Your Tech Story

Jayshri

Jayshri is an Electronics Engineer, but her passion towards writing made her to be in this field. Apart from content writing, she loves reading, writing and surfing on various topics. In her free time, she likes to watch TV series and news. Sherlock Holmes is her all time favorite show. Jayshri loves cooking various Indian-western dishes.

Nikon

Nikon- The firm that made the world beautiful and memorizing through its world-class camera ranges!

Today, Nikon is one of the leading firms that enabled high-class camera ranges all over the world. However, the rising of Nikon as the world’s favorite and trusted brand is appreciable. Originally established as Nippon Kogaku Kogyo Kabushikigaisha, later on, became Nikon. Nikon in fact shared a great contribution in refurbishing the photography industry of Japan. When it comes to quality and reliability, Nikon’s products best match these requirements. Moreover, it comes with a precision that matters a lot in photography.

Currently, we see Nikon as a successful firm, but it had been gone through lots of ups downs. Like the saturation point for the camera’s market, recurring earthquakes, and several other obstacles Nikon had to face in its flourishing phase.  Meanwhile gifting Nikon heavy expenditure and losses. Despite that, the firm hit back into the market with high-quality cameras as well, cameras for professional photographers. The firm not limits its ranges of products in cameras and plunged into the making of other semiconductor devices. Thus, rise as a dominant firm in the semiconductor industry as well.

The backstory of Nikon

Koyata Iwasaki’s vision leads to the formation of Nikon. Back in 1917, when three successful optical manufacturing companies came together resulted in the establishment of Nikon. It was the ground-breaking firm that started the production of fully integrated optical devices. Initially, it was recognized as Nippon Kogaku Kogyo Kabushikigaisha. How the firm transformed into Nikon has its own story. During that time, when the firm developed a compact camera, it launched it with the name Nikorette. Later on, renamed as Nikko and finally became Nikon. So that creating a more masculine impression in the Japanese language.

Flourishing the Business

During the initial days, the firm went through several glitches. However, the business reached a peak at the time of the second world war. Not only focusing on single product production, but Nikon also delivered items like lenses, binoculars, periscopes, etc. These products, in fact, turned useful to the Japanese Military during the war period. It was the golden time for Nikon, the firm expanded the business impeccably and started over nineteen factories. Thereafter, the firm shifted its focus towards products useful for common people. Yet, received a huge response from the market and continue its success. In this era, the SLR (Single-lens reflex) Camera of Nikon was a milestone in its success.

Apart from manufacturing cameras, Nikon started manufacturing optical lenses. Prior to that, Japan had to import photographic lenses to run its photography industry. While Nikon introduced lenses in Japan’s market, this dependency has been lower down. Anytar 12cm f/4.5 was the first lens introduced by Nikon.

Image Source: videolinks.com

Other products of Nikon

No doubt, Nikon provides leading camera ranges all over the world. However, its other products such as sunglasses, glasses frames, monoculars, etc are also popular. Apart from that, it also manufactures metal 3D printers, binocular telescopes, equipment for cell storage, ophthalmic equipment, and many others.  Recently in 2019, Nikon started manufacturing Lidar Sensors in partnership with Velodyne.

Exhibitions and awards that Nikon held

The Japanese firm Nikon runs some clubs and exhibitions. As well, it arranges a few awards to promote and encourage photographers. Nikon Salon exhibition is one of the well-known exhibitions of Nikon run in Japan. It runs the Nikkor Club for the experts in photography. Apart from that, Nikon is the planner of awards like the Miki Jun Award, Nobuo Award, and Miki Jun Inspiration Awards.

As well, it is a sponsor of awards like the Nikon-Walkley Press Photographer of the Year award and Nikon Photography Prizes.

The person behind Nikon’s formation- Koyata Iwasaki

Born in 1897, Iwasaki was a brilliant student during his school days. He attended the University of Cambridge’s Pembroke College. Prior to that, Koyata also went to the University of Tokyo, which he left after one year. In 1905, he was awarded a bachelor’s degree in Art specialized in history, geography, and sociology. After that, he helped in setting Nikon as well as served as a Mitsubishi’s president for a long time.

