In today’s dynamic corporate world, sensitive information management and exchange are essential components of decision-making processes, mergers and acquisitions, and other commercial transactions. The usage of data room services has increased with the development of modern technology, particularly in cases like due diligence procedures. The virtual data room solutions have become vital resources for safe handling of information.

The importance of data rooms, their function in due diligence, and the necessity of selecting the best virtual data room providers will all be discussed in this article.

The evolution of data rooms

During mergers, acquisitions, and other corporate transactions, private records were typically shared and stored in physical data rooms. However, the creation of virtual data rooms was caused by the limitations of physical areas as well as the demand for increased efficiency and security. A data room is an online document storage that facilitates safe collaboration and sharing. The way corporations manage sensitive information has been changed by the shift from physical to virtual data room.

The data rooms for due diligence

The due diligence procedure is one of the main applications for data rooms. Analyzing a company’s operational, legal, and financial issues in great detail before a commercial transaction is known as due diligence. A due diligence data room is now essential for streamlining this procedure in the digital era. Parties may safely access and examine documents from any place thanks to these virtual data rooms. Data rooms are effective for due diligence because they make document management easier, give restricted access to private material, and keep an auditable record of all operations. During the due diligence process, these elements are essential for protecting confidentiality and guaranteeing that only authorized persons have access to certain documents.

The role of virtual data room providers

To guarantee the effectiveness and security of information management, selecting the top virtual dataroom provider is crucial. Although there are various virtual data room providers, there might be significant differences in their user interfaces, security measures, and functionality.

The best virtual data room providers pay great attention to elements like data encryption, multi-factor authentication, and access restrictions in order to secure critical data. Providers of data rooms are essential to maintain the reliability of the due diligence procedure. They provide a centralized platform for the safe organizing and sharing of documents. To improve document security and stop unauthorized sharing, these providers include technologies like digital rights management and document watermarking.

Crucial elements of data room providers

Security protocols: To protect sensitive data, data room providers provide the greatest importance by putting strong security measures in place. This includes encryption, and multi-factor authentication. These safety features guarantee that information is kept private and protected from unauthorized access.

User permissions and access control: Data room providers offer advanced user permission settings so that you may keep control over who has access to which documents or folders. Administrators can limit or give rights depending on roles and responsibilities, giving users variable degrees of access. This reduces the chance of unauthorized sharing or modification of critical information.

Document tracking and audit trails: Data rooms offer functionalities for document tracking and comprehensive audit trails. Because every move made in the virtual data room is recorded, administrators can monitor what users are doing. This helps with compliance and regulatory standards and improves accountability by giving a thorough picture of who viewed which documents and when.

Granular rights management and watermarking: These points help to improve document traceability and prevent unintentional sharing. Administrators can regulate operations like printing, copying, and downloading documents with comprehensive rights management, and watermarking helps identify the source of any stolen material.

Secure collaboration tools: Data room providers provide secure collaboration solutions that make it easier for users to communicate and work together on the platform. Discussion forums, Q&A sections, and annotation features are a few examples of these tools. Organizations can lower the danger of sensitive information being leaked through external channels by limiting communication inside the protected area.

Important factors to consider while selecting data room providers:

The most important factors to consider in your data room comparison process are:

Strong security measures: Assessing a provider’s security measures is crucial to guaranteeing that private data is safe.

User-friendly interface: The success of the data room is increased by the user-friendly interface, simple document uploading, and effective user management.

Customization and flexibility: Various business scenarios could call for special configurations and functionalities. One important factor to take into account is how easily virtual data room providers may customize their offerings to meet certain requirements.

24/7 support: Since business transactions require short lead times, having dependable customer service accessible 24/7 guarantees that any problems or inquiries can be solved quickly, reducing the possibility of delays.

Cost: In order to comply with financial restrictions, it is essential to comprehend the cost structure of virtual data room suppliers. Certain suppliers provide adaptable pricing structures, enabling companies to select programs according to their unique needs.

Conclusion

Data rooms are now an essential part of contemporary corporate transactions, particularly when it comes to due diligence procedures. Selecting the ideal virtual data room supplier is a crucial choice that directly affects information management efficiency and security. The top virtual data room providers supply safe and easy-to-use systems that guarantee the highest level of privacy while managing sensitive documents.

The post Understanding the Role of Data Room Providers in Secure Information Management appeared first on IoT Business News.

With the continued emergence of competing companies in the business world, proper communication and coordination within the board of directors play a critical role in enhancing an organization’s performance. Previous conventional paperwork procedures are no longer effective in the current world in terms of time, security, and overhead costs.
Fortunately, the board meeting app can be used for digital transitions to boost meeting effectiveness and efficiency.

Here, we will discuss the top 7 benefits of introducing board management software in the business for long-term growth.

What are Board Portals?

Board portals are digital solutions that guarantee the security of data exchanges among board members and support teamwork. They help in storing documents and files, managing appointments, and planning tasks with ease.

