Digital Unicorn - Volume 1, Issue 2, Q3 2020 - Wildly inspired content! by Digital Unicorn

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 //// Q3 2020 //// DigitalUnicornMag.com

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WILDLY INSPIRED CONTENT FOR INNOVATORS, DREAMERS & IDEALISTS!

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WILDLY INSPIRED CONTENT FOR INNOVATORS, DREAMERS & IDEALISTS!

DIGITAL UNICORNÂ© VOL. 1, ISSUE 2 | Q3 2020 PUBLISHER & CEO

Stephen Skura, MBA Publisher@DigitalUnicornMag.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Christine G. Adamo Editor@DigitalUnicornMag.com CONTRIBUTORS

Manny Frishberg Karla Lant Vanessa Nidode John Sailors DESIGN

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Blair Stelle ILLUSTRATOR, COVER Luke Swinney ILUSTRATOR, PORTRAITS Baraschi-Ehrlich /////////////////////////////////

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CONTENTS

EDITOR’S LETTER

Inside Digital Unicorn

CHASING UNICORNS

Data, stats, trends & more—verified!

MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY IN TIMES OF DISTANCING Guest Essay By Jenni Levy, MD, FACH

NAKED PROSTHETICS The Digital Unicorn Interview By Steve Skura, MBA

A LEAP IN POWER

Quantum Computing vs. Supercomputing By John Sailors

UNDER THE INFLUENCE Grow a Following, Expand Your Reach By Karla Lant

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WINNING THE WORKPLACE WARS Be Profitable, Productive & People-Friendly By Vanessa Nirode

WHO FARMS & HOW IS THAT CHANGING? Ag Tech Thought Leaders at Grand Farm Seem to Know By Karla Lant

HOW TO RUN A NONPROFIT Tips for Surviving Into the Future By Christine G. Adamo

BE WILDLY INSPIRED Innovators, Dreamers & Idealists Meet FarmBot

PUBLISHER’S LETTER The Legendary Final Word

SEND IN THE BOTS Don’t Bother—Robotic Process Automation Is Here! By Manny Frishberg

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Inside Digital Unicorn

MY EARLIEST MEMORY OF interfacing with a robot involves watching reruns of “Lost in Space” on TV: the original, made-for-the-smallscreen series which was at least partly inspired by Johann Wyss’ 1812 novel “The Swiss Family Robinson” and aired 1965 to 1968. Too young to know about it? Think again: “Danger, Will Robinson!” (That was the rotund, nameless B-9 talking.) About the same time, again thanks to syndication, it was hard to ignore Rosie run circles around George, Judy and family (no doubt a glitch) on Hanna-Barbera Productions’ “The Jetsons.” Next in the lineup? Real people resuscitated via robotics. There was Lee Majors as “The Six Million Dollar Man,” aka the bionic man, beginning in 1973—the same year he and iconic hottie Farrah Fawcett married—followed 6 | DIGITAL UNICORN Q3 2020

by Lindsay Wagner in “The Bionic Woman” spinoff. All it took to blow them all away was the big screen: Enter R2-D2 and C-3PO. When “Star Wars” was released, I had just turned 10. That summer, while visiting rural Pennsylvania, we packed into a theatre alongside the townies to witness the hubbub. The only seats left? Front row. My brother and I sat side-by-side, heads titled way back, mesmerized. For years, we then imitated the duo. Given my stature, I was forever relegated to playing R2D2 to his C-3PO. Ahhh, the good old days. But were they? Hell, yeah! The fact that we were cosplaying before it was a thing is pretty cool. And the fact that we were actually playing together—a 10-year-old girl and her near 14-yearold brother sans the distraction of smartphones, text messaging or online gaming—made us super tight. To this day, Joe Cool is the raddest person on Earth and worth more than all technological advances known to man rolled into one. That doesn’t mean I’m not tech savy. Nor does it mean that I’m not staring at either a computer or cell phone screen seven-plus hours each day, including weekends. (Yeah, I work too much.) It doesn’t mean I

fail to appreciate the role technology plays in advancing our lives and our species, either. It means “I remember when …” and am willing to wax nostalgic about it. In this issue, you’ll meet experts from Allentown to Trondheim, Norway—pros who weigh in on everything from technology’s effects on the medical sector to myriad uses for and even a few drawbacks to robotic process automation and A.I. You’ll learn about Naked Prosthetics, RoboKiller, FarmBot and other cool innovations designed to pick up where humans leave off. You’ll learn, too, how all of it comes together to make things function seamlessly. You’ll even get a glimpse at how— amid the COVID-19 pandemic—some folks have begun utilizing technology to keep economies and industries moving. This, our second official issue of Digital Unicorn, lays it all out there and offers you a front row seat in a galaxy not so far away.

Still mesmerized,

Christine

CHRISTINE G. ADAMO Editor-in-Chief, Digital Unicorn Editor@DigitalUnicornMag.com

CONTRIBUTORS

MANNY FRISHBERG was born just south of NYC and studied writing and journalism in Portland, Oregon. His byline has appeared in regional and national publications for 40 years. A founding member of the Northwest Science Writers Assoc., he’s received four SPJ awards. For non-writers, that’s the Society of Prof’l. Journalists. He practices photography and writes science fiction in his spare time … going where “no Manny” has gone before!

KARLA LANT is a science and technology writer based in Arizona. This educator, researcher and fiend for knowledge holds a J.D. and numerous honors from Columbia Law School. She was also Administrative Editor for “Columbia Journal of Gender and Law.” Though we wonder where she finds it, in her spare time Karla enjoys gardening, vegan cooking and advancing the sustainable revolution. Southwest

Pacific Northwest

VANESSA NIRODE is a writer based in NYC. She writes for a variety of publications like: HuffPost, BBC Travel, “Fodor’s,” Refinery29 and “Threads.” In her spare time, Vanessa also works as a tailor and pattern maker for film and TV. She’s sew insanely talented that Digital Unicorn simply had to partner with her! New York

JOHN SAILORS has worked as a writer and an editor in the U.S. and Asia. His love for technology and words has led him to find numerous ways to combine both. As a tech reporter, he’s written extensively on how technology can change industries and lives. John’s currently based in the San Francisco and Silicon Valley area, a true technology hub. Vive la tech et les mots! Silicon Valley

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CHASING UNICORNS Data, stats, trends & more—verified! AS THEY AUTOMATE, WHO WINS? Jesse Pound for CNBC said 91 of the Fortune 500 “paid no federal taxes in 2018” due to an effective zero tax rate per presidential signing of 2017’s

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy shared said data in a study of 379 Fortune list firms, estimating the U.S. lost as much as $74 Billion in tax revenue.

2X 1987 TO 2017: MANUFACTURING OUTPUT NEARLY DOUBLED

OF U.S. JOBS ARE HIGHLY LIKELY TO BECOME AUTOMATED

(SOURCE: PEW RESEARCH CENTER)

JOB LOSS The U.S.’s lowest wage earners are at highest risk for automation-related job loss. If DU had to guess, the same applies worldwide. 8 | DIGITAL UNICORN Q3 2020

Hardest hit sectors: ■ Retail ■ Mining ■ Agriculture ■ Manufacturing ■ Transportation ■ Accommodation & Food Service

(SOURCE: CNBC)

Those at least risk: ■ Health Care ■ Education ■ Professional Services (SOURCE: BROOKINGS INSTITUTION | METROPOLITAN POLICY PROGRAM AT BROOKINGS)

50%

OF ALL ROBOTS USED TODAY ARE USED IN

auto manufacturing (SOURCE: LEAF GROUP LTD.)

# OF MFG. JOBS: … PEAKED AT 19.4 MILLION IN 1979

… DROPPED TO 17.6 MILLION IN 1987 … TOTALED 11.5 MILLION IN THE EARLY 2010S (SOURCE: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS)

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MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY IN TIMES OF DISTANCING BY JENNI LEVY, MD, FACH

EXPERT ICONS: GUILLERMO VALDES

I made a house call recently. We’re careful, these days, to avoid carrying anything infectious into the home. I wore full protective gear—gown, goggles, mask, two pairs of gloves—and carried in only the equipment I absolutely needed: blood pressure cuff, stethoscope and thermometer.

