John Whelan, ICT Commercialisation Manager, Trinity College, Dublin
I have a PhD in Physics, and I worked as a software developer and business analyst in Davy stockbrokers and Daiwa Securities in Tokyo. I'm a founder of three tech startups, two of which raised seven-figure venture capital rounds. One of these, Alatto, traded for nine years. More recently, I was a consultant to Vodafone Ireland, and since 2008 I have been a technology transfer case manager at Trinity College, Dublin, responsible for the commercialisation of ICT research. While in Trinity, I have set up and run Trinity College's startup accelerator LaunchBox and became executive director of Blackstone LaunchPad at Trinity College, Dublin. I also designed and secured European funding to implement Trinity's Connected Health accelerator "Validator" and a Europe-wide Tech Transfer training programme. Adjunct Lecturer in NUI Galway, where I teach the innovation and technology transfer module as part of the master in technology management. As part of my role in Trinity, I have recently set up and managed Trinity's Open Source Programme Office.
The office's mission is to promote and support the principles of open source and open data in knowledge transfer and industry engagement for TCD researchers. Besides tech and startups, my other passions (in order of importance) are Limerick Hurling, Munster Rugby and Sailing. Personal Motto: "Done is better than Perfect".
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
LinkedIn because it is commercially focussed and users only share insights in a professional matter. Not a place for polarisation of opinions through politics, echo chambers or negativity.
Tell us about you and your current role or area of interest.
I am responsible for generating meaningful impact from all ICT related research in Ireland's foremost research institution. Trinity's receives over €100m in research funding every year, and my role is to ensure that this innovative knowledge and a meaningful benefit to society. This is usually accomplished through economic impact (i.e. creation of deep tech jobs and supporting startup ecosystem), and the economic impact can lead to social impact.
What do you like about your career or area of focus?
I get a wonderful opportunity to look at early-stage deep technology ideas across a really broad range of topics. I always view my role as looking at the early stage of the Gartner Hype Curve of technologies or very often technological innovations that are not yet on the Hype Curve. The most important thing for me is to be always learning, and every day I see a new type of technology in a vertical segment I didn't know existed.
These categories are too numerous to mention but can range from digital health to quantum computing through no-code and low code and from human behaviour to non-relational databases. The list is endless. But, I like to be innovative around structural and business processes, for example setting up an Open Source Programme Office or exploring NFTs as a revenue stream.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Make a decision even if it is the wrong decision. In other words, be able to tolerate ambiguity in data or lack of any data before doing a business. Done is better than perfect. The pace of innovation cycles, particularly in software, often means someone else will have your same idea and exploit it before you can.
What inspires you, motivates you, or helps you to move forward?
True entrepreneurs who take on real career and financial risks are inspiring. They are actually rarer than most people would believe. Many people have a financial cushion or just embrace taking on entrepreneurship as a lifestyle choice for a limited period. The passion of those who really believe in their idea is infectious and the real advantage for me as I learn from such individuals. They have put in long hours to research their technology and the market. I can pass on this knowledge to others at a later date. I just love people who are not afraid to fail.
What are you proud of in your life so far?
Not comfortable with this type of question personally. Perhaps I should ask my therapist, but not up to me to decide if I have achieved anything.
What is your preferred way to meet new people/network?
Coffee, tea and beer! Always meet in person when you can. Most people are nice and kind underneath it all, so meeting people to understand their unique objectives and drivers is critical. This can take an hour to tease out. It is the conversation as you arrive and when you leave where you learn the most.
What skills or qualities do you feel have helped you?
I think a rigorous scientific and technical background is important in my role. I think knowing when to stop digging too deep into technology is a valuable skill. This applies when talking to researchers who have dedicated their lives to their research area. We all tend to show off our knowledge, but it is pointless and time-wasting when talking to a global expert in a niche.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
The basics of software development never really change. It is often relabelled, rebranded and repositioned, but something new under the sun is quite rare. On the other hand, a good manager can change your life at any stage of your career. So, always interview and review your manager before taking up a position. Similarly, "organisation culture eats strategy for breakfast, lunch and dinner," as they say. The two ends of the scale, small scale startups and large companies are usually the best at avoiding toxic management and toxic culture, but not always.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles and why?
It is very difficult to judge people by their public profile. What is Elon Musk or Steve Jobs really like to work for and with? Are they truly open and honest? As a result, I admire my first boss ever and my current manager genuinely because they empower innovation by creating a culture of openness, flexibility, honesty and support. They pass the "throw you under the bus" test, as in they wouldn't.
Outside of your professional/work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
The family is obviously the most important focus. Parenting is one of the enormous challenges any human being faces. Hobbies: Limerick Hurling, Munster Rugby and sailing in that order. I think podcasts are a unique content format for the expression of ideas. I think they echo back to fireside conversations from throughout human evolution where people communicated only by voice through a narrative. The tendency to skim the content in reading is enormous due to doom scrolling, so podcasts force the listener to slow down and absorb and retain all points.
Has the pandemic had a positive or a negative effect on you and/or your business, and how have you managed it?
Covid-19 has had surprisingly little effect on outputs and operational targets in the short term. Nevertheless, the lack of spontaneous and serendipitous conversations in the longer term will have an impact on new projects, ideas and process innovation. These negative effects will only emerge over time.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever mentored anyone?
A mentor is a term that has some negative connotations in the startup world. Many mentors out there make a nice living as consultants to startups and accelerators but who don't always have real personal experience of taking tangible risks and launching a new venture. I assist startups every day in my current role, but I learn as much (if not more) from each entrepreneur as they learn from me.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work or interests?
There are two types of people in technology transfer: Lawyers and Technologists. My advice is: if you want to be a lawyer, become a lawyer, but for Tech Transfer, you need a background in some deep technology. The legal bit is just a small part of the job. For supporting startups, the experience of having tried your own startups (probably a few different ones) is invaluable to gain the respect of other startups starting out on the journey.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
I really like the sporting analogy with the startup world. Only one team wins the World Cup, and only one individual gets an Olympic Gold medal. I think people give up when their expectations are too high. We all hear stories of unicorns, decacorns, etc. But we need to understand they are very rare. High ambition is good, and of course, the venture capital industry always wants a 100X potential return. However, lowering and managing your own expectations of success with realistic, attainable staged goals can, over time, with persistence lead to significant success.
Is there a phrase, quote or a saying that you really like?
"Done is Better Than Perfect"
I like the book from Netflix founder Reed Hastings "The No Rules Rule".
"If you want to master something, teach it." - Richard Feynman.
Academia knows more and more about less and less.
"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently." - Henry Ford.
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
For information on technology trends, financial journals are really good as they must focus on facts as investors need facts, not speculation. So, the FT and The Economist are wonderful, reliable, trustworthy and have wonderful associated brands. Closer to home, "The Wild Atlantic Way" is a super brand and word beating in a crowded space.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience/readership?
I genuinely don't know as I haven't achieved it. I am not sure it is a real thing. In fact, the maturity to not keep searching for success or happiness might just mean you have achieved them both. Helping others is a great way to treat yourself to a bonus feeling of positivity.