UMass Chan Medical School and UMass Lowell have received an $8.9 million award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for renewed support of their initiative to advance the development of home-based and point-of-care health technologies.

NIH renews support for UMass Chan and UMass Lowell’s point-of-care technology initiative

This year, @Wellinks was invited to speak at the event by our colleagues at the @Digital Medicine Society (DiME) to discuss a topic that we are deeply focused on: leveraging virtual-first ...

Reflecting on 3 Themes from HLTH 2023

Wellinks, Pro-Tech Orthopedics, Fited, UNYQ This Scoliosis Braces Market report reveals several key market methods that may assist businesses in leveraging their position in the market and ...

Scoliosis Braces Market Size, Share, and Growth Scope

Reimagined approaches to pulmonary rehabilitation, including telerehabilitation and more longitudinal models such as those offered by Wellinks, have gained momentum in recent years. The body of ...

Will 6 new pulmonary rehabilitation guidelines accelerate the change we need?

👨 💻 With 9 years in software engineering, I've harnessed the power of Ruby's elegance, shaped dynamic experiences through JavaScript/TypeScript, and built robust foundations with Java.

Java 21: Elevating Convenience and Accessibility

Braff Group hires former Amedisys M&A expert The Braff Group has hired Kris Novak to become the firm’s new managing director of home health, hospice,

Braff Group Snags Amedisys M&A Veteran; FirstLight Promotes Kerri Pendley To Chief Growth Officer

Braff Group Snags Amedisys M&A Veteran; CareAcademy Names New Chief Revenue Officer

New Haven-based digital healthcare firm Wellinks, which has developed virtual tools to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), has named a new CEO.  Stacie Bratcher is taking over as the company’s chief executive.

New Haven digital health startup Wellinks names new CEO

(MENAFN- GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) NEW HAVEN, Conn., July 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- wellinks , the leading digital healthcare company offering virtual cardiopulmonary disease management for ...

Wellinks Names New Ceo Stacie Bratcher

NEW HAVEN, Conn., July 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wellinks, the leading digital healthcare company offering virtual cardiopulmonary disease management for health plans and value-based care ...

Wellinks Names New CEO Stacie Bratcher

Wellinks

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Meet the Winners of Startups in North and Central America

In this article, I will list the best resources all over the internet which will help you to be a hacker. I would be answering the following questions: What is hacking? Why learn to hack? Where can you learn to hack? What we’ll Cover Introduction to hacking. Why learn to hack. Video sources. Web-articles. Books. Paid and free courses. Introduction to Hacking. Hacking in its simplest explanation is breaking into a system that has a certain degree  of security. Hacking is a skill set and requires a lot of practice to become good at. There are 3 types of hackers, they are: Black Hat. White Hat. Grey Hat. This category of hackers do hacking for malicious purposes. Black hat hackers: This category of hackers do hacking for the benefit of others. They hack to secure the vulnerability that can lead to harm. White hat hackers: This category of hackers acts as both white Hat and black hat hackers. This makes them be on both the good and bad side, depending on the situation 😀 . Grey Hat Hackers: Hacking is a vast subject. It has a lot of sub-categories which includes: Web application. Forensic. Networking. Cloud. Systems both mobile and desktop devices. Hardware. These are some of the various things you can learn and each has sub-topics that are interesting. The main goal of a white-hat hacker is to find a potential vulnerability, exploit it, gain access, create a detailed document and report it to the authorities. Hackers or pentesters are paid on the scale of priority of the vulnerability reported. This is decided based on a priority table that is made by the board showing which part of their infrastructure is most important and needs special attention. If you are successful in finding a vulnerability in that specific section you can expect a high reward. If you are not into full-time pentesting and want to do part-time then Bug-bounty hunting is the go-to thing for you. Bug-bounty hunting is a program hosted by company websites with specified rules and regulations. They usually specify things they won't consider a bug and other than those things, any other possible bug you find will get you some reward from the website. A Bug in this sense is a vulnerability that can be exploited to gain information or unauthorized access into the server. Bug bounty hunters usually have extensive knowledge of different types of bugs. Some of the  common types of bugs include XSS, HTML-INJECTION, CSRF, etc. Having knowledge and being able to detect these vulnerabilities as a bug-bounty hunter can get you a decent amount of pay from the bounty. Other than being a bug-bounty hunter, you can also be a freelance pentester, where the work will be more but the payout is more than that of a bug bounty. Why Learn to Hack? In my previous explanation, I have introduced you to various types of hackers and what they do for a living. Having knowledge of hacking and how it works, you can be able to protect yourself and others, and also educate them with your experience. You can also make a living via hacking by being a bug-bounty hunter or a freelance pentester. You could also get a job after gaining a few certifications. This leads us to our next question if you ask me there is no way you can excel in any field without knowing the basics relating to the field you are going to choose. where to start? All the things such as basic networking, web application, and programming can be learned from web sources such as Youtube or Udemy but if you want professional teaching then you can opt for training from official sources such as Offensive security, INE, EC-Council, etc. Fundamentals are easy to understand anyone can achieve learning the fundamentals, but the main goal is to learn the advanced things, for example, if you understand how the server works with the client-side request, you can learn how to manipulate and possibly exploit the server. You need not worry, anyone can achieve this. Some people are afraid to learn things from a new field while studying in a different field, for example, a commerce student fears that studying this topic will be of no use for him in the future even though it has potential. I am a commerce student and I started to learn hacking while I was in 12th grade. I felt the topics were interesting and changed my goal from pursuing a commerce-based job and instead started learning to hack. I hope to become a professional pentester and in the future even start a security-related firm. Similarly, anyone from any field can learn to hack and become a hacker but it requires dedication and a lot of practice to learn and perfect your skills. Cybersecurity is a fast-growing field for job opportunities and even new freshers can also get a high salary job with work experience if you have prior experience and certifications then you can expect a good salary and high growth in your job profile. Professional aspect: Video Sources There are a lot of online video sources such as Youtube and Udemy. On social media platforms, you can follow some professionals who have great links and useful resources to learn from. Social media . David bombal . Cryptothelamma nt. Eleme Hackersking. in . Cybertechsociety . Mattupham These are some of the best social media influencers who share information of value and can help you in your works. On Youtube, you can refer to the following Youtube channels: . NullByte . Zsecurity . David Bombal . Loi Liang Yang . Hackersploit . NetworkChuck I would recommend you follow David Bombals's Youtube video as he gives a lot of giveaways. I love his works, his explanations are also really easy to understand and beginner-friendly. Web-articles. Web articles are write-ups that enable people with knowledge to share their thoughts and points related to a certain topic or a certain event that matters in the cybersecurity world. There are several websites where one can find web articles. But I am going to mention a few of them that I find to be quite informative. : Website links (security section) Hackernoon.com Latesthackingnews.com Thehackernews.com Hackingarticles. in These are some of the useful websites you can use to learn more about the latest events and more related to security-related content. Books. Cybersecurity-related books are all over the internet but some of them stand out. I am going to list 11 of the best ones to start your security journey. Book links: Hacking: The Art of Exploitation. The Basics of Hacking and Penetration Testing. The Hacker Playbook. Penetration Testing. The Web Application Hacker’s Handbook. Hacking: Computer Hacking, Security Testing is a book written by Gary Hall. Computer Hacking Beginners. Hackers & Painters. Advanced Penetration Testing. The Hardware Hacker is a book written by Andre Huang. BackTrack 5 Wireless Penetration Testing Beginner’s Guide. These are some of the most useful books out there for beginners and intermediate-level hackers. Paid and free courses. Udemy courses: Complete cyber-sec course by Nathan House. Complete Web hacking by Loi Liang Yang. Complete Mobile hacking course by Loi Liang Yang. CompTIA Network+ with expertise from David bombal. Weblinks to gain infinite knowledge in any field for free: HacksPlanning.com Edx.org Hackerstop.org Digitaldefynd.com guru99.com Securitytube.net Simplylearn.com Sources The main source for this article is my personal experience but the bonus link is something I felt can be of some use. I am including that link as it will be useful and can help many others in their journey to become ethical hackers. Bonus. This one is a bonus it is a complete compiled version of all the most popular and underrated resources all over the internet made available in one link. I appreciate the effort made by to make such a great resource, the above links and resources are which I used to learn to hack and the basics but this link has all the resources A-Z everything. Vitalysim Link: Awesome-Hacking-Resource. Contact me. INSTAGRAM TWITTER EMAIL: morpheuslord@protonmail.com

