At SXSW in Austin, Texas, a small machine was quietly crushing plastic bags into dense blocks. The demonstration wasn’t a recycling machine in the traditional sense — it was something different. It was a “pre-recycling” system designed to solve one of recycling’s biggest problems before the material even reaches a recycling facility.

Ivan Arbouzov, President, Founder and CEO of Clear Drop, Inc., demonstrated the company’s technology during SXSW events in Austin. The Clear Drop system compresses soft plastic — commonly known in the industry as plastic film — into dense blocks that are easier to transport and process for recycling.

Soft plastic is one of the most difficult materials to recycle. Plastic bags and film packaging often clog recycling machinery and are inefficient to transport because they consist mostly of air. As a result, much of this material ends up in landfills or as roadside waste.

Clear Drop’s approach is what Arbouzov calls “pre-recycling” — creating appliances that serve as collection and compression points before materials reach recycling facilities.

Instead of transporting loose bags of plastic film, the Clear Drop machine compresses the material into Soft Plastic Blocks (SPB) weighing roughly four to five pounds. These compressed blocks can be transported more efficiently and fed directly into recycling grinders without causing the clogging issues that loose plastic film often creates.

The system also uses a special plastic envelope that is recycled together with the compressed material when it is transported to partner recycling facilities.

A Missing Link In The Recycling Chain

Ivan Arbouzov, Founder and CEO of Clear Drop, demonstrating the Soft Plastic Block created by the company’s pre-recycling system at SXSW in Austin, Texas

Arbouzov describes Clear Drop as filling a gap in the recycling process — the space between when plastic is discarded and when it reaches recycling facilities.

“There’s a kind of big hole in between that sucks in the majority of the material before they even get it to the recycling plant,” he explains. The goal of Clear Drop is to shorten the distance between disposal and recycling and make it easier for people and organizations to recycle soft plastics.

Clear Drop currently operates with two business streams:

• Consumer systems for households
• Commercial systems for businesses and institutions

Hospitals are a particularly interesting use case because large amounts of clean polyethylene packaging are used in medical environments. This plastic is high quality and well suited for recycling if it can be properly collected and transported.

Beyond Plastic: Organic Waste Systems

Clear Drop is also developing systems for organic waste collection and storage. These systems allow organic waste to be stored without odor for extended periods and then transferred to composting systems or organic recycling facilities.

By separating organic waste and soft plastics from general waste streams, Arbouzov believes recycling efficiency can be significantly improved. Removing these materials from the general waste stream leaves paper, metal, glass, and hard plastics — materials that are much easier to recycle effectively.

Clear Drop’s broader vision is to develop technologies that address multiple waste and disposal challenges, helping reduce landfill waste and improve recycling outcomes through better collection and material handling systems.

The post Rethinking Recycling appeared first on Tech Trends.

When Cindy Gallop launched MakeLoveNotPorn more than a decade ago, her goal was simple but radical: to separate real-world sex from porn and encourage healthier conversations about intimacy, relationships and consent. Now, she is taking that mission even further with the launch of MakeLoveNotPorn Academy, a global aggregator platform for sex education resources designed for lifelong learning.

MakeLoveNotPorn Academy aims to become a global hub for sex education

The Academy is now live in early-stage beta and aims to become what Gallop describes as “the Google of sex education” — a searchable hub that organizes educational content for parents, teachers, young people and adults.

Why Sex Education Needs Its Own Platform

According to Gallop, one of the biggest problems in sex education today is not the lack of information — it is discoverability.

Search engines often censor or filter sexual health and education content, making it difficult for parents and educators to find reliable, fact-based resources. The result is that many young people end up learning about sex primarily through pornography rather than education.

MakeLoveNotPorn Academy aims to solve this by acting as a human-curated aggregator, where every educator and resource is vetted to ensure that content is:

• Educational
• Fact-based
• Non-judgmental
• Age-appropriate
• Culturally sensitive

The platform allows users to search resources by age group, comfort level and cultural context, creating a structured approach to lifelong sex education.

From MakeLoveNotPorn To MakeLoveNotPorn Academy

This new platform builds on Gallop’s long-running work in the sex tech space. In a previous Tech Trends article, we explored the broader challenges and opportunities in the industry and why investment in sex tech is still often overlooked despite its massive social impact.

That article argued that sex tech is not just about products — it is about education, safety, relationships, consent, and culture. The launch of MakeLoveNotPorn Academy reinforces that argument by positioning sex education as infrastructure, not content.

A Human-Curated Model In An Algorithmic World

One of the most interesting aspects of the Academy is that it deliberately does not rely purely on algorithms.

Instead, the platform uses a 100% human-curation model, where educators and content are reviewed and approved manually. In a digital world dominated by algorithmic recommendation systems, this approach is intentionally different — prioritizing safety, context and educational value over engagement metrics.

The Academy is free to access, and operates on a membership and donation model to support operations and future development.

Sex Education As A Technology Platform

The launch of MakeLoveNotPorn Academy highlights a broader trend within the sex tech industry: the shift from devices and apps toward platforms, education, and digital ecosystems.

Sex tech is increasingly intersecting with:

• EdTech
• Online learning platforms
• Community platforms
• Creator economies
• Digital health
• AI and personalization
• Content aggregation platforms

In that sense, MakeLoveNotPorn Academy is not just a sex education site — it is a knowledge platform, and potentially the first global aggregator dedicated entirely to sex education.

The Future Of Lifelong Sex Education

Sex education has traditionally been treated as something that happens once, in school, often awkwardly and incompletely. MakeLoveNotPorn Academy takes a very different view: sex education should be lifelong.

From early childhood conversations about bodies and boundaries, through teenage years, relationships, consent, communication, pleasure, aging, and long-term relationships — education around intimacy and relationships evolves throughout life.

If Gallop’s vision succeeds, MakeLoveNotPorn Academy could become a central hub for that lifelong learning journey.

And in doing so, it may help reshape not only sex education, but how we think about relationships, communication and intimacy in the digital age.

The post Building the Google of Sex Education appeared first on Tech Trends.

