ABL TECHNOLOGY ONLINE
ABL-Tech Member News & Industry Trendletter * June 15, 2021
UPCOMING ABL-TECH
ROUND TABLES
    Now that we're beginning to launch our In-Person "Reunion" Round Tables (for the fully-vaccinated), please read your invitation closely, so you'll know when your Table will be held exclusively on ZOOM, or if you'll be able to "reunite" In Person - with a ZOOM/Hybrid option.

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  • 6/25* - ABL-Tech SGV REUNION Table - featuring Malik Arshad, President of Canoga Perkins Corp (*date moved from July 2nd, due to Independence Day holiday)
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  • 7/09 - ABL-Tech WLA ZOOM Table - featuring Ujj Nath, Chairman and CEO of myKaarma
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EXPANDED ARTICLES
ABL-TECH MEMBER NEWS
AfterNow Chosen as Oculus Launch Pad Grant Recipient

AfterNow recently completed its participation in the 2020 Oculus Launch Pad Program and has now been chosen as one of the 10 Oculus Launch Pad Grant Recipients (from among 100 candidates) to move on to the next level. Program attendees had four months to build a prototype that could be submitted for consideration as part of the Launch Pad Scholarship program. Ten teams were then selected to receive additional support, guidance, and a combined $250,000 worth of funds from Oculus. In this blog post, AfterNow co-founder Jeffrey Breugelmans describes his experience in the Program thus far. (Philippe Lewicki, WLA)

Delphi Display Systems CEO Judges New Venture Competition at UCI

Ken Neeld, CEO of Delphi Display Systems and Chairman of the Board of the Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at UC Irvine's Paul Merage School of Business, recently served as a judge in the UCI New Venture Competition 2021 Grand Finale - "the culmination of seven months of a grueling entrepreneurial competition where the top ten finalists competed head-to-head in a Shark Tank-inspired quick pitch." While the judges considered specific criteria when evaluating concept papers and pitch decks, according to UCI, they ultimately chose the winning teams based on which pitches they would most likely invest their own money in. (Ken Neeld, OC)

Eckert & Ziegler and Telix Pharmaceuticals Collaborate on Prostate Cancer Diagnostic

Eckert & Ziegler and Telix Pharmaceuticals announced that they will cooperate closely in the commercialization of GalliaPharm and investigational product Illuccix in the U.S., and recently signed an agreement for the exclusive distribution of Illuccix in Germany. Illuccix is a preparation for imaging prostate cancer by positron emission tomography and is currently under review for regulatory approval in the U.S. and multiple markets worldwide. (Frank Yeager, SGV)

Electrosonic Wins Awards for Excellence in Video

Electrosonic recently won two Silver Telly Awards for its video case study documenting their work at the #BeingBrunel Museum in Bristol, U.K. And, Electrosonic partnered with Trivium Interactive on a recently installed project at Norwich University Sullivan Museum and History Center - a theater which presents videos and films from the museum collection in an interactive, immersive format. (Bryan Hinckley, SGV)

GeorgFischer Recognized for Sustainability Leadership

TBD Media Group has featured GeorgFischer (GF) in its "50 Sustainability and Climate Leaders" campaign in this 5:49-minute video, entitled "The future of delivering clean drinking water." TBD notes that GF is the worldwide preferred partner for the safe transport of liquids and gases, vehicle weight reduction, and high-precision manufacturing technologies.
Meanwhile, GF has been recognized as one of Europe's leading companies in the field of climate protection, by the Financial Times in collaboration with the independent data collection institute Statista.
And, for the first time, GF has been awarded with the top "Environmental Quality Score" in the "Industrial Machinery" category in the ratings produced by the Institutional Shareholder Services organization. (Mike Smith, SGV)

myKaarma Acquires PocketExpert

myKaarma has acquired PocketExpert, a quickly growing dealership communication, online payments, and multi-point inspection platform. As such, PocketExpert's 550 customers will join the myKaarma family with opportunities to leverage myKaarma's end-to-end offerings, which include scheduling, video multi-point inspections, pickup and delivery, transportation solutions, additional DMS integrations, and more. (Ujj Nath, WLA)

Optimum Info Partners with Methodos on the Italian Market

Optimum Info is partnering with Methodos Consulting to serve the automotive industry in Italy. The firms intend to jointly pursue business opportunities related to the improvement of retail sales and after-sales performance of automotive distribution networks, thanks to the combination of core-competences in the IT and economic-financial fields. At the basis of this agreement is the awareness and need to be able to offer manufacturers consulting solutions that, starting from the collection of management and economic data and comparison with benchmarks, can provide specific advice and training to dealers. (Arvind Verma, OC)

