Latest news with #JasonPhillips
USA Today
18-02-2025
- Science
- USA Today
Dr. Richard Larson's Model-Based Thinking Solves Everyday Problems
Jason Phillips Contributor Hear this story For more than five decades, Richard Larson, PhD, has shaped the field of operations research with a deep commitment to solving real-world problems. Since 1969, he has worked as a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Though he is now retired, Dr. Larson's expertise has influenced urban emergency response systems, educational innovation and model-based thinking. An Invitation to Greatness The power of mathematics and analytics is the central focus of Dr. Larson's influential career. The field of operations research has broad applications, and throughout his career, he has served as a bridge between mathematics and practical problem-solving. The work he's done has impacted public policy and improved decision-making processes. Dr. Larson found inspiration in the mentorship of professor Al Drake, who invited him to attend MIT. The guidance he received led to a 54-year tenure at the prestigious institution. As a professor, he applied advanced theoretical knowledge in ways that impact cities and institutions worldwide. A Mathematical Model That Saves Lives Dr. Larson co-founded an applied research and consulting firm known over the years as ENFORTH Corporation and Q.E.D. The firm aims to share its work beyond the halls of academia. This endeavor reflects his focus on the practical implementation of ideas, as he believes research should contribute to tangible improvements in society. Dr. Larson's Hypercube Queuing Model, a sophisticated mathematical framework that optimizes emergency response systems, exemplifies this improvement mindset. This model improved how police, fire and medical services allocate resources. A key outcome of this project was faster response times in critical situations. A Champion for Open-Access Education A passion for education is an integral part of Dr. Larson's career. As a co-founder of MIT BLOSSOMS (Blended Learning Open-Source Science Or Math Studies), he seeks to make science and mathematics more accessible. This initiative, created alongside MIT professor Dan Frey and his late wife, Mary Elizabeth Murray, offers students worldwide free science and math video lessons. The program is one of the earliest large-scale open-source learning repositories and is available on YouTube. Dr. Larson has also been president of the Operations Research Society of America (ORSA) and the Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences (INFORMS). These leadership roles embody his dedication to knowledge sharing within the industry. A Better Way to Make Decisions INFORMS published Dr. Larson's latest work, 'Model Thinking for Everyday Life," in 2023. This reader-friendly book encapsulates his lifelong interest in analytical reasoning. The guide is a resource on how structured thinking models benefit everyday decisions. Readers can use the information to refine their decision-making skills. Dr. Larson hopes to change how people approach personal and professional problem-solving. As he sees it, model-based thinking can lead to better business, government or daily life choices. Looking Ahead to Impact More Lives Even after retirement, Dr. Larson continues his involvement with the National Academy of Engineering and supports various charitable initiatives. At some point, he plans on expanding the reach of his book onto other platforms, such as Barnes & Noble. He aims to promote the adoption of mathematical models in everyday decision-making. For those aspiring to enter operations research or related fields, Dr. Larson advises staying open to new ideas and incorporating personal experiences into one's work. This acumen has helped him make life-changing contributions to emergency response optimization, open-access education and model-based thinking. Applying mathematical rigor to real-world problems solidifies his influence beyond academia. About Marquis Who's Who®: Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms worldwide. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website,
USA Today
18-02-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Entrepreneurs Can Build Lasting Trust to Gain a Competitive Advantage
