Chris Howard, Softeq Founder and CEO, spoke on the Entrepreneurship Explained video panel discussion organized as part of the 2021 IEEE 7th World Forum on the Internet of Things.
Together with fellow panelists, Chris shared his perspective and experience in developing an IoT product, navigating risks and technology challenges, and turning it into a growing and thriving business initiative. Ken Ehrman, CEO of PAWS and a client of Softeq, joined the discussion to share his real-life insights into bringing a multi-functional smart pet collar to the market.
Key takeaways for entrepreneurs and those who are looking to scale their business:
- Put together a diverse team of various backgrounds to foster creativity and innovation
- Think big and execute on that by hiring the best people for the job who have in-depth field knowledge
- Disrupt the conventional buying process by offering the best version of what your target audience is already buying
- Pay attention to how you are going to keep the device in its optimum state after it has been launched on the market
- Build in the ability to abide by a specific regulation that impacts your IoT product
- Build into your budget and roadmap plan the capability to collect specific metrics that may affect your product development vision, e.g. data from device users to improve your product’s performance
For more detailed and practical advice, watch the full replay of the panel discussion.
Fast facts on Chris Howard:
- Founder of Softeq Development specializing in complex software and hardware consulting and development with a focus on IoT
- Created Softeq Innovation Lab aimed at helping startups and SMEs get viable business results from the early-stage innovation and ideation stage
- Angel investor in 50+ startups globally with one-third of the customer base consisting of startups
About IEEE
IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. IEEE and its members inspire a global community through highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities. Today the association has more than 400,000 members in over 160 countries. The IEEE dates back to 1884.