IoT isn't a buzzword anymore. It's business.
Wienke Giezeman built The Things Industries from scratch. Now he's managing 3 million connected devices globally. $4M in annual revenue. And he did it by breaking every Silicon Valley rule.
No "winner takes all" mentality. Pure collaboration.
This episode cuts through the IoT hype cycle. Wienke reveals why most IoT projects failed. How his company survived when others didn't. And why sharing your IP actually grows the market.
Real talk on scaling hardware. Building communities. Making AI work with IoT data.
From cattle tracking to vape detection in school bathrooms. From forest fire sensors to toilet paper dispensers. The use cases that actually make money.
Plus: Why the next wave of IoT growth is coming. And how startups can avoid the graveyard.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:13 Wienke Giezeman's Background and Company Overview
00:52 Early Days and Inspiration
01:34 Building a Global Network
02:08 Community and Collaboration
06:31 The Things Conference
09:22 Trends in IoT and AI Integration
15:12 Future Prospects and Reflections
25:10 Advice for IoT Startups
27:35 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Hit subscribe for more unfiltered tech insights. Rate us 5 stars if this episode delivered value.
Connect with Wienke: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wienke/
The Things Network: https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/
The Things Industries: https://www.thethingsindustries.com/
The Things Conference: https://www.thethingsconference.com/ 23-24 September 2025, Amsterdam
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