Jason Phillips Contributor The modern consumer's demand for quality products and services hasn't wavered, but modern entrepreneurs find themselves confronting a new set of demands that previous generations of founders could not imagine. One of the most important of these consumer desires is to have an active relationship of constructive trust with the brands they consume. Years of Edelman Trust barometer Special Reports support this. In the 2025 report, more than 60% of respondents reported moderate or higher grievances: they believe that the businesses they deal with make their lives more difficult, not better. They see businesses as less ethical and less competent by default. As far back as the 2019 report, more than 80% of respondents said that trust in a brand was a prerequisite to purchasing decisions. To counteract these feelings, entrepreneurs and founders must do substantial work to build a positive, trusting relationship with their consumers before those consumers ever do business with them. Good value and salesmanship are no longer enough to get in the door. Furthermore, trust in today's marketplace isn't built through local networks or word-of-mouth alone. The digital age has reshaped expectations, requiring businesses to establish credibility on a global scale and deliver value consistently. Modern Trust Blends Transactions with Relationships Historically, trust was built through local networks, personal recommendations, and face-to-face interactions. While those methods still hold value, they no longer meet the demands of today's digital-first world. Modern trust requires entrepreneurs and their brands to focus on relationships rather than transactions. Customers now seek brands that reflect their values and invest in meaningful, long-term connections. Sharing insights, engaging transparently, and addressing challenges openly are critical to building the meta-relationships on which this trust is founded. By prioritizing relationships, businesses create loyalty and establish a foundation for lasting credibility. Entrepreneurs can also make impressions based on who they interact with and other brand narratives that they partner with. Medhat Zaki, the co-author of 'Beyond Recognition: The Art of Unshakeable Lasting Brand Trust' made just this observation when he began seeking these partnerships. 'The reason for this is that I had tapped into a trust network that had global recognition,' he says. 'This resonated with my audience and verified my expertise.' The Three Pillars of Modern Trust-Building Medhat Zaki has done a great deal of thinking and writing about trust, and for him, the new modern trust between entrepreneur, brand, and consumer comes down to three interconnected pillars. Authenticity Through Real Stories: Audiences want to see the people behind the brand, understand their values, and witness how they navigate challenges. Entrepreneurs that take to new media—whether that's social media, video-sharing programs, or some more personal way of sharing content—to share relatable stories about their struggles, growth, and resilience often connect more deeply with their audiences than those that project a flawless image. Consistency in Actions and Communications: Trust requires predictability. Regular engagement, clear messaging, and reliable quality establish a dependable brand experience. Brands must align their communications across platforms, maintain a consistent tone, and deliver value in every interaction. Consistency in fulfilling promises and offering actionable insights ensures long-term customer loyalty. The Value-First Mindset: Prioritizing audience needs over immediate sales transforms trust into a competitive edge. A value-first approach includes providing free resources, solving problems proactively, and investing in long-term relationships. Entrepreneurs who align their interests with their audience's priorities cultivate trust that leads to sustained growth. Don't think of trust as a tool to reach some other bottom line. Trust has to be the goal, authentically; if you try to make it a trick, there won't be trust. Build authentic, real relationships with smart consumers who come to care about your product, and you'll find the competitive advantage comes on its own. For more advice and insight from Medhat Zaki, you can find out more about the bestselling booklet, 'Beyond Recognition: The Art of Unshakeable Lasting Brand Trust' by visiting online retailers.
USA Today
18-02-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Giving Businesses a Voice Through Acumen Media's Sustainable Global Trade Initiative (SGTI)
Jason Phillips Contributor Hear this story For years, the conversation around sustainability has been dominated by a singular focus: going green. Companies across industries have scrambled to reduce carbon footprints, embrace renewable energy, and eliminate waste; all in pursuit of a more environmentally friendly future. While these efforts are crucial, one fundamental element has often been overlooked: economic sustainability. Without financial resilience, businesses cannot survive, let alone contribute to global progress. Acumen Media, an international media company specializing in thought leadership and storytelling through video, is launching its Sustainable Global Trade Initiative (SGTI) to address this gap. With the backing of research foundations as well as major global institutions, Acumen's initiative will shed light on the importance of sustainable global trade; not in the environmental sense, but rather with a focus on long-term economic viability. 