I sat with my patient and her son with nothing between us and nothing to divert my eyes but the two of them. Concern and anxiety registered in the son’s gaze as he described the change in his mother’s condition. I watched her cough and then noticed a small stockpile of medication and supplies nearby. I learned a great deal in the time I spent there; more than I would have a month ago, since I was now looking at my patient and not at my computer. Never did I think a computer would get in the way of my doctor/patient relationships. I thought it would solve some of the problems I first noticed when I was 19 and spent a summer working in my father’s medical practice. I did all sorts of odd jobs there. Plus, I had a special skill: I could read my father’s handwriting! (The office staff loved having me around.) Dad favored onionskin typing paper and high-end ballpoint pens. The notes I’d read in the hospital where I volunteered during high

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school were written on ruled paper and they were still often illegible. All of it was good training for my first month of residency—when I had to interpret the hematologist’s scrawled instructions for chemotherapy. When I opened my own practice, we were still using paper charts. I knew my handwriting bore an unfortunate resemblance to my dad’s, so I typed my notes in Microsoft Word, printed them out and filed them manually. “Searching” meant looking, page-by-page, for the information you needed. Pages fell out and disappeared. Despite rules requiring

desks, because no one had time to review them—the information useless. Hospital charts which fell and snapped open. Harried residents stuffing the papers back in, out of order and upside down. I thought electronic medical records would make my life easier and help me provide better care. Notes would be legible. Lab results would be available at the touch of a button, nifty graphs showing how they were trending over time. No waiting for the cardiologist’s letters to show up; instead, they’d ping on my desktop as soon as she’d

I never expected that a computer would literally come between me and the people I serve

charts to stay in the office, we all took them home when we were busy so that we could continue working after dinner. Sometimes? We then left them at home. On one occasion my car broke down and was towed to the garage along with two days’ worth of charts which sat on the backseat. There was no security. No privacy. No easy way to find lab results. Instead there were illegible notes, scrawled messages and phone numbers further blurred by coffee spills. Piles of unfiled lab results and correspondence teetering on

finished writing them. Automated reminders would ensure that I stayed up-to-date with screening tests and immunizations. Pharmacy records would be accessible, too; evidence of whether my patients were taking their medications. X-rays could be viewed from the comfort of my desk. It sounded great! Well, the future has arrived and sometimes it is great. We do get automated reminders about screenings and immunizations. We can view X-rays in a click. And those trend graphs are right there. I can

JENNI LEVY, MD, FACH, graduated from Princeton University and N.Y. Medical College. An internist and palliative care physician for Landmark Health, she provides in-home care for medically fragile patients. Dr. Levy educates others in relationshipcentered care as an Academy of Communication in Healthcare faculty member and past president. She has written for “The Annals of Internal Medicine,” “Pulse: Voices from the Heart of Medicine” and “Princeton Alumni Weekly.” She lives in Allentown with her husband and daughter, studies voice, sings in a choir and solves lots of crossword puzzles. DigitalUnicornMag.com | 11

look up pharmacy information for patients who are unable to tell me the names of any new pills they might be taking. Still, I never expected that a computer would literally come between me and the people I serve. I once had a piece of paper or a folder to reference, laying it flat on the table or resting it on my lap. Those chart details sat quietly as I talked with patients. They didn’t buzz to let me know I had a new note to review or that the “New England Journal” just released another study into COVID-19. Though I turn off alerts, I still If someone called, find myself glancing at a screen the office staff took during these encounters far a message and left more than I ever did the it on my desk in the paper versions. form of another silent piece of paper. Nothing pinged in my pocket. Though I turn off alerts, I still find myself glancing at a screen during these encounters far more than I ever did the paper versions. This is not the first time medical technology has distanced doctor and patient. Before Laennec began using a hollow wooden tube to get insight into human heart activity, a doctor would lay their head on a patient’s chest and put an ear up against the apex. Proper ladies were never adequately examined, therefore; no true gentleman would place his head on a lady’s breast. With a stethoscope, the physician could 12 | DIGITAL UNICORN Q3 2020

stand at a respectful distance and still hear the heart lub-dubbing away. It was a significant advance, however removed. In the last century, medical technology has exploded. My grandfather practiced from 1927 until 1980. He started off developing X-rays and doing blood counts using a microscope in his office. He had seen patients die of diphtheria, strep and polio. He was awestruck by and optimistic about the advances he witnessed. Antibiotics saved lives. CT scans allowed him to diagnose problems he had only previously been able to assess via palpations and inference. Ventilators helped patients survive rather than succumb to suffocating deaths. By the time I graduated med school, in 1986, we knew that antibiotics encouraged the growth of resistant organisms we could not treat. And that CT scans showed us so much that we might be prone to order unnecessary tests or operations. Ventilators themselves prolonged the dying process versus adding meaningful time to life. No technology is an unalloyed good, in other words—and the computer which is now my constant companion is no exception. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced me back into old habits. I hope I remember these lessons even after I am able to take my computer on the road again. ■

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NAKED PROSTHETICS The Digital Unicorn Interview BY STEVE SKURA, MBA

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ONE INNOVATIVE STARTUP Digital Unicorn has had its eyes on is Naked Prosthetics headquartered in Olympia, just outside of Seattle. As the magazine’s founder and publisher, it was exciting to talk with its CEO Bob Thompson and CTO K.T. Treadwell. Both shared insights into their business and the incredible impact their products have on customer lifestyle and well-being. In 2010, Thompson and Colin Macduff co-founded Naked Prosthetics as a labor of necessity. Macduff, an avid inventor who previously worked in bicycle manufacturing, had built a functional replacement of his own after losing a finger in a traumatic accident. Following many rounds of prototyping, design and material testing, the duo took their first-generation prototype into a meeting with the American Society of Hand Therapy. “Our first finger prosthesis was extremely popular,” recalled Thompson. “One hand therapist told us it was ‘the most interesting and important development’ they’d seen in 30 years.’” That touched off a years-long effort in engineering, R&D, marketing, education and awareness-building for a market segment which Thompson said barely existed at the time. Since 2017—after years of prototyping and testing—Naked Prosthetics has outfitted thousands of patients who have suffered varying degrees of finger and thumb loss by releasing a variety of articulating, body-driven prostheses such as its: Thumb Driver, MCP Driver and

IMAGE CREDIT: NAKED PROSTHETICS

GripLock Finger. Like their predecessor (the PIP Driver), all restore length, provide dexterity, replace missing joints and protect sensitive residua. Mechanical versus robotic, the company’s prostheses utilize features which have made routine tasks and passion projects accessible to amputees once again: grasping, holding, typing, writing, playing guitar, bow hunting and more. Each device is custom-designed and fabricated to within millimeters of a patient’s unique anatomy to successfully mimic complex finger motion. “The primary differentiator of our products,” Thompson explained, “is that they offer high-force output and can be used in harsh environments.” Not only do they allow wearers to perform ordinary tasks again; they are designed to withstand exposure to dirt, water, chemicals and rough treatment. Many can be used in combination with one another, offering the durability and flexibility required to successfully perform tasks at work, at home and, literally, in the field. “People often think of lower-extremity amputees when they think of amputation,” he added. “In comparison, finger loss seems minor—but the hand accounts for 90 percent of the function of an arm. The harsh reality is that a person can go from being an independent adult to not being able to button their shirt, bait a fishing hook or even feed themselves with the loss of a few fingers.

“Additionally, up to 75 percent of manual laborers with this injury cannot go back to their jobs. Our passion is serving this population, helping them achieve independence and practice skills they had before their loss.” Most of these injuries occur in the workplace but military veterans are also consumers of Naked Prosthetics, which works with Veterans Administration (VA) clinics and hospitals to provide prostheses for veterans with traumatic finger injuries.

“The harsh reality is that a person can go from being an independent adult to not being able to button their shirt, bait a fishing hook or even feed themselves with the loss of a few fingers.” – BOB THOMPSON (CEO, Naked Prosthetics) After analyzing emergency room data, OSHA reports and scientific literature, Naked Prosthetics estimated that there are 40,000 to 60,000 finger amputations per year in the U.S.—and that well over 1 Million people of working age nationwide have experienced traumatic finger loss. Based on the injury, prosthetic limbs can cost from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars each. That would put the value of this market, as a whole, at more than $10 Billion. More profound and transformative still is the impact

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40K-60K: Estimated number of yearly finger amputations in the U.S.

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pricing of visits, fittings, etc.—but that it is often easy to obtain insurance coverage. The uniqueness and success of Naked Prosthetics products made me wonder about its innovator status and aspirations. Thompson said: “We’re most passionate about serving the partial-hand community, which has been overlooked by technologists for too long.” From everything learned, it seems the firm is uniquely positioned to solve this healthcare issue. “The interest in providing prosthetic interventions for individuals with partial-hand amputation is growing,” Thompson said. “Given that there are many more folks impacted by this level of amputation than proximal loss (higher up the finger or hand), it represents a larger need. And technology is changing all the time. “In the last 10 years (alone), advances in manufacturing have opened entirely new solution spaces for difficult problems. Partialhand amputees are benefitting from this. It’s an exciting and competitive space to be in—with new innovations each year.” It takes bold companies with passion and the right ideas to create truly innovative products like these, often ahead of their time. Not every product in the world has dramatically improved people’s prospects and well-being. Those which have are welcome additions to the marketplace, which is why Digital Unicorn seeks out and celebrates the innovations of these industry leaders. Learn more at NPDevices.com. ■

STAT SOURCE: NAKED PROSTHETICS

these products have on patients’ daily lives. Prostheses can mean the difference between requiring assisted care (while being mostly confined to home) and regaining independence which allows individuals to get back to work and continue their hobbies. Thompson said a prescription is required for prosthetic equipment. His firm advises potential clients to meet with experienced certified prosthetists whom Naked Prosthetics sometimes makes referrals to because, as he said: “There are many considerations in a prosthetic intervention of this nature, including variations in clinical presentation, patient goals, skin health and appropriate technology. Meeting with a trained CP is the best way to achieve good outcomes.” He also noted that several factors affect

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BY JOHN SAILORS

A LEAP IN POWER Quantum Computing vs. Supercomputing IN THE PAST 20 YEARS, SUPERCOMPUTERS CONTINUED

to be used to conduct atomic research and maintain nuclear arsenals. Yet they are viewed, increasingly, as tools of industry with ties to aircraft design, drug discovery, climate research and more. These powerful machines solve problems which would otherwise take decades to resolve.

