In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we have the pleasure of speaking with Jean-Philippe Diel, the founder of SymbionIQ, who joins us from New Zealand. Jean-Philippe shares his fascinating journey from his early days in FMCG to his passion for technology and eventual transition into the tech industry. He describes his experiences working with major companies like Samsung and his ventures into entrepreneurship, which ultimately led to the creation of SymbionIQ.

Jean-Philippe delves into the inspiration behind SymbionIQ, highlighting the concept of using motion capture and sensors to record and analyze movements. This technology aims to revolutionize remote training by enabling users, such as yoga instructors and physical activity trainers, to create detailed, interactive lessons. He explains how the integration of haptic feedback and AI enhances the learning experience by providing real-time corrections and personalized guidance.

The conversation explores the broader vision of SymbionIQ, which includes building a decentralized healthcare ecosystem that prioritizes data privacy and user control. Jean-Philippe discusses the challenges of the current healthcare system, emphasizing the need for a shift from a “sick care” model to one focused on health span and longevity. He introduces the concept of a protocol network economy, where blockchain technology ensures users maintain ownership of their health data, enabling a more holistic and personalized approach to healthcare.

Jean-Philippe also touches on the potential for integrating augmented reality and virtual reality into SymbionIQ’s platform. By using devices like the Apple Vision Pro, users can interact with their digital selves, receiving precise feedback and guidance in real-time. This innovative approach aims to make fitness and health training more accessible and effective.

The episode concludes with a discussion on the future of SymbionIQ and its potential impact on the healthcare industry. Jean-Philippe shares his plans for raising a pre-seed round to further develop the platform and expand the team. He envisions a collaborative ecosystem where multiple startups can build on SymbionIQ’s backend, creating a comprehensive and user-centric health management system.

More about Jean-Philippe:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanphilippediel/

http://www.symbioniq.com/

01:12 Jean Philippe's Background and Career Journey

02:49 The Birth of Symbionic

05:46 Symbionic's Vision and Data Privacy

10:29 Building a Health Data Ecosystem

13:45 Challenges in Health Data and AI

25:34 Addressing Data Biases and Sovereignty

30:53 Recovering Seed Phrases and Blockchain Security

31:49 User Experience in Web3 Solutions

32:38 Jurisdiction and Regulation in Health Tech

33:13 Innovative Environment in Dubai

34:51 Integrating AI and Blockchain

36:36 Federated Learning and Edge AI

40:08 Future of Motion Capture and VR Integration

46:25 Building a Health Ecosystem

51:02 Raising Funds and Future Vision

In this episode of “The CTO Show with Mehmet,” Mehmet is joined by Vivek Ramachandran, the CEO and founder of SquareX, for an in-depth discussion on cybersecurity, AI, and browser security. Vivek, a veteran in the cybersecurity field with over 20 years of experience, shares his journey from working at Cisco Systems to becoming an entrepreneur and starting multiple companies, including SquareX. He delves into his fascination with breaking security systems and how this led him to focus on offensive cybersecurity research and training.

Vivek explains the current gaps in cybersecurity, particularly in how traditional security solutions like Secure Web Gateways (SWGs) and endpoint security products are insufficient in today’s complex web application environment. He highlights how attackers exploit these gaps, particularly through browsers, which are now the primary workspace for many employees. Vivek’s insights into how attackers use AI to create sophisticated phishing attacks and malware emphasize the need for advanced, browser-native security solutions.

SquareX’s innovative approach involves deploying a browser extension that monitors and analyzes browser and DOM events in real-time using machine learning models. This allows for anomaly detection, policy enforcement, and proactive isolation of suspicious activities and files, thus providing a robust layer of security right where the user interacts with the web. Vivek also discusses the importance of context-aware security measures, which traditional SWGs lack, and how SquareX aims to fill this void.

The conversation also touches on the broader implications of AI in cybersecurity, both as a tool for attackers and defenders. Vivek discusses how AI can be leveraged to enhance security measures, streamline security operations through natural language interfaces, and perform real-time threat detection and response. He also shares practical advice for C-level executives on adapting to the rapid advancements in AI and integrating it effectively into their security posture.