Top Resources to Learn Ethical Hacking

Do your systems have protection against Ransomware attacks? Ransomware is a sort of malware that cybercriminals use to extort cash. It holds information to ransom with encryption or by keeping users out of their devices. Preventing Ransomware Attacks Here are the first two things to remember to safeguard your environment from ransomware attacks. Never click on unverified weblinks Try not to click spam emails or on unfamiliar sites. Downloads that start when you click on malicious links is one way that your system could get tainted When the is on your system, it will encrypt your information or lock your system. When the ransomware has something to hold as “hostage”, it will request a payoff with the goal that you can recover your data. Paying these payoffs may seem like the easiest solution. But it is actually what the criminal needs you to do and paying these payments doesn’t ensure they will give you access to your device or your data back. ransomware 6 Tips to Help You Avoid Ransomware Attacks Another way that ransomware could get onto your system is through an email attachment (Email breach). 1. Never open untrusted email attachments Try not to open email attachments from senders you don’t trust To decrease the risk of downloading ransomware, don’t download software or media documents from unknown sites. 2. Always download from a reliable source Go to verified, trusted sites on the off chance that you need to download something. Most respectable sites will have markers of trust that you can perceive. Simply look in the hunt bar to check whether the site utilizes ‘HTTPS’ rather than ‘HTTP.’ In case you’re downloading something on your mobile, ensure you download from trustworthy sources. For instance, Android telephones should use the Google Play Store to download applications and iPhone clients should use the App Store. If you get a call, text, or email from an untrusted source that requests personal data, don’t give it out. 3. Avoid sharing personal data Cybercriminals planning a ransomware assault may attempt to acquire personal data ahead of time of an assault. They can utilize this data in phishing messages to target you particularly. The goal is to draw you into opening a tainted link. Try not to allow the culprits to get hold of information. Keeping your software and system updated will help guard you against any malware. Use a VPN when using public Wi-Fi; being cautious of public Wi-Fi is a reasonable ransomware safety measure. 4. Keep your system up to date At the point when you utilize public Wi-Fi, your computer is more helpless against attack. To remain secure, try not to utilize public Wi-Fi without the use of a protected VPN. It is essential to safeguard your computer from ransomware with a comprehensive web security solution such as a VPN, encryption solution, anti-virus solution, and more. 5. Use security software Should you experience a ransomware assault, your information will stay safe provided it is backed up. Try to keep everything copied on an external hard drive or other external storage tools. Hence, if they become encoded by ransomware, you ought to have the option to return to backed-up data via cloud storage. 6. Data Backup What needs to be done once you become a victim of a Ransomware attack? You know how to protect your business network, software, and system from Ransomware attacks. Now learn a few important things if you become a victim of such an attack. It is important to disconnect your computer from the internet. This prevents other systems from getting infected. Disconnect from network and internet: Never pay any money to cybercriminals who carry out Ransomware attacks to infect your computer. Do not pay Ransom: With the help of Ransomware, decryptor decrypt files and regain access to data Remove Ransomware: By following the above tips, you can start to protect your data and your organization’s data against damaging Ransomware attacks.

The Beginners Guide To Ransomware Prevention in 2021

What's the difference between popular Container-Centric OS choices, Google’s Container-Optimized OS, and AWS’s Bottlerocket? The concepts underlying containers have been around for many years. Container technologies like Docker, Kubernetes, and an entire ecosystem of products, as well as best practices, have emerged in the last few years. This has enabled different kinds of applications to be containerized. Web service providers like Amazon AWS and Google are giving a further boost to container innovation, for enterprises to adopt and use containers at scale. This will help them to reap the benefits containers bring, including increased portability and greater efficiency. Linux-based OS, AWS Bottlerocket is a new option, designed for running containers on virtual machines (VMs) or bare-metal hosts. In this article, you will learn the core uses and differences between the two open-source OS. AWS Bottlerocket It is an open-source, stripped-down Linux distribution that’s similar to projects like Google’s Container-Optimized OS. This single-step update process helps reduce management overhead. It makes OS updates easy to automate using container orchestration services such as Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS) and Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS). Google Container-Optimized OS It’s an OS image for Google Compute Engine VMs that’s optimized for running Docker containers. It allows you to bring up your Docker containers on Google Cloud Platform securely, and quickly. It is based on the open-source Chromium OS project and is maintained by Google. But before diving into the core differences, let us give you a basic overview of containers, VMs, and container-optimized OS, and its underlying challenges to better understand the differences. If you are already aware of all the underlying processes of containers, then you can skip to the main differences for AWS Bottlerocket vs Google Container-Optimized OS. Containers, VMs and Docker Explained From Search to YouTube to Gmail, everything at Google runs in containers. As a developer, containers give you a lot of freedom by letting you upload an app with all of its dependencies into an easy-to-move package. Containers are often compared with virtual machines (VMs). You might already be familiar with VMs: a guest operating system such as Linux or Windows that runs on top of a host operating system with virtualized access to the underlying hardware. On the other hand, Docker containers allow you to provide isolated environments for running your software services, and package your application together with libraries and other dependencies. Thus containers offer a far more lightweight unit for IT Ops teams and developers to work with, carrying a myriad of benefits. In fact, containers allow your application as a whole to be packaged, abstracting away the code, the machine, and even OS itself. The same way, software libraries package code bits together allowing developers to abstract away logic like user session management and authentication. This helps with easy development, testing, deployment, and overall management of your applications. Challenges With a Host OS Containers still require an OS just as serverless hasn’t removed the underlying need for servers. Most containers run on a general-purpose OS and because container-based host environments allow hundreds or thousands of instances, containers make it easy to scale out. Such a scale introduces problems with OS overhead, updates, security, and more. This is where Bottlerocket OS and Google Container-Optimized OS comes to the rescue. Google Container-Optimized OS gives dev. teams improved speed and efficiency to run higher throughput workloads with better uptime and security. Practically, one of the ways of deploying containers on Google Cloud is Google Compute Engine (GCE). You can leverage your familiar virtual machine environment to run your containers. This means using existing workflow and tools, without requiring your team to ramp up on all things cloud-native. When creating a GCE VM, the container section will let you specify the image you'd like to use as well as a few more important options. When you get to the boot disk section, the suggested VM OS is Container-Optimized OS. This is optimized for running the Docker containers. This OS image comes with a Docker runtime pre-installed, enabling you to bring up your Docker container at the same time you create your VM. On the other hand, Bottlerocket is purpose-built for hosting containers in Amazon infrastructure. It runs natively in Amazon EKS, AWS Fargate, and Amazon ECS. AWS Bottlerocket vs Google Container-Optimized OS Security Reducing your attack surface is one of the most important rules of security. Bottlerocket allows minimizing the attack surface to protect against outside attackers. It also diminishes the impact that a vulnerability would have on the system and provides inter-container isolation. Bottlerocket uses kernel namespaces and container control groups (cgroups) for isolation between containers running on the system. Google Container-Optimized OS does this by moving all services out of the OS system/user space into containers. In addition, the auto-upgrading feature, enabled by default, keeps nodes in the cluster up-to-date with the cluster master version. This both improves security and reduces maintenance overhead. Open-Source Requirements Amazon made it easy for developers to become involved by leveraging GitHub for their development platform. By design, end users are encouraged to create variants (i.e. update operator or your control container) of the OS. There’s nothing else to build except for support for Docker and Kubernetes as the Bottlerocket build system is based on Rust. Customers of Google Container-Optimized OS don’t need to build and deploy customized images on a cluster, unlike Bottlerocket. Building Container-Optimized OS requires the Chromium scripts and toolchain, which are unique to Google. These development images are designed for Google engineers to build, debug and test the system, and they do allow user Shell access. The images can be run using KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) or imported into a compute engine instance. Wrapping Up The OS is part of the background infrastructure that means developers can focus on their applications instead of how they’ll be run. Both Bottlerocket and Container-Optimized OS do this well. AWS’s Bottlerocket incorporates many of the best ideas from the predecessors and adds support for container orchestrators and multiple cloud environments, as well as the ability to create variants if your use cases require it. However, if you’re looking at a multi-cloud strategy, then Container-Optimized OS might act as a roadblock, not an advantage. Most people avoid vendor lock-in and are looking at multi-cloud at the same time. If deploying to multiple clouds is what you envision, then Bottlerocket would be a better choice. Google’s Container-Optimized OS is similar to Firecracker technology (microVM for serverless computing) under AWS Fargate. Like many Google technologies, Container-Optimized OS focuses more on how things should be done, and this is often a good thing. About Galaxy Weblinks: we specialize in delivering end-to-end software development & testing services. We also offer effective solutions for Cloud support & maintenance to help our global clients with cloud storage, public, private & hybrid application development. Contact us to speak with our cloud experts.