Main Features of Board Portal

Boards can bring productivity and achieve profitable results by incorporating the best board portals in their operations. Here are 3 main features:

Paperless Board Meeting Software. No more piles of papers with agendas and minutes to be filled in. Board portals reduce the use of paper through document, presentation, and report sharing during meetings. Board members can access the materials from anywhere and at any time.
Secure Board Software. Privacy is a major issue when handling any form of data. Board portals include features such as end-to-end encryption, user identification, and granular permissions. Board documents are secure to prevent any unauthorized personnel from accessing them.
Committee Management Software. Some companies may have dedicated subcommittees (for example, audit, compensation, governance). Board portals enable the efficient operation of committees, providing an opportunity to create separate sections for each committee.

By effective usage of the board software, firms can minimize the delay and can make informed decisions.

7 Benefits of Using Board Management Software

Here are the top 7 key advantages of the board management software.

Enhanced Collaboration

It is as vital as having detailed schedules since channels that use board portals enhance togetherness by demanding the sharing of papers. They complement the regular features by allowing board members to make notes regarding a particular resolution and even comment on it so that others can see it or discuss it in a separate channel.

Efficient Meeting Preparation

Using board meeting software has made it effortless to prepare for board meetings. The platform tracks meeting plans, proceedings, financial transactions, and other documents.

Streamlined Voting and Decision-Making

They offer the convenience of an online voting system for decision-making during board meetings. Voting is possible, and polls are taken immediately regardless of the members. Votes and their outcomes are public, and the voting records are clear for the historic period under consideration.

Time and Cost Savings

Automated paperless tasks reduce the time and cost involved in circulating papers within the business venture. The costs of printing the newsletters, postage, and the overhead associated with securely delivering the newsletters to distant offices would also be reduced dramatically.

Improved Compliance and Governance

The board portals assist organizations in complying with legal and regulatory rules. Secure meeting minutes safeguard agreements, resolutions, and other documented records, especially in audits and governance.

Paperless Meetings

Paperless board meeting software minimizes the usability of printed agendas and other documents that boards may use while conducting their meetings. Some advantages of implementing this policy are that it is possible to make use of the digital availability of documents containing agendas and minutes and to avoid unnecessary expenses on printed documents.

Easy Access to Information

Board of Directors software helps all board members independently find necessary documents and important information. This is due to aspects such as past meeting minutes, policy, and financial reports that are usually involved in decision-making.

Board management software can help increase the speed and security of the board’s activities and the total efficiency of board work.

Therefore, using these tools, organizations can enhance effective leadership, information flow, and strategic direction within boards.

Key Considerations While Choosing the Perfect Board Software

When selecting a board software, keep the following factors in mind:

User-Friendly Interface: Choose a solution that features friendly navigation, or simply the one that people will like. In this regard, board members should be able to move around and make use of different sections of the portal without effort.
Integration Capabilities: Ensure that the board portal software can be easily connected to other applications used by the organization (e.g., Microsoft Office or Google Workspace).
Mobile Access: Board members regularly engage in various activities and travel vast distances. Online or ‘mobile-friendly’ apps let them engage from their homes, on the road, or anywhere convenient for them.

Here are the top 10 board meeting software for 2024 which can help board members to effectively connect and take their businesses to great heights.

Thus, board meeting software solutions allow for proper board meetings to be held in organizations, being protected from unauthorized interference and ensuring increased transparency. Regardless of the organization’s size or type – a non-profit organization, or a huge international corporation – embracing the board portal solutions will impact your governance activity is a smart decision.

The post 7 Benefits of Adopting Board Management Software appeared first on IoT Business News.

In this interview, Ken Everett, CEO of Digital Matter, discusses the company’s strategic use of a channel reseller model to scale operations globally and their innovative approach to developing IoT devices that balance high performance with cost-effectiveness.

He also highlights upcoming technologies, including new form factors and eco-friendly trackers, poised to further transform the IoT landscape.

IoT Business News: Could you provide an overview of Digital Matter’s business development strategies that have contributed to its success in the market? What key factors have driven the company’s growth and established its position in the competitive landscape of IoT solutions?

Ken Everett: Digital Matter is a technology business and our model is to supply a technical component to channel resellers that build the solution for their clients. This channel model has allowed us to scale rapidly into over 120 countries. It also allows us to release new products and innovations into the channel and rapidly enable our existing reseller partners with new technologies.

We are a B2B business, working closely with approximately 1,000 channel partners worldwide. We supply a technical component of the partner’s solution and work closely with them.

As the technical backbone of their solutions, our partners leverage all, or some of, our offerings—hardware, device management software, and asset tracking software—to market, support, and sell, often under their own brands.

Our partners enter markets they are passionate about or familiar with, enabling broader penetration of our solutions across various use cases. They become experts in their verticals, and we support them as technical partners – Our devices are deployed in diverse applications and across all industries – including skip bins, motorbikes, jet engines, rhinos, bears, and beehives.

We also collaborate with businesses to develop custom solutions. If our existing range does not meet a specific use case, we can quickly build a solution using our technology stack (PCB, firmware, housing, manufacturing, testing, certification).

At the core of our offerings are unwavering quality, reliability, and ‘low power thinking.’ We pride ourselves on delivering solutions that outperform and outlast others, allowing our partners to deploy with confidence.

Could you outline Digital Matter’s product strategy, particularly how you prioritize and develop new IoT devices and solutions? What key factors influence the decision-making process in introducing new technologies or entering new market segments?

