Paul may be joining us to head up R&D full time from January 2021, but he’s not fully cutting ties with academia just yet. The former Director of the Centre for Health and Environmental Management Research & Innovation will continue to be a spokesperson for Swansea University on the subject of (no points for guessing here) Air Quality. Paul has been heavily involved in research an innovation at the university since he became a professor at both the Medical School and School of Management in 2015. By 2017 Paul was Director of the Centre for Health and Environmental Management Research & Innovation (CHEMRI), which carries out research into how air pollution impacts on health and wellbeing.  Sound familiar?  It should do. This is what led to us collaborating on Think Air  – which is heavily influenced by Paul’s scientific interests and expertise. Paul’s role as spokesperson means he’ll continue to lend his expertise on air quality to press and publications – so you can expect to see and hear him across media outlets when the subject of air quality pops up. As well as this spokesperson role, Paul will also continue to sit on a number of Welsh Government panels and committees – where his expertise is helping to shape objectives, awareness and policies related to air quality. But back at Vindico, you can catch Paul’s signature work from January 2021. Got a project that needs Paul’s professional input in 2021? Drop us a line to see how we can take transform your next idea, concept or product into

Paul will head up R&D at Vindico on a full-time basis from January. Bringing with him a wealth of experience and expertise, Paul – who became a Professor at both the Medical School and School of Management at Swansea University in 2015 – will be helping us kick off the New Year in true Think Purple fashion. This new role expands on Paul’s existing work with us – which involved lending his expertise to develop Think Air. In case you haven’t already heard by now, Think Air  is on track to becoming the largest live air quality network in Wales – and you can find out more about that here . But back to Professor Paul… Think Air was hugely influenced by the Paul’s specialist interest in air pollution – and its impact on our health and wellbeing. In fact, Paul is a Geneticist by degree, and carried out his PhD at Swansea University (which was a mixture of research into evolutionary Genetics, cancer genetics and molecular modelling). After his PhD, Paul began a career in genetic toxicology, modelling how nasty chemicals in cigarette smoke actually cause cancer by attaching to our genes and damaging them. I was also a martial arts instructor in the university and interested in the importance of lung health, breathing techniques and the whole concept of ‘good air’ required for peak performance. As Paul puts it: “My entire career since has mainly focused on studying the air that we breathe through respiratory health diagnostics, data analytics and technology development. I went on to work in the University of Wales College of Medicine as well as Cardiff University before returning to Swansea as a Lecturer in the new Medical School in 2004, where I led the Respiratory Diagnostics Group. “In 2015, I became a Professor at both the Medical School and School of Management. In 2017, I became the Director of the Centre for Health and Environmental Management Research & Innovation (CHEMRI) where we carry out research into how air pollution impacts on health and wellbeing.  “I first met Jo about two and a half years ago at the university’s Centre for Research Innovation and was blown away by Vindico’s whole philosophy. I was heavily involved in innovation at the university and had already spun out a diagnostic company as well as an air pollution technology company with my son, Sam, so was looking to partner with external companies. “I met with Ryan as well, there was an obvious synergy with what we were all doing, and real potential to develop sensor technologies and networks. “They ended up sponsoring Sam as a PhD student, developing new environmental sensors and Think Air was born. Vindico has provided a huge commitment in taking Think Air forward towards commercial success and after many happy years in academia I’m jumping ship to help them deliver it! “I’ll be heading up R&D, so I’ll be well in my comfort zone. We’re heading for a busy year developing the environmental management arm within the company so that will be my main focus. “I’ll also be bringing health technology IP into the company, and we’ll be looking at ways to further develop new healthcare management systems. “Aside from the technology development, my real interest is building the AI, data analytics and modelling capabilities within the company to provide new services and products. “What I love about Vindico though is the whole Think Purple approach to developing ideas and being able to literally visualise the pipeline from concepts to solutions – it’s very different to the slow slog of innovation from academia! Best of all though I get to work in Parc Y Scarlets. My boyhood dream was to play for the Scarlets and now I can go and play there every day!” Speaking of Paul joining the team, Vindico MD Jo Polson added:  “We’ve worked with Paul for 2 years now and he’s been instrumental in the evolution of Think Air. “He’s brought in a level of expertise you almost can’t buy, and we are blessed to have him join our team officially and full time on January 1st, 2021. “It’s quite a coup! “But it’s not just in Air Quality, Paul brings an extra Secret Sauce of Statistical Analysis and R&D expertise to our Defence and visualisation work too. “He’s going to be a busy boy!” Keep your eyes peeled for some of Paul’s signature work from January 2021.   Got a project that needs Paul’s professional input? Drop us a line to see how we can take transform your next idea, concept or product into

