager!” Big mistake, in 2 senses. First, attitude: a manager is not the same as a leader. A successful business needs leaders who walk the talk, not a manager who talks the talk. Other people can quickly feel that, and you will soon pay the price as your team runs away because someone just shoveled work down their throats.

Secondly, quality and vision: Everyone has 24 hours every day. As an entrepreneur, you can and should spend more time developing the business, which means you will have less time to involve in technical build-out. How do you ensure the product quality is maintained with the vision you set? “As your team is an “employee,” it’s naïve to think an employee will have the same level of dedication as you, an entrepreneur. It’s not saying that they intentionally do a terrible job. But realistically, the commitment will never be at the same level as yours. Moreover, handing off may lead to a different direction that you, as the entrepreneur, envision,” he explains.

Therefore, before handing it off to your team, you should develop a repeatable process. A process that will guard against the quality of the work automatically, e.g., Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) in software development, and have a periodic meetup to ensure the outcome is appropriately aligned with the vision. Once you confirm that the team grasps your idea and builds trust gradually, you can then let go more and more over time. 

“There is no shortcut to building this foundational process. If you don’t do it sooner, you will do it later at a higher price. Handing off too soon without a proper strategy is wasteful of resources. It took a long time to reboot, which was how I overcame this costly mistake,” he shares.

Understanding the AI Wave

Explaining the latest AI rage, Cupid shares that just like Google has provided great search results since 20+ years ago, one still needs to sift through what is appropriate. ChatGPT returns a great language model’s response, but you are the one to judge whether it is accurate. Technology is to assist humans and replace those who totally rely on the result without the knowledge to see what’s right or wrong. 

“I keep hearing this recently: ChatGPT is going to replace many humans at work, and many people will lose their jobs! My response: There was a similar concern when machines were first introduced in the industrial revolution, but the number of jobs per capita has increased since then,” says Cupid.

 “New technology will make some legacy jobs and people who don’t want to change irrelevant. But it will also push society forward, and history has proven that time after time. Like it or not, this AI wave is coming. The question is not “Are you ready” but “How can you get yourself ready and stay relevant”?”

As per Cupid, the immediate challenge for the industry is how quick and agile you are to adopt new technologies. Owing to AI development, changes are exponentially faster than we had ten years ago. While inventing those emerging technologies is significant, businesses should think about leveraging those technologies quickly to complement what they currently have. 

The Path Ahead

Cupid and his team aim to build out the Federated Healthcare platform in the coming years. But they understand nothing can be achieved if they try to boil the ocean. Healthcare is a gigantic ocean with many unknown monsters. So, they plan to achieve this goal step by step. “Do one thing well, secure the ground, and expand from there. Therefore, instead of targeting ALL healthcare data, we must first focus on one,” he says.

Not so long after they started debating what to focus on, Cupid got a message from his dad that his mom got a stroke and was admitted to the hospital. That was when they still were in lockdown mode due to the pandemic. Traveling to Asia required quarantine for two weeks each way. But he knew the hospital took the MRI for his mom, and his dad has the CD. Having a co-founder as a stroke specialist, he immediately asked his dad to upload those results so that he could pass them along to Ferdinand for some advice. 

But too bad it took them a long time, yet they still needed to find a way to share this information. Ferdinand further confirmed that even though a hospital may have a medical image system, no such patient-centric approach allows sharing as the laypeople expected. This was it! Medical Imaging was the first healthcare data they incorporated into their platform, and they released it earlier in 2023 for patients and doctors to try out. “We brand this platform Carealth – to streamline Care and Health for real,” shares Cupid.

“In the meantime, applying the same idea, we won our first NIH SBIR award for incorporating Social Determinants of Health (SDH) data for cancer patients. We finished the Phase I development in 2022 and expect the Phase II award to start in 2023. Based on recent research, addressing this issue helps reduce readmission rates for the healthcare system and save overall healthcare costs. Therefore, in the next few years, we will leverage the Carealth platform to expand into SDH,” he says.

Message to the Budding Entrepreneurs:

Cupid concludes our interaction with the following message for budding entrepreneurs:

“Analysis paralysis is the number one differentiator between a visionary and an entrepreneur. In the NIH SBIR award I mentioned above, we are also accepted to an optional I-Corps program. A critical lesson from this program is reaching out to your users and understanding their needs. Then incorporate the feedback into the product or service, and don’t be afraid to fail. Keep repeating this process to search for the right product-market fit. Just sitting and thinking your solution is the best one leads you nowhere. Taking action, listening, and improving is the positive cycle an entrepreneur needs to follow. By practicing this, we won the “Best in Show” Award in the I-Corps program!”

Quote: “Great Idea – Action = Failure; Listen humbly + Improve continuously = Success eventually” 

Commercial Bank of Ceylon (CBC), Sri Lanka has been in the business of Banking for over 100 years now and has a legacy-driven trust imprinted with the brand name. What they do is objectively carry out financial intermediation for both local and international clients. They are catering to customers from all walks of life through various products and services. They offer a comprehensive range of financial services that cater to the diverse needs of their customers.

CBC’s aim is to stay ahead of the curve in an ever-changing financial landscape. They are dedicated to maintaining a strong financial foundation that supports both short-term profitability and long-term sustainability. Their aim is to grow responsibly, balancing the interests of the stakeholders, communities, and the environment.

A Diligent Leader

Mr. Najith Meewanage’s career with Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC (CBC) started over 30 years ago, where he started his journey as an entry-level employee in retail banking while securing banking studies and ended up pursuing an MBA at the University of Greenwich in London specializing in Finance.

As he progressed in his career Mr. Meewanage was given more opportunities to take on bigger challenges and responsibilities. This eventually led him to the role of CEO of the Bangladesh Operation in June 2021, where he was responsible for overseeing the entire business. During his professional life, he worked in different senior positions such as Head of Operations in the Head Office, Chief Operating Officer in Bangladesh Operations, Head of Operational Risk, etc. prior to taking up the duties as the Chief Executive Officer of Bangladesh Operations of CBC.

Every business in the market effectively drives on technology and digitalization is driving the future banking business. Under his leadership, Mr. Meewanage started transforming the CBC-Bangladesh Banking business and with it the client journey allowing banks to spot behaviour patterns and solve client problems at a fraction of the current speed in a very cost-efficient manner. CBC- Bangladesh recorded 78 pct profit growth in the year 2022 with all the turbulences generated elsewhere in the world triggering financial uncertainty.

As CEO, Mr. Meewanage is proud to lead a team of dedicated professionals who are passionate about delivering exceptional customer service and value to the stakeholders. During this tenure as CEO, the total number of accounts of Foreign Missions increased to 39 out of 52 operating in the country so far which is indeed a great honor for the Bank.

“Unique products and services, superior service quality, and efficient and customized solutions to the requirements of corporate and personal banking customers are hallmarks of the successful stride of CBC in Bangladesh,” he says.

Leveraging Technology

Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC – Bangladesh is powered by state-of-the-art technology from its inception. It started its operation in Bangladesh with full-fledged online banking. CBC Bangladesh’s IT is ISO 27001 certified which ensures international standards for information security.