'Sustainability isn't just about the planet; it's about people and prosperity, too. If businesses can't sustain themselves economically, their impact—no matter how green—won't last,' says Jack Boyson, Acumen's Chief Marketing Officer. Through a series of thought leadership-driven films, Acumen will highlight businesses worldwide that are striking a balance between economic survival and responsible growth. The campaign aims to educate both businesses and consumers on why companies make the financial decisions they do; decisions often misunderstood or unfairly scrutinized. Many regulations and supply chain decisions that may appear counterintuitive to the average consumer are often the result of necessary trade-offs between sustainability goals and economic practicality. For instance, plastic wrapping extends a cucumber's shelf life from a few days to several weeks, significantly reducing food waste. Such decisions are not to ignore sustainability but to find a balance between environmental responsibility and economic feasibility. Andy Chan, Acumen's Managing Director and a filmmaker, states, 'With SGTI, we want to show the human side of businesses: the real dilemmas, the unseen regulatory hurdles, and the calculated risks they take to remain sustainable in every sense of the word. Video storytelling is magical because it allows people to connect emotionally and understand complex topics in a simple, digestible way.' Through interviews, case studies, and in-depth video storytelling, SGTI will focus on sixteen key pillars that are critical to both economic prosperity and global trade sustainability. Compliance & regulation is one of the key pillars amongst them. Businesses must navigate an increasingly complex landscape of international trade laws and sustainability mandates. Understanding these regulations helps consumers and stakeholders appreciate the constraints companies operate within. Innovation is at the heart of economic growth, but companies often face challenges protecting their ideas while maintaining fair competition. That is why Acumen considers intellectual property as another key pillar. Ethical governance, on the other hand, plays a key role for any business, fostering transparency to further promote inclusivity and ensure trade is conducted ethically and equitably. Economic downturns, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical shifts threaten business continuity. Resilience & risk management as a pillar explores how companies prepare for and adapt to such risks. Acumen even understands that digital impact has been a key driver, and companies must balance technological transformation with responsible business practices. 'The more consumers understand the 'why' behind business decisions, the more balanced the conversation becomes. We're here to provide that perspective,' says Andy. Acumen truly believes that video is the key to making these complex trade issues accessible and compelling. With the rapid decline in attention spans and the dominance of digital media, businesses need more than just articles or reports to engage their audiences. 'Video allows people to see the human behind the business, to hear the conviction in their voice, to connect. People don't connect with corporations; they connect with people,' says Jack For small and medium-sized businesses, in particular, their video serves as a critical tool for brand credibility. Unlike established corporations with built-in reputations, SMBs must work harder to tell their story. Acumen's expertise in film production, distribution, and digital marketing ensures that these businesses can reach the right audiences with the right messaging. As per Paolo Emilio Zanini, CEO of Acumen, this SGTI is not just a one-off initiative. It is designed to become an ongoing movement. By continuously highlighting the challenges and triumphs of businesses navigating sustainable global trade, the company hopes to shift public perception and influence policy decisions. 'International trade doesn't just drive profits; it fosters peace,' says Zanini. 'When businesses collaborate across borders, it strengthens relationships between nations, creates economic interdependence, and reduces conflict. A thriving global economy isn't just good for businesses, it is good for society.' In a world where sustainability is often reduced to carbon footprints and recycling bins, Acumen is providing the missing half of the equation: a recognition that businesses must be economically viable to contribute to a better world. Through storytelling, video, and thought leadership, SGTI will ensure that businesses—large and small—have a platform to actually be understood. *Investing involves risk, and your investment may lose value. Past performance gives no indication of future results. These statements do not constitute and cannot replace investment advice.