Our partnership with K Sharp has come a long way since a chance meeting in Llanelli. We’ve collaborated on several high-profile projects, we’ve joined forces to carry out top secret work for the MoD, and now we’ve taken our (business) relationship to the next level by moving in together. But who exactly are K Sharp? And why are we so proud of our partnership? Here’s why they’re kind of a big deal. K Sharp is a Human Science Research and Human Factors consultancy founded by husband and wife team, Barry and Amanda Kirby. They’re all about understanding and optimising the relationship and interaction between people and technology. “We believe in bringing interesting people to work on fun projects,” says Barry. They’ve got experience in everything from Blue Sky Research (which explores what soldiers will look like in the future) through to the design of next-generation systems (including how can we control an armoured vehicle or a submarine), and also lend a cultural and behavioural understanding of cyber and social media, smart cities and wearable technologies. K Sharp works mostly in the defence industry, and their clients include Dstl, the MoD, BAE Systems, GD UK, and QinetiQ. Sound cool? It really is. Our first collaboration was the MoD’s UKDEf500 project. For Vindico, it’s been our first experience in the military domain, and for K Sharp it’s meant working with a similar mindset, but from dramatically different background. Our collaborations don’t end there. K Sharp continue to bring their expertise to a number of our projects. They’ve most recently lent their expertise to our SWAPP app – our very own safe workplace application that’s proven so successful that we recently rolled out a bespoke version on behalf of the WRU. So how exactly does Human Factors lend itself to design? Well, we’re all about our #ThinkPurple mantra here at Vindico. It means asking better questions to deliver the best outcomes, and Human Factors (HF) provides a vital human focus that helps us do just that. “It’s surprisingly easy to forget just who you’re designing your product or service for,” says Barry. “But HF methods allow you to step back, gain a common understanding of the problem space, and develop measurable requirements that keep the project focused on providing the best output for the end user.” And the benefits of HF don’t stop there. Focusing on what’s really needed leads to cheaper product development, less rework and, and most importantly, greater customer satisfaction. We continue to develop our partnership from our new joint home at Parc Y Scarlets , so expect to see even more collaborations led by HF methods over the coming months. But for now, we’ll be adopting those same tools to optimise our office space. You can find out more about K

We’ve officially moved into our new home at Parc Y Scarlets – and we couldn’t be more excited to be back. Our MD Jo has built a 20-year working relationship with the Scarlets – and we love them so much that we originally moved the Vindico HQ to Parc y Scarlets  back in 2014. We stayed until 2018, when we had to admit that we’d outgrown our office space. But we’ve now returned to the stadium. Our team has doubled since we left, so this time around we’ve filled a new, bigger workspace with even more tech talent and innovation experience. We’re also bringing our partners, K Sharp along with us. Speaking of the move, Scarlets COO Phil Morgan said: “Our relationship with Vindico MD Jo goes back to Stradey Park, before the game turned professional. He’ll be the first to say that, back then, it was held together with ‘yogurt pots and string’. “As Jo’s team grew, we benefitted from this accumulated skill and experience, and we like to think we also played an important part in the development of Vindico. “It was a symbiotic relationship that produced some wonderful innovation, and Vindico are still a crucial part of the delivery team here at Parc Y Scarlets. “We are delighted to welcome Vindico back to the Parc, and we have already begun planning even more innovations to work on together. We are equally delighted to welcome K Sharp, and it will be exciting to see what effect this Human Factors expertise can add to our already first-class development and processes. “Parc y Scarlets is at heart of the community within the region, so to bring in-house one of the leading tech innovation companies in Wales is a great fit for the Scarlets, while adding the potential of high-tech job roles to the area. In these challenging times it’s great to play a part in a local success story.” You can find out more about our 20-year partnership with the

