10 Smartest Companies To Watch 2022 - The Chief Digest

The Man Behind Limitless New AI Technology

Dr. Andy Khawaja

Dr. Andy Khawaja, CEO

EDITOR’S DESK

Inthemodern-daybusinessworlddrivenby technology,probablyweallarebusy envisioningabettertomorrowandfuture. Companiestodayarefocusedonembracingemerging technologyandkeepingupwiththetrendstostay aheadofthecurve.Besides,withglobalization contributingtobiggerandmorepowerfulcompetitors,the businessenvironmenthasturnedmorebrutalanduncompromisingthanever

Inthisclimate,onlycompanieswhohavelearnedtowork“smart”aregoingto competitiveadvantage.Insteadofreactingtocriseswhentheyoccur,smart organizationsareonesthatcananticipatethemandplanwayaheadoftime.

Forthisissue,weengagedwithsomeofthesmartcompaniesoutthereandmanaged togetaringsideviewintotheirworkculture,managementstyles,andtheroleoftheir keyexecutivesinleadingthewaytogrowth.Wehadagreatdealoffunputting togetherahandpickedcollectionofanecdotesandexperiencesforthebenefitofour readersandentrepreneurslookingtobuildasmartbrandoutoftheirbusiness.Andwe hopeotherstoohavethesamefunreadingtheirinterviewsandstoriesasapartofour “10SmartestCompaniestoWatch”specialedition.

Best,

DanielShelby ManagingEditor TheChief'sDigest

Editor-in-Chief : Christina Todd

Managing Editor : Daniel Shelby

Art Director-visualizers

Charles Richard Sales & Marketing

Jonathan Henry

Business Development Executives

Racheal Williams

Jennifer Morris

Roman Parker

Relationship Manager

Joseph Edward

Advertising Business Head

George Hagen

Publisher

Calvin Lloyd

10. Artificial Intelligence Defense Platform

16. Altium

20. CIMtech Mfg. Inc.

24. Numedico Technologies

28. Salt Creek Partners, LLC

30. Transact Campus, Inc.

34. VidIt

10SmartestCompaniestoWatch2022

COMPANYINBRIEF COMPANYNAME

VidIt

MANAGEMENT

ArtificialIntelligenceDefensePlatformisbuildingtheAI processingmindofthefuture–ISABELLA,aprogramthatwill performlaborandevenoffermilitaryfunctionality

Altiumisaglobalsoftwarecompanywhichisaccelerating thepaceofinnovationthroughelectronics.Fromindividual inventorstomultinationalcorporations,morePCB designersandengineerschooseAltiumsoftwaretodesign andrealizeelectronics-basedproducts.

CIMtech'sfullturnkeysolutionsarepavingthewayforthe developmentandmanufacturingoffuelcellandelectric vehiclecomponentsandassemblies,whichareutilizedby globalplayersfortheirhydrogen-poweredforkliftequipment &hydrogenfuel-cell-poweredelectricvehicles.

EuropeanDaySpaofFredericksburgusesholistictherapies andtreatmentstoprovideadivineexperiencetoindividuals thattransformstheirbody,

MillenniumEnterpriseofferstechnicalinfrastructure supportattheenterpriseleveltothegovernmentandthe academicsectors–servervirtualization,platformasa service,networks,etc.

Establishedin2016,Numedicoisagloballyfocused safetymedicaldevicesmanufactureranddistributorbased inAustraliathatprovideshighqualitymedicalsuppliesto hospitals,healthcareservices,veterinarians,cosmetic organizations,andconsumersathomehealthcare.

SaltCreekPartnersisaboutiqueM&Aadvisoryfirmthat specificallyfocusesonclientslookingtobeacquiredand companieswantingtomakeanacquisition.

TransactCampusofferspersonalizedsolutionsthat simplifiesandstreamlinescampustechnologyto enhancethecollegeexperienceon-&off-campus.

UNestoffersiOSandAndroidappsandInvestmentAccount forkidsthathelpsparentsgivetheirchildrenafinancial headstart.

Viditisworkingtowardsleveragingtheenormouspotentialof ARanddemocratizeitsothatmoreandmoreARexperiences canbecreatedforalldigitallandscapes.

ArtificialIntelligence DefensePlatform

Altium

CIMtechMfg.Inc.

EuropeanDay SpaofFredericksburg

CarissaBallard Owner

mind,andspirit.

MilleniumEnterprise Corporation MinhNguyen CEO

Unest

KseniaYudina CEO

NumedicoTechnologies

SaltCreekPartners

TransactCampus

Dr.AndyKhawaja CEO AramMirkazemi ChiefExecutiveOfficer

PaulGhotra Founder&CEO

NevilleCalvert Founder&CEO

NaotoHall ManagingDirector &HeadofInvestment BankingDivision

NancyLanger CEO

ReneRodriguez Founder&CEO

Dr. Andy Khawaja, CEO

The Man Behind Limitless New AI Technology Dr. Andy Khawaja

ArtificialIntelligenceDefense Platform(AIDP)wasanidea thatwasformingformany years,anditwasofficiallyrealizedin 2020.SpearheadedbyDr Andy Khawaja,AIDPisbuildinganew futureandchangingthewaytaskswill beperformed.

Aftersteppingawayfromthepayment servicesindustryafteroveradecadeof successandhundredsofawards,Andy isnowfocusedonleveragingnew technologythatwilltransformthe world.HeisworkingwithhisAIDP teamtocreateitspioneerprogram usingartificialintelligencetechnology -“ISABELLA.”

ISABELLA:ALimitlessIdea

AIDP'spioneerprogramis ISABELLA,whichisbasedon artificialintelligencetechnology.The open-source&Wi-Fitechnology withinISABELLAwillconnectitto theinternetandallowittoobserve, learn,andact.

Thehumanmindcanonlyprocessso much.Wecanonlyendureacertain amountofpressureandperformafinite amountoflaborbeforewemustrest. However,that'snotthecasewith ISABELLA.Itsartificialintelligence technologywillhaveaccessto unlimitedinformationwiththeability tolearnandprocessmulti-lingualdata fromtheinternet,encyclopedias,and evenintelligenceresources.“We're creating new technology and machines that will use ISABELLA's processing mind to perform labor and even offer military functionality,”saysAndy

InnovationatAIDP

AIDPisworkinginanindustrywhere reachinggoalstranslatesintosaving lives.Hence,Andyisalways encouraginghisteamtothinkoutside

theboxtoaccomplishtheircommon goals.Heisastrongbelieverin innovationandfeelsthatinnovation cannotproceedwithoutcreativity.

Creativityiscelebratedandrewarded atAIDP.Theteamstrivestoinspire andbeinspired.Andysays,“I believe that great ideas can come from anywhere, not just from me but from anyone from the team. Hence, we brainstorm and work together”At AIDP,everyonehasacrucialroleto play,andeveryonecontributestothe largercommongoalofthe organization.“This is essential to our culture”,addsAndy

EversinceAIDPwasestablished, innovationhasneverstopped.That's howAIDPisstayingaheadofthecurve. Thefirmiscontinuallycreatingnew departmentstoinnovatedifferentaspects oflifeandsociety,integratingnew technologicaladvancementsintoevery industry AIDPwillcontinuetoexpand andgrowasanorganizationforthesake offindingnewwaystoimproveliving conditionsformankind.

AIDPisaModernSmartBrand

AIDPisbeingrecognizedglobally becausetheproductoperatesandthinks 1000timesfasterthanahumanbeing could.Itdoesn'tmakemistakes.Smart

productsandsmartcompaniesimprove thequalityoflifeandremovethe hassleanderrorwithinthe functionality AIDPrevolvesaroundAI technologythatwilldothisandchange theworld.