USA Today
18-02-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Dubb Value Creation Shows Real-World Success as Trusted Partner in Complex Mergers & Acquisitions
Jason Phillips Contributor Successfully completing mergers and acquisitions (M&A) has become more difficult with the challenges presented by changing market conditions, regulatory scrutiny, and stakeholder expectations. Adding to the list of complexities are internal issues within organizations. Businesses seeking to finalize acquisitions need guidance from experts who understand the ins and outs of the process and can steer them through every phase. Dubb Value Creation emerges as a reliable partner in this space. CEO Jonathan Wilson established the firm to bring the sophistication of high-level M&A advisory to businesses generating between $10 million and $50 million in revenue. Since then, Dubb Value has been known for helping companies execute acquisitions that meet their financial goals and protect their core values, leadership vision, and efficiency in operations. The California-based company's success can be partly attributed to its white-glove service that combines business brokerage, investment banking, and advanced analytics. Dubb Value provides clients with well-coordinated guidance from initial valuation to final integration by bringing these disciplines under one roof. Many companies looking for M&A support are usually forced to work with separate entities that provide these specializations. Dubb Value's fully integrated approach addresses the problems posed by fragmented services. Thanks to this, companies can make informed, strategic decisions. Another factor that contributes to the firm's success is its proprietary, five-stage methodology that entails: 1) developing a strong preliminary M&A sell strategy; 2) attracting the right buyer; 3) shortlisting and negotiating with buyers; 4) navigating the due diligence process; and 5) dealing with the organizational and operational separation process. This process has been tested and proven in high-value transactions. One recent case study illustrates Dubb Value's ability to execute complex deals. It advised a long-standing family-operated leader in education technology through its acquisition by a premier global investment firm specializing in tech-enabled businesses. This nine-figure deal, finalized in Q4 of 2024, allowed the company to scale while preserving its generational legacy and primary mission. It's worth noting that for over 30 years, the acquired company had been respected in its industry for providing cloud-based software solutions that supported various institutions. Dubb Value helped the firm's leadership select an investment partner that aligned with its vision for long-term growth out of multiple strategic and financial buyers who expressed interest. 'The acquired company's goal is to gain financially and protect the values and legacy it has built over the years,' Wilson shares. 'The investment firm's experience with family-owned businesses and its dedication to upholding the founder's vision made it the perfect fit.' A pivotal moment in the negotiation process was an intimate dinner between the leadership teams. They shared personal stories about the company's history and its founder's vision. 'This conversation showed how important it is for the acquired company to preserve its legacy. It also further established trust between both parties. It basically shaped the structure of the final deal,' the CEO remarks. This transaction also represented another milestone for diversity in M&A. Dubb Value, a Black- and LGBTQIA+-owned firm, takes pride in leading deals with a diverse, high-caliber team. The acquisition was overseen by a majority BIPOC group of professionals, illustrating the impact of inclusive leadership in executing successful deals. Dubb Value is proud to share that the acquired company continues to serve various clients and maintains an outstanding customer satisfaction rating. With its new investment partner, it plans to expand its technology offerings, improve its market position, and sustain its rapid revenue growth. 'The company has already tripled its revenue over the past seven years,' says Wilson. 'This trajectory is expected to continue under its new ownership structure.' Ultimately, Dubb Value Creation has, time and again, proven itself as a leader in M&A advisory. It continues to help clients achieve successful acquisitions through its holistic approach, proprietary methodology, and commitment to long-term value creation. *Investing involves risk, and your investment may lose value. Past performance gives no indication of future results. These statements do not constitute and cannot replace investment advice.
USA Today
14-02-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Leading AI Companies to Watch in 2025
