Monthly Archives: November 2022

Finance and Banking, Investment, Investment News, News, Sustainability

Zellar secures £600,000 investment deal from The Co-operative Bank

Zellar, the sustainability score for every business, has received a £600,000 investment from The Co-operative Bank.

The deal follows the successful roll-out of an initiative launched earlier this year, in which The Co-operative Bank pledged to provide lifetime subsidised access to Zellar for all of its UK-based SME customers. The Co-operative Bank’s investment is in return for a two percent share of Zellar, based on a £33m market valuation.

Headquartered in London, Zellar was founded to help SMEs measure, plan, activate, report and share their sustainability journey and reduce costs. It captures every sustainable action that a business takes and reflects it all within a single score that shows both them and the outside world their sustainability progress.

As the only UK high-street bank with a customer-led Ethical Policy, The Co-operative Bank has committed to inspiring others to develop a target-driven sustainability strategy and is supporting customers who want to evolve how their businesses operate.

As part of the agreement The Co-operative Bank will continue to promote Zellar to its SME customer base. It will also work closely with the company to help develop products and services that reward and incentivise sustainable businesses – in line with Zellar’s scoring framework. The Co-operative Bank will also sit on Zellar’s steering committee.

Zellar plans to use the investment to support a number of platform developments already in flight. Zellar is currently focused on creating richer, deeper and more meaningful experiences within the platform, by heavily customising the sustainability journeys across an initial 64 business sectors.

Gary Styles, Founder and CEO of Zellar, commented: “As the UK high street bank with the best ESG score from independent analysis, The Co-operative Bank is a perfect investor for Zellar. We hold so many shared values. We both believe passionately in cutting though the greenwash and driving meaningful environmental change, and helping local businesses and their wider communities to take action. The overwhelming interest shown by The Co-operative Bank’s customers following our launch programme in June this year, is a real confirmation of the synergies between our two companies. This investment will help us to deliver an even better, more meaningful experience to our shared customers and beyond.’

Styles continued, “This is an exciting time for Zellar. Not only is our SME base increasing rapidly through partnerships with The Co-operative Bank, SSE Energy Solutions and a growing number of local authorities. But we also have a number of ground-breaking pilots underway with nationwide corporates – as well as institutions like school academies and faith institutions – all of whom have the shared challenge and responsibility of understanding and driving local sustainability across multiple UK sites.’

Catherine Douglas, Managing Director at The Co-operative Bank comments: “Zellar has become instrumental in helping us to deliver on our vision of igniting and driving action against climate change amongst SMEs. We’re delighted to be following up on the success of our subsidy programme by continuing to work with and invest in Zellar.  This will not only help to enhance the experience for our SME customers on the Zellar platform, but for thousands of other businesses across the UK.”

The Co-operative Bank becomes the first external investor in Zellar and marks the opening of a seed investment round, in which the company is seeking a further £2.4m to further develop the product in 2023.

 

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About Zellar

Launched in 2021, Zellar is the sustainability score for every business. Its online platform helps businesses to measure, plan, activate, report and share their sustainability journey.

Zellar captures every climate positive action a business takes along its sustainability journey – whether it’s reducing emissions, switching to green energy or offsetting carbon. It then reflects those measures within a single score that shows both them and the outside world their sustainability progress.

Zellar customers include thousands of UK SMEs, as well a growing number of national chains, school academies and faith institutions that are looking to drive local sustainability across multiple UK sites.

The company has already attracted numerous partners including The Co-operative Bank, SSE Energy Solutions and East Midlands Chamber.

Zellar is privately held and headquartered in London.

 

About The Co-operative Bank

The Co-operative Bank plc provides a full range of banking products and services to retail and SME (Small and Medium Sized Enterprises) customers and is committed to values and ethics in line with the principles of the co-operative movement.

In 1992 The Co-operative Bank took a pioneering step to become the UK’s first bank to have a customer-led Ethical Policy. And it’s still unique today. The Bank’s Ethical Policy defines how it acts as a business, the causes it supports and the ways it uses (and won’t use) customers’ money. It is shaped by the views of customers in regular Values & Ethics Polls.