AWS Bottlerocket vs. Google Container-Optimized OS: Which Should You Use and When

As per stats, there are approx 1.94 billion active websites which remain growing from 2020 through 21. Hence, if your goal as a startup or an SME, is to shine among this crowd, you need expert technical assistance that fits your budget and meets quality adherence. That means, getting into building your inhouse web development team and hiring freelancers are cut from the list. Outsourcing, being the best option left, you need to be aware of the pros and cons of it and well versed with the market scenario of the same. In this study, we have enlisted the top web development companies which can be an exact fit for a startup. While starting this survey, we chose to work with web development companies in India as they have the largest market share ( in 2018-19). $182 Billion In India, the IT outsourcing market has grown multi-fold in the last two decades with 10000+ companies and will be vast by 2025. Hence, before choosing the top ones from this pool, our first criteria was domain experience. $500 Billion Then comes the kind of expertise they have in different technologies and industries. In technology, we have preferred those companies who are doing good in React js, Blockchain, Flutter, Angular, IoT, AR, Python (for AI & ML), DevOps, Chatbot and other trending ones. In Industry, they should at least have worked for Healthcare, Ecommerce, Banking, and Media. As cost is considered as a primary constraint, we looked into their rates and spoke to their previous clients. Apart from that, for primary shortlisting, we preferred to look in review platforms such as Goodfirms, Clutch, and Glassdoor. Here is the full list of criteria we considered while picking up the right ones. Total Domain Experience (At Least 8 years) Hourly rates ($10-$50) Technology Expertise (As per trend) Client feedback (Over call/email) Team strength (200+) Number of Startup projects (1000+) IT Infrastructure (PM software, licensing, etc) Digital presence & online reputation Work culture (employee feedbacks) Awards & memberships After checking the criteria no 1, 2 & 3 from a data set of 6245 web development companies, we shortlisted 529. Then we filtered them using criteria 5, 6 & 8 and came up with a list of 89 web development companies. With the help of the remaining criteria, we ended up with the following 10 companies with a list of 6 more honorable mentions. Also Read: 20 Top Mobile App Development Companies in 2019-20 | Complete Guide for Startups (The award winning web development company in India) 1)  Belatrix Software : 16+ Years of Experience : $50 - $99/hr Hourly rates : Web development, Software Product development, Quality engineering, Cloud ops , Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Agile coaching , UX + Agile development Area of Expertise is made up of 3 partners that are connected by a very familiar bond: they are father and children. Belatrix Software It has its nearshore software development centers in Mendoza and Buenos Aires in Argentina, Bogotá in Colombia, India and Lima, Peru. It helps customers achieve the full impact of their R&D and product development capabilities by developing innovative high quality software, quality control, testing and mobile solutions that allow customers to generate the best software in their class. : 250 - 999 Team strength : FIS, Disney, Adobe, AOL, BCP Key Clients : Industry Focus https://www.belatrixsf.com/contact-us/ Contact Info: (An Entrusted name as a web development company in India) 2) ValueCoders 14+ Years of Experience: $15-$25/hr Hourly rates: Web & App development, Augmented Reality, Product development, IT strategy and consulting, IoT, ChatBot development Area of Expertise: ValueCoders is the most recognized IT outsourcing agency who is delivering custom software solutions worldwide to unlock innovation & leverage digital transformation. It is one of the most trusted web development company where professionals optimise cost, time and quality. Till now, they have delivered 4200+ projects to 2500+ clients across the globe along with the retention rate of maximum 97%. Their mission is to deliver high-quality software development services with full transparency, integrity and honesty. And, their vision is to become the most recognized and trusted software development company out of India. 500-900 Team strength: Affle, Tekion Cloud, Capgemini, Grundfos, Dubai Police, Selectspecs Key Clients: Industry Focus: https://www.valuecoders.com/contact Contact Info: (One of the most recommended web development companies in India) 3) Sunflower Lab 9+ Years of Experience: $50 - $99/hr Hourly rates: Custom Web Development, App Development, AWS Consulting, Strategic Consulting, eCommerce Development Area of Expertise: They started on Sunflower Road in New Jersey and saw the opportunity to create products that help companies transform their way of doing business. Founded in 2010, they are an award-winning fast-growing digital products and innovation agency with offices in North America and India. Sunflower Lab has more than 60 engineers and technologists worldwide who continue to press to help customers solve their most difficult technological problems on mobile, web and IoT devices. 50 - 249 Team strength: Citra, WorthPoint, Groove Dance Competition, Metro D.C. Government, BarEye Key Clients: Industry Focus: https://www.thesunflowerlab.com/contact-us/ Contact Info: (One Of The Best Web development companies in India) 4) Syberry Corporation 10+ Years of Experience: $25 - $49/hr Hourly rates: : Quality Assurance, Custom Software Development, Mobile App Development, Security and Technology Consulting, Web Software Development, Cloud Applications Development, Software Product Development Area of Expertise Syberry is an app and web development  company based in the United States, based in Austin, TX. Its fundamental values are incomparable quality, effective communication and transparent pricing. Syberry web developers create software products of unparalleled quality to achieve that level of excellence. They concentrated their engineers in centers of excellence, functionally, adding them to our different divisions, from product development to continuous learning and innovations. 250 - 999 Team strength: PayPal, Livestream, Baylor Scott and White Healthcare, THG, Walt Disney Key Clients: Industry Focus: https://www.syberry.com/contact-us Contact Info: (Result- driven app and web development company in India) 5) Brights 9+ Years of Experience: $25 - $49/hr Hourly rates: Web development, UI/UX design, QA & Testing, AR & ML, DevOps, Internet of Things Area of Expertise: For the last 8 years, we have implemented more than 350 projects and went far enough to get space in the list of best web development companies. This experience provides us with a strong base for the deeper understanding of processes at all project development stages, from use cases and wireframes to comprehensive testing. Thereby, we are able to launch complete and stable products of any complexity on the market regardless of their purpose. They help companies at any stage of the product software development cycle: from R&D and building MVP from scratch, to scaling, UX analyze and improvement. Working as a product teams allows us to deliver success products and rich client business goals. 50 - 249 Team strength: Kinder, Lactalis Group, Danone, MasterCard, Samsung, AXE, Skoda, Suzuki, Renault, Kimberly-Clark, Dr. Theiss, OLX, Philip Morris, Intel, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, McDonald's, Metro, Key Clients: Industry Focus: https://brights.io/contacts Contact Info: (One of the best among the list of top web development companies) 6) Zco Corporation 25+ Years of Experience: $25 - $49/hr Hourly rates: Hybrid App Development, Enterprise Software Solutions, Augmented Reality Area of Expertise: Zco Corporation has distinguished as one of the best app and web development companies in the United States.They provide a full range of mobile app development solutions for their clients, including custom mobile apps, games, enterprise software, 3D animation, and augmented and virtual reality applications. From startups to enterprise organizations, Zco offers top-notch software solutions that meet the needs of their clients. 250 - 999 Team strength: Verizon, Liberty Mutual, BBC America, Microsoft, John Hancock, Motorola, Samsung, Flint Group, NHPR, COOLMAX. Utz, Skanska Key Clients: Industry Focus: https://www.zco.com/contact/ Contact Info: (An Esteemed web development company in India) 7) Galaxy Weblinks 22+ Years of Experience: $25 - $49/hr Hourly rates: Digital Marketing, Mobile App Development, Website Development, UI/UX, Cloud Services, Custom Software Development Area of Expertise: Galaxy Weblinks is a global technology development and services company that specializes in web and mobile development. Our first and most important job: to help our clients understand the totality of the technology landscape and conceive, design, implement, and support solutions that fit their needs – and budgets. As a global enterprise with offices across in the U.S., Australia, and India, Galaxy has the expertise, development bench, and digital marketing services to scale to meet virtually any business requirement. 50 - 249 Team strength: Sony, Staples, Columbia university, Tivo, CMM school, WSJ Key Clients: Industry Focus: https://www.galaxyweblinks.com/contactus/ Contact Info: (Provides best mobile and web development solutions for both entrepreneurs and startups) 8) Web Peppers 8+ Years of Experience: $25 - $49/hr Hourly rates: E-commerce Development, Web Development, Support and Maintenance, E-commerce Development, Artificial Intelligence, IoT Development Area of Expertise: Web Peppers is a global outsourcing and web development company  providing unrivaled technical experience in web application building solutions and IoT solutions. They provide service to various businesses and enterprises of all sizes at affordable prices. Their clients range from startups to large brand companies. Web Peppers provides full services, all around PHP, Drupal, .Net, C#, Wordpress, Python, NodeJS, React JS, Symfony. They offer the perfect combination of benefits profits and advantages for customers. 10 - 49 Team strength: Startups and Enterprises Key Clients: Industry Focus: https://web-peppers.com/contact-us/ Contact Info: (A mobile and web app development company based in India) 9) Yarddiant 9+ Years of Experience: < $25/hr Hourly rates: eCommerce Development, Web design & Web Development, Event Website Development, Plugin Development, Digital Marketing, WooCommerce Integration Area of Expertise: Yarddiant is one of the best Web design & Web Development Company in India which serves all web development services. The company acts as a digital connection for customers and agencies. Yarddiant mainly focuses on eCommerce website development and WordPress development. The company is dealing with major CMS like Magento, Shopify, Prestashop, and Wordpress. Currently, the WordPress developers under Yarddiant delivered a lot of online shops in WordPress integrated with woocommerce plugin. Yarddiant also manages the requirements of plugin development and theme customization. 10 - 49 Team strength: Champions, Amazing Arabella, Blog Kidzz, Scribhun, Tovino Thomas, Buff-ting, IPWC Scrubs, Edakkal Village Key Clients: Industry Focus: https://www.yarddiant.com/contact/ Contact Info: (A one of the leading web development companies in India) 10) Xtreem Solution 12+ Years of Experience: < $25/hr Hourly rates: Cross Platform App Development, Mobile App Development , Opensource & e-commerce Development, On Demand Technologies, Web Development Area of Expertise: Xtreem Solution builds Web & Mobile solutions that are in harmony with industry requirements and budget. Applying the know-how of advanced technologies, we work to augment the growth of startups, small businesses, and enterprises. Our team keeps pace with the latest technology trends like Artificial Intelligence, IoT, Big Data, AR and VR. 50 - 249 Team strength: Funrumble, Gig Qwik, Triptunity.com, Stockbagdepot.com, dailyview.com Key Clients: Industry Focus: Contact Info: https://xtreemsolution.com/contact-us.html Apart from these 10 web development companies, IntellectSoft, SoftwareMill, ClickIT Smart Technologies, ELEKS, Code Inspiration, and Symphony Solutions are the companies worth mentioning. Choosing one of the above-listed web development companies can be your best future business partner!! Technology has advanced a lot these days and there are more significant reasons to outsource web development services to reputed web development companies. To win the race in the present time, every business whether it is small or large needs to leverage new technologies. So these were the top web development companies best suited for startups & SMEs of today’s business world. I can assure that each of these web companies has helped accelerate the growth of startups & small businesses using modern software technologies- perhaps one among these would help your business next!

Startup Centric Top Web Development Companies in India (A Survey)

