Neil Cawse | Digital Thread Podcast | Momenta

Fleet Telematics

In this episode, Neil Cawse, the founder and CEO of Geotab, the global leader in IoT and connected transportation, is interviewed by Ken Forster, who is joined by Doug Harp, Managing Partner of Momenta's Advisory practice.

Neil founded Geotab in 2000 with a singular purpose: to create technology for organizations to unlock the fleet vehicle data needed to empower critical business decisions. A true engineer-at-heart, Neil brings to Geotab more than three decades of proven success as an entrepreneur, software developer, product visionary, and business leader.

As CEO, Neil is responsible for setting the mission, values, and strategy that have propelled Geotab into the position of a global leader in telematics. Neil has shown a strong aptitude for identifying major technology and business shifts and taking advantage of those changes early on, which is demonstrated by Geotab’s strong growth and inclusion in The Financial Times - The Americas’ Fastest Growing Companies 2022.

Prior to Geotab, Neil co-founded and was CEO of Vircom, a South Africa-based software solutions company, which was sold in 1999. Neil has received many accolades for his business leadership, including in 2015, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Ontario. Neil holds a BSc Eng. (Electrical) from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. 

Discussion Points:

• (KEN) What would you consider to be your digital thread (the one or more thematic threads that define your digital industry journey)?
• (KEN) Before we jump into Geotab, I'd like to return to your first successful startup: Vircom. How did your time there as CEO prepares you for Geotab?
• (DOUG) Your journey of bootstrapping a global technology market leader is amazing in an era of VC-funded startups. How did you build Geotab into a leading telematics provider now with over 3 million vehicles under management?
• (KEN) For those not familiar with the space of fleet telematics, how do you define the space, and what are some of the key use cases and benefits?
• (DOUG) Many of the vehicle OEMs are building their own digital offerings these days - Tesla being a case in point. How is Geotab working with these OEMs to enhance their offering?
• (KEN) We've seen that the hidden benefit of connected assets is ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance). How are you helping your customers achieve their ESG goals?
• (DOUG) What trends are you watching relative to lifecycle fleet management, and how are you positioning Geotab as a result?
• Where do you find your inspiration?