In 2022 The Co-operative Bank is celebrating its 150th year of providing ethical banking services, and remains strongly positioned to provide an ethical alternative in the UK banking market.

Business, Renewable Energy News

Engenera bolsters team with key CFO hire on back of expansion

Engenera Renewables Group helps large organisations embrace green energy and reduce their carbon footprint

 

One of the UK’s leading renewable energy companies has hired a new chief finance officer (CFO) as it continues to rollout ambitious UK-wide expansion plans on the back of completing one of England’s biggest ever solar projects.

 

Engenera Renewables Group, based in the North East of England, works as a decarbonisation partner with large companies looking to reduce their carbon emissions and operate using cleaner, greener – and often cheaper – energy.

 

The business recently completed work on the largest solar park with a private wire connection in the whole of England, which will shortly be operational. The landmark project represents a sign of the future as large corporates, pressured by rising energy bills and government targets, increasingly embrace all forms of renewable energy.

 

Now, Newcastle-based Engenera has embarked on a major drive to help more large businesses reduce their carbon emissions. It works with clients on a range of renewable technologies, including commercial solar PV and battery storage, air and ground source heat pumps, combined heat and power, electric vehicle charging points and LED lighting.

 

As it continues to drive into the utility scale sector, it is actively looking for more large projects to work on – and has stressed that it has the funding behind it to start on such projects, of any size, immediately.

 

To fulfil this growing order book, and to manage the finance involved in such schemes, it has hired an experienced CFO. Chris Alete joins with over 22 years of experience as a finance director including considerable experience of working with private equity and venture capital-backed business.

 

In that time, Alete has worked across a variety of industries. Having qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse, he moved into industry where he has worked as finance director across a number of sectors including training, hospitality, manufacturing, technology and most recently in the domestic heating sector.

 

He also serves as a Trustee and Treasurer of The Key, a charity based in Newcastle dedicated to inspiring belief in young people and, through practical activities, helping them to discover what they are capable of. This is a non-executive role which is undertaken voluntarily.

 

Lloyd Lawson, Chief Strategy Officer, Engenera, said:

 

“This is a very exciting time for the business. We are in a phase of exponential growth for the company as more and more businesses want to examine their carbon footprint and the benefits of reducing this. To help us manage the growth trajectory we are on, we are delighted to welcome Chris into the team. He has a proven track record of career progression, the ability to operate strategically at both executive and board level and manage critical relationships with internal and external stakeholders. He is experienced in all aspects of finance, commercial and general management operating at board level with considerable experience working with PE/VC backed businesses.”

News

Former musical theatre and retail supremo finds calling in customer service

A FORMER retail boss who started out in musical theatre has found her calling in customer service.

Rhian Anstey owned three successful Vodafone stores – in Rhyl, Prestatyn and Oswestry – before passing them on to a new franchisee and taking on the role of Customer Experience Director in North Wales and Chester for insight6.

The company delivers advanced client feedback programmes, with services including mystery shopping, reviews, focus groups, training and development, working in multiple sectors UK-wide.

Rhian is already forging partnerships with leading names in education, communications, hospitality, and tourism and has also now taken-on the Networx4Business group based at Costigan’s in Rhyl, which is proving popular with entrepreneurs and small businesses in the coastal area.

“It is a very, very busy period but I’m enjoying it and interest is growing all the time,” said Rhian, from Connah’s Quay, who trained in musical theatre at college.

“Given the challenges of the pandemic, the companies and organisations I’m working with are more focused than ever on the end user and delivering a high-quality experience, but also on retaining and attracting talent.

“Engagement and the wellbeing of employees is more crucial and they recognise that, whereas previously that side of a business might not have had their full attention.”

With the support of husband Russell, Rhian was thrilled to join insight6 and is excited at the opportunities ahead; however, she was sad to leave retail after more than 20 years in the sector.

“It was a real shame but with more and more people shopping online and us having to close our doors because of lockdowns I really had no choice but to diversify,” she said.

“Now I have the chance to do something completely new, and add value to businesses in a different way, which is already very rewarding.”

Rhian added: “The pandemic has changed attitudes towards customer service and the way we buy things – perhaps forever – so I haven’t been surprised by the amount of interest we’ve had.