We embrace technological change and are driven by innovation. We love building things and aim to do it better than others. The connectivity and component landscape is always evolving, so we stay on top of the latest advances, especially concerning power consumption. We continually strive to balance high performance with low-cost hardware while maintaining incredible battery life.

There are hundreds of asset tracking use cases, and as the market matures, new ones emerge daily. These use cases vary greatly in terms of functionality, device size, and power requirements. By engaging with our partners, we identify market gaps and strive to fill them where it makes commercial sense.

Our device management platform plays a crucial role in introducing new technologies and functionalities. We can quickly develop firmware as needed and make updates over the air to already deployed devices, enabling them to utilize the latest feature sets.

Considering the integration of satellite connectivity in your IoT devices, could you discuss the scenarios or industries where satellite-based IoT solutions are most beneficial, and how they compare to terrestrial network solutions in terms of cost and reliability?

I am waiting impatiently for a new player to disrupt the IoT satellite market! Today’s satellite solutions have been around for some time and are expensive – for both the modem hardware and the monthly data costs – and very power-hungry. The cost of launching LEO satellites has reduced rapidly and I expect one of the new players to disrupt this ‘space’ in the next year.

We see two main uses for IoT satellite in our product line:

1. Remote sensing / monitoring – our Hawk device acts as a datalogger / sensor hub and the current version uses cellular. Given the success of the Hawk in remote monitoring and data collection (markets like Agtech) we see a strong requirement for satellite connectivity outside of traditional cellular networks. The ideal solution is one that is priced at or near the price we currently pay for cellular connectivity enabling satellite to be used as the primary communication method. Then we will truly see the mass deployment of remote sensing.

2. Asset tracking – here I see the requirement as a “fallback” communication method. Asset tracking by definition involves assets moving around and typically we find that the assets are around areas where people live and operate – and as a result there is cellular coverage. The use of IoT satellite technology needs to be low cost enough that this would be offered as standard fallback on devices.

There is a strong demand for satellite connectivity, particularly in asset tracking and sensor monitoring in remote and rural locations (a particular challenge in Australia) – mining, agriculture, maritime.

Environmental monitoring and wildlife conservation efforts would also benefit from satellite connectivity in many instances – data collection often occurs in areas without terrestrial network coverage.

Your devices cater to a variety of industries from fleet management to cold chain monitoring. How does Digital Matter tailor its technologies to meet the specific needs of the diverse sectors addressed?

We offer the largest range of battery-powered GPS and IoT devices on the market today, recognising that one size does not fit all. Our hardware supports various connectivity and location technologies, housing sizes, and battery life requirements to meet diverse needs.

Our device management platform is also crucial for optimising device performance. With over 200 adjustable parameters, our partners can fine-tune performance based on their use case. This can be done wirelessly and remotely, and once satisfied with the settings, they can apply them across 100 to 10,000 devices with just a few clicks.

Can you discuss any strategic partnerships that have been crucial to developing your advanced tracking and sensor technologies?

Our most important partnerships are with our network of reselling partners. They drive us to continuously innovate and advance our offerings, ensuring we deliver the best technology in the market.

We also collaborate closely with our suppliers to ensure we are testing and utilising the latest component technologies.

Digital Matter has operations and clients across various global regions. Can you discuss which geographical markets are currently the most significant for Digital Matter, and are there any new regions you are aiming to expand into in the near future?

Europe and the United States continue to drive the most demand for our solutions. These sophisticated markets understand our technology, have an appetite for it, know how it works, and see its benefits. They are the quickest to adopt new technologies as we introduce them.

The introduction of new Cat1bis modems that are well-priced and can operate at low power levels means that we are introducing new devices that will be able to be used across any 4G cellular network. This provides our partners with options for regions where the cellular networks have been slow to roll out Cat-M1 / NB-IoT networks.

Could you share a success story where Digital Matter’s IoT solutions have led to transformative results in logistics and supply chain management?

We’ve got a great use case here that won a 2022 supply chain award – tracking jet engines through the supply chain: in response to financial losses due to asset corrosion during COVID-19 lockdowns, a leading aircraft manufacturer implemented Digital Matter’s Oyster Edge tracking solution. In this particular context, our device has been used to ensure visibility and monitoring of high-value aircraft parts globally, using GNSS, Wi-Fi, and cellular technologies. The device boasts a 10+ year battery life and advanced power-saving features, minimizing operational costs. By integrating IoT tracking, the manufacturer improved asset management, reduced losses, and gained significant competitive advantages in supply chain visibility and sustainability.*

What are the next big developments at Digital Matter? Are there any upcoming technologies or products that you are excited to introduce to the market?

We have a new form factor “Manta” device that is in testing at the moment. The Manta “Fusion” is a product that brings together the best of full GNSS location, indoor location using WiFi, Bluetooth and cellular – in a compact form factor and with multiple year battery life. We’re hoping to have a satellite fallback option soon.

We are also working on an eco-friendly and low-cost “disposable” tracker – designed for the lowest price point for single use applications like tracking a high value parcel or a consignment of fresh goods with temperature monitoring

We have started to see great growth in our new ‘Barra’ range of tracking devices, announced late last year.

The Barra range allows businesses to monitor assets that previously presented ROI hurdles due to the steep expenses linked with existing tracking solutions, including but not limited to pallet tracking, cargo, trolleys, packaging, and more – low to mid-value.