Parasoft Announces Several Upcoming Webinars

Get information about Parasoft's upcoming webinars here, including: "How CGI Modernized Technology & Culture for Continuous Software Delivery," on June 17; "A Balanced Approach to Securing Our Software Future," on June 22; "Ensure Lifecycle Traceability with codebeamer & Parasoft," on June 24; and "Accelerate Enterprise Digital Transformation by Integrating Payment Testing," also on June 24. (Elizabeth Kolawa, Ph.D., SGV)

PeopleG2's Chris Dyer Publishes Book, Webinar & More on Remote & Hybrid Work

Irish Tech News gives a glowing review of the new book, "Remote Work: Redesign Processes, Practices and Strategies to Engage a Remote Workforce (Amazon)," written by PeopleG2's Chris Dyer and Kim Shepherd.
And, watch a recording of Chris and Kim's recent webinar, Meetings People Love! How to meet with Remote and Hybrid work .
Also, in a collaboration with LookinLA, Chris participated in another recent webinar, Get Your Story Right: Shaping Company Culture With Content, now available on-demand.
Plus, watch Chris's appearance on a show called "Unlocked With Skot Waldron."
Also, on June 21, Chris will lead a session on leading a hybrid team at the Leading Entrepreneurs of the World Conference. (Chris Dyer, SGV)

Profi Spotlighted in Thrive Global Feature

Profi is highlighted in Thrive Global, in an article on how Taopatch took full advantage of Profi's platform to create and scale an engaging customer education and coaching solution.
Meanwhile, recent Profi blog posts include "New Trends in Corporate Training: Part 1 and Part 2." (Alina Trigubenko & Adam Miller, WLA)

Tanner Research CEO to Present Virtual Nutrition Science Workshops

On the evenings of June 24 (click here) and July 27 (click here), John Tanner, Ph.D., of Tanner Research, will present free Nutrition Science Virtual Workshops, via Zoom, where he will relay to participants the scientific information they need to avoid heart disease and other leading killers with a proper diet. The group will discuss strategies for change and John will field questions, plus give a free book to participants. (John Tanner, Ph.D., SGV)

The Joy Factory Partners with Microsoft to Provide Tablet Protection

The Joy Factory has partnered with Microsoft to bring customers new protection for their Surface Go 2 Tablet. The Joy Factory's aXtion Extreme series of tablet cases targets the mobile workforce for the oil and gas; energy and utilities; and manufacturing industries. Plus they've recently received UL certification for C1D2; and Designed for Surface approval as well. These hazardous work environments require cases to ensure safe tablet operation where combustible vapor, dust, liquid, and mist are present. (Miranda Su, SGV, & Sampson Yang, OC)

INSIGHTS FROM ADAPTIVE BUSINESS LEADERS
BCG's Harrison Barnes on: Treating Problems as Opportunities

In How You Deal with Problems Will Determine the Quality of Your Life, Harrison Barnes, of BCG Attorney Search, suggests treating problems - which are inevitable for any person or business - as challenges, lessons, or opportunities. Other recent articles from Harrison include: Release the Lack That You Feel, and Reach Your Full Potential and Set the Rules for Your Life. (Harrison Barnes, JD, WLA)

Dave Berkus on: The Value of Enterprise Time & the Pitfall of Time Bankruptcy

In Your time is as valuable as your money, Dave examines the challenges to a CEO in making use of enterprise time - one of your most valuable and often misused assets. Enterprise time, as opposed to personal time management, is the sum total of resources available to a company expressed in terms of time: time to develop, to debug, to produce, to deploy, to respond to issues, and to make changes in plans that are not working. Dave also describes "time bankruptcy" - the ultimate result of the deliberate over-commitment of a company's most valuable resource(s) by the CEO or a department leader. There are many ways to fall into this trap, he says, but first, identify what those critical resources are in your company. Most often it's the time of the chief architect of the product or service you provide, or of the best developers of that product. Sometimes it's the time of the CEO, which when overcommitted, prevents others from gaining access to solve critical problems or continue the flow of production. (Dave Berkus, SGV & WLA)