“A return on investment and efficiency are paramount, but from my perspective excellent customer service should be a priority whatever industry you are in, because there is so much choice now.

“If you are not standing out from the crowd or going over and above then it’s going to be very difficult to be successful.

“I’m pleased to be able to offer my experience and expertise – and that of the brilliant team around me – to help organisations on the path to doing that – I’m delighted with how it’s going so far.”

For more information, visit the website www.insight6.com/region/north-wales or email Rhian via rhian.anstey@insight6.com.

FInance, News

New ONS Data Analysis Identifies Most Recession-proof Regions and Industries for Startups

  • CircleLoop’s new analysis of 2008 recession data finds startups in Northern Ireland have a higher chance of failure in the immediate aftermath of a recession than those in England, Scotland or Wales. 
  • ‘Health’ is the most recession-proof industry for start-ups as analysis shows it saw the lowest rate of business failures.
  • On average, startups founded in the North fare worse as a result of a recession than businesses in the South. 

 

Today, cloud-based business phone system, CircleLoop, releases the ‘Recession-proof Index’, a new ONS data analysis which finds that businesses launching within the Health industry are likely to have the best chance of surviving the current recession, according to trends uncovered during the 2008 recession.

According to the data, by 2009 in the immediate aftermath of the last financial crash, start-ups in the South West and East of England saw the joint-lowest rate of business failures across all regions, at just 23%. This was closely followed by the South East at 24% making these regions the most recession-proof for new businesses.

Regions that had the highest rates of business failures in 2009, and were therefore the least recession-proof, were London (30%), Northern Ireland (30%) and Yorkshire & The Humber (28%). This suggests new businesses in these areas are likely to be impacted the most by the current economic turbulence.

Further analysis shows that, across data from 2008-2013, the Health industry stands out as the most recession-proof industry for start-ups to launch in despite the recession. New businesses within the Health industry saw the lowest rates of failure, on average, 2 years after their launch than any other industry at 20%. This was closely followed by startups in the Information and Communication industry with an average failure rate of 21%.

Damian Hanson, Co-Founder & Director of CircleLoop, said: “As a Co-Founder and Director of a growing business I recognise the worries and concerns that business owners experience when the prospect of recession is high.  At times like this, and from experience, it is difficult to navigate changing markets and invest more in the things that have always worked for you or decide to ease up and be more cautious to see how things play out. Depending on your location in the UK it is obvious that the data points to some regional variances on business success ratios but there will be many lessons learned during past recessions that we can lean upon.

“They say history repeats itself and though we hope that’s not the case with this recession if it materialises, we know from CircleLoop’s own customers that concern amongst business owners is high, but it is not all doom and gloom.

“No one can predict the future, but we can look back and use what history taught us to help prepare and make informed decisions about how we move forward. This is exactly what we hoped to achieve with our Recession-proof Index and I believe this is a valuable resource for any current or future startup founder with concerns about what they should anticipate next.”

The analysis also shows that by 2010, when the recession was considered officially over, the situation had gotten worse for some industries which saw further increases in the rate of business failures after 2 years from their launch. Startups in Business Administration & Support Services saw failures increase by 8%, meaning two in every five (40%) new businesses in this industry did not survive the recession. Those within Arts, Entertainment, Recreation & other Services saw failure rates increase by 6%, meaning a third (33%) of all startups in this industry failed in 2010.

However, by 2011 the number of startup failures finally started to decrease. The Business Administration & Support Services industry saw a 12% reduction between 2010 and 2011, while the Arts, Entertainment, Recreation & other Services industry saw a 7% reduction. This suggests that it takes approximately 2 years post-recession for business failures to stop increasing and some recovery to be seen.

The data, provided by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), consisted of business data from the years 2008-2013, covering the UK’s last financial crash. The data showed the number of business births and deaths across these years and identified the number of startups that failed within two years of launching, providing a business failure rate across all UK regions and key industries.

By analysing this data, CircleLoop has uncovered insights and trends from the previous recession that can inform startup founders and small business leaders of what to expect as the UK enters yet another period of economic turbulence.

