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5 IoT Influencers You Should Follow in 2021

IoT Thought Leaders and Influencers In The Know

You might be thinking, “Aren’t influencers those people millennials like to follow on Instagram that always share brand deals?!” Well, not these influencers, because there’s a new breed in town, and they’re here to share all the latest tech advancements and opportunities up for grabs.

You might be asking, what makes an influencer? How do they capture and share their information and hold influence over us? These influencers share their knowledge and wisdom regularly over Twitter, LinkedIn, and on their websites, opening up the conversations around IoT. If not all, many are CEOs or heads of tech in their companies, making them the drivers of IoT adoption and advancements. They not only carry out their day job with great success, but they also share these insights through keynote speaking, attending conferences, and creating great content around industry trends.

What’s fantastic about this list is that there are new additions every year, meaning IoT is only growing in its reach and popularity. Of course, the people on this list also dive into other tech pursuits such as AI, blockchain, digital transformation, and data analytics. Many of these areas overlap with one another and IoT, making these people considerably more advanced because of their wealth of knowledge.

In 2020 we might not have attended any conferences in person, and who knows what 2021 will result. But we here at Davra can aid you with the tools and people to stay up to date on the hottest IoT subjects, all from the comfort of your couch.

5 IoT Thought Leaders and Influencers 2021

1. Dr. Sally Eaves

Dr. Sally Eaves spoke at one of the last in-person IoT conferences way back in January, the BeyondIoT conference in Ireland. Dr. Eaves started as a Chief Technology Officer and is now continuing her journey by teaching companies how to affect lasting change through digital disruption. She is on the Forbes Technology Council and released a book in 2019 called “The Edge of Disruption.” Sally is indeed a disruptive force within the IoT world, and we only expect her trajectory to accelerate in the coming year.

You can find Sally on her website or Twitter.

2. Richard Linger

Richard is the manager of the Cork Institute of Technology’s Nimbus Technology Gateway. Richard is the coordinator of industry-led research and technology-transfer programmes for new and established companies in the domain of next generation software systems, embedded software and hardware computing technologies. He has in-depth knowledge of Applied Internet of Things (IoT) / Industry 4.0 and the commercialisation of new technology. If you would like to keep up with the latest IoT research being carried out in Ireland and across the globe, we would recommend following Richard and his team at the Nimbus IT Research Centre.

3. Elitsa Krumova

Elitsa featured in the Top 50 Women Influencers to Follow in 2020 and the Top 100 Thought Leaders & Influencers Division as part of the IoT Community’s #IoT Premier League. Elitsa works in the Marketing, Advertising, and IT industries, working for both IBM and Google. Elitsa regularly updates her LinkedIn and Twitter feed with the latest tech developments, and you’ll especially love her content if you have an avid interest in robots!

4. Giuliano Liguori

Giuliano is a digital transformation adviser and the Founder and CEO of the Italian engineering company GLWEB. GLWEB focuses on Industry 4.0 technology applications and the digital transformation of hardware, software, networking, and infrastructure. With experience in cybersecurity, data protection, GDPR, and IT Project Management, he serves as the Chief Data Officer of Italian consultancy BEInformatica, which supports entrepreneurs, managers, and the public sector in forming the links between technological change and business model innovation. Guiliano is also a regular Twitter user, posting up to date information and also featured on the IoTCommunity’s #IoT Premier League in the top 10IoT ThoughtLeaders and Influencers Division.

5. Peggy Smedley

We simply can’t create an IoT list without mentioning the fantastic Peggy Smedley, who has an array of content on the web about all things IoT and digital. From the Peggy Smedley Show, a podcast about all things IoT, to Connected World, an IoT-focused website and blog, she’s a massive driver in spreading the word about IT and digital-infrastructure in an easy-to-consume manner. Connected World awards women in tech, IoT innovations, and individual IoT pioneers every year, enabling those who might not have access to such big platforms. We would highly recommend listening to Peggy’s podcast, as she interviews a whole host of people with a tech background and often applies these ideas to many industries.

Is there anyone you’ve been following this past year who you think should have made this list? We’d love to hear from you!