“We are continuously thriving and have introduced a number of innovative digital banking solutions for the ease of the clients which many of our peer banks are yet to launch. To name a few, I can talk about CBC Digital which is an online Corporate Banking solution. Contactless credit card, e-passbook which is a direct replacement of physical passbook which is the only type of service in the market, etc. We are also a Bangladesh Investment & Development Authority -listed Bank as a one-stop service point to assist the Foreign Investors in Bangladesh,” shares Mr. Meewanage.

Innovation in Banking

A financial institution always works in a dynamic environment. Naturally, a dynamic environment always demands going through a continuous innovation process.  The main aim of innovative services is to simplify existing customer processes to enhance ease and speed. CBC always encourages innovative ideas in order to improve its service standards. As an accolade, CBC Bangladesh was adjudged as the Most Innovative Foreign Baking Brand – Bangladesh by Global Brands – UK. It may be mentioned here that CBC Bangladesh is the first Bank in the country to introduce a School Banking/ Teen saver account named Dot Com.

“We are very much concentrated on digitalization and currently have quite a number of innovative products and services suited for any type of customers namely, Corporations, SMEs, and individuals,” says Mr. Meewanage.

Challenges within the Industry

Mr. Meewanage feels that the effectiveness of the Banking sector’s ability to deliver staying in this role always determines the solid wealth generation capability of the economy in the long run. The Banking sector’s wider financial inclusion can benefit the middle class and poor by promoting overall economic participation. The real growth, which in turn leads to improved income levels overall in the society thus reducing the risk of financial crises, whose adjustment costs are most felt by the poor.

“One key highlight is that the gross domestic savings rate in Bangladesh is low, especially compared to the neighbouring countries. For the purposes of stimulating economic growth, the country requires a gross domestic saving level above 30 pct. The low level of saving is associated with a high consumption pattern along with a low level of disposable income and a low level of financial intermediation. Therefore, a resource gap exists in Bangladesh, although it is slowly decreasing. My above observations underline the need to accelerate domestic resource mobilization efforts and to improve the investment environment,” shares Mr. Meewanage.

In terms of foreign resources mobilization, peculiarly to foreign investors, he believes that the Banking sector must be geared to gain the confidence of investors, establish and develop a network of financial intermediaries, and produce a wide range of diversified saving and financing instruments that meet market needs.

The end of each business cycle has highlighted flaws in the banking system around the world and the established framework, leading to excessive lending and risk-taking in the absence of sufficient capital and liquidity buffers.

To address the above issues and produce value for all stakeholders in the short, medium, and long terms, the CBC has a comprehensive grasp of sustainability. By making sure that CBC’s total performance is reinforced going forward in accordance with the strategic imperatives of prudent expansion, client centricity, innovative leadership, and operational excellence with the appropriate expertise while paying close attention to the effects on society and the environment.

Encouraging Diversity and Inclusion

At CBC, fostering diversity and inclusion is a top priority and a fundamental aspect of the organizational culture. The firm believes that a diverse and inclusive workplace not only enriches the team but also enhances the organization’s ability to serve its customers effectively. To promote these values, the leadership has implemented a multi-faceted approach: Inclusive identifying Fast-Tracking Staff, Diversity Training, Flexible Policies to ensure proper work-life balances, performance evaluation in the most prudent ways, transparent reporting, etc.

“More importantly my door is always open for everyone for open discussions. Overall, our goal is to cultivate a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives. We recognize that diversity and inclusion are ongoing journeys, and we are dedicated to making continuous strides towards a more inclusive future,” shares Mr. Meewanage.

Meeting the Sustainability Goals

Ensuring a sustainable future is not only a global imperative but also a core commitment for CBC. The core team recognizes their responsibility to contribute positively to the well-being of the planet and society. CBC’s approach to sustainability is comprehensive and integrated into its business operations, reflecting its dedication to making a meaningful impact. The bank is deeply committed to playing a pivotal role in achieving global sustainability goals. By integrating sustainability into its operations, engaging stakeholders, and championing responsible practices, it aims to contribute to a better, more sustainable future for generations to come.

As recognition, The Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC (CBC) has won the International Business Magazine Awards 2021, with the honour of “Most Sustainable Bank in Bangladesh” from 2021 onwards.

“Most Sustainable Bank in Bangladesh”, reiterated CBC’s commitment to its ongoing sustainability agenda, further acknowledging the bank’s excellence in creating environmental, social, and governance across its operations, and ensuring economic efficiency, prosperity, and contributions towards its various stakeholders.

Distinguished Recognitions

CBC- Bangladesh Operations has reached the rare height of achieving “AAA” Credit Rating for 13 (thirteen) consecutive years during this year in addition to winning several awards & accolades such as Best Foreign Bank in Bangladesh, Most Sustainable Bank in Bangladesh, Most Recommended Foreign Bank in Bangladesh, Best Corporate Bank Bangladesh, Most Innovative Foreign Baking Brand – Bangladesh, Bangladesh International Trade Finance Bank of the Year, Top Fastest Growing Companies to Watch 2023, The best performance on Growth, The best performance on Profitability, Best Performance on Risk Management and Best Asset Quality from Indian Chamber of Commerce and world-renowned financial magazines based in financial hubs of UK, USA, UAE, and Singapore.

At the same time, Mr. Meewanage was nominated as one of the Top 10 Best Business Leaders in Bangladesh in 2022 and also as one of the 10 Most Prominent Business Leaders to Watch as well as one of the Business Icons of Bangladesh in 2023 by well-reputed business magazines.

Future Insights

The future is always with many challenges. However, Mr. Meewanage is confident of his team’s ability to make astute judgments on the organization’s direction and road ahead.  “At CBC, we have embraced the ideology of customer centricity to deliver enhanced services to all our valued clients. We do not operate the Bank worrying about the stock price in the short run rather considers the longer horizon,” he says.

CBC carries the trust that progress is a function of continual investments in employees, systems, and services, both in good and bad times to build their capabilities. They have consistently apprised their international and local stakeholders. The basic principles and strategies they use to build this Bank from maintaining a fortress balance sheet, constantly investing and nurturing talent to fully satisfying regulators, continually improving risk, governance, and controls, and most importantly serving the clients. “The Bank has plans to offer an array of digital products and venture into several new areas to support the economy. We want to see ourselves to be one of the strongest regional Banks through aiding the country’s growth catering to the clients by forming rewarding partnerships. And we are marching towards that,” concludes Mr. Meewanage.

Quote 1: “Our commitment to innovation, customer-centricity, and leveraging technology sets us apart in the market.”

Quote 2: “Our aim is to stay ahead of the curve in an ever-changing financial landscape.”

Quote 3: “Our mission is to deliver optimum value to Customers, Employees, Shareholders & the Nation while ensuring good Corporate Governance.”

Quote 4: “Our vision is to be the Bank of Excellence in Service and Commitments.”

Currently serving as the Vice President of External Affairs at Cornerstone Alliance, Christina Frank is a visionary leader in the field of economic development, with a steadfast commitment to fostering community growth and enhancing quality of life, Christina has been instrumental in implementing comprehensive communications and public relations initiatives that elevate the organization’s profile and strategically position the community for economic advancement.