$1.2 Billion: what the U.S. committed to related R&D in 2018 18 | DIGITAL UNICORN Q3 2020

An even newer technology, quantum computing, will be able to solve problems that would otherwise be entirely unsolvable; at least, in a feasible timeframe. With QC in early-stage development, tech giants, venture firms and governments have begun pouring billions into related research efforts. The quantum race is on and has attracted all sorts of competitors: corporations like IBM and Google, nations like the U.S. and China. MAJOR & MINOR LEAGUE QC

In a video introduction to QC technology, Talia Gershon—senior manager for quantum research at IBM—noted that scientists are still

developing basic-level assembly languages. Still, when IBM and Google (the latter via its A.I. Quantum team) decided it was time to truly invest in QC, even non-tech companies got in on the game. This advanced technology is expected to transform numerous sectors and impact everyday human life so, apparently, no one wants to be left sitting on the sidelines. Everyone from Airbus to JP Morgan Chase & Co., Pfizer Inc. and Roche Holding AG have bet money on it, hinting at the range of applications being pursued: Aerospace – Design and simulation aimed at safety Communications – Faster, broader, securer networks Pharmaceuticals – Disease study plus both drug and vaccine discovery Artificial Intelligence – A.I.powered banking apps, search engines and behavior tracking apps (How else would streaming services like Netflix know what titles to recommend?)

QC may even become a major player in fighting off future pandemics. During the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis, scientists turned once again to supercomputers to understand the virus behind it and to search for solutions, including potential vaccines. IBM, for one, launched the COVID-19 High Performance Computing Consortium and harnessed the power of 16 supercomputing systems for researchers’ benefit. Those who teamed with IBM included its partners in education at MIT and elsewhere, as well as scientists from national laboratories like Lawrence Livermore, Los Alamos and Sandia. Employing thousands of processors, these machines— actually, “sites”—crunch amazing amounts of data using computing power which has helped researchers understand and begin to respond to coronavirus. Much faster quantum computers will likely speed up the world’s response to similar epidemics and pandemics in the future.

IMAGE CREDIT: IBM

A ‘QUBIT’ OF TERMINOLOGY

QC also utilizes something called entanglement. When you flip two coins, they are independent with no influence on one another. With entanglement, they wind up being linked so that if one comes up heads the other will, too. Sound confusing? Keep in mind that physicists themselves are still trying to understand these dynamics. One common analogy scientists use to explain QC is the solving of a maze. If a traditional computer tried to navigate a maze, it would explore every possible corridor one-by-one and turn back at every dead end. With superposition, a quantum computer can explore all paths at once. As for power, two bits on a regular computer can be in one of four states: 00, 01, 10 or 11. Because of superposition, a qubit can be in all four states at once. As more qubits are added, a

Below: Meet IBM’s Q. At CES 2020, in Las Vegas, IBM announced its Q Network count included more than 100 organizations across industries.

quantum computer’s power grows exponentially. Quantum computers also run on very different hardware, are often built to hang from a ceiling and are equipped with truly intense refrigeration systems (liquid helium serves as the coolant). A reliable gaming computer needs strong fans inside to keep its processor cool. Quantum computers, if they are to remain stable, must be kept far cooler. Those made by D-Wave Systems Inc., for example, have cores which operate at -460 deg. F (-273.3 deg. C). KEY PLAYERS IN QC TECHNOLOGY

Given the possibilities, companies large and small have ramped up their QC research efforts. So have governments, national laboratories and universities. Analysis conducted by the journal “Nature” found that, in the past five years, billions of dollars in investments have been announced by governments and tech firms. GOVERNMENTS: EAST VS. WEST?

Several nations have been pouring money into QC research with a

Traditional computers run on bits, represented as 1s or 0s. Quantum computers, on the other hand, use qubits, which can be represented by either 1, 0 or both. Picture a coin spinning: Once it lands, it is either heads or tails. While it remains spinning, however, it can be either—or both. This “both” state (superposition) allows for uncertainty, conditions unknown. DigitalUnicornMag.com | 19

particular rivalry growing between the U.S. and China. Elsa Kania, adjunct fellow at the Center for a New American Security, has said: “It’s clear that China is taking advantage of what it sees as a historic opportunity to not only catch up with but to leapfrog ahead of the United States.” To counter that, U.S. Congress passed the bipartisan National Quantum Initiative Act in 2018. President Trump then signed it into law. As a result, our government is committed to devoting $1.2 Billion to QC research and development over the next 10 years. The Center also reported that China has given its nationallysponsored scientists and engineers nearly unlimited resources to work with plus billions of dollars in funding. In his January 2018 New Year’s address, Xi Jinping—president of the People’s Republic of China since March 2013—underscored the technology’s strategic importance.

IBM and Google, yes, but also Intel Corp., Microsoft Corp. and the Chinabased multinationals Baidu Inc. and Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. Google made headlines last October when its researchers claimed to have made a breakthrough in “quantum supremacy,” solving a problem traditional computers could not. In 200 seconds (roughly 3.3 minutes), the Sycamore quantum computer developed by Google’s A.I. Quantum team completed a computation that would have taken the fastest supercomputers 10,000 years to sort out. Project details were captured in a report run in “Nature” authored by 77 scientists involved in the Google and University of California Santa Barbara joint venture. The announcement drew quick responses from competitors at Intel, etc. Researchers at IBM challenged the claim in a blog post, stating it would take a supercomputer with the right setup 2.5 days to solve

CORPORATIONS: U.S. & ABROAD

Tech giants tackling QC have included

Below: IBM Q computation center

the problem. Meanwhile, Intel Labs Managing Director Rich Uhlig, PhD, responded that practical uses for QC were years away: “The field is still at mile one of what will be a marathon toward quantum computing’s commercialization.” At the January consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, CES 2020, IBM announced the latest landmark in its own research: It had doubled the power of its Raleigh quantum computer. (IBM has routinely named its systems after cities.) The company’s stated goal is to develop QC systems it will then make available to an array of industries, deploying a strategy similar to the one it used to commercialize high-performance computing, aka supercomputing, technology. Afterward, Delta Air Lines Inc. announced it would be the first industry partner to join IBM’s Q Network hub on the North Carolina State University Raleigh campus. Delta and more than 100 other organizations work with IBM at various hubs to advance related

20 | DIGITAL UNICORN Q3 2020

SOURCES: IUCN, HWC, WWF

A reliable gaming computer needs strong fans inside to keep its processor cool. Quantum computers, if they are to remain stable, must be kept far cooler. initiatives—among them health insurance provider Anthem Inc. and financial services firms Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and also Wells Fargo & Co. Q Network research partners include Georgia Institute of Technology, Stanford University and Los Alamos National Laboratory. STARTUPS: VETERANS VS. ROOKIES

Substantial investments have also been poured into QC startups, some focused on particular applications and others focused on developing novel approaches for using the technology. In October 2019, “Nature” reported that at least 52 of them had received private funding since 2012. In 2017 and 2018 alone, quantum technology startups drew roughly $450 Million in investments. Several venture capital firms based in Silicon Valley—California’s tech hub—have invested already. Firms in other locations have also shown interest. Founded in 1999, D-Wave manufactures quantum computers and now operates globally, having outgrown its startup status. The

company said it raised more than $220 Million in funding in 2018 and that it has systems in use at: Lockheed Martin Corp, NASA Ames, Volkswagen, both Los Alamos and Oak Ridge National Laboratories, etc. Since its inception, D-Wave has been granted 160 U.S. patents. Much newer to the game is PsiQuantum, based in Palo Alto and founded in 2016 by a team of academics that includes CEO Jeremy O’Brien, PhD, honorary professor and director of the Centre for Quantum Photonics at University of Bristol (U.K.). The company’s vision is straight out of science fiction: To do computation using particles of light called photons. In reporting for SiliconAngle.com this April, Maria Deutscher noted that PsiQuantum had raised $215 Million in capital from several prominent investment sources, such as the Microsoft M12 venture fund: “(This) comes on top of a $230 Million round … raised last year, making it one of the most-well-funded startups in the quantum computing ecosystem.” Those funds are expected to get the company closer to completing

a commercial photonic quantum computer of at least 1 Million qubits. That exceeds any known goals of either IBM or Google and, while it may seem far-fetched, investors have found the prospect appealing. The resulting computer is expected to be conference-room sized and contain 100 to 300 error-corrected, taskprocessing qubits. “It’s worth noting,” added Deutscher, “that Microsoft (is) developing its own quantum computer using a different approach. Buying a stake in PsiQuantum allows the company to hedge its bets and double its chances of finding a path to commercial quantum computing.” The QC race remains a marathon, not a sprint. Useful quantum computers are years away from completion, though industry activity and investment show solid belief that the technology will live up to the hype—and that taking the quantum leap may change the world forever.■

EDITOR’S NOTE: What the qubit?! See “Quantum Computers: Tech Giants & Others Take the Leap,” also written by John Sailors, at DigitalUnicornMag.com.

