Therefore, in recent years, Data Analysis has become essential for organizations, as it reveals important characteristics of their consumers and competitors. However, much of this information is still not analyzed with a strategic eye and ends up not contributing to decision-making. 

In a digital transformation scenario, corporates can no longer waste time with superficial and incomplete analyses. It became vital to develop a mindset oriented towards numbers and their potential for revelation. Therefore, we will discuss below the concepts, tools and importance of Data Analysis for the development and evolution of organizations.

Emotion x Reason 

Do you make decisions intuitively or do you prefer to use analytical tools to support them? It is known that the experiences accumulated throughout life and business are still very valuable. However, with the high level of competitiveness in the current market, the use of Business Intelligence tools is essential – which organize information and optimize the data interpretation process.

Data Analysis consists of a process of inspecting and modeling the data collected. Its main objectives are to monitor, reveal relevant information (quantitative and qualitative) and point out business opportunities and weaknesses, supporting decision-making in organizations.

We can use Data Analytics in different contexts: Business, Science, Academy. In addition, this process has many approaches and techniques. In the contemporary business universe, Data Analysis has gained prominence by transforming routine decisions into scientific diagnoses, which help corporates and people to work smarter and more effectively.

Numbers, Numbers, Numbers

For the statistician John Tukey, Data Analysis is related to the techniques to interpret the results, since it includes the planning of data collection to make the analysis easier and more accurate. Mathematics and statistics are examples of mechanisms that help to apply this concept in the practical routine of corporates.

The term Big Data is relatively recent and, therefore, does not appear in most statistical dictionaries. This data is varied and has a high volume and can even be created in real time. Thinking about that, it is important to examine what are the tools that can help in the analysis process of organizations so that the competitive advantage becomes a business reality.

Currently, there is a wide variety of Data Analysis tools available on the market. Each of them has different languages and objectives, so it is important to consider the statistics and coding knowledge of the professionals who will use them. Below, we present some of these options.

Power BI

Power BI is a Microsoft business analysis service, focused on providing interactive visualizations and Business Intelligence resources – which help create indicators and generate reports, capable of facilitating decision-making. 

This tool has a simple interface and allows each user to create customized reports and dashboards. This set of services also facilitates data accessibility, which can be viewed both on the local network and in the cloud. This means teams can work collaboratively and remotely. 

Power BI has integration with Excel and custom and pre-built data connectors. This option also allows real-time access monitoring, helping to discover and share insights through internal Artificial Intelligence (AI) functionalities.

Tableau

This analytics platform features intuitive data exploration. Therefore, it can be used by analysts, IT professionals and executives. The tool has a simple design and interface, and its main attraction is the transformation of raw data into visual graphics.

Tableau supports cloud or on-premises storage. In addition, it provides the connection of different types of data and sources in the same report: spreadsheets, SQL database, Big Data, Google Analytics, Salesforce among others.

Google Analytics 

This tool is one of the most popular on the market, as it helps the user through the steps: tracking, monitoring and reporting on traffic. Through it, it is possible to analyze the organization’s data in a single place. Like the other options, Google Analytics is focused on assisting in decision-making.

This option allows you to check marketing performance, that is, it is an important ally when monitoring business results to find opportunities and weaknesses. By using it, you will be able to better understand the behavior of your visitors.

Validating Ideas

There is a saying that what we cannot measure, we cannot improve. Thus, we found that data culture goes hand in hand with access to information. For this, the democratization of the collected data must be an important pillar within the organization. 

When data becomes available for consultation and analysis, employees begin to use them in their decision-making routine. In this way, everyone ends up developing strategic work through actions with a collective impact, as information has crossed the borders between sectors and is now part of a holistic plan.

Contact us!

Want to digitally transform your organization and make it more strategic, but don’t know where to start from? You can reach us using the form below. We can help your business in the areas of Product Conception, Software Development, Software Architecture, Agile Methodology and UX Design.

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Amid a scenario full of uncertainties and risks, the event brought more than 71,000 people (42% women) together to discuss the role of technology in the future of society. In times of the pandemic, wars, and political, economic, and environmental crises around the world, experts and global leaders shared trends and pointed out paths for 2023.

Opening Night

During the opening ceremony, Paddy Cosgrave, CEO and Founder of the Web Summit, highlighted in his speech that this year’s edition was the largest ever. In addition, he highlighted the significant increase in the number of Brazilian and Ukrainian startups at the conference.

Among the speakers at the opening ceremony were the Minister of Economy of Portugal, António Costa Silva, the Mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, Apple’s VP of Environmental Initiatives, Lisa Jackson, and Binance Co-founder & CEO, Changpeng Zhao. Even with so many distinguished presences from the world of business and public administration, the highlight of the night was the surprise participation of Olena Zelenska, First Lady of Ukraine.