Relax, nobody lost a forest. What they did lose were a multitude of data logs. essential The subject company here will be referred to as The developer that found out about the issue is TheCompany. Bob. In this article I want to discuss human errors in software development and preventive measures for those. From Development To Production process for deploying codebase changes is summed up like this: TheCompany’s Developer tests his own changes (Attributed as a common sense item on the list thus not enforced) Code review (Only 1 reviewer required who often has limited time to spend on your ticket) Pushing to pre-production Testing in pre-production Go over a before pushing to production checklist Go over a during pushing to production checklist Go over a after pushing to production checklist The is compared to a for pilots. As mentioned in the linked article: checklist before-takeoff checklist The […] practical test standards clearly state that pilots must use appropriate written checklists You wouldn’t argue about the need to do a check of all systems before taking off in an airplane, would you? Would you board a plane if an airport staff member would say that the pilots skipped some checks to be able to depart faster? I know I wouldn’t. Yet the accident record shows that some pilots don’t [follow the checklist]. Such actions can yield dire results. is not an airline and the cost of their mistakes most likely isn’t human lives. However, they do impact the company’s bottom line, which in the worst case scenario causes people to be let go. TheCompany Altogether, in there are 3 checklists — 1) Pre-production, 2) During-production and 3) Post-production TheCompany Pre-production checklist: Schedule the push to production in the teams calendar ull equest has been reviewed and approved P R Affected teams test and approve the changes Assigned tester ensures all test cases pass and meet the requirements Ticket has no conflicts with testing or production environment Run smoke/regression tests on desktop and mobile During-production checklist: No current incident in the release pipeline (failing build) No current ticket is being prodded at the same time Announce in Slack that prodding has begun Press the red button to push to production Post-production checklist: Check deploy script logs to see if prodding was successful Run smoke/regression tests on desktop and mobile Monitor all logs and graphs for 1h Notify affected teams If there are no issues, announce in Slack that deployment was successful There’s clearly a lot of things that could go wrong and to put the blame on a specific reason is to not see the whole picture. So let’s unpack some of the aforementioned points, it went wrong Why it could’ve been prevented How did in the aftermath. What TheCompany The Recipe For Disaster Here’s the problem occurred and led to the loss of a multitude of logs. why ull equest contained a to a line of code that might be considered a hack which also had a vague description P R minor change In the same 1/3 of the program flows weren't tested by because he assumed it was the same as the other flows PR Bob Code reviewer didn’t notice the hack line change Test case to check for the soon-to-be-broken-logs was not added by Bob (Note: There is a shortage of Q uality A ssurance people in the company) Tester which was also the Code Reviewer did not notice log requests not being sent (Note: If there is no QA , Code reviewer becomes the Tester) After pushing to production and during monitoring, the missing logs weren’t noticed because the drop in the graph was too small in comparison to other logs No daily monitoring of logs and graphs exists. Hence, no one noticed the issue Next PRs that went into production either didn’t follow the checklists and/or didn’t notice the drop in the graphs i.e. same as step 6. How the loss could’ve been prevented 7-day-timeframe log check should be enforced Developers usually only check last 1 to 4 hours of logs during the release. This means that if any previous production release that is older than 4 hours had an anomaly in the logs, it would again go unnoticed. This loop theoretically can go on forever. In fact, has already caught multiple bugs exactly from doing a 7-day-timeframe log check. So far, nobody — neither the management, nor the developers — has considered a 7-day-timeframe a necessity. Bob Time is also not an issue here because a developer can quickly switch the logs to show 7 days, 1 day, 1 hour periods. Daily monitoring Currently there is no proper daily monitoring of the logs. They are done in scope of the checklists but that’s about it. A solution could be to implement a mandatory check of logs at the end of the day. When I was working in Evolution Gaming in Latvia, my team had rotating roles where a person would check errors logs, notify the team about pending Pull Request reviews, conduct the daily standup and more. There were daily roles and roles assigned to a person for the whole sprint Sentry (2 weeks). To ensure all of this is followed properly and without boredom, we also added a gaming mechanism to these processes e.g. points for each pull request review. We can all talk about how reviews should be done but the reality is, people often either forget, are overwhelmed with other tasks, simply don’t want to do a code review or a myriad of other reasons. Incentives are a good way to manage some of these friction points. Same approach could be adapted by regarding monitoring. Unless you’re a startup that just raised $100M in Series A, you definitely have time to invest in these worthwhile activities that benefit everybody in the long run. TheCompany 2 Approvers or More Every team that I have been a part of that had an code review process had a minimum of 2 approvals per PR. This has proven so beneficial that I even try to enforce this approach during my freelancing contracts. effective Main reason why one approver is often not enough is the same as why you need at least 2 pilots to fly a plane. If one forgets to flip a switch on the panel, the other pilot is there to fix the mistake. Better tests Regardless whether its unit or integration tests. They are your safety net. The hack part of code was not covered by integration tests. In fact, has no integration tests for team and the fight to introduce them is surprisingly tough. Not because of technical difficulties, but because of lack of coherence, motivation and ignorance. TheCompany Bobs (maybe) Subjectively, the #1 reason most developers don’t do tests is because . “why bother if it already works and I can hack something together so much faster without the friction of having to think about tests” The #2 reason is short deadlines. If we talk about unit tests, it’s sometimes hard for people to see the benefits of them because it’s difficult to quantify how many bugs they actually prevent. Thing is, unit tests prevent bugs during development. Most likely your project will have tests running before pushing to production. Thus, even if 1 test fails, the merge is aborted. This gives you a chance to fix the issue and push again. Even better, have tests run in watch mode. I’ve seen developers program without tests running in the background only to find themselves spending way too much time trying to backtrack in their changes. Even in watch mode, you can be caught up in the work and go too far. This can be prevented by adapting a refactoring approach. In he suggests to refactor meticulously while staying in the green i.e. if a test fails, revert your last change and implement it in a way that doesn’t break the tests. The approach he takes is “only change 1 line at a time”. Surely, depending on how trivial the case, you might tweak this approach. Martin Fowlers book about Refactoring Then there’s TDD. . This approach is even more protested by developers even though it’s proven to benefit in the long run. Which is what you want to think about if you don’t plan to go out of business anytime soon. Some studies have shown that TDD saves your project from 40% to 90% of bugs High testing standards also give a competitive edge against other companies. Implement Integration Tests Of course, some flows of the code might be harder to cover with unit tests or even seem like you’re doing an integration/unit test hybrid . It’s a tricky question. In such a case I like to remember the advice of Sandy Metz: From Sandy Metz talk at Rails Conf 2013  — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URSWYvyc42M I would probably consider covering the hack with a unit test that acts as an integration test. Make it as minimal as possible. Cover it with extensive documentation and create a ticket to remove the tests as soon as proper integration tests are introduced. Also, I'm not an expert on integration tests, but in this case they would’ve prevented the loss of the data logs. Extreme Ownership Last point that I wanted to mention is about the lessons from . I strongly believe that the failure of understanding the importance of following the checklists is partially on the supervisors of the teams — either technical leads or project managers — and the developers themselves. Jocko Willinks book “Extreme Ownership” The fact that developers and QAs don’t strictly follow the checklists means that there isn’t a crystal clear understanding of their importance and what problems might occur in case of missing even a single step. Of course, this might also be because the supervisors don’t know about some parts of the processes. In that case, it’s the job of developers and QAs to “report up the chain of command”. What Happened In The Aftermath 7 days after the PR was pushed to the production environment, a tally mechanism for comparing server and client logs went into development. It would notify of any discrepancies between server and client logs. team started a process of introducing weekly monitoring of logs. However, there hasn’t been any follow up on this from the supervisors. Bobs Fortunately, talks have been started to address future issues like these. There’s a ton of actions that can be taken to improve processes in a company. Activities that would prevent from failures both outside or inside the code. However, one things for sure, unfortunately — we, humans, need a disaster to convince us of the importance of preparation.

We Crashed and Lost All Essential Data Logs. Where Did We Go Wrong?

