Episodes

  • 070: THE NEW WORLD ORDER: It's NOT a Transition, it's a RUPTURE!

    070: THE NEW WORLD ORDER: It's NOT a Transition, it's a RUPTURE!
    Jan 23 2026

    The New World Order: It's Not a Transition, It's a Rupture

    The world's gone completely mental since Andy Staples left The Economist and launched GeoPol Asia. Turns out his timing was perfect - just in time for Trump's tariff chaos, military interventions, and the complete breakdown of the "rules-based order" everyone keeps banging on about.

    The old playbook is dead. This isn't your typical trade spat or diplomatic tiff. As Mark Carney put it at Davos: we're witnessing a rupture, not a transition. And from Singapore's "grave concern" over Venezuela to Japan's new PM calling China's bluff, everyone's scrambling to figure out what the hell comes next.

    Andy breaks down why Singapore's politicians are probably doing constant eye-rolls dealing with Trump's "favours from friends" tariff nonsense, why Malaysia's quietly winning at this geopolitical game, and whether we're all heading to the pub because the world's ending (spoiler: we're definitely putting our coats on).

    If you're trying to run a business in this chaos or just want to understand why everything feels completely unhinged, this is your reality check.

    Timestamps:

    00:00 Welcome Back, Andy Staples!

    00:26 Reflecting on a Year of Chaos

    02:00 Predictions and Realities

    04:45 Hard Power and Global Dynamics

    05:28 Trump's Davos Speech

    08:27 Middle Powers and Global Order

    11:47 Asian Geopolitical Landscape

    14:36 Japan's New PM and China Relations

    17:49 Elections and Political Shifts in Asia

    20:25 Singapore's Resilience

    21:56 Johor's Investment Boom

    23:12 Vietnam's Economic Resilience

    24:13 US-Singapore Relations

    26:44 Business Sentiment in Asia

    30:27 Geopolitical Risks and Predictions

    34:08 Rapid-Fire Questions

    40:06 Closing Thoughts and Future Outlook

    Key Takeaways:

    • The US has shifted to unilateral military action as policy tool

    • "Middle powers" like Canada, Singapore, and the EU are exploring Plan B

    • Asia's playing the ultimate balancing act between US security and Chinese economics

    • Business leaders need to build "geopolitical muscle" or get left behind

    • We're all walking towards the pub, but hopefully it stays open

    About Andy Staples:

    Andy is the founder of GeoPol Asia, offering geopolitical advisory services to businesses navigating Asia's complex political landscape. Previously at The Economist, he specialises in helping Western MNCs understand the shifting power dynamics and build their "geopolitical muscle" for this new era.

    Connect with Andy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystaples/

    Learn more about GeoPol Asia: https://geopolasia.com/
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    43 mins
  • 069: TELCO'S SOPHISTICATION PARADOX: Brilliant Tech, Rotten Pitches

    069: TELCO'S SOPHISTICATION PARADOX: Brilliant Tech, Rotten Pitches
    Dec 17 2025

    Telco's Sophistication Paradox: Why They Can't Explain Their Own Genius

    The Telco Century Club (100+ years of telco experience between us) is back with a brutal reality check on an industry that's mastered building brilliant technology but completely botched explaining why anyone should care.

    Charles teams up with telecoms veterans Rob Jones (Sylva Growth Partners) and Chris Lewis (Lewis Insights, The Great Telco Debate) for an unfiltered dissection of why 25 years of "transformation talk" has changed absolutely nothing. From Telstra's genius digital twin platform that died because no one could pitch it internally, to network APIs that sound impressive but solve problems nobody asked for - this episode exposes the sophistication paradox that's killing telco innovation.

    Key Battlegrounds:

    • Why telco layoffs are a perpetual pattern, not strategic responses
    • The "build it and they will come" mentality that's still sabotaging 5G monetisation
    • How MVNOs are eating traditional operators' lunch through superior segmentation
    • AI-native platforms making MVNO entry cheaper and easier than ever
    • Middle Eastern operators like e& and STC outplaying Western telcos with actual execution
    • The coming satellite reality check (spoiler: it won't replace mobile networks)
    • Network APIs heading to the technology graveyard alongside network slicing

    Reputation-Staking Predictions for 2026: Chris bets on AI chatbots finally becoming genuinely useful. Rob sees Google dominating user experience through AI integration. Charles predicts internal AI efficiency gains - if telcos can resist their urge to overcomplicate everything.

    Plus: Will the US take a stake in Nokia or Ericsson? And our final verdict on whether telcos will transform, disappoint as usual, or somehow make things worse.