In a lighter segment, Vivek talks about his initiative to create the first hacker comic book, aimed at educating young people about the positive aspects of hacking and cybersecurity. This project reflects his passion for cybersecurity and his desire to change the mainstream perception of hackers.

Towards the end of the episode, Vivek offers valuable advice for aspiring founders, emphasizing patience, resilience, and the importance of realistic expectations. He also highlights the importance of building a company with a deep understanding of the problem space, which in cybersecurity, often comes from having an offensive background.

More about Vivek:

Vivek Ramachandran is the Founder of SquareX, which is building a browser-native security product to mitigate last mile attacks. SquareX has raised USD 6M seed round from Sequoia Capital SEA in April 2023.

Previously, he was the Founder, CEO of Pentester Academy which trained thousands of customers from government agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and smaller enterprises from over 90 countries. Pentester Academy was acquired by INE in 2021.

Vivek has been researching Wi-Fi security for over a decade. He discovered the Caffe Latte attack, broke WEP Cloaking, conceptualized enterprise Wi-Fi Backdoors, created Chellam (Wi-Fi Firewall), WiMonitor Enterprise (802.11ac monitoring), Chigula (Wi-Fi traffic analysis via SQL), Deceptacon (IoT Honeypots) and others. He is the author of multiple five star rated books on Wi-Fi security which have together sold over 20,000+ copies worldwide and have been translated to multiple languages.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivekramachandran/

https://sqrx.com/

01:13 Vivek's Journey in Cybersecurity

02:59 Identifying Market Gaps and Founding SquareX

04:32 Challenges in Cybersecurity and Browser Vulnerabilities

29:39 The Role of AI in Cybersecurity

50:34 Advice for Founders and Conclusion

In this episode of “The CTO Show with Mehmet,” we are joined by Brad Micklea, the CEO of Jozu. Brad shares his extensive experience in the tech industry, detailing his journey from leading the Amazon API Gateway to founding Jozu. Jozu is building what they believe is the first control plane for AI projects inside enterprises, aiming to help organizations accelerate their AI development and protect their operations.

Brad discusses the current challenges enterprises face in integrating AI projects into production. He emphasizes the importance of having the right strategy and organizational structure to execute AI initiatives effectively. Brad shares his insights on the need for a solid connection between AI teams and product teams, ensuring that data scientists are embedded within the product teams to better understand and address customer needs.

One of the core topics explored in this episode is KitOps, Jozu’s open-source project that aims to simplify the management of AI models and their deployment in production. Brad explains how KitOps provides a central registry for all AI project components, ensuring that organizations can manage dependencies and control versions effectively. This approach helps enterprises maintain control over their AI models, ensuring that sensitive data is protected and that AI-driven differentiation is retained within the organization.

Brad also highlights the similarities and differences between MLOps and DevOps, illustrating how KitOps bridges the gap between these two disciplines. He explains the importance of using existing tools while centralizing AI project artifacts to streamline deployment and management processes. This integration allows enterprises to maintain a high level of control and security over their AI operations.

Throughout the conversation, Brad offers valuable advice for tech founders and executives looking to integrate AI into their organizations. He emphasizes the importance of listening to customers and iterating on AI initiatives based on real-world usage and feedback. Brad shares his optimistic view of AI’s potential to unleash human creativity and transform various industries, drawing parallels to past technological disruptions like the internet and mobile computing.

More about Brad:

Brad is the Founder & CEO of Jozu and a project lead for the open source Kitops.ml project, a toolset designed to increase the speed and safety of building, testing, and managing AI/ML models in production. This is Brad’s second startup, his first (Codenvy, the market’s first container-based developer environment) was sold to Red Hat in 2017. In his 25 year career in the developer tools and DevOps software market, he’s been the GM for Amazon’s API Gateway, and built open- and closed-source products that have been leaders in Gartner Magic Quadrants. In his free time he enjoys cycling, reading, and vintage cars.