To access the Recession-proof Index in full and see which industries and regions are likely to be the most recession-proof, visit: www.circleloop.com/recession-proof-index

 

 

About CircleLoop

CircleLoop is a modern, cloud-based phone system in powerful desktop and mobile apps. CircleLoop provides you with the flexibility you need and want from a business telephone system. The solution enables you to manage your team, contact numbers, and system preferences down to the smallest detail. With complete, and instant configurability, you can tailor the app to your every need.

For more information please visit: www.circleloop.com

Methodology of Recession-Proof Index Data Analysis
In September 2022, CircleLoop undertook an analysis of data sourced from the Office of National statistics. The data included business births and deaths from 2008 to 2013, broken down by industry and UK regions. To ensure the data analysed referenced startups and SMEs specifically, all business ‘deaths’ were recorded only for businesses that failed within 2 years of their launch. By comparing the data across the years surrounding the 2008 recession, CircleLoop uncovered the trends and insights detailed.

Digital Transformation, News, Tech

New WSO2 Research Reveals Where Organisations Are Floundering to Successfully Digitise Services

·         While APIs are at the heart of digital transformation, 74% of survey respondents do not have a fully rolled out API strategy. 

·         87% of respondents value open-source platforms combined with hybrid environments that deliver flexibility and enable deployment choices.  

·         95% of respondents are experiencing challenges with their CIAM platform. 

 

WSO2, the leader in digital transformation technology, today released the UK&I findings from its survey examining how organisations are tackling their IT infrastructure in order to deliver the best possible digital services to employees, customers and partners.  

 

To achieve success, digital transformation involves three critical components: an API-first approach, effective and API-led integration of systems and applications, and comprehensive identity and access management for users. Organisations also require a flexible platform that enables each of these capabilities to perform well either in isolation or together, and this is where the survey found organisations are currently falling short. 

 

In the survey, nearly three quarters of respondents (74%) admitted that they do not have a fully rolled out API strategy. Furthermore, 88% concede that the technology they currently use to build, manage, and integrate APIs needs to be better—requiring anywhere from a moderate or major improvement to a complete overhaul. The two most common challenges cited with current API platforms are difficulty re-using existing or legacy APIs for new projects and services (53%) and managing the full lifecycle of APIs (52%). 

 

Organisations need flexible deployment options for new platforms 

 

The survey also found that most organisations require a mix of deployment options. Only 10% of respondents currently opt for on-premises wherever possible, while only 3% said that their IT infrastructure is in the cloud wherever possible. Looking ahead to the next three years, only 5% expect to be on-premises wherever possible, while only 15% say cloud wherever possible. 

 

“For the majority of companies we surveyed, both now and in the future, hybrid environments are expected to be the norm. Therefore, flexibility is critical for any new platforms to deliver the deployment choices that customers want to make,” said Ricardo Diniz, WSO2 vice president and general manager for UK&I and Southern Europe. “Likewise, from an API perspective, organisations need to take a step back and revisit how they manage and use APIs in order to realise the full benefits they can deliver.” 

 

Even as hybrid deployments continue to dominate, the study points to a growing adoption of software as a service (SaaS) and other cloud-based solutions with a five-fold increase in planned cloud-only deployments. SaaS offerings address both the current economic challenges and the continued shortage of skilled developers. They enable enterprises to free often-understaffed development teams from managing the underlying infrastructure to focus on innovating new digital services and applications that deliver business value. 

 

The value of open-source platforms recognised 

 

Taking an open-source approach can deliver real value to the business, with 87% of respondents agreeing that the ability to use an open-source platform for building, managing and integrating APIs would significantly benefit developers and architects within their organisation. Not only do open-source software and pre-templated libraries save time; they also free up precious internal resources who can focus their energies on innovating and improving the end user experience. 

 

Open-source software also undergirds all major cloud platforms being delivered to the market today, whether SaaS or platform as a service (PaaS). This approach facilitates integration and the ability to take advantage of new technologies as they emerge.  