    Timestamps:

    00:00 The Telco Century Club Returns

    00:53 18 Months Later: Still Building Tech Nobody Understands

    03:13 The Layoff Epidemic: Why It Never Actually Ends

    08:04 Telco to TechCo Dreams Meet Harsh Reality

    10:02 Network APIs: The Communication Disaster Continues

    20:26 AI Reality Check: Separating Hype from Hope

    28:20 Why OpenAI Might Go Broke (And Apple's Playing It Smart)

    29:15 MVNOs Quietly Stealing Market Share

    33:14 AI-Native Platforms: The MVNO Revolution Nobody Saw Coming

    36:41 Satellite Hype Crashes Into Indoor Coverage Reality

    41:15 2026 Predictions: Putting Reputations on the Line

    49:35 Final Verdict: Will Telcos Finally Transform or Keep Disappointing?
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    55 mins
  • 068: IoT Reality Check: Breaking Down the Latest Industry Benchmark Report

    068: IoT Reality Check: Breaking Down the Latest Industry Benchmark Report
    Nov 21 2025
    Here's the complete description with show notes for Libsyn: IoT Reality Check: Fresh Insights from the Latest Benchmarking Report - Matt Hatton from Transforma Insights Breaks Down What's Really Working In this episode of TechBurst Talks, I sit down with Matt Hatton, founding partner at Transforma Insights, to dive deep into his latest IoT peer benchmark report covering 27 MNOs and MVNOs worldwide. Matt brings over 15 years of industry experience, having founded Machina Research (sold to Gartner in 2016) before launching Transforma Insights. We explore the most surprising findings from his fresh research, including the rise of SGP 32 for eSIM localization, how AI is finally being used for IoT-specific operations rather than just generic business functions, and why many connectivity providers are diversifying into adjacent markets like fixed wireless access. Matt breaks down the persistent challenges around network fragmentation, explains why IoT growth remains steady rather than explosive, and shares his outlook for 2026. We also discuss the symbiotic relationship between IoT and AI, where IoT provides the essential data feeds that make AI applications truly valuable. The conversation wraps up with some personal insights about music, favorite bands, and best concert experiences. SHOW NOTES: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background Matt Hatton introduces himself as founding partner at Transforma Insights, sharing his journey from telematics and M2M days through founding Machina Research (sold to Gartner in 2016) to his current focus on IoT, AI, and edge computing. 00:17 Transforma Insights and IOT Market Overview of Transforma Insights' focus areas and Matt's specialization in connectivity, mobile network operators, MVNOs, and the supporting infrastructure that makes IoT deployments possible. 00:56 Telecoms and Connectivity Focus Discussion of the complexity and diversity of IoT solutions, covering the full tech stack from devices through networks, platforms, and applications - and why telecoms expertise is crucial for understanding the space. 02:51 IOT Peer Benchmark Reports Deep dive into Transforma Insights' comprehensive research analyzing 27 MNOs and MVNOs worldwide - the methodology, scope, and dual purpose of identifying industry trends while helping enterprises evaluate connectivity providers. 04:43 Surprising Findings in IOT Key discoveries from the latest report including: localization trends driven by regulatory and performance needs, AI evolution from generic business tools to IoT-specific operations, and diversification into adjacent higher-revenue markets like fixed wireless access. 15:25 Challenges in IOT Connectivity The persistent problem of network fragmentation - 2G/3G shutdowns, patchy 5G rollouts, NB-IoT adoption challenges, and why the mobile industry's choppy technology evolution continues to complicate global IoT deployments. 19:25 SGP 32 and Its Impact Explaining SGP 32 eSIM localization technology in layman's terms - how it enables better multi-country IoT connectivity, reduces reliance on roaming, but doesn't solve all the commercial relationship challenges. 26:22 The State of IoT: Current Trends and Challenges Assessment of where IoT stands today - realistic expectations vs. hype cycles, the role of specialist players vs. major tech vendors, and why steady incremental growth remains the norm. 26:52 The Evolution of IoT: From Telematics to Today Matt's perspective on IoT's steady evolution since 2011, the importance of expectation management, and how regulated mandated use cases provide the few "hockey stick" growth moments in the industry. 28:54 The Role of Major Tech Vendors in IoT Discussion of how major tech vendors have stepped back from IoT, the transition from buzzword marketing to business-as-usual implementations, and the value of focusing on business outcomes rather than technology labels. 31:57 The Intersection of AI and IoT Exploring how IoT serves as the "eyes and ears" for AI systems, enabling interaction with the real world through applications like video analytics, autonomous driving, and industrial optimization. 33:41 Future Trends in IoT: Looking Ahead to 2026 Key trends for the coming year: AI-IoT integration, video analytics adoption, compliance and regulatory drivers, and the continued shift toward value-based selling over connectivity selling. 35:33 The Impact of Satellite Connectivity on IoT Current state and future potential of satellite IoT - from traditional high-value asset tracking to new capabilities from Starlink and others, plus the limitations and cost considerations that remain. 38:43 Personal Insights: Music and Career Reflections Lighter conversation about shared musical tastes in punk/alternative rock, first concerts (Ned's Atomic Dustbin vs. a legendary $10 show featuring Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, and Red Hot Chili Peppers), favorite bands, and career reflections. 45:20 Conclusion: Reflecting on IoT's Progress and Future Wrapping up with...
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    46 mins
  • 067: Why IoT Failed (And What's Finally Working) | Alistair Fulton on Microsoft Azure IoT, Semtech LoRa & Building IoT Ecosystems

