Matt Oberdorfer | Digital Thread Podcast | Momenta

Twin Talk; Unlocking the full potential of AI, ML, and Analytics 

In this week's episode, Ken Forster interviews accomplished entrepreneur and author Matt Oberdorfer. Join us as we delve into his experiences in pioneering the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and explore the valuable lessons we can learn from those shaping our digital future. We also discuss his latest book, "The Trailblazer's Guide to Industrial IoT," which is poised to contribute to energy and manufacturing digital transformation significantly. This book promises to provide comprehensive insights and practical advice on upgrading industrial companies' OT/IT infrastructure while harnessing the power of modern AI, ML, and analytics.

Matt Oberdorfer is the Founder and CEO of the Embassy of Things (EOT), a prominent software company that empowers industrial enterprises to modernize and develop their operational cloud historian, digital twin, or data lake.

He is an accomplished serial entrepreneur and investor with a remarkable track record of founding or advising over 15 companies. His exceptional contributions have been acknowledged through prestigious accolades such as the "Innovation Quotient Award for Information Technology," the "Annual eWeek Excellence Award," and the "Red Herring 100 North America Award."

Beyond his entrepreneurial pursuits, Matt is a respected speaker and author. He has shared his insights and expertise through numerous speaking engagements, captivating audiences with his knowledge and thought leadership. Matt has published five books as an author, demonstrating his dedication to sharing valuable information and guidance with industry professionals.

Matt's passion extends beyond business and technology. He is deeply committed to entrepreneurship, early-stage venture capital, grassroots marketing, lateral thinking, and the integration of AI and ML for the sustainability of industrial enterprises. These diverse interests and experiences contribute to his unique perspective and innovative approach to driving progress in the business world.

Discussion Points:

• What would you consider your digital thread (the one or more thematic threads that define your digital industry journey)?
• In relation to your previous ventures, Engineered Intelligence (EI) and Gear6, which specialized in parallel computing virtual machines and in-memory computing solutions, I'm interested in hearing about the lessons you learned regarding founding, scaling, and exiting a startup in the deep tech space. Can you share insights from selling Gear6 to Violin Memory in 2010?
• Let's move ahead to your tenure at Frost Data Capital, one of the pioneering Venture Studios that concentrated on the digital transformation of industries. They gained a positive and negative reputation for their successes and failures. In your perspective, what were the key things they did right, and where did they go wrong
• In 2016, you co-founded Swarm Engineering, a trailblazer in democratizing AI for industrial applications. Could you please share your key learnings in the field of applied AI for the industry?
• Let's delve into the Embassy of Things (or EOT), the company you founded in 2018.
• Could you please share your origin story and elaborate on your value proposition?
• Could you please highlight some notable use cases and wins you have achieved?
• In addition to your endeavors in founding and scaling startups, you have also authored five books. Your upcoming book, "The Trailblazer's Guide to Industrial IoT," aims explicitly at energy and manufacturing digital transformation leaders, offering comprehensive guidance. What motivated and inspired you to write this book?
• What are some critical considerations for upgrading industrial companies' OT/IT infrastructure to harness the power of modern AI, ML, and analytics?
• You are also an accomplished speaker, topically advocating the use of AI to pave the way for sustainable energy. Tell us more about this topic.
• In closing, where do you find your inspiration? (i.e., book recommendations, articles, podcasts, people, etc.)
• In closing, where do you find your personal inspiration? (i.e., book recommendations, articles, podcasts, people, etc.)