By Laura Kobylecky

Jane Nelson, the Texas Secretary of State, made her enthusiasm for London clear during a lively SXSW event in Austin titled London Calling: Where pioneering ideas meet business opportunities. The event focused on strengthening business, technology, and innovation connections between London, the UK, and Texas.

The event was co-hosted by Here East, an innovation campus originally developed for the London 2012 Olympics that now houses global tech companies, startups, academic institutions, and creative organizations. Also hosting the event was CELL (Creative Experience Lab London), which supports research and development across technology, creativity, and culture in live experience sectors. Featured partners included Wise and Oury Clark, organizations that help businesses operate internationally and expand between the US and UK markets.

A Texas welcome with London ambitions

There were microphone issues when Nelson began speaking, but she quickly adapted, drawing on her experience as a former school teacher to project her voice across the room. She broke the ice by leading the audience in a loud Texas-style “Yee-haw,” immediately energizing the crowd and setting a collaborative tone for the evening.

Nelson spoke about her long personal connection with London and emphasized the historical and cultural ties between the UK and the United States. She described SXSW as a place where entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, and creatives can meet and build partnerships that shape future industries.

Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson speaks at the London Calling event during SXSW in Austin.

Innovation, media, and immersive technology

After Nelson’s speech, Justin Diener, Co-Founder and CEO of Synapse Virtual Productions, joined Dr. Lora Markova of Loughborough University London for a discussion about immersive technology, media, and the future of storytelling.

Diener explained how media production now combines filmmaking, game engines, software development, and communication technology, allowing audiences to experience content in more interactive and immersive ways. He noted that students entering these industries are increasingly learning multiple overlapping skills rather than specializing in just one field.

Dr. Markova discussed what she called the “spillover effect,” where innovation happens at the intersection of industries such as technology, education, media, and entertainment. She emphasized that the future of immersive experiences will be driven not just by technology, but by collaboration across industries.

Collaboration and global partnerships

As the event concluded, attendees continued networking and discussing business opportunities, partnerships, and new projects. The overall theme of the evening was collaboration — between London and Texas, between industries, and between technology and creativity.

The London Calling event demonstrated how global innovation ecosystems are becoming increasingly connected, with cities like London and Austin working together to build future industries through partnerships, investment, and shared ideas.

And, as the audience learned early in the evening, sometimes international collaboration begins with a simple Texas “Yee-haw.”

Laura Kobylecky is a contributing writer to Tech Trends. She is particularly interested in new and emerging technology and culture. Connect with her on LinkedIn 

The post Connecting London and Texas at SXSW appeared first on Tech Trends.

By Laura Kobylecky

SXSW 2026

Some big changes happened for SXSW in 2026. In 2025 it was nine days of events spanning two weekends, but the 2026 edition was reduced to seven days, running from Thursday to Wednesday with a weekend in the middle.

In previous years, the “Interactive” section focused on technology and took place before the Music section, while Film programming overlapped both. SXSW also allowed “secondary badge access,” meaning attendees could sometimes attend events outside their primary badge category if space was available.

This year the “Innovation” section focused on technology, and all three sections occurred concurrently. SXSW also removed secondary access, meaning only Platinum badge holders could cross conference sections.

The old Austin Convention Center has now been demolished, but the conference remains in the same general area, surrounding the flattened space. Hotels have become the main venues. The Fairmont, located between the former convention center site and the I-35 highway, became a central hub of the conference and hosted many of the larger events.

Emerging Tech Expo

One of the larger events at SXSW 2026 was the SXSW Emerging Tech Expo, held in the Manchester Ballroom on the 5th floor of the Fairmont Hotel.

The semi-futuristic but classical construction of the ballroom created a different atmosphere compared to the former convention center. Lighting was dimmer, with chandelier-style fixtures contrasting with the stark brightness of traditional expo halls. Overall, the room felt like a scaled-down version of previous years.

The event was open to the public on Wednesday, March 18th, so the relatively cozy space was occupied by badge holders as well as curious members of the public.

Many booths focused on AI-powered software solutions, ranging from generative facial technology for dubbing to AI-powered gun detection systems. Several SaaS companies also offered tote bags — a conference staple.

A Selection of Booths

Aina Tech

Aina demonstrated holographic and volumetric video technology at the SXSW Emerging Tech Expo

Aina is a company that claims to capture and deliver true holographic video that mirrors the real world. CEO Chaitanya Atluru explained that the company operates primarily as a software company, though it maintains a studio in Los Angeles as a research lab.

Clients record footage using multiple cameras, and Aina’s software builds volumetric video environments that can be explored in virtual space. The videos can be viewed on laptops, headsets, and other devices.

The key advantage is that once footage is captured, users can virtually direct the scene afterward by creating different camera angles, zooming, and moving through the space, effectively offering visual mobility within a recorded environment.

ChargerGoGo

ChargerGoGo charging station allows users to rent portable phone chargers in high-traffic locations

I spoke with Shawn Wen, co-founder at ChargerGoGo, to learn more about their small charging stations. He described them as “like a vending machine for a charger,” where users pay a small fee — typically $3 to $5 per hour — to charge their phones while they continue their activities.

These chargers are designed for locations with high foot traffic, including restaurants, bars, shopping centers, hospitals, stadiums, and universities.

While the concept is common across East Asia, including China, Japan, and South Korea, the challenge in the U.S. market has been localization, including compliance with regulations and integrating local payment systems such as Stripe.

Wen explained that his background in graphic design helped him understand user behavior and product design, emphasizing empathy and intuitive product features.

Namirsa Wellness

Namirsa Wellness displayed muscle recovery and performance devices at SXSW

Namirsa Wellness showcased massage chairs and muscle recovery devices focused on active recovery and performance. Their products include electronic stimulators, percussion devices, and foam rollers designed for muscle recovery and relief. Expo attendees could test the chairs directly at the booth, making it one of the more interactive displays.

DNA Hairtools

DNA Hairtools demonstrated styling tools with live demonstrations at SXSW

DNA Hairtools hosted live demonstrations with freelance stylists showcasing their styling tools. One of their highlighted products was the Air Styler, which uses extra-long titanium plates and infrared technology. The product demonstration showed how the tool could create loose curls that lasted throughout a long and windy day.