In her speech, Olena shared reports of the war that the country is experiencing, which started in February this year, and appealed to the audience for technology not to be used in the service of terrorism. “Your innovations move the world and, more than that, you have the power to determine the direction in which this world moves”, she said, on the central stage of the Altice Arena.

Data Accessible to All

On the first day of lectures at Web Summit, François-Xavier Pierrel highlighted in the “D is for Data” panel that it is time to decentralize and democratize data. However, JCDecaux’s Group Chief Data Officer explained that this does not mean that we will have the answers to all questions. “For the last two years, we couldn’t predict what was going to happen, and it had a huge impact on our lives. The question is: how will we react to these unpredictable scenarios?”.

For Pierrel, the answer is through data division. “What we’ve built through data analysis is the ability to respond to any scenario as quickly as possible, to make sure we can overcome any crisis and keep the business running. The unpredictable can be extremely negative, but also surprisingly positive. This will depend on our ability to find answers and opportunities”.

Collect, activate, structure, transform, leverage, and explore are key steps in a data-driven strategy. After reaching this cycle, JCDecaux set a new goal: to implement the D Strategy – Decentralize, Democratize, Demultiply. This strategy has three main objectives: 1) expand the data community within the organization; 2) expand access to data to as many people as possible, and 3) enhance the ability to drive innovation.

According to Pierrel, data is a fantastic lever to achieve any business objective. “I’m not suggesting that people become Data Analysts, but I think it’s important that all levels of the organization realize the value of data. This can be put into practice through a click, learn, export, and get back to work. There is no need to dive deep into data because what we really want is for them to support people’s decision-making in their areas of expertise”, he concluded.

Turn Uncertainties into Opportunities

The Fintech market — considered a global phenomenon — has become a saturated and highly competitive environment. With an economic recession on the way, the MoneyConf stage gathered a significant audience in the 2022 edition of Web Summit. To discuss the future of the sector, experts shared analyzes and forecasts in the “Fintech 2023: what next?” panel.

According to Tegan Kline, Co-founder of Edge & Node, Fintechs experienced a huge boom due to the inability of large banks to take advantage of technology. “Traditional banks do not serve individual users, as they are concentrated in customer volumes and corporate accounts. That’s why platforms like PayPal, which basically charge no transaction fees, are successful”.

Tegan pointed out that it is difficult to predict how the market will react, but guarantees that there are many opportunities in the crisis. “Businesses are emerging and there are areas that we are not paying much attention to yet: NFTs and Cryptocurrencies, for example, a branch where many people invest millions of dollars”.

According to Carolyn Rodz, Founder of Hello Alice, we all want freedom of choice, as well as knowing how banks operate and share our information. “Right now, the market is terrible, and we’re likely to be impacted one way or another. We represent a very small slice of the financial market (2%), but there are opportunities emerging, and we need to be attentive while the economy recovers”.

Carolyn highlighted that the market will react and that the key to this is understanding how Fintechs can work together with banks and governments, as they have a lot of power and influence. Tegan agrees that systems need to be decentralized. “I believe in the potential of the metaverse and the blockchain. What Google does for the decentralization of the web, The Graph does for Web3. Decentralized networks guarantee open data, always available and easily accessible”.

Brazil In Focus

Even with the forecast of a challenging economic scenario for the next year, Brazil was represented at the event in prominent stands, and by thousands of entrepreneurs and hundreds of startups. In the panel “Brazil in focus: why is the startup ecosystem booming?” Felipe Matos, President of the Brazilian Association of Startups (Abstartups) said he believes there are many reasons why the Brazilian ecosystem is growing so much.

For Matos, the pandemic boosted this growth. “We had an increase in digital demand at a time when the macroeconomic scenario in our country was favorable. With that, we managed to attract a lot of investments during the last two years. In 2021, Brazil raised 9.8 billion dollars in Venture Capital investments, and now we already have 16 unicorns, and in 2018 this number was basically zero”.  

Mariana Vasconcelos is the Founder & CEO of Agrosmart, and when she started as an entrepreneur, there was practically no ecosystem. “I come from the countryside and in Brazil there is a lot of business concentration in São Paulo, which makes access to institutions like Abstartups, for example, difficult. So we went through a different step-by-step process starting at the local university, which connected us with a startup accelerator, which then introduced us to investors. When we started, there was little capital available, angel investors and the legal framework for startups was not regulated yet”.

Brazil represents a giant market. We are 214 million people, and there are many bureaucratic and tax-related challenges. According to Mariana, in the future, our country will be a power in the provision of ecosystem services. “Brazil is a huge agricultural producer and exporter. I believe we have an opportunity to increase our market value through the intersection of agriculture and technology. This will allow us to create business models to finance a transition that will result in the export of more environmental services.”

The Future of Marketing

On the second day of lectures at Web Summit, one of the main featured panels was Marketing in 2023, with Sir Martin Sorrell, Founder of S4 Capital, and Julia Goldin, Global Chief Product & Marketing Officer of Lego. The experts spoke about trends for the future and discussed the economic recession and the political crisis.

