The IoT Podcast

What does it really take to build the next billion-dollar idea? And why do some innovative ideas scale fast… while others quietly disappear? In this episode of The IoT Podcast, host Tom White sits down in Dubai with one of the show’s most popular previous guests - and one of the world’s leading voices in IoT - Yasser Alsaied, President at Facilis and former VP of IoT at AWS, for an open, in-person conversation about what really drives innovation today. They look back at predictions Yasser made in his 2023 episode and where we are now. They explore why ideas don’t win on vision alone, why startups often build the most meaningful breakthroughs and why many founders are now choosing belief over quick exits. They also talk about the pace of change across the MENA region, what moving fast really demands from leadership teams, and why having the right people matters more than having the biggest budget. From AI and edge to industrial systems and robotics, this episode is about what it really takes to turn an idea into something that lasts. Chapters… 00:00 Introductions 02:48 Looking Back: Which Predictions Came True 08:05 Why AI Is Useless Without Real Data 14:30 Why Startups Move Faster Than Big Companies 20:45 When Innovation Dies After Acquisition 27:40 Robotics, Edge, and Real-World Impact 36:22 Why Tech Is Moving So Fast in the MENA Region 55:56 Speed, Execution, and Knowing When to Move 1:01:35 What It Really Takes to Build the Next Billion-Dollar Idea The episode is live on all major listening platforms now: https://linktr.ee/theiotpodcast Connect with our guestYasser Alsaied: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasseralsaied/ SUBSCRIBE TO THE IOT PODCAST ON YOUR FAVOURITE LISTENING PLATFORM: https://linktr.ee/theiotpodcast Sign up for exclusive email updates: https://theiotpodcast.com/get-exclusive-access/ Contact us to become a guest/partner: https://theiotpodcast.com/contact/ Connect with host Tom White: / tom5values This episode is released alongside the announcement of Yasser’s strategic partnership with 5V Tech. Find out more: https://www.weare5vtech.com/welcoming-global-iot-leader-yasser-alsaied- 

What does it take to rebuild the way mobile connectivity works for IoT? And why are operators, MVNOs, and enterprises starting to rethink how much visibility and control they should have over their networks? In this episode of The IoT Podcast, host Tom White sits down with Tim Dowling Co-Founder & COO and John Freeman - CEO at Stacuity, a company developing a fully programmable mobile core designed to give connectivity providers real-time control, flexibility, and global reach. They dig into the shift toward more programmable networks, what real-time visibility actually enables, and why permanent roaming rules, data sovereignty and regional regulations are forcing a rethink of global IoT strategies. The discussion focuses on how these changes show up in real deployments: faster troubleshooting, tighter security, smarter automation, and more flexibility for MVNOs and enterprises building connected products. If you work with IoT devices, manage connectivity, or just want a clearer view of where the industry is heading, this episode is your inside scoop! Chapters... 00:00 Introductions 02:44 What’s Changing in Mobile Connectivity Today 08:23 Why IT and Telecom Are Rapidly Converging 11:02 A Practical Explanation of “Programmable Mobile” 15:12 Data Sovereignty, Local Breakout & Performance 20:01 Who Benefits from Becoming an MVNO 24:48 Managing Connectivity Across Multiple Regions 27:29 What Full Network Control Enables 32:06 Common Operator & Enterprise Pain Points 41:22 Collaboration, Competition & Market Dynamics 48:30 How Real-Time Connectivity Unlocks New Use Cases 56:43 Career Lessons from Tim & John 59:35 Where to Learn More The episode is Live on all major listening platforms now: https://linktr.ee/theiotpodcast Connect with our guests Tim Dowling: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timdowling100/ John Freeman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/freemanj/    Find out more about Stacuity: https://stacuity.com/?utm_term=stacuity&utm_campaign=&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=2497416715&hsa_cam=22351269244&hsa_grp=175269389166&hsa_ad=762379803079&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=kwd-2281329050636&hsa_kw=stacuity&hsa_mt=p&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22351269244&gbraid=0AAAAAoKxsrV-OS0oKWO2JFcBguckGZ_sI&gclid=Cj0KCQiA_8TJBhDNARIsAPX5qxQHLGRUlDnDiC55YaFwyDBmmDarA3k16SX3Y9GJRt5xKPvZ0odq6LgaAhFXEALw_wcB About Stacuity Stacuity is a next-generation mobile connectivity platform empowering operators, MVNOs and enterprises with real-time control, flexible routing, and global-scale IoT connectivity. By combining a cloud-style, API-first core with distributed edge data breakouts, Stacuity enables programmable mobile networks that support data sovereignty, low-latency performance, and dynamic automation. SUBSCRIBE TO THE IOT PODCAST ON YOUR FAVOURITE LISTENING PLATFORM: https://linktr.ee/theiotpodcast Sign Up for exclusive email updates: https://theiotpodcast.com/get-exclusive-access/ Contact us to become a guest/partner: https://theiotpodcast.com/contact/ Connect with host Tom White:   / tom5values  