Free Professional Headshots – Precision Camera & Fujifilm

Precision Camera and Fujifilm offered free professional headshots at SXSW

Another high-interaction booth offered free professional headshots presented by Precision Camera & Video in partnership with Fujifilm. The booth included a full camera and lighting setup, providing high-quality professional photos with expert guidance. The service proved popular among attendees looking to update their LinkedIn profiles.

TooFar Media

Too far media creates “Immersive Storyworlds.” This combines Animation, Art, Books, Film and music.

MOD Bikes

MOD Bikes showcased electric bikes including a popular sidecar model at SXSW

MOD Bikes, an Austin-based company founded in 2017, displayed its electric bikes at the expo. According to the company’s marketing manager, their sidecar attachment is their best-selling product and ships globally, including to Europe, Korea, Australia, and Japan. The bike on display featured a stuffed dog in the sidecar, which attracted significant attention from attendees.

Conclusion

The SXSW Emerging Tech Expo offered a snapshot of where innovation is currently heading: practical applications of AI, hardware products designed for everyday use, and technology focused on improving real-world experiences rather than purely theoretical innovation.

From holographic video and charging infrastructure to recovery technology and electric mobility, the expo demonstrated that many emerging tech companies are focused on solving practical problems while improving user experience and accessibility.

Laura Kobylecky is a contributing writer to Tech Trends. She is particularly interested in new and emerging technology and culture. Connect with her on LinkedIn 

The post Exploring SXSW Emerging Tech appeared first on Tech Trends.

Canadians don’t generally tend to shout about their achievements very loudly, certainly not as much as their cousins South of the border. So it’s often easy to obsess about what Silicon Valley is getting up to and overlook the vibrant start-up scene that has developed over the years in places such as British Columbia and Toronto.

Let’s rectify that oversight here by giving a well-deserved shout-out to some Canadian tech success stories. Here are some of our favourites:

Shopify

E-commerce platform Shopify offers services such as payments, marketing, shipping and customer engagement tools to simplify the process of running an online store for small merchants. In 2018 the company reported that more than 800,000 businesses in 175 countries were using it to trade a gross merchandise volume of over $41.1 billion.

Founded in 2004 by Tobias Lütke, Daniel Weinand, and Scott Lake, the company has its headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario and went public in May 21, 2015 in an IPO raising more than $131 million.

As we celebrate over 30 years of the Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies program, it’s encouraging to see that entrepreneurship is healthier than ever in this country
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Having made its fortunes in cyberspace, Shopify is now one of many companies pursuing innovative omnichannel strategies by combining bricks-and-mortar and digital elements. It recently opened a permanent physical location in LA where business owners can come to both get advice from its staff, and connect with other members of the entrepreneurial community.

Entrepreneurs visiting the locale can attend classes and workshops to further their careers, with monthly events showcasing new products and providing networking opportunities.

StickerYou

StickerYou produces custom die-cut stickers, labels, decals, temporary tattoos, magnets, patches and badges in any shape, any size and any quantity. They also recently launched the World’s Largest Sticker Store in Toronto. A five-year revenue growth of over 470% has earned the company a ranking in Canadian Business and Maclean’s Growth 500 list, the definitive ranking of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies.

“The companies on the 2019 Growth 500 are truly remarkable. Demonstrating foresight, innovation and smart management, their stories serve as a primer for how to build a successful entrepreneurial business today,” says Beth Fraser, Growth 500 program manager. “As we celebrate over 30 years of the Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies program, it’s encouraging to see that entrepreneurship is healthier than ever in this country,” she adds.

A five-year revenue growth of over 470% has earned StickerYou a ranking in Canadian Business and Maclean’s Growth 500 list, the definitive ranking of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies
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“We’ve experienced extraordinary growth, and are anticipating the best is yet to come. We are proud to be recognized as a part of Canada’s outstanding entrepreneurial community,” says StickerYou Founder and President Andrew Witkin.

Endy

Before being acquired by Sleep Country Canada in Landmark $89 Million Deal, online mattress company Endy spent three years causing some serious disruption in the sleep space.

After launching in 2015, the company founded by Rajen Ruparell experienced exponential growth while taking very minimal external investment. Designed to relieve pressure points, eliminate motion transfer, and release body heat faster than conventional foam, the Canadian-made Endy Mattress shipped for free to every province in a box the size of a hockey bag.

Endy spent three years causing some serious disruption in the sleep space
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Athletes, Olympians, and other notable Canadians turned to Endy as their sleep surface of choice, and former Toronto Blue Jays star Jose Bautista, even became an investor in the company. And to make this even more of a feel-good success story, the start-up also takes its social responsibilities seriously, donating thousands of mattresses to families and individuals in need across the country.

Mejuri

“We believe luxury should be accessible, fun, and part of your everyday. Our inspiration comes from you; real, smart, mindful women.”

The company works with top jewelers, to produce exquisitely crafted pieces and quality essentials, cutting out the middle man and selling directly to customers so that quality pieces made with ethically sources materials become much more affordable

StickerYou recently launched the World’s Largest Sticker Store in Toronto
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Knix

For Toronto-based lingerie startup Knix, it all began with a concept that was as simple as it was ambitious: making the world’s most comfortable underwear. Seamless, moisture-wicking, and invisible under anything.

“Our mission at Knix is to create intimates that help women live totally and unapologetically free,”

Knix is the brainchild of Joanna Griffiths, who quit her job at the age of 28 and worked tirelessly to turn her idea into a business which now turns over millions of dollars in sales and ships leak-proof underwear to women across the globe. This included launching Kickstarter’s most successful fashion crowdfunding campaign raising more $1 million for its eight-in-one bra.

“There’s really nice growing and robust ecosystem that’s emerging in Canadian cities such as Toronto, says Griffiths.

Tech Trends offers a broad range of Digital Consultancy services to guide companies, individuals and brands in effectively leveraging existing and emerging technologies in their business strategy.

Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Celebrating Canadian Innovation appeared first on Tech Trends.

As the CEO of a early-stage startup, I’m proud of what we’ve built, but our team consists of 10 men and 1 woman, and that’s a problem.  

