PROMISING OUTLOOKS FOR TECH

• Traveling for the Holidays? Google Maps Uncovers 'Hidden Gems' to Add to Your Route Now
• Waymo Robotaxis Ready for Anyone in L.A. Who Wants a Driverless Ride
• Health Systems Band Together to Test and Publicly Rank Top AI Models
• Global Cloud Spend to Surpass $700B in 2025 as Hybrid Adoption Spreads: Gartner
• Oxide Cloud Computer to be Installed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

GOVERNMENT & TECHNOLOGY

• Federal CIO Focused on Cyber, Smooth Transition to New Administration
• National Cyber Director Calls for Streamlined Security Regulations
• US Government Commission Pushes Manhattan Project-Style AI Initiative

Envision Financial Systems' Co-founder and CEO, Satnam Gambhir, was named the recipient of the 2024 Nicsa NOVA Lifetime Achievement Award. Additionally, Envision won the NOVA Award for Innovation in Technology, recognizing the company's advancements in automating alternative-investment processing. The Lifetime Achievement Award is bestowed upon industry leaders who have demonstrated extraordinary personal commitment and made significant, measurable contributions to the asset and wealth management industry throughout their careers. Satnam was unanimously selected by Nicsa's panel of judges for his pioneering work in investor recordkeeping, providing innovative technology solutions that enable asset and wealth management firms to rapidly adapt to industry changes through automation. The Industry Innovation in Technology Award is given to firms that develop cutting-edge technology solutions to enhance performance, reduce risk, improve efficiency, and elevate client service capabilities. (OC)

In Three Key Cybersecurity Gaps That Left Organizations Vulnerable in 2024, Alvaka discusses the top three areas this year where organizations were unprepared for cyberattacks: ineffective patch management, inadequate monitoring across complex infrastructures, and underdeveloped identity and access management (IAM) practices.
AND, in Understanding the Devastation: A Look Into Ransomware Attacks, Alvaka stresses that as these attacks grow in sophistication, understanding their reach and impact is not just advisable, but imperative for any organization.
Click here to read more Alvaka articles, including "Steps to Data Recovery Post-Ransomware" and "Best Practices for Ransomware Recovery." (LA)

In Berkus on How to increase your valuation by reducing risk, Dave says there are five principal risks to be addressed by the entrepreneur. Professional investors will probe these risk areas and make the decision to invest based upon comfort with each. So, it is important for the entrepreneur to identify, address and mitigate each of these in order to increase valuation and decrease the risk of ultimate loss of the business.
AND, in How much of my business do I have to give to an investor?, Dave says that if you're looking for growth capital, this is for you. He covers what information you'll be expected to provide, your range of expected values and amounts of investment to expect - all to help you set your expectations.
PLUS, in How will a buyer value your business?, Dave explores a number of methods to value your business. (LA)

In this 14-minute video, California LightWorks (CL) shows how Hippo Harvest is revolutionizing greenhouse farming with advanced robotics and custom LED lighting from CL. The LED fixtures, designed with a central driver to remove fragile electronics and excess heat from the grow space, have drastically reduced installation costs while optimizing plant growth. Paired with automated systems for watering, pest control, and harvesting, Hippo Harvest is setting new standards in sustainable agriculture - all while supplying fresh produce to Amazon Fresh. (LA)

Chris Dyer has recently written articles for Fast Company:
> Only 34% of workers are thriving: How leaders can help reverse the well-being crisis;
> Skills over degrees: The future of hiring and organizational growth;
PLUS, he contributed to: 15 budget-friendly ways to show customer appreciation all year.
AND, Chris has contributed to several recent Forbes articles:
> 20 Signs It's Time To Rethink A Business Project Or Initiative;
> 20 Reasons To Hire A Business Coach. (LA)

Eckert & Ziegler (EZ) has signed a collaboration and license agreement with the Australian-headquartered Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited for the use of EZ's cyclotron-based technology to produce Actinium-225. For EZ, the agreement is an important step towards establishing the company as a major supplier of Ac-225 for the radiopharmaceutical industry. Currently, Ac-225-based radiopharmaceuticals are under clinical investigation for treating various cancers, as its alpha emissions are highly effective at destroying cancer cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues. Due to its scarcity in nature, EZ's cyclotron-based Ac-225 is projected to be in high demand. (LA)

