W W W . T H E E N T E R P R I S E W O R L D . C O M | A M E R I C A S E D I T I O N | J U N E 2 0 2 2 Redefining Social Causes, Innovation at the Forefront! ENTERPRISING COMPANIES 2022 of the Year Yoshiki Toda , Founder & CEO
Understandingwhatmakesabusinesssuccessfulornotisprobablyoneofthemostconfusingorarandom question.Butwhenwedivedeeptofindtheanswer,itisforsurethatonecan'tfullyquantifythesuccesstoone particularpoint,butthereseemtobesimilaritiesinthesuccessstoriesofmostenterprises.Differentiatingin manyfactors,theproductsandservices,managementstylesandthecorecultureofthecompany,everysuccessful businessoverlapswithoneanotherinafewfundamentalfactors.
Overlyfocusingongrowthalonewouldtrapusinseeingnothingbutsalesandcauseustodeviatefromthe'threegoods' principle(goodfortheseller,goodforthebuyer,andgoodforsociety)thatTradFitvalues. ThisiswhatfuelsTradFitanditsteam'sinnovationanddedicationtoprovideproductsthatarenotonlyinsyncwithjust onegood,buthas'threegoods'inthem,leadingtotheoverallgrowthoftheirclients,buyers,andoursociety!
Shalmali W. halmaliS
Intheirprospects,theyplantocontinuouslycontributetothetourismandaccommodationindustry,butadditionallytothe aviation,restaurant,retail,andhealthcareindustries.
InaninsightfulconversationwithMarkRekveld,FounderandSoftwareEngineer,Marvelution.Gettoknowmore aboutMarvelution,itsservices,andMark'sprofessionaljourney “Marvelutionstartedasahobbyin2007,becauseIwasplayingaroundwithopensourceprojectstoincreasemy knowledgeofthemastheywerenotusedonclientprojectsthatIwasconsultingon.”
SimonSemprini,CEO,andCo-FounderofTourScanner TourScanneristhelatesttechnologicalinterventioninthe TourandTravelindustry.
FeaturingforTheEnterpriseWorld'sthisissueofEnterprisingCompaniesoftheYeararethestoriesofsuchsuccessful businesses,thathavemadeitthrougheveryoddstormandmadeittothetop.
Asapassionatetraveler,Ihadarealizationthattherewasnoonlineplatformshowingalltoursandticketoffersforone particulartouristdestination.IexperiencedthedifficultymyselffromhavingtojumpfromonewebsitetoanothersoI couldcompareprices,ornegotiatepriceson-siteamidlanguagebarriers.”
From Editor’s Desk
FortheCoverStoryreadaboutTradFitwasfoundedwithavisionto'solveinequalitiesanddisparitiesthroughouttheworld.'Therearealwaysissuesto betackled,theyhopetocontributetosolvingtheproblemsthattheCOVID-19pandemichasexposed.
“TourScanneristhefirstmeta-searchenginefortours,attractions,andoutdooractivitiesavailableinaspecifictravel destination.ItworkslikeSkyscannerandTrivagobutspecializesintoursandactivities. AnyonefromanywherecanuseTourScannertosearchfromover1.5milliondealsworldwide—thelargestcataloginthe worldanditkeepsincreasing.Todate,TourScannerhasmorethan1.5millionuniquevisitorswhoaremostlyfromthe UnitedStatesandEurope.
Copyrights © The Enterprise World | 2019. All Rights Reserved. The images and content included in this magazine should not be copied, transferred or reproduced in any form or by any means, electronics, mechanical, photocopying, recording, otherwise, without proper permission from The Enterprise World. The Enterprise World solely owns all the reprint rights. The Enterprise World Publisher Peter EmilyJamesJ.H.RichardsSushantK.NarendraS.AmandaV. Creative Content Editor Marketing Coordinator(USA) PR & Marketing Coordinator Business Development Executive Creative Design Head: Social Media Manager Digital Circulation Manager editor@theentetpriseworld.com For Editorial Concerns: sales@theenterpriseworld.com For Sales & Branding Enquiries: info@theenterpriseworld.com For Subscription: The Enterprise World, 1985, Henderson Rd, Columbus, Ohio, 43220 Follow Us On: Shalmali W. This list is NOT a ranking. The companies on listed in magazine serve different aspects of the market, making ranking them in any order except revenue impossible and unfair. We try to bring a perfect platform for business organization to showcase their valued products/ services. Prachi K. Digital Marketing Executive
InaninsightfulconversationwithMark Rekveld,FounderandSoftwareEngineer, Marvelution.Gettoknowmoreabout Marvelution,itsservices,andMark's professional “Marvelutionjourney.startedasahobbyin2007, becauseIwasplayingaroundwithopen sourceprojectstoincreasemyknowledgeof themastheywerenotusedonclientprojects thatIwasconsultingon.”