By Samir El-Alami, CEO of doctorly

Women in tech, I need your help.

As CEO of doctorly, one of my responsibilities is recruitment. I am ultimately responsible for building and leading a team capable of realising our vision
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This makes sense, as we are an early stage startup and it is imperative that all early stage employees really buy into our company vision and fit into the culture that we are actively trying to build and nurture. Every hire, this early on, has a massive effect (for better or worse) on the culture. I would describe this responsibility – building a working environment where employees feel valued, empowered, engaged, respected and challenged – as my number one priority.

What exactly is that vision?

Our vision is universally relatable: We want to enable people to live healthier lives.

We have all dealt with health systems and know how old fashioned the processes are. We wish it could be better and more inline with service levels in other industries, for ourselves, for our friends, for our family, for everyone.

We are all children, brothers, sisters, parents, humans… so it’s not difficult to find people who believe in what we are doing and who want to contribute to its success.

What that looks like in practice

• We save the doctors from their 90s software and bring them into the 21st century with our new cloud powered, digital first practice management software. (Help the doctors).
• We empower the patients via our fully integrated health app, where they can digitally book appointments, access and share health records, communicate with their doctors digitally and a whole lot more. (Help the patients).
• Integrate other services and tools from across the health industry into our platforms enabling doctors & patients to access the best of what’s out there, all via a single holistic platform. (Help the whole health industry).

So far, so…so.

We’re pretty early stage (we just turned 1 year old) and are currently 11 people based in our lovely Berlin office – CEO, COO, CMO (medical), CBDO, CTO, HO-CRM, 2x Full-stack developers, a Frontend developer, a UX/UI designer and a Key Account Manager.

Our investors are happy. Doctors are happy. Patients are happy. The wider health-industry stakeholders are happy.

10 men. 1 woman. Here in lies the problem for me (us).

What is the point of a tech-startup?

To innovate. To disrupt. To create new ways of thinking, new ways of doing things. To help industries to evolve. To create employment. To help people to grow and evolve as individuals, in the hope that they will pay it forward, if and when, they move on to other companies.

What breeds evolution and innovation in life? Diversity! You need all kinds of people, all kinds of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives, talents, methodologies and points of view to truly get to the right answer (whatever the question may be). To the right way of doing something (whatever you are trying to achieve). To the most informed opinion. To the optimal culture.

Now, to be fair, the one woman we have in our team (so far) is a cofounder, and across the 10 other employees we are incredibly international and represent a wide range of backgrounds, beliefs and lifestyles. Everyone is also committed to the vision and to creating a wonderful culture.

But it’s not enough. No way near.

Things are going very well at doctorly. We are growing. Some of the open roles include;

• x3 Full-stack developers (C#, .NET
• x3 data migration/on-boarding managers (business analyst, intelligence, Data experience)
• x3 Customer success manager (experience in medical field a plus)
• x1 Product Manager/Head of Product (experienced building & leading a successful growing startup product team)
• x1 UX/UI designer (UI focus, Mobile app experience)

I am aware unconscious biases exists and glass ceilings are everywhere across every society, industry and culture
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I am 100% certain we can fill these roles with really great people. (That’s a good thing).

But I want to ensure that I am doing enough to actively promote ourselves & our wider (tech-startup) industry as one that can be inclusive, that can be enriching, nurturing, kind and value a work-life balance. Putting the people/team at the forefront of not just what we do, but how we do it.

Over the past year and a half, I have reached out to thousands of candidates regarding roles at doctorly and I have interviewed hundreds and hundreds of them.

And here we are with a, yes wonderful, team, but it is lacking in diversity, and thus, lacking what we need to become the best team and company that we possibly can be
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My cofounders and I are constantly in discussions regarding internal structures and how we believe they ‘should’ be.

For example, we all know that in general, women get paid less for doing the same roles as men. We see this across multiple industries, company types and countries.

At doctorly we have a very transparent structure to remuneration where everyone can know what everyone else is earning, because we’re trying to lay the foundations for a company structure focused on openness and mutual value.

Is it me?

In my mind, I believe I am fair in the way I source, fair in the way I interview, fair in the way ‘WE’ decide who to hire, but I am also aware unconscious biases exists and glass ceilings are everywhere across every society, industry and culture. Simply put, in the way I write a job description, in the language I use in the telephone interview.. I could be unconsciously discriminating.

The typical interview process at doctorly looks like this

• A lot of personal reaching out to candidates via Linkedin (CEO).
• Phone intro interview with the CEO.
• In-person one hour meeting with the respective manager +CEO.
• Competency based interview.
• Cultural interview, where the whole team takes the candidate for drinks/dinner and get to know each other on a personal level (everyone has a say on a hire).

Certain questions roll around my head

• Are the roles we are hiring for simply not attractive to women?
• Is my way of sourcing, (direct to candidates via Linkedin), not the best way to access the wide pool of female talent?
• Is the wording/vocabulary I use off-putting?
•  Is the early stage of our company unattractive?
• Is the startup industry, and its less-than-inclusive reputation, a deterrent to women applying?

Over the years, I have always been fascinated by, and determined to overcome, unfair biases in all aspects of life (even my dissertation for my Archaeology degree at university was focused on how multiculturalism within society and the politics of heritage are intertwined with how we learn ‘history’ at school. It’s all about representation and inclusion).

During one period of job-hunting (in London) I decided to conduct an experiment. I applied for jobs with the same CV but changed the name from Samir El-Alami to James Smith
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I’m sad to say the response rate to James Smith was markedly higher than Samir El-Alami.

But I believe times are a’changing and I am optimistic that as long as people are ‘trying’ to do, and be, better, then things will improve.

I have worked with startup companies pretty much my entire adult life, 10-11 years or so. I am aware there are clear problems in this industry (the industry I love). I have sat at C-Level management meetings, looked around the table and been struck by the lack of diversity (not simply with respect to gender).

I have seen the early stage 'bro/alpha-male' culture. Maybe I have even been a part of it at one time or another
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I acknowledge it. don’t like it. I don’t want it. I’ll fight against it.

But we need help.