We currently have 3 variations, including the ‘Barra Core’ which is our lowest cost, indoor/outdoor ‘locator’ solution.

The post Exclusive interview of Ken Everett, Digital Matter’s Founder and CEO appeared first on IoT Business News.

IoT Analytics, a leading provider of market insights and strategic business intelligence for the Internet of Things (IoT), AI, Cloud, Edge, and Industry 4.0, today released the results of their quarterly company earnings call analysis.

This analysis is based on a comprehensive dataset of over 8000 earnings calls from leading US-listed firms in Q2 2024. The findings show that these three key themes are currently trending in CEO discussions: 1) AI, 2) data center, and 3) specific up-and-coming LLMs.

Key insights:

According to the latest “What CEOs talked about” report, three themes gained noticeable traction in Q2 2024: 1) AI, 2) data center, and 3) specific up-and-coming LLMs
AI is inching closer to overtaking inflation as the leading topic in boardroom discussions.
OpenAI and other generally known LLM vendors and models decline in mentions as Llama, Cohere, and Mistral see significant climbs quarter-over-quarter.
Economic topics and sustainability significantly declined.

Select quotes:

Knud Lasse Lueth, CEO at IoT Analytics, comments that

“Our quarterly analysis reveals that in Q2 2024, AI has emerged as the #2 keyword in corporate earnings calls. This shift has brought related topics like data centers, emerging large language models, and Industrial AI subjects such as machine vision into the spotlight. Notably, 75% of tech CEOs discussed AI, and over half of energy and utility companies addressed the increasing electricity demand from data centers during their Q2 earnings calls.”

Philipp Wegner, Principal Analyst at IoT Analytics, adds that “The discussions around AI have become even more prevalent with data centers and emerging LLMs becoming key focus areas. This shift indicates a growing recognition of the infrastructure and advanced models needed to support AI advancements.”

What CEOs talked about in Q2 2024: AI, data centers, and up-and-coming LLMs

The big picture

In Q2 2024, inflation remained the most discussed topic in corporate earnings calls; however, it had 20% fewer mentions quarter-over-quarter (QoQ), at 36.6% of earnings calls. This aligns with the current economic environment: globally, inflation has shown improvement, with headline inflation in advanced economies at 2.3%—approaching pre-COVID-19 levels and a significant drop from a peak of 9.5% in mid-2022. While this is in line with pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, inflation targets have not yet been met in most economies.

Amid this decreasing trend in economic discussions, AI continues to rise (+5% QoQ) and inches close to overtaking inflation—currently 2.9 percentage points below inflation at 33.7% of earnings calls. Related to AI and also rising are mentions of data centers and LLMs.

Key rising themes in Q2

1. AI

AI moves to second-most discussed topic. In Q2 2024, discussions regarding AI rose 5% QoQ to 33.7% of earnings calls. This climb moved AI to the #2 spot of most-discussed topics, and as mentioned, it moved it closer to overtaking inflation as the leading topic. An oft-associated topic, generative AI, declined 14.3% QoQ to 7.3% of earnings calls, and ChatGPT continued to see a downward trend, appearing in only 0.9% of earnings calls (-25% QoQ). AI chips experienced a noticeable climb, rising 13.7% to 0.5% of earnings calls.

Despite being an important prerequisite for many AI projects, data management has not seen the same rise as AI. In fact, in Q2 2024, declined 12% QoQ to 1.2% of earnings calls.

Key CEOs quotes on AI

“We believe that AI is a powerful secular trend that will drive growth in our industry for years to come. But it’s only the latest example in the long history of powerful secular trends in this market.” – John Lee, CEO, MKS Instruments Inc., May 9, 2024

“AI will also drive a third wave of IoT using the sensors and connected devices as a primary source of data. This will drive capacity in image sensors, analog chips, and mature logic process nodes.” – Russel Low,CEO, Axcelis Technologies Inc., May 2, 2024

2. Data center

Data center(s) and related topics continue to rise. Riding on AI’s wave is data center, which rose 24% to 11.4% of earnings calls. Associated terms like the US-based semiconductor giant NVIDIA and its core offering, GPUs, saw significant growth in Q2 2024 as well. Discussions around NVIDIA, which was ranked as the most valuable company in the world for a few days in mid-to-late June 2024, rose 30.6% QoQ to 2.7% of calls, while its top product, GPUs, saw a 20.8% climb to 3.1% of calls.

AI driving data center power consumption growth. Many of the data center discussions revolved around AI increasing data center power consumption and capacity requirements. Currently, data centers consume around 4% of US electricity; however, this is estimated to grow to between 4.6% and 9.1% by 2030.

High-power-consuming GPUs on the horizon. As AI demand grows, so too is the demand for faster GPUs—and many of them. NVIDIA is the leading data center GPU company, and its popular H100 GPU, which saw a 28.6% climb QoQ to 0.4% of earnings calls, consumes 300W–700W depending on configuration. However, the company is expected to release its new series, the Blackwell GPUs, later in 2024. The Blackwell B200 will max around 1200W—a significant consumption jump—and CEOs are already showing interest in this series, as discussions around Blackwell climbed 257% QoQ to 0.5% of earnings calls.

