The AWS Smart Business Podcast is your destination for insights on applied Gen AI for businesses and the latest advancements in technology across various sectors. Delve into discussions with business innovators leading the charge in integrating cutting-edge technologies into their operations. From transformative strategies to real-world applications, this podcast is essential listening for those looking to stay ahead in the digital landscape.
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Magnus Hazell on Decarbonizing Europe: Aira Group's Disruptive Approach to Residential Heating with AI and Vertical Integration (00:30:13)
Description In this episode of the podcast, we're joined by Magnus Hazell, Product Director at Aira Group, and Jesse Kinnunen from AWS. They delve into Aira Group's bold mission to decarbonize 5 million homes across Europe by disrupting the traditional energy market with heat pumps, an established technology. Magnus highlights their aggressive growth, high ambition, and the utilization of AI and data to innovate and develop better products for customers. The conversation covers the vision for Europe's energy market, emphasizing electrification and smart systems to manage volatile energy access. They also discuss the challenges of scaling a deep tech company across multiple European markets, including their unique vertical integration approach that encompasses installers, manufacturing, and customer care throughout the product lifecycle. The importance of a robust data infrastructure and the role of reinforcement learning AI in Aira's smart energy system, supported by AWS technology for IoT and backend, are also key topics.
Anna Almen on Innovating Wealth Management: Infront's Data-Driven Approach to Fintech with GenAI (00:28:15)
On the mic today: Anna Almen, CTO at Infront, and Marcela Cazacu Alotleh from AWS. Infront, a leading European fintech company with over 35 years of history, specializes in wealth management and trading. Anna explains how Infront leverages its deep experience and structured historical data to provide advantages to its customers, focusing on data consolidation and seamless integrations within their toolchain. The conversation delves into the challenges of scaling a platform that supports portfolio management, risk analysis, and trading across diverse user needs, emphasizing a common set of tools sharing a single data universe. Anna shares her data-driven leadership style, balancing strategic vision with day-to-day demands, and fostering innovation through fast iterations and real-world testing in a conservative industry. They also discuss the significant impact of Generative AI on the financial industry, enabling personalized and faster advisory and enhancing quantum analytics. The episode touches on the risks and opportunities of AI in finance, highlighting that AI is a tool to power, not replace, human decision-making, especially in unpredictable "black swan" events.
Simon Skoog on AI-Powered Logistics: How Apotea Delivers Customer Loyalty Through Automation and Safe AI Wins (00:25:35)
This time, we sit down with Simon Skoog, Chief AI Officer at Apotea, and AWS’s David Alele. Apotea, Sweden's leading online pharmacy, maintains its reputation through a core strategy of fast deliveries, low prices, and free delivery, achieved largely through high automation. Simon discusses how Apotea builds its tech infrastructure for future scalability and the dynamic partnership with AWS for cloud services and expert consultation. A unique aspect highlighted is Simon's approach to leading AI teams as a non-technical leader, focusing on strategy, people, and removing organizational "noise" by positioning the AI team as an internal startup directly under the CEO. The episode details Apotea's strategy of prioritizing "safe wins" over "quick wins" for AI projects, such as their successful implementation of product recommendations that significantly boosted conversion rates. They also explore the vast opportunities of Generative AI for internal efficiency (developer tools) and customer-facing applications (chatbots), while maintaining caution on AI-generated advice due to the paramount importance of customer trust.