Her educational background in economic development and non-profit management, combined with her professional affiliations with the International Economic Development Council, underscores her expertise in the sector. Christina’s distinction as a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) places her among an elite group of professionals, being one of only 17 women in Michigan to actively hold this prestigious designation.

Keeping Society at the Heart

Christina’s background is actually in social work. She began her executive level chapter of her career working for Big Brothers Big Sisters when she took over an Executive Director position just six months shy of her 30th birthday. She was with that organization for several years, before joining Cornerstone Alliance in the fall of 2016. 

Recognized as a Top 50 North American Economic Developer for 2022, Christina’s innovative approach and dedication to inclusive growth have earned her nominations from peers and industry consultants alike. Christina’s philosophy is rooted in the belief that economic development should be inclusive, fostering diversity in thought and creativity in strategy execution. Her efforts are not only geared towards attracting businesses and talent but also ensuring that every community member feels a sense of belonging and contributes to the collective prosperity.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Christina is passionate about creating innovative programs that advance local residents’ careers and positively impact their lives. Her leadership extends beyond economic strategies to encompass a vision where Southwest Michigan is celebrated for its robust economy, scenic beauty, and welcoming community.

The Company

Cornerstone Alliance is the leading non-profit economic development organization dedicated to the growth and prosperity of Michigan’s Great Southwest. It focuses on increasing employment opportunities, private sector capital investments, and the local tax base, particularly in economically distressed areas. The organization is known for its investor-governed structure and its commitment to delivering customer-focused economic development solutions through strategic partnerships.

Their services are multifaceted, including assistance with business expansion initiatives, programs to help retain businesses, and support for issues that enhance the area’s economic competitiveness. Through strategic initiatives and collaborative partnerships, Cornerstone Alliance drives innovation and opportunity, positioning the region for sustainable economic success. As the leading advocate for the local business and development sector, Cornerstone Alliance delivers tailored business assistance across Berrien County, Michigan.

In 2022, Cornerstone Alliance reported impressive key results, with 19 new business starts and a capital investment of $54.3 million. The organization’s success is a collective effort, supported by many who share a common goal of strengthening the community’s economic foundation. With a strong history and reputation, Cornerstone Alliance continues to open doors to opportunities for growth and expansion in Michigan’s Great Southwest, benefiting not just the businesses but also the residents who live and raise their families in this welcoming community.

Gaining from Challenges

Christina’s working style can be summed up as collaborative and innovative. She believes in fostering an environment where ideas are freely exchanged, and teamwork is emphasized. She thrives on open communication and encourages her team members to voice their opinions and contribute their unique perspectives.

The biggest challenge she faced in her career was pretty early on when transitioning from a technical role to a leadership position. Moving from executing tasks to guiding and managing teams was a significant shift that required a whole new set of skills and mindset.

One of the most important lessons that Christina learned from this experience was the importance of empathy and emotional intelligence in leadership. Understanding the needs and motivations of her team members allowed her to better support and empower them to achieve their goals. She also learned the value of delegation and trust, realizing that she didn’t need to do everything herself and that it was okay to rely on others to deliver results.

Empowering People

Christina is the architect behind the FLEX (Female Leadership Excellence) initiative, a panel discussion series led by influential women executives aimed at accelerating career and personal development for women in business. In both her personal and professional life, she is a champion for lifting others and believes strongly that everyone’s voice should be heard. 

“So often, we only look as far as someone’s title, or accolades, but we miss the lessons and the connections by doing so. To truly know someone and to be inspired by them, you must know their story – their struggles, and their successes. We are surrounded by people who have achieved incredible successes, but not without struggle and sacrifice. The more we share our stories, the more connected we become. Relationships, human connection, and being seen and heard…. are powerful things that create motivation and drive. There is an unstoppable-ness that occurs when someone sees themselves in someone who has achieved great success,” she says.

FLEX serves as a catalyst for career advancement and leadership excellence among women in business by offering a supportive community, valuable resources, skill development opportunities, and advocacy for gender equality. By harnessing these resources and support systems, women can accelerate their career trajectories and make significant contributions as leaders in their respective fields.

Growing with the Latest Trends

The growing use of automation across all industries is a significant trend that’s reshaping how businesses operate. Automation involves the use of technology to perform tasks or processes with minimal human intervention. It encompasses a wide range of technologies, including robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and software automation.

Overall, the growing use of automation across industries represents a fundamental shift in how work is done. By leveraging technology to automate tasks and processes, businesses can achieve greater efficiency, agility, and competitiveness in the modern marketplace. Cornerstone Alliance, like many economic development organizations, is increasingly leveraging the power of technology to enhance its effectiveness and efficiency in several ways:

1. Data Analysis and Visualization: Technology enables economic development organizations to collect, analyze, and visualize vast amounts of data related to demographics, labor markets, industry trends, and economic indicators. By harnessing advanced analytics tools and techniques, these organizations can gain valuable insights into local economies, identify growth opportunities, and make data-driven decisions to attract investment and foster economic development.
2. Digital Marketing and Outreach: Economic development organizations utilize digital marketing strategies and online platforms to promote their regions, attract businesses, and engage with stakeholders. From social media campaigns to targeted email marketing, technology enables these organizations to reach a broader audience and showcase the unique advantages of their communities to potential investors, businesses, and entrepreneurs.
3. Business Intelligence and CRM Systems: Economic development organizations leverage business intelligence (BI) and customer relationship management (CRM) systems to manage relationships with stakeholders, track leads and opportunities, and measure the impact of their economic development efforts. These systems enable organizations to streamline processes, improve collaboration, and provide personalized support to businesses seeking to relocate or expand within their regions.
4. Virtual Site Selection and Tours: With the rise of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies, economic development organizations can offer virtual site selection tours and immersive experiences to prospective investors and site selectors. These virtual tours allow stakeholders to explore available properties, infrastructure, and amenities remotely, saving time and resources while still providing valuable insights into potential locations.

Fostering Inclusivity

As a Certified Economic Developer, Christina believes that an inclusive and welcoming community is crucial for attracting businesses, workers, and residents. Strategies that she thinks are important to fostering an inclusive and welcoming community include things like Affordable Housing Initiatives; Quality of Life Enhancements; and Small Business Support. Along with other things like Promoting Culture and Arts, Community Engagement, and Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives. 

For her team, Christina’s expectation is a culture of respect and acceptance where diverse perspectives are not only welcomed but encouraged. This involves fostering open communication channels where team members feel comfortable sharing their experiences and ideas, as well as actively listening to and valuing their input.

“Overall, my approach to supporting diversity and inclusion at the workplace is rooted in empathy, accountability, and continuous learning. By fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to succeed, we can drive innovation, and creativity, and ultimately, achieve greater success as a team,” says Christina.

Maintaining Meaningful Communication

On one hand, social media provides unparalleled opportunities for instant communication and engagement with stakeholders, including clients, employees, and the public. However, it also comes with the risk of misinformation spreading rapidly, potentially damaging the organization’s reputation or causing confusion among stakeholders.