Key CEOs quotes on data centers, NVIDIA, and GPUs

“AI data center racks consume significantly more power than traditional data centers, with a search on ChatGPT consuming 6 to 10 times the power of a traditional search on Google.” – Lal Karsanbhai, CEO, Emerson Electric Co., May 08, 2024

“I think it’s important to understand that we wouldn’t have a massive AI networking opportunity if NVIDIA didn’t build some fantastic GPUs.” – Jayshree Ullal, CEO, Arista Networks, June 04, 2024

“The bulk of the growth across all three hyperscalers was really spent on reselling GPU capacity because there’s a lot of demand for training models. We don’t see a lot of, at least today, a lot of AI apps in production. We see a lot of experimentation, but we’re not seeing AI apps in production at scale.” – Dev Ittycheria, CEO, MongoDB Inc., May 30, 2024

3. LLMs

Three LLMs on the rise. In Q2 2024, CEOs appeared to turn their attention to three LLM providers or their products:

Meta, a US-based technology firm, offering its Llama series of LLMs
Cohere, a Canada-based AI company offering 3 flagship models: Command, Embed, and Rerank
Mistral AI, a France-based AI company offering 3 models: Mistal 7B, Mixtral 8x7B, and Mixtral 8x22B.

Seeing the largest jump in mentions was Llama, rising 80% QoQ to 0.4% of earnings calls. Meanwhile, Cohere and Mistral rose 57% and 50% QoQ, respectively, and each sat around 0.2% of calls. The rise of these three LLMs is juxtaposed with OpenAI (-11% QoQ), Anthropic (-17% QoQ), and Gemini (+5%).

Key CEO quote on LLMs

“[Clients] appreciate having the ability to leverage a combination of AI models, whether they are IBM‘s, their own models, open-source models such as Llama from Meta and Mixtral from Mistral, and they can deploy these AI models across multiple environments.” – Arvind Krishna, CEO, IBM, April 24, 2024

Declining themes in Q2

1. Economic concerns

Across the board, discussions related to economic concerns declined in Q2 2024:

Inflation: Down 20.3% QoQ to 36.6% of earnings calls
Supply Chain: Down 11.4% QoQ to 29.6% of earnings calls
Interest Rates: Down 20% QoQ to 27% of earnings calls
Uncertainty: Down 18% QoQ to 19.8% of earnings calls

In mid-June 2024, the US Federal Reserve board met to decide on an anticipated interest rate drop; however, it chose to keep the interest rate at 5.25%–5.5%—the same level since July 2023. In a post-meeting conference, Jerome Powell, Chair of the US Federal Reserve, shared his views that the economy was strong, and thus, the Fed could approach the question of decreasing interest rates conservatively to help mitigate economic risks with a rate cut.

Key CEO quotes on the economy

“We expect the global economy to behave similarly to last year, albeit with some uncertainty due to persistently high interest rates.” – Arvind Krishna, CEO, IBM, April 24, 2024

“Once inflation data came in higher than expected and the hope for several interest rate cuts later this year diminished, real estate capital markets became much quieter again.” – Christian Ulbrich, CEO, Jones Lang LaSalle Inc., May 30, 2024

2. Sustainability

In Q2, it slid 17.3% QoQ to 17.8% of earnings calls, as did a related term, emissions, which decreased 20% QoQ to 11.6%. Overall, sustainability-related topics are not growing in importance and appear to be trending downward. Since Q2 2023, mentions of sustainability have generally bounced between increasing and decreasing, but none of the increases have matched the Q1 2022 peek of 26.6% of earnings calls.

That said, results from a recent IoT Analytics survey of senior IT decision-makers found that sustainability is expected to rise in technology prioritization in 2025.

“As for our sustainability solutions, we won another 100 customers in Q1 on top of more than 1,000 we had before.” – Christian Klein, CEO, SAP, April 22 2024

3. Recession

In Q2 2024, of the tracked keywords, recession had the biggest decline in mentions, dropping 39% QoQ to 4% of earnings calls. Since Q2 2023, recession has been a declining topic, eventually separating from its related economic concerns by a wide margin. This is perhaps a sign that in light of continued concern regarding inflation and high interest rates, the fear of a recession is easing in the minds of CEOs.

Key CEO quote on recession

“A bit like the U.S., we both see improved macros, actually, I think today a number of the markets came out and said they’d come out of recession from the previous quarters.” – James Quincey, CEO, The Coca-Cola Company, April 30, 2024

Analyst takeaway

“The discussions around AI have become even more prevalent with data centers and emerging LLMs becoming key focus areas. This shift indicates a growing recognition of the infrastructure and advanced models needed to support AI advancements.” – Philipp Wegner, Principal Analyst at IoT Analytics

What it means for CEOs

6 key questions that CEOs should ask themselves based on the insights in this article:

AI integration: How can we leverage AI to enhance our existing products and services, and what new opportunities can we explore to stay competitive?
Data center strategy: With the growing demand for AI and data-intensive applications, how can we optimize our data center operations to meet future needs while managing costs? How do we manage the impact of new and upgraded data centers on our CO2 footprint?
Copilot vs. Chatbot: Are we utilizing the full potential of generative AI and LLMs by integrating copilots for our customers and employees, or are we stuck with non-connected chatbots?
Regulatory compliance: What proactive measures can we take to stay ahead of regulatory changes in critical areas such as AI, data privacy, and environmental standards?
Digital transformation: How can we accelerate our digital transformation efforts to enhance operational efficiency and drive innovation across our business units?
Economic resilience: What strategies should we implement to build resilience against potential economic downturns and ensure sustainable growth in a volatile economic environment?