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UNDER THE INFLUENCE Grow a Following, Expand Your Reach BY KARLA LANT

uccessful influencers have the power to affect the behaviors of a distinct niche following via their target audience and influence vector. The following tips and tricks are a guide for expanding both. In a related online story, Digital Unicorn spoke with Kasey Jones, founder of A Better Jones digital marketing agency and co-founder of “The Other Side of Sales” podcast. At the time, she explained how she grew a following on LinkedIn and beyond. The additional tips she and others shared were too good to not send to print; tips for upstarts looking to boost their own vectors of influence. Read on to learn what it takes to connect, lead the way, hone influencer instincts and optimize messaging to increase the chance of standing out in a crowded marketplace. 22 | DIGITAL UNICORN Q3 2020

STEP 1: CONNECT THE DOTS. No influencer is an island. Jones and other branding experts repeatedly pointed out that anyone who wants to succeed as an influencer needs to put in their time, doing what it takes to connect the dots. In a Brandwatch interview, lead conversion and social media specialist Lilach Bullock advised: “Don’t just broadcast; take the time to engage with your audience. Also, provide value and share a mixture of content (third party and your own) that spikes a conversation, educates and informs your audience.” Good advice, given Bullock—a Forbes Top 20 Women Social Media Power Influencers alum—has 101,300-plus Twitter followers. Her comments reinforced that connecting with top pros in a chosen niche (those third parties) increases market knowledge and leads to investing the right kind of time in building a brand online, as do these tips: Go IRL. Online networking is a start. At some

point, though, take that networking offline. Making connections, in real life, has the power to build authenticity and credibility in ways hours of online time will never replicate. Find a mentor. After choosing a niche, search for influencers in that circle who can serve as mentors. The best are focused on and eager to help others improve their skills, work smarter versus harder and expand their knowledge while increasing their visibility. Show up. Seek out, attend and participate in niche-specific events: conventions, masterminds (i.e., peer-to-peer brainstorming), seminars, etc. Show up even more authentically by hosting an online chat or “Ask Me Anything” Q&A for followers, sharing insights on a topic of expertise. “My in-person relationships with people have deepened because of social media conversations,” Jones explained, “and our circles have combined to help one another. You have to be willing to take it offline. Get in those conversations. Direct message. Get on a Zoom call or video conference call with someone. Meet up for coffee in person. Whatever it is, be willing to take it to the next step.” STEP 2: THINK LIKE A LEADER. In “6 Tips for Influencer Marketing—from

an Influencer,” posted by Content Marketing Institute, L. Williams said that forging ties with other influencers matters, but going deeper and creating better content can be an even better use of time. Beyond connections, real influencers have done more for their brands by finding new ways to grow as thought leaders. “Top influencers have earned that moniker because, well, (they’re) influential,” wrote Williams. “Influential people aren’t the ones doing the same thing as everyone else— they’re the trendsetters; they’re the ones doing something differently that others find interesting and worth following.” Jones recommended pitching creative topic ideas to podcast hosts who often struggle to find guests: “Pitching to industry podcasts is a really phenomenal way to talk about yourself and the work you do. Then you have that great content that you can share on social and your blog, and you can use that in a pitch email to other podcasts with bigger followings.” A venue for the sharing of valuable expertise? Check! Increased exposure? Added bonus! In addition, be sure to: Invest. Failing at basics has undermined even the best content, so quality equipment is key to creating high-end content. The idea is not to

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spend a lot of money or hire a team but to ensure that videos, for example, are well-lit. Research. Influencers are known to share authoritative but informative content. Do enough initial research to ensure that any deep-dive content will satisfy other influencers. Read industry books and articles. Follow relevant blogs and podcasts. Stay current. Say it! Thought leadership, name recognition and influence all relate back to sharing a unique viewpoint. So, although research does add value, never shy away from sharing strong opinions. Otherwise what remains is just a rehashing of old news people have already heard. “Of all I’ve done on social media,” said Jones, “sometimes it’s the stuff that I’ve thought about the least that has performed the best. It’s the things where I get really fired up on a topic that do really well.” STEP 3: HONE YOUR INSTINCTS. Now, unless it happens to be on-brand, randomly posting whatever comes to mind can be a losing battle. Time spent getting to really know the market and marketplace is beneficial, helping the Average Joe or Jada develop influencer instincts over time. That may sound natural enough but humans often ignore instinctive impulses, so this requires effort. In writing about engagement for Sprout Social,

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Alex York called for an overarching focus on brand voice since mastery of brand identity helps influencers instinctively react on cue. As he said, “when businesses develop and stick to a brand voice, social media interactions suddenly get easier.” A clearly communicated brand voice and vision also results in clear messaging. This is how true influencers—people who gain traction by knowing, anticipating and responding to other people’s feelings about a niche topic they are passionate about—sustain success and carve out distinct spaces for themselves. They develop their instincts further by taking risks, weighing in on topics or saying things others are too scared to. They also make time to: Brainstorm. Influencer marketing specialist Tom Ward suggested conducting brainstorming sessions to keep new, fresh ideas churning. Pay attention to what pops up again and again, figuring out what makes them sticky and pursuing those leads. Practice. Similarly, York said reinforcing a brand’s beliefs gives its fans a clear idea of what it stands for and does the same for those within the brand. Being consistent ensures that instinctbased activity increasingly aligns with brand voice. Assess. Influencers who engage in postmortem reflection react best. After following their instincts, they assess the results. They analyze feedback, comments and engagement to figure

A clear brand VOICE and VISION results in clear messaging. out: Was the outcome good, bad, indifferent or unusual? What can we do with that info? Learn. Assessing instinctual performance leads to learning. Influencers who identify times when their instincts were right capitalize on similar opportunities. Hit or miss, lessons were learned. Use them to do less of what failed and more of what worked. If missing the target seems to be a habit, study what others do well and follow their lead. Placing value on instinct is not the same as abandoning a content plan or ignoring performance metrics. Use those tools to strengthen intuition about what matters to current and future followers until one day instinct is baked into the process. STEP 4: OPTIMIZE. In “How to Use SEO to Build Your Brand,” author and entrepreneur Neil Patel said influencer marketing works because it is inbound, not interruptive—which makes optimization critical. Patel added that, for any business, the “user experience will be formed around how your users feel about you” and related brand content based on whether they find it: useful, usable, desirable, findable, valuable, accessible and credible. There are several best practices for optimizing influencer platforms and personal branding strategies. Here are a few examples: Build a killer profile. Maintain completed social media profiles which include high-res photos, relevant keywords and key links. As Jones said: “Really painting a picture of who you are and why you do what you do … can yield huge

benefits. When you write your LinkedIn profile, put yourself out there.” Track engagement. Know how comments, likes, status updates and shares compare to follower count. Track which posts worked best and figure out what they had in common. Post profiles on multiple platforms and see which are the most niche-specific. LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter may be the big four—but go with whatever offers vertical traction. Be systematic. Smart influencers run comparative A/B tests to confirm what worked and will continue to work with their audiences. It can be tempting to throw everything at the digital wall and hope something sticks. But a systematic approach always yields better results. Cross-promote. At Tricky Enough, tech and marketing writer Tiffany Harper noted that once the right message and messaging channel are established the time has come to cross-promote content that succeeded. Keep content repurposing in mind, too, rather than reinvent the wheel. The goal is get others genuinely psyched to Like, Follow, Connect, etc. The best way to do that, said Jones, is to be authentic rather than try to be an Influencer: “People can tell when you’re being really, authentically you and when you’re not. So, you might as well just go for broke ….” In other words, keep trying. ■

EDITOR’S NOTE: Try, try again! Read “Who’s Following Who? Upping Your Influencer Status,” also written by Karla Lant, at DigitalUnicornMag.com.

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SEND in the BOTS Don’t Bother— Robotic Process Automation Is Here! BY MANNY FRISHBERG

HEN IBM’S WATSON supercomputer defeated the two best players the TV trivia contest “Jeopardy!” has ever seen, competitor Ken Jennings responded: “I, for one, welcome our new computer overlords.” Clearly, people have grown used to automated voices which follow scripts; the kind that take hotel reservations by phone and serve up turn-by-turn directions in

26 | DIGITAL UNICORN Q2 Q3 2020

the car. But, for “Jeopardy,” Watson’s programmers had to ensure the computer could make sense of questions written the way people actually talk. Increasingly, artificial intelligence functions a la naturallanguage processing (which Watson did so well) and machine learning are heralding a new generation of robotic process automation—which promises

STAT SOURCE: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR & STATISTICS

to change the nature of white-collar office jobs the way industrial robots changed manufacturing. Factory Floor to Office Cubicle Fifty years ago, building a car on an assembly line was both dangerous and tedious; hard physical labor. Most of those jobs have been taken over by multi-jointed machines, while human workers engage in tasks which are complex and engaging: installing, operating and maintaining robotic production lines for example. Too bad there are fewer of those to go around. Between 1980 and 1990, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found, jobs in auto manufacturing went from employing 1.1 Million workers to 85,000. The trend continued into the 21st Century, with numbers in Michigan—where most auto jobs were located—dropping two-thirds, from roughly 102,000 to 34,900, between 1990 and 2010. A similar trend took hold in office settings. Switchboard operators and answering services went the way of adding machines and typewriters. Likewise, a need to learn shorthand was supplanted first by dictation machines and then by speech-to-text programs. The goal, as explained by technology evangelists, was not to replace human employees but to free them up to do more creative work which, at present, machines cannot. Writing for Process Excellence Network, Daniel Senter (head of planning and performance

for National Grid, a U.K.-based gas and electric power supply network) described robotic process automation—or RPA—as a condition in which software-based virtual machines are used to automate repetitive tasks amendable to simple, step-by-step, if/then rules. Automation: White Collar Win/Win? Bringing automation to office environments need not mean human