Bottom Line

Nikon is known for its best cameras that never compromise in quality and precision. Thus, many photographers as well as photography lovers prefer Nikon. In fact, Nikon is the Official Camera of Walt Disney World Resort. Apart from that, the firm believes in high values, reflects in its basic corporate social responsibility.  As a part of CSR, the firm offers scholarships to the needy, as well as offers financial support to disaster-hit areas. Also, served nature through several environmental improvement projects.

Egnyte

Egnyte – One-stop secure content platform empowering the businesses to safeguard, connect and unlock value from content

In the world of digitalization, we generally store content in the form of files on an electronic platform. With the large capacity memories, drives, and other storage devices, many files can be stored. As well, easy file transfer is possible in this era. However, data security is the main concern when comes to sharing the data across devices, apps, or another system. Business, however, needs to store the personal data of employees, as well as other sensitive information of the business. Not only stored but this content also needs to sprawl across disconnected systems, devices, locations, and at many places. Thus, the business needs data-centric security and governance over data storage and transfer. Because cyber attackers are the main threat to the rising as well as well-established businesses.

So, should a business stop store and sharing content online? Should they maintain physical records as past days? Nope, it’s impossible to find such a solution in this era. Well, few firms are helping businesses in this case. California-based Egnyte is one such firm that enables the ultimate secure content platform. It is dedicated to businesses that assure complete data security, governance as well as control across a hybrid content stack. Therefore, it enhances the experience of employees with assure data protection. Also, allow the business to connect with needed applications that business users know without any hesitation.

About Egnyte

Established back in 2007, Egnyte headquartered in California. The firm is co-founded by a self-made Indian entrepreneur, Mr. Vineet Jain. It enabled the best platform for businesses that allows them to connect, safeguard, as well as reveal value from all their content. For this, the firm uses a SaaS platform.

Egnyte CEO Vineet Jain
Image Source: venturebeat.com

Presently, the firm has offices in WA, London, Poland, Raleigh, NC, and Spokane. However, it acquired top investors such as Goldman Sachs, Kleiner Perkins, Google Ventures, and Caufield & Byers.

Glimpse to founder’s life

A well-experienced business leader and entrepreneur Vineet Jain helped in founding the Egnyte. Presently, he is serving as the CEO of the firm. He was born in India, and he spent his life there until his education. Jain attended Delhi College of Engineering. After completing his education, he decided to explore the areas of his career overseas. Before moving to the US, he worked for some time in the UK. Vineet has worked in the B2B technology industry for more than 25 years in Silicon Valley. After serving at many senior top-level positions, he urged to plunge into entrepreneurship. Thus, established Valdero as his first business venture. It was a platform for supply chain solution provider. Then he finds interest as well as the future in SaaS, the outcome as the establishment of Egnyte.

Exploring the business

After establishment, Egnyte attracted 1 million dollars seed venture capital in the same year only. It also received seed venture capital of 6, 10, and 12 million dollars in 2009, 2011, and 2012 respectively. The firm also received top investors like Polaris partners, Google Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, and many more in a very short duration.

For any business to grow what matters is the values, mission, and strategy to convert it into reality. That’s what was implemented by Egnyte. Like its vision and mission to “transform the business through smarter content”, Egnyte achieved it through its world-class service. On top, it empowered many organizations to safeguard, connect, and unlock value from content. Moreover, the firm has launched a mobile app for easy file sharing. Presently, more than 16k customers use the Egnyte platform.

Services Provides

The firm enabled content services platform specifically designed for businesses. Apart from that, Egnyte offers full project management that comes with technical and functional staffing. Since its establishment, the firm successfully helping numerous businesses to create a roadmap for content collaboration strategy. For this, Egnyte first considers the desired business outcomes and then accordingly assists the organizations. Other services of Egnyte includes data migration, remote or onsite deployment, permission migration, pre-production testing, etc. With a highly dedicated and expert team, Egnyte also provides in-class training.

Triumph of Egnyte

In the last two years, Egnyte honored with seven awards, 5 which of them represented in 2019. It includes the awards as Best company happiness, Best leadership team 2019, Best Company Work-Life Balance. As well, it also won Best CEOs for Diversity and Best CEO in the same year. Egnyte also won the Best CEOs for women 2020 award along with Best Professional Development 2020.