SimonSemprini,CEO,andCo-Founderof TourScanner.TourScanneristhelatest technologicalinterventionintheTourand Travelindustry. “TourScanneristhefirstmeta-searchengine fortours,attractions,andoutdooractivities availableinaspecifictraveldestination.It workslikeSkyscannerandTrivagobut specializesintoursandactivities. AnyonefromanywherecanuseTourScanner tosearchfromover1.5milliondeals worldwide—thelargestcatalogintheworld anditkeepsincreasing.Todate,TourScanner hasmorethan1.5millionuniquevisitorswho aremostlyfromtheUnitedStatesand AsEurope.apassionatetraveler,Ihadarealization thattherewasnoonlineplatformshowingall toursandticketoffersforoneparticular touristdestination.Iexperiencedthedifficulty myselffromhavingtojumpfromonewebsite toanothersoIcouldcompareprices,or negotiatepriceson-siteamidlanguage barriers.”
Leaders
FortheCoverStoryreadaboutTradFitwasfoundedwithavisionto'solve inequalitiesanddisparitiesthroughoutthe world.'Therearealwaysissuestobetackled, theyhopetocontributetosolvingthe problemsthattheCOVID-19pandemichas Inexposed.theirprospects,theyplantocontinuously contributetothetourismandaccommodation industry,butadditionallytotheaviation, restaurant,retail,andhealthcareindustries. Overlyfocusingongrowthalonewouldtrap usinseeingnothingbutsalesandcauseusto deviatefromthe'threegoods'principle(good fortheseller,goodforthebuyer,andgood forsociety)thatTradFitvalues. ThisiswhatfuelsTradFitanditsteam's innovationanddedicationtoprovide productsthatarenotonlyinsyncwithjust onegood,buthas'threegoods'inthem, leadingtotheoverallgrowthoftheirclients, buyers,andoursociety!
in Spotlight
TradFit10. Co., Ltd
C O N T E N T S 22. Marvelution 32. TourScanner 38. 28. A R T I C L E The future of digital currency DATA PROTECTION, DATA THREATS AND VULNERABILITIES
Yoshiki Toda , Founder CEO
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at the Redefining Social Causes, Innovation Forefront! C O V E R S T O R Y www.theenterpriseworld.com | 11
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Whenwespeakofinnovation,weimaginegroundbreaking opportunitiesandlimitlessapplications.Intoday'sera,it's becominghardertoseesomethinguniqueaseveryoneisin theraceofofferinghomogenoussolutionswiththeir interventions.Thus,itisveryraretofindcompaniesthatare offeringsomethingfuturistic,butalsosomething Tenterprising!radFitdevelopsandprovidessolutionsusingVoiceAI, andtechnologiesforvariousindustries,including accommodationandhealthcare.Withtheirpatentsand collaborativecompanies,theycontinuetosolvesocial issues,aimingtocreateanewsocialinfrastructuretodrive asustainablefuture.
Innovationtoachange-TradFit TradFitwasfoundedwithavisionto'solveinequalitiesand disparitiesthroughouttheworld.'Therearealwaysissuesto betackled,theyhopetocontributetosolvingtheproblems thattheCOVID-19pandemichasexposed.
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AccordingtodatafromtheMinistryofHealth,Labor,and WelfareofJapanonthejobseparationrate,thehiringrate isalmostequaltotheturnoverrate.Regardinglanguages, theaccommodationfacilitiesareunabletocopewith
Intheirprospects,theyplantocontinuouslycontributeto thetourismandaccommodationindustry,butadditionally totheaviation,restaurant,retail,andhealthcareindustries.
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ThisiswhatfuelsTradFitanditsteam'sinnovationand dedicationtoprovideproductsthatarenotonlyinsyncwith justonegood,buthas'threegoods'inthem,leadingtothe overallgrowthoftheirclients,buyers,andoursociety!
WhyisTradFitimportant?Whydoweneedits services? Operating365daysayear,thetourismandaccommodation industryisatoughonetorun.Therearechronicpersonnel shortagesandaspectsofcopingwithlanguages,increased personnelcosts,andoperationalefficiencyissues.
Overlyfocusingongrowthalonewouldtrapusinseeing nothingbutsalesandcauseustodeviatefromthe'three goods'principle(goodfortheseller,goodforthebuyer,and goodforsociety)thatTradFitvalues.
TheFuturisticandComprehensiveserviceofferingof TradFit? TradFitprovidesservicesthatallowfacilitiestofocuson providinghospitalitytotherequestsoftheirguestswithout beingoverwhelmedbyinquiriesfromguestrooms.For example,providingrecommendationsforfacilities,tenants, andservicesinsideandoutsidetheaccommodation,aswell asroomserviceandborrowingofitems. Informationrootedinthelocalcommunitycanhelpto improvesatisfactionwiththetravelexperienceandto revitalizetheeconomybycreatingwin-winsituations.In additiontocontactlessvoiceoperation,theirchatsystem combiningAIwithhumanresponseenablesintegrated managementthatincludesspecialrequestsfromguests. BytalkingtotheAIspeaker,youcangetanswersto frequentlyaskedquestions,searchforrestaurants,get directionstonearbysightseeingspots,andcontrol
multiplelanguages,leadingtolostopportunities.In additiontoashortageoflabor,especiallyonesqualifiedin understandingvariouslanguages,itisalsocostlytoallocate staffwhocanserveforeigncustomers. Also,theCOVID-19pandemichasplacednotonlytourism andaccommodation,butalsoretail,restaurant,andother industriesinadifficultfinancialsituation.Thisdrew attentiontoTradFit'sserviceasawaytoprotectemployees whileloweringcostsbyleveragingtheirservicesthatcan belefttoAI.