102,000 versus

34,900 NUMBER OF AUTO JOBS IN MICHIGAN 1990 VS. 2010

workers are replaced with virtual ones. The idea is to identify and remove routine, repetitive elements of a task (i.e., inputting data on a keyboard) to then free up the human operator to focus on aspects of that job which require judgment and situational understanding. “The broader social effects of such automation, I believe,” Asbjorn Folstad told Digital Unicorn, “will be more positive than negative. I believe that we will see a transition to a workplace where people learn to utilize intelligent machinery, both conversational and screen-based, to become more productive and less prone to routine work—which will be good both at the level of the individual and at the societal level.” A human/computer interface expert, Folstad, is a senior researcher at SINTEF foundation for industrial and technical research in Norway. His hunch may be right, given strides in automation made by the Reedy Creek

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Fire Dept. near Orlando. When a 9-1-1 call comes in, a human operator answers and decides how it will be handled. He or she then hands off dispatch of fire trucks, ambulances and other resources to a robotic system which also logs an incident record. Systems like these have relieved the tedium of: filling out forms, compiling data, updating stats, invoicing and more. They do so more quickly and accurately than their human counterparts. In the case of Reedy Creek, they also allow first responders to arrive on the scene more rapidly. Amit Prasad, founder of SatNav Technologies, has cited several benefits of implementing an office automation strategy. For example,

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actions performed by bots are easier to audit than actions performed by human beings. Four additional benefits are summarized below. Freeing office staff from routine tasks can increase productivity and demand for skilled work which requires critical and creative thinking not easily automated. Companies then benefit from improvements in morale, employee satisfaction and employee retention. Those improvements have been associated, directly and indirectly, with increased customer satisfaction. Intelligent automation (not to be confused with A.I.) tools offer a clearer view into processes: What works, what does not, where bottlenecks exist. Shortcomings can then be tracked and corrected.

In writing for Medium.com, Kamila Hankiewicz explained that, according to the man who coined the term (it was John McCarthy), A.I. is the â&#x20AC;&#x153;science and engineering of making intelligent machinesâ&#x20AC;? and software capable of mimicking human action and intellect. Whereas, bound by programming and rules, I.A. (i.e., sensors, control systems, mechanical labor) may or may not be based in A.I. Chatbots to the Rescue Business Fibre, a U.K. firm that follows broadband and phone industry trends, found that people in the U.S. and elsewhere spend more than 6.5 hours per day on the internet using a variety of devices. (They reported one hour less for those in the U.K.) Typically, that time is eaten up by one-way transactions involving: email, messaging, scrolling, research and the like. Increasingly, digital assistants and chatbots imbued with A.I. capabilities are changing that by turning a greater number of human/screen interactions into two-way conversations. Chatbots are one example of A.I. combined with RPA, whether they take the form of automated reservation clerks on hotel websites or voice-prompt bots which guide callers to customer service agents. Such bots have been designed to utilize machine learning and natural-language processing tools to handle simple requests. Problems and processes which have not yet

BY MANNY FRISHBERG

RoboKiller App Review SPOOF TELEMARKETERS, SCAMMERS & ROBOCALLERS

lent themselves to being wholly automated benefit from a hybrid approach: the bot handles routine aspects, the human contributes creative or critical thought. Whatever the human impact, artificial colleagues amount to big business. Headquartered in India, the B2B research firm Markets and Markets projected that the global

call. By Hiya estimates, more than 26 Billion robocalls were placed in the U.S. in 2018. Wireless carriers have offered solutions but those who find them wanting find no shortage of third-party apps and solutions, both free and paid. Apps have done a number of useful things to filter out and reduce unwanted solicitations: blacklist offending numbers, report scammers to

regulatory agencies and so on. But search “robocall blocker” and one of the first names to pop up is RoboKiller. At about $4 a month (iOS or Android), the app has equipped users to respond to problems like Sharon with a sense of humor. Thanks to Answer Bots, the phone never rings. Instead, a choice of pre-recorded audio files trick offenders into thinking they reached a human

chatbot market will more than triple in size over a five-year period, growing in value to $9.4 Billion by 2024 when compared to $2.6 Billion in 2019. Advances in A.I.—from machine learning and computer vision to voice recognition and natural-language processing—have made it possible for systems to: Identify what human users are asking for, search for it and

26+

Billion: Robocalls placed in the U.S. in 2018 being. Sweet revenge! As one reviewer wrote of the 4.6-star rated app, results “range from mildly annoying to hilarious.” Spoof unwanted calls with a free trial. See how it goes. At RoboKiller.com. ▼

SOURCE: HIYA ROBOCALL RADAR REPORT

EVEN A NUMBER listed on the National Do Not Call Registry may still hear from “Sharon” or another automated voice selling or soliciting something. At times, they deliver grammatically tortured “final warnings” from— Microsoft? The IRS? (Uh, no.) Scammers have evaded Caller ID and call blocking using counterfeit, spoofed numbers and locations that change with each

return answers in plain English (and other languages). As A.I. algorithms are incorporated into chatbots or digital assistants and people become more familiar and relaxed interacting with them, how the two relate will inevitably change. The Q&A process will more and more resemble human interface. Advances in natural-language

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interactions have already become an option for connecting machine agents and humans around the world, especially in developing nations where eMarketer said access to smartphones outstrips that of laptop or desktop computers. The Pew Research Center found that, in those countries, social networks have become more popular than in Europe and North America. At the same time, bots have moved headlong into the social networking space. Twitter welcomed machine agents during the 2016 U.S. presidential election. A First Monday internet research study estimated that 20 percent or more of all related tweets which included notable, election-specific hashtags were tweeted by machine agents. Folstad expects bots to have a more prominent role in how people use computers, talking as much as typing, pointing and clicking: “In a five- to 10-year timeframe, we will

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“In a five- to 10-year timeframe, we will see intelligent systems and devices introduced more in all kinds of white-collar work.” – Asbjorn Folstad (Senior Researcher at SINTEF)

see intelligent systems and devices introduced more in all kinds of whitecollar work. Much intelligent support will likely continue to be administered through graphical user interfaces and screen devices. I believe there will be increased room, also, for conversational user interfaces in white-collar work.” For that to happen, he said, those like himself who have been designing for the way people interact with computers will have to take a new approach to those interactions. Until now, their focus has been primarily on designing visual representations of the information and processes users might want to access. In the

future, they will need to design for conversation. Instead of the design explaining where to go or what to do, it will be tasked with interpretation: understanding what users need and how to best respond. Folstad speculated that people may also begin to adapt their speech patterns to suit “smart” robot assistants which are otherwise easily confused by the way humans phrase things. It could be that the more RPA changes the more it will change us. ■ EDITOR’S NOTE: Into RPA? Read “A Bot Can’t Do My Job! Could This Be Written by a Machine?” (also by Manny Frishberg) at DigitalUnicornMag.com.

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WINNING THE WORKPLACE WARS

Be Profitable, Productive & People-Friendly BY VANESSA NIRODE

The future of work may very well be dominated by artificial intelligences and technological automation. “Research suggests,” said Daiga Kamerade, PhD, a senior lecturer in quantitative research methods in sociology/criminology for the University of Salford (Manchester, England), “that anywhere between 9 and 47 percent of jobs in developed countries could end up being performed by computers, not people.” What does this mean for employee engagement and productivity? Will people thrive or shrink within this environment? Will this ultimately be viewed as a positive that benefits employees and employers? What could fewer hours spent working mean emotionally, psychologically and economically? The answers could be surprising.

Just 8 Hrs. Kamerade co-authored “A Shorter Working Week for Everyone: How

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Much Paid Work Is Needed for Mental Health and Well-Being?” as published by the “Social Science & Medicine” journal in November 2019. She and her colleagues researched what happens when people have too little work or are unemployed. Since many feel their identities are tied up in their careers, as the researchers stated, a loss of work can result in depression and other mental illnesses. What Kamerade found was that just staying busy eight hours per week provided most people with the health benefits of paid work. “Our findings suggest,” Kamerade told Digital Unicorn, “that the ‘normal’ full-time working week could be reduced to a smaller number of working hours for everyone without detrimental effect to the workers’ mental health and well-being. This is particularly important now when, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many

workers are at the risk of losing their jobs.” Or have, in fact, lost them. Kamerade said experiments introducing a four-day workload showed that job productivity could be increased despite clocking a shorter week. Workers seemed to get done the same amount of work in four days as five. Kamerade speculated this was possibly due, among other reasons, to higher energy levels and improved organization. Another positive effect is increased environmental sustainability—a result of less time spent commuting and more “free” time spent walking or cycling between destinations. In 2018, the New Zealand-based estate, will and trust planning firm Perpetual Guardian implemented a four-day week trial for its 240 staff members. The trial was followed, studied and monitored by researchers and academics. At its conclusion, it was declared a success: 78 percent of employees reported less stress. By being able to effecitvely manage both work and life commitments, they focused more on task completion while at work. They did this knowing they had ample time outside of work to address personal obligations.

well-being and health as one way to increase productivity and loyalty. Why does the approach work? In general, people like to feel both needed and respected. They want to know that they are important; that their work is not meaningless. One of the most interesting analyses of this concept was profiled in a September 2018 episode of the NPR podcast “Hidden Brain.” Show host Shankar Vedantam talked with anthropologist David Graeber about how “meaningless” jobs tended to affect people who did them. Graeber told Vedantam he had no idea his article “On the Phenomenon of Bullshit Jobs: A Work Rant” would elicit so much interest and commiseration from working professionals. He received emails from people confessing that if their jobs ceased to exist no one would notice and that they did not, in fact, do much

of anything while at work. The problem with meaningless work, Graeber argued, was that people felt ineffectual and unimportant. This resulted in a feeling of “scriptlessness” which led to decreased motivation. “We all need a sense of self,” Graeber said. “We want to be able to affect the world.” Two ways to achieve that might be to foster autonomy and loyalty in the workplace.