To navigate these challenges, Christina believes that it’s essential for organizations to prioritize transparency, accuracy, and responsiveness in their communication strategies. This involves establishing clear communication protocols and guidelines for the teams to follow, emphasizing the importance of fact-checking and verifying information before sharing it publicly.

Measuring Her Success and Designs for the Future

Christina measures her success by answering a few simple questions about herself – First, she asks herself if she has made a positive impact. Second, has she brought someone else along, either by inspiring, supporting them, or making a direct difference in their life? Finally, she asks herself – will this make her son proud? If her answers to those questions are all yes, then she has succeeded. 

“My future plans are BIG, I am pursuing my Juris Doctor and start law school this fall. At 42 years old, with a successful career, I want to do more! I plan to get my law degree and pair it with my CEcD professional certification in the near future, then one day transition my focus to advocacy and policy change. My ultimate goal is to help those who otherwise would not have a voice in the hard-to-navigate legal system. Then, I’d like to retire in Italy and run a bed and breakfast,” concludes Christina.

A Quote to Live By:

“Anyone who knows me knows my all-time favorite saying: “Little Hinges Swing Big Doors”. For me it represents two things: 1. Attention to detail is critical, if not the most important aspect of success. 2. You don’t have to have a fancy title or be the most important person in the room to be capable of doing incredible things.”

Quote: “Cornerstone Alliance plays a pivotal role in driving efforts to attract new investment and new companies to the region, contributing significantly to the economic vibrancy of the area.”

Our senses don’t just process our surroundings—they create memories out of the experience. So, even when we are not consciously evoking a memory, they can be triggered because our senses have recorded and buried them deep down our memory lane. Yes, on a busy street, walking by a home when you catch that waft of freshly baked cookies, it can send you to your childhood in a matter of seconds. Or a perfume a passer-by wore can remind you of someone else. The sense of smell affects cognition, and this link between olfaction and cognition may be critical for coordinating cognitive networks. The sense of smell is closely linked to the brain’s anatomy, which regulates memory, emotion, and attention. This association can be established not just with people, but also with places, objects, and even brands.

A Sensory Exhilarating Idea

In 1994, a Disney Imagineer embarked on an intriguing challenge: adding scents to popular attractions. This simple idea sparked the birth of ScentAir, a company dedicated to turning ordinary moments into magical memories through fragrance. By the year 2000, ScentAir had already become a trailblazer, helping brands create cutting-edge, scented experiences that delivered impressive return on investment (ROI).

Fast forward to today, and ScentAir stands as the global leader in air purification and experiential fragrances for both business and home. With offices across four continents and a diverse team of over 500 employees, ScentAir enhances environments in 119 countries. Their patented diffusers and professional-quality fragrances deliver more than five billion scent impressions annually, captivating customers and reinforcing brand values.

But the journey doesn’t end there. In 2019, ScentAir expanded its product range to include consumer-focused offerings, bringing the magic of professional-quality fragrances and advanced technology into homes. Whether enhancing commercial spaces or transforming everyday rooms, ScentAir remains committed to innovation. More than 50,000 brands worldwide rely on ScentAir to enhance commercial environments, reinforce brand values, and create memorable experiences. Additionally, its eCommerce home division transforms ordinary spaces with mood-enhancing fragrances, pet-calming scents, and odor-neutralizing products.

CEO Brian Edwards emphasizes that ScentAir’s growth isn’t just about market share. “Future growth is not just about expanding our market share, but about continually innovating and investing in our people. By fostering a culture of adaptability and resilience, we ensure that our company remains not only competitive but also a leader in our industry.”

A Visionary Leader

Brian Edwards, the visionary CEO of ScentAir, has been instrumental in transforming the way we experience scents. He began his professional career in sales at a Fortune 500 office technology company, progressing through various sales leadership roles and becoming an IKON Office Solutions $100 million company President at age 32. Brian relocated several times throughout the US as the company transformed from 400+ independent dealer acquisitions into a $5B operating company during his 28-year career. Brian ultimately served as SVP of Sales, Marketing & Services, leading 18,000 NA-based employees. IKON was eventually sold to Ricoh Ltd, and Brian entered the Private Equity arena in 2014. He has served as CRO and CEO at ScentAir since 2017. For over 35 years, Brian has been leading, guiding, and driving high-performance teams that drive shareholder value and delight customers. It’s simply what Brian loves to do.

Under his leadership, ScentAir has become the global leader in innovative scent solutions for both commercial and home use. With an unwavering commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction, Brian ensures that ScentAir continues to captivate audiences, reinforce brand values, and create memorable experiences through fragrance.

Safely and Sustainably Scented

ScentAir is committed to safety, adhering to and surpassing the International Fragrance Association’s (IFRA) Code of Practice and additional global health and safety regulatory criteria. All fragrances are EPA-registered. To ensure fragrance safety, ScentAir requires suppliers to meet regulatory and safety standards on EVERY fragrance offered, and all are scientifically confirmed through up to seven safety certification processes. “We have been in good standing with IFRA for longer than any other commercial scent company. We also meet, and in many cases surpass, a variety of additional global health and safety regulatory criteria. Our scents do not contain any respiratory allergens or phthalates,” shares Brian.

ScentAir’s innovative shipping practices have reduced shipments by more than 1.2 million annually. Its fragrance cartridges are made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic and recyclable after use. The Sustainable Fragrances line exclusively utilizes essential oils and sustainably sourced, naturally derived, and upcycled ingredients.

After being named The Best and Brightest Companies to Work for in Charlotte in 2023, ScentAir received national honors in 2024. Companies are assessed on compensation, benefits, and employee solutions; creative wellness and well-being solutions; employee enrichment, engagement, and retention; employee education and development; recruitment and selection; employee achievement and recognition; communication and shared vision; diversity, equity, and inclusion; work-life balance; community initiatives and corporate responsibility; and leadership, strategy, and company performance.

Steering ScentAir Towards Success

Brian has gained a reputation as a respected, dynamic leader who leads with great energy, high integrity, and a proven ability to establish and inspire top-caliber management teams that generate exceptional results. Brian’s leadership style can best be described as passionately engaged at all levels of the company. Expectations and key performance metrics are clearly understood, and accountability, achievement, and collaboration are woven into the DNA of the company culture.

Every month, Brian leads a two-day operating review process with all the key global leaders to review performance, opportunities & challenges, and stay close to the heartbeat of the business. Brian is also very committed to building a diverse and inclusive leadership team, as exemplified by the fact that 48% of ScentAir’s global management team are women, and his belief that diverse and inclusive teams produce better results.

Brian’s key leadership principles that have been instrumental in the success include:

• Talented people are the greatest assets in any company, and having the right people on the team is paramount to driving superior results.
• Strong communication of the company’s vision, mission, strategy, roles, and expectations is fundamental to execution.
• The leadership team must lead with high energy, accountability, and engagement in daily work.
• Establishing a culture of equity, fairness, diversity, and inclusiveness creates an ecosystem where high achievement is not only possible but highly probable.
• Warm candor is a powerful leadership tool and is usually a learned skill.