In a recent post, Jason Ciment, CEO of Get Visible, says that every time a new version of ChatGPT rolls out, he takes the opportunity to refine his company's elevator pitch. He asks that we read his latest and tell him what we think.
ALSO, Jason provides links to several promising business hacks:
> Turn ideas into presentations with AI.
> AI-based book recommendations.
> Create excel formulas with Chat GPT.
> An AI bookmarks manager. (LA)

GIDEON Informatics has shared a couple of recent success stories:
> Leveraging GIDEON for Research in Rodent-Borne Zoonotic Diseases - with Dr. Felicia Keesing, a David & Rosalie Rose Distinguished Professor of the Sciences, Mathematics, & Computing at Bard College.
> How a Leading UK Travel Clinic Boosts Safety with GIDEON - with Hannah Taylor, Founder & Company Director, Immunizations UK. (LA)

In this 3-minute video, an executive from myKaarma, which has offices in the U.S., Canada and India, travels to their office in Noida to prove that customer service knows no borders. It also features Randy Brobston, CIC Director of the Hall Automotive Division at the MileOne AutoGroup, and how he's worked closely with specialists throughout myKaarma, from CEO Ujj Nath to Customer Engagement Managers, to members of the team in India, to overcome obstacles, plan for the future and find the right path forward. (OC)

In Celebrating 15 Years of Optimum Info, OI reflects on its remarkable journey as it marks this anniversary.
AND, Volkswagen Canada Streamlines Field Operations with New Dealer CRM System details why the automotive company chose solutions from OI, which has helped them achieve significant improvements in their field operations. (OC)

On the evening of December 5, NuSci Nutrition Science Foundation will present a Virtual Health Workshop, in which John will share his nutrition journey after suffering a near-fatal cardiac arrest in 2009. John will relay the scientific information the attendees need to avoid heart disease and other leading killers, discuss strategies for change, and field questions. The virtual workshop is free, will include a gift book, and is open to you, your co-workers, friends, and family members. (LA)

A Toast Survey Finds How Restaurant Operators Feel About Using AI to Help Their Business, In its recent Voice of the Restaurant Industry Survey, Toast found that operators hope to implement AI in several ways, including optimizing menu performance, making recommendations for guests, benchmarking their business performance against their peers, optimizing pricing, and analyzing their business performance. (OC)

Marshall has been named to the 2025 AI Copilot Summit Programming Committee Board, part of the AI Copilot Summit NA, an AI-first event to define the opportunities, impact and outcomes possible with Microsoft Copilot for mid-market & enterprise companies. The event will take place March 17-19 in La Jolla, CA.
MEANWHILE, a recent episode of Marshall's and Joel Kotkin's podcast - Political Parties and Latino Economic Priorities - navigates the complex political landscape influenced by Latino voters, putting economic issues above immigration reform. It delves into the challenges faced by both political parties as they strive to align with Latino priorities amidst California's ethnic transformation. (OC)

iMediSync has announced that its iSyncMe is now available for purchase - the world's first EEG measurement and Neurotherapy convergence solution and a mental health care platform device capable of remote care.
AND, on December 4, iMediSync will sponsor another webinar - Neuroinflamation and Brain Health: A Deep Dive into QEEG, Photobiomodulation and Neurofeedback. (LA)

On November 21, Leech Tishman Nelson Hardiman (LTNH) will present a webinar - Social Media & Mobile Devices in the Workplace: HIPAA and Data Privacy Concerns. With the expansion of digital tools in healthcare, data privacy and security continue to be critical issues. Companies must ensure they maintain compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act and the California Privacy Rights Act, which have implications for employee and patient data handled by healthcare employers.
AND, LTNH continues to present webinars (live and replays) on labor and employment law concerns affecting the healthcare industry - click here to access them. (LA)

A new video highlights the multiple attributes of the Makani Science Respiratory Monitor, the world's first wearable continuous respiratory monitor that can measure the most important aspect of breathing. In the video, CEO Greg Buchert shares that the small, wireless monitor can be used for asthma, COPD, sleep apnea, other types of sleep disordered breathing, and more. (OC)