Nina Laaksonen on Digital Sovereignity: How WithSecure Leverages AI and GenAI to Protect European Companies in a Turbulent World (00:28:56)
We’re talking with two great guests today: Nina Laaksonen, Chief Product Officer at WithSecure, and Mitchell Contursi from AWS. WithSecure, a European company with over 30 years of history in cybersecurity, holds a strong stance on digital sovereignty and adheres to strict European compliance and ethical standards. Nina explains how in-built AI and machine learning, a core part of their protection capabilities for over two decades, is vital in combating threats like financially motivated actors and advanced persistent threats targeting mid-sized European companies. The discussion highlights WithSecure's co-security model, emphasizing cybersecurity as a collaborative effort and knowledge sharing. They also delve into the strategic partnership with AWS on technology and sovereignty. A significant innovation is Lumin AI, an in-built LLM-based AI assistant (on AWS Bedrock) that provides contextual guidance in natural language, simplifying cybersecurity for users. The episode underscores WithSecure's commitment to data integrity and privacy with GenAI, ensuring data stays within Europe and is not used to train foundational models. The future role of GenAI in transforming the industry from reactive to proactive security is also discussed.
Angela Timofte on Building Trust at Scale: Trustpilot's AI-Powered Journey to Combat Fake Reviews and Empower Businesses (00:30:35)
This episode dives into a discussion with Angela Timofte, Global VP of Engineering at Trustpilot, alongside Berkan Hittet from AWS. Trustpilot's core mission is to be the universal symbol of trust, connecting consumers and businesses through reviews and empowering businesses to grow through customer feedback. Angela explains how Trustpilot, as a digital native, cloud-based company, leverages technology like AWS Lambda functions and DynamoDB to scale and innovate while maintaining security and transparency. A key focus is on how data and analytics provide actionable insights for businesses and help consumers make informed decisions. The conversation also addresses the critical role of AI in detecting fraud and combating AI-generated fake reviews. Angela shares her leadership principles of transparency and leading by example, emphasizing a business-driven approach to engineering priorities. The episode also explores how Generative AI is used to enhance products, enabling businesses to reply quicker and foster greater customer engagement.
Victor Wennerholm on the Art of Customer Loyalty: How Voyado Hyperpersonalizes Retail Experiences with AI and GenAI (00:28:00)
Today’s conversation features Victor Wennerholm, Product Manager at Voyado, and Fanny Nilsson representing AWS. Voyado is recognized as a pioneer in customer experience and loyalty, focusing exclusively on retail and omnichannel brands. They explore how Voyado's platform leverages cutting-edge AI technology for real-time personalization, dynamically showing products and content based on customer behavior. The discussion highlights Voyado's two main products, Engage (CX features, loyalty programs) and Elevate (AI-powered search, recommendations), which combine to cater to the entire customer journey and foster long-lasting relationships beyond just purchases. The episode also touches on the importance of consent-driven marketing in a tightening regulatory landscape. Furthermore, they discuss how AWS supports Voyado's scalability and innovation journey, and the massive impact of Generative AI on the customer journey, from content creation to personalized product discovery.
Paolo Palumbo on Defending the Digital Frontier: WithSecure's Co-Security Approach, AI's Dual Role, and the Rise of Agentic AI (00:32:29)
In this episode, we dive into the world of cyber security with Paolo Palumbo, Vice President of WithSecure Intelligence, and Joakim Knutar from AWS. Paolo discusses WithSecure’s unique co-security model, emphasizing partnership with customers to extend visibility and protection against complex threats. The episode covers the dual role of AI in cyber security, from enabling rapid response to potentially being exploited by threat actors. Paolo highlights how WithSecure leverages AWS for scalable defense solutions, including participating in the AWS EU sovereign cloud. The conversation also explores leadership in a fast-paced environment, with Paolo emphasizing flexibility, experimentation, and team engagement. Looking to the future, he predicts the rise of agentic AI workflows in security operations, automating routine tasks while maintaining robust human oversight.