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Asolutiontothisisthedevelopmentofconcierge applicationsthatcanuseAIspeakerswithgraphics supportingmultiplelanguages,andmultilingualchat systems,toimproveprofitabilityforaccommodation facilities.Itcanalsoenhancetheirservicesstillfurther,be usefulformarketing,andgiveabetterwork-lifebalancefor Asemployees.theirserviceisnon-contactasitisoperatedbyvoice, anditcanbeoperatedandmanagedremotelyfrom browserswithonlyafewpeople.Theirserviceprovides safetyandsecuritytoguestsandstaffandoffersaservice thatcanreducecostsandincreaserevenueswhileprotecting Besidesemployment.itstransformativeB2Capplicationsinthetourism andhospitalityspace,TradFit'sadvancedtechnologyandAI driveB2Bbenefitsbyenhancingrevenue-generating opportunitiesthroughimpactfuldigitaltransformation.A keybenefitofthecompany'sB2B-drivenapplicationsisits abilitytoautomatehoteliertaskssuchasinventory management,therebysavingcostsandinstancesofexcess inventory
electronicproductsinthehotelroomcontactless. Ordersforamenitiesandroomservicerentalcanalso beplacedonthemanagementscreenviatheAI speaker.Oncedone,accommodationstaffscanbe confirmedonasmartphone,preventingordererrors andreducingthetimespentonthephone. Ifthecontentoftheconversationisnotinthedatabase, oriftheAIspeakercannotrespondtothecontentor language,aQRcodeisdisplayedonthescreen.The customer'ssmartphonecanreadthistoactivatethe multilingualchatsystemandcontinuetheresponse. Themultilingualchatsystemisavailablein16 languages,whichcoverthemaintraveler'slanguageto Japan. Bysendingquestionsandrequestsinthecustomer'snative language,thechatsystemwillautomaticallytranslatethecontent andcorrectlyunderstandthecontentofthecustomer'srequestto Trespond.radFit'sservices,suchas"conciergeapplications"and"chat conciergesystem"fortouristandlodgingfacilitiesthatareused withmultilingualvoiceagentterminalswithimagesAlso, "managementscreensforlodgingfacilities"canseamlessly connectthemtostreamlineoperationssuchasordersfromtourists andguidanceservices.Thiswillsolvetheshortageofworkforce andmultilingualsupportforlodgingfacilities.Inaddition,our solutionsarenotonlyenhancingthehospitalityanduser satisfaction,butalsocreatingbusinessopportunities,increasing revenues,andreducingcostforaccommodationfacilities
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NewAdditionstoTradFit'sserviceandsolutions? TradFit'sserviceandintegratedsolutionshavesuccessfully solvedpainpointsandcontinuouslycreatedvaluesforthe accommodation,tourism,hospitality,andmanyother Theyindustries.alsohaveplanstocontributeandextendtothe followingdomainsandindustriesinvariouscountries: Ÿ DevelopingservicesasaBtoBtoCVerticalSaaS centeredonthetourismandlodgingindustry:COVID-
HowTradFitstaysaheadofthecompetition,andwhat setsitapart? TradFithasbuiltdominancethroughtheacquisitionof severalpatentsforbusiness,development,datavolumes, andothercoreareas.Byaccumulatinglargevolumesof data,theyhaverapidlyimprovedtheirservicesandquickly undertakenintellectualpropertystrategies,earningthema dominantpositionthatmakesitdifficultforother companiestogainaccess. AsJapan'sworkingpopulationdecreases,itsabilityto provideservicesoperatednaturallybyvoicehasledto inquiries,notjustfromtheaccommodationandtourism industry,butalsofrommanyotherindustries.Looking abroad,peopleincountrieswithlowliteracyratescanstill accessinformationandenjoyservices,helpingtoalleviate inequalitiesanddisparitiesintheworld.Theirservicescan contributetosolvingsocialissuesmadeapparentbythe COVID-19pandemic. Atthesametime,TradFitrecognizesthatitisdifficultfor themalonetodealwiththesehigh-impactsocialissues. Thisiswhyasabusinessentitytheyemphasizetheconcept of'people,karma,andfate.' Ontopofthis,TradFithasmultiplepatentsalready,which arerelatedtovoiceassistantdevicesincludingallAI speakerdevicesandsoon,andalsothepatentscoverallthe mainsystemsthathotelsuseinJapanandotherAsian countries.Thepatentsincludesmarttravel,smartroom control,automaticrobottransportation,andmultilingual chatbots,allnamedaftertheircorefunction.Oneof TradFit'sproprietaryofferingsistheSmartTravel technology,whichisdesignedforavidtravelersand providesinformationonrestaurants,touristattractions,or activitiesasperuserpreferences.Anotherkeypatentisthe SmartRoomControltechnologythatallowstravelersto optimizeroomtemperatureandlightingbyaccepting requestsfromAIspeakers.Thesepatentscoverallthe centralsystemsthathotelsinJapan,otherAsiancountries, theEU,andtheU.Suse.Byhavingthosepatents,other competitorscannotprovidetheserviceswithanysimilarity toAIspeakerandothervoiceassistantdevicesbecausethey havethosepatentscoveringonvariousindustriesasaBtoB verticalSaaSservice.