Growing in Sensory Marketing

Since its inception in 1994, ScentAir has achieved more than 20% CAGR growth. ScentAir is now focusing on global expansion in the 19 nations it presently serves as well as accelerating international sales in 100 other countries. ScentAir’s turnkey business solutions are available on a monthly subscription basis, requiring no upfront capital investment. It covers everything from installation through on-site service to scent modifications. The company is committed to investing in accelerated growth, and as the market leader, it will continue to promote technological innovation, safety, and world-class client support and services.

ScentAir is expanding globally to fortify its position at the top of the industry. It intends to double in size over the next five years, principally through expanded sales channels and sustained adoption of its outstanding scenting services and indoor air quality solutions. Brian and his team have a clear objective: to make ScentAir a household brand name by enriching surroundings, brands, and experiences through improved indoor air quality and the power of scent.

Sensory Branding

Various case studies and research have yielded data findings when comparing scented vs. unscented spaces in retail stores, casinos, eating establishments, and shopping malls. Key findings include:

– 20% increase in customer satisfaction

– 18% more time spent in the store

– 23% more money spent by women

– 60% higher purchase intent

– 22% more products purchased

– 11% increase in casino machine sales

– 11% increase in cleanliness satisfaction scores

– 8% increase in food quality scores

Scent marketing in the hospitality industry involves strategically using scents to evoke deep emotional responses, enhance ambiance, and reinforce a hotel’s brand identity. By thoughtfully incorporating carefully selected fragrances throughout the property, hotels create captivating environments that leave lasting impressions on guests. Scent marketing transforms a hotel stay into an unforgettable experience, leaving guests wanting to return again and again.

Scent marketing serves as a potent tool for property managers to distinguish their community by crafting an inviting atmosphere. While creating a warm and welcoming environment can be challenging, integrating fragrance throughout the community ensures that everyone feels at home. By providing exceptional experiences to residents and prospects, the community stands out.

In the retail sector, scent marketing aims to create an emotional connection with customers, enhancing the overall shopping experience. By strategically incorporating pleasant scents into the retail environment, businesses can leave a lasting impression on their customers. In the 21st century, retail has evolved beyond mere product details and service satisfaction. Customers now crave emotional experiences, and emotionally connected customers are 52% more valuable to a brand than those who are merely satisfied. To meet this demand, retailers should focus on providing emotional value by creating memorable experiences that inspire bonds and leave lasting impressions.

“At ScentAir, we provide fragrance and air purification that will make your commercial space refreshing and sophisticated, fixing the often-overlooked part of the customer experience,” concludes Brian.

Quote: “Work hard, play hard, and take time to smell the roses. Most importantly, be where you are.”

Quote: “Every people-centric business needs to connect with customers. We make building those connections easy.”

Farmers form the base of a society and a country’s development, for no country can see the dream of development on an empty stomach. However, the hands that feed others are in deep trouble today. The farmers face multiple issues that range from global warming to poor-quality seeds and shrinking farmlands. Not to forget the eminent food crisis looming in 2050 due to population. 

Many say that the solution is with the adoption of agriculture technology or AgTech. However, the speed of adoption of technology varies in different parts of the world based on socioeconomics. While some countries and farmers are open to change, many are still skeptical. Meanwhile, companies continue to invest in technology and research to deliver innovative solutions. Among them, Advanta Seeds has emerged as one of the world’s leading seeds companies at the forefront of developing germplasms tailored to answer the need for climate-smart and high-nutrition crops.

For a Fertile Future               

Advanta Seeds is one of the few worldwide seed businesses that offer a diverse field crop and vegetable portfolio. Advanta focuses on innovation, value addition through natural solutions, and disease, pest, and herbicide resistance along with drought and salinity tolerance while focusing on bringing localized need-specific germplasm. By creating seeds that make crops climate-smart, salinity-tolerant, and drought-resilient, they are weatherproofing farm yields and the livehood of farmers, especially in tropical and subtropical regions.

Advanta Seeds has sixteen field crops, although most seed businesses focus on two. It has marketed over fifty crops throughout the world. The strength of Advanta is in the versatility offered to growers in many geographies. It allows to meet farmers’ needs and deliver good genetics in many crops. For farmers, crop rotation is an important practice and reduces the reliance on one crop to be productive. Advanta Seeds has a solid business strategy that allows the company to develop quickly in various regions, which is a benefit of a well-diversified and geographically large portfolio.

The company’s research and development breeding stations are strategically placed in different geographies to supply a diverse range of genetics and evaluate them for various soil and climatic conditions. “We constantly work to introduce enhanced seed varieties. We developed enhanced germplasm and our own proprietary technology in various crops. We have a few unique technologies in high oleic sunflower, sub-tropical and tropical corn, canola, forage, and grain sorghum. Driven by innovation, developing improved crops and new technologies are a high priority for Advanta Seeds,” says Bhupen Dubey, Global CEO at Advanta Seeds.

Technology for Agriculture

Bhupen believes that modern technology can enhance sustainable agriculture which is the way forward. It starts with quality seeds and good farming practices to produce high-yielding crops.

The three factors that are becoming a guiding concept for the innovation and use of modern technology are food and nutrition security while overcoming the challenges of climate change. Advanta Seeds invests in climate-smart crops such as sorghum, sunflower and canola which are high in nutrition and low in use of resources. They also invest in innovative technologies including precision agriculture, drone technology, artificial intelligence, and data-driven farming.

“I strongly believe the key to the future is innovation and the appropriate use of science and technology to meet the growing food demand,” says Bhupen.

Advanta’s strength in new technologies is achieved through open collaboration with local farmers and international research institutes such as the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), HarvestPlus, or the World Vegetable Center. Its partners are essential to its success. 

“Our role is to provide the best technology to farmers however the adaptation depends on the market. I classify the global agriculture market into two parts, one where agriculture is very strongly linked with the market forces and the second is where agriculture is not connected to the market. In the first case, the technology adaptation happens very fast where farmers can see very quickly the benefits of the new technology such as improved productivity and they see that the investment pays off. On the other hand, there are countries where agriculture is not linked to the market forces so strongly or directly the uncertainties are very high and the adaptation of new technologies is very slow. These are the areas where the cost-benefit risk analysis doesn’t justify adoption of the new technology. As the seed technology provider, we educate farmers about the value of new technology and its benefits to improve the adaptation rate,” shares Bhupen.

A Focused Leader

Bhupen did both his Bachelor’s and Master’s in Agriculture and joined a German company in the R&D department early in his career. After a few years, he moved to the product management department and also completed his diploma in marketing management. Working for a global company like Advanta Seeds gave him a holistic experience of the industry and its operations with great cross-functional exposure. At this company, he has been able to lead and manage multiple business areas in different geographical locations, which helped him understand even the most subtle changes at the same time the biggest challenges in the industry.

Leading a global organization like Advanta requires a specific skill set and understanding of the market to make the right business decisions at the right time. Bhupen believes that teamwork and collaboration are crucial to becoming a successful leader on the global stage. “Working together with your team, sharing ideas, and letting your team be a part of decision-making allows you to make better business decisions. The successful leader, while making decisions, always keeps the future and sustainable growth of the organization in focus,” he says.