I am guilty of a ton of tutorials but never opening them again. I am one of those who prefer a pdf version or a book over a mountain of web pages as bookmarks or tabs stored in OneTab. bookmarking I was refreshing my Operating Systems concepts recently from my favorite site https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/operating-systems/. Though I loved learning OS, what I didn't like was having to open weblinks one after other according to the topic. I wanted to have all the content of the pages as a single file for my perusal. Following that was my attempt at automating the process of ‘extracting text from websites’ aka web scraping. The use cases for web scraping are limitless. Like checking for flight fares, monitoring the stock prices, product prices comparison and even collecting data for your next analytics project …What better way than using to do it? Python The web page we are extracting As you could view from the above picture, the web page contains many topics and the associated embedded links. My requirement was to extract those links and further parse it to obtain the data from them. Essentials: Have Python installed in your system. I have (a Python distribution) setup in my PC which automatically installs Python. It also takes care of the environment variables configuration. Anaconda 2. Install BeautifulSoup4, a Python library for pulling data out of HTML and XML files. Download the library from . Run . Modify according to the name of the package you downloaded. https://anaconda.org/anaconda/beautifulsoup4 conda install beautifulsoap4-4.6.7-py37_0.tar.bz2 3. Understand the basics of HTML and how tags work from here. Implementation: We first need to download the web page in order to scrape it. We use the requests module for that purpose. Import all the modules requires in the script. from bs4 import BeautifulSoupimport requestsimport os 2. Specify the web page to be extracted in page_link variable. The requests module send a GET request to the web server to extract our web page page_link =' page_response = requests.get(page_link, timeout=7) https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/operating-systems/' 3. Now we finally use our BeautifulSoup library to parse the above response. page_content = BeautifulSoup(page_response.content, "html.parser") 4. Inspect the web page and find the class name (id name or tag name could be used too) of the contents you need to pull out. To do so, right-click on your element and select Inspect. Using Inspect 5. I found out the class names which I required. Now use the find method to particularly extract these classes from the nested data structure created in the above step. It is good practice to use try-except blocks as the errors can be caught so that they don't stop the subsequent execution of the program. 6. Since I required the links embedded within these classes, I wrote a function to get the links alone and save them in . The ‘ ’ tags contain the attribute I seek. Using to search for ‘ ’ tags and using to obtain . output_links.txt a href find_all a get href 7. This step is to call the function we defined above for all the classes we extracted. A look at the output_links.txt file which contains all the links we extracted The extracted links 8. Now we actually need to get the content from each of the links and store them in a file. Code to extract the content is, Again it depends on the structure of the HTML page you are parsing. In the page I am scraping from, all the content is present within the article tag. I call this function when the links are getting extracted in get_links_topic() function itself. To improve readability, I also removed some of the unnecessary content using function. Also, I removed the ad lines and unnecessary new lines in the output. The final output is now stored in OS_Tutorials.txt decompose The full code is: The OS_Tutorials.txt (around 159KB in size now) looks like this: A few points before you proceed to parse your favorite web content: Avoid using the extracted info for commercial purposes. I’m not sharing the extracted file in lieu of this. It is not cool to break the site you love by extracting aggressively. 3. And the layout of the site may change over time. You may need to modify your code accordingly. Just kidding References: https://beautiful-soup-4.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ https://hackernoon.com/web-scraping-bf2d814cc572 Note: Please comment if there are any alternatives to this method and if there could be any code optimizations. Also comment if you have extracted any site with this method :)

Tired of bookmarking pages? Scrap it instead …

Sometimes this is what being in the trenches of a start up feels like. If you are really serious about building a company, you have to be willing to starve for it. The old saying, “Get rich or die trying!” is no joke. You must have that mentality if you want to take your company to a successful exit. Sometimes, even that is not enough. Most people who know me understand that I have been in the game for a long time. I am no one special, but I have learned a thing or two while in the trenches helping build a successful startup. There is nothing glamorous about it. It takes a lot of hours, hard work and dedication. All of this comes at a cost. Kobe Bryant entered the NBA directly from high school and won five with the Lakers. Bryant is an 18-time , 15-time member of the , and 12-time member of the . NBA championships All-Star All-NBA Team All-Defensive team The Elite Pro Mindset Please do not let this go to your head, but you have to think of yourself as an elite pro athlete. The mental and physical toughness required to compete at the top level is the same mindset you need to approach your startup. Think of Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan or a cage fighter’s mentality. You have to want to win and be the best. Dominating your competition should be your goal. You also have to remember you have a long career. This means you need to know how to take care of yourself. It all starts with eating and sleeping right and putting in the work to be the best. Cutting corners on any of this will lead to injuries or failure. There is so much wisdom in this quote. Some say the Dali Lama didn’t actually write this. Even if that is the case, there is still a lot you can learn from it. Lost in Startup I see so many entrepreneurs lost in their startup. They forget about their life outside it. The pressure for results and stress of building a new business is tough. They think taking a moment of focus away from their business will somehow limit their future success. This type of “target focused” mentality is good, but you need to remind yourself and your teams to balance. You can still work hard, but allow yourself to decompress. I understand all of this, because I went through it and felt all of these same emotions. For the record, I hate the word balance. It seems like the typical buzz word you hear in an article like this. Real balance comes when you can live a normal life and still put 110% into your startup. I share meals with my wife and even do the dishes these days. I feed my four legged daughter and make sure I walk her everyday. I keep in touch with family and friends regularly. I even force myself to travel more and find myself more productive when I do. I had to learn all of this the hard way. If I had to do it over again, I wish someone would have given me these tips. I probably would not have listened though, just as I expect most of you wont. If you need help with leadership skills or getting your mind right, check out podcast and . Jocko Willink’s books Startup Warfare Tips Writing