    067: Why IoT Failed (And What's Finally Working) | Alistair Fulton on Microsoft Azure IoT, Semtech LoRa & Building IoT Ecosystems
    Sep 29 2025
    Why IoT Failed (And What's Finally Working) - Alistair Fulton After 25 years in IoT, Alistair Fulton has watched the industry make nearly every mistake possible—and he's not holding back about what went wrong. From incubating Microsoft's Azure IoT platform to growing Semtech's IoT division to $300M in revenue, Alistair witnessed the gap between IoT's trillion-dollar promises and harsh reality. This isn't another tech hype conversation—it's a brutally honest autopsy of IoT's failures and a rare look at what's actually working now. What You'll Discover: How inflated market forecasts ($7T → $1.7T overnight) poisoned the entire industryThe LPWAN wars and why "one technology to rule them all" was always a fantasyWhy telcos completely failed at IoT despite owning all the connectivityHow successful IoT companies today avoid using the word "IoT" entirelyRegional reality check: what's working in US, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle EastWhy AI is about to repeat IoT's worst mistakesThe counterintuitive winning strategy: work within existing industries, not against them Alistair's journey spans the entire ecosystem—from building $20M custom solutions to creating platforms at Microsoft, Hitachi, Semtech, and Blues. His frank assessment reveals why brilliant technology repeatedly crashed into business reality, and more importantly, what's finally breaking through. Key Insights: Market hype vs. adoption realityTechnology wars that nobody wonPlatform strategy failures and successesGlobal market dynamics by regionClimate tech applications that actually workAI making IoT's exact same mistakes This conversation cuts through decades of buzzwords to reveal what actually drives technology adoption. Whether you're building IoT solutions, investing in emerging tech, or trying to understand how industries really change, Alistair's hard-won wisdom is essential. Episode Timeline: 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:13 Alistair's Background in IoT 00:42 Career Journey and Key Roles 03:06 Insights on IoT Industry Challenges 06:38 Early IoT Market Missteps 10:44 Collaboration and Ecosystem Building 11:18 Technological Wars and Lessons Learned 1 8:44 Current State of IoT 20:03 Naive Optimism and Realizations in IoT 21:10 The Shift from Tech Talk to Business Solutions 22:28 Challenges and Risks in IoT and AI 24:43 The Evolution of IoT and Industry-Specific Solutions 31:52 Global Perspectives: IoT in the US, Europe, and Asia 43:15 The Middle East: A Promising Market for IoT 52:45 Reflections and Future Outlook Blunt, pragmatic, and refreshingly honest about the gap between tech hype and business reality. Video podcast available on YouTube
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    56 mins
  • 066: BEYOND SILOS: PropTech, Gen AI & the Future of Real Estate

    066: BEYOND SILOS: PropTech, Gen AI & the Future of Real Estate
    Aug 25 2025

    Antony Slumbers is a leading voice on the future of real estate, keynote speaker, and educator on AI for property leaders.

    Antony Slumbers doesn't just talk PropTech—he created it. Long before "PropTech" was even a word, he launched the UK's first commercial real estate website in 1995. Now he's teaching the industry how to survive what's coming next.

    This isn't your typical tech cheerleading session. Antony cuts through the noise to explain why PropTech's cooling hype actually signals its maturation. The party's over. Now comes the real work.

    The brutal truth? Most real estate companies are trapped in silos, burning millions on point solutions that don't talk to each other. Meanwhile, smart operators are building ecosystems that orchestrate data, tools, and trust into genuine competitive advantages.

    We dive into Space as a Service—Antony's concept that predicted the death of the 20-year lease. Real estate has flipped from creating bonds for investors to creating experiences for humans. Miss this shift, and you're toast.