California Lightworks on: Choosing Drivers for LEDs

In How to Choose Drivers For Your LEDs, California Lightworks explains that a driver is an electrical device that regulates power in an LED fixture and is a crucial component of an LED's operating system. An LED's forward voltage - the amount of volts a diode requires to conduct electricity - decreases as temperature increases. This causes the LED to draw more current and get hotter and hotter, eventually causing the LED to burn itself out. This is called "thermal runaway." A driver alternates current appropriately to prevent this from happening. Without a proper driver, your LED will eventually burn out. This is why selecting a quality driver is so important. (George Mekhtarian, SGV)

Electrosonic on: Executive Briefing Centers & Post-Covid Workspaces

In How Well-Designed Executive Briefing Centers (EBCs) Will Support Your Sales Function, Electrosonic discusses EBCs as a key factor in positively influencing business decisions, shortening sales cycles, and securing high net-worth business.
And, in Is Your AV Estate Ready for a Return to the Office?, Electrosonic explores some of the many questions surrounding how we'll collectively define workspaces post-COVID. (Bryan Hinckley, SGV)

Intellect on: Becoming an Impactful Quality Manager

In Top 5 Strategies to Create a Culture of Quality, Intellect suggests several actions that business leaders could take to develop a positive organizational culture centered around quality.
And, The Top 7 Qualities that Make an Impactful Quality Manager discusses how to move away from reactive quality management and toward impactful.
Meanwhile, Intellect's recent webinar - Introducing Intellect QMS Version 4.1 - is now available to watch on-demand. (Romeo Elias, WLA)

LookinLA on: How AI is Transforming Digital Marketing

In How Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Digital Marketing, LookinLA notes that AI is now capable of everything from ideating content to assisting with advertising strategies and predicting consumer behavior. While not a replacement for human intelligence, marketers can glean insights from AI to automate processes, re-strategize their campaigns, and increase overall ROI. (Ali Payani, SGV)

Pegasus One on: What AI Can Do For Your Business

In What can AI do for your business?, Pegasus One reports that 84% of enterprises believe investing in AI will lead to greater competitive advantages, and 69% of companies improved performance with AI beyond what existing analytic techniques were able to deliver. From creating powerful new customer experiences to optimizing your operations, AI can make your organization smarter and more efficient and help transform your business. (Tushar Puri, OC)

ProProfs on: Creating Sales Documentation & Internal Knowledge Base

In How to Create Powerful Sales Documentation to Support Your Sales Team, ProProfs points out that, thanks to the Internet, customers know everything about you even before your sales reps reach out to them. As a result, sales documentation provides the best and easiest way to achieve a high-performing sales team that can win your customers in just a few interactions.
And, in How to Create an Internal Knowledge Base, ProProfs laments that employees spend an inordinate amount of time looking for information tucked away in documents, emails, and spreadsheets; an internal knowledge base is the best solution to this persistent problem.
Plus, How to Create a Private Wiki: Complete Guide describes the benefits of a private wiki to organize scattered business information and facilitate instant access to knowledge. (Sameer Bhatia, WLA)

WorkDone on: Remote Work & Universal Basic Income

WorkDone and CEO Joe Rogers have hosted recent online discussions - called WorkDoneTV, and they are now available to watch on-demand:
>> A discussion of remote work, featuring PeopleG2's Chris Dyer.
>> A discussion of universal basic income, featuring Prof. Johannes Moenius, Chair of Spatial Economic Analysis and Regional Planning at Univ. of Redlands. (Joe Rogers, WLA)

HEALTH IT MEMBER NEWS
Alvaka Networks Explains How to ID the Ransomware You've Been Hit With

In Identifying the Ransomware You've Been Hit With, Alvaka Networks says that if you've been hit by ransomware, one of the first steps in the recovery process is identifying the type of ransomware that you are dealing with. Alvaka describes a free and effective tool called ID Ransomware, and explains that once the ransomware has been determined and the user knows exactly what they are working against, they can begin to formulate an effective plan to resolve the issue.
And, the recent CompTIA article, 10 Tips to Help Your Cybersecurity Staff Avoid Burnout, includes input from Alvaka. (Oli Thordarson, ABL-Health OC)

Bayer's Investment Arm Leads Financing of Digital Health Company, Ada Health

Leaps by Bayer, the impact investment arm of Bayer AG, has led a $90 million Series B investment in Berlin-based digital health company Ada Health GmbH. Ada Health has developed a powerful AI-based health assessment and care navigation platform that helps users to understand their symptoms, to identify and differentiate conditions with a high degree of medical accuracy, and to navigate safely to the right care, at the right time. (Rama Penta, ABL-Health SV)