Edge AI is evolving fast - but how do we accelerate the path from development to deployment, and get real products into users’ hands sooner? Welcome to the Edge of Tomorrow - The Edge AI Debate, our brand new spin off series on The IoT Podcast in collaboration with the ‪ @edgeaifoundation  bringing together the leading minds in Edge AI for debates and discussions on the biggest challenges, opportunities, and emerging trends shaping the future of Edge AI. In this episode, host Pete Bernard (CEO, EDGE AI FOUNDATION) sits down with Rajesh Subramaniam (Founder & CEO at EmbedUR Systems) and Reza Kazerounian (Founder & President at Alif Semiconductor) to tackle one of the most pressing questions in the space:How do we accelerate getting Edge AI products to users - and close the gap between innovation and deployment? From chip design to software pipelines, product cycles to killer apps, this episode dives deep into the real-world friction between building cutting-edge Edge AI and actually commercialising it. Expect thoughts on... 👉 Why Edge AI products are stuck in the lab while the tech races ahead 👉 What’s driving the growing gap between hardware, software, and market timelines 👉 The tension between standardisation and innovation - and who should compromise 👉 Whether the ecosystem is ready to scale or still too fragmented 👉 What tools, platforms, and killer apps are needed to ship at speed Chapters... 02:10 Introductions 04:30 Why the AI hardware-software cycle is totally broken 06:40 The explosion of use cases - and the challenge of keeping up 09:10 Rajesh’s “Netflix moment” - when hardware is ready, but the app isn’t 12:00 What it takes to ship a real Edge AI product (beyond just the chip) 15:30 Model Nova, Fusion Studio, and simplifying deployment 17:45 Why standardisation might be the only way forward 20:10 Innovation vs. compatibility: can we have both? 24:00 How fragmentation is killing speed - and what to do about it 27:20 Disruptive architectures vs. proven platforms 31:00 The future of Edge AI tooling and ecosystems 35:10 Final thoughts: how do we actually close the gap? 🎧 The episode is now live on all major podcast platforms.Listen here: https://linktr.ee/theiotpodcast What’s your take - are we close to bridging the Edge AI-user gap, or just getting started? Let us know in the comments! Connect with our guests… Reza Kazerounian (Founder & President at Alif Semiconductor) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/reza-kazerounian/ Find out more about Alif Semiconductor - https://alifsemi.com/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20681515581&gbraid=0AAAAAoY4w6vEfdbpyanaxs5O2n0oYS0LV&gclid=CjwKCAjw3_PCBhA2EiwAkH_j4vzdvAIW5JR2lgq9FGf2qqZc1TBtrnpVXxRLURxp2XvO3uZlUz7x9hoCzhoQAvD_BwE Rajesh Subramaniam (Founder & CEO at EmbedUR Systems) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajesh-c-subramaniam/ Find out more about embedUR Systems - https://www.embedur.ai/ About the Edge of Tomorrow: The Edge AI Debate Edge of Tomorrow: The Edge AI Debate is our special spin-off series bringing together some of the brightest minds in Edge AI and beyond for high-stake discussions and debates over hot-button issues, opportunities, and topics of the moment in and around Edge AI. From the ethics of machine learning to the security risks lurking at the edge, no question is off-limits. Our goal is to bring together diverse voices—technologists, ethicists and innovators—to share their perspectives, explore new ideas, and discuss what’s at stake. By fostering honest, in-depth conversations, Edge of Tomorrow aims to give listeners the insights they need to better understand this transformative field. This series isn’t just about exploring what’s next for Edge AI—it’s about discussing how we get there responsibly. By bringing together thought leaders from across the field, we aim to dig into the challenges and opportunities of Edge AI, sparking ideas that lead to meaningful change.

