\u201cWe were a London company against people in Silicon Valley, and we were beating them by a country mile\u201d.<\/p>\n
Gi Fernando MBE told Michael on this week\u2019s Capital Conversation, speaking about his first successful venture: social marketing tool Techlightenment.<\/p>\n
The spin-off from a \u00a36 bet, Techlightenment became a leader in providing tech-based solutions to social marketing challenges and was eventually sold to Experian.<\/p>\n
A technologist on the frontline of change, he admits that technology innovators have a responsibility to prepare us for the future, but the state also holds an important role.<\/p>\n
“The state need to get involved – but move from reskilling meaning ‘re-knowledging’, to changing how people work and the way they work.”<\/p>\n
In 2012 Gi founded Freeformers, with a mission to build a digital economy for all by creating the future workforce now through their digital transformation programmes.<\/p>\n
The company, he says, answers a critical question, “There will be more than enough jobs created to the loss of jobs, but the transition is the issue. Can the people, the vast middle classes, adapt fast enough?\u201d<\/p>\n
But in this transition, innovators must have ethics at the fore. \u201cAs an engineer, I feel great power and great responsibility\u201d.<\/p>\n
So, what would he bet on now? \u201cI would bet on businesses that service people with technology,\u201d he says, \u201cI want something that lasts longer and has more of an impact for people around the world\u201d.<\/p>\n