A Case for Autonomy Author of “The Best Place to Work” Ron Friendman told Emma Plumb of WorkFlexibility.org: “We have decades of studies showing that people are happier, healthier and more productive when they feel autonomous … because autonomy is a basic psychological need. The more autonomous we feel, the more likely we are to be engaged.” Kamerade spoke of a yet

Everyone Matters Recent business trends have increasingly pointed toward promoting employees’ mental

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unpublished study she conducted with colleagues for which they spoke to people who chose to work fewer hours for reasons other than a lack of childcare options: “An overarching theme in the interviews was the idea that full-time work leads to a loss of autonomy and a reduction in hours is a route to greater freedom.” Knowing this, how can CEOs and other leaders structure peoplefriendly policies and spaces?

Speaking of Loyalty

of 4-day workers reported LESS STRESS

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Doug Conant has been quoted as saying: “To win in the marketplace, you must first win in the workplace.” Yet, how? Via the Conant Leadership group he founded in 2011, the former president and CEO of Campbell’s Soup Co. created a model that offered a guide to achieving optimal loyalty and performance. Its main points, summed up, are: ■ Define expectations. ■ Celebrate achievements. ■ Honor and respect others. ■ Allow for growth potential. ■ Value perspectives and needs. ■ Estabalish and pursue a shared guiding purpose. ■ Earn trust as an accountable workplace role model. ■ Create direction via an aspirational, doable action plan. ■ Align resources (human, etc.) to company mission and goals.

Leaders serious about loyalty should focus on each of these, constantly monitoring and tracking progress in all areas.

Everyone Wins Winning the workplace wars is easier with buy-in from engaged employees. West Monroe Partners, a business consulting and research firm, echoed Conant’s advice in a 2018 white paper titled “Winning in the Marketplace Starts with Winning in the Workplace.” Its authors, Eric Freshour and Paul Hagen, wrote that competing in a fast-changing marketplace requires “understanding that engaged employees are key to achieving success.” Engaged employees have developed an emotional commitment to the organization, meaning that “rather than just doing enough to get by” they go above and beyond. In their report, Freshour and Hagen outlined three steps for cultivating employee engagement. Each one is summarized here. Listen to employees frequently, provide a higher purpose, or “North Star,” to guide all employees and engage in role model behavior. Southwest Airlines CEO and chairman Gary C. Kelly is known to fly coach— no upgrades, no special treatment. At best, the majority of U.S. companies are said to solicit feedback from their employees once a year. Freshour and Hagen suggested

aiming for real-time engagement and feedback using digital tools by Qualtrics, Medallia, Confirmit or TINYPulse. Yet, why bother? Because firms investing the most in employee experience exhibited four times greater profit per employee. A few simple, successful enhancements to the employee experience among those firms included:

tech engineering is the tendency to automate wherever possible, while leaving humans to fill the gaps.” People-friendly workplaces demonstrate that everyone matters and everyone wins by putting the tactics outlined above to work. Other concrete steps offer tangible results for employers willing to circulate profits for the greater good, by investing in:

STAT SOURCE: PERPETUAL GUARDIAN

■ Map overall experience. ■ Track birthdays, marriages, etc. ■ Ditch practices which in any way slow down the workflow. ■ Engage employees in creative and prototype processes. Since there is no escaping technology, savvy employers have also overcome struggles related to launching digital initiatives efficiently. Freshour and Hagan offered this solution: “Design for humans instead of forcing them to adapt; technology should complement people’s strengths. A persistent pitfall in

■ Green space ■ Standing desks ■ Ergonomic furniture ■ Natural/optimal lighting ■ Healthy on-site food options ■ Chances to engage with nature ■ Break areas, quiet zones and wellness areas

… competing in a fast-changing marketplace requires “understanding that engaged employees are key to achieving success.” – ERIC FRESHOUR & PAUL HAGEN

(for West Monroe Partners)

Achieving a culture that is viable, profitable and people-centered requires, likely first and foremost, remembering to put people—your people—at the center of the equation. ■

EDITOR’S NOTE: Still hungry? Dig into “New Decade, New Rules? Lunch Breaks, Sabbaticals & More,” also written by Vanessa Nirode, at DigitalUnicornMag.com.

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WHO FARMS HOW IS THAT CHANGING?

Ag Tech Thought Leaders at Grand Farm Seem to Know

his mind’s eye, Brian J. Carroll envisioned the future packed into a world’s fair—a place where people glimpse the farms of tomorrow and even shape them. He and others share this vision, having grown it into an agricultural technology think tank. Carroll is director of the Grand Farm division of Emerging Prairie, a 501(c)(3) focused on economic development. “Our mission is to connect entrepreneurs,” he told Digital Unicorn of the nonprofit and its three divisions: The Grand Farm, The Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and Emerging Digital Academy. “Our

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vision is to improve the human condition.” Emerging Prairie has connected entrepreneurs to food ecosystems in the Fargo-Moorhead region with programs like its Cultivate conference, Possibility Symposium, Prairie Capital Summit and 1 Million Cups Fargo technology event. That last one is where the idea for Grand Farm was hatched. “Local entrepreneur Barry Batcheller asked: ‘If we were to declare our major to the world, what would that be?’ We all landed on Ag Tech, so we convened industry leaders to ask: ‘What would it take for us to build a fully-autonomous farm?’” Grand Farm 1.0 had roots.

BY KARLA LANT

FULLY-AUTONOMOUS FARMING

Locals Kevin and Stacy Biffert, respectively Fargo Automation founder and Eli Lilly & Co. executive sales rep, donated 40 acres of their own farmland to help launch the initiative. The Grand Farm team then mapped out major pain points for Midwest farmers to identify five key focus areas: efficiency, skills gaps, capital, safety and demographics. World Bank has noted that the world community will need to feed 2 Billion additional people by 2050. The U.N. Food & Agriculture Organization added that traditional farming methods cannot meet the demand efficiently. Agriculture production and career readiness must be ramped up.

“There are going to be huge potential disruptions in technology,” said Carroll. “(People will need) STEM backgrounds (and that’s causing) a workforce gap. Most open agricultural jobs are now leaning more toward technology. We have to bring together more people with farming and technology backgrounds in order to develop solutions that fill those growing gaps.” Attracting venture capital for Midwest ag-tech startups and other agricultural businesses has been a challenge, as well. In addition, the CDC identified agriculture as among the most hazardous industries: Farm workers are at above-average risk for transportation fatalities, pesticide exposure, hearing loss, musculoskeletal disorders and other health concerns.

Below: The Grand Farm test site is envisioned as a destination that lays the future of farming out on display.

“We have great startup companies,” Carroll also pointed out, “but in order (to get funded) they have to go elsewhere. We have to bring venture capital into this region—while addressing safety. There are so many farm accidents. Across all industries, agriculture ranks (high) in terms of safety issues.” The USDA noted that farms are getting larger. From 2001 to 2011, the number of acres farmed in the very small category (99 acres or less) stayed at 8.4 percent. The number of acres farmed by those in the middle—100 to 499 and 500 to 1,999—fell by 5.5 and 4.7 percent. Consolidation meant that land went to farms of 2,000-plus acres. By 2017, average farm size was 441 acres. Demographically, the USDA’s 2017 Census of Agriculture found fewer young Americans fill agricultural roles. Among farm workers: more than 2,000,000 are aged 55 or older, roughly 600,000

are 45 to 54, just shy of 400,000 are 35 to 44 and less than 300,000 are 34 or younger. The trend is clear and Grand Farm hoped to reverse it by bridging technology and farming. “In Fargo,” Carroll noted, “Bushel provides backend solutions for software and accounting tools used by grain companies and growers. Their team employs many software developers—and most of them come from a farming background.” Those kernels of intuitive expertise could lead to smarter ag-tech solutions. FIVE PARALLEL PILLARS

Alongside its five focus areas, the Grand Farm team identified five parallel pillars: a world-class ecosystem, an innovation platform, an agriculture makerspace, accelerated learning and policy and governance. “We need to be able to bring the best of the best in ag tech together so we are able to learn from each

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Right: Grand Farm’s future farm prototype is expected to be fully functional by 2025.