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Ÿ Thecompany'sserviceisachievingpowerfulgrowth andhence,itisplanningtocapturealargeshareofthe JapanesemarketandexpandtomarketsinotherAsian countries,includingtheEU,andtheU.S.With influentialpatentsandcollaborationwithmajor domesticandforeigncompanies,TradFit'sserviceand solutionsholdthepotentialtosolvethechallengesin multipleindustriesandcontinuetoprovideinnovative solutionsthatcreatevalueforall.
Ÿ WiththemomentumofbeingadoptedbyGooglefor StartupsandMicrosoftforStartupsandcontinuingthe collaborationwithmajorcompanies,TradFitaccelerates theexpansiontoWEB3.0areassuchasBlockchain, Fintech,NFT,DAO,andMetaverseinexistingbusiness andnewbusinessinthenearfuture.Furtherrollingthe deeperproductandservicesthatintegrateVerticalSaaS andFintech.
Ÿ Expansionintohealthcare,Fintech,MaaS,andsmart cities,whicharesocialinfrastructures:Expansioninto healthcare,variousfinancialinstitutions,MaaS(carsand logistics),andsmartcities,whicharesocial infrastructures,suchashospitalsandnursingcare.
TheReinsatTradFit ForacompanylikeTradFit,thatisoutwardlytowards enablingpeople,society,andus,consumers.Ittakesagreat andexpertteam,dedicatedtoprovidingexemplaryservices, andlivinguptothecompany'svisionandcorevalues.
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Ÿ 19countermeasure,contactless,non-personal, manpowersavingwhileprotectingjobs,remotely possible.ExpandtoindustrieswhereDXwillrapidly advanceinthefutureduetolaborintensity,labor shortages,anddependenceonsubsidies,andwhere horizontalexpansionacrosscountriesandindustriesis possiblethroughVerticalSaaS.
Ÿ Solvingissuesinvariouslabor-intensiveindustrieswith ourservicesandcollaborative(co-creation)partners: Solvinglabor-intensiveissuessuchaslaborshortages, highturnover,anddifficultiesinmultilingualsupport, togetherwithouroriginalservicesandcollaborative (co-creation)partnerswhohavestrengthsintechnology andcustomerchannels.
TeamofTradFit
Ÿ Oneofthe"Top10CognitiveSolutionProviders2021" byAPACCIOoutlook
Ÿ Oneofthe"10EthicalCompaniesoftheYear2022"by TheSiliconReview
Ÿ Oneofthe"Top50InnovativeCompaniestowatchin 2022"byTheCEOViews
YoshikiTodagraduatedfromWasedaUniversity,Facultyof PoliticalScienceandEconomics,inJapan.Beforefounding thecompany,heworkedatNomuraSecuritiesCo.After workinginassetconsultingservicesforindividualsand corporatehigh-net-worthindividualsattheheadofficein Osaka,andintheinvestmentbankingdivisioninOsaka, includingdomesticandoverseasM&Aforlisted companies,associateworkinfinanceandbranchplanning, hewastransferredtotheGroupPublicRelations DepartmentofNomuraHoldings,Inc. AfterworkingonpublicrelationsfortheentireNomura Groupforbothdomesticandinternationalmedia,hewas assignedtotheInvestmentBankingDivisionofNomura SecuritiesCo.,Ltd.fortheVicePresidentpositionasIPO RMbankermainlyintheTMT （ Telecom,Media, Technology ） ,Industrials,Material,andRenewableenergy Hesectorwasalsoworkinginthesamedepartmentasglobal investmentbankingstrategicplanning.Hehasawiderange ofexperiencefromprogrammingforfront-endandserver side,DB,API,cybersecurity,etc.Heiswellversedinboth developmentandbusinessdomains,includingIaaS,PaaS andSaaSsuchasAWS,GCP,andAzure.Heisalsofamiliar withtheessenceofsuccessesandfailuresofawiderange ofdomesticandinternationaltechnologiesandstartups fromhispreviousworkexperience. HerearesomeofthekeyachievementsthatTodaandhis companyTradFithavebeenhonoredwith:
Ÿ Selectedasoneofthe100FeaturedCompaniesinAsia for3consecutiveyears
Ÿ Selectedasoneofthe100BestVenturesfor3 consecutiveyears
Ÿ SelectedasoneofthelargestILS(INNOVATION LEADERSSUMMIT)inAsiafor3consecutiveyears
Themanagementteamandcoremembershaveexcellent experiencesandachievementsinbusiness,marketing,UX design,creativity,development,finance,andmanagement thatcomplementeachotherandformafullyfunctional team. “InTradFit'sinspiringandcreativecompanyculture, engineersareencouragedtohandlecutting-edge technologiessuchasvoiceinterfaces,naturallanguage understandingsolutions,human-computerinteraction technologies,andmoretomakeSaaSproductsof excellence.”