 

“More than half of the respondents surveyed said that digital transformation initiatives are driving demand for APIs. But innovation can only be achieved if engrained challenges stemming from underperforming technology platforms are rectified,” Ricardo Diniz observed. “This is where a digital platform as a service and other SaaS offerings come into play. They enable development and operations teams to deliver new integrations, services, and APIs in hours or days, not weeks or months.”  

 

Organisations repurpose IAM platforms for CIAM purposes 

 

The research also examined how organisations are using customer identity and access management (CIAM) platforms to deliver a more personalised experience. It found that 80% of respondents are using or planning to use a single platform for employees, partners and suppliers as well as their customers.  

 

However, the survey responses also suggest that existing identity and access management (IAM) platforms are being repurposed for CIAM needs; an approach that can quickly prove frustrating given that these platform types are not like-for-like. This can often create challenges, such as limited scalability and extensibility, and lead organisations to compromise on critical CIAM needs, which is why 95% of those surveyed indicated that they are experiencing challenges with CIAM.  

 

Interestingly, 85% of respondents believe their IAM platform needs either a complete overhaul or major or moderate improvement, with 80% saying the same about their CIAM platform, and 74% agreeing that when IAM/CIAM platforms do not work as they should, customer, partner and supplier relationships are negatively impacted. 

 

“Organisations are struggling with their current platforms predominantly because they are being repurposed for CIAM, which is not what they were built for. Companies will realise much greater business benefits if they use either a true CIAM platform or at a minimum one that takes a CIAM-first approach,” concludes Ricardo Diniz. 

 

About the Study 

The study was conducted by independent research organisation, Vanson Bourne, in March 2022. It recorded the views and experiences of 200 IT decision makers and those from related functions in the UK&I, in organisations with a global annual revenue of at least £50 million and from a range of private and public sectors. 

 

The study explores both current and future IT infrastructure and any associated challenges. It assesses where organisations are on their API journey, reviewing what organisations want from an API platform. It also delves into how respondents are currently managing identity requirements, whether they are performing to the expected level, and what challenges they might be experiencing with either their IAM or CIAM platform. 

 

The full WSO2 research whitepaper based on the study findings, “A Road to Success Without Compromise: Managing APIs and Identity Effectively“, is available to download here. 

 

About WSO2  

Founded in 2005, WSO2 enables thousands of enterprises, including hundreds of the world’s largest corporations, top universities, and governments, to drive their digital transformation journeys—executing more than 60 trillion transactions and managing over 1 billion identities annually. Using WSO2 for API management, integration, and customer identity and access management (CIAM), these organisations are harnessing the full power of their APIs to securely deliver their digital services and applications. Our open-source, API-first approach to software that runs on-premises and in the cloud helps developers and architects to be more productive and rapidly compose digital products to meet demand while remaining free from vendor lock-in. WSO2 has over 900 employees worldwide with offices in Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, Sri Lanka, the UAE, the UK, and the US. Visit https://WSO2.com to learn more. Follow WSO2 on LinkedIn and Twitter.  

 

About Vanson Bourne 

Vanson Bourne is an independent specialist in market research for the technology sector. Their reputation for robust and credible research-based analysis is founded upon rigorous research principles and their ability to seek the opinions of senior decision makers across technical and business functions, in all business sectors and all major markets. For more information, visit www.vansonbourne.com. 

 

News, Tech

Global showcase for Serpr at Web Summit 2022

Cutting-edge Page One search intelligence platform unveiled to tech world in Lisbon

 

Serpr, a cutting-edge new Total Search platform which helps brands take up residence on Google’s Page One, is being unveiled to a global audience at Web Summit 2022.

Serpr guarantees to deliver the intelligence to ensure businesses receive star billing on the world’s leading search engine.

Serpr is a world-first global search intelligence platform that measures and analyses every pixel on page one of Google, providing businesses with a secret solution for the keywords that matter to them.

The trail-blazing SaaS platform, by Braidr, part of the Tomorrow Group, is being showcased at the world’s premier tech conference in Lisbon.

Since 68% of all online experiences begin with a search engine and 92% of all search traffic comes from page one results, businesses need to know how to get there – and stay there.

James Wolman, Head of Innovation at Serpr, says: “Serpr is the world’s most actionable Total Search intelligence platform. Our revolutionary technology gives brands the competitor insights to get where everyone wants to be, on Page One.