this list shows me how much I have learned, but even I am not perfect at following my own advice. All you can do is try your best and keep your ship pointed in the right direction. Get addicted to the feeling of being proactive and getting shit done versus feeling guilty for procrastinating. Your overall performance in any business will be optimized if you incorporate some of the following ideas. There is no magic formula to getting your sleep. You know what is right for you. If you are having trouble sleeping, startup stress will do that to you. Trying to work through it by working more is not a solution. You will crash and burn. Sleep is your friend. Take this seriously. Get your sleep! This is open to so much interpretation and personal tastes. The key is don’t eat like shit. Think of yourself as a professional athlete. Pop Tarts, hot pockets, Red Bull and gummy bears are not a meal plan for success. The old saying is true. You are what you eat. If you fuel your body and brain with crap, you will perform like crap. Feed your body well. If you do not love water, learn to love water. Existing on coffee, soft drinks and chocolate milk is toxic for your system. Drinking water will keep your brain, eyes and mouth hydrated. If you drink alcohol, you need water more than ever. Don’t learn the hard way and get a bunch of kidney stones or worse. Rinse and hydrate the system! Drink water! Stay away from high carbs, sugar or caffeine and other junk food. These things will make your energy crash. You know that nap you want to take after that beer and pizza you had for lunch. Learn what foods spike your insulin levels or leave your energy sapped. Processed foods and refined sugars are huge red flags. People always ignore this one. Avoid the Crash! I don’t care if some doctor is telling you that you need it. Sleeping pills, smart pills, Adderall, Ritalin will turn you into a robot. I have seen it many times. Your body and mind are you friend. If you are propped up by prescription drugs and other substances you should reevaluate your life. Be careful what you put in your body. I know that startups are stressful. Some of our company’s best ideas have come from lunch drinking sessions. Moderation is the key. Alcohol pickles your brain and demotivates you. It also dehydrates you. Know where and when to drink. If you are at a company party or meeting people, getting tipsy or wasted is not a good strategic move. You might end up saying too much or acting like a moron. The less you drink the better. This one can be hard, but stay sober, watch and listen. Be careful drinking alcohol. If you need to be told this, you will probably fail at your start up. I am not judging you, but that crap is garbage. It’s like putting ankle weights on before a marathon. No one respects a whacked out founder even at Burning Man. If this is the well you go to get your creativity, you need to pay attention to the other tips written here. Don’t do drugs! This is one of the most important tips I give people. You need to get away from your business, computers, texts, social media, etc. Turn that shit off. Give your mind a break. As a matter of fact get away from wireless internet fields. The matrix is an awesome place, but you will perform better if you turn off and tune out. Disconnect! I mean like get your ass outside. I know the feeling of being chained to the desk. That last phone call or email is why you can’t walk away. This is when you need to get outside the most. This simple process will disconnect you and shift your brain. Walking, hiking or working out for even 15 minutes a day will pay dividends. The longer the better. Get outside more. My best ideas come when I am out and about away from the computer or devices. I am old school and keep a pad of paper and take notes. Sometimes I will leave myself voice notes. The key is not letting these creative ideas be forgotten. Carry a journal to write things down. It is so easy to get wrapped up in a startup. You have limited money and runway. Every hour counts. This can be a hamster wheel. Part of keeping your balance is having good relationships with friends and family. You will regret if you disappear for years making the excuse, “I am building my company.” It’s all for nothing if you can’t enjoy it with your family and friends. Don’t forget about family and friends. This is one of the most important points. Many of the things I have discussed are part of taking care of yourself. You have to know yourself and know when to push on the gas and when you need a break. Even the most high performance race cars have to take pit stops for gas, tires and maintenance. Don’t forget about yourself. I suggest you do both regularly. The more the better. Expose yourself to new things. This will help you be less target focused. This type of mental shift helps your brain. Our minds thirst to learn. Do not starve it by thinking that spending time on stuff like this is a waste of time. Read or listen to podcasts. Everyone is willing to work out physically, but they neglect the mental work out that meditation gives you. Most people can’t turn everything off and sit for 15 minutes in the silence of their head. Your ability to learn how to turn on and off your mind is a very important skill. There are apps and other tools to help people along this path. Whatever you do, do not ignore the importance of mental workouts. Meditate! People waste too much time on this. No work is actually getting done here. Give yourself your little time to do your thing, but stay focused on the important things. You would be better going outside than tweeting. Whatever you do, stay off social media when drinking. You do not want your drunk tweet to screw up a potential biz dev deal or other relationships. Limit social media. I know this is generic, but it is very important. You need to set your personal goals both mentally, physically and professionally. If you are not moving toward them, you need to adjust your sails and work a little harder. If you are crushing every goal you set, make harder goals. Set goals. If you are a new start up, ignore this. If you have been grinding away for a few years and scared to step away, you need to step away. Everyone needs to recharge. You will come back at it so much harder after you do. Do not think that working more is going to solve every problem. Take Vacations! I know it is easy to think you are hot shit because your startup is taking off and you are making loot. This is when you need to be thankful and humble. Humility will take you a lot further than being that cocky asshole founder who knows it all. Be humble. Learn to be humble before life teaches it to you the hard way. Conclusion There is no way to sugarcoat it. Startups are brutal, funded or not, and will test you both mentally and physically. Your ability to make the best decisions and to continue to be creative and productive in a high stress environment is critical to your success. To put it bluntly, if you suck at your job, no more startup. This is why many people choose to stay at that comfortable job with a steady paycheck and paid vacations. I have seen many startups fail with great ideas. I have also witnessed people I consider geniuses meltdown under the pressure and duress of trying to make a business work. Your ability to stay focused and NOT quit when the going gets tough is the difference between your success and failure. Not everyone gets lucky in this game. You just have to keep fighting and be willing to adapt and overcome any obstacle. I hope these tips help you stay humble and balanced on your journey. Find me on twitter @piratebeachbum or Hackernoon/@piratebeachbum @ftw_tour ftwtour.com