According to Sorrell, 2023 will be a very difficult year. “The next ten years will be very different from today’s reality, due to new technologies and the fragmentation of the world. I believe that the North and South American markets will be more relevant. We have more than ever to be strategic when making bets on how to invest and where to expand geographically.”   

Julia pointed out that for the Lego Group, diversification into multiple markets is important, mainly to achieve the purpose of impacting the largest possible number of children around the world. “We opened a new factory in Vietnam, aiming to have more representation and visibility. The Asian market is certainly expanding”.

Julia also highlighted that in times of economic uncertainty, it is normal for companies and consumers to be afraid. “Thinking about business, this means that we need to pay even more attention to the experience we deliver along with products and services. We are very focused on creating the best products, taking into account important points such as passion and desire to buy, delivering an incredible holistic experience”.

The evolution of the digital environment and the metaverse are also opportunities to expand markets, as they facilitate the segmentation of audiences, which is excellent for marketing. “These spaces will be enabled with new technologies that will be more immersive and advanced. This will create opportunities for people to engage across different devices and connect with millions of people at the same time”, Julia concluded.

The Future of Software

Another talk that gathered many participants at the Web Summit was “Software may be eating the world, but low-code could eat software”. According to John Brisco, Co-founder & CEO of Coherent, software companies have begun to break ties with traditional organizations: “What we have seen in the last ten years is the creation of companies like Netflix, Airbnb, and Uber, which use software to promote a disruption in business models”, he explained.

However, as time went by and with the emergence of low-code and no-code, the software also began to experience a disruptive process. For Christine Spang, Co-founder & CTO of Nylas, in the last decade many people started to have interactions with software, mainly when creating businesses. This resulted in a high shortage of professionals. “We don’t have enough people to create that much code anymore. Low-code requires little knowledge of programming languages and, therefore, has become a solution for those who need to develop”.

According to experts, in the future, we will all be developers. “The reality is that there are not that many programmers in the world. Therefore, we need alternatives that can help in the more efficient use of these professionals. Low-code will be present in 65% of new applications by 2024. This will happen because it is easier, simpler, and more efficient”, emphasizes Brisco. 

Programming remains one of the most promising careers in the modern world. However, for Brisco, in the universe of startups, it is not just programmers who develop businesses. “The successful professionals of the future will be those who manage to translate traditional programming languages, while learning new technologies such as low-code and no-code, for example. Teams will be increasingly collaborative. If you transit between these two worlds, you will certainly have a guaranteed job”, he concluded.

The Future of Social Networks

Finally, we will share important insights from the lecture “Search beyond the search: the biggest opportunity in digital marketing”, in which Neil Patel, Co-founder of NPD (Neil Patel Digital), highlighted that users are more active on social networks than on search sites. “Google searches appear in the 5th position of the list that ranks the use of media on the internet, where videos watched on TikTok are in first place”.

Patel pointed out that marketing is becoming increasingly crowded and expensive, and with so much competition, there are many sites sharing the same information. With that in mind, how can we become relevant among those who really matter to our business? 

The answer lies precisely in the search for information. “From the moment we are born, we seek knowledge. And an important fact is that 15% of all searches on Google have never been searched before. This is important because if you are always chasing what others are doing, it becomes very competitive”.

Neil Patel said he believes search engines transform us. “During the journey of discovery, people change as they learn. The same happens with the algorithms, which adapt according to what the user is looking for. If they see that the second result was considered more valuable, they automatically start changing what will be shown to you and millions of other people. That’s the power of the search engine”.    

Over time, patterns of behavior change, and so do algorithms. Ever wonder if your product users are searching for information via voice, text, on a computer, or with the help of Alexa? For Patel, original content can be the key to standing out among so many repeaters.

Resilience to Drive Businesses and Boost Innovation

According to the speakers who spoke at the event, the coming years will be full of challenges, which is why resilience remains on the list of essential behavioral skills for professionals in the technology sector. However, not everything is in crisis; in 2023 Web Summit will have its first event outside Europe.

The summit will be held in Rio de Janeiro between the 1st and 4th of May and should bring 15,000 people together. In November of the same year, the conference will return to the stage of the Altice Arena, in Lisbon. We are already looking forward to these next editions, and we hope to meet our Anexth partners again, who in this year’s edition were part of the Beta startups team.

If you need help developing transformative digital solutions, contact us using the form below. Maybe next year, your business may also make it to the list of startups at the largest technology conference in Europe.

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Startups, scale-ups, and corporates have this goal in common. Therefore, through technology, they seek ways to improve, increase and innovate processes, products, and services. This is an exercise that requires expertise and a lot of discipline and, of course, extra doses of courage, authenticity, and entrepreneurship.

However, the innovation journey does not have to be undertaken alone. At SoftDesign, we combine experience, strategic vision, and a Collaboration Culture to deliver the best products. In this sense, in the following article, we explain how we can help your business become more innovative, from idea to result.