Asasmartandinnovativebrand,AIDP iscontributingtotheglobalplatform bychangingtheworld.Creatinga betterfutureisthenumberonepriority forAIDP,andhence,theyarepushing fortechnologicalandsocietal advancementatthegloballevel.Andy comments,“We're not only bringing new ideas and products to the world, but we are also heavily influencing change and innovation. The world will be a different place, a better place because of AIDP”

ForayingIntotheDefenseSpace

Speakingofchangingtheworldand makingitabetterplace,AIDPistrying toachievethatbyimplementing technologythatwillreallymakea substantialdifference.Thefirmaimsat creatingabetterqualityoflifefor futuregenerationsandmaintaining peace&orderallovertheworld. Therefore,AIDP'seffortsarebeing directedtowardsinnovatingfor defense–nottotakelivesbuttosave them.

ArtificialIntelligenceDefense PlatformisworkingtouseAIto protecttheinnocent,anditis innovatingtoprotectcommunities globally.“In my past, I've witnessed war and violence, and I've seen innocent casualties first-hand. It's something that is hard to witness and even harder to unsee. The world may unfortunately always know war in some capacity, and we will always have to innovate for defense, but I want to create AI technology for the defense that will protect people and save the innocent,”Andysaid.

Andy'sThoughtsonTheFuture

“Wehaveseenquiteinterestingtimes. TheCoronavirusPandemic,or COVID-19,hasdevastatedglobal economiesandleftglobalpopulations toendurelifewithoutresourcesor basicneeds.

Imagineifyouhadapersonor machinethatkneweverything,never slept,neverneededtoeat,andnever gotsick…imaginewhatitcould accomplish?

TheCoronavirusPandemicwillnotbe ourlastglobalcrisis.Whatifwewere facedwithavirustentimesas powerfulinthefuture?The Coronavirushasalreadyputahalton economiesandmankind–whatwould wedoifwewillbeforcedtoendurea deadlierorlonger-lastingpandemic?

ThisrecentCOVID-19situationhas onlyreinforcedwhatIsoughttobuild yearsago.Ayearago,Ileftthe paymentservicesbusinessandecommercetofocusmyattentiononthe ArtificialIntelligenceDefense Platform.ISABELLAwillbetheAI technologydrivingthefuture.Artificial Intelligencepersonnelwillbeableto drive,pickupwaste,deliver necessities,anddotheworkthat humanscannot.”

KnowingDr.AndyKhawaja,ABorn Leader&Entrepreneur

Dr.Khawajaisahighlypublicized philanthropistandworld-renowned entrepreneurwhohasbeenfeaturedin over100publicationsforhis contributionstotechnology,society, andeconomicgrowth.He's participatedindozensoflive interviewswiththoughtleaderssuchas LarryKingandreceivedaccoladesfor hisachievementsfromleaders, politicians,andpublicfiguresglobally

Hecontinuestobeamajorcontributor tocharitableorganizationsincluding UNICEF,WoundedWarriorProject, EagleandBadgeFoundation,AfterSchoolAll-Stars,StarTeamforthe Children,BrentShapiroFoundation, ASACP,ActionInnocence,Fromthe HeartProductions,LAPCA,United ServiceOrganizations,Hopefor ChangeInternational,Paralyzed VeteransofAmerica,andmore.

AndyKhawajaisnotonlyasuccessful leaderbutalargecontributortoglobal societies.He'snotonlyaninnovatorof technologybutacontributortoabetter environmentforfuturegenerations.

“I firmly believe that the difference we can make on this earth while we are here is all we can leave behind

– the products, solutions, and innovations we gift generations with so that they may live better lives.”

10 to Watch 2022 COMPANIES SMARTEST

Altium

Helping Design Premium PCB's since 1985

Printedcircuitshavebeenaround sincethe1950's.Transcending time,PrintedCircuitBoards (PCB's)havebecomethemost importantcomponentofelectronics. Theimmenseintegrationofelectronics duetotheIoTpushwillkeepushering thePCBindustrytofurtherprosperity Tofulfillthegrowingrequirements though,theindustrywillrequirePCB designengineersandthePCBengineers willneeddesignsoftwarethatwillhelp themcreateprintedcircuitboardsthat areoptimalindesign.Altiumhasbeen developingsoftwarestohelpdesign high-qualityPCB'sformorethanthirty yearsnow.

Foundedin1985byNickMartin, AltiumisanAmerican,Australiandomiciledpublicsoftwarecompanythat providestoolsforelectronicsdesignfor theengineers.Altiumwasfoundedin Hobart,AustraliaunderthenameProtel. Altiumwasoneofthefirstcompanies thatprovidedPCBdesigntoolsby implementingthemoderntechnologies. Withtheirannualsalesbeing$100.4 millionand$93.6millioningenerated revenueslastyear,theyhaveeventually becomethemarketleadersinthisspace.

PremiumProducts

AltiumDesigner

Altium'sflagshipproductAltium Designeristheindustry'sleadingdesign softwareusedtodesignPCB'sallover

theworldbyengineers.Altium Designerisknownforitsexcellent native3DPrintedCircuitBoardCAD.

Theproductconsolidatesallthetools thatarerequiredbytheengineersinto asingleunitthathasastress-freeuser interface.Thisrapidlyincreasesthe rateofthedesignsuccessandreduces theoveralldesigntime.Overthelast thirtyyears,Altiumdesignerhas grownfrombeingusedatthe grassroots,tonowthemostwidely usedPCBdesigntoolinthemarket.It providesaTrulyUnifiedDesignthat linksallthefeaturesofthePCB designprocess.AltiumDesignerhelps tomigratefromcompetitors' toolchainswiththemostpotent translationtoolsintheindustry.

AltiumVault

Designingelectronicsisalongand complexprocessthatinvolvesmany peopleandeachofthemneedsaccess tothedesigndataallthroughthe developmentofthedesign.Altium Vaultistheautomatedsolutionfor managingthedesignandcomponent dataduringtheprocessofthedesign. Itiscapableofmanagingdesigndata directlyfrominsidethedesign environmentandisbuiltforthe electronicsindustry

AltiumVaultworksintandemwith theAltiumDesignertomanagedesign datawithgreatintegrity AltiumVault

providessecurestoragefordata generatedfromboarddesignandhelps manageallothersetsofdataobtained fromtheDesignAreabyrunning specificreleaseprocesses.Thework environmentsofthedesignersworking onaparticulardesigncanbecontrolled viatheAltiumVault.

TASKING

Altium'sTASKINGisacompiler technologythatisusedalloverthe worldbyleadingorganization'sto meetthehighdemandsofspecialized embeddedsoftwaredevelopment.

TASKINGtoolshavebeendeployed forover25yearsnowwhichisa testamenttoitsreliabilityand effectiveness. TASKINGtoolscanbe usedformicroprocessorslikeARM, PowerArchitecture,68K,8051, Aurix/Tricoreandmanymore.

TASKINGtoolsgiveengineersthe capabilitytodevelopreliable,safeand efficientembeddedsoftware.

Cross-IndustrialPartnerships

Altiumhasforgedgreatpartnerships overtheyearsdeliveringitsexpertise toavarietyofindustryleaders.The companywithitsdeepknowledgein theElectronicAutomationIndustryhas partneredwiththelikesofBMW, Boeing,Philips,Lenovo,HP,and Siemensamongsomanyother enviablenames.Itsportfolioof partnershipskeepsgrowingeach

passingyearasitmaintainsitsstatusquoastheleaderintheindustryfor designingPCB's.

