GeekWire’s annual summit always brings together movers and shakers at the cross-section of technology and business, and this year was no exception. This year’s lineup included U.S. Chief Information Officer Steven VanRoekel, Executive Editors of Re/code Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher, T-Mobile CEO John Legere, 3D Robotics CEO Chris Anderson, National Geographic contributor Chad Copeland and Zulily Chairman Mark Vadon. If you missed the live stream of the event, have no fear. You can catch up on the highlights in this, the first of a three-part series on the summit. Also, be sure to check out the #gwsummit conversation for the day’s play-by-play, as well as GeekWire’s own coverage.
Drones Are Disruptive
Drone on display at GeekWire Summit 2014
The word “drones” may bring to mind the military, someone’s geeky hobby or even Star Wars – but as a disruptive technology quickly entering the commercial world, it’s time to give them more serious thought. From applications in real estate and within the industrial or retail supply chain to capturing breathtaking videos, drones are changing how we interact with our world and opening up new possibilities. Chris Anderson and Chad Copeland took the stage with John Cook and Todd Bishop to talk through the applications, regulatory challenges and just pure awesomeness of drone technology.
While still expensive to own – there were close to $150,000 worth of drones casually propped on the table in front of Chris and Chad – drones are starting to make their way into everyday application. Realtors are using drones to capture images of properties. Insurance companies have started investigating claims by employing drones to secure footage that would otherwise be difficult to obtain, such as snapshots of roofs. Drones are also creating new cost efficiency in the supply chain when used to deliver merchandise along points in the chain. Someday, they might even deliver packages to your doorstep! (Or you can do what Chad did and take your drones to China to capture amazing footage of climbers tackling the Stone Forest.)
New Playbooks for E-Commerce
With Amazon in our backyard, it isn’t a surprise that drones were a hot topic of conversation at GeekWire Summit. What was surprising was who weighed in on the topic and the innovation happening in it.
Zulily Chairman Mark Vadon made a rare appearance on stage to talk about the explosive growth of his company, which went public earlier this year. Zulily emerged out of stealth mode to become a $1.25 billion business with 4.1 million active customers, and they wrote a new playbook on how to do it. Zulily didn’t try to compete with Amazon on low prices and fast shipping. Their secret? They found a “white space” in the retail market and got to know their audience – moms – really well. They knew their audience wanted a diversity of merchandise, and they knew the average price point for their audience ($52, as it turns out). The approach worked, as they quickly established a passionate customer base. Vadon’s advice to entrepreneurs: “If your business model competes with Amazon, think of a new business model.”
Another surprise voice was that of Neil Ashe, global e-commerce chief with Walmart. The world’s largest brick-and-mortar retailer has jumped into the e-commerce game in a serious way. Ashe talked about the “intrapreneurial” approach of the retail giant – they’ve fashioned their business model after an internet startup, taking a fresh look at consumers. Their approach is to spark the consumer’s imagination and let them lead the evolution of experience. From new apps like Savings Catcher to fusing and streamlining the in-store and digital experience for Walmart customers today, Ashe’s team is breaking new ground.
More to come tomorrow!
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