https://jozu.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradmicklea/

01:08 Brad Micklea's Background and Experience

02:41 Challenges in AI Implementation

04:16 Strategies for Effective AI Integration

04:54 The Role of Documentation in AI Strategy

05:48 Organizational Structure for AI Success

07:06 Moving AI Projects into Production

09:05 Managing AI Models in Production

10:22 Introduction to KitOps

12:27 Centralizing AI Project Components

20:37 KitOps and Enterprise Integration

21:37 Measuring AI Integration Success

25:45 Balancing Public and Private AI Models

27:12 Addressing the Skills Gap in AI

29:13 The Role of Open Source Models

30:41 Specialized AI Models: A Case Study

34:50 The Future of AI and Human Creativity

38:51 Advice for AI Startups

45:12 Building and Testing AI Prototypes

46:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of “The CTO Show with Mehmet,” we are joined by Dr. Michael Proksch, Chief Scientist at AccelerEd, who shares his extensive journey from academia to the industry, focusing on AI and value creation. Dr. Proksch discusses his background in economics and how it led him to work with organizations across the globe in the fields of data and AI. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the multiplicative relationship between various factors such as technology, data, business, and psychology in creating value within an organization.

Dr. Proksch delves into his experiences in consulting and working with big companies like Aetna CVS and AI unicorns, highlighting the common challenges faced in achieving value creation. He explains that many organizations fail because they operate in silos where departments do not communicate effectively, and he stresses the need for integrated efforts across all critical areas to truly create value. According to Dr. Proksch, the real breakthrough comes when different departments start talking to each other and work together towards a common goal.

In discussing his book “The Secrets of AI Value Creation,” co-authored with Nisha Paliwal and Dr. Wilhlem Bielert, Dr. Proksch elaborates on the holistic framework they present for achieving value in AI. He shares that the book is a culmination of insights from various industry experts and AI achievers who have successfully implemented AI to drive business value. The conversation also touches on the common pitfalls organizations face when adopting new technologies and the importance of aligning technological advancements with business objectives and employee incentives.

More about Michael:

Michael Proksch is an accomplished Expert and Leader, who has had the privilege of working with numerous Fortune 500 organizations throughout his career. He possesses extensive industry experience in creating business value with Data and AI, offering innovative and unique solutions to various industries and organizations across Europe, Asia, and the US. However, his broad knowledge encompassing business, analytics, technology, and psychology has not only earned him recognition as a sought-after industry expert but also as a respected thought leader in the field. His insightful perspectives and extensive experience have made him a sought-after speaker at conferences and events, where he shares his expertise.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelproksch/

https://aivaluesecrets.com/

01:19 Dr. Michael Proksch's Background

02:34 The Importance of Value Creation

03:14 Challenges in Value Creation

04:12 Multiplicative Relationship in Value Creation

04:52 Dr. Proksch's Career Journey

05:21 Writing the Book on AI Value Creation

06:37 Industry Contributions to the Book

07:31 Current Work and Projects

08:39 The Future of AI and Value Creation

11:39 Communication in Organizations

21:29 Defining Value in Business

31:48 Reflecting on Change Management

32:43 AI Strategy and Value Creation

33:40 Industry Use Cases and Competitive Edge

36:35 Adopting New Technologies

39:19 The Disruption Debate

49:20 Future of AI and Job Transformation

59:33 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of “The CTO Show with Mehmet,” Mehmet welcomes Luis Garcia, co-founder and president of PETE. PETE, which stands for Personalized Education, Training, and Enrichment, provides AI-powered learning tools for workforce development. Luis shares his journey from being a programmer to taking on various roles in project management, product management, and general management, eventually leading to his current role at PETE. He also discusses his significant achievement of launching an online university that grew to serve 12,000 students and employed 1,000 people, generating $180 million in yearly revenue.

The conversation dives into the common challenges faced by organizations in workforce training. Luis explains how companies often lack the resources to create effective training materials and how traditional solutions, such as hiring third-party companies or relying on internal experts, can be costly and inefficient. He introduces PETE’s innovative approach of using AI to automate the creation of training materials and assessments, making the process more efficient and cost-effective.

Luis elaborates on the benefits of using AI in training, highlighting how it reduces the burden on internal experts, speeds up the creation of training materials, and improves the evaluation of learners. He provides real-world examples of how AI can enhance onboarding processes and continuous training, and discusses the potential for AI to adapt training programs to keep up with rapidly changing skill requirements.