Startups: Developing Your New Digital Business

According to Ries, “a startup is a human institution designed to create a new product or service under conditions of extreme uncertainty”. In other words, if the journey of creating startups is full of doubts and risks, it is essential to seek support throughout the entire process, from investigation and analysis, whether on market or target audience; up to software development. After all, the main objective is to drive new products and services to market-fit.

Finding a market and developing a product capable of satisfying it may seem like something simple, but it is not. Currently, about 90% of startups end up not surviving their first years. To minimize this risk, we offer services that support the entire journey of creating new digital businesses:

• In our Product Conception service, we develop the business model and the product idea, exploring the problem it solves, identifying users and defining the value proposition. To achieve this, we use Design Thinking, Lean Startup, User Research, and UX Design approaches.
• In Product Experimentation we create prototypes or No-Code/Low-Code MVPs to validate business models, considering the feedback from the first users, which allow us to test the product’s acceptance in the market.
• In addition, we also support startups in the Development of their digital solutions, using the best technologies, always with squads that work with the Agile Method.

To evolve through all these phases, it is important to have skills and expertise in different areas. Therefore, teams formed by multidisciplinary and diverse professionals are much more than a must-have to develop innovative businesses.

In real life, a startup is a world of possibilities, where everything happens simultaneously: the creation of new features, operational adjustments, attracting new customers, and marketing strategies. With the ideal partner, these challenges can be overcome.

Scale-ups: Accelerating Your Product

In the case study The Scale-Up Report, Sherry Coutu (2014) defines scale-ups as “companies that sustain long periods of rapid expansion”, as they have an average growth in job creation (or turnover) of more than 20% per year over a period of three years. For the author, this type of business drives economic advancement by allowing a greater number of companies to reach the stage of global scale. 

Unlike the startup, a company in the scale-up stage already has a validated and more sustainable business model. At the same time, scaling a digital product is a decision that implies changes and challenges. After all, once you reach this stage, growing pains quickly begin to surface. To overcome the limits of scale and boost the product, it is necessary to work on solving Design, Architecture, Product Marketing, and Cloud bottlenecks, for example.

At SoftDesign, in addition to the Software Development service, we also work with several Consulting services in these key areas:

• Design: we create or improve the experience of your users, through User Research, User Experience, and User Interface;
• Architecture: based on technical objectives to be achieved or impediments related to stability, continuity, or scalability, we propose possible solutions;
• Marketing: we evaluate strategies, personas, attraction, and conversion channels and suggest a specific go-to-market plan;
• Cloud: we promote collaboration between development and maintenance functions, working with the largest providers: AWS, GCP, and Azure.

To accelerate innovative businesses and create a competitive advantage over the competition, it is essential to scale safely and with quality. After all, growing digital products are under pressure, as they need constant deliveries. In this sense, it is necessary to develop methods and tools that help work organizations in such a way that it is possible to increase the rates of productivity and predictability.

Corporates: Digital Transformation In Practice

The search for innovation affects all types of companies, including well-established ones. Corporates also need to develop processes, while improving and expanding their offer of products and services. This is one of the main strategies to stay alive and competitive in a market full of players that were already born and fully adapted to the digital world.

According to Franco (1991), “a company is any entity established under any legal form for the exploitation of an economic activity, whether commercial, industrial, agricultural or the provision of services”. For these businesses, the challenge is to maintain the essence by sustaining operations that are already well-established and in operation, while creating a more disruptive future, capable of keeping the organization profitable and attractive among the next generations of customers. To achieve the best of both worlds, collaborative innovation is an important ally.

In this sense, we can support your organization with Agile Consulting, which accelerates the adoption of agile methods, through mentoring, to transmit our knowledge in frameworks such as Scrum, Kanban, and DevOps to your team.

In addition, we work with Outsourcing, completing development squads with high-performance professionals, who work in the areas of Software Architecture, Programming, Quality Assurance, UX/UI Design, Products, and Projects. This is an essential resource for companies with an in-house IT team, which suffer from demand fluctuations, often requiring a professional with specific hard skills.

We know that the challenges of innovating in well-established businesses are diverse, but being part of an innovative business team has its advantages. One of them is constant learning. With that in mind, don’t leave your corporate heritage and leadership lost in the past. 

Let’s innovate together.

We know that innovative businesses generate complex challenges that require a lot of understanding of the product or service in question. Moreover, in contemporary society, consumer habits and behaviors change as fast as the technologies in use. Therefore, understanding it in its essence is a key strategic factor that allows us to launch products that will actually be used by users.

Count on us to create transformative digital solutions with design, strategy, and technology.  At SoftDesign, we have the best option to meet your needs, as we work with startups, scale-ups, and corporates in a personalized way. Fill out the form below and chat with one of our experts. 