    Then there's Generative AI. MIT just dropped a bombshell: 95% of corporate AI projects are failing spectacularly. We break down why this mirrors every tech adoption cycle in history—and what the winning 5% are doing differently.

    The warning is clear: Companies that don't master these tools will face competitors operating at 5-10x their speed. It's "slowly then suddenly" time.

    We close with Antony's unfiltered take on tech hype. Spoiler: he really hates the Metaverse.

    Timestamps:

    00:00 – From art history to PropTech pioneer
    01:58 – Launching the UK's first real estate website (1995)
    02:18 – PropTech reality: hype is cooling, adoption is heating up
    03:58 – Why big firms waste millions on innovation theater
    06:01 – Breaking silos: the only way forward
    17:05 – Space as a Service: bonds are dead, experiences win
    24:25 – GenAI's 95% failure rate (and what works)
    30:00 – The "slowly then suddenly" competitive apocalypse
    38:27 – Tech rants: why the Metaverse is anti-human

    You can watch the Video Podcast on Spotify or my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson

    Stay tuned, I'll be releasing 10 - 15 "60 Second Insight" video shorts at: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson/shorts

    As always, please LIKE, SHARE and SUBSCRIBE.

    More information:

    Follow Antony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonyslumbers/

    More on Antony's Gen AI for Real Estate Course: https://www.antonyslumbers.com/

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    42 mins
  • 065: BUILDING IOT TOGETHER: From Hype to Reality

    065: BUILDING IOT TOGETHER: From Hype to Reality
    Aug 19 2025
    Building the IoT Ecosystem That Actually Works - Wienke Giezeman (The Things Industries) The Collaborative Approach That Made LoRaWAN a Global Success Wienke Giezeman didn't just build a company—he built an entire ecosystem. As CEO and co-founder of The Things Industries, Wienke has orchestrated one of the most successful collaborative strategies in IoT, growing from a startup idea to managing 3 million connected devices and $4M in annual recurring revenue. This isn't another IoT hype conversation. It's the inside story of how open collaboration, shared infrastructure, and ecosystem thinking created real market success where others failed. What You'll Discover: The Power of Collaborative Strategy: Why "building this thing together" became a $4M ARR business modelHow sharing IP and standards actually strengthened competitive positionThe counterintuitive VC challenge: selling collaboration over market domination Real IoT Success Fundamentals: Why hardware is incredibly hard (and why they stopped doing it)How the solution drives the entire business model, not the technologyThe shift from wide area networks to private networks as the real value Startup Wisdom for IoT Entrepreneurs: "Own the domain problem on the business side" - the key insight most missWhy you need 15-20 minutes of business discussion before any tech talkThe window cleaning sensor: a masterclass in understanding customer problems Ecosystem Building That Actually Works: How The Things Network became the go-to platform for developers globallyBuilding developer ecosystems when you're not trying to "eat the entire pie"Why promoting competing technologies strengthened their market position Key Insights: Market Reality vs. Hype: Wienke witnessed IoT at peak hype ("almost where AI is right now") and learned why most crashed into business reality Technology Evolution: The journey from shared infrastructure dreams to private network success - what actually creates sustainable value Business Model Truth: Why successful IoT companies focus on solutions, not connectivity features Partnership Philosophy: How radical openness and collaboration can create competitive advantages instead of vulnerabilities About Wienke Giezeman: CEO and co-founder of The Things Industries, creator of The Things Network, and architect of one of the world's largest LoRaWAN ecosystems. From a 2015 startup idea born in Singapore to managing millions of connected devices across thousands of customers worldwide. Episode Highlights: The Singapore IoT event that changed everything (2015)Building shared LoRaWAN infrastructure: vision vs. realityHardware lessons learned the hard way (via Kickstarter)Creating developer ecosystems through radical collaborationWhy domain expertise trumps technology expertiseThe future of open networks and collaboration For: IoT entrepreneurs, ecosystem builders, hardware startups, platform strategists, and anyone interested in how collaboration can create competitive advantages. Episode Length: [Insert actual length] Key Topics: IoT, LoRaWAN, Ecosystem Strategy, Platform Business Models, Hardware Development, Startup Strategy, Collaborative Business Models Pragmatic insights from someone who built the IoT ecosystem that actually works - through collaboration, not competition. Video podcast available on YouTube
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    28 mins
  • 064: CONNECTIONS vs COLLECTIONS: Why Telcos Keep Losing

    064: CONNECTIONS vs COLLECTIONS: Why Telcos Keep Losing
    Aug 7 2025
    The Reality Check You Need

    Jeff Apcar spent 24 years as a Distinguished Engineer at Cisco and has zero patience for tech BS. After 46 years in the industry, he's watched every hype cycle crash and burn.

