VMware was undergoing a significant digital transformation to support its business model transition from perpetual-license software to subscription and software-as-a-service (SaaS). The VMware IT team was tasked with delivering new capabilities in an accelerated timeframe while improving performance, resiliency, and user experience. One of the apps modernized was VMware Customer Connect, a self-service portal accessed by millions of users each month. Since its launch a decade ago, the portal experienced exponential growth in traffic, leading to scalability and performance issues, outages, and latency. Its legacy codebase and monolithic architecture made it difficult to build and deliver new features. To enhance the platform’s performance and security in the short term, VMware added third-party software tools. However, a lack of integration and other inconsistencies added to the platform's complexity.

Cloud4com, a leading provider of IT infrastructure and data center services, recognized the challenges and costs companies face when upgrading their on-premises infrastructure to meet the demands of SAP HANA in-memory technology. With the introduction of SAP HANA and SAP's decision to end support for all other databases from 2025, Cloud4com saw an opportunity to expand its services to a larger customer base. However, SAP HANA is a resource-intensive technology that requires companies to deploy powerful and costly hardware platforms. Businesses often overspecify the hardware, resulting in underutilization within the software's lifecycle. To capitalize on the opportunity presented by SAP HANA, Cloud4com aimed to create a cost-effective cloud platform for HANA and began working on obtaining the SAP Tailored Datacenter Integration (TDI) certification. A critical element was selecting the right operating system that would meet SAP’s standards and maximize the availability and performance of their customers’ SAP landscapes.

Invia Robotics, a rapidly growing tech-savvy company, was facing a significant challenge in managing the security of their premises. With employees working round the clock and new hires being added on a weekly basis, the task of managing and issuing physical keys was becoming increasingly complex and unmanageable. The company was in dire need of an efficient access control system. However, the traditional options available in the market were outdated and did not meet their requirements. The idea of replacing physical keys with badges was not appealing to them, as it would only shift the problem from managing keys to managing badges.

Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE), a global coffee and tea company, faced a significant challenge in the wake of a malware incident in 2017 that caused a computer outage across Mondelez’s global operations, resulting in losses of €100M. This incident served as a wake-up call for JDE to implement a robust cybersecurity program to protect its operational technology (OT), including the industrial control system (ICS) environment across its factories worldwide. The advent of Industry 4.0 has led to increased interconnectivity in manufacturing environments, making them more vulnerable to cyberattacks. Traditional IT security measures were no longer sufficient to protect JDE's manufacturing operations. The company needed a comprehensive overview of all cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities across its factories, including all operational technology computing systems used to manage the entire industrial operation.

The company soon realized that for organizations in the banking and insurance industries, security was a top-most concern. As an all-in-one communication and document workflow platform, Totaldocs needed a way to allow these customers to send and store documents such as bank statements, policies, and billings – which must remain confidential.Solution RequirementsGive customers the ability to apply legally recognized digital signatures, with the secure electronic delivery and AATL Long Term Validity (LTV) to meet archiving requirements for documents.Easily integrate with the existing Totaldocs cloud platform to ensure a seamless end-user experience.Partner with an experienced, globally recognized Certificate Authority with a strong understanding of the document signing market.

Because Xenit used Amazon Web Services (AWS), Gottschlag wanted a solution for application delivery that worked seamlessly with AWS and that was extensible to give Xenit customers an option for incorporating other public cloud solutions into their cloud portfolios. The solution also needed to make application delivery easier to manage and more cost effective.

Mellanox Technologies, a multinational supplier of computer technology networking products, was facing challenges with its testing, research, and design infrastructure. The company, with multiple manufacturing sites worldwide, needed an infrastructure that was engineered for integration, easy data sharing, scalability, and unified support. The existing system was not providing the performance and reliability required to accelerate product innovation. Mellanox also needed to reduce the time to market for its products, including adapters, switches, software, cables, and silicon products for markets such as high-performance computing. The company was in search of a unified solution that was reliable, scalable, and cost-effective.

bp, one of the world's largest energy companies, is constantly seeking innovative ways to leverage emerging technologies. One such technology is quantum computing, which has the potential to disrupt industries that rely heavily on chemistry. Quantum computing theoretically has the ability to simulate molecules and predict their properties beyond the capabilities of classical computers. It also has implications for various business operations such as logistics, manufacturing, finance, security, and more. However, the extent and timeline of this disruption remain uncertain. To better prepare for the quantum future and gain a competitive edge, bp is exploring the impact of quantum computing on chemistry calculations within and beyond their core business.

