Upstatement officially opened its doors in 2008 but was born during late nights at the Syracuse University student newspaper. That's where founders Mike, Jared, and Tito met before graduating to the newsrooms of The New York Times and Boston Globe. But they don't come from a typical agency background, and Upstatement doesn't look like your typical studio. Their team is filled with curious, versatile designers and engineers who all do a little bit of everything: Designers develop. Engineers sketch. Everyone contributes to creative concepts (because the best work comes from diverse teams). That's why nothing they do is cookie cutter. It's much more about daring to dream big, looking for fresh challenges, and push themselves. Here in 2020, the company provides design leadership for a diverse client list: publishers, products, non-profits, and the world's most remarkable brands. All unified by strong stories and the desire to make a positive impact. Tito Bottitta joins me on Tech Talks Daily to talk about how Upstatement is connecting with doctors on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic to build the COVID Protocols product. Tito shares how they are helping the team of over 50 Brigham and Women's Hospital physicians, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, and nurses from multiple different divisions, organize the vast amounts of incoming info, and decide next how best to share it. From a technology perspective, I learn how Upstatement is building something useful around obstacles like hospital firewalls, etc. We also discuss what it's like designing quality work under extreme pressure (time & safety). The latest iteration, viewable at covidprotocols.org, came together thanks to Dr. Lee and Boston-based digital design and engineering studio, Upstatement. Through the partnership, Upstatement rapidly worked to find user base value in the tool while keeping it as a Google Doc by rebuilding potential caching problems that sending tens of thousands of people into a file at once could pose - making them a major key player in the project's success. The tool also had to be something useful built around obstacles like hospital firewalls, etc. Tito shares their inspirational work across three projects that are leveraging technology to create a unique approach to making a difference against the global pandemic. COVID Protocols - Captures emergent medical conventions that help doctors make life-saving decisions on the front lines. In association with Brigham & Women's Hospital. Read more about it on Medium. COVID Safe Paths - A privacy-first contact tracing app that could help us flatten the curve and return to normal. In association with MIT, Path Check Inc., and others. Read more about it on Medium. Project Z - Think of it a ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KP68tjEirk4

Ibotta CEO, Bryan Leach - graduated from Harvard, went to Oxford on Marshall Scholarship and then got his law degree from Yale in 2005. Then after a year clerking for US Supreme Court Justice David Souter and joining a Denver law firm, he quit law after he saw someone on an airplane taking pictures of business cards with a phone. The observation made him realize that people would rather take pictures of shopping receipts to “coupon” after they buy something than the other way around. Ibotta was born and is now the biggest consumer tech company in Denver, and the third most-used shopping app in the U.S. Ibotta was launched in Denver back in 2012 and now, with more than 400 employees, 23M downloads, nearly $100M in funding, and partnerships with Anheuser-Busch, Target, Wal-Mart and 1500 other brands. The company is focused on getting millennials to start shopping brick and mortar and help stop the wave of retailers closing physical locations. Ibotta ("I bought a...") is transforming the shopping experience by making it easy for consumers to earn cash rewards on everyday purchases through a single smartphone app. The company partners with leading brands and retailers to offer rewards on groceries, electronics, clothing, gifts, home and office supplies, restaurant dining, and more. Having worked with eBay, Drizly, Jet.com, Pumaliterally every brand, to better engage consumers with their phone and get them back into physical stores. To date, they’ve given users more than $225M cash back. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IHVr2ipBDw

Megan Clarken shares her unique background, going from a woman with no college degree to an Olympic athlete and finally to the CEO of Criteo. She discusses her dedication to promoting diversity and inclusivity within the tech industry based on her experiences of discrimination. We discuss the challenges of implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the tech industry, emphasizing the need for long-term commitment over immediate progress. Megan reveals Criteo's approach to attracting and hiring diverse talent, focusing on pay parity and collaborations with diversity-focused groups and universities. Together, we explore Criteo's innovative DEI programs, such as the Open Path program for underprivileged students and the Top Talent program for career growth. Megan expresses her optimism for the future of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, driven by the demands of the younger workforce. Megan highlights the importance of fostering a culture of inclusivity within organizations and the pitfalls of short-term "quick fixes" that often fail. Finally, we discuss the benefits Criteo has experienced from implementing DEI programs and the ongoing efforts to prioritize pay parity and inclusivity. I learn more about the power of diversity and inclusion in building a more resilient and innovative company culture and Megan's inspirational journey as a woman leader breaking barriers in a male-dominated industry. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKoPD_UFHsM

That $1000 smartphone in your pocket is capable of so much more than just endlessly scrolling down. How about putting it to better use? Changing your life, building your own business, community or even launching your own event. Sound far-fetched, well today I want to inspire you to think differently When today's guest was faced with having to return to work after her maternity leave, she turned to technology and a host of free online tools to help her launch her own business and live life by her rules. Mums Enterprise Ltd. was founded by Lindsey Fish following her own experiences of starting a business after maternity leave, back in 2014. Starting her first event management business sparked the idea for the Mums Enterprise Roadshow and in 2015 she partnered with Creative Director Lucy Chaplin to bring the vision to life. Together they planned their first events, which took place in Hertfordshire in June 2016 and attracted nearly 200 attendees. The pair then went on to host three further exhibitions in 2017, this time reaching cities Brighton, London and Birmingham and welcoming over 3500 mums. This year the duo have ambitious plans to enhance their website offering, so mums everywhere have the chance to find the contacts, tools and the know-how they need 24/7. In 2018 the Mums Enterprise Roadshow will welcome over 10,500 mums across two larger exhibitions in Manchester Event City and Olympia, London supercharging the platform for individuals, initiatives, and organizations to showcase themselves and change women’s lives for the better forever. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4ooRk8Qsk4