We’ve been talking about smarter devices for years - but what does progress actually look like today? In this episode of our spin-off series Edge of Tomorrow: The Edge AI Debate, created in collaboration with the  @edgeaifoundation  , Host Tom White heads to NXP Semiconductor's Smart Home Lab to sit down with Davis Sawyer - AI Product Manager and Anthony Huereca - Senior Embedded Systems Engineer. Together, they explore where Edge AI really stands in 2025 from smaller, more efficient models to the gap between what people want and what’s actually being built. They dive into the current state of embedded intelligence, real-world applications in the smart home, technical and practical challenges, and what the future might look like, with a focus on what’s actually working today. Expect thoughts on... 👉 Where smart home tech really stands in 2025 👉 Why “Physical AI” might define the next decade 👉 The reality of running large AI models on embedded devices 👉 The ongoing push for standardisation (and why it’s more complex than it looks) Chapters... 03:20 Getting to know Davis & Anthony and what NXP is all about 04:50 Where we’re at with smart homes and if they’ve lived up to the hype 07:15 What people really want from AI vs. what we think they want 08:30 Whether AI is actually helping drive real automation 11:11 Finding the balance between the cloud and edge computing 12:30 Are we actually using the tech we’re building — and is it worth it? 15:30 Are we getting on the same page with Edge AI standards? 18:00 Why taking smart risks matters in innovation 18:33 Dreaming big — what we’d love to see in Edge AI 21:30 Everyone has a different take on what a “small model” is 23:00 The rise of AI models being built directly at the edge 24:30 NXP’s perspective on where Edge AI is going 27:40 Quick-fire questions with the guests 33:00 A tour of NXP’s smart home lab and solutions The episode is live on all major listening platforms now! Listen here: https://linktr.ee/theiotpodcast What’s your take? Where do you see us heading? Drop your thoughts in the comments after you’ve had a listen. Connect with our guests... Davis Sawyer - AI Product Marketing Manager: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davis-sawyer/ Anthony Huereca - Senior Embedded Systems Engineer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/huereca/ About Edge of Tomorrow: The Edge AI Debate Edge of Tomorrow: The Edge AI Debate is a special spin-off series from The IoT Podcast, bringing together some of the brightest minds in Edge AI and beyond for high-stakes discussions on the challenges, opportunities, and trends shaping the future of intelligence at the edge. From the ethics of machine learning to the complexity of standardisation, no topic is off-limits. Our goal is to give you real conversations — not just forecasts — by bringing together voices from across the field to explore how we can build AI that’s practical, responsible, and future-ready.

What does it really take to go from writing code to running a company in the fast-moving world of IoT? What happens when a seasoned embedded engineer decides to build a company from scratch? In this episode of The IoT Podcast Show, host Tom White sits down with Bartek Kling, CEO and founder of NeedCode, a company specialising in embedded software services for connected devices. Bartek shares his journey from being a hands-on embedded engineer in the automotive sector to launching and scaling his own successful tech startup. He opens up about the reality of stepping into a leadership role, the unexpected importance of sales and marketing, the art of building long-term client relationships and how NeedCode has carved out a space in a competitive market by focusing on Bluetooth Low Energy and full-cycle product development. Whether you're building the next big IoT product or just want a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to lead in this space, this episode delivers real insights, lessons learned, and a forward-looking view of the industry. Chapters... 00:00 Introduction to Bartek Kling and needCode 03:43 Bartek's Journey from Engineer to CEO 09:19 Transitioning from Freelancing to Founding NeedCode 12:24 Challenges of Being a Founder and CEO 14:39 Differentiating NeedCode in the Market 16:36 Plans for Scaling NeedCode 19:09 Capabilities and Offerings of NeedCode 23:35 Common Customer Pain Points 26:44 Building a Talent Network for Growth 30:03 Future Trends in IoT 34:24 Security and Privacy in IoT Devices 37:09 Conclusion and Where to Find NeedCode The episode is live on all major listening platforms now! Listen here: https://linktr.ee/theiotpodcast Connect with our guest… https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartek-kling/ About needCode needCode is a European IoT development company that specialises in creating smart product solutions, embedded software, and AI-powered IoT systems. They help businesses design, secure, and optimise connected products while offering strategic support and staff augmentation to bring innovative ideas to market. Find out more: https://needcode.io/ SUBSCRIBE TO THE IOT PODCAST ON YOUR FAVOURITE LISTENING PLATFORM: https://linktr.ee/theiotpodcast Sign Up for exclusive email updates: https://theiotpodcast.com/get-exclusive-access/ Contact us to become a guest/partner: https://theiotpodcast.com/contact/ Connect with host Tom White: / tom5values