Ricky Willems, an electrical engineer and a fan of the popular show “BattleBots”, was inspired to build his own robots with the goal of competing on the show. The challenge was to create a mechanical warrior that could compete in the show, which required custom hardware, electronics, and a team of up to eight people to operate the bots. The design process was complex, involving the creation of a 6’4”, 250 lb flame-throwing robot capable of catapulting another robot across a ring. The design also needed to be scalable, as the robots needed to prove their worth on smaller stages before moving to prime time. The design process was further complicated by the need for the robot to withstand damage while putting out staggering horsepower in a package that was as light and small as possible.

Automation Research Group, a Philadelphia-based engineering and design company, was facing challenges in managing and transmitting data securely. With the advent of high-speed internet, data transmission became faster but also brought along security concerns. For some clients, having a private network tethered to a building was more secure than using WiFi or broadband internet connections. This led the company to revisit the idea of using power lines as an alternative to WiFi for data transmission. However, this method, while more secure, was slower and required specialized equipment. Additionally, the company was also struggling with managing parts for their custom-designed PCBs. The parts management was all in a local database and there was no way to determine if the parts were outdated.

Quantel Laser, a division of Lumibird and a global leader in laser technology, has been facing increasing challenges in meeting the evolving needs of its customers. The company, which develops solid-state lasers, laser diodes, and fiber lasers, has seen its customer needs become progressively more intricate over the years. The industry has shifted from a highly specialized technical field to one that powers a wealth of everyday essentials. The demand for more energy in a smaller size at a lower cost has pushed the company's skills to the max. The company's engineers have relied on Altium technology for decades to meet these demands. However, the advent of the global pandemic posed a new challenge for the company, as it impacted their offices in France and the United States, disrupting their design team's ability to work together.

The global pandemic has put an unprecedented strain on the healthcare industry, particularly on the medical supply chain. One of the most critical needs has been for ventilators, which are expensive and time-consuming to manufacture. The Open Source Ventilator Project, a global coalition of engineers, designers, and medical practitioners, rose to this challenge by creating low-cost Field Emergency Ventilators (FEVs) using 3D-printed components. However, the project faced significant challenges in terms of collaboration and coordination. With over 3000 volunteers from different companies, individual engineers, medical device designers, and programmers from all over the world, the project required a platform that could facilitate seamless collaboration and sharing of PCB designs.

Morgan Solar, founded in 2007, has been on a mission to make solar energy the most widely used and affordable power source in the world. However, the solar market has been changing rapidly, with product costs decreasing significantly over the past decade. This has increased the urgency for Morgan Solar to develop and patent newer, more efficient solar energy solutions. The company has had to consistently innovate to keep up with the fast-paced industry and stay ahead of the curve. The challenge was to accommodate less forgiving production timelines and increase product turnover, while maintaining the quality and efficiency of their solar panels and solar tracking systems.

NuCurrent, a company known for its patented wireless inductive technology, faced a significant challenge as it grew. The company's technology is found in a variety of everyday essentials, from PopSockets® to smart basketballs and kitchen countertops. However, as the company expanded, it became clear that they needed a professional solution for PCB component library management and version control. Their existing system, GitHub, was proving to be inadequate for their growing needs. The lack of synchronization in GitHub made it difficult to reuse parts across multiple projects and changes were not getting propagated. This often resulted in issues being caught later in the development cycle, causing delays and inefficiencies. Furthermore, the company was using Google Drive and emailing files to clients, which created serious version control issues.

