Join us in this episode with Salman Azhar as he unpacks how money really moves in the age of AI, from seed bets to the quiet mid-stage crunch. Discover what serious investors look for in AI startups, why problem-space matters more than buzzwords, and what corporate leaders can learn about capital allocation and incentives.
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AI innovation doesn’t happen on code alone; it runs on capital. In this episode, Lukas Egger talks with Salman Azhar about what really happens “where the money meets the models.” They walk through the lifecycle of an AI company, from risky angel and seed checks to the Series A/B bottleneck and eventual exits. Salman explains why he prioritizes high-value problem spaces and defensible IP over flashy founders and AI-heavy pitches. Hear how AI is transforming venture work at the top of the funnel, while still falling short on trustworthy probabilities. The conversation zooms out to a liquidity crunch, IPOs “queued like planes after a storm,” and too much money chasing a few household AI names while real applications go underfunded.
For corporate innovators, Salman’s takeaway is clear: align incentives with upside, kill weak ideas early, and treat internal ventures more like startups where compensation and consequences track real value creation.
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Guest: Salman Azhar, Azimuth Opportunity Fund & Duke University
Dr. Salman Azhar has unique access in the venture world after investing in 250+ startups over 20+ years and generating a positive return with his first 12 exits. He specializes in buying pre-IPO unicorns’ shares from early investors.
Dr. Azhar is a General Partner of Azimuth Opportunity Fund and Executive in Residence at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. He is a Charter Life Member of OPEN Global and an advisor to several funds, including Quartus, Moment, and Regiment. His former business partners and clients include Toyota, Sony, SAP, and others.
Dr. Azhar earned his MS and PhD in Computer Science from Duke as a James B. Duke Fellow and a BS in Math and Physics from Wake Forest University as a Carswell Scholar.
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Innovation needs story. In this episode, Lukas Egger and Susan Lindner reveal why storytelling is a survival skill for innovators: turning failure into learning, imagination into possibility, and inertia into action. Explore the tension between “show me the data” and the human emotions that actually drive decisions. Learn to earn buy-in by naming shifts, pointing to winners, and co-creating a promised land your audience cares about. Packed with practical guidance for meetings, presentations, and pilots, this episode shows how to design change journeys that stick, and how AI can accelerate your narrative craft.
Susan Lindner is the Founder and CEO of Innovation Storytellers, a leading innovation storytelling consulting firm. She is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, workshop leader, messaging strategist, storytelling coach, and the world’s leading expert on innovation storytelling.
Susan draws from her initial experiences as an anthropologist and international aid worker in rural Thailand in the 1990s, where she shared stories that helped at-risk populations disproportionately affected by AIDS to slow the virus’ spread. Today, as a 20-year communications expert, she is committed to using those same storytelling skills to inspire innovation leaders everywhere to become incredible storytellers and ensure that their innovations get the resources, runway, and recognition they deserve.
Susan is the host of Innovation Storytellers, a weekly podcast that takes the mystery out of how to communicate breakthrough ideas to the people who matter most. Every week, Susan interviews top global innovation leaders from companies like Amazon, Bloomberg, Cisco, Corning, and Tesla about the stories that moved their innovations past the boardroom, lab, and production line and into our everyday lives.
Susan speaks at global conferences, consulates, and trade organizations. She has worked with C-level leaders and teams from over 60 countries at Fortune 100 companies like GE, Corning, Citi, AT&T, Arm & Hammer on their innovation storytelling strategies. The result? Those innovation leaders become incredible storytellers who go on to change the world. Susan is driven to ensure every breakthrough idea reaches its finish line through powerful stories that connect to every listener and power that brilliant idea forward.
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
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Join Lukas Egger and Peter Temes as they reimagine work for the age of AI. Peter shares pilots of the Match platform that expand task diversity, promote self‑management, and use AI to match people to roles through micro‑credentials and human‑in‑the‑loop recommendations. Hear practical stories from warehouses to industrial plants, and learn how listening to workers, modular tasks, and career path planning boost retention, safety, and training outcomes. If you want actionable insight into adapting your workforce, this episode will inspire leaders to start with understanding people and to design flexible, humane systems for the future.
Founder & President of the ILO Institute
Peter began his career as a full-time member of the Harvard University Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and went on to found Enterprise Interactive, a consulting and research firm.
Peter has led research initiatives for Goldman Sachs, ExxonMobil, Microsoft, Disney, EY, Pfizer, GM’s autonomous vehicles group and many other companies in the technology, finance and consumer marketing sectors. Peter has also served as Dean and Campus Chief Executive for Northeastern University, President of the Antioch New England Graduate School and President of the Great Books Foundation.