Jason Phillips Contributor The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence is transforming industries across the globe. From healthcare and finance to education and entertainment, AI-driven companies are at the forefront of this revolution, developing innovative solutions that challenge traditional practices and create new opportunities. These forward-thinking companies are not only pushing the boundaries of what technology can achieve but are also setting new standards for their respective fields. In no particular order, here are the top 10 AI companies to watch that are each making significant strides in their industries. AI Integrations AI Integrations is on a mission to make the powerful AI technologies being used by the world's largest companies available to everyone. For most businesses today, it can seem impossible to integrate and harness the full capabilities of AI, due to the need for dedicated IT infrastructure and seasoned IT professionals to manage it. AI Integrations is bridging this gap. They provide custom, ready-to-use AI solutions including chatbots, AI workflow automations, and custom software projects that meet the specific needs of each of their clients. AI Integration's core offering is their website-based chatbot. These fully customizable, multilingual chatbots are capable of instantly addressing over 90% of customer inquiries in 94 languages. AI Integrations blends the high precision of cutting-edge AI models with unique business data to create a user-friendly AI solution which integrates seamlessly into any app or website. As AI Integrations gears up for another year of explosive growth, they continue to add new products and features that streamline every part of a company's needs. From customer support to automating business operations, AI Integrations is accelerating businesses to the final frontier of digital evolution. Mind AI Mind AI's Canonical technology is based on powerful Hybrid Intelligence that combines the precision of symbolic AI with the scalability and adaptability of machine learning models. This fusion facilitates the development of AI systems that are both explainable and reliable. The system provides transparent and interpretable reasoning paths, allowing users to trace and understand decision-making processes. This ensures that the technology can adapt to rapidly changing datasets and continuously evolving knowledge, offering a highly flexible framework. Large Language Models (LLMs) have inherent limitations, such as their black-box nature, reliance on probabilistic language patterns, and tendency to produce hallucinations—outputs that are unsupported or inaccurate. These issues make LLMs less practical for business applications that demand trust and explainability. Mind AI's Canonical technology addresses these limitations by grounding its decisions in Wisdom Graphs, which interconnect data with expert-driven logic. This representation ensures that the system's outputs are transparent, traceable, and controllable, lifting up their limitations. As a result, Canonical provides businesses with practical, reliable AI solutions that are not only explainable but also adaptable to real-world applications, such as personalized healthcare recommendations or business tailored decision support, where clarity and control are crucial. College Journey College Journey simplifies the college admissions process by making expert guidance accessible to all families through an AI-powered platform — transforming an overwhelming and complex process into a clear, manageable roadmap that is affordable for busy families. At its core is Alice, an advanced AI guide that provides 24/7 personalized support while continuously analyzing real-time data from thousands of colleges, admissions trends, and student outcomes. Unlike single-user AI platforms, Alice develops a comprehensive view of each student's unique profile through conversations with both parents and students. Applying sophisticated machine learning to this data, College Journey provides highly personalized recommendations for best-fit schools, creates dynamic week-by-week action plans, and identifies optimal strategies for maximizing financial aid and merit scholarships. Alice then guides both parents and students through the entire process, tracking deadlines and communicating status to reduce stress and ensure a successful outcome. College Journey is leveraging AI to address a critical need for families caught between limited access to quality school-based resources and the high costs of private consultants. But the mission of the founders, neuroscientist and bestselling author Jud Brewer MD PhD and tech entrepreneur Josh Roman, goes beyond college acceptance — it's about preparing students to thrive once they get there. Through multi-modal conversational interactions, Alice and the College Journey platform incorporate strategies for building resilience, reducing stress, and developing the life skills needed to succeed in college and in the modern workplace. Bolo AI's new AI-powered knowledge platform is helping professionals reclaim hours each day. By ingesting, structuring, and delivering an organization's most valuable asset—its internal knowledge—Bolo AI enables teams to work smarter, not harder. Knowledge is at the core of industry operations, yet traditional methods of creating, storing, and accessing it have been manual, tedious, and repetitive. Bolo AI transforms this process using proprietary Energy-specific large language models and advanced AI techniques. Its knowledge co-pilots enhanced productivity, reduced unplanned downtime, and strengthened safety culture. Already trusted by industry leaders—including a next-generation clean fuels refinery, leading independent upstream producers, and a growing energy services company—Bolo AI is demonstrating its value in real-world applications. With a clear mission to make Energy faster, safer, and better, Bolo AI empowers millions of professionals, including those in critical, hands-on roles. By streamlining access to essential knowledge and simplifying documentation processes, its flagship products, Bolo AI Answer and Bolo AI Writes, unlock new levels of efficiency, allowing teams to focus on solving complex challenges and driving operational excellence. Music AI is a trailblazing company at the forefront of AI-driven music and audio technology, serving both businesses and