All firms know the value of customer satisfaction. However, Egnyte also knows the value of employee’s satisfaction. It scored 85 out of 100 in employee ratings, suggesting one of the best workplaces.

Advantest

Advantest- The firm that turned helpful in shaping the future of Japan’s nascent semiconductor industry.

Semiconductors are available on earth in more than enough quantity. However, these are the core component used in a variety of electronic devices. Like smartphones, PCs, electrical household appliances. As well as constitute the parts of automobiles and many other devices. These all devices, in fact, are indispensable to the lives of people. Thus the semiconductors used in such devices must be high in quality, and performance. Many firms are working in this field, and Advantest is one of the names dominating the field. In the semiconductor industry, technology updates alter every single day. While Advantest has always been delivering the product and solutions as per this changing technology.

It is well-known for bestowing to remarkable efficiency in production in the electronics industry. As well, secure and easier the lives of people through its innovative products.

About Advantest

It is a well-known semiconductor firm based in Japan. Manufactures semiconductor products, component test system products, and mechatronics-related products. It is headquartered in Tokyo in Japan. The firm also sells the used electronics components and products through exhibitions. Also, leased the products for commercial use. Additionally, the firm is active in research and development, measuring, and testing technologies.

Network of Advantest

The firm offers it’s services and products to foundries, semiconductor firms, and other firms in the manufacturing industry. It has built a strong network in Japan. As well as covers the other Asian regions, Europe, America, and other parts of the continents.

The backstory of Advantest

Back in 1954, Ikuo Takeda builds the foundation of Advantest as Takeda Riken Industries. Sooner or later, the firm shifted to Oyaguchi-Cho in Itabashi Ward, later on shifting again in Tokyo’s Nerima Ward. In 1957, Advantest release the first product for current measurement. It was Micro Ammeter. One more milestone of Advantest, that time Takeda Riken is the first-ever electronic counter made in Japan.

Advantest
Image Source: digitimes.com

The TR-124B counter helped in exploring the business for the firm and gave it fame as the digital counter company. As well, marked the beginning of innovative products in the companies history. Thereafter, Advantest released many electronics components that were made in Japan for the first time. Such as vibrating capacitance ultra-low-current electrometer, digital voltmeter, etc. The firm touched the new level when it introduced the TR-3189 105 MHz electronic counter, the highest-performance product in the world. Soon this product popular all over the world; in 1962, selected as one of the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun’s “Top 10 New Products”.

Services and products

To verify the quality, reliability, and performance of the semiconductors that will be used in electronic components, Advantest has Automated Testing Equipment/ATE. With this electrical test, the complex and defects in semiconductors can be detected with great accuracy. It also enabled another method for semiconductor testing i.e. using peripheral devices. Advantest has also been active in Nanotechnology Business, Field services, SLT business, and many other related businesses.

Apart from that, the firm also conducts the sale of use semiconductors, commercial mechatronic products, component test systems. As well, it is active in the device leasing business.

Exploring the business

Starting from its establishment, Advantest used cut edge technology. It developed products that reflect the innovative nature of the firm. In 1980, it released the first tester made in Japan. Thereafter, it launched a memory system having a capacity of 20MHz.

During the 1980s, Advantest’s T-3300 series remarked as one of the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun’s “Top 10 New Products”. Moreover, the firm produced an intelligent spectrum analyzer of series TR-4172. Because of its multifunction features, it became popular among communications equipment manufacturers. To explore the business furthermore, Advantest acquired Astronics Corporation in 2019. It was working in the field of semiconductor system-level test business. As well as it captured Essai, Inc in 2020, so that it can enable high-precision test solutions than earlier.

Recognition and Awards

Advantest has been selected for FTSE Blossom Japan Index and FTSE4Good Index. The first index measures the performance in environmental practices, and the second one is related to CSR. It is also honored as a 5-Star Company. Also, marked its name in 10 BEST List in VLSIresearch Customer Satisfaction Survey. Not for the first time but for the 31st Consecutive Year.