He is the author and editor of several books, including Teaching Leadership, The Just War, and Against School Reform. Peter holds a Ph.D. and three master’s degrees from Columbia University.
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
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How do you know you’re truly winning with AI? In this episode, Lukas Egger and Charlene Li share how to build an AI‑fluent workforce, prioritize with the double‑S (size and speed to value), and balance customer impact, internal efficiency, and reinvention. Learn to triage pilots, collect minimally viable data for fast decisions, and set incentives that reward deployment speed over perfection. See how embedding AI in quarterly reviews, cross‑functional learning, and an 18‑month rolling plan create adaptability. With solid examples from the industry, this episode gives you the steps to turn ambition into action.
Keynote Speaker & Strategic Advisor
For the past three decades, Charlene has been helping people see the future and thrive through disruption. She has advised executives and boards to recognize the vital truth that companies can’t simply innovate in order to stay competitive. They must transform.
As a sought-after expert on disruptive transformation, leadership, customer experience, and the future of work, Charlene has worked with hundreds of organizations—ranging from Adobe to Southwest Airlines and 14 of the Dow Jones Industrial 30 companies—to provide her insights to support a winning strategy for disruptive growth and a plan to identify and seize an opportunity no one else has the audacity or confidence to reach for.
Throughout her career, Charlene has been at the edge of disruption. She worked in newspapers in the early 1990s and helped them navigate the shift from print to online. As a Principal Analyst at Forrester Research, she covered interactive advertising, search marketing, and the rise of social media. In 2008, she founded Altimeter Group, a disruptive competitor that challenged analyst firm incumbents such as Gartner, Forrester, and IDC, which was acquired by Prophet. Charlene went on to serve as the Chief Research Officer at PA Consulting, where she led the company’s thought leadership program. She currently leads her own firm, Quantum Networks Group.
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
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If you have questions or comments, email: processtransformers@sap.com
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From cloud kitchens to global shipping, technology has always redrawn the map of business. Now, it’s AI’s turn.
Join Lukas Egger as he unpacks how AI is creating new boundaries today by collapsing the costs of work at critical handoffs and interfaces. He reveals that the biggest impact isn’t about making things faster, but about fundamentally changing what is possible.
Discover how understanding this core principle can help you see opportunities that your competitors are missing. Tune in for actionable steps to build a more defensible, future-ready business.
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
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Are you ready to transform your software architecture into a strategic advantage? Tune in as Lukas Egger and Chris Richardson delve into the blueprint for adaptable architecture. Chris unpacks the “success triangle,” highlighting the crucial interplay of development processes, organizational structure, and architecture.
Learn how to foster fast feedback loops, enabling rapid innovation and continuous improvement. Understand the truth behind microservices versus monoliths and gain actionable insights for building resilient, agile software that drives business success. Discover why loose design time coupling and frequent deployments are essential.
Renowned Software Architecture Consultant, Founder, and Author
Chris is a software architect and serial entrepreneur. He is a Java Champion, a JavaOne rock star and the author of “POJOs in Action”, which describes how to build enterprise Java applications with frameworks such as Spring and Hibernate. Chris was also the founder of the original CloudFoundry.com, an early Java PaaS for Amazon EC2.
Today, he is a recognized thought leader in microservices and speaks regularly at international conferences. Chris is the author of the book “Microservice Patterns”. Chris helps organizations improve agility and competitiveness through better software architecture. He delivers consulting and training that helps organizations successfully adopt and use the microservice architecture.
Chris is the founder of Eventuate, which is an open-source platform that simplifies the development of transactional micro services. He maintains a comprehensive set of resources for learning about microservices.
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
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If you have questions or comments, email: processtransformers@sap.com
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Is AI destined to replace us, or can it unlock unprecedented human potential? Helen and Dave Edwards join Lukas Egger to explore the emotional, cognitive, and cultural shifts that AI is ushering in. They challenge the narrow focus on productivity, urging us to consider AI’s broader impact on our lives and organizations.
Discover how AI can be a powerful force for innovation, creativity, and meaning-making, but only if we prioritize human dignity and cultivate symbiotic relationships between humans and machines. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone seeking to navigate the AI revolution with purpose and vision.
Co-Founders of the Artificiality Institute
Helen and Dave Edwards are co-founders of the Artificiality Institute, a nonprofit research organization shaping the human experience in a world of synthetic intelligence. Through story-based research, experimental design, and cultural dialogue, they explore how humans and AI co-evolve—not just for efficiency, but for meaning.