From a business perspective, Luis outlines the immediate and long-term ROI of AI-powered training solutions. He explains how reducing the time experts spend on training and speeding up the onboarding process can deliver immediate ROI, while improved employee retention through better and more relevant training offers long-term benefits. He provides real-world examples to demonstrate these tangible benefits.

The conversation shifts to the investor perspective on AI, where Luis discusses the importance of being AI-native rather than AI-sprinkled. He shares his experience with investors, noting their informed skepticism and decision-making process when evaluating AI applications.

About Luis:

Luis Garcia is a seasoned international executive with over 25 years of experience in technology, digital media, and education. He specializes in driving new ventures and products to rapid growth by building effective teams that harness innovation, technology, and creativity to solve complex problems.

He is the president of PETE, an Orlando-based tech startup that offers a suite of cost-effective and customizable solutions that enable organizations to deliver personalized workforce learning at scale. The PETE team is dedicated to harnessing the power of AI to help organizations of all sizes optimize their training initiatives, spanning from onboarding to regulatory compliance, product knowledge, technical skills, and more, without hiring additional training resources.

https://www.pete.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisegarcia/

01:10 Luis Garcia's Background and PETE Overview

04:08 Challenges in Workforce Learning and AI Solutions

09:21 The Role of AI in Training and Education

20:38 Investor Interest in AI and Future Trends

27:36 Luis Garcia's Motivation and Advice for Entrepreneurs

34:26 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of the CTO Show with Mehmet, we are joined by Isar Bhattacharjee, an expert in people and organizational psychology. Isar discusses his journey and why he chose to focus on startups, especially those in rapid growth stages. He explains the evolution of HR from traditional roles to performance-focused approaches and introduces the concept of organizational debt, comparing it to technical debt.

Isar highlights common challenges startups face as they scale, such as assigning inflated titles without clear roles. He stresses the importance of thoughtful career progression and the difficulties modern managers face in flatter organizations. The conversation also explores the increasing trend of solopreneurs and micro-companies, driven by advancements in AI and low-code tools.

Isar shares practical interventions he has used to improve communication in startups, such as randomized seating to enhance cross-functional interactions. He advises founders to focus on doing fewer things exceptionally well rather than spreading resources too thin.

About Isar:

As the founder of Uncover Consulting, I am passionate about rethinking how work works by applying psychology tools and techniques in businesses.

For start-ups and scale-ups, it’s hard for the people side of your business to scale at the same pace as your user growth or your tech stack. This can lead to increasing amounts of “people debt” building up, which can be difficult to pay down - resulting in companies trying a wide range of interventions which can be both expensive and ineffective.

Uncover is an organisational psychology consulting service which uses techniques from research psychology and applies them to businesses to identify and solve the underlying people problems your company faces. The aim is to bring new research methods and evidence-backed interventions into the world of business.

You can read more about our work at https://www.uncover.business/learn-more and my thoughts on the world of work at https://uncover.substack.com/

01:03 Isar's Background and Expertise

01:33 Why Focus on Startups?

05:02 Evolution of People Functions in Startups

10:08 Understanding Organizational Debt

21:46 Challenges Modern Managers Face

26:47 The Rise of Solopreneurs and Micro Companies

37:28 Interesting Case Studies and Experiments

45:45 Final Advice and Closing Remarks

In this episode of the CTO Show with Mehmet, we are joined by Jafar Shunnar, co-founder of TAP, a groundbreaking career acceleration platform based in Palestine. Jafar delves into his inspiring journey and the mission of TAP to bridge the job gap for high-potential youth in Palestine and Jordan by connecting them with global startups. He sheds light on the unique challenges faced by educated youth in the MENA region and how TAP addresses both talent readiness and company needs.

Jafar highlights the importance of a long-term vision and patience in entrepreneurship, sharing insights on building genuine relationships and networks crucial for job seekers. The discussion also explores the evolving landscape of remote work, the integration of technology in education, and effective strategies for staying relevant in a rapidly changing job market.

Discover Jafar’s valuable perspectives on the future of work in the MENA region, the critical role of flexibility and innovation in attracting top talent, and the significance of embracing technological advancements. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in education, career development, and entrepreneurship in the MENA region.