The post What CEOs talked about in Q2 2024: AI, data centers, and up-and-coming LLMs appeared first on IoT Business News.

Quectel Wireless Solutions, a global IoT solutions provider, announced the launch of the FLM263D standalone Wi-Fi module that supports Alexa Connect Kit (ACK) SDK for Matter, enabling IoT devices to connect seamlessly with Matter compliant controllers including Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and Apple HomeKit.

Matter stands as a pivotal standard in smart home communication, tackling the persistent challenges of compatibility and fragmentation within the sector by enabling direct communication between smart devices. Governed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), Matter devices undergo a stringent certification process to ensure secure, reliable, and universally interoperable connections. Adherence to this certification is paramount for all Matter-compliant products, fostering a unified communication framework and enhancing user experiences.

Ben McInnis, Director, Smart Home, Amazon,says:

“We created ACK to make it simpler for device makers to build smart home devices with a fully-managed service without having deep expertise in multiple wireless protocols, complex cloud connectivity, and the necessary maintenance of cloud infrastructure. We are excited about this launch because Quectel’s FLM263D adds to ACK’s portfolio of available solutions and offers more choices for device makers.”

“Revolutionizing connectivity in the smart home landscape, our latest FLM263D module sets a new standard for seamless integration,” commented Norbert Muhrer, President and CSO, Quectel Wireless Solutions. “It also empowers developers with robust support for the ACK SDK for Matter, ensuring unparalleled interoperability and innovation in the IoT ecosystem.”

The FLM263D module is a 2.4GHz single band Wi-Fi 6 module, featuring a high-performance processor with a frequency of up to 320MHz. This innovative module boasts support for IEEE 802.11b/g/n/ax protocol and BLE 5.2, paired with built-in 512KB SRAM and 4MB flash for optimal performance. Furthermore, it meets rigorous security standards, including secure boot and mbed TLS encryption, ensuring robust protection for connected devices.

The FLM263D offers support for device certifications such as Works with Alexa (WWA) and features such as Matter Simple Setup (MSS). MSS allows end-users to seamlessly connect Matter-compliant smart home devices to Alexa with zero-touch setup, while WWA instils consumer confidence when buying on Amazon.

FLM263D offers five GPIO interfaces that can alternatively function as PWM or I2C communication channels. Designed with an LCC form factor, built-in PCB antenna, measuring a mere 17.3mm × 15.0mm × 2.8mm, and with an operating temperature range of -40°C to +105°C, 3.0~3.6V power supply, the FLM263D is perfectly suited for smart lighting applications, especially smart bulbs.

Additional modules will be rolled out very soon to expand the scope of Quectel offerings to include smart switches, smart plugs, and other smart household applications.

The post Quectel Unveils FLM263D Wi-Fi Module: Pioneering Seamless Connectivity with ACK SDK for Matter appeared first on IoT Business News.

This partnership underscores the strength of the European space ecosystem and provides Sateliot with scalability and redundancy mechanisms.

Sateliot, the first company to operate a low-Earth orbit (LEO) nanosatellite constellation with 5G IoT standards and that extends coverage of Mobile Telecom Operators to any place in the planet, has successfully integrated its satellite communication stack with Leaf Space’s Ground Segment as a Service (GSaaS) Network.

This milestone is crucial for the upcoming Transporter-11 mission by SpaceX, during which Sateliot will launch four new 6U satellites to further global 5G IoT connectivity.

Leaf Space’s GSaaS ensures that Sateliot’s constellation can scale efficiently, providing redundancy and robust support for continuous operations. The distributed network of 23 ground stations worldwide supports over 100 satellites, offering seamless coverage and reliability.

By using Leaf Space’s network as a 5G point of presence, Sateliot aims to revolutionize IoT connectivity, allowing seamless switching from terrestrial to satellite networks with unmodified commercial devices. This partnership underscores the strength of the European space ecosystem, with both companies leveraging their expertise to drive innovation and connectivity on a global scale.

First Contact and Mission Operations: Upon launch, the new 6U satellites will establish contact using Leaf Space’s In-orbit check-in service during the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP). This service ensures reliable communication from deployment, leveraging Leaf Space’s geographically diverse network.

“We are thrilled to support Sateliot’s 5G NB-IoT satellites in orbit,” said Jonata Puglia, CEO of Leaf Space. “Our global network is performing at its full potential and is ready to support satellites during the upcoming Transporter-11 launch and the commencement of their IoT services.”

Jaume Sanpera, CEO of Sateliot, added:

“It is a remarkable progress for the Space ecosystem in Europe. We are demonstrating end-to-end services that ensure seamless global IoT connectivity, showcasing the power of collaboration and technological advancement within our industry.”

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Fibocom, a global leading provider of IoT (Internet of Things) wireless solutions and wireless communication modules, announces the new member of its LTE Cat 1 bis module portfolio featuring high reliability, ultra-compact size and cost-effectiveness at MWC Shanghai 2024.