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can be a part of that technology stack in order to get there.” When it comes to accelerated learning, both USDA and Purdue University research have borne out Grand Farm’s assessment: The skills gap in agriculture has widened. To meet the upskill challenge, its team explored creative application of science, math, artificial intelligence and more. Learning has also been factored into policy and governance issues. “Emerging Digital Academy now has 13 students going through a 20-plus week program to become software developers (focused on) agricultural applications and businesses. (In addition), in an autonomous world there will be legislation, regulations—all those things needed to create a safe environment. The Grand Farm Test Site serves as a test case for that issue.” Life there is evolving.

CULTIVATING NEW OUTLOOKS

To show how its concepts are applied, Grand Farm has conducted roughly 20 research and demonstration projects regionally and nationally. Based on a seedto-harvest concept, those learning activities are broken into five major themes: ■ Technology ■ Data Visualization & Use ■ Future Farm Infrastructure ■ Autonomous Systems/Robotics ■ Soil Health: Understanding Fertilizer Each is intended to answer: ■ What is the farm of the future? ■ What does or should the future farm look like? ■ What are its infrastructure needs? ■ What do its buildings look like and do? ILLUSTRATIONS & PHOTO COURTESY OF EMERGING PRAIRIE

other,” Carroll said of ecosystem needs. The nonprofit has rolled out its programming with help from local, regional and national partners (i.e., CHS Inc., Field of View, North Dakota State University, USDA). In 2019, Microsoft accelerated the momentum with a promise of $1.5 Million over a three-year period and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture George Ervin “Sonny” Perdue, III, attended a ceremonial ribbon cutting for Grand Farm’s Test Site. When it comes to innovation, Grand Farm has encouraged researchers, startups and venture capitalists to partner up. Carroll described their collaboration as a Venn diagram: “They all come together to bring capital to those different endeavors.” The Test Site itself was designed to be a natural makerspace—a physical location that nurtures collaboration, prototyping, grower feedback and future technology. “Our first thought was, ‘We need to have a place that can inspire people almost like the Epcot Center in Florida,’” he explained. “It was the experimental community of tomorrow. We want people to come and think about what the farms of the future will look like and how they

“Here you get a taste of what the farms of the future might look like, but anywhere: North America, Africa, India, …, indoor farming, vertical farming, even farming on the moon.” – BRIAN J. CARROLL Director (Grand Farm)

The march toward autonomous farms may suggest job loss. Pew Research Center findings confirmed that Americans are nearly twice as likely to express concern as enthusiasm over automation if it means machines are assigned their jobs. Yet, tech enabling of farm-based autonomy has upsides like a reduced need to own heavy equipment. “Farming as ‘a service’ may start to develop,” explained Carroll, evoking the Uber model. “As it (gets) easier to transport equipment, the whole business model could … become friendlier to people without as much capital.” More opportunities for more people, then? Carroll characterized ag tech as creating work through embedded systems, robotics, etc.: “It’s really about creating the tools you would see at the farm (with) new jobs (for the folks) operating those. The farmer of the future (will monitor) a whole bunch of different systems that (are) connected— almost like an air traffic controller in that respect.”

Remote operation is also a possibility, using systems and data not necessarily co-located on the farm to drive decisions. THE FUTURE IS ... WHEN?

What does this mean for the average farm? Demonstrating autonomy is possible—just not at scale, though technology has moved in that direction. “Think about the car industry,” Carroll said. “There are levels of autonomy happening right now and full autonomy will happen in incremental steps. It could take a long time to get to that point but the journey will improve efficiency.” Automating the farm will reduce labor costs. Compact, multipurpose equipment with longer lifespans will hit the market. Efficiency rates for yield and input will increase. Farmers will find more efficient ways to manage their supply chains. “Right now, through automation, you could literally have a piece of equipment go out, find the weed and pull it instead of having to spread fertilizers or pesticides. It’s

a targeted approach, instead of a peanut-butter approach where you just layer the treatment over the whole field. It’s specific, data-driven and not constrained by time.” Perspective will influence scale. “The Grand Farm team conceived of the farm of the future here—in a ‘North Dakota context’ of row crops and large-scale agriculture,” said Carroll, “but it’s not hard to see how this technology can impact the smaller farm. That’s why we like the Epcot Center example. “Here you get a taste of what the farms of the future might look like, but anywhere: North America, Africa, India, …, indoor farming, vertical farming, even farming on the moon. We don’t just want it to be the farm of North Dakota. It has to be a farm of the future where people can think and dream around that. The answers (will) come through collaboration.” Tech is not the end all, be all. Empowering people with new ideas and tools is. If that proves true, Grand Farm is welcome to fly me and my hens to the moon! ■

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HOW TO RUN A Tips for Surviving Into the Future

BY CHRISTINE G. ADAMO

IDESPREAD TRENDING OF NEWS items about viruses like COVID-19 may be a recent phenomenon but worldwide pandemics have been a mainstay. As the CDC suggests, global influenza outbreaks remain sticky for centuries because they have learned to evolve, even doing so in ways which allow nonhuman viruses to infect and spread rapidly. Where do nonprofit organizations factor in? Running an NPO well can help it survive today, tomorrow and beyond despite everyday uncertainty: Will the grant come through? Do we have enough donors? Where do

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we find new volunteers? During a disruptive pandemic, it makes sense to explore NPOsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; relationship to it and the future.

SURVIVING TODAY & TOMORROW Many resources have helped NPOs prep for and respond to COVID-19. The National Council of Nonprofits, for one, has frequently posted updates on its website. The tips below are informed by the NCN but revamped to help NPOs scale back operations, ramp up services and stay afloat at any point in time: COMMUNICATE. Keep employees, board members, donors old and new, volunteers and consumers aware of what the NPO is doing. Make decisions with help from credible sources (i.e., CDC, WHO), sharing updates with stakeholders.

ICONS BY :USTIN BLAKE | STAT SOURCE: SOBEL & CO LLC

NONPROFIT Be clear about changes in operation, offerings and policies. STAY SUSTAINABLE. As with businesses, NPOs’ ability to survive stormy times depends on how they weather financial waves. Make changes to staffing, hours and service delivery which ensure comfort for all. To ensure continuity of service, get creative: Move operations or services online, hold virtual events, etc. KEEP REACHING OUT. Remotely reach out to communities served, volunteers and staff. Put policies and platforms in place which make connecting easy. Video conference rather than meet in person, ensuring stakeholders can participate. Engage NPO consumers via social media— keeping profiles and websites updated. PARTNER UP. The time to partner

with other NPOs, government and media outlets is now. Establish or maintain an active role in decision making and public policy, joining forces so that the many voices of affected populations are heard. Frequently collect and then share stats, data, concerns and success stories which are revelant.

WALK THE TALK. Model best practices (i.e., dignity, empathy) for those within and served by the NPO. If staff/consumer interaction is limited, find other ways to promote consumer awareness, health and well-being. Post videos, share missives of hope and reach out by phone. Have others at the NPO do the same.

THE FUTURE OF THE NPO SECTOR

2 Million: ESTIMATED # OF NPOS OPERATING IN THE U.S.

Trends in fundraising, structure, tech and more can be predicted. In a 2015 report for Sobel & Co LLC, CPAs Bridget Harnett and Ron Matan shared results of a survey of nonprofit pros to sketch out the near future for the roughly 2 Million NPOs operating in the U.S. today. “(The) nonproﬁt sector is one of the most important components of American life,” Harnett and Matan

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“(The) nonproﬁt sector is one of the most important components of American life, but it is also one of the least understood.” – Bridget Harnett & Ron Matan,

CPAs (for Sobel & Co LLC)

explained, “but it is also one of the least understood. “As an integral part of the … social, academic, political and economic fabric of our communities, nonproﬁts play an essential role (not) separate and apart from the larger for-proﬁt corporate world (but) bound to it as both work together with a global commitment to improve the lives of people everywhere.” The researchers found social responsibility and public/private partnerships to be on the rise, making NPOs with grassroots ties and local insights well-positioned to spearhead creative, pragmatic and realistic advances in social change and accountability. Those who do are expected to shift their approaches in the five areas which follow by 2025: • LEADERSHIP Millennials prefer flat structures based in team effort. Flex muscles of emotional intelligence to communicate positive value and change to this wave of volunteers while inspiring loyalty, passion and energy. Be

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flexible and use innovation to make tasks appealing (i.e., short board terms, online meetings). • VOLUNTEERISM Less work/life balance has made time scarce, boomers are aging out and shifts in culture and politics have also had an impact. Today’s volunteers want to chase their passions by engaging in “relevant, fun and meaningful” activities. Increasingly, they want to do it online in their free time. • BUSINESS MODELS Call it cause marketing and social entrepreneurship or something else. Either way, tangible products have replaced begging for money. Think “a portion of all proceeds …” campaigns. Make it easy and fun to give, saving money by adopting virtual practices and collaborating more often. • MARKETING & TECHNOLOGY A mission or pitch shared in a click is not enough. Messaging that is unique, multi-pronged, distinct and cost-effective is a must: blog, video, email, etc. Favor virtual events, which are cheaper to host/run. Opt for

digital over print materials. Use reverse auctions to let donors buy items the NPO needs. Keep sponsors happy by showing them results. • FUNDING & DONOR RETENTION Government and private grants may be harder to come by but technology has lessened the sting. Social media, crowdfunding and quirky “challenges” help campaigns go viral, attracting donors from around the globe. In late 2016, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting awarded a $500,000 joint grant to three public media licensees known for multiplatform reporting: Oregon Public Broadcasting, OPB ideastream and WXXI-Rochester (NY). Their project, Big Footprint, blended radio, TV, digital, mobile and live event strategies with community partnership. Metrics were tracked and shared with other public media stations. Big Footprint proved that NPOs of all kinds can be enterprising and creative about how they

lead, market and leverage tech to reinforce messaging, strengthen bottom lines and expand markets— using tactics mentioned above.

wanted the U.S. government to take action on and be accountability for. Too, 501(c)(3) guidelines for charitable organizations were established.