“We are putting the future of page one search directly into the hands of every business that wants to be there.”

Award-winning Serpr is the first search intelligence platform that looks at page one as a full picture.

By evaluating every pixel on page one, Serpr discovers patterns, opportunities, and insights that can be applied immediately to help brands grow their page one presence and beat the competition.

Serpr is presenting as a Startup Showcase on Stage 2 in Pavilion 4 on Thursday Nov 3rd, and is exhibiting on Stand A821 in Pavilion 5.

Finance and Banking, News

Three-year partnership to help households facing hardship unlock financial support

A brand-new, 3-year partnership between Barclays and the Trussell Trust will help people facing hunger to maximise their incomes and access impartial financial support.

 

Announced at a time when the cost of living continues to rise, the partnership aims to upskill food banks to provide financial advice and support to people struggling to afford the essentials.

 

New research from the Trussell Trust recently highlighted the devastating impact that the cost of living is having on people forced to survive on the lowest incomes with one in five (21 per cent) people claiming Universal Credit unable to cook hot food this summer as they couldn’t afford to use the cooker.

 

United in their vision that everyone should have enough for the essentials, the new partnership has three shared aims:

 

  • To unlock income for people struggling to afford the essentials and help them to access the financial support they’re entitled to, but not receiving.
  • To upskill food banks to provide bespoke support to tackle the underlying causes of hardship in their community.
  • To design and deliver a training programme to food bank staff and volunteers, equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to provide effective financial support and advice.

 

Emma Revie, CEO of the Trussell Trust said:

 

“Hunger is a symptom of poverty caused by not having enough money for the essentials, and unlocking financial support that families are entitled to but not receiving is part of the solution to ensure everyone has enough to make ends meet. As food banks in our network prepare for a challenging winter, this partnership could not come at a more crucial time.”

 

The partnership will work closely with food banks who have strong connections with their local community to ensure that people who visit are getting all the help and advice they need, including financial support. Together with the anti-poverty charity’s network of 1,300 food bank centres and Barclays financial expertise, both organisations hope to work towards a future where everyone can afford essentials such as food or heating.

 

Matt Hammerstein, CEO for Barclays Bank UK said:

 

“Many in the UK are already experiencing greater hardship due to cost of living pressures, and many more may as those pressures evolve. Incredible charities such as the Trussell Trust play a vital role, helping households struggling to afford life’s essentials. Barclays is here to help make money work for our customers and clients across the UK, and this three-year partnership will provide bespoke assistance for the challenges local communities face.”

 

Since April alone, the Trussell Trust has unlocked more than £2.3 million for people through the financial inclusion initiatives that Barclays are supporting, as well as writing off more than £500,000 of debt. Looking ahead, 43 per cent of food banks in the Trussell Trust network offer financial inclusion services, with the partnership committed to increasing this to 75 per cent of their network to deliver this support by March 2025.

 

Financial Inclusion Manager for Wales, Nigel Oanea-Cram, who supports food banks to create and implement advice projects and wraparound support, explained that:

 

“Aside from the benefit of increasing the incomes of families surviving on very little money, financial support projects like these also improves people’s wellbeing. It restores their dignity and increases their options so that people are no longer having to make impossible decisions such as whether to heat their home or feed themselves.

“Having dedicated funding from Barclays to embed financial inclusion services within food banks has meant that communities and local politicians are beginning to recognise that food provision is not the answer to hunger. We’re hopeful that, as we provide data that shows the impact that maximising people’s incomes can have on reducing the need for food banks, we can work with businesses, government and crucially the communities facing hardship to ensure everyone has enough money for life’s essentials.”

 

News, Tech

RealWear Launches World’s First Hands-Free, Voice-Controlled Thermal Camera

RealWear has today announced that it has launched the world’s first fully hands-free, voice-controlled thermal camera experience. By connecting the new RealWear thermal camera module to RealWear Navigator™ 500 headset with built-in voice recognition, frontline workers can capture a high-resolution visible-spectrum image or a variety of thermal and color modes to quickly identify temperature anomalies in mission-critical industrial equipment like pumps, pipes, wiring and motors.