Yoshiaki Yoshida- CEO

He is serving as CEO at Advantest since 2017. Yoshiaki has been working with the firm for a long time. In fact, he joined the company in 1999.

AMD

AMD – The evolution of semiconductor firm from designing simple Shift register to high tech processors

The semiconductor industry is one of the inherently risky industries. Because we know that technology evolves every year, and people also demand products that use cut edge technology. But the product development cycle generally takes three to five years, so companies need to stay one step ahead of the customer’s demand. It means, the firms need to develop such products in advance that customers will demand a few years later. Thus, if any semiconductor firm doesn’t follow the update then it will be out of competition, surely.

In such a scenario, very few old firms succeed to keep their dominance in the semiconductor industry. Advanced Micro Devices i.e. AMD is one of such names that still have a high reputation and has acquired a large market globally. Since 1969, the firm has gone through lots of evolution as well as up-downs but succeeds to meet the exceptions of every generation.

What is AMD?

A USA based multinational semiconductor firm AMD is well-known all over the world. It is headquartered in Santa Clara in California. The firm is recognized for its computer processors and the development of other technologies for business as well as personal consumers. Mainly the firm has manufacturing units of microprocessors, motherboard chipsets, graphics processors, and embedded processors. These are used for PCs, servers, workstations, and embedded system applications.

How it is formed?

To see the history of AMD’s establishment we have to look back to the year 1969. Yes, it is that old and still stands out than other Rivals. Meanwhile, in 1969, the former executives of Fairchild semiconductor established Advanced Micro Devices to develops their own products. They were almost seven colleagues including Jerry Sanders III, John Carey, Ed Turney, Sven Simonsen, Jack Gifford, and the other three members.

Soon after a year of establishment, the firm released the first product. It was a 4-bit MSI shift register of series Am9300. Also, it launched the logic counter of series Am2501, which was commercially successful. As well, it was the fastest multiplier available at that time. Thereafter, AMD developed many other products including RAM chips, processors, etc.

Products Of AMD

Since 1969, AMD acquired large business as well as consumer market due to its promising products. US Department of Energy also favors AMD’s chips for its project of the supercomputer. As well, the firm is a powering exascale class supercomputer at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Moreover, the Ryzen processor is a well-known product of AMD. Recently, the firm released the third generation of this product. Another processor called Epyc is a milestone of Advanced Micro Devices, designed for data centers. Apart from processors, firm design CPU, APU, RAM, Graphics products, etc. Athlon, Opteron, Radeon, Radeon Instinct are some of the products of AMD.

Strategy

Standing out in the competition in the semiconductor industry is not a cakewalk. When there are tough competitors like Intel, it gets more difficult. Despite all challenges, AMD stands strong in the industry since it’s the foundation. For this, credit goes to the policymakers and founders. The firm adopted a unique strategy and focus on areas of development of high-performance processors, computing architecture, and gaming graphics chips. While stayed away from entering technology related to mobile phone development, basically the areas outside its core Competencies.

Some of the key founders of AMD

AMD Founders
Jerry Sanders, Jack Gifford, John Carey, Larry Stenger

Walter Jeremiah Sanders III

He is an American businessman and one of the core founding members of AMD. As well, he served as the CEO of the firm for a long time. Before that, Jerry worked at Fairchild semiconductor, a firm that design the first IC.

Edwin James Turney

He shares great contributions in the establishment of AMD i.e. Advanced Micro Devices. Before that, he also worked at Fairchild Semiconductor. At AMD, he served as a vice president of sales and administration for a long time.

Other Founders

The Fairchild Semiconductor’s former employees Jack Gifford, Larry Stenger, John Carey, Frank Botte,  Sven Simonsen, Jim Giles also helped in the AMD Foundation.

Later success

Lisa Su is presently serving as the CEO of AMD since 2014. Under her policy, AMD achieved great success and stability in the commercial market. Though the firm business is affected due to the US-China trade war as well as disruptions due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the firm’s shares are increased by more than 1,300%. Currently, AMD is focusing on the global data center market. While other high-tech companies focusing on next-generation technologies such as 5G, IoT, AI, etc. Last year, AMD stock was the best performing stock in the S&P 500. As well, it is in growing about 150% during this year.