Healthcare IT News has featured MedWand in its recent article, Arizona agency's omnichannel approach to home health includes telehealth, RPM and MedWand. In the article, the CEO of MD Home Health explains why the organization has embraced a four-pronged, technology-infused style of home health - which includes utilization of MedWand - and how the approach should streamline delivery and improve patient outcomes. (OC)

Bob Rose, of Rose Strategic Partners, will be speaking on "The role of clinical-grade connected devices in Telehealth" at the TechBlick virtual conference: The Future of Healthtech RESHAPED 2024, on December 4-5, 2024. (LA)

In Utilizing WestFax's HIPAA-Compliant Cloud Fax for Interdepartmental Communication in Healthcare, WestFax discusses security and compliance, speed and quality, simultaneous faxing capabilities, real-world applications, best practices, and more.
Click here to read more articles from WestFax, including: The Role of Cloud Fax in Disaster Recovery Planning; Going Green in Healthcare: How Cloud Faxing Supports Sustainability; and The Role of Cloud Faxing in Healthcare Hybrid Work Models. (OC)

Given much of the Holiday Season is spent on the road, to help make the experience as easy as possible, Google has unveiled some new features for Google Maps. In the mobile app, users can discover "hidden gems" or interesting stops they would have otherwise missed while road-tripping, including local favorites, coffee shops, rest stops, restaurants, and more. To surface these hidden gems, enter your location as usual and tap the new "Add stops" button. You can select from one of the prepopulated options or type into the search bar anything you want to see or are looking for; Google will find you spots that are conveniently along your route. If you don't know exactly what you are looking for, scroll to the bottom of the screen. There, you will see local selections organized by topic, including restaurants, points of interest, and fast food. Another handy addition is a new search feature that allows you to search Google Maps for a specific product. Maps will then tell you which nearby stores have in stock so you can pick it up. (https://www.zdnet.com/article/traveling-for-the-holidays-google-maps-uncovers-hidden-gems-to-add-to-your-route-now/)

Waymo recently opened its robotaxi service to anyone who wants a ride around Los Angeles, marking another milestone in the evolution of self-driving car technology since the company began as a secret project at Google 15 years ago. The expansion comes eight months after Waymo began offering rides in L.A. to a limited group of passengers chosen from a waiting list that had ballooned to more than 300,000 people. Now, anyone with the Waymo One smartphone app will be able to request a ride around an 80-square-mile territory spanning the second largest U.S. city. Before deciding to compete against conventional ride-hailing pioneers Uber and Lyft in California, Waymo unleashed its robotaxis in Phoenix in 2020 and has been steadily extending the reach of its service there ever since. Waymo says it now transports more than 150,000 weekly trips in its robotaxis, a volume of business numbers that helped the company recently raise $5.6 billion from its corporate parent Alphabet and a list of other investors that included venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and financial management firm T. Rowe Price. (https://www.inc.com/associated-press/waymo-robotaxis-ready-for-anyone-in-l-a-who-wants-a-driverless-ride/91018299)

As Google, Amazon, Microsoft and OpenAI rapidly expand their suite of artificial intelligence offerings, healthcare providers say they don't know how to compare the efficacy of products or determine which tool might best meet their specific needs. A group of health systems, led by Boston-based Mass General Brigham, is hoping to solve that problem. Recently, the academic medical center launched the Healthcare AI Challenge Collaborative, which will allow participating clinicians to test the latest AI offerings in simulated clinical settings. Clinicians will pit models against each other in head-to-head competition and produce public rankings of the commercial tools by the end of the year. Participating health systems say that the chance to directly compare AI products is overdue. (https://www.ciodive.com/news/healthcare-AI-challenge-collaborative-mass-general-brigham/733011/)

Gartner expects end-user cloud spending to increase 21.5% globally to $723 billion in 2025, after reaching nearly $600 billion this year, according to a recent report. Spending on SaaS applications will approach $300 billion next year, up from just over $250 billion in 2024. Infrastructure and platform services, the second and third largest segments, are the fastest growing markets with expected year-over-year spending increases of 25% and 22% respectively. Enterprise AI adoption is helping to drive cloud growth: "The use of AI technologies in IT and business operations is unabatedly accelerating the role of cloud computing in supporting business operations and outcome," Sid Nag, VP analyst at Gartner, said in the report. (https://www.ciodive.com/news/cloud-spend-growth-forecast-2025-gartner/733401/)

