GigaOM Mobilize was opened by Founder and Senior Writer Om Malik. GigaOm is a media company which grew from a blog into multiple channels devoted to technology news, analysis and opinions.
The channels cover cloud, mobile, cleantech, consumer web and media focused on the evolution and innovation of technology. The company prides itself on delivering more than just news, it also offers research and puts on events for its audience. GigaOM also publishes books of use to the consumer, such as Cut The Cord: All You Need to Know to Drop Cable.
This year?s event, GigaOM Mobilize, held in San Francisco focused on being connected everywhere. It will be followed next month in the same city by GigaOM RoadMap, a conference devoted to experience design.
Gary Shapiro, left, and Om Malik, right, chose to forego the podium for a cozy couch discussion about innovation
Malik spoke with Gary Shapiro Pres & CEO, Consumer Electronics Association a familiar face from the yearly CES show in Las Vegas. Shapiro spoke of his own book, "Ninja Innovation: The Killer Strategies of Successful Business". He indicated that America is the land of innovation, it is who we are. The ability to fail and bounce back is what differentiates America from the rest of the world. Kids grow up asking questions, expecting answers, and they learn to go out and find their own answers… hopefully unique and fresh ones.
Innovation is parallel to publishing in the university community where the mantra is Publish or Perish, except it is Innovate or Incinerate. As an example, Shapiro said nobody loves the telephone company anymore because they are not providing the services that are comparable to the rest of the world. America is 20th in the broadband community. Obviously, our geography is huge in comparison to many of the leaders. However, our calls for broadband infrastructure upgrades have fallen on deaf ears for the most part. The status quo is the enemy of innovation.
Another example of falling behind in responsiveness is PG&E, a California gas and electric company. Shapiro says that PG&E is one of the worst utilities in the country because of their lack of maintenance on their infrastructure, and their attitude towards their paying customers. Big companies are protecting the status quo and like ocean liners, they are very hard to turn around.
Ninja’s according to Shapiro collaborate and they solve problems without government. The book highlights nine such companies and individuals: IBM, Amazon, eBay, Ford, Monster, HealthSpot and Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos. Shapiro says: "Innovation is our best hope for economic growth, job creation and advancement of the human condition."
GigaOM Mobilize has given a stage to some of the movers and shakers in the field of technology. Many new companies are getting a boast from another form of innovation ? that of raising money through a truly public offering that goes direct on line to you and I, avoiding venture capitalists and the stock market for start up funding. Read Tracking People, Things, Weather at GigaOM for examples of companies profiting from this innovation.