Amy Chen on Innovating Urban Mobility at KONE: Elevating Buildings with AI, Digital Twins, and the Technician Assistant (00:31:43)
In this episode, we are joined by Amy Chen, Chief Innovation Officer at KONE, and Jiska Druey from AWS, to explore how KONE is revolutionizing urban mobility. Amy shares how KONE’s AI-powered Technician Assistant helps 40,000 technicians optimize maintenance by providing real-time insights and troubleshooting suggestions. She discusses how AI and digital twins improve building accessibility and efficiency, with AWS enabling their predictive maintenance and cloud innovation. The conversation also covers KONE’s human-centric approach to innovation, emphasizing employee involvement and customer feedback. Amy offers leadership insights from her journey in the tech-driven transformation of a traditional industry, focusing on psychological safety and building agile, resilient teams. Looking ahead, Amy envisions AI playing a key role in preventive maintenance and enhancing smart building ecosystems through partnerships.
Niilo Säämänen on Building Wolt Grade Technology at Scale: Leveraging Configurability, Logistics Tech, and Generative AI for Rapid Expansion (00:40:38)
In this episode, we sit down with Niilo Säämänen, CTO at Wolt.com, and Kirsi Louhelainen from AWS to discuss how Wolt has scaled from a mobile innovation idea to a global delivery giant operating in 31 countries. Niilo shares how Wolt’s focus on building "Wolt grade" products drives their success, emphasizing technical excellence, customer obsession, and engineering craftsmanship. The conversation covers the importance of configurability to support rapid expansion, the challenges of rebuilding their logistics stack, and balancing global standardization with local adaptation. They also explore how Wolt leverages AWS technology, including Kubernetes and Bedrock, to support innovation and scalability. Niilo shares leadership insights, such as fostering high ownership teams, learning from failures, and balancing quantitative data with team feedback. Looking ahead, they discuss the impact of Generative AI on logistics and customer interaction, highlighting Wolt's experimental approach to integrating new technologies.
Conversational AI in Regulated Industries: Rasmus Hauch from Boost.AI (00:30:22)
In this episode, we welcome Rasmus Hauch, CTO at Boost.AI, and Ragnar Harper, Head of Technology at AWS Norway, to explore how Boost.AI delivers cutting-edge conversational AI solutions tailored for regulated industries. Rasmus explains how their platform drives tangible business outcomes, including improved user experiences and high automation rates, often reaching 70-80%. He shares how Boost.AI enables secure, seamless customer interactions via voice and chat, integrating backend services to handle tasks like booking meetings or retrieving lab results. To manage risks, Boost.AI employs a hybrid model combining rule-based responses with generative AI, reinforced by multi-channel authentication and safeguards against data leaks or hallucinations. Rasmus also highlights their AI Test Studio for validating conversations and how AWS supports secure and compliant deployments. Looking ahead, he envisions conversational AI playing a central role in digital interactions, with agentic systems enhancing enterprise service integration.
Automating HR Workflows with AI: Luke Buckley & Erik Haugen from ConnectMyApps (00:28:55)
In this episode, we welcome Luke Buckley, CTO and founder of ConnectMyApps, and Erik Haugen, CEO, to discuss their new AI assistant, Inira. Built on the Canvas integration platform, Inira automates HR workflows by seamlessly connecting applications and databases, enabling users to compile data, generate reports, and answer complex questions through simple queries. Luke shares insights into the technical challenges of building Inira, focusing on fostering user trust through transparent AI explanations. Erik highlights practical applications, such as automated management reporting and correcting HR data errors. They also discuss how Inira securely integrates diverse data sources to create a "single source of truth" while maintaining data security with AWS and Bedrock. Looking to the future, they explore the rise of AI agents, the role of "citizen developers" in creating no-code integrations, and the potential of voice-based interfaces.
Unlocking AI-Driven Learning with Stig Elsfjordstrand from AlreadyON (00:30:12)
In this episode, we welcome Stig Elsfjordstrand, Chairman at AlreadyON, and Ragnar Harper, Head of Technology at AWS Norway, to discuss the transformative role of AI in HR tech. Stig explains how AlreadyON aligns employee development with strategic goals through their innovative solution, Alon Skills. This AI-driven platform uses competence mapping to create personalized learning paths, connecting skills to real business needs. Unlike traditional learning management systems, Alon Skills adapts to changing strategies and industry data, making learning relevant and dynamic. Stig also highlights the importance of secure AI integration, leveraging AWS Bedrock for content creation, and emphasizes that while AI won't replace humans, those who ignore it risk falling behind. The conversation explores the future of learning as personalized, conversational, and AI-driven, empowering organizations to keep their workforce aligned and skilled.
