06: The Internet of Things - a podcast by Jeff Amerine

from 2015-08-24T08:00

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Bryon Western and Jim Lewis of Little Bird Systems talks with us about the internet of things.


The Product



  • Rapid Commercialization System for the Industrial Internet of Things - lego building block approach to building electronics 

  • Difference from other companies : Giving the very quick path from the bench-top prototype to something that they can commercialize and take to market.

  • Internet of Things - trend in industry that connect electronics to any physical object, measure data on such object and perform an action on that object.

  • FOCUS : Industrial Market

  • Bandwidth Discipline - optimize protocol - system that are not highly bandwidth thing 

  • Sale Cycle -  Up to a year from completion of development cycle (which takes about 18 months to 2 years) for them to get back or realize income


The Business Model and How Money is Generated from this product



  • GOAL :  To move people from that bench-top prototype  to a 2nd stage ruggedize prototype (mass produced unit) - provide service to create their customer electronics - sell them the hardware they need to sell their products to customers


(JIM’s Perspective on what they do) 



  • What is the market? 15 Trillion dollar market 

  • Glad to have partners with business intellects


How to startup a company (based on their experience)



  1. Laying plans - what is the market? how to approach the market? what would set you apart from someone else? 

  2. Getting everything in place - operating plans, financial model 

  3. Opportunity to make difference in the world, in the industry you are attacking 


(BRYON’s Perspective on what they do) 



  • Be involved - hire people who can contribute 

  • Entrepreneur Programs could help you operate the business - adding technical knowledge

  • CEO vs employee in the startup : As an employee, you have to deal with every aspect of the business - keeping contacts - inform the people what you are doing and Delegating tasks - trust people that they can also do what you can do 


ADVICE : Creating a company Based on Technology 



  • Get a business person - somebody who have worked with technology - if you explain something to somebody and don't they get it, it is not their fault it's your fault - practice the skill of simplifying things and communicating it to people 


What’s the future of Technology-based businesses in Arkansas



  • Prediction: 2020 - 50 billion devices will connect to internet - whereas right now 90% are not connected.

  • What’s right in Arkansas as an area of startup technology companies? 

    • A lot of Manufacturing and Agriculture is going on so the advantage is you can get first hand information from people who needs the solution



  • For Arkansas to grow with technical startup companies/businesses

    • companies must be responsible for specifically defining what is to be done to be a technical startups (e.g. execution of invention assignment agreements) 

    • Research areas must be confined to such specific business that they are in 




Our contact info:


Jeff Amerine
jeff@startupjunkieconsulting.com
www.startupjunkieconsulting.com


Jon Cadieux
jon@455mediagroup.com
www.455mediagroup.com
www.bentonvilleworkplace.com


 


 

Further episodes of The Startup Junkies Podcast

Further podcasts by Jeff Amerine

Website of Jeff Amerine