TradFit'smulticulturalflatinternationalteamwithdiverse backgroundspromotingadiverseculturepreventsthem fromone-sidedviews.TradFithascontinuallyrolledout betterservicesandbusinessinsightsbyanalyzingvarious bigdatausingmachinelearningandartificialintelligence.
Morethanthatitrequiresaleaderwhocaneffectively channeltheteam'struepotential,andleadthem,andthe company,intherightdirection.TradFitisluckytohavea greatleader,acharismaticpersonality,aninnovator,anda motivatorcommandingthereins. YoshikiTodaistheFounder&CEOofTradFit.
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Ÿ No.1in6itemsinaccommodationfacilitysupporttools accordingtoasurveybythelargestJapanesetrend research Ÿ No.1in3categoriesinasurveybyamajorJapanese consumerresearch
Ÿ Receivedthe3rd"IPBASEAWARD"Encouragement Award(StartupCategory)fromtheMinistryof Economy,Trade,andIndustryandtheJapanPatent Office.
MarkRekveld, Founder&SoftwareEngineer | JUNE 202222
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Opening the Revolution Companiesandorganizations arebattlingforthetopspot. Anditisthisprocessthat segregatestheleadersfromtherest.In thisfiercecompetition,onlyahandful ofcompaniesgainthetitleof “Enterprisingcompaniesoftheyear.”
Briefusaboutthecompany,what inspiredyoutostartthecompany?
Marvelutionstartedasahobbyin 2007,becauseIwasplayingaround withopensourceprojectstoincrease myknowledgeofthemastheywere notusedonclientprojectsthatIwas consultingon. OnethingledtoanotherandIstarted workingonmyviewonhowJenkins (Hudsonatthetime)andJiracouldbe betterintegrated.Thishobbyproject wasquicklyadoptedby3000+
Inthesearchofthenextbigrevolution intheworldofbusiness.Welcome Marvelution,aleadingcompany venturingintotheworldofopensourcesoftware.Theyareprovidinga comprehensiveandinnovative collaborationofamajorwidelyused andhighlypopularsoftware-Jenkins. Withoutfurtherado,let'sgettoan insightfulconversationwithMark Rekveld,FounderandSoftware Engineer,Marvelution.Gettoknow moreaboutMarvelution,itsservices, andMark'sprofessionaljourney “I'vemissedmorethan9,000shots inmycareer.I'velostalmost300 games.26timesI'vebeentrustedto takethegame-winningshotand missed.I'vefailedoverandoverand overagaininmylifeandthatiswhy Isucceed.” –MichaelJordan,NBA LegendaryBasketballMVP
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companiesandprojectsworldwide. Thenin2015,Igottheopportunityto establishMarvelutionthecompanyto furtherbettertheJenkinsIntegration forJiraapp.AddingsupportforJira DataCenterandJiraCloud. Howareyourservicesdifferentfrom thoseinthemarket? MarvelutionfocusesontheJenkins IntegrationforJiraappavailableforall flavorsofAtlassianJira. Pleasetellusaboutyourteam. It'sjustme.Iamtheteam!
Marvelutionwasabletofurthergrowand notneedtotakeonadditionalconsulting jobs. Anyclientexperienceyouwouldliketo highlight? No,thereisnospecificclientexperience thatismore,orbetterthanothers.Overall Ienjoyworkingwithclientsthatseeitasa dancewherebothneedtoparticipateto makeitasuccess. Whatoneisyourfavoritequote? "Somemenseethingsastheyareandsay why-Idreamthingsthatneverwereand saywhynot."byGeorgeBernardShaw Pleasebriefusaboutyour professionalexperience. Ifinishedmybachelor'sdegreein InformaticsinFebruary2007and startedworkingwithoneofthebigger ITconsultingfirmsintheNetherlands. Afterthat,Iworkedwithsomesmaller firmsaswell,alwaysinaconsulting, developer,andproductownerrole. BeforestartingMarvelutionin2015. Whatarethekeyachievementsof yourbusinessjourney? Thebiggestkeyachievementisthat withsupportforJiraCloudinthe JenkinsIntegrationforJiraapp,
The Futur | JUNE 202228
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Digitalcurrencieswill undoubtedlyhavean influenceonfinancial systems.AccordingtotheWorld EconomicForum,86percentofthe world'scentralbanksare investigatingtheadvantagesand disadvantagesofcentralbank digitalmoney.Cryptocurrencies wereabigissueattheWorld EconomicForum'sDavosAgenda thisyear.Leadersintheblockchain sectormetelectronicallytodiscuss concernssuchaslegislationand whichfeatureswerenecessaryfor theindustry'scontinuinggrowth.
