And just like that, the last quarter of 2023 was behind us. In this post, we’re taking stock on an epic end to last year, and a whirlwind of activations, events and client milestones.
Peak Thought Leadership at Web Summit
Loopin CEO and Co-founder, Ben Williams was giving “main character energy” when he took to the main stage at Web Summit. Securing a speaking opportunity at Europe’s biggest tech event rarely just “happens” - typically, it’s the culmination of months of planning, pitching and prep. We were over the moon to land this spot for Ben - and to see thousands of attendees inspired by his incredible journey from battlefield to boardroom. Watch Ben’s Web Summit presentation here.
Our visionary client Jitterbit was back once again exhibiting at Web Summit, flying the flag for “No Manual Process. Ever.”
It’s a message that resonated at the show. Web Summit is, fundamentally, about sharing the secrets to scaling a tech company and Jitterbit’s integration platform-as-a-service is the key to efficiently building an Enterprise company through smart integration and automation.
Check out Jitterbit’s data-led report on “Integrate to Scale: How Emerging Enterprises are Automating Their Way to Success”. Download here.
Europe’s Hottest
No trip to Lisbon for Web Summit is complete without attending the legendary Europas Awards. It’s a chance to recognise Europe’s hottest startups and investors - including three ThoughtLDR clients this year; OctaiPipe, Winner in the ‘Hottest Deeptech Startup’ category; Neural Concept, finalist in the ‘Hottest AI Startup’ category and Loopin, finalist in the ‘Hottest B2B/SaaS Startup’ category.
Watch the Europas sizzle reel for a dose of FOMO, featuring our founder Tamara Sword here.
Secret ThoughtLDR Supper
Magic happens when you get people around a table for good food, great wine and deep conversation. Thirty founders, investors and journalists joined our secret Lisbon supper on the last night of Web Summit in the quite simply unforgettable Placio do Grillo - a 17th-century palace built by an infamous illegitimate son of the then Portuguese King, who was excommunicated for riding a horse into Lisbon’s cathedral.
Amongst live performance art and with the Douro flowing, we talked about the opportunities and threats of Artificial General Intelligence, how to bring new MedTech to market, the long vision (and deep pockets) required to build a hardware company, Europe’s place in the booming space sector - and the rise of hyperautomation. Check out our highlights reel on TikTok below.
Evolito in Civil Aviation Authority first
Electric flight is poised to become a commercial reality - and Evolito is leading the way. In December, the company became the first to achieve UK Civil Aviation Authority Design Organisation Approval for Electric Propulsion Systems.
This approval is a mark of confidence from the UK's Civil Aviation Authority in Evolito's technical prowess, state-of-the-art facilities, and overall capabilities in designing products that are not only innovative but also safe and reliable.
Evolito’s Chief Operating Officer, Gareth Morris spoke with Charles Alcock from FutureFlight about the significance of this milestone - and what it means for the acceleration of electric, emissions-free flight here.
Swiss Satcom Innovation Attracts Thales
Our favourite Satcom pioneers SWISSto12 announced their partnership with Thales to develop Active Electronically Steerable Antennas (AESAs) for Satcom-on-the-move applications. These ground-breaking 3D-printed antennas developed by SWISSto12 and mounted on Thales’ planar beamformers are smaller, more power efficient, lower cost with higher performance than conventional antennas - all great news for improved satellite connectivity.
Emile de Rijk, SWISSto12's CEO, anticipates that this collaboration with Thales will revolutionise on-the-move satellite communications across air, sea and land applications - all part of SWISSto12’s mission to better connect and protect the world by advancing satellite communications.
YASA’s RAC Recognition
The trophy cabinet at electric motor pioneers YASA is creaking with yet another piece of silverware.
In October, the team won the prestigious Royal Automobile Club’s Dewar Trophy in recognition of their groundbreaking axial-flux motor and contribution to the automotive industry.
Presented to YASA founder and Chief Technology Officer, Tim Woolmer at the historic RAC Club in London, the Dewar Trophy recognises outstanding British technical achievement in the automotive industry.
Originating as a spin-off from Oxford University in 2009, YASA has grown into a world-leading team of 400 professionals. Acquired by Mercedes-Benz AG in 2021, YASA is now at the heart of Mercedes' mission to go fully electric.
ThoughtLDR on Ice
It’s not all work, work, work at ThoughtLDR. In December, we took a few hours out of the office to celebrate the holidays (and our hard work in 2023) with a trip to the Christmas ice rink at Somerset House.
While most of us scored low on artistic expression, Account Manager Shannon Murray (who has been taking skating lessons for the last two years!) showed us all how it should be done - and helped a few struggling colleagues stay upright. Thankfully, we were all a bit more confident knowing our way around a menu - if you’re ever hungry in Aldwych, we can highly recommend Roka!
If you’d like to find out more about how ThoughtLDR helps tech companies accelerate their business, book a discovery call with our senior team here.
If you’re interested in joining an innovative agency and have an insatiable curiosity about tech, hit us up at talent@thoughtldr.com.