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The 5 Stages of Product Marketing

Stage 1: Discover

Stage 2: Strategize

Stage 3: Define

Stage 4: Get Set

Stage 5: Grow

Need help putting this plan into action?

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In order to bring some perspectives, we will share some insights about time-to-market in this article. It is important to emphasize that consolidating concepts is not the main objective of this content since the topic raises discussions. What we present below are contributions that help us to reflect on the ideas that permeate this debate.

Exploring Concepts

Time-to-market is much more than a buzzword headlining the universe of startups and digital businesses. In its most consolidated meaning, the expression represents the time span between the conception of the product and its launch on the market. This time is relative and varies from industry to industry, that is, the success of the strategy depends on a number of factors related to the business.

TTM can also be interpreted as the time between the start of the team’s work and the first sale. With this in mind, it is essential to consider that some product and service development strategies depend on time to achieve a competitive advantage. In these specific cases, the longer we take to launch, the less market share, revenue, and competitiveness we will have.

Launch time doesn’t always have to be as fast as possible. In this race to enter the market first, it is essential not to lose sight of the quality standard, that is, the reduction of time-to-market should not be pursued at any cost. Seeking competitive advantage through quick feedback collections is the best way to improve the product with agility and excellence.

Furthermore, by optimizing Software Development and product marketing processes, we reduced launch time. As a result, we gained more market share, as well as customer and user loyalty. Remember, being the first to explore the blue ocean may result in a higher profit margin than the competition.

How to measure time-to-market?

According to John Carter, author of Innovate Products Faster: Graphical Tools for Accelerating Product Development, the first step is to know what you are measuring and why. It is possible to measure the period (months or years) it takes to bring a concept to market, or the working hours of the people involved in the project, for example. In some cases, companies start timing when the team and budget are approved. However, in other situations timing starts weeks later. Therefore, it is essential to define when the project starts and ends.

Carter recommends two-time measurements:

• The “clock is triggered” when the team is available and there is an initial definition (and the main risks are taken out),
• The “clock is stopped” when an MVP or the first version of the product is sold (or adopted), usually after the product is launched.

However, for the specialist, comparing TTM between teams or organizations requires some care. “The biggest factors that can influence time-to-market are the scope of the project, how much risk it contains, and how much innovation is needed to differentiate the product from the competition. Time-to-market comparisons are not accurate unless you understand when the timer starts and stops, and you understand the risk profile between the two projects.”

In the article The Return Map: Tracking Product Teams, Charles H. House and Raymond L. Price point out that a study carried out by McKinsey reports that, on average, companies lose 33% of their profit when they launch products six months late, compared with 3.5% losses when they spend more than 50% on product development. “Increasingly, companies are learning that the time required to develop a product has more influence on its success than its costs”, they point out.

Time: a 21st-century luxury

We are often surprised by amazing and revolutionary products, but which are often made available to the market at the wrong time. For this reason, a significant portion of startups dies within the first year. An early launch can result in problems that are difficult to overcome, such as a poor product or poor service quality. However, launching too late can create a disadvantage that is difficult to reverse.

Time-to-market is important because a delay in launch fragments the market you intend to sell your product or service. This affects the company’s profitability and decreases market share, undermining the cost structure. The first to market a completely new product guarantees a good percentage of market share.

How to do it faster and better?

As we have seen, in the world of digital products and services, time really means money. So, if you need help validating a business idea, contact us! Through Product Conception, we help you explore options, better understand users, identify features and define technologies. Our strategy consists of prioritizing items and planning releases that allow for the intelligent use of investments, improving time-to-market.

Our team works through a multidisciplinary method that encompasses knowledge and techniques from various subjects: Design Thinking, User Research, UX Design, Prioritization, Product Marketing and Launch. Let’s talk about how our method can help you build your digital products or services?

Contact us by filling out the form below!

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At Web Summit 2021, world leaders shared important insights into the future of technology and society. In the following article, we will share highlights of speakers from large companies in the global market, such as Microsoft and SAP. Among the main themes are advances from the Covid-19 pandemic, remote work, agile transformation, and low-carbon economy.

Technology and Awareness in the Pandemic

According to the president of Microsoft, Brad Smith, the world desperately needs solutions to current environmental problems. Therefore, new inventions need to be aligned with strategies aimed at sustainability, as only through awareness will we be able to build the future of technology that will revolutionize and preserve life on earth.

“Many companies say that they contribute to preserving the environment by paying for trees not to be cut down. However, paying people not to cut trees is like hiring someone to do nothing. With our arms crossed, we won’t solve the world’s problems“.

Smith emphasizes the importance of developing new technologies that enable a greener market and an even more effective remote working model. Furthermore, he highlights that we need to build new industries, with purpose and innovation to do what the world needs to be done.

“We never know precisely where the future will take us. Therefore, the role of technology companies should be to create tools that help to connect and empower people in remote environments. We are different and we want to work in different ways and places. Think of it as an opportunity to create successful jobs and businesses.”