The MC610-GL is positioned to foster the economics of IoT scale in vertical markets across asset tracking, E-mobility, AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure), etc.

The Global Cellular IoT Module market shows a 7% year-over-year (YoY) growth in Q1 2024, according to the latest reports by IoT Analytics. Despite ongoing inventory and demand issues in several other regions globally, technologies like 5G and LTE Cat-1 bis have seen a combined market growth of 67% year-over-year, signifying their substantial contribution to the cellular IoT module market’s overall growth.

“The statistics have verified Cat 1 bis’ driving forces in bringing affordable and reliable wireless connectivity service to a diversified IoT landscape, even though 5G remains strong performance in the data-intensive scenarios, and Cat 1 bis takes the lead in the mainstream low and medium speed market thanks to the worldwide 4G infrastructure,” said Kevin Guan, Director of MTC Product Marketing at Fibocom.

“Without a doubt, we are optimistic in expanding the utilization of Cat 1 bis technology in segment areas and providing the value-added reference design service to industry customers. Looking forward, the MC610-GL is expected to address its top performance in the global market and accelerate the large-scale IoT deployment worldwide.”

Developed from the UNISOC 8910DM platform, the MC610-GL supports major carrier frequency bands worldwide and complies with rich network standards, thus ensuring uninterrupted wireless connection anywhere, anytime, especially catering to asset tracking scenarios. It adopts an ultra-compact LCC+LGA form factor design measured at 24.2 x 26.2 x 2.1mm with dual-mode (4G+2G) supported, providing great convenience for customers to switch from LTE Cat M to Cat 1 bis at the minimum investment. Equipped with rich standard interfaces, the module empowers a wide range of low-to-medium speed IoT industries with up to 10Mbps downlink data transmission rate while conserving significant cost. Leveraging the industry capabilities within Fibocom, customers are catered to the reference design service and support, reducing the lead time to market. In addition, regional versions for EMEA (MC610-EU) and Latin America (MC610-LA) are flexibly adjustable in request to customers’ cost concerns.

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AsiaRF, a pioneering brand in wireless communication solutions, proudly announces the groundbreaking development of Wi-Fi HaLow Mesh technology.

This advancement marks a significant milestone in the evolution of wireless network solutions, demonstrating AsiaRF’s commitment to advancing connectivity technologies.

Revolutionizing AIoT with Wi-Fi HaLow Mesh

Paul Lai, CEO of AsiaRF, states,

“The launch of our revolutionary Wi-Fi HaLow Mesh technology sets a new standard for AIoT connectivity. Our firm commitment to enhancing wireless infrastructure paves the way for innovative global partnerships.”

Strategic Collaboration and Standards Development

As proactive participants in the Wi-Fi Alliance and Wireless Broadband Alliance, AsiaRF is instrumental in shaping the new standards for Wi-Fi HaLow Mesh architecture. Future publications, including a white paper featuring case studies on the practical applications of HaLow Mesh technology in U.S. collaborations, will further promote this innovative architecture.

Key Features of Wi-Fi HaLow Mesh Technology

Extended Coverage and Stability: Utilizes advanced frequency and modulation techniques to maintain reliable connections in challenging environments.
Robust Mesh Network: Features automatic routing and backup paths, ensuring network resilience and seamless connectivity.
Scalability for Major IoT Projects: Supports a broad spectrum of AIoT applications, fulfilling the demands of smart city infrastructure.

Compliance and Certification

AsiaRF’s Wi-Fi HaLow Mesh Gateway has received Wi-Fi HaLow certification from the Wi-Fi Alliance, affirming its industry compliance and reliability. Powering these devices, Morse Micro’s Wi-Fi HaLow chips are at the core of AsiaRF’s Wi-Fi HaLow module MM610X-001, known for their ultra-low power consumption and long-range capabilities, ideal for IoT applications.

The Wi-Fi HaLow module MM610X-001 complies with international regulations, including the FCC, IC, CE, and Japan’s TELEC, ensuring it meets stringent global safety standards. AsiaRF’s full range of Wi-Fi HaLow Mesh gateways, which includes the Wi-Fi HaLow Mesh indoor gateway (ARFHL-AP), Wi-Fi HaLow Mesh portable gateway (ARFHL-UM), and Wi-Fi HaLow Mesh outdoor model (ARFHL-OD), also adheres to these standards, ensuring robust and secure wireless networking for diverse AIoT environments.

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“IoT disruptors are continuing to innovate by launching solutions that include ultra-high available connectivity, device optimisation software and AI-based data insights.”

The IoT connectivity market continues to be subject to intense competition worldwide. Many providers offer connectivity with similar wholesale agreements and country coverage. Analysys Mason’s latest IoT connectivity disruptors case studies report examines the strategies of some of the most-innovative players in the market and provides details about how they are differentiating themselves.

While it is difficult to differentiate on connectivity, some providers are able to do so by providing ultra-high availability or localisation solutions. Other providers are focusing on areas of the value chain such as developing AI or cloud integration tools on their platforms, or by developing vertical expertise.