Biospectal Announces Independent Validation Studies & Spotlighted by Global Health Coalition

Biospectal has launched two independent research and validation studies using Biospectal OptiBP. Currently underway in four low-resource countries, the studies center on the routine measurement and monitoring of blood pressure, assessment of hypertension during pregnancy, and enable global field testing and validation of the OptiBP smartphone app and data platform integration with the WHO's Digital Antenatal Care module, following WHO SMART guidelines and built on the WHO Open Smart Register Platform.
Meanwhile, Biospectal OptiBP is featured in a recent article from the Global Health Technologies Coalition - 10 amazing innovations to make motherhood safer. (Eliott Jones, ABL-HEALTH SV)

Competitive Health Encourages Employers to Add Health Advocacy Services to Benefits Offerings

In The Importance of Health Advocacy in the Benefits Marketplace, Competitive Health describes the value of employers adding health advocacy services to their employee benefits offerings, including finding the highest quality and lowest cost healthcare options within a network, resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs and better medical outcomes, leading to healthier, happier employees and lower overall healthcare costs. Health advocates can answer insurance questions, explain and coordinate care options, provide guidance through healthcare concerns, as well as review medical bills, resolve errors, and arrange for better discounts or payment arrangements. (Kim Darling, ABL-HEALTH OC)

LigoLab Case Study Demonstrates How to Effectively Execute a Plan & Scale Lab Ops

In How ECPC is Leveraging LigoLab LIS to Streamline Pathology Workflows and Expand Laboratory Operations, LigoLab details how its laboratory information system became the centerpiece of change for Eastern Connecticut Pathology Consultants. (Suren Avunjian, ABL-HEALTH LA)

Mahmee Chosen for 2021 "Launch With GS" Entrepreneur Cohort

Mahmee is among the 15 companies selected by Goldman Sachs Group to participate in the 2021 Launch With GS Entrepreneur Cohort. The six-week virtual experience will provide high-touch access and resources to a select group of U.S.-based Black and Latinx founders to fast-track their companies' growth and build relationships with investors and industry experts. The participating companies were chosen from hundreds of applicants across the U.S. (Melissa Hanna, JD, ABL-HEALTH LA)

Providence Digital Innovation Group Examines the Move to True Digi-Healthcare

Providence Digital Innovation Group (DIG) has published several short videos, called Community-Inspired Digital Health Conversations, on the topics of health information, access, and behavioral health.
Also, the recent MedTech Intelligence article, The Transformation to True Digital Healthcare, was co-authored by DIG's Chief Digital Strategy Officer and other industry leaders. (Marcee Chmait, ABL-HEALTH LA)

Savi Group Shares How to Streamline Revenue Cycle Management & Maximize Reimbursements

In Streamlining Revenue Cycle Management in 2021, Savi Group reports that technology and automation will play a large role in improving efficiencies and providers will need to adapt quickly.
And, in How Outsourced Medical Billing Maximizes Reimbursements, Savi Group explains how a great outsourcer can maximize a practice's revenues, lower costs, and free up valuable internal resources. (Sumit Mahendru, ABL-HEALTH OC)

SimpleTherapy Offers Relief from Work-From-Home Pain & Stress

Maxis Global Benefits Network has published an article on its website, written by Arpit Khemka, CEO of SimpleTherapy, a Maxis wellness partner. In Helping combat the aches and pains of working from home - Find out how online exercise therapy can help tackle your employees' home-working ailments, Arpit urges everyone to stay moving and declares that exercise is a fundamental aspect of everyone's wellbeing. Even when offices begin to re-open, Arpit says, the trend of remote working might be here to stay, at least in part. But it doesn't require much space to gain all the benefits of an in-home exercise and stretching regime. (Arpit Khemka, ABL-HEALTH SV)

VivaLNK Survey: Nearly Half of All Clinical Research to Adopt Decentralized Clinical Trials

VivaLNK has announced the results of its survey of pharma, biotech, and clinical research professionals on their opinions about the current state of remote patient monitoring (RPM), including: 44% have already adopted RPM for decentralized clinical trials, or have plans to within the next 12 months. 65% noted concerns related to the pandemic as their primary driver for using RPM technology. 94% said that continuous data capture, defined as 24-hours or more, was somewhat or very important to their trials. Heart rate (69%) and blood pressure (57%) were cited as the most important physiological parameters to track for trials. (Jiang Li, Ph.D., ABL-HEALTH SV)