How to Master the Mental Warfare of a Startup

“Thankfully perseverance is a good substitute for talent.” — Steve Martin “If you get one idea out of a $20 book that changes your life then it’s a bargain,” — Seth Godin On my 39th birthday I reserved two hours for myself and did something I had always wanted to do, I sat down and made a . However, after publishing it I realized that I had left out the most important lesson of all ( ): list of the lessons I had learned over the years and the tipping point as to why this year I finally took the time to do it, as opposed to just talking about doing it Instead of asking people what they are watching, ask them what they are reading. Over the past year this simple switch has moved me from someone who read, to a “reader.” And in the process has brought my long-term goals into short-term reach, improved my existing relationships and helped to build a few new ones ( ). this question not only helps to leave a good first impression, but it can help make a great second impression once you run into that person again and talk about the book they mentioned. After all — there is no higher compliment than listening to someone This past weekend I spent a few hours going through the books and accompaning notes that I have been recommended over the last year and below are the quotes that stood out. 52 Lessons from 52 Books as a result of asking 52 people the same question: 1. “If you are going to eat shit, don´t nibble.” The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz Reminder: Positive impacts are created by how well you deal with the negative aspects. Push through. 2. “ ” Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön Reminder: The more uncomfortable you are today, the more comfortable you will be tomorrow. 3. “Pickles made me happy.” Delivering Happiness / Tony Hsieh Reminder: Focus on the little things everyday that make you smile……and eat more pickles. 4. “I have come to believe that one of the most important things, is to see people. The person who opens the door for you. The person that pours your coffee. Acknowledge them. Show them respect. The traditional greeting of the Zulu people of South Africa is `Sawu Bona.´ It means, `I See You.´ I try and do that.” (conversation with Bill Clinton) If I Could Tell You Just One Thing / Richard Reed Reminder: Be nice to people and people will be nice to you. 5. “The only currency that matters in this world is what you share with someone else when you are uncool.” (line from the film Almost Famous) Daring Greatly / Brene Brown Reminder: Be vulnerable. 6. “The single easiest way to find out how you feel about someone. Say goodbye.” Shoe Dog / Phil Knight Reminder: Tell people what they mean to you every chance you get. 7. “ “ It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting. Reminder: Nothing ever big happened by dreaming small. “What’s the world’s greatest lie?” the boy asked, completely surprised. It’s this: That at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what’s happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate. That is the world’s greatest lie.” Reminder: We create and control our future. The Alchemist / Paulo Coehlo (both are just too good) 8. “The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.” The Wisdom of Joseph Campbell / Michael Toms Reminder: Be true to yourself. 9. “Most successful people are people you’ve never heard of. They want it that way. It keeps them sober. It helps them do their jobs.” Ego Is the Enemy / Ryan Holiday Reminder: Knowing your WHY is the easier part. Living your WHY demands self-control, self-assessment and self-awareness every single day. 10. “It is not what you preach, but what you tolerate.” Extreme Ownership / Jocko Willinks Reminder: Reputations are built on what you do, not what you promise. 11. “We can either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.” The Mindful Athlete by George Mumford Reminder: Positivity is a choice. 12. “Thankfully perserverance is a good substitute for talent.” The Age of Uncertainty by Dennis Merritt Jones (quote by Steve Martin) Reminder: You have this one advantage over everyone. 13. “Typically, people who exercise, start eating better and becoming more productive at work. They smoke less and show more patience with colleagues and family. They use their credit cards less frequently and say they feel less stressed. Exercise is a keystone habit that triggers widespread change.” The Power of Habit by Charles Dunhill Reminder: Write exercise at the top of your daily to-do list. Write it twice when times get tough. 14. “Victory favors the team making the fewest mistakes.” The Power of Negative Thinking by Bob Knight Reminder: Professionals do it until they cannot do it wrong. 15. “Don´t play everything. Let some things go by. What you don´t play can be more important than what you do.” (taken from Steve Lacy who played with Thelonious Monk) Eleven Rings by Phil Jackson Reminder: What we say “no” to ultimately determines how well we do the things we say “yes” to. 16. “You don’t get to pick your family, but you can pick your teachers and you can pick your friends and you can pick the music you listen to and you can pick the books you read and you can pick the movies you see. You are, in fact, a mashup of what you choose to let into your life. You are the sum of your influences. The German writer Goethe said, “We are shaped and fashioned by what we love.” Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon Reminder: Our decisions today determine our future tomorrow. 17. “Growth comes at the point of resistance. We learn by pushing ourselves and finding what really lies at the outer reaches of our abilities.” The Art of Learning / Josh Waitzkin Reminder: You can always run for five more minutes. 18. “Self assessment is more important than self awareness.” Eyes Wide Open / Isaac Lidsky Reminder: Be brutally honest with yourself. 19. “I know of no case study in history that describes an organization that has been managed out of a crisis. Every single one of them was led.” - Leaders Eat Last / Simon Sinek Reminder: People. People. People. 20. “Being honest about the existence of a small blemish can enhance your offerings true beauty.” To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink Reminder: Honestly first, second and third. 21. “ ” Don’t aim at success, the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl Reminder: Don´t worry about making something great, worry about getting great at the making. 22. “You never know where somebody’s going to end up. It’s not just about building your reputation; it really is about being there for other people.” Give and Take / Adam Grant Reminder: The person serving you coffee today could be your boss tomorrow. 23. “ ” There are always more of them before they are counted. Memoirs and Selected Letters / Ulysses S. Grant Reminder: Problems are always bigger in our heads. 24. “No one owes you a great career. You need to earn it — and the process won’t be easy.” So Good They Cannot Ignore You / Cal Newport Reminder: Having a career you love is a privilege, not a right. 25. “Never underestimate the vital importance of finding early in life the work that for you is play. This turns possible underachievers into happy warriors.” The Element by Sir Ken Robinson Reminder: Never stop trying new things and meeting new people. The dots will eventually connect. 26. “We don’t tell ourselves, `I’m never going to write my symphony.´ Instead we say, `I am going to write my symphony; I’m just going to start tomorrow.´” - The War of Art / Steven Pressfield Reminder: Read this everyday. What are you reading? Please let me know in the comment section below and if you have enjoyed what you have read so far please follow me on Medium to ensure you recieve a notification for Part 2 — Due out this Thursday. And please give it a ❤ or 👏 so other people will see it here on Medium. One Last Thing: If you enjoyed this post — head on over to and sign-up to receive all new posts and 2 free welcome gifts: “ — and “ ” — . www.mikethompsonblog.com 31 Ideas To Spark Creativity in Your Writing” my cheat sheet as a new writer for coming up with things to write about 225 Quotes To Inspire Your Writing #6 from said cheat sheet