For over a decade, they have studied how AI transforms human lives, capturing insights through longitudinal ethnography and translating them into new frameworks for human-AI symbiosis. Currently Visiting Researchers at UC Berkeley’s Center for Human-Compatible AI, they bring complementary expertise: Helen from leading complex systems as CIO of New Zealand’s National Grid and in executive roles at PG&E and Fonterra; Dave from shaping Apple’s most iconic creative software products and from earlier work as a Wall Street analyst and venture capitalist.
Together, they imagine a future where diverse intelligences inspire awe, emergent consciousness evokes wonder, and new minds exist in symbiosis with our own.
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
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If you have questions or comments, email: processtransformers@sap.com
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Beyond features and benchmarks, what truly drives user engagement in AI? Lukas Egger explains why “engagement in AI is not just about knowledge or utility, it’s about emotional connection.” This episode explores how human-like interactions with generative AI are creating unprecedented emotional bonds, fundamentally changing product perception and customer loyalty. Discover the power of “industrialized empathy” and why users are even downgrading products for preferred “personalities.” Lukas shares thought-provoking insights on why understanding and mastering the emotional dimension of AI is fast becoming a critical competitive advantage.
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
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If you have questions or comments, email: processtransformers@sap.com
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Are you ready for a new era of business transformation, driven by empathy and ethics? Lukas Egger invites Joel Lehman to spotlight the transformative potential, and risks, of AI as it becomes a trusted partner in our daily lives. This episode unpacks how AI can foster connection, enhance trust, and change the very nature of customer engagement. Joel shares visionary ideas on responsible AI, human flourishing, and the evolving dynamics between people and technology. Listen in for practical inspiration and compelling arguments on building a future where AI genuinely serves humanity.
ML Research Scientist
Joel Lehman is a machine learning researcher and author, and is currently a research fellow with the Cosmos Institute. He has previously researched open-ended AI at OpenAI, Uber AI Labs, and Geometric Intelligence, and was previously a professor at the IT University of Copenhagen. He is co-author of the popular science book, Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned, and has won several best paper awards, as well as awards for impactful papers (the SIGEVO impact award and the ISAL Outstanding Paper of 2020 award).
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
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If you have questions or comments, email: processtransformers@sap.com
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AI is reshaping the business world, but trust remains the ultimate differentiator. Join Lukas Egger and Katharine Jarmul as they reveal how privacy-first thinking, genuine collaboration, and customer-centric design can unlock the true potential of process transformation.
Discover why trust goes beyond compliance and how it fosters authenticity, transparency, and value creation. Katharine shares actionable strategies for overcoming challenges, bridging gaps between teams, and crafting AI solutions that empower customers.
Tune in to be inspired and equipped for leading your organization into a responsible, trust-driven AI era.
Privacy & Security in Machine Learning and Data Science, Author of Practical Data Privacy
Katharine Jarmul is a privacy activist and an internationally recognized data scientist and lecturer who focuses her work and research on privacy and security in data science and machine learning. You can follow her work via her newsletter, Probably Private, or in her recently published book, Practical Data Privacy (O’Reilly 2023) now also available in German as Data Privacy in der Praxis.
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
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If you have questions or comments, email: processtransformers@sap.com
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Curious about how to future-proof your business for the age of generative AI? In this inspiring episode, Lukas Egger delves into the realities of AI’s unpredictable nature and what it means for business processes. Discover why accepting imperfection is key, and learn practical ways to design resilient systems that thrive, even when AI doesn’t always hit the mark. Lukas offers actionable strategies and fresh perspectives on embracing “graceful failures” as a path to lasting innovation. Tune in for a thought-provoking look at narrative AI’s fast-evolving landscape!
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
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If you have questions or comments, email: processtransformers@sap.com
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What does it really take to build an adaptive enterprise fit for tomorrow’s business landscape?
In this episode, Lukas Egger welcomes Ross Dawson for a compelling exploration of the future of work, fluid organizations, and the new era of AI-powered value creation. From co-creation with customers to the strategic importance of data, discover how businesses can thrive in a world where change is constant.
Tune in to learn practical concepts like “fluid governance” and why envisioning, not just planning, is the key to transformational success.
Futurist, Entrepreneur, Keynote Speaker, Author, and Founder of AHT Group – Informivity – Bondi Innovation
Ross Dawson is globally recognized as a leading futurist, keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and authority on business strategy. He is the Founding Chairman of the Advanced Human Technologies group of companies, including futures consultancy Future Exploration Network.
Strong global demand has seen Ross speak about the future to business and government leaders in over 30 countries across six continents and lead executive education programs at top universities worldwide. He is a best-selling author of five books, most recently Thriving on Overload: The 5 Powers for Success in a World of Exponential Information and has been named one of the world’s top influencers on the future of work.
