Hidden Heroes

Hidden Heroes

Hidden Heroes is a collection of stories about the people behind modern software and design. Now available on your favorite podcast streaming platform. At Netguru, we truly believe that software can change the world. We strive to support visionaries and innovators on their journeys to deliver revolutionary digital products. But their and our work would not be possible if not for the engineers and designers who over the past decades have made seemingly small discoveries that are now omnipresent in our everyday life. Hidden Heroes is a tribute to innovators who set the foundations on which we build vital solutions for the modern world. Their inventions make the world run, but their stories remain hidden. Until now. Hidden Heroes uncovers unexpected connections between great human stories and technologies and ideas that are widespread public phenomena today. Read more: hiddenheroes.netguru.com.

Episodes

November 13, 2023 19 mins
Alan Kay is one of the most widely lauded of the early digital pioneers and the inventor of Dynabook, the direct predecessor of modern laptops, tablet computers, and e-books.

Read the story on: https://hiddenheroes.netguru.com/alan-kay
Mark as Played
Grace Hopper programmed one of the very first computers ever made and helped design one of the first programming languages. But more than anything else, Grace Hopper’s legacy lies in the fact that she made these remarkable new machines more human.

Read the story on: https://hiddenheroes.netguru.com/grace-hopper
Mark as Played
When Apple unveiled the multitouch Interface with the iPhone launch in 2007, it seemed as though computing had been reinvented overnight. But in reality, it was an innovation three decades in the making.

Read the story on: https://hiddenheroes.netguru.com/hurst-han-kocienda
Mark as Played
Fifty years ago, the computer scientist Nasir Ahmed came up with a brilliant idea for compressing data, laying the groundwork for Zoom, YouTube, Instagram, and all the other cornerstones of today's image-based online life.

Read the story on: https://hiddenheroes.netguru.com/nasir-ahmed
Mark as Played
As a young African American girl living on a farm during the Great Depression, Gladys West discovered she had a gift for math. Forty years later, she mapped the shape of Earth and helped invent GPS.

Read the story on: https://hiddenheroes.netguru.com/gladys-west
Mark as Played
Three decades ago, Phil Zimmermann almost went to jail so that you could send an email without worrying that your personal data would be stolen.

Read the story on: https://hiddenheroes.netguru.com/philip-zimmermann
Mark as Played
More than 50 years ago, Douglas Engelbart gave the “mother of all demos” that transformed software forever. The computer world has been catching up with his vision ever since.

Read the story on: https://hiddenheroes.netguru.com/douglas-engelbart
Mark as Played
More than two decades ago, Web pioneer Lou Montulli invented browser software cookies with the goal of preserving user privacy online. But then things took an unexpected turn.

Read the story on: https://hiddenheroes.netguru.com/lou-montulli
Mark as Played
We take it for granted that decentralized networks like the Internet “just work.” But decades ago, pioneering computer scientist Radia Perlman solved a crucial problem that made those networks possible.

Read the story on: https://hiddenheroes.netguru.com/radia-perlman
Mark as Played
Belgian-born computer scientist Pattie Maes was inventing the core principles behind the social media age when Mark Zuckerberg was still in kindergarten. Why have her contributions been neglected?

Read the story on: https://hiddenheroes.netguru.com/pattie-maes
Mark as Played
Hidden Heroes publishing is the initiative by Netguru that aims to pay tribute to people who built foundations of modern technology. Together with Steven Johnson, the author of all the stories we set out on the mission to uncover the real roots of innovation and the history of technology.

Because the world of innovation has generated such vast fortunes for a select few set of people, when we think about where progress comes from or ...
Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    24/7 News: The Latest

    The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

    Therapy Gecko

    An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

    The Bobby Bones Show

    Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.