Wellpositionedforfuturegrowth

Withover30yearsofexperiencein continuousResearch&Development inPCBdesign,Altiumispositioned verywellforgrowth.Altiumhas 31,000subscribersgloballyandits flagshipproductAltiumDesigneradds roughly6,000newuserseveryyearto itscount.Lookingahead,thesoftware providerwantstoexpandintosystems designafterachievingitsgoalof attainingmarketleadershipinPCB designby2020.Consideringatthe heartofalltheintelligentsystemsare electronicsandPCB's,Altiumis boundtokeepitsgrowthmarginof 30%whichittoucheseverysingle year

ALTIUM'sChief!

AramMirkazemi,ChiefExecutive Officer

Mr.AramMikazemiisahuge presenceatAltium.Hewasthe DirectorofResearchand Developmentfrom1992-1999.He wasthememberoftheAltiumBoard from1992-2000.Afterasuccessful

IPOin1999,Mr Aramleftthe companytopursuehisinterestinwebbasedsoftwaresystems.Hefounded MorfikTechnologyinthispursuit. Later,hereturnedtoAltiumaspartof MorfikTechnologyacquisition.Hewas appointedtheHeadofEngineeringand thenservedAltiumastheChief TechnologyOfficerbeforestartinghis tenureastheCEOofthecompany. Mr.AramMirkazemihasaBachelor's ofEngineeringfromtheUniversityof Tasmania.

“Altium is led by a passionate, highly experienced team with deep knowledge and expertise within the Electronic Design Automation industry.”

Aram Mirkazemi, Chief Executive Officer

10 to Watch 2022 COMPANIES SMARTEST

CIMtech Mfg. Inc.

Powering A Greener Future with Innovation, Manufacturing & Engineering Expertise

Inthismoderneraofaccelerating change,growingenergydemands fromtherisingworldpopulation, andtheclimatechangearisingoutofit, bringingasustainableenergyfuture withinreachiscrucial.Oneofthesteps thatcouldbetakentocontribute towardanenvironmentallybeneficial energytransformationistheuseoffuel cells.AndtheworkthatCIMtechMfg. isdoingcouldbeavitalpieceofthe transformationefforts.

“Countries around the world are setting net-zero targets and accelerating the move towards clean energy alternatives in vehicles and equipment. We are proud to be supporting these targets and this expansion and investment in new, advanced equipment will allow us to continue being a key global supply chain player in this space,”saysPaul Ghotra,CEOofCIMtech.

CIMtechGreenAdvanced ManufacturingFacilityBasedon DigitalManufacturing(Industry4.0)

CIMtechhasbeennominatedasthetop 10manufacturingcompanyinCanada. Theservicesitoffersrangefromproofof-conceptprototypestolarge-scale manufacturingforthefuelcell industry.Withitsengineering expertise,CIMtechhasshortenednew

productintroductionsandsaved millionsofdollarsinmanufacturing costs.

CIMtech'sfullturnkeysolutionsare pavingthewayforthedevelopmentand manufacturingoffuelcellandelectric vehiclecomponentsandassemblies, whichareutilizedbyglobalplayers suchasWalmart,Amazon,andHome Depotfortheirhydrogen-powered forkliftequipment&hydrogenfuel-cellpoweredelectricvehiclessuchas HYVIAdeliveryvansinEurope (RenaultGroup),FedExairporttuggers atAlbanyInternationalAirportinNew York,andhydrogenfuelcellelectric vehicles.

In conversation with Paul Ghotra, Founder and CEO of CIMtech Mfg.

WhatisthesecretrecipeforCIMtech growth?

GreenEnergyCompany(CIMtech)isa Canada-basedHydrogenfuelcell components&assembliesmanufacturer. Wehaverecentlydoubledourfootprint inVancouver,Canadathroughan acquisitionofa10,000sq.ftadvanced manufacturingfacility Thisexpansion willincreaseCIMtechGreenEnergy, operationalcapabilitiesby200%to allowforincreasedservicelevelstoour globalcustomers.

Howwouldyoudefinea“Smart Company”inthismodernbusiness world?Andhowdoyouincorporate thatwithinCIMtech?

CIMtechprocessesaremanagedby ourdigitalmanufacturing technologies,embracingINDUSTRY 4.0smartmanufacturinginitiatives. Withmanyyearsofexpertiseinfuel cell-relatedparts&assemblies,we haveanedgeoverourcompetitorsto providefullTURNKEY SOLUTIONSfromproofofconceptto large-scalemanufacturingunderone roof.

Continuouslyupgradingour manufacturingserviceswith technology,ongoingemployee trainingandafocusonprovidingan exceptionalclientexperienceareall examplesofinnovationthatwedirect ourattentiontoatCIMtech.

Thefollowingaretheservicesthat CIMtechisfocusingonforan exceptionalclientexperience:

• DFM(DesignforManufacturing): DFMhassavedourcustomers millionsofdollarstolowerthe costofmanufacturing

• ZeroInventoryProgram:This ensuresthatourcustomersnever runoutofpartsandalwayshavea 100%deliveryontime.

• Zero-CarbonInitiatives:Weaimat developingproductswithrespect fortheplanet.

Howsuccessfulwasyourfirst project?Howhaveyourpriorities beensincethen?

Ourfirstfuelcellprojectwas developingaunitfromconceptual engineeringdesigntoacomplete workingproductforalargeFuelCell customerintheUS.WithCIMtech's expertiseinManufacturing Engineering&DFMprogram,wewere abletolowerthecostoftheproductby 30%.

CIMtechMfg.iscommittedtomeeting orexceedingcustomers'requirements withafocusoncustomersatisfaction throughcontinualimprovementof processes.Weuseprofessionally calibratedmanufacturingequipment withindustrycertificationstobecomea value-addedsupplier.

Whatchallengesdidyoufaceinyour initialyears?Whatwasthenumber onemotivatingfactorthatkeptyou movingforward?

Oneofthemajorobstaclesintheway ofcreatingabreakthroughinfuelcell

technologywasitsrelativelyhigh costscomparedtowell-established fossil-basedtechnologies.The reasonsforthesehighcosts predominantlylieintheuseof non-standardizedcomponents, complexsystems,andnonautomatedproductionoffuelcells.

TobecomeoneofNorthAmerica's topGreenEnergysuppliersof Hydrogenfuelcellassembliesand parts,CIMtechhasinvested heavilyinnewequipmentand processestomanufacturefuelcell partscost-effectively What motivatesustokeepgoingisthe transformationthatfuelcell technologycanpromiseinthe qualityoflifeonaglobalscale.It hasthepotentialtoempower individualswiththeabilityto generatecleanelectricityathome insteadofbuyingitfrom commercialpowerplants.

“Whether you are an entrepreneur with a revolutionary concept or a company managing a team of 50 engineers, CIMtech Mfg. Inc's innovation can make your product a success.”

Paul Ghotra, Founder & CEO

Howhaveyouestablishedasmart workculturewithinyour organization?

OurworkcultureatCIMtechMfg.is basedonthefollowingprinciples. EconomicThinking:Making decisionsbasedoneconomicthinking helpsustocollaboratefromashared objectiveviewpointandcompare alternativesintermsoftheircostsand benefitsinsteadofusingopinionand authority

DistributedDecision-Making:Itis theoppositeofhierarchicaldecisionmaking.DistributedDecisionMaking requiresthreeelements:

• Smartandconfidentemployees whocanlearntheprinciplesand applythem

• Asharedunderstandingofdirect, indirect,andopportunitycosts

• Sharinginformationaboutcurrent companyrevenueand expenditurestomakecontextually gooddecisions

ActLikeYouOwntheCompany:All decisionsmustberationalandshould bebasedonthebestinformation available.