I've reached out to a lot of people on the subject, men and women, who have worked or still work within the startup scene and the feedback has been interesting...
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Some of the feedback that came up multiple times;

‘It’s always like this at the beginning of a startup because there are more technical roles (e.g. developers) and these candidates are overwhelmingly male’

‘Once the company grows and you start hiring Marketing, HR, Product management, Sales people, you will have more women applying.’

‘Women crave job security and are less likely to apply for roles at super early stage startups. When you get bigger they will apply.’

‘Men are more likely to jump from somewhere they are comfortable for a new opportunity, where as women are more likely to stay somewhere they are comfortable and will only look at new roles when they actively decide to move on.’

‘Startups have a reputation of not being female friendly, so less women are interested in working in one, dealing with all of that bravado & testosterone.’

I hear it. I don’t like it, and while there may be some truth dotted around there, I don’t/won’t believe it. I refuse to take some of these opinions as fact

I have been privileged to work with amazing women over the years, in ALL kinds of roles throughout a startup. They added SO much value to them
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If I could hire them all, I would!!

But I’ll settle for their help and advice for now

What can I do, as an early stage health-tech startup CEO? What can we do as a whole company, to ensure that we attract the best talent from ALL backgrounds, experiences, cultures, genders, lifestyles, religions and abilities?

The point(s) of this post are:

Drawing a line in the sand. This is a problem and I want doctorlly to take an active part in addressing it

I don’t want to guess.

• We need women to tell us what it is about early-stage tech startups that is not so appealing (if that is indeed the case) and help us find ways to change that.
• We want amazingly talented women, who like the vision of our company to read this and apply for a job with doctorly, and/or tell their friends about it.
• We want amazingly talented women, who believe in the vision of this company, to work with us to actively participate in setting an example to the rest of the tech industry.

I'd love to hear how other people have tackled this issue, advice on best practices and feedback on our approach so far
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We want our company to be the very best it can be. Please help to make us better.

Samir El Alami is a serial entrepreneur and CEO of HealthTech startup doctorly. Connect with him on LinkedIn and Twitter @SamirElAlami

The post Is It Me? Open Letter to Women in Tech appeared first on Tech Trends.

The UK Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES) showed distinct trends in growth for specific sectors in London and in the UK as a whole.

FinTech looks set to keep growing in the coming months, driving the city’s economy forward
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The infographic below by Instant Offices illustrates some of these key areas of growh. Some of the key findings from their research include:

• The number of employees in the UK increased by 1.8%, from 29.5 million to 30.0 million between 2015 and 2016
• The biggest increases in employees were concentrated in London (up 2%) and the East of England (up 3.2%) during the same period
• The largest increase in employees was in the professional, scientific and technical industry, up 4.7%.
• Accommodation and food services also experienced growth of 4.7%.
• Employees in the professional, scientific and technical industry accounted for 21% of the UK’s total increase in employees.
• Employee numbers dropped in the following sectors: retail (by 2.2%), agriculture, forestry and fishing (1.4%), education (0.4%), property (0.6%) and public administration (0.2%).

Digital technology continues to grow and thrive, with £28 billion invested in the sector since 2011
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Where are London’s Top Sectors Based?

According to the Greater London Authority, London’s biggest sectors are concentrated as follows:

Inner London: Employment in London’s three key industries is largely concentrated in the inner London sub-region. Inner London also has a large entertainment and hospitality industry, employing people in accommodation, food, arts, entertainment, and retail services.

Outer London: Employment in the outer London sub-region is typically more concentrated in sectors that serve the local population. These include healthcare, education, business administration, and retail services.

In some parts of the city’s outer reaches, the most prominent sectors are more industrial, in areas such as transport and storage, wholesale, manufacturing and utilities. In outer west London in particular, there is a high concentration of jobs in the transport and storage sector around Heathrow airport.

The Creative Industries are driving economic growth across the UK
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Top London Sectors to Watch    

There are a few sectors that are expected to see especially rapid growth in 2018 and beyond. These include:

Tech: Digital technology continues to grow and thrive, with £28 billion invested in the sector since 2011. In fact, the digital economy is growing faster than the UK economy as a whole, as reported by Tech Nation.

FinTech: The financial technology sector in the UK and London had a record year for investment in 2017, with more than $1 billion in investments with over 90% of which were made in London-based firms. FinTech looks set to keep growing in the coming months, driving the city’s economy forward.

Design and creative industries: Research from Nesta and the Creative Industries Council recently revealed that creative industries are driving economic growth across the UK. Local economies have grown their employment rates in creative industries by an average of 11%, growing at twice the rate of other sectors.

The financial technology sector in the UK and London had a record year for investment in 2017
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Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Infographic: London Fastest Growing Sectors appeared first on Tech Trends.

Virtual Reality is perfect for creating beautiful space simulations, and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t educate as well as entertain us.

There is definitely a growing trend towards space-based VR experiences, From outlandish ideas involving sensory deprivation chambers housed inside a Burning Man art installation to the location-based VR experience launched as a partnership between NASA and Samsung in commemoration of the Apollo program’s 50th anniversary, to multiplayer moonwalks and actual astronaut training simulation tools. Part of the reason for this space-fever is that VR really is at its best when it allows you to experience something that would be impossible otherwise, and free-floating through the rings of Saturn certainly fits into that category.

There is definitely a growing trend towards space-based VR experiences
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I was doing that when trying out Overview this morning, an experience that takes you on a journey to the limits of our galaxy and beyond (in about 30 minutes) all narrated in a soothing and informative documentary style.

It was produced by Orbital Views, a Virtual Reality studio based in Paris, France, with a strong emphasis on research, science and education. In 2016, they became the first company to use Virtual Reality headsets in parabolic flights, for private passengers and professional astronauts.

Overview features several interactive activities, allowing viewers to scale all the way from planet Earth to the confines of the known Universe
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Overview features several interactive activities, allowing viewers to scale all the way from planet Earth to the confines of the known Universe. It includes a fully accurate model of our Solar System that viewers can fly through, with all planets, moons, asteroids and comets known today, made to scale with accurate orbits.