The University of New South Wales’ (UNSW) Sunswift Racing team, led by Professor Richard Hopkins, has been competing in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge since 1996. This race, which spans the Australian Outback from Darwin to Adelaide, showcases solar-powered, custom-built cars. The Sunswift Racing team, made up of 45 undergraduate students across multiple engineering disciplines, has designed and built 6 solar-powered hybrid vehicles. Their most recent vehicle, the VIolet, ranked 2nd in the 2019 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge and set a new Guinness World Record for Lowest Energy Consumption in 2018. However, the team faced a setback when the 2021 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

SpaceQuest, a satellite technology company, was facing challenges with their PCB layout on complex designs and often had to outsource projects. With a major microsatellites program on the horizon, they needed a more efficient solution. They were also in the process of developing microsatellites for asset tracking and management services from low earth orbit and exploring how to collect AIS signals from space. However, their preliminary design of a payload to collect AIS signals was still a prototype and their development processes were evolving. In a critical situation, they had to integrate a brand new payload relatively late in a satellite development project, with only six weeks remaining before the design was scheduled to ship for launch. The task of delivering a completely new electronic board on such a tight schedule using their previous tools and processes was daunting.

MKS Instruments, a leading provider of mass spectrometers and other essential laboratory equipment, was facing a significant challenge amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The company, which holds over 2,500 patents and employs over 500 degreed scientists and engineers, was under immense pressure to support the urgent need for the development of treatments for COVID-19. The situation was further complicated by stay-in-place orders, which made it difficult for MKS's engineering team to work around the clock from anywhere. The company needed a solution that would allow them to keep up with the frenetic pace of work, while also ensuring the availability of parts for their devices, which are used in labs worldwide.

Bosch Rexroth, a Fortune 100 company and one of the world’s largest suppliers of technology and services, has been committed to sustainability and green engineering practices for nearly half a century. The company recognizes the potential of green engineering to reduce costs, improve product performance, enhance corporate reputation, and open up new market opportunities. However, to truly be considered 'green', engineers must consider factors such as product life cycle, reusability, and the elimination of toxic chemicals. Bosch Rexroth’s engineering division faced the challenge of designing its latest Rexroth Frequency Converter Fe series to be more economical and environmentally friendly. The goal was to reduce parts, size, and power consumption, while improving reliability and stability.

APTUS DesignWorks Inc., a product development and machine design services provider based in Maryville, Tennessee, was facing challenges in accelerating project times and delivering quality service to their customers faster than their competitors. Despite their best agile practices, collaboration tools, and in-house iterative processes, they realized they needed external resources to provide them with substantial advantages in terms of price and lead time. The company was also struggling with the manufacturing approval phase and product launch, which was slower than desired. Before Altimade, they used to order the bare boards and components separately to produce a prototype, which was either assembled in-house or outsourced to a third party. Both methods required considerable time and resources.

The Binar team at Curtin University's Space Science and Technology Centre aimed to create a custom-designed CubeSat that was smaller and more effective than the existing miniature satellites. The challenge was to build a CubeSat from scratch, as most universities traditionally use kits made in the US or Europe. The team believed that designing their own CubeSat would provide a more enriching learning experience and inspire others to take a similar approach. They aimed to reduce the space inside a CubeSat to create a more lightweight and powerful device. The initial designs were between 2U and 3U, but the team wanted to reduce this to just 1U. The goal was to fit all the systems designed at Curtin University onto a single PCB that could fit in their 1U CubeSat.

CAS Tecnologia, a São Paulo-based technology firm, was struggling with its PCB design process. The company, which applies scientific and engineering principles to improve efficiency across a wide range of government services, environmental, financial, and telecommunication projects, was heavily reliant on outsourcing to complete critical parts of a product design process. This dependence on other companies was hindering their financial success and future growth potential. To continue growing in the intelligent automation and telemetry industry, CAS needed to bring all of their design processes in-house for complete control and independence. A significant aspect of their restructuring required integrating an electronics design process into their existing mechanical workflow.

Breville, a global kitchen products brand, was facing challenges in its design facility in Sydney. The facility, staffed by around 200 professionals, required a high degree of flexibility to support its fast-paced business. The biggest problem was communication. Information was disseminated through multiple channels, leading to reduced efficiency and difficulty in completing projects on time. The communication between the designer and the manufacturer was inconsistent, leading to issues with ensuring the correct revision drawings were used. Additionally, the manufacturer would select components based on solutions that worked for them, which may not have been the best fit for the specific project.