“RealWear Navigator head-mounted devices, with its revolutionary modular design, continues to gain support with Global 1000 companies as the new gold standard in assisted reality.  The compelling option to add thermal image capture without occupying your hands in hazardous environments gives frontline professionals more real-time information to do their jobs safely and productively,” said Rama Oruganti, Chief Product Officer at RealWear. “By combining Teledyne FLIR’s thermal expertise with RealWear’s best-in-class voice-driven wearables through its Thermal by FLIR program, we’re creating a digital tool with extended capabilities for the modern frontline worker.”

“As a XR wearable evangelist for Honda, the idea of leveraging the modular design of RealWear Navigator 500 is a no-brainer,” said Greg Cooper, Innovation Engineer, Manufacturing, American Honda Motor Company. “A fully hands-free thermal camera will give our technicians another superpower to get the job done fast.  For example, a hands-free fully voice-controlled thermal enables us to immediately show what we’re doing to address airlocks and ventilation leaks to the reliability team to give them the confidence that our engines and systems are reliable and meet our high-quality standards.”

Imagery is viewable in real time and will in the future have the ability to be shared via Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Webex Expert on Demand, among others. Compatible with Teledyne FLIR’s ecosystem, the special radiometric JPEG format images can be stored, transmitted, and downloaded for use within the FLIR Thermal Studio post-processing software for greater analysis and reporting options.

“Thermal imaging is critical to assembly, effective condition monitoring and predictive maintenance programs,” said Dan Jarvis, Sr. Director Business Development Teledyne FLIR. “RealWear Navigator 500 is the only hands-free system to currently incorporate the patented MSX technology, which overlays the live edge detail from the visible camera on the thermal image to provide critical information.”

Key use cases of RealWear Navigator with thermal include electrical, mechanical, plumbing, HVAC inspections along with initial installation readiness, process monitoring or line monitoring where a connected hands-free device adds flexibility, safety, and overall efficiency for optimum plant production such as automotive assembly line processes.

“Our long-term vision of assisted intelligence takes shape when you start connecting new captured data like thermal imaging into the cloud and beyond,” continued Oruganti.  “Industrial wearables have a huge role to play going forward in industry 4.0, and we’re proud to be a part of the global movement.”

Starting today, the thermal camera module is available for pre-order through authorised resellers. The new module is expected to ship in January 2023.

Business Advice, News

How to get more done: 5 productivity hacks for start-up founders

It’s a role that can prompt countless rewards, but as any start-up founder will testify, it’s almightily challenging work.

Let’s not forget that this is the period where you’re in charge of everything, whether it’s marketing, product launches, or even arranging the correct type of insurance.

Ultimately, staying productive is vital. There’s absolutely no space for lost time, and through today’s article, we’ll look at some of the best steps you can take to enhance this.

There’s always scope to say No

In the very early stages of a start-up, it’s easy to want to please everyone. You want to build a great product, but you also want to ensure everyone’s happy, from your team to your customers.

The problem is that this isn’t always possible, and as your company grows, you’ll quickly learn that you can’t be all things to all people.

This is why it’s important to start saying no to things that aren’t going to help your business. It might be a difficult thing to do at first, but it will free up your time to focus on the things that really matter.

Automate where possible

One of the best ways to stay productive is to automate where possible. This might mean setting up automatic payments for your bills or using a tool like IFTTT to automate your social media posts.

By automating the things that don’t require your personal attention, you’ll free up time to focus on the things that do.

Batch your tasks

Batching is a great way to stay productive as it allows you to focus on one task for a set period.

Perhaps the most straightforward example revolves around your meeting schedule. While it might “make sense” for them to be spread around the day, this actually creates more work for you as you have to refocus your attention each time you re-start a task.

Instead, try and batch your meetings into one or two slots each day. This will allow you to focus on each task in turn and get more done in the long run.

Delegate where possible

As a start-up founder, it’s easy to want to do everything yourself. After all, this is your baby, and you want to see it grow.

However, there comes the point where you need to start delegating tasks to others. Not only will this free up your time, but it will also allow you to focus on the things that you’re good at.