After demoing it myself, I also got my seven-year-old niece try it, and even though by now she’s a bit of a VR veteran (using your family members as guinea pigs is standard practice in my household), the experience still had her shouting out in excitement, and – most tellingly – incorporating space exploration themes into her play afterward. It is clear that such tools have an important role to play in sparking interest in STEM subjects, as it brings a sense of fun and a real connection to the science.

Written and directed by up-and-coming French VR Director Paul Mezier, Overview has been available since March on HTC Vive but now launched on Oculus Rift as well, Available on the Oculus Store, Viveport and Steam for $9,99. It has since been shown at festivals such as Cannes.

Such tools have an important role to play in sparking interest in STEM subjects, as it brings a sense of fun and a real connection to the science
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The content was created and produced by Amaury Solignac, who has a PhD in Submarine, Antarctic and Space Psychology. Solignac used to lecture at NASA and the European Space Agency and was on the selection board of the most recent group of European astronauts.

The content was created by Amaury Solignac, who has a PhD in Space Psychology and used to lecture at NASA
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“Featuring data and photorealistic images from NASA, ESA and other scientific agencies, Overview is the most accurate representation of space in Virtual Reality available today,” says Solignac.

“This unprecedented representation of cosmic scale is intended to create a sensation of awe in the mind and eye of each and every viewer,” adds Mezier.

It’s therefore not surprising that they were awarded “Best Education Experience” at this year’s GDC in San Francisco. Other VR applications developed by Orbital Views include lunar gravity simulators, professional training systems and VR-based physical rehabilitation tools.

Overview was awarded “Best Education Experience” at this year’s GDC
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Judging by my niece’s reaction, it’s also a way of getting kids inspired by connecting them with a sense of wonder for the universe we live in, which has to be a good thing.

This article was originally published on VRScout

Take A Virtual Tour Around The Solar System With ‘Overview’ via @alicebonasio https://t.co/mCqORy8T73 pic.twitter.com/TEefarIxWI

— VRScout (@VRScout) July 31, 2018

To find out how to leverage VR/AR/MR in your enterprise, Tech Trends offers bespoke Virtual Reality Consultancy support

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio and @techtrends_tech on Twitter.

The post Spinning Around The Solar System in VR appeared first on Tech Trends.

The new HoloLens subscription service could prove a catalyst for SMEs to embrace immersive technology.

Since the HoloLens was first released almost three years ago, Microsoft has steadily been building partnerships and demonstrating an array of industry use cases across manufacturing, engineering, healthcare, education and many others.

The Mixed Reality as a Service packages start at £260 per month and include a device, delivery, swap warranty, collection and recycling
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Rather than place users in a fully computer-generated world, as virtual reality does, HoloLens allows users to put 3D digital models in the room alongside them. As the Windows-10-based product does not have wires or external cameras, or require a phone or PC connection, users can walk around the objects they create and interact with them using gestures, gaze and voice. This tends to make it well suited for onsite industrial applications.

Of the 39 markets where the HoloLens is available 29 are in Europe
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Yet while many large companies have adopted mixed reality and enthusiastically evangelized about the efficiency gains that they achieved with HoloLens applications, the $3,000 price tag of the device has been perceived as a barrier for adoption among smaller players, who understandably aren’t sure that the ROI would be justified in onboarding the technology at this relatively early stage.

This is why it’s significant to see the Microsoft partnering with JTRS and its parent firm Econocom to rollout a new mixed reality as a Service offering which will allow customers to get a HoloLens on a subscription basis across Europe. The packages start at £260 per month and include device, delivery, a swap warranty, and collection and recycling at the end of the term.

“This technology and solutions are now becoming accessible to all companies,” adds Marc Bringuier, Strategic and International Partnership Manager at Econocom. “With the HoloLens partnership, we’ve brought together a community of companies, all of whom are leaders in their markets and are committed to facilitating companies’ access to mixed reality.”

Since the HoloLens was first released almost three years ago, Microsoft and their partners have demonstrated an array of industry use cases across manufacturing, engineering, healthcare and education
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Out of the 39 markets where the HoloLens is available globally, 29 are in Europe, so it makes sense that Microsoft has chosen to pilot this new model in the region. According to Leila Martine, Director of Product Marketing at Microsoft, “Europe is the first market in which we’re working with authorized resellers to offer HoloLens as part of a subscription model to help support the depth of customer and Mixed Reality Partner Program partners’ needs we’ve seen in this market.”

In a world where ownership is outdated and where technology is used over time, it makes more sense for institutions to use an as-a-service subscription to access Microsoft HoloLens
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The VR and AR device global market is predicted to reach circa $1.8 billion this year, and according to market intelligence firm IDC, the sector as a whole will see revenues of more than $162 billion in 2020 – up from $5.2 billion in 2016. Yet within Microsoft’s mixed reality strategy, hardware is only one piece of the puzzle. At last year’s Build conference they outlined their ambition to become the go-to platform for immersive experiences across all devices, and recent moves seem to back this up, opting for an open and collaborative approach rather than the “walled garden” strategy favored by companies such as Apple.

“Since we live in a world where ownership is outdated and where technology is used over time, it makes more sense for institutions to use an as-a-service subscription to access Microsoft HoloLens. Customers can now get up and running much quicker, with HoloLens and apps, whether it be for space planning, industrial or educational training, use within design, maintenance or operations. This time to market advantage can be material to how companies save time and money, today.”

Microsoft has also been developing an array of first party collaborative apps such as Remote Assistance (which enables hands-free video calling, image sharing and mixed reality annotations to share what they see with an expert to solve problems and complete tasks) and Microsoft Layouts (which lets users import 3D models to create and visualize room layouts and edits with multiple stakeholders in real time.

“Working on HoloLens over the past three years, we have learnt just how important it is to increase the number of “out of the box” solutions we have on offer to equip customers with the tools and technology they need to accelerate innovation. In this way, customers can pick up their HoloLens device, install the application they need and begin getting value straight away,” says Martine. “Alongside this, we’ve partnered with a range of software companies from start-ups to large enterprises to create extensible solutions that are easy for our customers to get started with.”