As a leader and a professional, Bhupen encountered many challenges in his career, but to point out one particularly tough one, would be the challenge of being able to learn and evolve. “I’m a scientist with a technical mindset. I was good in science and academics. Early in my career, I started to wonder how I could make an impact and I realized that it’s important to have exposure to the commercial aspect of the business, and transitioning from a scientist to a business mindset was the biggest challenge for me. I decided to get out of my comfort zone and learn the new skill set that I was lacking. I was lucky to have a supportive boss who gave me the opportunity to improve my commercial skills hence quickly learning and becoming a commercial leader with a technical background. Overcoming the challenge of one mindset made me successful and where I am today in my career,” he states.

Seeking Continuous Growth for the Company and AgTech

Advanta keeps an open network and collaborates with various stakeholders to keep abreast with the latest developments, new technology, new trends, government policies, and regulations. They believe in open collaboration and innovation to secure a pathway for continuous growth.

“We see major challenges for agriculture in climate change. We hope to identify more opportunities to address the challenges with sustainable solutions. We believe in OpenAg® and challenging the world’s food systems – opening up new partnerships, new markets, and new technologies to transform agriculture and create sustainable growth for all,” concludes Bhupen.

Quote: “Our groundbreaking technologies ensure we deliver great results in all growing conditions.”

Quote: “We are raising the genetic potential of crops throughout their growth cycle with our patented technologies.” 

Quote: “As we make agriculture climate-resilient, we directly impact the prosperity of our farmers.”

Quote: “Sustainable agriculture has a positive impact not only on our planet but also on the people, and prosperity for all.”

Christos Tattis is a seasoned professional with a passion for driving digital transformation. As the Senior Commercial Manager at NetU Group, he navigates the intersection of business and technology, advocating for organizations to embark on their digital journeys. With a keen eye for market dynamics and fresh ideas, Christos ensures that NetU remains a trusted business partner for its clients. His commitment to excellence and client satisfaction sets him apart in the ever-evolving landscape of digital solutions.

The Journey

Christos started his career as a software developer in the Banking industry in 2000. While being in the IT department of Emporiki Bank – Greece, he worked his way up to become a Sector Manager of the Banking Applications Sector in the same bank in 2007. During his tenure, he spearheaded transformative initiatives including the implementation of e-banking, the e-Loan platform, and Business Intelligence and Data Warehouse projects, among others.

In 2012, Christos embarked on a pivotal career shift, transitioning to the role of Division Manager within the Non-Performing Loans Division—a significant departure from his IT roots, yet a rewarding opportunity to lead one of the bank’s critical business units. This career shift was the biggest challenge he had to face in his career. Leaving his comfort zone in the IT for the NPL Division of the Bank created a series of unforeseen challenges for him. He had to adjust his mindset but also at the same time lead the team by example. “It was a truly rewarding experience to realize the importance of working as a team. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the teams I have ever worked with. It was an honor and still is,” he says.

Following Emporiki Bank’s acquisition by Alpha Bank, Christos opted to venture into the ICT industry and joined NetU Consultants in 2016—a decision he has never looked back on.

Initially, Christos led the Business Solution Service Delivery Department until 2019, when he was honored with the role of Senior Commercial Manager. Throughout his tenure at NetU, he has consistently served as the Practice Leader for Oracle NetSuite and Salesforce business—a role that continues to invigorate him daily as he engages with transformative projects.

Delivering IT Solutions

NetU is a cutting-edge organization specializing in IT solutions and services both locally in Cyprus and internationally, boasting a rich history spanning more than three successful decades. Renowned as a major Systems Integrator in the region, NetU proudly holds a leading position in the Cyprus market.

Since its founding in 1991, NetU has been consistently selected by medium and large organizations to be their IT business partner, to help them achieve their corporate objectives and obtain a competitive advantage. By identifying ways to seamlessly integrate business processes and technology, NetU empowers its customers to reap the benefits of IT; whether investing for the first time, upgrading or optimizing existing systems. Cultivating cooperative rather than exclusive relationships with market leaders enables us to recommend and deliver the most cost-effective solution, yielding the highest return. 

In the public sector, NetU stands as a key supplier of integrated solutions to the Government of Cyprus, while in the private sector, its portfolio encompasses significant projects across all sectors of the economy. Its global footprint extends to over 40 countries, where it actively serves governments, multinational corporations, and local enterprises.

NetU excels in addressing the unique IT requirements of organizations and driving digital transformations for its clients. Its offerings span:

– Implementation of globally recognized business applications like Oracle NetSuite and Salesforce

– Provision of state-of-the-art technological solutions

– Supply of comprehensive integrated solutions tailored to organizational needs.

To ensure its clients access the best and most current solutions, NetU fosters strategic partnerships and maintains certifications with leading technology and business software manufacturers. Moreover, its project implementations adhere to rigorously tested methodologies, with a keen focus on upholding the quality and security of its clients’ data, supported by ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2013 certifications.

“Central to our success is our dedicated staff, meticulously trained to maximize the potential of our offerings and implement industry best practices. Through this commitment, we strive to deliver optimal benefits to our valued customers,” says Christos.

Strategic Leadership

Given NetU’s partnerships with cutting-edge platforms such as Oracle NetSuite and Salesforce, it became essential to harness the full potential of these technologies. So, Christos has consistently emphasized in the company’s strategic initiatives the importance of offering customers more than just software for automating their day-to-day tasks. Under his leadership, the focus shifted towards delivering solutions to their underlying challenges. Christos believes that it is only through this approach that they can truly achieve maximum customer satisfaction. This principle is now proudly and explicitly stated within the organization. 

“At NetU, our mission is clear: to provide customers with peace of mind by delivering lasting and innovative solutions to their problems, whether they are short-term hurdles or long-standing challenges,” he says.

Precise Execution and Management of Projects

Christos shares that identifying the key stakeholders in complex NetSuite projects is the first step to managing the project successfully. Then, it requires a tailored approach to integrate the unique capabilities of the NetSuite platform with effective project management strategies.

“The key lies in fostering continuous and proactive stakeholder engagement. This entails involving stakeholders from the outset to grasp and address their expectations effectively. It goes without saying that meeting these expectations is crucial for ensuring alignment with project objectives,” he explains.

NetU also fosters cross-functional collaboration to ensure seamless integration of NetSuite into existing business processes even with 3^rd party software, with all key stakeholders in a transparent view. It maintains open and transparent communication channels with stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle is imperative for us and we do promote it all the way.

“By combining a strategic approach to project planning, agile execution methodologies, and diligent monitoring and optimization practices, we ensure the successful implementation of complex NetSuite projects while delivering value to stakeholders and driving business transformation,” says Christos.

Opportunities for All

NetU proudly received and holds the prestigious national “Equality Employer” award from the National Business Certification Body. This accolade commends the company’s steadfast dedication to fostering equality within the workplace. 

This certification stands as a testament to NetU’s core value of prioritizing and respecting all individuals. At NetU, the management team is committed to nurturing an environment where every person can thrive, ensuring equal treatment and opportunities. The corporate culture underscores inclusivity, work-life balance, and flexibility, evident through practices such as telecommuting, flexible working hours, and merit-based recruitment, evaluation, development, promotion, and reward processes.