LeadershipWithoutManagement: CIMtechavoidshiringmanagers.We preferleaderswhoshareinformation andarerewardedbytheirteamfor beingautonomous.InCIMtech, everyonelearnsfromtheirshared mistakesandgrowsinscopeand expertise.

Commitment:Committingisnot abouttrust.Itisapromiseofdelivery. Wetrusteachothertobehonestandto dothebestofourabilitywithinthe timeandresources.

Howdoyoustayrelevanttothe consumerinterestsandneedsinthis highlyvolatilemarket?

Developingnewtechnologiestoreduce carbonfootprintisvitalfortheplanet andthesurvivalofthehumanracein thelongrun.CIMtechisplayingakey roleinthedevelopmentofgreen energytechnologiestomakeplanet earthasaferplacetolive.

Asconsumersbecomemoreawareof theeffectsofglobalwarmingbyfossil fuels,greenenergyproductswillbein highdemand.

Howdoesyourcompanycontribute tothecompetitiveglobalplatformat large?

Workingwiththeworld'slargestglobal playersintheHydrogenfuelcell sector,atrillion-dollarindustry, CIMtechispavingthewaytoserve customerstobecomeavitalplayerin thehydrogenfuelcellsector.

Wheredoyouseeyourcompanya fewyearsfromnow?

CIMtechisgoingthroughexponential businessgrowth.Ourcompany's revenuegrew50%yearoveryearfor lastfewyears.Weareanticipatingthat thisgrowthwillcontinueasourmajor customersaregrowingrapidlyinthe greenenergysector

KnowingTheManBehindCimtech Mfg.

PaulGhotra,Founder&CEO PaulmovedtoVancouver,Canadain 1988andstartedhismanufacturing engineeringcareerinoneofthe leadinghi-technologycompaniesin BritishColumbia,Canada.Hiswork experienceinacompanythathad witnessedacolossalgrowthfroma10employeestart-uptoa5000-employee firminfifteenyearsgreatlyinfluenced hispassiontogrowandpushthrough theobstaclesinhisbusiness.

It'sbeentwodecadesofstarting CIMtechMfg.andsincethen,Paulhas beenguidingengineersinhightechnologycompaniesonDFM processesandoptimizingpartdesigns formanufacturing.Rightfromproofof concepttoscaledproduction,Paulhas arichunderstandingofoptimizingcost reductioninmanufacturingduringthe initialstagesofthedesignphase.

10 to Watch 2022 COMPANIES SMARTEST

Numedico Technologies

Integrating

Patient Safety & Core Healthcare Responsibility with Innovative Medical Device Solutions

Needlestickincidentscanhave far-reachingandunpleasant consequencesforbothpatients andworkersinthehospital environment.Aboutsixpeoplesuffera needlestickinjurysomewhereinthe worldeveryhourofeveryday,and threepeoplediebecauseofthose injuries.Thisdoesn'tneedtohappen. Needlestickinjuriescanbereducedby usingClickZip™NeedleRetractable SafetySyringe.SouthAustraliaheadquarteredNumedicoisthe proprietor,manufacturer,and wholesaleroftheSwiss-designed ClickZip™technology,ahigh-quality manualretractableneedleinjectable deliverysystemofferingultra-lowdead space.ClickZip™isdesignedforreuse prevention(RUP).

The Chief's Digest had the opportunity to interact with Neville Calvert, the Founder & CEO of Numedico Technologies. Here's an excerpt from the interview.

In conversation with Neville Calvert

TellusaboutNumedicoandtheidea behindit.

Establishedin2016,thecompany behindClickZip™isNumedico Technologies,agloballyfocusedsafety medicaldevicesmanufacturerand distributor.Everyday,Numedico strivestochallengethestatusquo.

NumedicoTechnologiesmeetsthis missionandpurposethroughan ecosystemthatenablesthedesignand procurementofutilitarianmedical products,functional,user-friendly,safe, andaffordablemedicalproducts,and homehealthcaresolutions.

Withagrowingportfolioofinnovative medicaldevicesandcustomersolutions, Numedicoissupplyingtomajor hospitals,healthservices,government departments,distributorsandsuppliers, healthpractices,veterinarypractices, andconsumersneedinghomehealthcare solutions.

Inthismodernbusinessworld,what exactlydoesa“SmartCompany” meantoyou?

Asmartcompanyisultimatelyabout Innovationandcollaboration.Thisis somethingthatperhapseverybusiness hashadtoturntosincetheonsetofthe pandemic.ithasbeenanecessityfor successineveryindustry.AtNumedico Technologies,innovationispartofthe Company'sDNA. Innovationisthekeywithinour companyaswellasourfoundation.We constantlyinnovate tomeettheneedsofourcommunities. TheteamwithinourInnovationdivision handlesallaspectsfromproductdesign, engineering,IPacquisition& management–rightthroughto commercialization.

Howsuccessfulwasyourfirst project?Doyouthinktherehas beenachangeinyourpriorities sincethen?

Numedicohashistoricallyfocused ontheClickZipretractablesafety syringe.Thisproductaligns perfectlywithourstrategic prioritiesofsafetyandhasafforded manyopportunitiesduringCOVID. AlthoughCOVIDhasbeenamajor distractiontothecompany,wehave seenasilverliningwithour resourcesrefocusedonbroadening oursaleschannels,enablingmore controlthroughoutthesupply chain,anddiversifyingand growingourcustomerbase.This exercisehasbeeninvigorating.

Howwouldyoudescribethe workculturewithinyour organization?Howdoyou differentiatebetweensmartwork andhardwork?

AtNumedico,weprideourselves onthe5C's.

• Commonsense–Howwe collaborate–firmlyrootedin realityandabletosimplify complexideas

• Character–Whoweare–strongsenseofintegrity,ethics andhonesty

• Curiosity–Howwebehave–alwaysaskquestionstobuild knowledge

• Creativity–Howwedeliverour products–thinkoutsidethebox andstayopen-minded

• Consideration–Howweservice ourcustomers–respectful, solutionfocusedandfast Thesevaluesattractloyalstaffwhoare trulymotivatedwithourmission.

Whatarethefactorsthatmakeyour brandoneoftheSMARTESTand why?

Weworkonsolvingtheproblem beforewecreateanewproduct.Thisis criticaltoensuringcustomersand stakeholdersactuallywantour products.Anexampleofthisisthe globalproblemwe'resolvingrelating toresidualwastedmedicationleftover insyringesandneedles.Ourteamhas beenworkingwithaglobal organizationtosolvethisproblem.Our inventionexpelsnearly100%ofall medicationinasyringeandneedle whichwouldsavethepatienttensof billionsofdollarsannually.

Numedico'sInnovationdivisionis workingonprojectsthatsolvereal world problemsforpharmaceutical companiesandhealthcareservices.The projectshaveapplicationsintheareas ofconnectivityandbio-tech.

Thecompanyiscurrentlyinthefinal stagesofdesigningandprototypinga newandsuperiorversionof ClickZipTM.Whiletheelementsthat havebeenredesignedmaygounnoticed, thedevice'sefficiencywillvastlyexceed thefunctionalityofthecurrentversion.

Howdoesyourcompanycontributeto thecompetitiveglobalplatformat large?