consumers. By combining cutting-edge AI solutions with a user-first approach, Music AI empowers artists, record labels, agencies, technology firms, and developers with a suite of products to enable creative potential. Music AI: The Audio Intelligence Platform As 2025 progresses, these companies are poised to lead the way in defining how AI will shape lives and industries. The Music AI platform offers an expansive suite of over 50 stackable AI audio solutions. Designed for businesses, these technologies include tools for stem separation, chord recognition, key and beat detection, lyrics transcription, and generative capabilities like singing voice modeling and assistive music creation. Delivered via Cloud APIs and Embedded SDKs, Music AI provides innovative, practical solutions for a wide range of industry applications, from server-side implementations to edge computing. Moises: Empowering Musicians Everywhere Music AI's Moises app has transformed how musicians and creators engage with audio. Honored as Apple's iPad App of the Year in 2024, Moises serves a global community of over 50 million users, offering a comprehensive suite of AI-powered tools for music practice, creation, and production. Whether you're a music student, hobbyist, or professional, Moises makes advanced music technology accessible and intuitive. Founded in 2019, Music AI operates globally with a diverse team across the USA, Brazil, and Europe. Every day, their technologies process over two million minutes of audio, fueling creativity and innovation for millions worldwide. Final Round AI Final Round AI is transforming how job candidates navigate the recruiting process by offering a suite of AI-powered tools. Its flagship product, Interview Copilot™, works like a teleprompter, providing real-time, personalized coaching during interviews to help candidates tackle challenging questions and scenarios with confidence. Additionally, the platform offers an AI-powered résumé builder, a cover letter writing service, and a mock interview tool tailored to real questions from the specific employer and role the candidate is preparing for. Co-founded by Michael Guan and Jay Ma in 2023, the company is on a mission to revolutionize job interviews through generative AI. Michael and Jay first met in college and aimed to build AI products that could meaningfully impact people's lives. Michael is a serial AI entrepreneur, and Jay excels in AI engineering and has previous experience at leading tech companies. Now serving over 3 million users across 100 countries and supporting 91 languages, Final Round AI is one of Silicon Valley's fastest-growing AI and career startups. Interview Copilot has facilitated tens of thousands of online interviews, helping candidates succeed and secure dream job offers. Recently completed a $6.88 million seed fund raising and graduated from HF0, one of the most prestigious accelerators in the valley, the company has cemented its position as a leader in AI-powered job readiness and career development. Writing a thesis, research paper, or report is hard. Getting useful feedback is even harder. Professors take weeks to respond, and grammar checkers don't catch deeper issues. That's where Thesify comes in. is a Swiss startup that helps students and researchers improve their academic writing with instant in-depth constructive feedback. Unlike most GenAI tools that generate text, Thesify acts like a mentor, guiding students to strengthen their arguments, refining their messages and statements and filling gaps in reasoning. Thesify doesn't just proofread, it evaluates structure, logic and evidence, helping users to write stronger and more coherent papers. It checks the strength of thesis statements, evaluates arguments, and assesses evidence. It finds gaps in reasoning, suggests sources, and offers insights and concrete advice to improve the content of the manuscript. Acting like a trusted mentor, Thesify gives the kind of feedback students often wait weeks for from professors. Detailed feedback allows students to improve their writing and critical thinking. Constructive feedback identifies weaknesses and guides improvement. This helps students and researchers become better writers and better communicators. Thesify helps scientists submit their research faster and therefore meets the real needs of academics who want more than superficial changes—it provides advice that makes their work stronger and helps them grow as writers. BigGraph AI Technologies BigGraph AI puts Generative AI to work for you, unlocking the full potential of your data to drive faster, smarter decisions. By seamlessly integrating Agent-Driven Knowledge Graphs with Large Language Models (LLMs), BigGraph AI structures data in a way AI can understand—optimizing operations, streamlining supply chains, and enabling real-time decision-making. In a rapidly evolving AI landscape, BigGraph AI helps businesses stay ahead by uncovering deep insights, unlocking hidden value, and turning data into real-world impact. At the core of BigGraph AI is EulerRAG, an advanced Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) technique named after the Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler, father of Graph Theory. EulerRAG combines real-time data retrieval with AI generation to provide meaningful, context-aware insights. Unlike conventional models that offer surface-level answers, EulerRAG delivers in-depth recommendations based on reliable data, whether optimizing operations, predicting disruptions, or gaining market insights. BigGraph AI goes beyond speed and accuracy by embedding ethical principles, ensuring