Ross’s frequent media appearances include CNN, Bloomberg TV, SkyNews, ABC TV, Today and Sunrise shows, Washington Post and many others.
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
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If you have questions or comments, email: processtransformers@sap.com
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Are you ready to rethink your approach to business transformation? In this episode, Lukas Egger reveals how generative AI enables organizations to connect diverse data sets, streamline processes, and uncover unique business value. Hear why context-rich, private data is your most important asset in a world where public data has been commoditized. Lukas shares practical strategies and forward-thinking insights on leveraging new AI capabilities, feedback mechanisms, and continuous data management to differentiate and innovate. Listen in to discover actionable ideas that will reshape your perspective on AI and process excellence.
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
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If you have questions or comments, email: processtransformers@sap.com
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In this episode, Matt Heinz demystifies the real-world applications of AI, emphasizing its role in augmenting human effort rather than replacing it.
Discover how AI is used today to streamline operations and boost productivity in marketing and sales, and explore what the future holds as AI technologies evolve. Perfect for professionals seeking to integrate AI into their strategies effectively.
Let’s dive right in!
President of Heinz Marketing and the host of Sales Pipeline Radio
Prolific author and nationally recognized, award-winning blogger, Matt is President and Founder of Heinz Marketing with 15+ years of marketing, business development and sales experience from a variety of organizations and industries. He is a dynamic speaker, memorable not only for his keen insight and humour, but his actionable and motivating takeaways.
Matt’s career focuses on consistently delivering measurable results with greater sales, revenue growth, product success and customer loyalty. He has helped organizations such as Amazon, Seagate, Morgan Stanley, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and many others create predictable, repeatable sales & marketing engines to fuel growth.
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
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If you have questions or comments, email: processtransformers@sap.com
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Join us in a transformative discussion with Tony Ulwick, who shares his expert insights on mastering innovation in the AI-driven world. Discover the importance of focusing on what customers truly need and how this can set your product apart. Explore the critical mindset shift from product features to job satisfaction, which could be the key to your next breakthrough. This episode is a treasure trove for anyone passionate about making a mark with innovation.
Tony is the pioneer of Jobs-to-be-Done Theory and the inventor of Outcome-Driven Innovation® (ODI), a powerful strategy and innovation process with a documented success rate that is 5-times the industry average. Tony has been granted 12 patents for his game-changing innovation practices, which result in products that help customers get a “job” done better.
Philip Kotler, S. C. Johnson Distinguished Professor of International Marketing at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University says, “I call Ulwick the Deming of Innovation because, more than anyone else, Tony has turned innovation into a science.”
The late Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen said, “Ulwick’s outcome-driven programs bring discipline and predictability to the often random process of innovation.”
Tony began his career with IBM’s PC division in 1981. Witnessing the failure of the PCjr, Tony was inspired to develop a better approach to innovation. Since founding the innovation consultancy Strategyn in 1991, he and his global team of ODI practitioners have led strategy engagements with over one-third of the Fortune 100, helping them generate billions of dollars in revenue growth.
In 2002, Tony introduced Harvard Business Review readers to ODI in the article Turn Customer Input into Innovation. HBR recognized ODI as one of the best business ideas of the year, declaring it one of “the ideas that will profoundly affect business as we forge ahead in today’s complex times.”
Tony is the author of the original Jobs-to-be-Done book, What Customers Want, his recent release, JOBS TO BE DONE: Theory to Practice, and additional articles on ODI published in HBR and MIT Sloan Management Review. Through his involvement in hundreds of innovation initiatives, Tony has helped companies reinvent underperforming products, create new business models, and build and implement company-wide innovation programs. His work is cited in hundreds of publications.
As an innovation thought leader, inventor, author and speaker, Tony Ulwick has changed the way academics and executives alike think about strategy and innovation.
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
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If you have questions or comments, email: processtransformers@sap.com
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Join us in this episode to engage with the thought-provoking theme of AI’s disruption of content creation as Lukas Egger elucidates its impact on business trust.
Understand the transformation from a content-driven to a trust-driven market and grasp how leading businesses are leveraging trust as their currency of choice.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone eager to navigate through the evolving challenges and opportunities presented by AI.
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
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If you have questions or comments, email: processtransformers@sap.com
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In this thought-provoking episode, Alvin Foo enlightens us on integrating AI with business processes.
Discover the transformative power of detachment from outcomes while focusing on the purpose. Alvin shares his unique insights on maintaining motivation and happiness over extended periods, a vital lesson for innovators and business leaders navigating today’s technological advancements.