This expansion means we’re on track to having the largest live air quality network in Wales! The next two weeks will see Think Air  expand its network across Pembrokeshire, Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire, Newport, Caerphilly and Suffolk. No points for guessing the odd one out. No, Suffolk isn’t in Wales (or at least it wasn’t the last time we checked), but it’s an exceptional project (and a little bit special), so we’ll reveal the details in a separate blog post very soon. But back to Wales… These locations have been carefully selected to add to our urban/rural monitoring sensor web, which tracks particulates locally as they travel across Wales. Sounds technical, doesn’t it? And it is. In fact, it’s the only project in the UK to take on the challenge. It’s changing the way we understand – and measure – the impact at a local level. It’s also helping us recognise the factors that are out of our control – such as pollution blowing in from the South and East of England, as well as Northern Europe – and how we can better prepare for these circumstances. The latest expansion of Think Air will help provide a more accurate picture of background air pollution levels, which, in turn, helps make local pollution-reducing initiatives more achievable. You’ll be able to find out more about this in an upcoming white paper. But on to the expansion… “The engagement with local businesses who want to play their part in our project has totally blown us away,” says Vindico MD, Jo Polson. “We are yet to speak to a single business who doesn’t want to help if they can.” Our latest locations include Llety Rafel Farm in Neath, which is home to Bee1 , who are dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of bees for our ecosystem. They work with schools and businesses across Wales, and they also happen to make the most fantastic honey we have ever tasted! They’re also a corporate partner of Niche , who will be providing us with our superb new Think Air location in Newport. The forward-thinking independent financial advisors are leading the way for corporate social responsibility in their field. They’ll also be helping us broadcast live Air Quality information direct to their digital billboard that faces the M4. Further West Mark Davies of Kanso Business will be providing us with the location and power to bring Think Air to Cross Inn near Laugharne in Carmarthenshire. These new locations mean we are on track to reaching our live air quality network targets, but we still have opportunities to partner with other forward-thinking business across Wales. Want to get involved? Click here to drop us a line to see how you can do business for good by being part of