Jon Bratseth on Vespa AI: Reinventing Search for Machines with RAG at Enterprise Scale (00:28:19)
In this episode, we welcome Jon Bratseth, CEO of Vespa.ai, and Ragnar Harper, Head of Technology at AWS Norway. Jon shares Vespa's innovative approach to enterprise-scale AI, focusing on Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) to enable models to access up-to-date, company-specific data. He explains how Vespa's platform combines textual search, vectors, and machine learning signals to achieve accuracy and scalability, while also handling the complexity of multimodal retrieval. Jon discusses how Vespa’s open-source nature and partnership with AWS leverage advanced hardware like Graviton 4 for efficient scaling. The conversation also covers Vespa's leadership in secure data handling, particularly for enterprises dealing with sensitive information. Jon shares insights from his leadership journey, transitioning from Yahoo to startup CTO, and emphasizes the crucial role of delegation. Finally, they explore the future of Vespa, including two-layer ranking to optimize content chunk retrieval and the impact of RAG on AI-driven decision-making.
Mikk Lemberg (1oT) on Simplifying Global IoT Connectivity and Using GenAI for Predictive Insights (00:33:55)
In this episode, Victor Forsfaelt Ljungberg from AWS speaks with Mikk Lemberg, CPO at 1oT, a cellular connectivity provider for IoT companies. Mikk explains how 1oT simplifies global deployments by aggregating telecom networks and offering customers a single platform, eSIM, invoice, and support channel. He highlights their eSIM solution’s ability to improve logistics, manufacturing, and connectivity optimization after deployment. Mikk shares real-world use cases, from tracking endangered birds to monitoring solar panels in remote areas. He also discusses 1oT’s position as an external connectivity team and their partnership with AWS for speed, scalability, and security. As CPO, Mikk emphasizes customer-driven development, internal prioritization, and managing both hardware and software challenges. The conversation also explores how 1oT is experimenting with GenAI for predictive analytics and anomaly detection—alerting customers to unusual device behavior—and optimizing telecom costs by analyzing usage patterns. He sees AI as a tool to enhance the value of IoT through smarter, proactive infrastructure management.
Andrei Gornostajev (Wallester) on Scalable Card Issuing, Compliance, and Applying AI in Fintech (00:31:47)
In this episode, Victor Forsfaelt Ljungberg from AWS speaks with Andrei Gornostajev, CTO at Wallester. Andrei explains how Wallester was created to build a modern, real-time platform for card issuing, solving the challenges companies faced with outdated systems. He outlines their growth into a full-service provider with customer onboarding, AML checks, and integrations with personalization centers and 3DS providers. Wallester enables white-label partners to issue branded physical and virtual cards instantly via API and has expanded into expense management and payroll features. Andrei discusses the technical journey, including Visa integration, scalability under heavy load, and PCI DSS compliance, supported by AWS managed services. He shares his leadership approach—balancing long-term vision with short-term agility—and fostering innovation through strong hiring and learning days. They also explore how Wallester applies GenAI internally to boost engineer productivity and externally to improve fraud detection and onboarding by reducing false positives. AI is seen as a major driver of future disruption in areas like customer onboarding and financial decision support.