LegalDocuments&Smart Contracts
Cryptocurrenciesbasedonthe blockchainprovideanalternativeto establishedmoneysystemslikefiat. Digitalcurrencymaytheoretically removecontrolofmoneyaway frominstitutionsandreturnittothe peoplebyeliminatingthepowerof governmentsandcentralbanks. Unfortunately,theworldhasbeen slowtoacceptthisconcept.Despite itsinherentpromise,Bitcoinhas hadabadimagethroughoutthe firstdecadeofitsexistence.The publicimpressionoftheemerging assetclasshasshifteddueto enterprising unscrupulouscriminals,investors,and institutionalapprehension.
Speculatorsandinitialcoin offerings(ICOs)tookadvantageof thepotentialtoearnaquick buck—oftenatthecostof inexperiencedinvestors—during thecryptoboomof2017. Thankfully,thefocushasshifted awayfromcryptocurrenciesasa speculativeassetandtoward aimingtosolvemanyofthe problemsthatconsumersand companiesfacethroughoutthe world,fromfasterandcheaper cross-bordertransfertobankingthe unbanked.However,mostordinary peoplestillfaceconsiderable crypt-enableddebitcardsbridgethe gapbetweenregularmoneyand bitcoin,providingasolution.
Inrecentyears,anumberof creativefintechstartupsthattryto givealternativestobitcoin exchangeshavethrived.These includemobile-basedsystemsthat letcustomerstobuyandexchange avarietyofdigitalandfiat currencies.Wirexcards,for example,mayturnanyfundinto fiatinstantly,lettingclientsto spenditinstoresandonlinejust likecash.Althoughexchangesare stillanimportantelementofthe bitcoininfrastructure,theylackthe practicalityandsimplicitytoallow everydaypayments.Asaresult,
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Wirex,forexample,isprioritizing theacquisitionoflocalbanking licensesinordertosecurethe assetsofitsclients.Infact,thefirm islicensedtoissueelectronicfiat moneyandpaymentinstrumentsby theUKFinancialConduct AuthorityundertheElectronic MoneyRegulations2017,with equivalentlicensesinJapanandthe UnitedStatesduesoon.Thereisa lotofmarketvolatilityrightnow. Cryptocurrencies,unliketraditional fiatcurrency,arevulnerableto severemarketvolatility This impliesthatthevalueoftokenslike bitcoin,XRP,andethereummight fluctuatedramaticallyinasingle day.Thevalueofasinglebitcoin soaredfrom$5,940tomorethan $19,190attheendof2017,before barriersto cryptocurrenciesutilizingintheirdailylives, whichmustbeovercomeifdigital moneyistogainwidespread adoptionandeventuallyreplacefiat asthedominantmonetarysystem.
Theblockchainisusedtokeep trackofdigitalmoneyproduction andtransfer.Thiscapabilityisideal forstoringandenforcinglegal documentsintheformofsmart contracts.Smartcontractsare computerprogramsthatrunwhen certaincriteriaaresatisfiedandare maintainedonablockchain.This enableslegalagreementstobe automatedsothatallcontract participantsareimmediatelyaware oftheconclusion,withnotimelag orneedforanintermediary The adoptionoflegalpapersandsmart contractswillbedrivenbythe automationofworkflows, triggeringthenextstepwhen criteriaaresatisfied,and irreversiblyrecordingstatusonthe blockchain,especiallywhenthe cheapercostofconductingbusiness crowdsoutpaper-basedcontracts.
Crypto-enableddebitcards
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plunginginJanuary2018.Skewed wealthdistributioncancause volatility,withafewhigh-net-worth peopleororganizationsexerting disproportionatepricingpower However, considerationsmacroeconomicandpublicimageare vitallyimportantinthedigital currencyindustry.Despitethefact thatitsunderlyingblockchain technologyenablesforsafelow-cost paymentsandtransfersoutsidethe traditionalbankingrails, cryptocurrency'sinherentvolatility makesitanundesirablemeansof exchange. Mainstreamadoptionofdigital currencymightnothappen immediately Cryptocurrencysupportersarea dreamylot.Decentraliseddigital currencyisclaimedtobean alternativetotraditionalfiatmoney thatputscontrolbackinthehands closedworldwidenetworkof financialinstitutionsthatworksto expeditesettlementamongits members.Cryptocurrency'sgeneral adoptionisunavoidable,but whetheritwillreplaceorjust supplementthepresentfiatmoney systemremainstobeseen.Fintech companieswillcontinuetocreate methodstoassistbusinessesand individualsinusingdigitalmoney ineverydaylifeuntilthatday comes. Conclusion Webelievethatthepopularityof digitalcurrenciesand cryptocurrencieswillcontinueto grow,andthatbanks,governments, andotherinstitutionswillbe powerlesstostopit.Thebeast's verynatureisadaptive,responsive, andtechnologicallyadept,implying thatthedevelopersbehinditcan overcomepracticallyanyobstacle placedintheirway.Theonly peoplewhoshouldbeconcerned arethosewhohaveinvested millionsinsuchcurrency.Because thedependabilityofanycurrency cannotbeguaranteed,caution shouldstillbemaintainedwhen takingriskswithlargesumsof money. ofordinarypeople,ratherthan centralbanksandgovernment entities.Theironyisthatwithout theassistanceofsuch organizations,widespread acceptanceofdigitalmoneyis improbable.Afterall,changinga moneysystemthathasruledfor over50yearsisnoeasytaskand necessitatesamassiverevampof theglobalfinancialinfrastructure.