Numedicodoesmuchmorethan innovate,manufacture,andsupply trustedmedicalproducts.Thecompany providesservicestopharmaceutical companiesandstakeholdersinthe medicalindustry.Oneofourservice offeringsisitsaccesstolife-science researchinspace.Numedicohas partneredwithSpaceTechstart-up ResearchSattoprovidelife-science researchservicestopharmaceutical, vitamin,andfoodsciencecompanies. TheSpaceTechmarketisamultibillion-dollarindustrythatprovidesa

“A key priority for Numedico is safety and sustainability. We push ourselves to be better today than we were yesterday, building business through best practices and collaborative partnerships.”

Neville Calvert, Founder & CEO

uniqueenvironmentwithextreme environmentalvariablesenablingthe accelerationoflife-scienceresearch.

What'syourtakeonthe involvementofcompaniesinsocial welfare/CSRactivities?Doesit makeapositivecontributiontothe business?

AkeypriorityforNumedicoissafety andsustainability.Numedicoworks withourmanufacturerstoensure sustainablerawmaterialsareusedat alltimesduringtheproduction process.

Ourlogisticsteamfindsinnovative waystooffsetourcarbonfootprint. Theteammanagescarbonabatement initiativesthatrenderoursupply chainasustainableoperation. Additionally,weareworkingtobuild manufacturingfacilitiesinregional locationsaroundtheworldtoavoid carbon-heavyfreightfromAsia.We expecttosavehundredsofthousands oftonsofCO2withthisinitiative.

Wheredoyouseeyourcompanya fewyearsfromnow?

Numedicorecentlylauncheda subsidiarycompanyintheUS, NumedicoTechInc.Thisstrategic expansionwillenhanceNumedico's presenceintheUSAtoallowits productstobeofferedtotheconsumers inthecountry.Ourfuturefocusis drivenbyadesiretoimprove healthcareandtofindthebestand safestsolutionstosuitourcustomer's needstodayandtomorrow.Weare alwaysexploringwhat'spossible, continuouslyinnovating,andseeking newsolutionstosuitevolvingindustry andconsumerneeds.

Inafewyears,wewillhave commercializedmultiplenoveldrug deliverydevicesthatwillsolve fundamentalproblemsforthe healthcareindustry.Ourbusinesswill continuetoinnovateandsolvereal problemsforsociety

TheLeadershipTeam

NevilleCalvert,Founder&CEO

Nevilleisalifelongentrepreneurwith extensivestrategicexperience.For morethan30years,Nevillehas workedinadiverserangeofroles, includingCompanyChairman,Partner ofBigFourbusinessadvisoryfirm KPMG,PublicCompanyDirectorand CEO,andPrivateCompanyDirector

AsFounder&CEO,Nevilleis responsibleforNumedico'sdirection, vision,andsteeringthecompany towardssuccess.Heisanexceptional leaderandprofessionalcoach,andhe hasbuiltanoutstandingteamaround himtosupportthebusiness.

MaxToovey,ExecutiveDirector

MaxTooveyisanactiveventure capitalinvestorwithinternational investmentsinMedTechandother industries.Maxhasbuiltanextensive careeridentifyingandpartneringwith best-in-classfounderstocreatevalue withintheirbusiness.Max'sexperience spansprivateequitywherehe previouslymanaged$1billioninfunds undermanagementandledthe successfulexecutionoffundraising, assetsourcing,duediligence, acquisitions,andexits(IPOandTrade Sales).Hehasinternational transactionalexperienceandservedon boardsofoperatingcompaniesin Australia,Asia,Africa,andthe Caribbean.

10 to Watch 2022 COMPANIES SMARTEST

Salt Creek Partners, LLC

Guiding Business Leaders with Mergers & Acquisitions In The Emerging Growth And Middle Markets

SCPwasestablishedtofilla voidforbusinessleadersinthe emerginggrowthandmiddle markets.Fromafirsthandexperience, thefirmrealizedthatcompaniesare underservedwhenitcomestoafullserviceInvestmentBankingprovider Now,SaltCreekPartnersis committedtochangingthatreality SCP'sadvisorycapabilitiesare designedtoteachclientshowto build,grow,andimprovetheir companiesandenterprisevalueto achievevaryingexitsandother strategicgoals.

The Chief's Digest had the pleasure of interacting with Naoto Hall, the Managing Director of Salt Creek Partners. Below is an edited excerpt.

Inthismodernbusinessworld, whatexactlydoesa“Smart Company”meantoyou?

Smartcompaniesknowthatearning andkeepingyourclients'trustis requiredateverystageofa partnership,andthereisnobetter waytodothatthandemonstratingit throughthequalityofyourservice. Thebusinessenvironmentis constantlychangingandthebestway toservetheinterestsofyourclientsis tobewillingtochallengethestatus quo,rejectcomplacency,andlearn fromadiverserangeofindividuals andexperiences.Consistently challengingtheteamtobring creativityandinnovationin approachingclientsolutionswhile refiningprocessesandworkflows resultsinbetteroutcomes.

Howsuccessfulwasyourfirstproject roll?Doyouthinktherehasbeena changeinyourprioritiessincethen?

Ourfirstprojectwassuccessfullyexecuted andservedasthefoundationforthe company'sfuture.Itwasafairly bootstrappedengagement,butwecould getthedesiredoutcomebyleaningonour previousexperienceandputtingforththe workethicrequired.Theprojectgaveus thevalidationandcredentialstoknowwe couldsuccessfullyserveourclients' mandateswhilehelpingusidentifywhere weneedtoinvestinternallytoincrease desirableoutcomes.

Ourprioritiesthenarethesameasnow–webelieveinthealignmentoffinances, values,andobjectives,andweare committedtobeingthepremiumquality investmentbankfortheemergingand middlemarkets.

Howwouldyoudescribethework culturewithinyourorganization?How doyoudifferentiatebetweensmartwork andhardwork?

Ourculturestartswithourteam–the employeeswehirecomefromamixof conventionalandnon-conventional backgroundssuchasprivateequity,buysideinvestmentbanking,andmanagement consulting,whichnaturallybuildsapool ofcreativeanddiverseperspectives.As leaders,weemphasizeahighly collaborativeprocessbothinternallyin servicingourclientsandexternallyin collaboratingwithourclients.

Unliketraditionalinvestmentbanks,we haveinnovatedourprocessestoadaptto

thecurrentclimateandworkflowsof privateequityandcorporatebuyers.Our successcanbeattributedtoexecutinga customM&Aprocesstailoredtoeach clientinwhicheachengagementisan intellectualexerciserequiringcreativity andinnovation.

Thetraditionalviewfocusessolelyon transactioncertaintyresultinginalower overalloutcomeforourclients,butwe focusoncompetitivetensionthrougha market-drivenprocess.Aneffectivedeal processalsoinvolvesenhanced preparationwhileretainingtheflexibility tostreamlinetheintensivemarketingand duediligencephaseswithout compromisingquality Thisallowsour firmtomeettheexactneedsofeachof ourclientsanddeliverabetteroutcome ofevents.

Asaquestiononadaptability,howdo youstayrelevanttotheconsumer interestsandneedsinthishighly volatilemarket?

SCPmaintainslong-standing relationshipsandpartnerswithmany CXOs/OwnersacrossForbes100Fastest GrowingCompanies,Top40Private EquityGroups,andFortune1000 IndustryLeaders,whomwespeakwith onaweeklyormonthlybasis.