One example that Martine gives of this sort of successful partnership is UK startup Kazendi which allows co-workers to remotely meet, collaborate and connect with 3D models and 2D documents via HoloLens. Meanwhile, PTC’s Vuforia Studio offers business native support for building and rapidly creating scalable experiences without the need for skills programming or designers. This sort of out-of-the-box functionality, together with the support and affordability offered in the subscription model, is likely to entice many SMEs into dipping their toes into the immersive tech market, and that in turn could cement Microsoft’s dominance in that space.

Mixed Reality solutions are now becoming accessible to all companies
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This article was originally published on Forbes

Microsoft introduces mixed reality as a servicehttps://t.co/zKIM5yRWWO

— Forbes Tech News (@ForbesTech) June 16, 2018

For companies looking to get into Immersive technologies such as VR/AR/MR/XR our Virtual Reality Consultancy services offer guidance and support on how best to incorporate these into your brand strategy.

Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Will Mixed Reality as a Service be a Game Changer for Microsoft? appeared first on Tech Trends.

As the bright cliffs of freedom edge ever closer and we prepare to take back control from our EU overlords, remoaners still insist on pointing out pesky facts.

London is Europe’s leading tech hub fuelled by talent from across the continent. A bad deal threatens to undermine the most dynamic part of our economy @AndyCockburn
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For many years the tech sector has been the bonniest jewels in UK PLC’s crown, paraded as a shining example of innovation, growth and general coolness. I myself enjoyed working in and around Silicon Roundabout for many years and can honestly say that it’s been fun and utterly humbling to be around so many brilliant people contributing so much to the country’s economy. Some of them were even British.

“As a Northern Ireland native, I’ve seen first hand the difficulty that division can cause, just as I can see the major and needless impact that Brexit is having on bringing back the divisions on that island. Isolation and protectionism has never proven to be a positive long term strategy, and that is becoming clear in this case too. And with more in the tech industry, and in the UK as a whole, considering themselves citizens of the world, we risk closing our doors and driving away a diverse set of people that help make us all better.”

Rob Elkin, Busuu

We now had 2 years of due diligence on Brexit and the British people deserve a vote on this deal. Anything else would be highly irresponsible and undemocratic @bernardooo ‏
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Cartoon by Bruce MacKinnon @CH_Cartoon

Show me a thriving start-up that is not a melting pot of cultures from all over the world and you’d seriously be looking at an anomaly. It’s never been surprising for me to hear dozens of languages being spoken around the office, and to be constantly asking my colleagues how to best pronounce their names.

We employ a bunch of highly skilled people and 70% of our staff don’t have a UK passport. Finding and attracting great team members is a major challenge and is the single biggest constraint on our growth. Anything we can do to make it easier for smart people to come to the UK is a bonus. Doing the opposite is frankly economic suicide. Adam Fudakowski, CEO, Switchee

To me, such places are living proof that diversity breeds innovation, so to talk about adopting policies that would make Britain (to borrow some government terminology here) a “hostile environment” for immigration really seems to a move designed to drain the lifeblood from the creative industries – tech included.

We punch above our weight, which means we have a lot to lose. The country of Magna Carta and the Mother of Parliaments deserves a meaningful debate on concrete options, and a vote based on considered strategic goals @richmarr ‏
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“The UK and especially London has become a vibrant and globally successful centre for technology innovation. Many of the most exciting start up businesses here have been founded by immigrant entrepreneurs and grown with UK and European employees joining the companies as they grow rapidly.” Simon Murdoch, Managing Partner, Episode 1 Ventures

As anyone who’s ever worked in a start-up will also attest to, a huge part of a company’s energy and resources goes towards attracting, recruiting and retaining talent. Competition is dog-eat-dog fierce and even with freedom of movement allowing European citizens from 29 countries to come and work in London without any restrictions, it was still a challenge to get the right people on board – there just aren’t enough qualified individuals to go around, British or otherwise.

“Our world leading digital industry is being led into a back water of mediocrity by a crop of leaders who don’t even know what Brexit they want and why they want it. By keeping the best talent in the world out with central government quotas on immigration they’ve pulled down the shutters. Digital leaders will simply start up elsewhere. Toby Beresford, Rise

The Bank of England recently released figures that showed the UK economy is currently 1% smaller than expected two years ago, and this climate of economic uncertainty caused by Brexit is also affecting financing in the sector: Funding from the European Investment Fund has collapsed since the Brexit vote, and a replacement scheme has yet to be assured long-term by the government. The European Investment Bank, which backs a majority of the United Kingdom’s VC funds, has slashed deals with UK VCs and private equity groups by more than two-thirds, with no equivalent funding from the UK government in sight.

Having worked in Silicon Roundabout for many years I can say how fun and humbling it was to be around so many brilliant people who contributed so much to the UK economy. Some of them were even British
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So it comes as no surprise to hear that over 80 UK technology and innovation leaders have signed up as supporters of new tech business group Tech For UK, calling on the Government to back a meaningful vote by the people, on the actual terms of Brexit (something that sadly seems increasingly unlikely).

The Brexiteers admit they can't deliver the Brexit they promised so we deserve a vote on the one they've got us instead @GeorgeBevis ‏
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Tech For UK represents the founders of many of the most innovative and successful businesses in the UK technology sector including Martha Lane Fox of Lastminute.com and Doteveryone, Ben Whitaker, Founder of Masabi, the UK rail ticketing startup, Bernhard Niesner, founder of the language learning giant Busuu, lending giant Zopa, and George Bevis, founder of small business banking provider Tide, among many others. It is also backing Best For Britain in its fundraising campaign for a meaningful vote on the terms of Brexit and the option to Remain and lead in the EU.

Britons voted for Brexit in the initial referendum with inadequate and often wholly spurious information on both sides of the argument @nicksaalfeld ‏
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“It’s time the people had the chance for a meaningful vote, or through parliament, on the terms of Brexit,” says TechCrunch Editor-at-large Mike Butcher who is a co-founder of TechHub, and co-organiser of Tech For UK. “The loss of access to European funds, the flight of talent which powers UK tech companies due to the uncertainty and scandal around immigration, the loss of access to the Digital Single Market, which was never consulted over — all of these factors are adversely affecting the UK Tech industry.”