Brad Smith, President of Microsoft, on the center stage of Web Summit 2021.
Photo: Stephen McCarthy.

How to Turn Promises into Progress?

In this post-pandemic scenario, we all have a big commitment: to create a “new normality”. With this in mind, Microsoft is committed to zero carbon emissions by 2030. For Smith, the “new normality” is to be Net Zero, that is, all energy consumed on-site is also generated on-site. “I am optimistic as I see people and leaders finally debating issues and thinking of strategies to measure and reduce their carbon emissions. I believe that this is an important step towards progress”, he contextualizes.

In a globalized and constantly evolving world, it is common for us to use the same words, even if we do not speak the same language. Therefore, Microsoft’s president proposes the creation of a universal carbon language, based on the four Rs of sustainability: rethink, reuse, reduce and recycle. “We need to learn from our business experiences around the world. Microsoft is committed to transparency and the United Nations Global Compact“.

According to Smith, one of the first lessons we learn in business is that we can’t manage what we can’t measure. With carbon emissions, it is no different. Therefore, we need to move from mathematics to carbon accounting, in order to put effective actions into practice.

“If we can measure something in scale, we can automate this process. It is time to build a new ecosystem that connects sources directly. This is the future of technology we want and need in order to save the planet. Together, let’s put the world and ourselves on the path that turns promises into progress.”

Progress is in Agile Transformation

 Reducing carbon emissions is also a corporate goal of SAP, a German company that develops software for business process management. According to Juergen Muller, CTO at SAP, in some parts of the world, we are still very divided, but if we look at the Inequality Crisis and at the Climate Crisis, we can all conclude that the planet will not last much longer in the current situation.

We know that technology is synonymous with change, but what do we want as a society? Muller points out that at SAP there is a lot of dialogue about the future of technology and work. “Inequality continues to grow and we believe that learning is the best way to reduce these gaps. Many people, even the financially vulnerable, have smartphones. With that in mind, we provide free courses on our platforms, with the aim of training the workforce”.

The Climate Crisis is a reality, as well as the scarcity in certain professional markets. To resolve these issues, we need cooperation between nations and software that helps companies work efficiently and with planning. “We believe that everything that can be automated must be automated and that companies need to develop increasingly organized processes. It’s very difficult to find the right person with the skill necessary; therefore, we are always monitoring the market, which is increasingly challenging and global”.

Muller highlights that there are many questions that need to be answered within organizations, such as how to build a culture of engagement and sustainability? How can we be sure we produce enough to meet demand? How to have the best people and raw materials? How much energy and money does it take to put plans into action? These issues are complex but generate debates that are essential for building a mindset based on Agile Methods.

Juergen Mueller, CTO at SAP and Janosch Delcker, CTC at DW, on the CIS stage of Web Summit 2021. Photo: Diarmuid Greene.

What to Expect from the Future of Technology?

Innovation continues to dictate the pace of the market. According to Nico Gramenz, CEO of Factory Berlin, an ecosystem that helps startups from more than seventy countries, industrialization has placed us on another level of society. Therefore, it is time to unite people and technologies.

“Technology should be bringing ideas together and shortening distances, however, we have many challenges to improve this purpose. Web Summit, for example, is no longer just a startup movement. We are here to get to know each other, strengthen ties and work towards global goals, anticipating society trends and building the future of technology“, he analyzes.

Gramenz believes we need more sustainable unicorns and initiatives capable of creating marketplaces with more financial equity. “We are different people, creating businesses around the world. But, after all, how do we do this without forgetting the social impact?”. For Gabriel Braga, CEO of QuintoAndar — a Brazilian startup focused on renting and selling real estate — everything we do has benefits and consequences, and sometimes innovation is responsible for causing distinct effects on society and on stakeholders, which could result in negative impacts on communities.

Braga contextualizes that, in Brazil, QuintoAndar challenges the status quo and invests in innovation to revolutionize the real estate market. “When you identify a problem, you have an opportunity to solve it at the same time. I believe that there are more and more responsible companies with a positive impact on our society. Therefore, we need to reflect as entrepreneurs and citizens: right now, does the world need more unicorns or high-impact social initiatives?”

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/websummit/

Made in Brazil

When asked about the current impacts of political instability in the country at Web Summit 2021, the CEO of QuintoAndar highlighted that the political environment can greatly benefit business — especially when there is predictability and stability. “I agree that the Political Crisis is a challenge for companies in Brazil and Latin America. It would be easier if we were aligned and integrated into a structured economic development plan. However, innovation is happening even without an ideal scenario”, he guarantees.

Being a unicorn startup requires talent, a plan of action and expansion, and, of course, a loyal and massive user base. QuintoAndar reached this position in 2019, after a USD 250 million investment round. So what can we expect from the Brazilian startup in the coming years?

“We have a lot of work to do in Brazil. However, we have already started our internationalization plan in Latin America and we will open an office in Lisbon soon, with the aim of expanding the market in Europe. It is a big challenge, but we’re very happy”, Braga shares.