LEO L’assistente Virtuale, an advertising agency based in Venice, Italy, was tasked by a local fitness center to create a Halloween campaign to generate more leads for monthly memberships. The fitness center had previously relied on Facebook for leads, but a decrease in engagement on this platform led to a decline in memberships. Acquiring new members is a significant challenge for fitness companies, and traditional modes of communication like email and phone calls were proving less effective. The agency needed to find a more engaging and effective way to communicate with members and prospects to drive new sign-ups for the fitness center.

Alterra Mountain Company, a hospitality business with 15 ski resorts across North America, faced significant challenges in managing its IT operations. Each resort had its own unique ticketing system and process for IT support, leading to over eleven different processes to raise an IT support ticket. This lack of a unified system resulted in little to no visibility into the status of a ticket, especially for high-priority ones. The situation was particularly stressful during the busy ski season, as resources and time were not being used efficiently. Additionally, each resort had its own Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and processes, creating operational complexities and silos.

Cognologix Technologies, a fast-growing Product as a Service (PaaS) company based in Pune, India, was facing challenges in managing the time off process for its 160 employees. The company had been using Excel-based processes for recruitment and employee time off management, which led to a clutter of paperwork and a significant amount of effort involved in manual tracking, archiving, and managing data. The approval process was a combination of verbal and email-based communication with a highly complicated tracking mechanism. This lack of planning and time management was a significant concern, especially as the company had switched to a hybrid working model due to the pandemic. The situation was described as 'tedious, cumbersome and requiring a lot of follow-ups for planning leaves and accounting for them'.

GC International, a leading dental company with operations in over 100 countries, was facing challenges in managing its IT support across multiple locations. The lack of a centralized IT support system led to a lack of synergy between different regions, making it difficult to get a holistic view of the situation. Additionally, the company was in the process of rolling out SAP globally, which created additional demands for IT support. The company needed a solution that could capture data from the moment a ticket is created until the problem is solved, providing a clear view of the types of problems users report. This was vital for process management and data retention.

Ice Norway, the third-largest mobile telecom operator in Norway, was facing a challenge in managing its customer care operations. The company had outsourced parts of its customer contact activity to different external parties, each using their own software. This resulted in a fragmented view of their three key performance indicators (KPIs): average handling time for each task, the hit rate (sales from an identified group of prospects), and the customer satisfaction score (CSAT). The company was struggling to strike a balance between reducing handling time and increasing sales through cross-selling and up-selling. They also wanted to maintain a high CSAT, which they believed was crucial for long-term growth. To achieve their growth objective of expanding their market share from 10 percent to 25 percent, they realized the need to integrate their three most-used customer contact channels: telephone, chat, and email.

AdSocial, a creative social media and digital marketing agency based in Western Australia, was tasked with the challenge of modernizing and digitizing the paper-trail map for a family rally event for the Swan Valley Visitor Center, a popular tourism region. The goal was to create an engaging and interactive experience for tourists, while also collecting their email addresses for future promotions. The challenge was to create a solution that would not only enhance the visitor experience but also provide a platform for the Swan Valley Visitor Center to connect with tourists and promote future events. The solution needed to be innovative, user-friendly, and capable of capturing the interest of a wide range of tourists.

Henry Chen, a wedding photographer based in Los Angeles, was struggling to manage the increasing demands of his 14-year old business, Aevitas Weddings. He was overwhelmed with a flood of tasks and client demands, which he had to handle manually. This included following up with leads within a few hours to qualify them, responding to repetitive questions about pricing, availability, and services, and being constantly at his desk to respond quickly. The situation was further complicated by the competitive nature of the wedding photography industry in Los Angeles. Henry was looking for a way to differentiate his offerings, better connect with leads, and automate some parts of his business. His goal was to generate leads that would build a client base for his wedding photography business and create scalable, automated revenue streams.

B-IT Fitness, a new gym chain in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was faced with the challenge of managing a high volume of queries from potential customers. The brand had successfully used Facebook Lead Ads to promote a pre-sales campaign, which resulted in a significant influx of leads. However, the brand was overwhelmed with thousands of queries from these leads, all of which were being responded to manually. This process was time-consuming and inefficient, and B-IT Fitness needed a more streamlined way to handle these queries and generate qualified leads for the business. The goal was to increase membership sign-ups while maintaining best-in-class support, but at a lower cost.