Take regular breaks

It might sound counter-productive, but regular breaks are a great way to stay productive.

By taking a few minutes out of your day to relax, you’ll come back refreshed and ready to tackle the next task.

Ultimately, being a productive start-up founder is about finding the right balance. By following the tips above, you’ll be able to get more done and ensure that your business is on the right track.

News, Travel

Here Are The Top 5 Must-Visit Places in Lisbon

Lisbon is often overlooked as a European destination, but it has plenty of places to see and things to do. It’s particularly a must-visit destination for anyone who loves history, culture, art, and architecture – the city has it all! 

If you’re looking for a place to stay in the city during your trip you won’t have a problem. As a famous destination either for vacation or work, Lisbon has plenty of accommodation options whether someone plans to stay there for a short or a longer period.

Let’s dive into the top five attractions of Lisbon!

The Aqueduto das Águas Livres

The Aqueduto das Águas Livres is one of Lisbon’s most iconic landmarks. The aqueduct was built in the early 18th century to transport water from the River Tagus to the city center. Today, it serves as a popular tourist attraction, with visitors able to walk along its length and marvel at its engineering.

The aqueduct is just over 11km long and consists of two levels of arches. It is an impressive feat of engineering, and its construction required the use of over 30,000 stones.

The upper level of the aqueduct was designed for carriage traffic, while the lower level carried the water pipes.

The Aqueduto das Águas Livres is a must-see for anyone visiting Lisbon. It provides a fantastic opportunity to learn about the city’s history and see some of its most impressive architecture up close.

Igreja e Mosteiro de São Vicente de Fora

Situated on a hill in Lisbon’s Mouraria district, the Igreja e Mosteiro de São Vicente de Fora is a beautiful church and monastery complex dating back to the 16th century. The church is best known for its ornate Baroque interior, which is decorated with blue and white azulejo tiles, gilded carvings, and an intricately carved wooden pulpit.

In addition to being a place of worship, the complex also houses a museum with a religious art and artifacts collection.

The Igreja e Mosteiro de São Vicente de Fora is one of Lisbon’s most popular tourist attractions, and it is easy to see why. The church and monastery are both stunning examples of Portuguese architecture, and the views of the city from the hilltop location are simply breathtaking.

If you are visiting Lisbon, be sure to add the Igreja e Mosteiro de São Vicente de Fora to your list of must-see sights!

Torre de Belém

The Torre de Belém is a stunning 16th-century Portuguese tower located in the Belém district of Lisbon. Situated on the River Tagus, the tower was built in the early 16th century to defend the city from naval attack.

Today, it stands as a symbol of Portugal’s maritime past and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Lisbon.

Visitors can climb to the top of the tower for stunning views over the river and city. Inside, there is a small museum with exhibits on the history of the tower and its construction.

The Torre de Belém is a must-see for anyone visiting Lisbon.

Castelo de São Jorge

Whether you’re a history buff or simply looking for incredible views of Lisbon, the Castelo de São Jorge is a must-visit. The Moorish castle dates back to the 11th century and was once used as a royal palace.

As you explore the castle grounds, take time to admire the beautiful architecture and unique design elements. Be sure to also visit the Museu de Arqueologia do Castelo de São Jorge, which houses artifacts dating back to the Roman occupation of Portugal.

Finally, don’t forget to head up to the top of the castle walls for some of the best panoramic views of Lisbon!

LX Factory

LX Factory is a decommissioned factory in Lisbon that has been transformed into a vibrant creative hub. The former industrial complex now houses studios, shops, restaurants, bars, and event spaces, all surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens.

Visitors can explore the different areas of LX Factory on foot, or take a Segway tour to see the highlights. There are often cultural events taking place within the complex, making LX Factory a great place to experience the best of Lisbon’s creative scene.

LX Factory is the perfect place to spend an afternoon or evening browsing the shops, enjoying the atmosphere, and people watching.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a beautiful, historic city to visit that’s full of character, then Lisbon is the perfect place for you. With its winding streets, picturesque buildings, and abundance of things to see and do, you’ll have an amazing time getting to know this fascinating city.

We hope you enjoy your time here!