“Moreover, we actively engage with our community, universities, and young talents, championing initiatives aimed at bridging the gender gap in technology. By empowering women and supporting their representation in the tech sector, we contribute to a more diverse and inclusive industry landscape,” shares Christos. 

NetU’s dedicated team delivers high-caliber solutions and services. The company cultivates an invigorating environment for professional growth, fostering collaboration and partnerships that lead to solutions tailored to meet diverse customer needs. The constructive workplace emphasizes teamwork, cooperation, and knowledge sharing. The strength of its personnel lies in their professionalism, proficiency, expertise, and commitment to timely project completion.

Simplifying Technology for Clients

Regardless of the category to which the proposed solution belongs, NetU’s foremost objective is to facilitate the digital transformation of organizations. This transformation goes beyond merely automating existing processes; it entails optimizing them for efficiency, effectiveness, security, and business continuity, all while prioritizing the best user experience.

Implementing solutions like Oracle NetSuite or Salesforce enables client organizations to achieve a comprehensive detachment from outdated methods of operation, such as reliance on paper, telephones, and other time-consuming tasks. By embracing these solutions, organizations can fully leverage a range of functionalities and automated workflows based on industry best practices, integrated with key performance indicators (KPIs), dashboards, and analytics, which are no longer a luxury but a necessity for enhanced productivity.

The imperative for real-time information utilization and the ability to work remotely from any location has been unequivocally demonstrated, particularly amid the ongoing pandemic. Such digital transformations provide both society and the economy with the necessary business continuity in any circumstance.

Evidently, specific trends in technology use and digital transformation have emerged, particularly in the public and private sectors, accentuated by the pandemic crisis.

The shift of companies towards cloud and AI is an increasingly prevalent trend, driven by the realization of significant advantages, particularly amidst the unique circumstances presented by the pandemic. These technologies offer companies complete independence from other platforms, software, equipment, and physical constraints, thereby fostering resilience and adaptability.

Embracing Technological Dynamism

In the dynamic landscape of the industry, several trends are poised to shape the next five years significantly. The first trending technology, Christos points out, is Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI is revolutionizing processes across industries. NetU anticipates a surge in demand for AI-powered solutions that enhance efficiency and productivity, therefore it does invest in AI tools and solutions and trains its workforce in AI technologies to stay ahead of the curve and offer cutting-edge services to its clients.

Secondly, says Christos, is the Cybersecurity. With the increasing digitization of businesses, cybersecurity threats are becoming more sophisticated and prevalent. Protecting sensitive data and systems will be paramount. NetU strengthens its cybersecurity measures through continuous monitoring, threat intelligence, and robust defense mechanisms. NetU continuously invests in cybersecurity training for its team members to ensure they are equipped to handle emerging threats effectively.

Lastly, he suggests Cloud Computing. The adoption of cloud computing is expected to continue growing as businesses seek flexible and scalable IT infrastructure solutions. In the next 2-3 years Christos and his team plan to make NetU a full cloud company and be an example to their customers to follow. 

“By proactively addressing these trends and aligning our strategies with the evolving needs of our clients, we aim to position our organization as a trusted partner and industry leader in the coming years. Our commitment to innovation, expertise, and customer satisfaction will remain at the forefront of everything we do,” says Christos.

Challenges Enroute 

In Christos’ view, the primary challenge confronting tech companies worldwide revolves around sourcing new talent. Securing technically proficient human resources stands out as a significant obstacle they must overcome. Collaboratively in the regions where they do physically have their offices, they engage with various pertinent entities, including the Information Technology Enterprises Association, Government Authorities, as well as educational institutions, to devise viable solutions. Recognizing the universality of this issue, he understands that addressing it demands a multidimensional approach, considering similar challenges faced by countries both domestically and abroad.

Raising the Bar

For NetU, the bar has been raised in terms of standards and expectations. As the saying goes in Cyprus, “Appetite comes with eating.” NetU has made fantastic strides in the Cyprus and Greek markets with Oracle NetSuite, successfully delivering notable projects for some of the region’s largest organizations. However, its ambition is to further expand its practice. Being honored with the title of “Strategic Partner” by Oracle empowers NetU to undertake complex projects across the broader Eastern Europe region. 

“We aspire to leverage this expertise and expand our reach into other countries—a challenge that our team eagerly embraces. With consistent dedication and perseverance, I am confident that we will succeed. There is no doubt in my mind about it,” concludes Christos.

Quote: “As partners, we collaborate with our customers to unlock fresh opportunities and turn possibilities into reality.”

Renewable energy is the future of energy, as it offers a clean, green, and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. By switching to renewable energy, we can reduce our carbon footprint, improve our health and well-being, and protect our planet for generations to come. However, most people think of bulky solar panels and huge turbines when it comes to renewable energy and its usage. The need of the hour is to make solutions that are more practical and can be used by end consumers anywhere.

Much like the solutions by Blackboard Solar which are focused on facilitating widespread adoption of renewable energy and produce a positive impact.​ The company understands that current green energy solutions are either too expensive or require significant lifestyle changes for people in general. This prevents the adoption of renewable energy even though most people today are concerned about the issue of fossil fuels and their adverse impact.

Everyday Solutions for a Global Concern

Co-founded by David Wilson and Malcolm Townes, Blackboard Solar is the result of the duo’s shared passion for renewable energy and their desire to make a positive impact on the environment. They saw the potential for integrating solar technology into various products to promote sustainability in everyday life. This led them to develop their patented solar technology, aiming to revolutionize the energy industry and contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable future.

Blackboard Solar specializes in harnessing solar power through patented technology for diverse applications. Their core services include integrating solar technology into products for disaster recovery, licensing, consumer retail, and the promotional products market. Their flagship product is a Solar Backpack with solar panels that is capable of charging various 5-volt input devices (e.g., mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras). This makes it suitable for various uses such as cycling, camping, hiking, mountaineering, recreational outings, and daily leisure.

“What sets us apart is our commitment to sustainability, innovation, and versatility. We provide unique solutions that not only benefit our clients but also contribute to a greener and more sustainable future. Our ability to adapt our solar technology to various markets distinguishes us in the industry, offering a comprehensive approach to clean energy integration,” says David.

The Leader

Blackboard Solar, Inc. grew out of the inspiration that David drew from a situation his brother faced when he was serving in the U.S. Army and deployed in the Middle East. His brother wasn’t able to call home for a while because his cell phone was dead and he had no way to charge it. This surprised David given the current state of energy-related technologies.

 As the CEO, David’s role involves overseeing the company’s technology development, and fostering partnerships. He is focused on integrating solar technology into diverse markets, including disaster recovery, licensing, consumer retail, and the promotional products industry, expanding the potential applications of their innovation. This approach aims to position Blackboard Solar as a versatile player in sustainable technology, catering to various sectors while contributing to environmental goals

To achieve the company goals, David uses a collaborative and innovative approach. He values open communication and teamwork. His communication style is transparent and inclusive, encouraging input from all team members. He believes in being approachable and accessible to foster a positive work environment.

