The Innovators of Things

Building the Future of Cloud and Networking with Gal Malach, Co-Founder & CTO of Xsight Labs

In this episode, we sit down with Gal Malach, co-founder and CTO of Xsight Labs, to explore how his team is redefining chip architecture and cloud infrastructure for the AI era. From his early career at Motorola to leading one of Israel’s most innovative semiconductor startups, Gal shares lessons on persistence, adaptability, and building technology that keeps pace with a rapidly evolving market. He discusses what it takes to move from software to hardware innovation, how to build a resilient “A-team” culture, and why openness and programmability are key to long-term success in the world of networking silicon. Topics Covered: * The journey from large-scale corporations to founding Xsight Labs * Lessons learned from an eight-year startup marathon * How software-defined silicon enables faster innovation cycles * Balancing innovation with real-world execution * Building a culture of collaboration and adaptability * How customers are pushing Xsight Labs technology into new frontiers Key Quote: “Innovation isn’t about a single product or feature — it’s about building a team that can evolve and adapt as the world changes.” — Gal Malach Resources & Links: * 🌐 Learn more about Xsight Labs: xsightlabs.com [https://www.xsightlabs.com/] * 💡 Follow Innovators of Things for more conversations with IoT and technology leaders.

Pioneering Innovations in Software and IoT with Joel Sotomayor of agDirigo

In this episode of Innovators of Things, host Jillian Kaplan interviews Joel Sotomayor, CTO and Founder of agDirigo with over 20 years of experience in software development. Joel recounts his journey from a part-time job at St. Joe's Hospital, where he automated an operating room scheduling system, to his current work in IoT with AgDirigo. He shares his passion for relational databases, data security, and building ruggedized hardware for tracking animal transportation. Key topics include the importance of resource constraints in driving innovation, the role of data provenance in AI, and his ongoing projects aimed at enhancing efficiency and safety in agricultural and medical fields. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:12 Joel's Early Career in Software Development 01:27 Innovations in Hospital Scheduling 04:31 Importance of Data in Policy Making 06:24 Joel's Passion for Technology and Mentorship 09:44 Challenges and Innovations in Hardware Development 16:18 Current Projects and Future Goals 23:03 Acknowledgements and Conclusion Learn more about the innovative work that Joel is doing with the team at http://www.agdirigo.com [http://www.agdirigo.com]

Innovating Across Borders with Lawrence Eta

Innovating Across Borders: Lawrence Etta's Global Technology Leadership Journey In this episode of Innovators of Things, host Jillian Kaplan sits down with Lawrence Eta [https://lawrenceeta.com/], an experienced technology leader with an extensive background in driving innovation across multiple countries. Lawrence shares his journey from Nigeria to the UK, Canada, the US, and Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the importance of data-driven policies and effective governance in fostering technological advancements. He discusses his significant projects, including transitioning Toronto's workforce to remote operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, developing solutions for homelessness using AI, and advising on Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative. Lawrence also offers insights into his methodologies for mobilizing large teams and ensuring successful project implementations. Finally, he highlights his book 'Bridging Worlds: Technology Leadership in the Public Sector,' designed to guide future technology leaders. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:16 Lawrence Eta's Early Life and Education 00:43 Career Beginnings in Technology 01:21 Dotcom Era and Network Engineering 02:07 Telecommunications and Television Innovations 02:52 Industrial IoT and Deputy CIO Role 03:45 Chief Technology Officer During COVID-19 04:40 Move to the Middle East and Vision 2030 06:21 Global Perspective on Innovation 07:26 Data Sharing and Government Policies 10:01 AI and Homelessness Project 16:30 Frameworks for Innovation and Leadership 22:18 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Learn more about Lawrence and his book at https://lawrenceeta.com/ [https://lawrenceeta.com/]

Scaling Innovation: From Rural Roots to Silicon Valley Giants w/ Michel Langlois

In this inspiring episode, Jillian Kaplan speaks with Michel Langlois, a trailblazer whose journey began on a chicken farm in rural Quebec and led to shaping some of the world’s most influential telecom companies. Michel shares his insights from building and scaling Cisco during its explosive growth, transforming Juniper from the inside out, and rethinking innovation not as invention, but integration. We discuss: * Why innovation isn’t just invention—and how “Lego-thinking” builds breakthroughs * Surviving Cisco’s hypergrowth and dot-com crash * Building trust-driven teams and infrastructure without slowing business * The power of mentorship (formal and informal) in leadership development * Lessons from the farm that shaped a Fortune 500 career Plus, Michel shares how chickens, fiber broadband, and kitchen management all tie into successful innovation at scale. Visit https://michellanglois.us/ to get his book, Beyond The Code.

Small Steps, Big Shifts: Caroline Chan on the Power of Incremental Innovation

In this episode of Innovators of Things, host Jillian Kaplan sits down with one of the most influential figures in wireless and edge innovation, Caroline Chan. A lifelong engineer and problem solver, Caroline shares how her passion for math, curiosity about the world, and relentless focus on progress helped her pioneer virtualization in wireless networks and lay the groundwork for today’s edge compute and AI revolution. From her roots in mainland China as the daughter of a trailblazing engineering professor, to her scrappy early days at Intel working with leftover budget, Caroline’s journey is a blueprint for innovation that doesn’t start with a moonshot—it starts with a question: What if we just tried this? 💡 Key Takeaways: * Innovation doesn’t have to be massive to matter—momentum often starts with a small experiment and grows over time. * Caroline helped lead Intel’s early exploration into virtualized wireless networks (vRAN)—starting with no budget and a lot of curiosity. * She played a key role in the creation of MEC (Multi-access Edge Compute), laying the foundation for edge AI and 6G. * The best innovators are great listeners. Open dialogue, vulnerability, and collaboration are critical. * Caroline emphasizes democratizing innovation, ensuring people of all backgrounds are part of the journey.