Laas Toom (LHV Paytech) on Building a Modern Payments Gateway and Using GenAI for Internal Efficiency (00:32:48)
In this episode, Victor Forsfaelt Ljungberg from AWS speaks with Laas Toom, CTO at LHV Paytech. Laas shares how LHV Paytech evolved into a modern, local digital payments gateway, offering innovations like next-day and next-hour settlements and the Request Money 2.0 feature for easier bill splitting via QR or link. He explains their cloud-native approach with AWS for PCI DSS compliance, scalability, and reduced maintenance. Laas also reflects on leadership—letting go of the specialist role, building strong teams, and embracing feedback. A large part of the conversation focuses on GenAI: from observability automation and fraud pattern detection to more personalized experiences. While customers mainly want payments to “just work,” GenAI helps streamline internal systems and may enable smarter financial advice in the future.
Jan-Lamber Voortman (Ohpen) on Cloud-Native Core Banking, Innovation, and Embracing AI Responsibly (00:31:03)
In today’s episode, we explore the forefront of financial technology with Jan-Lamber Voortman, COO at Ohpen, and Marcela Cazacu Alotleh from AWS. They discuss Ohpen's pioneering role as the first company to bring a bank to the cloud, highlighting their cloud-native core banking platform. Jan-Lamber shares his leadership philosophy, emphasizing freedom and accountability over rigid rules. The conversation delves into Ohpen's early adoption and current exploration of AI, starting with risk and fraud detection. They discuss the importance of a balanced approach to AI adoption, focusing on value creation for end customers rather than just embracing hype. Jan-Lamber outlines Ohpen's approach to responsible AI implementation through a cross-functional AI collective and shares his vision for the future role of AI in operations, customer service, and product development within the banking industry.
Matvey Teplov (Nomios) on Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Cyber Security and Network Infrastructure in the Age of AI (00:33:35)
On the mic today are Matvey Teplov, Director and architectural lead at Nomios, and Paul Muller from AWS, providing deep insights into the cyber security and network infrastructure landscape. Matvey outlines the types of clients Nomios serves and their approach to staying ahead in a rapidly evolving industry, emphasizing a thoughtful adoption of technology rather than chasing the "bleeding edge". He shares his perspective on what non-technical business leaders should understand about technology, focusing on value, trustworthiness, and the potential pitfalls of cost-cutting. The conversation delves into the realities and potential of AI, highlighting its current role as a knowledge base and the future of interconnected AI agents. Matvey also discusses the challenges and risks associated with AI in security, including impersonation, and reflects on the long-term implications of rapidly advancing technology on human understanding and control.
Eelco Lempsink (Framer) on Framer's Pivot to a Website Builder, Design-Centric Approach, and the Future of AI in Web Creation (00:36:37)
This time, we sit down with Eelco Lempsink, CTO at Framer, and Albert Argente Nordbeck from AWS, to explore the story behind Framer's successful pivot from a prototyping tool to a popular website builder. Eelco candidly discusses the lack of growth that spurred this significant shift and the strategic leveraging of their existing web technology. He highlights Framer's strong focus on designers and shares a compelling client example of BirdBird.com scaling rapidly using Framer's features, including AI translation. Eelco reflects on his evolution as a technical leader in a growing company, emphasizing a strong maker culture and servant leadership. The conversation touches upon Framer's prioritization process and a cautious yet curious perspective on the future role of Generative AI in website design and publishing.
Ritchie Vink (Polars) on the Rise of Polars: A Blazing-Fast Data Frame Library and its Journey to Commercialization (00:34:45)
This episode features a discussion with Ritchie Vink, founder & CEO of Polars, alongside Jordan Kramsky from AWS, about the development and impact of the Polars data frame library. Ritchie explains how Polars addresses the limitations of traditional data processing tools by offering a multi-threaded, incredibly fast solution optimized for modern hardware. They discuss the business value of Polars, including reducing compute costs and improving developer iteration speed. Ritchie shares the bottom-up adoption story of Polars in the open-source community and his transition from a hobbyist developer to CEO. The conversation touches upon the challenges and importance of saying "no" in open-source development, Polars' move towards commercialization while maintaining open-source values, and Ritchie's advice for aspiring open-source founders.