U.S. NONPROFITS: A NOVEL APPROACH? Hana Muslic, writing for Nonprofit Hub, said “the idea of helping and giving back to others has existed since Biblical times” but that the history of U.S. nonprofits is short by comparison. Below is an overview of what she found by looking to the past, peppered with takeaways NPOs can apply moving forward.

1970s: U.S. SETS

501(C)(3) CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION GUIDELINES

Late 1800s-1920: In an era of social activism and political reform (i.e., child labor, women’s suffrage, prohibition), pockets of prosperity inspired a sense of duty and giving back. The YMCA began fundraising in earnest and grew thanks to timebound campaigns, sponsorships and celebrity assists.

collective action. The Salvation Army, National Jewish Welfare Board and YMCA teamed to launch the USO. The American Red Cross raised funds, grew its nurse corps and rolled out a war-related blood donation program.

THINK BIG. Establish a presence, create social media campaigns and promote the NPO on a large scale with donors’ help. Make the nonprofit’s needs explicit, get others involved in reaching audacious goals and ask loyal supporters for help or input along the way.

COME TOGETHER. Partner up for expanded reach and impact. Align with others on a similar mission: community groups, businesses, venues, local government, other NPOs, etc. Share office space, ideas, costs, manpower and maybe even responsibilities.

1940s: With WWII looming, resource sharing, conservation and grassroots relief became the norm. The result? Global fundraising and

1970s: Reflection on and mobilization around civil rights, social justice and more resulted in nationwide focus on issues people

BE BROADMINDED. Think outside the box, identifying ways to take calculated risks which can yield big results. View each campaign or grant application as a chance to mobilize donors, consumers and others. Commit to being a force for change. 2000s: With the digital age, the nonprofit world grew larger. In the decades since the web went public, that one platform has become an invaluable tool for generating funds, awareness and interest. MAKE IT EASY. Build a website and point people to it, accepting donations online. Explain how funds will be used. Develop hashtags, handles and online profiles which quickly but earnestly sum up the NPO’s mission and impact. Finally, as Muslic advised, “let history be a roadmap for your organization so you can navigate the nonprofit waters with ease.” Whether serving children, teens, adults or a mix, NPOs often play affirming—even life-sustaining— roles for those they serve. To do that, they must remain sustainable. Know a struggling nonprofit? Share this story with them! ■

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Innovators, Dreamers & Idealists

Meet FarmBot LIKE SO MANY INNOVATIVE B2C products these days, FarmBot got its start with a successful crowdfunding campaign in the summer of 2016. In the four years since, co-founders Rory Aronson and Rick Carlino have grown FarmBot into a revenuegenerating, robotic ag-tech startup based in San Luis Opispoâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;on the Southern California coast. Aronson, Carlino and a team that includes a handful of engineers and developers have produced, sold and shipped 1,200-plus FarmBot kits to customers across the globe: half in the U.S., half abroad. The kits have

Tech benefits aside, their invention harkens back to prior generations when most homes and apartment buildings had gardens out back.

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automated tasks for consumers who love to garden or may be intimidated by the upkeep required to grow one. The FarmBot app has even allowed users to make updates to and review the progress of their gardens via their smartphones, tablets and computers. Tech benefits aside, their invention harkens back to prior generations when most homes and apartment buildings had gardens out back. Depending on lot size, that was a lot of work. Soil had to be prepared. Decisions had to be made about which fruits, vegetables and herbs to grow. Then there was the actual planting, feeding, watering and weeding. Once it came time for harvest, it was on to cleaning, canning and storage. Next season? The cycle started all over again. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The FarmBot is based on the 3D-printing technology model but

Publisher’s Note

STAT & PHOTOS COURTESY: FARMBOT

50%:

Amount of gardening the unit does for you.

modified to do gardening operations,” said Aronson, “meaning the bot scans the garden from above to move its arm into position and then plant, water, weed. One bot can eliminate about 50 percent of the work required once it’s set up, though we advise investing 40 hrs. in both setup and learning the software. It’ll do routine gardening operations but it can also photograph your garden for you.” In terms of differentiation, each FarmBot is made entirely of highgrade aluminum parts, features four distinct motors and utilizes 100-percent open source software that allows for customization by techsavvy consumers. Units are equipped

with an HD camera each for taking detailed pictures of the growing area to compare past results and measure the success of crops. Prices run $1,795 to $5,495 with various models suited to various garden sizes. The company has cultivated a community of growers on social media and has gained traction other ways—with 500 units expected to be produced and shipped later this year. As for the future, Aronson and Carlino said they recently partnered with Liberty University School of Engineering to develop a prototype weed-trimmer tool. Get a sneak peek on YouTube via the FarmBot channel. Online at Farm.Bot. ■

Having worked in the robotics industry, I understand how intimidating technology remains for some segments of the population. However, products like FarmBot are designed for ease of use and most consumers now own a smartphone or tablet and are familiar with using apps. The real time commitment comes down to setup once it’s received. Then it’s just a matter of deciding how to plan your garden. If you’re at all handy or have assembled anything from IKEA, the FarmBot kit should be a breeze. The biggest draw, for me, is that it made me think of my great-grandmother who lived in rural Minnesota and kept a garden. FarmBot is something she probably would have loved. Steve Skura, MBA

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER

The Legendary Final Word Common sense tells us that most American workers are somewhat scared of the effects both robots and automation could have on their current professions. Automation has already taken over millions of manufacturing jobs globally in the last 20 years—and that trend is accelerating. I believe, however, that there is a way for robotics and automation to improve our lives, make life easier and minimally impact labor markets while creating more jobs. The most obvious market segment is home robotics: vacuums, pool cleaners, lawn mowers and laundryfolding devices (to name a few). Top brands like iRobot, Dolphin and Robomow are good examples. These products make cleaning entire properties simpler. In the long run, they also cost less and consume less energy than traditional methods. Rather than adversely affect the service industry, they complement those efforts. For instance, most pool service techs schedule biweekly visits in summer months. A robotic pool cleaner reduces their workload by keeping pools clean in between visits, ensuring a healthier and more pristine swim 24/7. Beyond the home, there is huge potential for automation and A.I. to improve our legal and healthcare systems—again, while reducing costs and creating jobs. In some Latin American countries, lawyers have begun using A.I. to scan billions of document pages and assist with research when building a defense for their clients. This not only expands the capability of legal teams but has the potential to improve representation of lower-income clients. As for healthcare, A.I. can assist doctors by analyzing patient data to predict potential ailments and then recommend treatments for improved life expectancy. Much like A.I. is used to assist financial advisors now, it can be used to assist primary care and other medical teams. But, what about the downside? One important factor Bill Gates often raises is that robots do not pay taxes. Governments, many argue, must take an interest in protecting workers and diligently monitor the effects of robotics, automation and A.I. on labor markets so that reductions in workforce don’t 50 | DIGITAL UNICORN Q3 2020

negatively impact local communities. Yet, many of the U.S.’s largest automotive manufacturers produce a large percent of their goods using automation techniques versus laborers. A net zero corporate tax also allows many manufacturers to enjoy the perks of operating in the world’s largest economy while contributing much less (in terms of a tax base) to communities either locally or nationally. If execs and investors have the most to gain, economically speaking, is automation worthwhile for the rest of us? Should government impose limits on how automation can be used? After all, what is a nation’s economy without workers—who, thanks to their labor and paychecks, contribute to economic growth? Especially during and in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, when some companies might consider ways to automate due to worker shortages, we must demand a fair standard for future automation and A.I. applications within our economy. I believe strongly that automation and A.I. are not something to be feared—they simply need to be implemented in ways which balance productivity improvements and capital expenditures with the needs of labor and government. Just like we have regulations for environment, healthcare and food safety, we must have regulations for implementation of automation and A.I. As workers, we pay into this economy in the hopes of harvesting the American dream for ourselves and for our families. Keeping it balanced will be more and more vital in years to come.

“

… there is a way for robotics and automation to improve our lives, make life easier and minimally impact labor markets while creating more jobs.”

Kind regards,

STEVE SKURA, MBA Publisher & CEO, Digital Unicorn Publisher@DigitalUnicornMag.com

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52 | DIGITAL UNICORN Q3 2020

Digital Unicorn - Volume 1, Issue 2, Q3 2020 - Wildly inspired content!

Articles inside

NAKED PROSTHETICS

SEND in the BOTS

MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY IN TIMES OF DISTANCING

A LEAP IN POWER Quantum Computing vs. Supercomputing

UNDER THE INFLUENCE

WINNING THE WORKPLACE WARS Be Profitable, Productive & People-Friendly

WHO FARMS & HOW IS THAT CHANGING?

Meet FarmBot