1. CHANDRASHEKHAR RAMAN Topic:
IOT STRATEGY, INNOVATION AND INCUBATION, Cisco
Chandrashekhar has over 15 years of experience in the technology
industry in roles ranging from strategy, planning, application
development, consulting and product management cutting across
verticals like smart cities, education and retail. He currently runs Cisco’s
internal incubation program ‘thingQbator’ where he helps aspiring
intrapreneurs turn their ideas into working prototypes and from there on
to marketable products/solutions.
Topic:
Case Study 2- Know how CISCO's thinkQbator enables its intraprenuers innovate better - By Chandrashekhar Raman, Cisco

2. Case Study 2 Cisco thingQbator Enabling intrapreneurs and innovators at Cisco

3. Internet of Things and Digitization “The perfect storm”
Moores Law
Metcalfes Law
Big Data
Open
Cloud Computing
Crowd Funding
Connected Device Explosion
Democratization of Innovation
Digital disruption across industries

5. Disrupt or be Disrupted
Average lifespan of S&P 500 company in 1920 ~ 67 years, today ~15 years
40% of existing fortune 500 companies will not exist in 10 years
Digital disruption is happening all around us

6. Genesis of thingQbator
Large Developer community in Bangalore > 8000 Cisco developers
IoT is impacting the industry, also careers
Curiosity, interest and enthusiasm about IoT
where to start? How to build new skills
Many Makers : expensive hobby, lonely hobby
Makerspace, Community, Program

7. + thingQbator basics Guiding Principles Makerspace Program
Equipped with latest Cisco and 3rd party IoT Gear
Program
Rotating Cohort of 50 engineers every 3 months +
Geek Playground
High Tolerance for failure
Rapid Prototyping
Developer Evangelism starts at home
Guiding Principles

8. The thingQbator model Partipation in the program is voluntary
Over and above day jobs
Rotating cohort of ~60 engineers joins every 4 months (typically ~200 apply)
Selection Criteria?
In 4 months Idea  prototype
Program helps with equipment, mentors and training
Demo day at the end of 4 months

9. thingQbator Makerspace - Resources
Development Boards
Raspberry Pi, Arduino, Beaglebone, Edison and more
Comm. Modules
LORA, WiFi, BLE, GSM, RFID, NFC, Zigbee and others
Sensors
More than 20 sensor types
Tools, Comps & 3DP
tools, Soldering station, discreet components, 3D printer
Cisco IoT Products
Fog (CGR1k, 8X9, IR910), Cameras
Cisco Cloud
Unlimited VM’s
Cisco Platforms
CMX, VSM, CEM, CAM and others

10. Makerspaces in London and Pune
2 years of thingQbator
40 Sensors deployed across1 floor of Cisco Campus for 2 months
1 Cisco on Cisco pilot
Next Phase : 1 building in Bangalore (~400 sensors)
5 Cohorts
200+ Engineers participated
1 year of operation
3 Custom boards thingQbator
Latest – LORA123
1 idea taken back by BU for further exploration
~200 Engineers Applied for cohort-5
~60 Participating
6000+ views
on our videos in youtube, show and share and Jive
thingQbator in a Box
Makerspaces in London and Pune
4 stories in Indian national media

11. ‘thingQbator in a box’ for scaling
Existing
Work in Progress

12. Lessons Learn : Setting up the program
Don’t wait for permission
Start small
Stay Lean, bootstrap
Funding is great, but chasing it detracts from operations
Innovation is a function of context, every context is different
Evolve an operating model rather than define one
It is not easy. but..

13. Lessons Learnt: Running the program
Balance structure and chaos
Build a coalition of partners
Don’t take yourself too seriously
Showcase the intrapreneur, make her the star
Celebrate crazy
Incentivize managers
Be prepared for success!

14. thingQbator Videos
Cohort 1 : 
Cohort 2 : 
Cohort 3 : 
Featured Prototype - Birds Eye : 
Featured Event - DroneStars : 
Featured Prototype – LoRa development board  : 

15. Q&A