'Lies run sprints, but the truth runs marathons’ - it's becoming increasingly clear that the fiction that was promised by the Leave campaign were just that @glennbookingbug ‏
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The technology sector has consistently grown faster than the UK economy in recent years, employing over 2 million people and attracting billions in foreign investment. Collectively, Tech For UK supporters have raised hundreds of millions of pounds, put hundreds of millions back into the UK economy and employed thousands of people.

“I spent 12 years working in China – living over there I came to appreciate the value, and leverage, that comes with size. We are a small nation of 65m and I do not believe we are strong or powerful enough to go it alone in a rapidly globalising world. We are European and can’t pretend otherwise. We already have clients making London-based teams redundant as they move whole divisions to Ireland. I catch myself thinking “well it’s ok I’m sure the government know what they’re doing…” and instantly remember they clearly do not. Ed Dean, CEO, Woodseer Global.

Brexit is the most important decisions for generations and it would be irresponsible not to let people have a decision on the exact term of the world they will live in @vhirsch ‏
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Full list of supporters:

1. Adam Fudakowski, CEO, Switchee
2. Adam Price, Founder, VouchedFor & Hatch
3. Alex Hoye, Co-founder, The Faction Collective
4. Andrea Tricoli, Co-Founder, Expressly
5. Andrew Walmsley, Non Exec Chairman, Inskin Media
6. Andy Cockburn, CEO & Cofounder, Mention Me
7. Ben Farren CEO, SPOKE
8. Ben Whately, Co-founder and COO, Memrise
9. Ben Whitaker, Founder, Masabi
10. Benjamin Redford, Co-founder, Mayku
11. Benji Lanyado, Founder & CEO, Picfair
12. Bernhard Niesner, CEO, Busuu
13. Bindi Karia, Innovation Expert & Advisor
14. Cassandra Stavrou, Founder, Propercorn
15. Cécile Baird, Founder, Decentrl.Agency
16. Charlie Dobres, CEO, Busking It Productions
17. Chris Pointon, Co-founder, Racefully
18. Conor Graham, Cofounder, #HackTheHub
19. Courtney Glymph, Product and Solutions Communications, CA Technologies
20. Daniel Appelquist, Head, Samsung Research UK
21. Daniel Murray, Co Founder, Grabble
22. David Batey, Founder, Nickelled Ltd
23. Dimitar Stanimiroff, CEO & Co-founder, Heresy
24. Dominic Campbell, CEO, Futuregov
25. Ed Dean, CEO, Woodseer Global
26. Fabrice Bernhard, Co-Founder, Theodo
27. Frank Kelcz, Partner, Collider VC
28. Gareth Quinn, Founder, Digital DNA
29. George Bevis, CEO, Tide
30. Gianluca Gindro, Senior Data Scientist, Geophy
31. Giles Andrews, Cofounder & Chairman, Zopa
32. Glenn Shoosmith, Founder and CEO, Bookingbug
33. Guy Morris, Managing Director, Quiz the Nation
34. Hephzi Pemberton, Founder, Kiteka
35. Ian Jindal, Founder, Pencil / InternetRetailing
36. Ilicco Elia, Head Of Mobile, Deloitte Digital
37. Irfon WatkinsFounder, Dovu
38. Ivan Mazour, CEO and Founder, Ometria
39. Jack Huang, Director, TrulyExperiences.com
40. James Evans, Managing Director, Bluespot.io Ltd
41. James Whatley, Planning Partner, Ogilvy UK
42. Jana Hlistova, Founder, Diversity Hacks
43. Jessica Kennedy White, UCL Educate
44. Joanna Goodman, Tech Journalist
45. Jon Atkinson, Technical Director, FARM Digital Ltd.
46. Jonathan Petrides, Founder, allplants
47. Josh Feldberg Head of Digital, 89up
48. Josh Russell, Partner, Resolve
49. Katie Moffat, Head Of Digital, The Audience Agency
50. Laure Claire Reillier, Co-Founder and COO, Launchworks & Co
51. Laurence Kemball-Cook, Founder & CEO, Pavegen
52. Madhuban Kumar, CEO, Metafused
53. Marc Roberts, CTO, HiyaCar
54. Marcus Greenwood, CEO, Ubio
55. Martha Lane-Fox, Founder, Doteveryone
56. Martin Goodson, CEO, Evolution AI
57. Matthew Gardiner, Founder, Catch London
58. Melanie Moeller, Product Lead, Sky Spain
59. Merje ShawMD, Path59
60. Michele Cuccovillo, Partner, Rock Mission
61. Mike Butcher, MBE, Editor at Large, Techcrunch
62. Nic Brisbourne, Managing Partner, Forward Partners
63. Nicholas Katz, CEO, Acasa
64. Nick Patterson, Founder, Movemeon
65. Nick Saalfeld, Director, Wells Park Communications
66. Nuala Murphy, CEO, Moment Health
67. Peter Ward, Founder, WAYN/Humanity Inc
68. Pilgrim Beart, CEO, DevicePilot
69. Priya Prakash, Founder, D4SC
70. Riaz Kanani, MD & Founder, Radiate B2B
71. Richard Marr, Cofounder, Applied Recruitment
72. Rob Elkin, CTO, Busuu
73. Rob O’Donovan, Ceo, Charlie HR
74. Simon Murdoch, Founder, Episode 1 Partners
75. Stephen Johnston, Founder, Fordcastle
76. Tamara Sword, Founder, TRM&C
77. Tim Boughton, CTO, Mention Me Ltd
78. Timothy Brownstone, CEO, KYMIRA
79. Toby Beresford, CEO, Rise.global
80. Tom Alisi, Director, deep.ventures
81. Tom de Grunwald, Creative Director, Microclimate
82. Tushar Agarwal Co-Founder & CEO, Hubble
83. Volker Hirsch, Founder, Blue Beck / Tech North Advocates
84. William Reeve, CEO, Goodlord
85. William Roberts, Founder, Loyalty Bay

Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Deal or No Deal? London Tech Leaders Weigh In on Brexit appeared first on Tech Trends.