transparency, adaptability, and responsible decision-making. Using rigorous logical frameworks and Turing-computable methods, BigGraph ensures trustworthy, adaptable outcomes that align with business needs. The platform also offers industry-specific customization with AI agents that enhance accuracy, security, and compliance. BigGraph's Enterprise Modernization Agents help businesses transition existing non-AI systems to cloud-native architectures using AI automation, enhancing operational effectiveness while maintaining essential business logic. By combining graph-centric logic, advanced LLMs, and AI-driven automation, BigGraph AI delivers measurable results. Whether optimizing operations, enhancing financial forecasting, or modernizing legacy systems, BigGraph AI unlocks the full potential of AI and data, empowering businesses to thrive in an increasingly competitive market. Decktopus Decktopus AI is transforming how professionals create presentations by leveraging the power of artificial intelligence. What once took hours of manual slide design and content structuring is now achievable in minutes, thanks to this AI-driven platform. With over 3 million registered users worldwide, Decktopus has become the go-to AI-powered presentation assistant for busy professionals, consultants, marketing teams, and educators. It eliminates the struggle of starting from scratch, ensuring that users can focus on delivering impactful messages rather than wrestling with slide formatting. How Decktopus AI Works At its core, Decktopus enables users to generate fully structured presentations by simply entering a topic or uploading a PDF. The AI instantly crafts slides with professionally written content, design layouts, and even AI-generated visuals, eliminating the tedious aspects of presentation creation. Its key features include: AI-Powered Slide Generation – Users input a prompt or document, and Decktopus creates a structured, well-designed presentation instantly. PDF to Presentation Conversion – A seamless way to transform reports, research papers, and documents into visually appealing slide decks. Branding and Customization – Companies can maintain brand consistency with custom fonts, colors, and templates, ensuring presentations align with corporate identity. Chat with Decktopus – With DecktoGPT, users can edit their presentation outlines dynamically, just like chatting with ChatGPT, refining content with real-time AI-powered suggestions. AI Assistant – A groundbreaking addition for 2025, this feature enables users to translate their entire deck into multiple languages, receive AI-generated slide notes and tips, and get predictions on the questions their audience might ask, ensuring a well-prepared and engaging presentation. What Sets Decktopus Apart? Unlike generic presentation software, Decktopus doesn't just provide slide templates—it thinks for you. The AI considers the audience, purpose, and structure of a presentation, crafting a deck that is not just visually appealing, but also strategically structured. This is a game-changer for sales teams, educators, and executives who need to create compelling narratives with minimal effort. With time-saving automation, data-driven storytelling, and an AI-enhanced user experience, Decktopus is setting new standards for business communication. is among the world's first AI advisory firms to seamlessly blend AI powered solutions with proven management consulting methodologies, delivering customized, high-impact results. Its innovative approach allows clients to realize meaningful benefits within days to set up a new benchmark for AI-driven transformation. Founded in 2022 by Ashwin Talluri, an industry veteran with 18 years of diverse experience, represents the culmination of Ashwin's journey from software engineering at Fiserv to advisory roles at Capgemini, complemented by his executive education at The Wharton Business School. Ashwin understands the challenging landscape that CEOs, CIOs, and CTOs navigate today, with an overwhelming array of AI products, competing advice from consulting firms and service providers while maintaining a competitive edge. addresses these challenges through an unbiased, client-first advisory model that starts with a Day 1 AI solution impact creation that can be calibrated to the client's situation, while assessing the overall AI opportunity areas across the ecosystem. Clients gain access to the Insights AI platform, enabling them to pilot solutions within a day, train data models, and explore the transformative potential of generative and agentic AI capabilities before implementing enterprise solutions. This would enable and accelerate the establishment of an AI governance and operating model while designing a data-centric, trustworthy AI capability within the organization. With a focus on delivering measurable ROI, actionable insights, and tailored strategic roadmaps, empowers organizations to navigate the complexities of AI transformation and unlock the true potential of AI with confidence. These ten companies represent the future of artificial intelligence, each addressing unique challenges and opportunities in their respective fields. From revolutionizing customer support and education to streamlining industry-specific workflows and fostering transparency in AI decision-making, these innovators are pushing boundaries and creating impactful solutions. As 2025 progresses, these companies are poised to lead the way in defining how AI will shape lives and industries. Keeping an eye on their growth and contributions will provide a glimpse into the limitless potential of artificial intelligence.