TECH INDUSTRY NEWS & TRENDS
TECHNOLOGY & GOVERNMENT
Going Maskless Thursday! Newsom Order Expected to Let Vaccinated Workers Ditch Masks

The board of California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) is expected to vote Thursday to approve new regulations it recently redrafted allowing for vaccinated workers to ditch masks. Governor Newsom's expected order, which the governor's office confirmed Monday, will mean that the new Cal/OSHA rules can take effect as soon as the board votes without further waiting. (https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/article/Newsom-order-will-let-vaccinated-workers-ditch-16247004.php)
Meanwhile, the San Francisco Chronicle published a "guide to what will and won't change after California's June 15 reopening": https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/2021/visuals/california-june-15-reopening-rules/

Senate Approves $250 Billion Bill to Boost Tech Research

The Senate recently passed one of the largest industrial bills in U.S. history in a bipartisan effort to ensure the U.S. remains competitive with China as one of the globe's technological powerhouses. The bill, known as the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, commits roughly $250 billion in funding for scientific research, subsidies for chipmakers and robot makers, and an overhaul of the National Science Foundation. (https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/08/senate-passes-bipartisan-tech-and-manufacturing-bill-aimed-at-china.html)

U.S. Launches Task Force to Study Opening Government Data for AI Research

The Biden administration has launched an initiative aiming to make more government data available to artificial intelligence researchers, part of a broader push to keep the U.S. on the cutting edge of the crucial new technology. The National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Task Force, a group of 12 members from academia, government, and industry led by officials from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science Foundation, will draft a strategy for creating an AI research resource that could, in part, give researchers secure access to stores of anonymous data about Americans, from demographics to health and driving habits. They would also look to make available computing power to analyze the data, with the goal of allowing access to researchers across the country. (https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-launches-task-force-to-open-government-data-for-ai-research-11623344400)

Lawmakers Propose 5 Bills to Limit Tech Giants' Power

A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced five bills that would significantly lessen the influence and independence of the major tech companies by preventing them from covertly promoting their own products on their platforms, limiting their ability to buy up smaller rivals, and giving customers greater access and control over their personal data. If passed, the bills would represent the largest overhaul of monopolies law in decades. (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/11/technology/big-tech-antitrust-bills.html); (https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/11/amazon-apple-facebook-and-google-targeted-in-bipartisan-antitrust-reform-bills.html)

Biden Revokes & Replaces Trump Actions Targeting TikTok and WeChat

President Biden signed an executive order revoking actions targeting TikTok, WeChat, and other Chinese apps put forward by former President Trump. Instead, President Biden signed a new order requiring the Commerce Department to review apps with ties to "jurisdiction of foreign adversaries" that may pose national security risks. (https://techcrunch.com/2021/06/09/biden-revokes-and-replace-trump-actions-targeting-tiktok-and-wechat-report/)

TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Coding Bootcamps and 4-Year Colleges Have Nearly Identical Percentage of Alumni Employed at Big Five: Report

A new study from Switchup has analyzed the hiring rates of coding bootcamp graduates among the Big Five tech companies - Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Google and Amazon. The study examined the employment rates for alumni of 370 bootcamps either based in the US or offering remote learning options. It measured the bootcamps against computer science departments at eight colleges, finding that "coding bootcamps offered competitive employment results compared to computer science degrees from top universities, at around 10% of the cost." (https://www.zdnet.com/article/coding-bootcamps-and-4-year-colleges-have-nearly-identical-percentage-of-alumni-employed-at-big-five-report/)

As Offices Consider Hybrid Work, Can Warehouses Operate Remotely Too?

Driven by the proliferation of RFID tags and, in the future, blockchain, warehouses may not need as many people physically present in the facility anymore, even if the warehouses do not become fully autonomous. Supply chain and operations managers can gather data and insights, often in real time, about a warehouse even if they're not at the site. And advancing technology may allow some ground operations within the warehouse or at the loading dock to work remotely, too. (https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/remote-work-hybrid-warehouse-technology-forklifts/601230/)

Automotive Heading for Record Growth at CES 2022

The Consumer Technology Association announced the automotive sector is tracking for record growth at CES 2022: 175+ companies from the transportation and vehicle technology industry have committed for 2022, a 12% increase from CES 2020. (https://www.ces.tech/News/Press-Releases/CES-Press-Release.aspx?NodeID=1c4bc591-88dc-4bd3-b3c6-f9f62f32654e)

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