The CEO also spoke about the future of technology, highlighting the Fintechs — startups in the financial sector that drive innovation and make society more efficient and inclusive. “In the coming years, we will see many things change around us. With the pandemic, we learned that people can work from anywhere and that the development of skills must be constant. More than ever, we need to bring people closer to technology, remembering that we educate a new generation by inserting it into the job market, and sometimes, this same generation teaches us how to think about the future. It is this mixture that will help us shape the reality of the new times.”

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/websummit/

We’re hoping for the positive predictions to come true and we’re already looking forward to Web Summit 2022!

The first article in this series: Web Summit 2021: Highlights Of The Technology Event

O post The Future Of Technology: Web Summit 2021 Predictions apareceu primeiro em SoftDesign.

Finding Market Fit is an Art

According to Evgenia Plotnikova, partner of Dawn Capital, for a long time, innovation and large investments were aimed at countries outside the European scenario, such as the United States. “This reality has changed in recent years and we now have a lot of capital in Europe. For the first time, we are really seeing new investment funds and startups appearing all the time in the most diverse countries”, she contextualizes.

The advances of Venture Capital is something that is happening in proportion to the emergence of new ideas. Nevertheless, for the startup to be attractive, it is necessary to find the market fit. “The biggest measurement to measure market fit remains the purchase. Keep in mind that NPS metrics and user-centric searches are also essential. If you don’t start scaling significantly that’s fine: learn to take advantage of this situation and invest time learning about your own product.”

Evgenia emphasizes that finding an investor who is interested in mentoring is a big competitive advantage in the scaling process. So look for people who really understand your business, especially in niche industries like software. “At the end of the day, it’s a matter of finding the right person to work with you. Think of this partnership as a marriage. Build a safe product or service for you and your customers.”

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/websummit/

At Web Summit 2021, the investor warned that it is easy to forget that the goal is to build a solution to users’ problems. Therefore, it is important to keep them amazed by the experience that the product or service provides. “If you spend more money to attract the lead than it will spend to use your solution, rethink your business model. Maybe the product is great, but the sales strategy is incorrect”.

How to Win Over Your First Fundraising

After finding the market fit, many startups go through the capital injection process to develop or scale their idea. But, how to win over investors? According to Zach Coelius, managing partner of Coelius Capital, an MVP can be a great ally. “Everything that helps to realize the potential of the business is essential to attract the attention of investors. Look for people who understand your industry and remember that this relationship needs to be healthy. Money is important, but it doesn’t solve everything”, he warns.

During his speech at Web Summit 2021, Coelius highlighted that the first step is to create a relationship of trust, that is, don’t try to ask an investor for money on the first approach. “In the investor community, trust must come first. So, keep the potential investor updated on the status of the business and how it has grown over time. Once the relationship is mature, the investor will have no difficulties in saying yes to your proposal”.

For Sarah Kunst, founder and managing director of Cleo Capital, everything revolves around a good pitch. Therefore, know how to answer who you are and what you are willing to solve in 25 seconds. “The big mistake of entrepreneurs is that they spend too much time introducing their idea. What I’m looking for is information that solves problems in the real world. So don’t waste time on irrelevant details. Be unique, simple and clear”, she advises.

Sarah Kunst, Cleo Capital.
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/websummit/

Sarah points out that being active on social media is an excellent strategy. “If you want to build a relationship with investors, do it authentically. Invest time in social media, especially Twitter, a platform widely used by investors. Once the dialogue starts to flow, make sure you trust these people.”

Why should some startups internationalize and others not?

In the startup world, it is not all about money. The strategy and positioning adopted in the market are also essential for the survival of companies. There are new stories every day about startups that started to grow rapidly to the point of reaching international markets. However, before you think this is a natural journey for everyone, ask yourself: Is your product or service capable of solving a problem in the global market?

This answer is essential to developing an action plan. Being international is part of the scaling process of many startups and established companies, but it is necessary to be careful not to let the “fear of being left behind” get in the way of strategic decisions. Starting an internationalization project requires time, dedication, and a lot of data analysis.

According to Roberto Grosman, COO of Descomplica, the Brazilian digital education company does not intend to internationalize at this time, as Brazil is a giant country, with a good territory to be explored. “First we need to understand what we want to achieve as an organization. Descomplica impacts the lives of many people who would not have the money for a good education and this has a very significant weight”, he points out.

Grosman shared at Web Summit 2021 that the FOMO syndrome (Fear of missing out) is unforgiving with contemporary companies, but it is still necessary to be cautious and sure that a good job is being developed, especially when the company’s purpose is to transform lives. “We keep a close eye on what happens in the world, but all within our expectations. We decided to grow first in Brazil, which is why we are currently taking the time to understand this national market, which is full of diversity and challenges. In addition, it’s not common to see a global education company. We do think about going international, but first, we need to understand why to do this”.

Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

On the other hand, for Victor Ribeiro, EVP Product Development of Gympass (corporate physical activity platform), the opportunities are many and this is the right time to expand the business. However, there are many factors that must be analyzed in each scenario. “Of course money is important; after all, you want to expand your market to get more revenue. If you have the technology for this and can prove your theory of internationalization, go ahead and put your plan into action”.

During a lecture at Web Summit 2021, Ribeiro highlighted that product-market fit needs to be the big must-have of the decision-making process. Therefore, if it doesn’t exist, internationalizing doesn’t make sense. If it exists, analyze the competition in detail. “Start with questions such as: is it worth going to the United States or should I invest in a smaller country to test my strategies? And of course, have a good experimentation plan laid out. Keep in mind that if you don’t expand geographically, sooner or later someone will confront you in the market. In addition, be prepared to leave your comfort zone and experience different cultures and challenges”, he warns.

Marketing in 2022

A good geographic expansion plan needs to have good marketing strategies. Web Summit 2021 also brought together world leaders and experts in this segment and, to learn more about the trends that will be part of the marketing routine in the coming years, we attended a lecture with big names in this sector. Jessica Spence, president of the Beam Suntory brands, a multinational company that produces alcoholic beverages, guarantees that the quality and consistency of content production will continue to rise.

In addition, according to Jessica, the next year will again bring the opportunity for brands to reduce their negative impact on the environment and society. “In 2022 we will have the chance to invest in sustainability and more inclusive digital strategies. There has been a lot of talk about big data, mainly on how we can obtain relevant and high-quality information while respecting and dealing transparently with sensitive consumer data. This will be the core business of the marketing of the future”, she points out.

However, the new marketing does not rely only on data; creativity is still the most valued skill in this sector, which will undergo a major transformation with the arrival of the metaverse – a virtual world where it is possible to interact through digital avatars. “I am very optimistic about changes in the market and consumer behavior. The metaverse will be an incredibly competitive environment full of possibilities. The question we have to answer is: how do we make this digital universe a better place?”

Jessica Spence, Sir Martin Sorrell, Jane Wakely and Leisha Chi-Santorelli. Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/websummit/

Peace, Love and Sustainability

Jane Wakely, CMO of Mars, one of the largest private corporations in the United States, which owns brands such as M&M’s, Snickers and Twix, is betting that the sustainable growth of the brands will be one of the important strategies in the next year. “It’s time to focus on what will not change. It is necessary to put the needs of consumers and stakeholders first. We need to reinvent business and make it more sustainable. We are experiencing an environmental crisis and it will only be possible to resolve it by joining forces”.

Experts believe we will see more of the Slow Movement in the next years. This movement proposes the deceleration of everyday life and makes room for more sustainable initiatives. “We need significant and impactful changes to create a better world. We know that the benefit needs to be mutual and that brands need to be devoted and dedicated to their values. In the midst of this revolution, we cannot forget that Artificial Intelligence is the new sexy and that creating more immersive experiences for consumers will be our biggest challenge”, Jane reflects.

For Sir Martin Sorrell, founder of S4 Capital, we live in bubbles delimited by algorithms and we are becoming increasingly isolated in our universes, also due to political issues such as for example, Brexit and the last United States elections. However, the market is showing signs that next year we will see massive investments in Facebook, one of the social networks that face the most problems with data privacy and the control of Fake News. Out of this bubble, Sorrell points out that Artificial Intelligence in marketing is already a reality, so we need to learn about this universe in order not to succumb to the metaverse.

Artificial Intelligence: the Future of Business

To better understand this robot-powered world, we attended a lecture on Artificial Intelligence on the center stage of Web Summit 2021. Daniela Braga, founder of Defined.ai, stressed that scientists want to extract the very best in technology and that big changes are already on the horizon. “Human and technological evolution takes time and it is necessary to establish limits and guidelines that help in the relationship between humans and machines. There is no stopping constant technological advancement. Robots will not steal our jobs; they will do what we are no longer willing to do.”

When asked about the players in the sector, Daniela said she believes that the great advances in Artificial Intelligence will not come from Europe, but from the United States and China. For the scientist, these countries have 70% of the resources related to the sector, in addition to also having a broad domain in complex data analysis.

On the other hand, for Daniel Dines, CEO of UiPath, AI is global, so it should not be treated as something exclusive to a nation. “We all must have a robot. There is no reason to fear them, on the contrary. Enjoy this interaction and think about how they can do tasks that we no longer want to do. Think about the time we will have to put soft skills into practice”.

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/websummit/

In the technological, innovative, and multicultural ecosystem of Web Summit 2021, everything seems possible. In this atmosphere, humans, their ideas, and startups are the protagonists of the most prominent moments of the conference. To talk about the initiatives that contribute to a better world, in the next article in this series, we will cover topics such as remote work, technology in the pandemic, and society.

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