Changing the Mindset

The most significant challenge in David’s career was navigating the early stages of building Blackboard Solar. Securing funding and convincing stakeholders of the viability of their solar technology presented formidable hurdles. To overcome this, David and his team focused on creating a compelling business case, demonstrating the potential impact of our innovation on multiple markets. They actively sought strategic partnerships to strengthen our position.

“This experience taught me the importance of resilience adaptability, and effective communication. It reinforced the value of having a clear vision and being able to convey that vision convincingly to stakeholders. Perseverance and a commitment to the mission were crucial in overcoming obstacles and positioning Blackboard Solar for success,” confesses David.

All for Innovation

Innovation is at the heart of the services at Blackboard Solar. The company leverages technology in several ways to benefit the organization. Their patented solar technology is at the core of their offerings, providing a sustainable and innovative solution to various markets. Additionally, they use advanced design and engineering tools to continually enhance the efficiency and applicability of their solar products.

Furthermore, technology plays a key role in Blackboard Solar’s communication and collaboration efforts. They utilize digital platforms for seamless coordination among team members and to engage with potential partners and clients. This tech-driven approach enhances their ability to adapt to market demands, stay ahead of industry trends, and maintain a competitive edge in the renewable energy sector.

The company recognizes that staying at the forefront of technological advancements is essential for sustainability and long-term success. Their commitment to innovation is reflected in the continuous refinement of our patented solar technology to meet evolving market needs.

“By fostering a culture of creativity and exploration within our team, we encourage the development of new ideas and solutions. This proactive approach allows us to stay adaptable and responsive to emerging trends, ensuring that our services remain cutting-edge and relevant. The importance of innovation cannot be overstated; it not only sets us apart in a competitive landscape but also positions us to address the dynamic challenges of the renewable energy industry,” says David.

Staying a Step Ahead

Staying current in the fast-paced renewable energy industry is crucial for Blackboard Solar’s continuous growth. They employ several strategies to keep abreast of industry changes:

Market Research: Regular and thorough market research helps us understand industry trends, emerging technologies, and changing consumer preferences.

Networking: Active participation in industry events, conferences, and networking opportunities allows us to connect with thought leaders, and potential partners, and stay informed about the latest developments.

Collaboration: Engaging in collaborations with research institutions, universities, and other companies fosters an environment of shared knowledge and accelerates our access to new ideas and technologies.

Adaptive Strategy: We maintain an adaptive business strategy that allows us to pivot and adjust our approach based on industry shifts, policy changes, and technological advancements.

By combining these approaches, the core team positions Blackboard Solar to not only respond effectively to industry changes but also to proactively shape the future of renewable energy solutions.

Achieving Social Goals

Team Blackboard Solar is deeply committed to addressing historical inequities, particularly those faced by Black Americans. Their approach to supporting this community includes:

Dedicated Outreach: Actively seeking and engaging Black talent through targeted recruitment efforts to ensure fair representation within our workforce.

Economic Empowerment: Establishing partnerships and collaborations with Black-owned businesses to contribute to economic empowerment within the community.

Educational Initiatives: Supporting educational programs and initiatives that empower Black individuals to pursue careers in STEM fields, fostering long-term opportunities.

Community Investment: Allocating resources and efforts to contribute to community development projects and initiatives that directly benefit Black American communities.

Advocacy and Awareness: Using our platform to advocate for social justice, racial equality, and increased awareness about the challenges faced by Black Americans.

“By focusing on the specific needs and challenges of Black Americans, we strive to be a positive force for change, contributing to the empowerment and advancement of this historically oppressed group,” shares David.

Making Sustainability Practical

Making sustainability central to their work at Blackboard Solar comes with both challenges and opportunities in a business world accustomed to non-sustainable practices.

Challenges:

Market Perceptions: Shifting perceptions in a market accustomed to traditional practices can be challenging. Communicating the value of sustainable solutions requires consistent effort.

Initial Investment: Sustainable practices often require an upfront investment, and convincing stakeholders of the long-term benefits may pose initial challenges.

Regulatory Environment: Navigating varying regulatory landscapes related to sustainability can be complex and may pose obstacles to seamless integration.

Opportunities:

Market Demand: Growing awareness and demand for sustainable solutions present an opportunity for us to meet a market need and establish ourselves as industry leaders.

Innovation: Sustainability drives innovation. By continuously innovating our products and processes, we position ourselves at the forefront of technological advancements.

Long-Term Viability: Embracing sustainability not only aligns with our values but also ensures the long-term viability of our business by adapting to changing environmental and market conditions.

In summary, while challenges exist, the commitment to sustainability aligns with the evolving expectations of consumers and stakeholders. By navigating these challenges thoughtfully, David and his team believe sustainability becomes a driving force for both our business success and positive environmental impact.

Looking Forward to New Solutions

In the coming years, one can expect Blackboard Solar and the team to:

Innovate Continuously: They will remain dedicated to innovation, enhancing their patented solar technology and exploring new applications to stay at the forefront of the renewable energy sector.

Expand Market Presence: They aim to expand their presence in various markets, including disaster recovery, licensing, consumer retail, and the promotional products sector, contributing to the growth of sustainable solutions in diverse industries.

Forge Strategic Partnerships: Building on their commitment to collaboration, they will actively seek strategic partnerships with organizations that share their values, fostering mutual growth and amplifying their impact.

Enhance Sustainability: Sustainability will remain at the heart of Blackboard Solar’s mission. They will work to further reduce their environmental footprint while promoting eco-friendly practices throughout their operations.

“In essence, you can anticipate a dynamic and forward-thinking approach from Blackboard Solar, focused on positive innovation, market expansion, sustainability, diversity, and responsible business practices,” says David.

Words of Wisdom

As we conclude our interaction, David signs off with the following advice for young entrepreneurs:

Embrace Innovation: Be open to new ideas and continuously seek innovative solutions. Innovation is often the key to standing out in a competitive landscape.

Persist in the Face of Challenges: Entrepreneurship is a journey filled with challenges. Embrace setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow. Persistence is often the key to overcoming obstacles.

Build a Strong Network: Surround yourself with a diverse and supportive network. Collaborate with mentors, peers, and industry experts to gain insights, share experiences, and foster professional growth.

Prioritize Sustainability: Incorporate sustainability into your business model from the start. Aligning with eco-friendly practices not only benefits the environment but can also enhance your brand reputation.

Focus on Purpose: Understand the purpose behind your business. A clear mission and values will guide your decisions and resonate with customers and stakeholders.

Learn from Failures: Failure is a part of the entrepreneurial journey. View failures as valuable lessons, adapt, and use them to fuel future success.

Maintain Integrity: Trust is essential in business. Uphold high ethical standards, and prioritize honesty and transparency in all your dealings.

Remember, entrepreneurship is not just about building a business; it’s a journey of personal and professional development. Stay passionate, stay curious, and enjoy the process of building something meaningful.

Quote: “Never Give up, Never Give in” – Bishop Nathaniel

Quote: “Our goal at Blackboard Solar is to develop energy-related solutions that sustainably address practical needs.”

Quote: “We are dedicated to being a good corporate citizen that not only creates wealth for our shareholders but also improves the communities in which we are a part.”