Rugby is coming back to Wales, and we’re lending a helping tech hand in more ways than one. Live Welsh sport is creeping back onto our screens (hurray!). But even with games being played behind closed doors, there’s still a huge responsibility to keep staff, contractors and broadcasters safe. With people travelling from all over the country to make the Six Nations – and the Autumn Cup – possible, the Welsh Rugby Union’s focus is to deliver the best possible event with the safest possible working environment. That’s why they came to us. The WRU needed an app that would safely control access to the stadium, while tracking and tracing everyone signing in and out for each game. They’d seen a system being used by Tottenham Hotspur, but we knew we could do better. What happened next? On Friday 16th October, we presented our SWAPP app (link to: https://www.vindico.net/swapp/). They loved our unique innovation, but needed something that they could take on the road, and would be able to take on the wider challenges of the upcoming rugby internationals. The solution? SWAPP Lite. A version of our original SWAPP app that features an added permit module that allows the teams, staff and contractors to register in advance – and confirm that they’re safe to attend. By Monday 19th October (no, we don’t mess around!), we’d agreed the user journeys and visuals. But this entire new system had to be good to go that Friday. What did that mean? Coffee. Lots of coffee. With such a tight turnaround, there was no room for error – and we had to get it right first time. Nothing could get in our way – not even a fire that broke out in our Lead Developer Claudia’s building. Really? Yes, Really. But, ever the professional, Claudia calmly took her laptop outside and continued to work out in the street until 10pm that night. Yes, that’s the level of commitment we have here at Vindico, and YES we’re so lucky to have her. That Friday, we delivered the final product to the WRU – and they loved it! It went live that weekend to broadcasters, press and contractors, and it’ll be used to help keep everyone safe at over 20 of the WRU’s events and match days over the next six weeks. And that’s not the only Vindico innovation helping to make tomorrow’s Wales v Scotland game a reality. Aside from using our new SWAPP Lite app, tomorrow’s six nations game at Parc Y Scarlets will also be using Vindishow for all the big screen content. There’ll be five of our team on site to make sure the broadcaster feeds and in-game animations run smoothly. The biggest challenge will be stopping our Scottish MD, Jo, from hitting the “try” button every time Scotland get close. To find out more about SWAPP – and how it can help your business or event meet the latest Government or industry safety criteria – drop us a

Business partnerships that last 20+ years are rare – especially in the fast-paced world of tech. But it’s precisely these types of working relationships that we’ve become known for. Just ask our clients. Our unique #ThinkPurple approach (in case you missed it: that means asking better questions to deliver better outcomes) means we continue to work with our clients year after year – and the Llanelli Scarlets is a prime example. We’ve been working with the rugby team since 1999 (back in the days when they were known as Llanelli RFC). By 2001 we lent our tech expertise to every match day at the old Stradey Park. When the team moved to the newly constructed Parc Y Scarlets  in 2008, we were the people behind the design, build and management of the stadium’s entire tech infrastructure. It was this project that led to the development – and continuous evolution of – our Vindishow system, which is used to control every digital screen within the stadium including the large pitch side screen. You can find out more about how we continue to enhance match days here. We loved our partnership with the Scarlets so much that we even moved our offices to Parc Y Scarlets in 2014 – and we stayed until we’d outgrown the space in 2018. By 2019 we’d also taken on the Scarlets website  – creating bespoke game analysis plug ins and helping them skyrocketing their online footprint. Today, we continue to take care of almost all tech solutions for the Scarlets. We’re so proud of the partnership we’ve built – and the work we continue to do – that we’ve also been the West Stand sponsor for the last three years. Those words “West is Best” mean more to us than just branding – It’s with tons of pride that we continue to sponsor that stand – and we’ll keep doing so for as long as we can. But what’s next? Well, as 2020 draws to a close, we’re already looking ahead to 2021 – and we’re planning to move back home. Yes, that’s right. Vindico will be returning to PYS. Our team has doubled since we left – but we’ll be filling this new (larger) workspace with even more tech talent and innovation experience. Want to start building a partnership that stands the test of time? Click here to find out more about our #ThinkPurple ethos – and how it can transform your business for years

Vindico’s Think Air project has started to roll out more than 50 Air Quality Sensors across Wales. In fact, in the coming months we’ll have the largest live Air Quality Sensor Network in the country. It’s a project we’re really proud of, and it’s helping us drive positive change like never before. But let’s rewind. What is Think Air? Good question. We created Think Air with one simple mission in mind: to make the latest technology in air quality accessible, affordable and easy to understand. Why? Well, you see, air pollution is responsible for approximately 24,000 premature deaths every year in the UK. What’s more – poor health as a result of air pollution costs the NHS up to £20 billion a year. £20 billion? Yes, really. £20 billion. But there was a problem. Traditional sensors are very expensive – not to mention being highly limited. What does that mean? It means that most of our nation’s air quality has been modelled using only a handfuls of sensors. That is until now. Think Air is changing the way we measure, monitor, raise awareness of air quality. It’s also driving  positive change across Wales. “It’s been a labour of love of two years!” says says Vindico MD, Jo Polson. “Understanding the issues and changing behaviour starts with accurate measurement. “But more than that, the data needs to be accessible, affordable and easy to understand. “We’ve spent two years developing the unique sensors and software platform behind Think Air, and we’re now on track to having the largest live air quality network in Wales by the end of 2020.” How is Think Air funded? Glad you asked. Proceeds from every Vindico project go towards funding the development of Think Air throughout Wales. “We couldn’t have come this far without the support of our clients who have all contributed to Think Air through their contracted projects with Vindico. “As a great example, proceeds from the new Scarlets Rugby website will go towards sensors and raising awareness in their region and beyond.” Click here to find out more about Think Air – and how it’s driving change for good