Thefinancialelitehaslongbeen skepticalaboutcryptocurrencies' abilitytobecomeamainstream monetarysystem,citingexamples offraud,crime,andalackof regulatorycontrol."Centralbanks havebeensleepingatthewheel overthefutureofourmoney systembeingdefinedbyatiny numberofbanks,payment businesses,andnowinternet giants,"saysFranBoait,executive directorofadvocacyorganization Positive HoweverMoney,governmentsand commercialorganizations throughouttheworldarestartingto seetheadvantagesofatokenized economyoverthepresentfractional reservebankingsystem.Central BankDigitalCurrenciesarebeing investigatedbytheBankof England,SverigesRiksbank,Bank ofJapan,andEuropeanCentral Bank(CBDCs).TheBankof Englandstatedinafinancial stabilityassessmentreleasedin December2019that"stablecoins mightpartiallyreplaceor supplementpresentpayment Thisarrangements."conceptisalsobeingaccepted byprivatebusinesses.Wirex teamedwithIBMtowardstheend of2019tobecometheprincipal issuerofregulatedstablecoinson theIBMWorldWireNetwork,a
CEO & TourScannerCo-Founder, | JUNE 202232
Briefusaboutthecompany,whatinspiredyouto startthecompany?
Your Travel Partner and Advisor! AtTheEnterpriseWorld,we'reafterfindingout thelatest,themostupcoming,andthefuture ofthebusinessworld.Andinthissearch,we havecomeacrossmanycompanies,innovative products/services,andbreakthroughleaders. Westrivetobringforththelatestandtrendingbits andinsightsgoinginthebusinessworld.Andinthis journey,wemetSimonSemprini,CEO,andCo-
FounderofTourScanner TourScanneristhelatest technologicalinterventionintheTourandTravel industry Now,withoutanymorewait,let'shavea conversationwithSimonSemprini,CEO,andCOfounder,TourScanner.Let'sgettoknowabout TourScanner,itsofferings,andsomeexclusive insightsfromSimon.
TourScanneristhefirstmeta-searchenginefortours, attractions,andoutdooractivitiesavailableina specifictraveldestination.ItworkslikeSkyscanner andTrivagobutspecializesintoursandactivities. AnyonefromanywherecanuseTourScannerto searchfromover1.5milliondealsworldwide—the largestcatalogintheworldanditkeepsincreasing. Todate,TourScannerhasmorethan1.5million uniquevisitorswhoaremostlyfromtheUnitedStates andEurope.
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Simon Semprini
“Things just happen in the right way, at the right time. At least when you let them, when you work insteadcircumstanceswithofsaying,'Thisisn'tsupposedtobehappeningthisway,'andtryinghardertomakeithappensomeotherway.” BenjaminHoff,TheTaoofPooh
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Asapassionatetraveler,Ihada realizationthattherewasnoonline platformshowingalltoursand ticketoffersforoneparticular touristdestination.Iexperienced thedifficultymyselffromhavingto jumpfromonewebsitetoanother soIcouldcompareprices,or negotiatepriceson-siteamid languagebarriers. Whataretheproductsorservices thecompanyfocuseson?How areyourservicesdifferentfrom thoseinthemarket? TourScannerspecializesintours andactivities,andourwebsiteor appuserscanchoosethebestdeal fromacompletecatalogof productsofferedbyourpartners suchasViator,GetYourGuide,and Tiqets,among20otheronline travelagencies. Ifatourisnotavailableatthetime youareplanningtobookforyour nexttrip,youwillnotseeiton TourScanner Thiscanhelpyou savetimeandmoney Pleasetellusaboutyourteam. IstartedTourScannerwithmycofoundersGuillaumePicardand JosephDimucci,andforafew years,wedidalltheworktomake itoperational.BeforetheCOVID19pandemichit,wewerereadyto expandourteam,however,wehad topostponeituntillastyear. Today,wehavesixmoreteam memberstohelpuswithcontent management,websitedevelopment, andmarketing,plusasimilar numberoffreelancecollaborators. Wearenowbasedindifferent locationsandallworkremotely. Pleasebriefusaboutyour professionalexperience. Myprofessionalexperienceinthe tourindustryhasdeveloped alongsideTourScanner,asmy previousjobwasinadifferentfield. However,myexperiencein analysisandresearchhasbeen integralinmyworkwith TourScanner,especiallywhen devisingbusinessandmarketing Guillaumestrategies.hasmanyyearsof professionalexperienceinthetour industrywhichhaveproved invaluableinthedevelopment processofthecompany.Josephhas enhancedhisknowledgeandskills inwebsitedevelopment,asweare optimizingourwebsiteand expandingourservices. Whatarethekeyachievementsof yourbusinessjourney? Inthelastfouryears,wehavegone fromzeroto1.5millionmonthly uniquevisitors,eventakinginto accounttheimpactofthe pandemic.Wehavealsoexpanded ourteamandpartneredwithmore touragenciestoincreaseour productsandservices.Wehavealso proventheprofitabilityofthe business. Anyclientexperienceyouwould liketohighlight? IrememberKatherine,oneofour clients.Shewroteusanice messagethankingusfortheadvice givenaboutsomenicetourstotake fromLasVegasandcongratulating usontheusefulwebsitethatwe've built.