IoT disruptors can differentiate in new areas of the IoT value chain

Figure 1 outlines the main components of the IoT value chain and provides examples of differentiators for each of these components. Some differentiators can be easily replicated by competitors and provide a short-term advantage; others are more difficult to imitate. For instance, many providers can launch prepaid tariffs, or they can partner to develop eSIM/iSIM solutions. Ultra-high availability connectivity is more difficult to achieve because it relies on network investment to create redundancy and failsafe mechanisms, and/or intelligent software on the SIM. Vertical expertise is usually achieved via acquisition: not all providers will have the resources or appetite for risk to follow this path.

The following disruptors have developed particularly interesting IoT connectivity solutions.

Eseye. Eseye’s founders have a heritage in hardware, and Eseye is gradually leaning into this expertise as a differentiator. It spends considerable time in the pre-deployment phase of projects to select the correct device and then optimises the device firmware and configurations to avoid common hardware issues that disrupt IoT deployments. Eseye also launched SMARTconnect in 2023, a suite of software tools that provides on-device intelligence to optimise the connection between the device and the cloud. It aims to cut the time spent to get devices up and working and to minimise downtime by quickly switching networks if the device encounters connection issues.
CSL Group. CSL Group launched its ‘rSIM’ solution in 2024, which has on-SIM intelligence to constantly test the device connection, enabling it to switch to a different profile if connectivity is disrupted. This helps to minimise the chances of outages compared to standard multi-IMSI SIM solutions and is aimed at applications for which even small periods of downtime will have adverse effects (such as healthcare monitoring or point-of-sale terminals).
Soracom. Soracom is collaborating with The University of Tokyo’s Matsuo Institute to develop AI solutions. It has developed a suite of solutions based on generative AI (GenAI) to support its IoT customers. the most-notable of these solutions is Soracom Harvest Data Intelligence, which allows customers to analyse time series data on Soracom’s connectivity/device management platform to identify trends and anomalies and to provide recommendations on what to do with the data.
BICS. BICS is also developing AI solutions on its SMART cloud-based analytics platform. BICS plans to add AI intelligence to provide customers with instant, real-time support when there is a network error rather than having to wait for a response from BICS’ customer service team.

MNOs will not always be able to rely on scale and brand to separate themselves from MVNOs

Mobile network operators (MNOs) have typically used their scale and strong brand as selling points to separate themselves from the numerous IoT mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), aggregators and resellers in the market. While these advantages do remain –particularly for very large volume deals – the emergence of providers such as 1NCE (which manages 20 million SIMs), KORE (more than 15 million) and Wireless Logic (more than 12 million) threatens to erode this advantage. Operators will need to innovate to keep pace with the competition or be open to collaborating with disruptors to take advantage of their innovations.

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The rapid acceleration of AI innovation has sparked a surge in advancement in other emerging technologies.

According to Forrester’s The Top 10 Emerging Technologies In 2024 report, generative AI (genAI) for visual content, genAI for language, TuringBots, and IoT security are the top emerging technologies that will deliver the most immediate ROI for businesses in 2024 and beyond.

With new technologies emerging seemingly every day, business and technology leaders need to time those investments based on value, risk, and potential payout timelines. Forrester organizes its top emerging technologies by benefit horizon to help with these decisions.

Emerging technologies that will offer significant benefits within the next two years

GenAI for visual content. Advanced machine learning models that generate images or video from text, audio, or video prompts, this technology will help firms generate visual content for marketing, experiences, and products.
GenAI for language. GenAI for language is already delivering value in customer support and content creation but continues to advance at a blinding pace. It is accelerating many other technologies as it goes.
TuringBots. Accelerated by advancements in genAI for language, these AI-powered software robots help developers build applications that deliver more than just code generation.
IoT security. The proliferation of devices has led to an exponential explosion in security attacks, raising the importance of security for IoT devices. Vendors are competing and colliding in a rush to offer capabilities.

Midterm emerging technologies that will deliver benefits in the next two to five years

AI agents. The role of autonomous workplace assistants or AI agents has expanded beyond the back office and employee assistance to customer-facing automation. These AI agents will grow increasingly sophisticated to better understand and respond to nuance and context.
Autonomous mobility. This technology will accelerate commercial and urban transportation ecosystem collaborations to orchestrate personalized mobility experiences for both customers and businesses.
Edge intelligence. Advanced edge intelligence capabilities such as edge machine learning are still not yet common, even though many foundational elements like Apple foundation models are becoming available.
Quantum security. This technology will overhaul security systems for on-premises and cloud compute, storage and network infrastructure, commercial off-the-shelf software, commercial software-as-a-service offerings, and in-house built software.

Emerging technologies that will take at least five more years to deliver tangible value for most firms and use cases

Extended reality (XR). Only 8% of US online adults own a virtual-reality headset, and just 16% have used an augmented-reality device or app. While XR is advancing in training and onboarding, companies are resisting investing in tools like these until they see broad adoption.
Zero Trust edge (ZTE). ZTE technology has the potential to protect remote workers, retail outlets, and branch offices with embedded local security, but only a handful of true ZTE solutions exist today, and legacy devices add additional management complexity.

Brian Hopkins, Forrester VP, emerging tech portfolio, says:

“Tech leaders must be able to identify the right use cases and quantify potential benefits, costs, and risks across multiple horizons.”

“They need to spread investments out, with shorter-term technologies delivering quick returns and longer-term bets requiring more effort, more foundational investment, and the capacity to manage more risk.”

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