Johan de Keulenaer (Aikido) on Developer-First Security in the Age of Generative AI (00:26:37)
Today's conversation features Johan de Keulenaer, responsible for Partnerships & Channel Growth at Aikido, and Albert Argente Nordbeck from AWS, exploring the innovative approach of Aikido in developer security. Yon explains how Aikido differentiates itself by reducing false positives and leveraging AI for auto-triage and auto-fix of vulnerabilities. They discuss the collaboration between AWS and Aikido to bring this security solution to developers. The episode highlights how Aikido helps startups and enterprises balance rapid development with crucial security measures. They also delve into how Generative AI is disrupting the cyber security landscape for both attackers and defenders, with AI autofix being a key focus for Aikido's future. Johan shares his direct leadership style in scaling partnerships and emphasizes the importance of a shared mission in successful collaborations.
Matthijs Scholten (Bizzdesign) on the Evolving Landscape of Enterprise Architecture and the Impact of AI (00:25:31)
In this episode, we delve into the world of enterprise architecture with Matthijs Scholten, Head of Product Marketing at Bizzdesign, and Margot Schipper from AWS. They discuss Bizzdesign's mission to enable business transformation, the importance of a future-state design mindset, and how their platform helps organizations visualize and transform. The conversation explores a client story from Schiphol Airport's journey towards becoming an autonomous airport. They also examine the impact of AI on enterprise architecture, emphasizing a responsible approach to AI implementation that focuses on productivity and accessibility. Matthijs shares insights on aligning product strategy with market needs and the significance of understanding customer value. He also touches upon the growing importance of enterprise architecture knowledge in boardrooms.
Bas Smeulders: Transforming Shipping for Years, Now Pushing Boundaries with Generative AI at Sendcloud? (00:22:07)
In this episode, we dive into the world of logistics innovation with Bas Smeulders, Founder and now COO of Sendcloud, alongside Paul Vereijken from Levi9. Sendcloud has grown into a leading player in the logistics sector, and Bas shares how he has had to reinvent his role time and again to support the company's growth. From his early days as a founder to his current focus on finance and operational strategy, Bas explains how he keeps a culture of innovation alive at Sendcloud. We also explore the impact of Generative AI on the company, especially in areas like customer support, and discuss the future of AI-driven developments in logistics. This conversation offers an inspiring look into the resilience and adaptability needed for successful leadership in a fast-growing scale-up.
Fraud Detection and Ethical AI: Insights with Niek Verdoes on FRISS’s Approach to Trust Automation (00:28:31)
In the conversation with Niek Verdoes from FRISS and Marcel Heiwegen from Levi9, they delve deeper into the challenges of fraud detection and how FRISS's platform helps automate trust within the insurance sector. Niek Verdoes, who progressed from his role as pre-sales manager to Head of Product, discusses how his experience has shaped his customer-centric approach and enables him to address the specific needs of insurers. Generative AI plays a crucial role in supporting case managers by interpreting documents more quickly and comparing inputs for contradictions, thereby increasing efficiency. Additionally, Verdoes touches on the risks of AI in fraud and risk management, particularly the ethical concerns surrounding profiling. FRISS is actively committed to safeguarding ethical boundaries and preventing profiling, with transparency and fairness being central to their AI applications.
Peter-Paul Houtman on Driving Innovation in DAM: How Bynder uses Hackathons to Explore the Future of Generative AI? (00:27:37)
In this episode of the podcast, we explore the evolution of Digital Asset Management (DAM) solutions with Peter-Paul Houtman, CTO of Bynder, and Marc van Ogtrop from Levi9. They discuss the rapid pace of technological development and the challenges it brings to DAM platforms. Peter-Paul explains how Bynder fosters innovation through hackathon days, bringing together Bynder employees and external experts to explore and implement new ideas. They also dive into the rise of Generative AI: the opportunities it offers for DAM solutions, as well as the complexities and challenges of integrating it. An inspiring conversation about the future of DAM and the role of technology in creating value for clients.
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