| JUNE 202238
DATA PROTECTION, DATA THREATS VULNERABILITIESAND EverythingYouNeedtoKnow www.theenterpriseworld.com | 39
| JUNE 202240
www.theenterpriseworld.com | 41
Whenyoutalkaboutdatasecurity,datathreatis anythingthatcanpotentiallycausedangerto theinformationinyoursystems.Thesethreats couldbeanythingfromanintrudernetworkthroughaport onthefirewall,toaprocessaddressingdatainawaythat violatesthesecuritypolicyofacompany,toatornado wipingoutafacility,orevenanemployeemakingan unintentionalmistakewhichcouldexposesomeofthe confidentialinformationordestroyafile'sintegrity.
ImproperDisposalDumpsterdivingortheimproperdisposalofsensitivedata cancauseimproperdisclosuresandleaksomeofyour sensitiveinformation.Toavoidthis,youneedtohave internalprocedureswhendisposingofthesensitive Wdocuments.ithheapsofdatabeingproducedeverypassingday,itis justasimportanttosavethedataproperly.Leakingevena smallamountofdatacanleadtolargerrepercussionsand cancausegreatlossestoyourcompany.
TechnicalDataThreatsHackingToday,hackingisworthamulti-billion-dollarindustryfor thecybercriminals.Hackinghasbeenproviding opportunitiestoextractthedataforpoliticalandmonetary gains.Inabroaderview,hackingisanunethicaland unauthorizeduserwhogainsaccesstoacomputerora network.Therearemanywaysthroughwhichthehackers gainaccesstonetworksorcomputers,someofwhichareas intricateasalteringthesystemssecurity.Othersaresimple andstraightforward,likeguessingtheusers'passwordsor installingakeylogger. CrackingCrackingisareverseengineeringforsoftware,passwords orevenencryption.Thiscouldleadtotheunauthorized accesstoacompany'ssensitiveinformation.
MalwareMalicioussoftware,oralsocalledasthemalwareisa softwarethatdisruptssomeoftheimportantcomputer operationsandgatherssensitiveinformationorevengains anaccesstoacomputersystemthroughwhichthedataand informationisthencompromised.Tokeepacomputersafe fromthiskindofdatabreaching,antivirussoftwareand firewallsareinstalled.Viruses,worms,spyware, ransomware,keyloggersandbackdoorsaresomeofthe examplesofmalware. ErrorsSomeofthemostcommonerrorslikesystem misconfigurationsorsomeotherprogrammingerrorscan causetheunauthorizedaccessbycybercriminals.These errorscanoccurduetofaultyin-houseprogramming,or whenhackersfindaloophole.
DataLeakageDataleakageiswhenthereisanunauthorizedelectronicor thephysicaltransmissionofdataorinformationfroma companytosomeotherexternaldestination.
Itisimportantforeverybusinesstounderstandtherisksif theirdataisbreached.Oneofthemostimportantstepsin datasecurityistoidentifythepotentialthreatstothe system,classifythembyacategory,andthenevaluatethat damagepotentialtothecompany.Followingaretheways howcommondatathreatscanaffectyourbusiness.
Non-TechnicalDataThreatsOnethingtokeepinmindisthatdatasecurityisnotjustan electronicissue.Somenon-technicalthreatscanaffectyour businesstoo.Someofthenon-technicaldatathreatsarePhysicalPhysicalfactorsliketheft,tampering,snooping,sabotage, vandalism,localdeviceaccessoranassaultcannegatively affectyourbusinessasitcanleadtolossofyourdataand information. EnvironmentalDireenvironmentalfactorslikeundeniablenaturaleventsof tornado,powerlosses,fire,andfloodscanposedangerto theorganizationandinfrastructurewherethedatais located. InsiderThreatAnotherwaythenon-technicalfactorscanposeasathreat toyourbusinessiswhenthereisinsiderthreat.Your employees,contractors,orevenpartnerscancommita fraudortheftoftheintellectualproperty
SocialMediaOftenemployeescanfallpreytosomescamsonthe internetandthusrevealsensitiveinformationwhichisnot intendedforthepublicknowledge.
