Why I'm Joining Traction Technology Partners—To Help CIOs Innovate

Hi, I'm Brian Watson. Throughout my career—first as a journalist and editor, then as a nonprofit executive, and most recently as an advisor to top technology leaders—I’ve had the great fortune of working closely with CIOs in a number of capacities.CIOs and their CxO peers have constantly told me of their challenges in keeping up with the technology landscape—particularly in discovering, evaluating and working with enterprise-ready technology startups. The past few years have brought about an unprecedented rate of technology innovation and change, and even the best CIOs concede that keeping up is a massive challenge.So I thought about how I can help the CIO community keep up. Then I learned about Traction Technology Partners (TTP), and I quickly started connecting the dots.Neal, Erick and their team spun some great magic while running the renowned DEMO conference, through which they educated and exposed CIOs and their teams to the smartest, sharpest startups in the world. They’ve upped the game with TTP: They’ve applied their knowledge, capabilities, and enormous database of growing enterprise-ready technology providers to a unique and powerful platform that serves as the foundation for both the Traction Tech Council and similarly educates CIOs and their organizations through customized programs for them to discover the startups that can make all the difference for their innovation strategies. Through both the Traction Tech Council and these Innovation Discovery Programs, CIOs and innovators can also connect with peers and experts who can help them through this critical journey.TTP’s formula of education, discovery and collaboration is yielding results for numerous enterprises, and I’m thrilled to help take it to the next level. I will be helping CIOs and their teams navigate the innovation and emerging technology landscape through TTP’s various offerings, and I’ll also be looking for new ways in which we can engage with and help your organizations achieve your goals.I’m also very excited to be launching the Innovation Leadership Forum, the newest program in the Traction Tech Council. This new group will enable CIOs, CTOs, and Chief Innovation Officers and their teams to collaborate and share best practices on strategies for innovation and emerging technology exploration. The Innovation Leadership Forum will feature breakfast meetings, interactive webinars, and curated discussions with other peers and experts. Please touch base with me to learn more or apply here. George Westerman, Principal Research Scientist for the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy, has an oft-quoted assessment of IT leaders today: “There’s never been a better time to be a great CIO or a worse time to be an average one.” I couldn’t agree more. But every CIO and IT organization needs the right partner to help them navigate through the expansive new world of enterprise technology. We are ready to be that partner.Please feel free to reach out to us to discuss your innovation strategies and priorities, as well as the technology topics that interest you most. We look forward to helping you.