Ourteamisalsoamixofgeneralistsand specialiststhatworksacrossadiverse rangeofsectorswithproventrack recordsmanagingcomplexfinancial transactions,providinginvestment bankingservices,performingmarket researchandanalysis,guidingcompanies fromconceptthroughhyper-growth,and

buildingcompaniestowardsvarying exits.

Howdoesyourcompanycontributeto thecompetitiveglobalplatformat large?

SCPisonitswaytobecomingthefirst emergingandmiddle-marketfull-service investmentbank.Ourincreasing capabilitiesandreputationhave expandedourreach.Westartedwithsellsideadvisoryandhavesinceexpanded intobuy-sideadvisory,strategy consulting,valuation,andotherservices. Ourfirstclientsoriginatedoutofthe SoutheastU.S.,butaswe'vegrownand expandedourservices,sohasour geographicfootprint.Wenowservice clientsacrossNorthAmericaandhave expandedintoAsiaaswell.

Whathaveyouenjoyedthemostwhile sailingthroughtheupsanddownsof yourbusiness?

It'sbeenanexceptionalexperience watchingthecompanygrow.Thetwo mostenjoyablepartsarearoundour clientsandouremployees.Helpingan ownerfindtherightlong-termpartnerto continuetheircompany'slegacy, knowingthattheownercanachievea desirableoutcomeandpeaceofmind, bringssatisfactiondayinanddayout.On apersonalnote,mentoringour employeesastheygrowintotheirroles hasbeenhighlyrewarding.

Wheredoyouseeyourcompanyafew yearsfromnow?

We'recontinuingtogrowandcompeting againstthetopbanksintheindustry.In thenextfewyears,SaltCreekPartners willbeknownasthepremiumservice providerandthego-topartnerinthe emergingandmiddlemarkets.

TheThoughtLeadership

NaotoHall,ManagingDirectorand HeadofInvestmentBankingDivision

Naotohasledover70transactionsand acquisitionsandhassignificantexperience withmarketresearch,dealsourcing, financialvaluations,andmodeling,the duediligenceprocess,negotiationof terms,andpost-closingintegration.

“In addition to the strength and diversity of our team, the innovation and creativity of our processes, and our industry-leading insights, SCP aligns our economic interests with our clients. We believe in the alignment of finances, values, and objectives with our clients and share the risks as necessary ”

“We have seen firsthand that the growing and middle market companies are underserved and we are committed to changing that reality.”

Naoto Hall, Managing Director & Head of Investment Banking Division

Making An Impact in the FinTech Space

Led by CEO Nancy Langer, Transact Campus Paves the Way for Simplifying Campus Operations and the Student Experience

“It was important to bring an extensive network to the enterprise. Transact was not well known, and the product wasn't well understood. It was important to change that quickly. I needed to get out there and let people know who we are.”

-NancyLanger,CEOofTransact Campus,Inc.

Beingasmartcompanymeans stayingaheadofthecurvebykeeping aneyeonclientneedsandconsumer trendsandrespondingquicklyto changesinthemarket.“Westayinthe leadbypartneringwithourclientsto createsolutionsthatgetthemto wheretheyneedtogorightnow,” saysLanger.“TheTransactteam embraceschange.Theythriveinthis environmentthatcapitalizesontheir nimble,client-focusedwork approach.”

“TransactCampusisamobile-centric campustechnologythatintegrates institutionalpayments,campusID, andcampuscommerce.Withitsuserfocusedsolutions,ourtechnologycan streamlinecampuslifetoenhancethe collegeexperienceforstudentsand theirfamilies,andforthecolleges,

thatfostersstudentretentionandpostgraduateconnectionsandloyalty.”

In our interview with Nancy Langer, she shared her enthusiasm about the progress she's made at Transact Campus and the plans she has for scaling the business to new heights.

Here'saneditedexcerptfromthe interview.

Whatwasyourinspirationbehind joiningTransact?

Therewereacoupleofthings.For one,Transacthashugepotentialand tremendousopportunitiesforgrowth. Andthemarketweserveissmart, fast-moving,andfuture-oriented. Lookatwherewesit.Transacthelps collegestudentsnavigatethrough theiron-campusexperience.Our technologyandinnovationsmakean importantdifferenceinhow universitiesserveandinteractwith studentswhoaremuchmoredigitally connectedandmobile-centricthan everbefore.Studentsarealways lookingforthenextbigthing.It's incrediblyenergizingtobeinthe middleofthis.

Justasimportantistheteamhereat Transact.Thisteamispassionate aboutthebusinessandthatmindset createsanexcitingenvironmentthat fuelscreativethinking.Toanswer yourquestion,itwasacombinationof comingtoaspacewherethereisalot ofinnovationanddisruptionand beingabletobecentraltothat transformation.Tobeapartofa businesswithuntappedpotentialfor growthandpartofateamthatbrings energyandcommitmenttothe business?Thatisanobviouschoiceto make.

WhatwasyourpriorityatTransact initially,anddoyouthinktherehas beenachangeinyourpriorities sincethen?

Ibroughtanextensivenetworktothe enterprise.Transactwasnotwell knownandtheproductwasn'twell understood.Itwasimportantto changethatperceptionquickly.I neededtogetoutthereandletpeople knowwhoweare.Italkedto investors,colleagues,andpeers,and askedthemwhattheythinkwedoand whytheythinkwhatweprovideis important.Iwasabletoconnectwith andengagesomekeyinfluencersand

educatethemaboutthepowerofthe Transacttechnology

Byleveragingmynetworkand consideringtheirinput,wegained someimportantinsighttoapplyto definingastrategyforgrowththat everyonecouldsupportandalign with.Thenwewereabletocreatethe tacticsneededtoexecuteagainstthat strategy.

Ofcourse,it'salsoessentialtohave strongteamsinplace.Oneofthe crucialearlystepswastomatch existingtalenttothekeyrolesand givethemtheownershipand authoritytheyneedtoexecutetheir ownsuccess.Wehaveaverycapable workforceandwhenwereorganized topositionthemintherightroles,we realizedweonlyhadtohireforafew newpositions.

Withtheteamandthestrategic directioninplacewewerereadyto grow,toquicklyrespondtouser needsandbepreparedtomovethe needleonopportunitieswhenthey appear That'sourprioritynow.For example,therearestraightforward paymentservicesthatwecanprovide, andthey'reimportantforourusers,

butwecan'tbesatisfiedwiththelowhangingfruitofbasicproduct features.Weneedtobenimble,and nowit'sapartofthecultureto prioritizegrowthandputourfocuson theareaswhereweknowwecan makeanimpact.Thestrengthofthe Transactproductsisreallyacollective successstory.

Howwouldyoudescribethework culturewithinyourorganization? Howdoyoudifferentiatebetween smartworkandhardwork?

Wehaveacultureofinnovation, accountability,andcustomerfocus. Transactisagreatexampleofwhere hardworkandsmartworkintersect. Earningacollegedegreeoran advanceddegreeishardwork.There aren'tmanyshortcutsintheprocess. TheTransacttechnologyletsour hard-workingstudentuserswork smart.

“We're leading our market and pulling ahead with our innovations with mobile. Everyone is excited about what we're doing now and where we are taking Transact, and we have the team to do it.”

Nancy Langer, CEO

Everythingwedoisfocusedon helpingstudentsworksmarter.On campus,Transactsolutionssimplify administrativestepsbystreamlining operationswithcampusIDs,campus payments,andcommerce.Inshort,it givesouruserssmarttoolsthatlet themsavetimeandenergyforwhat theycametocollegetodo—work hard.Withoneconnectedcampus experience,Transactworkssmartto deliverprecioustimeforthehard workofcollegesuccess.