This air pollution awareness campaign focuses on an area that’s close to home for us at Vindico. Here’s why…    Air quality. It sounds like a topic that’s reserved for the smoggy cities of Central America, congested Asian capitals and the bushfire zones of Australia. But it impacts on us all here in Wales every single day. It sounds far-fetched, but the stats are real.  Clean Air Day (link) aims to raise our awareness of the harmful effects of pollution – and how air quality impacts on our everyday lives. As the developers behind Think Air , it’s a subject that’s close to home for us. You may be surprised to know that air pollution causes up to 36,000 deaths in the UK each year.  It’s also responsible for as many as 24,000 premature deaths each year. In fact, both the World Health Organisation and the UK Government recognise that air pollution is the largest environmental health risk we face today. Poor air quality causes heart and lung diseases, it’s linked to low birth weight and children’s lung development , and may even contribute to mental health issues and wellbeing. Our Think Air project is something we’re really proud of, and we love any opportunity to shout about it. Here’s how our MD, Jo Polson, sums it up: “This project has been a source of inspiration for us. “The more we learned about the effects of poor air quality, the more we knew we wanted to use our skills to promote understanding and drive change. “We were tasked with making the latest air quality technology accessible, affordable and easy to understand, so we’ve spent two years developing the unique sensors and software platform behind Think Air.  “We’re now on track to having the largest live air quality network in Wales by the end of 2020 – so raising awareness of this topic is a breath of fresh air for us.” Want to hear more about our innovative air quality sensors – and how they’re leading the way in Wales? Listen to our MD Jo Polson and Professor Paul Lewis reveal how air quality impacts on human performance on this week’s episode of the 1202 – The Human Factors Podcast. Click here to listen Side note: There’s a great reason why the podcast is called 1202 – and it’s well

Our #ThinkPurple approach to tech and innovation has landed us on the shortlist for two awards this week. There’s never a dull moment in the tech industry – and this week’s been no exception. Not only have our Purple Vinjas been busy Vinja-ing away on some exciting (top secret, for now) projects, but we’ve kickstarted the week by making not one, but TWO award shortlists. First up – we’re excited to reveal that we’re finalists for Innovation Business of the Year at this year’s Cardiff Business Awards (link). As a business at the forefront of tech and innovation in Wales, we’ve always focused our efforts on being the best in our field. So much so, that it’s left us no room, until now, to shout about the national changes we’ve been driving – so this shortlist means a lot to us. It gives amazing recognition to the partnerships, projects and client collaborations we’ve been a part of – and we hope it will help us raise the profile of the exciting work we have in the pipeline, too. Click here to see our recent #ThinkPurple projects. The Cardiff Business Awards – which celebrates the Welsh Capitals’ best businesses – takes place virtually this year on Friday 13th November (yes, Friday the 13th – we thought the same). And as if that’s not exciting enough, we’re also finalists at this year’s Business Evolution Awards (link). This event recognises and celebrates the best and newest business thinking and practice from across the world – and it’s for businesses and organisations who are delivering remarkable results. The awards presentation takes place online on Wednesday 14th October 2020 as part of the Zokit Biz