    What's Actually Broken

    5G? Overhyped garbage that nobody can monetize. IoT? A connection problem pretending to be a collection solution. Service providers? Becoming irrelevant dinosaurs while hyperscalers eat their lunch.

    What's Actually Scary

    But quantum computing? That's where things get genuinely interesting—and genuinely terrifying. Jeff breaks down what's actually working in tech, what's pure marketing fluff designed to separate you from your money, and why Google and Amazon are systematically destroying traditional telecoms.

    Plus: why AI makes him both excited and deeply worried about dumbing down an entire generation.

    No BS Promise

    No vendor pitches. No sugar-coating. No fairy tales about the "digital transformation." Just 46 years of brutal honesty about where tech is really heading and why most of it is built on lies.

    Listen to a tech veteran who's seen it all expose the industry's biggest scams and reveal what's actually worth paying attention to. This isn't another tech podcast peddling hope - it's a reality check from someone who helped build the internet backbone and watched it all go sideways.

    Warning: Contains explicit opinions about your favorite tech companies and why they're probably lying to you.

    Listen & Watch

    🎧 Listen on all major platforms 🎥 Watch the full video episode on YouTube: YouTube.com/@charlesreedanderson

    What You'll Learn

    Timestamps

    00:00 Introduction and Jeff's 46-year tech journey

    01:10 What being a Cisco Distinguished Engineer actually means

    03:06 MPLS and how it changed enterprise networking forever

    06:46 Why 5G is struggling and service providers are lost

    10:52 Network APIs: The latest pipe dream?

    15:07 IoT reality check: Connection vs. collection

    19:55 Starlink and why LEO satellites actually work

    21:59 How satellite internet created the digital nomad revolution

    23:22 AI: Godsend or threat to expertise?

    24:41 Why AI is getting dumber and what that means

    31:09 Quantum computing: Game changer and nightmare

    32:27 Why C-suite executives don't understand their tech risks

    36:25 Career reflections and the proudest moment

    37:58 Best case scenario: Tech saving lives
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    40 mins
  • 063: THE SHIFT TO SPACE: The Rise of Orbital Computing

    063: THE SHIFT TO SPACE: The Rise of Orbital Computing
    Jul 26 2025
    Space-Based Computing Revolution: Building Data Centers in Orbit with Rob DeMillo From JPL to Orbital Computing: The Future of Space Technology In this episode of Tech Burst Talks, Charles sits down with Rob DeMillo — former JPL engineer, serial entrepreneur with 7 exits from 9 startups, SparkLabs Venture Partner, and CEO of Sophia Space — to explore the cutting-edge world of orbital data centers and space-based computing. What You'll Learn About Space Computing Rob shares his extraordinary journey from space science at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to revolutionizing cloud animation, and now pioneering data centers in space. Discover how Sophia Space's innovative modular "tile" technology is built from first principles for the space environment — not retrofitted Earth technology. Key Topics Covered: Orbital computing platforms and their real-world applicationsDefense and security use cases for space-based data processingAir traffic control and disaster response capabilitiesReal-time edge processing in low Earth orbitEntrepreneurship insights from building 7 successful startupsSpace technology trends and market opportunities Show Notes & Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 00:37 Career Journey and Achievements 01:51 Entrepreneurial Ventures and Exits 04:46 Joining Mandala Space Ventures 08:51 Sophia Space and Orbital Data Centers 09:39 Innovative Tile Technology 12:46 Market and Future Plans 16:29 Challenges and Opportunities in Space 18:08 Why Orbital Data Centers? 19:57 The Heat Problem of Data Centers 20:29 Advantages of Space-Based Data Centers 21:23 Use Cases for Space-Based Computing 22:15 Real-Time Applications and Sensor Fusion 24:23 Technological Advances Enabling Space Computing 25:27 Scaling and Deployment of Orbital Data Centers 27:58 Commercial Applications and Future Prospects 33:22 Advice for Entrepreneurs 34:41 Motivation and Future Plans 38:34 Conclusion and Final Thoughts About the Guest: Rob DeMillo Rob DeMillo brings decades of experience in aerospace engineering, venture capital, and startup leadership. His track record of 7 successful exits demonstrates deep expertise in scaling space technology companies and identifying breakthrough innovations in the NewSpace economy. Watch & Subscribe 🎥 Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson 🎧 Listen on all major platforms ⚡ Catch the "60 Second Insights" — short hits of the smartest stuff from each episode: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesreedanderson/shorts Subscribe and hit the bell to stay ahead of the latest in space technology, orbital computing, and aerospace innovation.
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    40 mins