Welcome and Opening Remarks
The day opens with a strategic framing of the event, including the evolution of IoT toward Connected Edge Intelligence, the growing importance of ecosystem collaboration, and the broader themes shaping the agenda ahead.
Opening themes:
- the evolution of IoT toward Connected Edge Intelligence
- the role of ecosystem collaboration
- framing the conversations for the day
Kevin Grant is the CMO and Co-Founder of the Internet of Things Community® — IoT Community®, the world’s largest independent network of CXOs, enterprise leaders, technology executives, and IoT practitioners. For over a decade, Kevin has helped shape the community’s growth, agenda, partnerships, and market positioning, establishing IoT Community as a trusted global reference point for enterprise IoT, edge, AI, and connected infrastructure decision-makers. He is also a key architect of the IoT Slam® conference series, which brings together leading practitioners, innovators, and technology organizations to advance practical, outcome-driven conversations across the IoT ecosystem. Kevin has led the development and expansion of strategic initiatives including GenAIoT, IoT Practitioner®, and multiple Centers of Excellence. Through GenAIoT, he has helped frame one of the industry’s emerging categories at the intersection of generative AI, IoT, edge intelligence, operational systems, and connected infrastructure — creating a platform for education, collaboration, and market alignment around how intelligent connected systems are evolving. Prior to co-founding IoT Community, Kevin led global cloud and community programs, building and managing enterprise cloud ecosystems at scale. His work is focused on bringing the right stakeholders together, aligning technology narratives with business outcomes, and helping organizations frame emerging technologies in ways that matter to customers, partners, and the broader market. Across his work, Kevin is recognized for connecting strategy, ecosystem development, brand positioning, and community-led growth to help accelerate adoption, collaboration, and market understanding across IoT, edge, AI, cloud, GenAIoT, and connected enterprise innovation.
Dr. Tom Bradicich, Chairman of the IoT Community Board of Advisors, is currently Chief Product Officer and CTO at Arete, where he leads teams in the US and India, heading AI and software development for forensics, response, and ransomware management products. Tom is creating another new product category in cyber risk, ransomware negotiation and compliance workflow platforms. He incepted and leads Arete’s Business Case Process, IP Program, and corporate AI adoption. Tom is on the Board of Directors of Sify Technologies (SIFY) and Sify Infinite Spaces, public NW and AI cloud service providers, and served on the Board of Aspen Technology (AZPN), a public industrial AI software company. And, served on the Advisory Boards of Avathon (formerly SparkCognition), an AI SW company start-up, and NetZen, a NW silicon start-up. Tom began his career at IBM, where he was an IBM Fellow, VP, Distinguish Engineer, and Server CTO. At National Instruments, an operational technologies (OT) and controls company, he served as an NI Fellow, pioneering Big Analog Data™ solutions. While at HP and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Tom held various roles including VP, HPE Fellow, Global Head of Edge & IoT Software Labs, and General Manager. As GM, he led the global business unit, Servers and Edge Systems and Software, with P&L, worldwide sales, R&D, and customer experience ownership. Opening three global HPE Innovation Labs (Texas, Singapore, and Geneva), and exceeding sales quotes by achieving revenue growth of over $250M. Tom’s business unit was the fastest growing and highest quality in HPE. Tom and his team developed and launched dozens of systems and software products, such as first-of-a-kind as-a-Service (aaS) software for cloud managed remote infrastructure, edge-as-a-service, and converged IT/Operational Technologies (OT). He led teams in the creation of several new product categories such as notebook computers, smartphones (IBM Simon™), Hyperconverged Infrastructure, HCI (IBM BladeCenter™), Converged Edge Systems & Sofware (HPE Edgeline™), and OT and edge management software and platforms (HPE OTLink). Tom’s teams designed and launched the first 64 bit enterprise ARM server, the first x86 server with on-chip graphics, and IBM’s first prototype laptop computer. He incepted and directed the HPE Channel-to-Edge Institute partner program, and led company-wide strategies, venture/M&A assessments, and led HPE’s first corporate IoT & edge strategy. Tom holds several US patents, writing the book “The 1st Mover”, and founded the charity, sockrelief.com, serving the homeless and children in need. See full bio/CV at Linkedin/in/TomBradicichPhD.