Xoom

Xoom – Ultimate electronics payment service provider that helping more than millions of consumers worldwide

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, people are using e-commerce and digital methods of payment immensely. In fact, it is one of the safest and best ways to stay safe yet, complete the transactions. From electricity bills to grocery bills and in fact, most of the fund transfer is continue using electronics mediums. Thanks to the service providers who enabled such simple fund transfer all over the world. Xoom is one of such remittance provider that enabled service in more than 130 countries. Since 2015, it became one of the subsidiaries of PayPal after the firm acquired Xoom. Thus, exploring its area of service on an international level. Today, Xoom has gained the customers due to it’s secure and easier payment service.

About Xoom

It is a San Francisco based electronics fund transfer provider that enabled many services at one click. Consumers can transfer money, pay all kinds of bills like electricity bills, and can refill the DTH, Mobile phones easily. The firm is set up in 2001 by Kevin Hartz. Presently, it is an integral part of PayPal services. Because PayPal acquired the firm in 2015 for about 1.09 billion dollars.

Services of Xoom

It provides the same services as other UPI based applications like PhonePay, GooglePay, and Paytm do. Whether it is the person to person money transfer or consumer to merchant money transfer, Xoom made it easy. As well, mobile recharge, grocery bills, monthly rent, tv recharge can be done using the Xoom platform. These all services are available in many countries worldwide. For doing these transactions, one can use a mobile app, or desktop site, or even a mobile site. Moreover, Xoom assured complete security to the consumers. For that, it employs several methods like identity verification, limits on transactions, etc. Because the integrity of user accounts is the top priority of Xoom.

PayPal’s subsidiary

In 2015, Xoom merged into PayPal. That time, Xoom had more than 1 million active customers from the USA. As well, the services were used in more than 38 countries. Currently, the firm is under PayPal which is also a well-known payment service provider in the USA.

The person behind Xoom’s establishment- Kevin Hartz

He was born in Berkeley in California. While he spent most of the time of childhood in Orinda, California. Coming to his education, Kevin attended Stanford University to study history, also holds BAS. As well, he did an MA in British history from University College, Oxford.

Image Source: Flickr.com

Early career

Kevin started his career as a product manager at Silicon Graphics. That time, he leads the team of  Virtual reality browser Cosmo Player. During this period, he was one of the founding members of ConnectGroup. It was a startup that started to provide high-speed Internet access to hotel businesses. In 2001, Hartz co-founded Xoom, an international money remittance business. He served as CEO until 2005 and served on the Board of Directors for a long time.

Business ventures

Hartz set up several businesses as well as he is the early investor in many leading firms. In 2001, he helped in the establishment of a remittance service provider called Xoom. The firm worked under his policies till 2005. As he was the CEO of the firm at that time. Xoom acquired many consumers during Hartz’s tenure. Moreover, Kevin helped in the foundation of Eventbrite as well. Eventbrite is a self-service ticketing platform on the international level.

Apart from that, he invested in several firms like PayPal, Uber, Trulia, Pinterest. Kevin also invested in successful startups like Newfront Insurance Gusto Airbnb, Joby Aviation, etc. K. Hartz was also partner with Founders Fund for some duration which he left thereafter.

Recognition and Achievements of Xoom

In 2010, Xoom was one of the remittance service providers that got the highest consumer satisfaction ratings in the transparency of the fee, transparency of the foreign exchange, and value. It was the study of Inter-American Dialogue. Thereafter, it listed in the Next Big Thing List of the 50 most promising venture-backed companies by Wall Street Journal for two consecutive years; 2011 and 2012 respectively.

As well, Inter-American Dialogue included Xoom’s name in the list of 51 remittance service providers for the US to Latin America market. This time, the factors considered were FX, network, Fees, the countries served and financial inclusion achieved.

Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments – The Business venture that brought the electronics industry in the limelight

Research and innovation is a topic or a process that will never stop. In fact, innovation improves our lives in many angles. It is no doubt a vast term, evolve with time. Perhaps, we must credit the persons or firms that fuel these process for simplifying and improving our lives. As well, they successfully transfer those inventions to daily use and became some of the most influencing entrepreneurs. Like Patrick E. Haggerty, J. Erik Jonsson, E. McDermott, and Cecil Howard Green did by setting up Texas instruments in 1951. With this, they actually brought the electronics industry in limelight. In very less time after establishment, the Texas instruments developed many semiconductor devices like a transistor radio, calculator, etc that simplify the user‘s life. However, the firm is now working in defense electronics, telecommunications, and in many related fields.

The beginning of the Texas instruments

It all started back in 1951. The founding members of Geophysical Service, J. Erik Jonsson, Cecil Howard Green, Patrick E. Haggerty, and McDermott set up the Texas instruments in 1951. The prime purpose of the firm was to manufacture semiconductor devices. Before that, the Texas instruments were known as GSI. An interesting fact about Texas instruments, it was working in the field of oil exploration before shifting the focus to manufacturing. Thereafter, the firm developed many semiconductor devices and made it available on large scale. Just after 6 years of foundation, it set the name in the list of one of the largest corporations in the world.

The boom in the electronics industry

After three years of establishment, the firm introduced the world’s first transistor radio using a germanium transistor. Thus, increasing the demand for transistors in the market. As the firm was also manufacturing a transistor, this step helped it to generate revenue in the early days. Thereafter, the Texas instruments invented many devices that later on became popular in daily use. For example, a handheld calculator.

Moreover, the firm has named a patent for a single-chip microprocessor. Later on, it introduced the single-chip linear predictive coding speech synthesizer for the first time in the world. After several inventions and electronics devices, the Texas instruments became a leading name in the electronics industry.

Glimpse to Founders lives

Texas instruments Founders

Patrick Eugene Haggerty

He was a businessman and an American engineer. Most of the credit to turn Geological services into Texas instruments goes to Patrick. His vision turned the small oil exploration firm into one of the dominant semiconductor firms in the world. As well, under Haggerty’s guidance, TI invested in the transistor. That time, the practical use of transistors was somewhat questionable, which he changed by creating the first silicon transistor with the help of other co-founders.

Patrick also shared a great contribution to inventing the world’s first commercial transistor radio as well as, first integrated circuit. Haggerty served as a president and Chairman of TI. Throughout his career, he worked for the development of the semiconductor industry on an international level.

Early life

He was born in  1915 in Harvey, North Dakota. Patrick attended the Marquette University School of Electrical Engineering. In 1951, he co-founded the Texas instruments.

Other work

Apart from being a successful businessman, he was active in the Institute of Radio Engineers. In fact, he served as IRE’s president in 1962. Also, Haggerty was one of the members of the committee responsible for merged the IRE and the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) into the IEEE. For his immense efforts to explore IEEE, Haggerty was awarded the IEEE Founders Medal.

Eugene McDermott

He is one of the founding members of the Texas instruments. As well, served as a Chairman of TI in the initial phase of the firm. Eugene was also included in the board of directors until his last days. During his tenure as CEO, TI rose to be one of the largest corporations in the world.

Personal life

He was born on 12 February 1899 in Brooklyn in NY. Eugene attended Stevens Institute of Technology to study mechanical engineering. As well, he was a geophysicist. For exploring the oil, he set up Geophysical services along with other co-founders. Later on, this firm is renamed as Texas instruments.

Cecil Howard Green

He was born on 6 August 1900. Green attended the University of British Columbia and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Coming to his work front, he was a founder of Texas Instruments. As well, served as vice president and director of the firm. Moreover, Cecil named the honorary director of the company.

In his later life, he was the fellow of the American Academy of Art and Sciences. C. Green had a British origin, but he worked mostly in America. In 1970, he was honored with the Public Welfare Medal from the National Academy of Sciences. Mr. Green was also a recipient of the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.

John Erik Jonsson

He was born on 6 September 1901 in Brooklyn in New York City. Jhon’s parents were migrated to the United States before his birth. Jonsson is also helped in the establishment of Geological Services that later became Texas Instruments.

Career and other work

He was a co-founder as well as served as president of Texas Instruments. Apart from that, he served as a Mayor of Dallas. During his service, the creation of Dallas-Fort was started. As well, he became a philanthropist in later years.