Tune in to gain insights on:

• Bridging job gaps for youth in Palestine and Jordan

• The impact of TAP’s career acceleration platform

• Challenges and opportunities in the MENA job market

• Strategies for building genuine professional relationships

• The future of remote work and education technology

• Key entrepreneurial lessons for long-term success

More about Jafar and TAP:

Jafar is a Palestinian entrepreneur with a passion for social impact and youth empowerment. Through TAP, a startup he co-founded, he strives to empower Arab youth to work at global organizations, remotely.

TAP is a Dutch-Palestinian edtech and career acceleration platform designed to unlock remote job opportunities for high-potential tech talent in Palestine and other underserved markets in MENA. We are a social impact startup on a mission to create more equity, diversity, and accessibility in tech.

https://www.tapcareers.io/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jafar-shunnar/

01:16 Jafar's Background and TAP Overview

01:43 Identifying the Job Market Gap

04:45 Challenges Faced by Educated Youth

08:54 Strategies for Skill Development

13:27 The Role of Technology in Job Hunting

18:04 Networking and Building Genuine Relationships

35:31 The Future of Remote Work

42:11 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

44:38 Conclusion and Farewell

In this episode of “The CTO Show with Mehmet,” we are joined by Arnaud Lucas, the CTO of Wanderu, a small startup focused on e-commerce solutions for ground transportation in North America. Arnaud, originally from France, shares his extensive experience in the tech industry, having worked with both startups and large companies like Iron Mountain, TripAdvisor, and Wayfair before returning to the startup world.

Arnaud discusses his career journey and the factors that led him to become a CTO. He emphasizes the importance of solving customer problems and how his passion for travel has influenced his career choices. Arnaud highlights the significance of aligning technology with business objectives and shares his approach to promoting ownership and transparency within his team. He mentions the book “Extreme Ownership” and how its principles have helped him foster a culture of accountability and cross-functional collaboration.

Throughout the conversation, Arnaud delves into the role of data-driven decision-making in startups. He explains how collecting both qualitative and quantitative data is crucial for validating business ideas and ensuring that the team is on the right track. Arnaud also shares his insights on balancing innovation and risk-taking while maintaining a stable and reliable technology infrastructure. He stresses the importance of taking calculated risks and revisiting projects to optimize and refine them after initial implementation.

As the conversation progresses, Arnaud discusses the importance of team dynamics and hiring strategies. He advises against both overstaffing and understaffing, emphasizing the need to strike the right balance to empower team members effectively. He also talks about the value of diversity in the workplace and how it leads to better ideas and outcomes.

Towards the end of the episode, Arnaud shares his approach to staying up-to-date with the latest tech trends. He mentions subscribing to newsletters, reading industry articles, and leveraging insights from his team. He highlights the importance of experimenting with new technologies and using frameworks like a tech radar to evaluate and adopt them effectively.

Finally, Arnaud offers words of wisdom for aspiring tech leaders, emphasizing the importance of being data-driven, fostering a supportive and inclusive culture, and empowering team members to take ownership of their work. He encourages leaders to align their teams with the company’s overall vision and mission while providing the necessary support and resources.

More about Arnaud:

“As the Chief Technology Officer at Wanderu, I oversee the technology vision, strategy and execution for the leading ground transportation search platform in North America and beyond. Just like me, Wanderu is a company that values and promotes diversity, founded by first generation immigrants

With over two decades of experience harnessing technology to drive business outcomes, I am a seasoned leader with expertise in spearheading large-scale transformations and steering organizational turnarounds across diverse industries, from startups to established enterprises.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucasarn

https://www.wanderu.com/

01:06 Arnaud's Background and Career Journey

01:56 Passion for Travel and Customer Focus

02:58 Path to Becoming a CTO

05:46 Aligning Technology with Business Objectives

06:35 Promoting Ownership and Transparency

15:57 Balancing Innovation and Stability

20:54 Challenges in the Ground Transportation Market

24:20 Startup Challenges and Advice

33:19 Staying Updated with Tech Trends

37:23 Final Thoughts and Words of Wisdom

43:43 Conclusion and Farewell