Whatarethefactorsthatmake Transactasmartbrandandwhy?

Withourfocusonmobile-first technology,weareservingthecurrent aswellasthenextgenerationof students.Wearepleasedandexcited tobeabletosaythatwewerethefirst oncampuswithamobilecredential fullyintegratedtotheAppleWallet andGooglePay.Wethoughtour campusbase,ourstudents,would loveit–andtheydo–buttheyalso said,“It'sabouttime!”Itisthis dynamicwiththestudentsthatkeeps usonourtoes.

Ourapproachisverycomprehensive. Wecanservemultipleusersegments fromthestudentstotheirparentsand grandparents.Fortheusersofour systems,weareasingle-source solutiontomeetmultipleneedsacross theentirecampusexperience.

Wehavegreatpartnershipswith companiesthattoday'sGenZstudents identifywith,likeApple,Google, Microsoft,andGrubHub.Thesekey partnersresonatewithstudentsinour customerbase.Butwearemindfulof allthedemographicsweserve.Onthe paymentsside,tuitionpaymentplans areextremelyimportanttoparents payingfortheirkids'collegetuition,

andtheflexibleplansallowusto providemorepaymentoptionsto studentsandtheirfamiliestomatch theirfinancialneeds.Thewaywe partnerwithschools,andthe programswecanoffer,gives innovationaplacetohappenon campus.Andthatisworking SMART

What'syourtakeonthe involvementofcompaniesin socialwelfare/CSRactivities? Doesitmakeapositive contributiontothebusiness?

Absolutely.Thesocialissuesthat dominatethedailyheadlinesare topofmindandcreatesometimes urgentneedsforourcollege audience.Andinternally,forour team,we'veseenthatthediversity weembraceinourTransact workplacecontributesafreshway ofthinkingaboutthedesignand deliveryoftheproductsand servicesthatweoffertoourusers.

Inherentinourstrategicapproach oflisteningcarefullytousers,is theabilitytospotopportunitiesto customizeourproductofferings;to beresponsivetomanydifferent needs,includingsocialdiversity andequity Thecomplexityof campussystemscanbe bewilderingforfamilieswhoare inexperiencedwithfinancialaid andpaymentssystems. Streamliningtheprocessmakes campuslifemoreaccessiblefor newarrivalstothecollege experience.

Thebestandthebrightestwantto workinanenvironmentthatvalues diversityandinclusion,butthey don'tcaremuchaboutthetalk,they wantthecompanytoact,andwe

haveincorporatednewinitiativeson theissuesofDEIthatwehopewill reverberatethroughtheenterprise.We havehiredaleaderofourDEIefforts, MechelleKing,tohelpuscreatea thoughtful,intentionalcultureof diversityandinclusion;it'stheright thingtodoanditinvitesourpeopleto bringtheirbestselvestotheirwork, whichultimatelymakesusabetter company.

Wheredoyouseethecompanya fewyearsfromnow?

Itwillbeamuchlargerorganization, notonlyfromtheperspectiveof organicgrowthbutthrough acquisitions.We'llbeexpandingwhat wedeliverinhighereducationto othermarketslikeK-12,international locations,andcorporateandmedical campusesinclosed-loopcity-style environments.And,ofcourse,there willbeopportunitiesthatwillcome withtechnologiesandneedsthat aren'tevenonthetableyet.It'sa tremendouslyexcitingpositiontobe in.

KnowingtheCEO NancyLanger

AstheCEOofTransactCampus,Inc., Nancyoverseesthecompany'svast ecosystemofpayments,campusID solutions,andcampuscommerce technology

It Appears the Sky's The Limit for VidIt Building A New Immersive World

Humankindisnotnewtothe transformationalimpactsof technology Wearewellawareof howinnovationinthetechnologicalspace isreshapingtheworldfasterthanever before.Andthereisenoughanecdotaland visualevidencetosupportthestatement. Forinstance,wecanconsidertheproofin ourpockets;wehaveasmallmobile devicecapableofofferinginformation that'sclosetotheentiresumofknowledge humanityhasgainedsofar.

Speakingofthetechnologicalwonderswe aresurroundedwith,whatcouldbethe nextbigadvancement?Well,wehave alreadyexperienceditthroughsomeapps andfilters.Yes,wearetalkingabout AugmentedReality.Ithasthepotentialof bringingforwardthepossibilitiesthatare hardtoachievewiththeexisting technologieswehave.ARwillsurelyalter thewayindividualsviewtheworldand beginanewchapterinhumanbehavior

Aswespeakoftransformational technology,there'sonecompanythatis alreadyonitswaytotappingintothe enormouspotentialofARand democratizingitsothateveryoneonthe planetcanbecomeanevangelistofthis newbehavior.Todaywe,atTheChief's Digest,arethrilledtointroduce toVidIt ourreaders.

In an exclusive interview with The Chief's Digest, CEO Rene Rodriguez shared valuable insights on how the future will be with AR and his visions to support the transformation. Below is an edited excerpt.

Whywasthecompanysetup?What inspiredyoutodeveloptheideaor conceptofVidIt?

Theanswertothatquestionissimple.

Ihavebeenanentrepreneurallmylife. However,theideabehindVidItdidn't conceptualizeuntil2007,whenafriend ofmineintroducedmetothemovie, “BacktotheFuture”.Itwasmyfavorite moviebackthen.Isawthetechnologyof augmentedrealityforthefirsttime,andI couldinstantlyfindaconnectionwith themovieaswellasthetechnology.

Icouldliterallyseeanewworldfullof interactivecontent.Istillremember whenMichaelJ.Foxwasstandinginthe corneroftheplaza,andsuddenly,abig hologramsharksnapsathim.Inmy head,Ithoughtthatwassoincredibly cool.Iknewthetechnologywasgoingto getbiginthefuture,andIthoughtIwant tobeapartofthis.Ididn'tknowhow longitwouldtake,butitinspiredmeto envisionthatthewholeworldwill becomeaninteractiveworld,andthat's whenIstartedworkingonit.

So,IhavebeenworkingonVidItforthe pasttwelveyears,andfinally,wehavea platformthat'sreadytogo.

WhenIsawthevision,andweputthe concepttogether,werealizedthatthis willhavetobedeployedinphases.So, rightnow,wedohavephasenumberone inwhichweprovideserviceswherewe canmonetizetheplatformtowebsites, videos,NFTS,andothersolutions.

Andinthesecondphase,wewillbe pushinghardontheabilitytocreate adoptionforfreeusersandourplatform. Andoncewegettherefortheusers,we willsuccessfullycreateafullworldof augmentedreality.So,it'skindoflikethe metaversebutinaugmentedreality.

Inthismodernbusinessworld,what exactlydoesa“SmartCompany”mean toyou?

Forme,asmartcompanywouldbeone thatisstreet-savvy,onewithcommon sense.Today,technologyisevolvingso rapidlythatanyonewho'snotmoving aheadwiththenewtechnologiescan easilyrunoutofbusiness.

Let'sconsiderthelastfiftyyearsfor example.Wesawhowtheinternetand socialmediacompletelyrevolutionized thewayhowpeopleandcompaniesdo business.Itwasn'tsomethingthatpeople chosetoacceptorreject.Businessesthat didn'tacceptitormovetowardsit literallydied.Similarly,augmented realityisgoingtobethenextbigthing.

So,youneedtoheadinthedirection wherenewtechnologiesaremoving.And inthenextfivetotenyears,webelieve therewon'tbeacompanyontheplanet thatwillbeinapositiontorejectornot useaugmentedreality.Iftheydon'taccept augmentedreality,theywillbeat disadvantageandcouldpotentiallyrun outofbusiness.That'showsimpleitis. So,asmartcompanyisalwayswillingto adapttonewchanges,isopentostart testingthewaters,andalwayslearning& movingtowardsthenewfuture.