Let’s dive right in!
Venture Partner, Co-Founder, Advisors & Mentors | ex-Google | AI | Fintech | Web3
Alvin Foo is the Managing Partner at Chain Valley Capital and a co-founder of NASDEX, a tokenized assets trading platform. Previously, he led strategy at Airwave China, the innovation and mobility business unit within Omnicom Media Group, where he was responsible to drive and integrate mobile strategy and innovation for all OMG’s blue chip clients.
In the 13 years prior, Alvin had held various leadership roles with other technology & media companies including Nokia and had also started his own technology startup back in 1997 and his startup was listed as one of the Fast 500 companies in APAC for 3 consecutive years by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
If you want to learn more about:
If you have questions or comments, email: processtransformers@sap.com
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Join us on this episode with Nikki Helmer as we explore the critical intersection of AI, skills, and learning. Uncover how AI is revolutionizing the future of learning and why embracing a skills-based approach is essential for business differentiation. This episode promises to ignite your understanding and inspire actionable insights into adapting and thriving in an AI-driven world. Don’t miss out on learning why being skills-based is the future of business success!”
Nicole Helmer is the Chief Product Officer at Degreed, leading the evolution of enterprise learning with a skills-first, AI-powered approach. She is driving Degreed’s vision to personalize learning, measure impact, and scale with AI—ensuring organizations can anticipate and adapt to change, not just react to it.
Before Degreed, Nicole was VP of Learning & Development at SAP, where she led skill development for over 100,000 employees and spearheaded SAP’s transformation into a skills-based organization. She built foundational systems for skills measurement, taxonomy, and job architecture. This work earned SAP recognition as a skills lighthouse company by the World Economic Forum in 2024.
Nicole believes that the biggest threat to enterprises isn’t technology, it’s the inability to evolve fast enough. Skills intelligence is the key to staying ahead. She champions the use of AI to make learning more actionable, adaptive, and deeply personalized, turning skills from a concept into a competitive advantage.
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
If you want to learn more about:
If you have questions or comments, email: processtransformers@sap.com
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This insightful episode with Gero Decker dives deep into how AI and quick adaptability are reshaping business landscapes. Learn about emerging trends, the benefits of swift technological integration, and strategies for maintaining a competitive edge. Discover why staying agile and informed is crucial for businesses seeking to navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by the digital revolution.
General Manager SAP Signavio
Gero was previously co-founder and CEO of Signavio, a leading provider of process management software with over 2,000 customers and more than 500 employees worldwide, which was acquired by SAP in early 2021. Gero holds a PhD in Business Process Management from the Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam, Germany, and is a globally recognized thought leader in process management and business transformation.
He is currently leading the Product & Engineering department at SAP Signavio as General Manager and is also Co-Managing Director of SAP Labs Berlin Gero has recently launched his book: “Signavio – Together As One” which provides a behind-scenes look at the rise of Signavio.
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
If you want to learn more about:
If you have questions or comments, email: processtransformers@sap.com
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In this episode of Process Transformers, Lukas Egger engages with Samuel Hammond, Chief Economist at the Foundation for American Innovation, to explore the significant implications of AI on business transformation and economic structures. They discuss the crucial differences between first-order and second-order effects of disruptive technologies, emphasizing how AI not only impacts immediate tasks but also reshapes entire industries and governance frameworks.
Hear how AI is eliminating traditional agency barriers, enhancing productivity, and enabling new opportunities for value creation. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone invested in the future of technology and business, filled with actionable strategies to navigate the evolving economic landscape.
Let’s dive right in!
Chief Economist at the Foundation for American Innovation
Samuel Hammond is Chief Economist at the Foundation for American Innovation, where his research focuses on artificial intelligence and the institutional impact of emerging technologies. He previously worked as the director of social policy for the Niskanen Center, where he remains a senior fellow; as an economist for the Government of Canada specializing in regional economic development; and as a graduate research fellow for the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.
Sam received a BA in Economics from Saint Mary’s University and MA in Economics from George Mason University and Carleton University.
Head of the Innovation Office & Strategic Projects team at SAP Signavio
Lukas leads a team of experts, steering innovation projects. His approach blends a strong technical understanding with a keen eye for product discovery and digital transformation. Lukas regularly contributes to discussions and panels, sharing his perspectives on AI, the digital zeitgeist, and philosophy. Lukas funded multiple startups, published a humorous philosophy book, and received silver screen quotation for special effects work for an animated movie.
If you want to learn more about:
If you have questions or comments, email: processtransformers@sap.com
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