Oxide Computer Company and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) are teaming up to bring on-premises cloud capabilities to the LLNL supercomputing center. The startup will deploy its rack-scale Oxide Cloud Computer at LLNL's high performance computing (HPC) center in Livermore, California, to enable Livermore Computing users to access virtualized services alongside HPC workloads. Users will be able to run typical HPC batch workloads for scientific simulations while also accessing cloud-like services such as databases, Jupyter notebooks, orchestration tools, and Kubernetes clusters while remaining secure and on-premises. "On-premises environments are the next frontier for cloud computing," said Steve Tuck, CEO at Oxide Computer Company. "LLNL is tackling some of the hardest and most important problems in science and technology, requiring advanced hardware, software, and cloud capabilities. We are thrilled to be working with their exceptional team to help advance those efforts, delivering an integrated system that meets their rigorous requirements for performance, efficiency, and security." (https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/oxide-cloud-computer-to-be-installed-at-lawrence-livermore-national-laboratory/)

As the White House gets ready to "pass the baton" to the incoming Trump administration, Federal CIO Clare Martorana said she is focused on cybersecurity issues and making sure her team does everything it can for their replacements to be set up for success. Over the remaining two months of the Biden administration, Martorana said in an interview with FedScoop that cyber is her top area of focus because "you need security, engineering, [and] competencies when you are contemplating the problem set in the solution you're trying to design." Martorana said the nation's data are its "crown jewels," and she's especially mindful about protecting health care and social security data. Before her departure, Martorana said she wants to make sure that cybersecurity is not a "bolt-on thing at the end" but instead is a core component of product development for American citizens. Ultimately, she's "really excited" about what's possible from a tech standpoint for the incoming administration. (https://fedscoop.com/federal-cio-focused-on-cyber-smooth-transition-in-months-ahead/)

The U.S. must take collective action to address "unacceptable" cybersecurity risks to the country, National Cyber Director Harry Coker Jr. said in a speech at Columbia University's Conference on Cyber Regulation and Harmonization in New York City. Coker called for federal authorities to work together with critical infrastructure providers, private sector companies and other stakeholders. Cybersecurity threats like the China state-linked Volt Typhoon present unacceptable risks to the U.S., Coker said, and more investments are required to build long term cyber resilience. As part of that strategy, companies need to ensure that cybersecurity is as much of a focus as quarterly profits. At the same time, Coker called for the government to streamline its regulations and harmonize compliance demands for the benefit of the private sector and critical infrastructure providers. This could allow CISOs and other security leaders to spend more time mitigating their own organizational cyber risk, he said.
            Federal agencies have begun rolling out sector-specific regulations to set minimum security standards and are trying to leverage the government's IT spending power to ensure widely used tools have security built into their product design. Their aim, among others, is to reduce the burden on under-resourced users. At the same time, Coker called for the government to streamline its regulations and harmonize compliance demands for the benefit of the private sector and critical infrastructure providers. This could allow CISOs and other security leaders to spend more time mitigating their own organizational cyber risk, he said. (https://www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/national-cyber-director-streamlined-regulations/732950/ )

A U.S. congressional commission has proposed a Manhattan Project-style initiative to fund the development of AI systems that will be as smart or smarter than humans, amid intensifying competition with China over advanced technologies. The bipartisan U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) stressed that public-private partnerships are key in advancing artificial general intelligence, but did not give any specific investment strategies as it released its annual report. The Manhattan Project was a large-scale collaboration between the U.S. government and the private sector during World War II that produced the first atomic bombs. Noting that energy infrastructure is a significant bottleneck for training large AI models, Jacob Helberg, a USCC commissioner, suggested that streamlining the permitting process for data centers might be an example of how a public-private partnership could accelerate AI development. ChatGPT maker OpenAI, which last week released a proposed blueprint for U.S. AI strategy, has also called for more government funding for artificial intelligence. (https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/us-government-commission-pushes-manhattan-project-style-ai-initiative-2024-11-19/)

Email: [email protected]