Rene Rodriguez, Founder

Whatchallengesdidyoufaceinyour initialyears?Whatwasthenumber onemotivatingfactorthatkeptyou movingforward?

IwouldsayTiming!Waytooearlyinthe vision!!!!Soconvincingpeopleofthe futurewastough,especiallyinvestorsin whichIamextremelygratefulforthem ofcourse,butit'sbeensometoughearly yearsforsure,ofnotgivingupon somethingthatweknewitwascoming! Icanrecallpeopletellingmethatmy ideawasthestupidestofalltheyhad everheard.Theywouldtellwhowillbe lookingforthingsthroughthatphoneor lookingforanyofthisstuffatall.Butall ofthatwasjustfascinatingtome becausetounderstandthedifference betweenPioneersandSettlers.

Itookeverychallengethatcameour waysportively,beitraisingmoney, keepingthingsalive,orbuildingthe team.Iwasreadytotakeadeepdiveand gointothetrencheswiththeteam.We understoodthedeeprootsoftheproblem andthentheprocessthoroughly Eventually,webuiltateamofwarriors, andthat'showweknewweweremaking progress.Ofcourse,wedidn'tletgoof outsidetechnologiestogetusthere.

Everytimeourvisionadvancedevena little,ourstepsgotmoresolidandwe gotmoremotivated.Now,weareso closetolettingtheworldexperience

somethingsoincredible.Weareexcited tobeapartofthefuture.

Howwouldyoudescribethework culturewithinyourorganization?How doyoudifferentiatebetweensmart workandhardwork?

Ibelieveyouneedtodoabitofbothhard workandsmartworkcombined. However,there'soneelementthatshould beaddedtothemixwhichistheattitude–arelentlessattitudetowardsfindinga solution,learning,andthinkingoutofthe box.Andonceyouhavepeoplewiththe rightattitude,it'snothardtofindpeople whoworkhard.Whenyouhave combinedallthethree,youcanfeedthem withtherightvision,andthenit'slikea rocket.

Asaquestiononadaptability,howdo youstayrelevanttotheconsumer interestsandneedsinthishighly volatilemarket?

Whenyouintroduceanewtechnology, peopleusuallydon'tentirelyunderstand thecapacityofthetechnology.Rightnow,

“People would like to have the ability to see their favorite museums, places, parks, or let's say, the Eiffel Tower.

With VidIt's augmented reality technology, we want to bring all that to them.”

& CEO

augmentedrealitytechnologyisbeing introducedtotheworldasjustsimple toolsandfilters,andpeopleareyetto fullycomprehendhowpowerful augmentedrealitycouldbe.

Today,peoplearesomewhatawareof augmentedrealitythroughtheir Snapchat&Instagramfilters,andsome toolsthatyoucanseehereandthere fromappslikeNike.Butinreality,this isnewbehaviorandeverybody's participationwillcontributetoevolving thisbehavior.Overthenexttenyears, thisisgoingtobemassiveandwill changethewaytechnologyisused forever Thecontributionfrommultiple companiesanduserswillbecrucial becauseit'simpossibleforoneentityto changeeverything.

Whatarethefactorsthatmakeyour brandoneoftheSMARTESTand why?

Experience,expertise,andknow-how aredefinitelykeyelementsthathave allowedustounderstandtheindustry verydeeply,inadditiontoourmodeland marketapproach.WethinkofVidItas YouTube,TikTok,orevenFacebookwehavecreatedaplatforminwhich peoplehavethefreedomtocreate augmentedrealityexperiencesandshare themacrossanysocialplatforminthe world,beitFacebook,Instagram,or Snapchat.Wewanttobetheplatform thatenablespeopletobringforward theirowncontent.

VidItislikeanecosystem,where individualsandorganizationscanbring content,sharecontent,orcreatecontent fordifferentpurposes,sayforeducation ormarketing.Wewanttoallowpeople topopulatetheworldwithAR experiencesacrossgeographicalor productlocations,websites,videos,etc.

AsIhadmentionedbefore,phaseone offersasolutionforbusinessesthatwant tohaveaninteractivewebsitewith augmentedrealitytechnology.Andwith VidIt'saugmentedrealitysolution,I thinkwehaveasmartplaywiththis.

Howdoesyourcompanycontributeto thecompetitiveglobalplatformat large?

Wearedrivingafreemodelrightnow Wewanttoofferthistooltoevery school,university,country,andeverykid ontheplanet.Wewanteveryonetohave accesstothetoolstohelpthemcreate experiencesinaugmentedrealityand thenpromoteitthroughtheirtalent.We aresurethateventually,companieswill beseeingthatandtheneedforthatwill emerge.

It'sgoingtobeasbigastheinternet.If welookattheearlydaysoftheinternet, everybodywantedawebsite,andthere wasaneedforpeoplewhocancreate one.Similarly,whenYouTubestarted, theinitialideawastoallowcommon peopletoenjoysharingtheirhome videos,butlateritgrewintoahuge videoplatformwherebothindividuals andorganizationswantedtopostand managetheirvideos.

Goingforward,therewillbeademand fortheservicesforaugmentedrealityin thesamewayhowthecreationof websites,videos,ordesignshasgrown indemandtoday Andweonthe platformwillallowthewholeworldto interactinafreemodelwithallthetools andservices.

What'syourtakeontheinvolvement ofcompaniesinsocialwelfare/CSR activities?Doesitmakeapositive contributiontothebusiness?

Absolutely.Wehavedevelopedour platformtogivethepowerandabilityto peopletouseitinawaythatbenefits them.Forexample,ourplatformcanbe usedtotakeeducationtoawhole differentlevel.Wecanmakehighqualityeducationaccessibletopeople fromdifferentcountries,places,or organizationssothattheycanlearnin waystheyhaveneverdonebefore.

WithVidIt,youwouldn'tneedany specialsoftware,elements,or equipment.Youcanstartwithjustyour

phoneandeventually,awearabledevice. Anditwouldchangethewayhow peoplelookattheinformation.For instance,wecangrabpiecesofartfrom themostfamousartistsandwecanbring themtoanycountryorlocationonearth, andpeoplecanhaveavirtualtour.It couldbelikeavirtualmuseumwhere peoplecanlearnaboutartfromtheir ownlocation,andthatwon'tcost anything.

Whathaveyouenjoyedthemostwhile sailingthroughtheupsanddownsof yourbusiness?

Thejourneyhasbeentheenjoymentthe wholetime-thejourneyofbuildingone morecompany,thelessonsIhave learned,thepeopleIhadtheopportunity toassociatewith,andenjoyingeverybit ofitthoroughly Theprocessofbuilding VidIthasn'tbeeneasyatall,butit'sbeen veryfulfillingbecauseIcanhelpso manypeoplewhichIalreadydoactually Justthefactofbeinganassettoothers andnotaskinganythinginreturnis phenomenal.

Wheredoyouseeyourcompanyafew yearsfromnow?

Ifallthisstartsliningupwithwhatwe aredoing,wewillbeaworldwidebrand thatwouldentirelychangetheway peopleobtaininformation.Ifyouthink ofit,imaginebeinginaparkfullof dinosaurssponsoredbyNikefor example.Thenthere'sanotherparkon theothersideofthecitythathasallthe charactersfromDisneyandMarvel.You caninteractwiththem,takepictures,