52 Life Lessons I Learned By Asking 52 People The Same Question (Part 1 of 2)

Introduction Remember when Femtech was a brand-new term nobody knew? It feels like we have been using this word forever, but it has been around for less than a decade! Yet the history of products, technologies, and services addressing health issues specific or prevalent to women started long ago, ages before this umbrella term was first used in 2016 to address this rapidly evolving market. Since then, this industry has had major plot twists, from Maven Clinic becoming the first unicorn in 2021 to venture capital infusions shaking up the game; the sector is sizzling hot! Femtech And let us give a thumbs-up to the growing acceptance and issues. It is no longer a niche but a booming market, with its size estimated at over $55 billion in 2022 and . de-stigmatization of women’s health expected to surpass $100 billion by 2030 Why is it important to me? I am a digital tech specialist coming from the Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning field with a rich background in building and successfully deploying voice recognition, AI cameras, and virtual assistant products catering to millions. Lately, I have shifted my focus, stepping into the intriguing world of Femtech and healthcare drawn by the promise of AI to simplify and enhance healthcare solutions, changing stagnant approaches to women’s healthcare through daring initiatives. With this article providing a thoughtful inquiry into how advanced technologies like LLMs shape modern healthcare and Femtech, I invite you to join me on this exciting journey. Together, we will take a look at how boosts the Femtech market and sift through the new directions and strategies reshaping this burgeoning sector. Our aim will be not only to learn about the tendencies of the industry but also to identify key patterns that could offer thrilling opportunities. And so, if you are curious like me about how novel technologies improve healthcare experiences for women and what strategic footholds exist in the Femtech market, let us dive in and explore. AI/ML Current trends and thrilling developments in Femtech In the last few years, the Femtech sector has been undergoing a transformative shift. Gone are the days when Femtech products predominantly focused on menstrual cycle tracking and fertility planning. Today, the industry is blossoming with more specialized solutions, from advanced home-testing kits to cutting-edge wearables. Technological advances have attracted a range of strong players in a multitude of niche markets, each aiming to revolutionize different aspects of women’s health. 1. From Basic Tracking to Comprehensive Health Solutions Take Sonio, a Paris-based Femtech firm. They recently received FDA clearance for their AI product, Sonio Detect, which aims to redefine prenatal ultrasounds. What sets Sonio apart is its manufacturer-independent tool that simplifies the screening process while raising its efficiency and accuracy, offering an easy-to-use yet powerful solution. San Francisco startup Mira is pioneering another monumental shift in Femtech by embedding lab technology into a handheld fertility monitor. With a user base exceeding 76,000, Mira’s advanced fluorescent detector goes beyond traditional ovulation kits. The technology allows for daily health checks and has accumulated an impressive amount of data — over 8.5 million hormone data points and analysis of more than 670,000 menstrual cycles. With AI-driven insights into hormone fluctuations, Mira is offering more personalized and accurate predictions than ever before, quite literally putting a mini hormone lab in the palms of its users. Recently, The Inc. placed Mira at number 437 on its 2023 list of fastest-growing private companies in the US, ranking it the highest among Femtech companies. More complex products that require significant medical research are also quickly gaining momentum. Teal Health exemplifies this with its recent $8.8 million seed funding round, backed by prominent investors like Emerson Collective and Serena Ventures. The funds aim to build a comprehensive platform, starting with the crucial issue of cervical cancer. women’s telemedicine 2. The Rise of Wearable Innovations Wearable technology is another frontier where Femtech is making significant strides. One famous example is Bloomlife, a clinically validated diagnostic device for pregnant women that allows future mothers to track contractions, giving them a better awareness of their progress. Movano Health has captured attention with its Evie Ring — a wearable gadget currently under examination by the FDA. Upon receiving FDA clearance, the Evie Ring will have the potential to set new standards in women’s health monitoring, offering an integrated, round-the-clock health monitoring and tracking solution right at the user’s fingertips. Ava, a fertility and pregnancy tracking bracelet with an accuracy rate of over 90%, has already been cleared by the FDA. Established in 2014, well before we even started using the term ‘Femtech,’ Ava is a prime example of a successful Femtech startup. Having attracted over $42 million in funding, the company reported to have helped over 70 thousand women in 36 countries to get pregnant by 2020. 3. The Expansion to Different Age Groups One of the noteworthy trends in Femtech recently is the surge in startups focusing on menopause. According to Female Insights, over 30% of companies in this sector were founded in the last three years alone. This uptick is accompanied by increasing diversity in the types of solutions being offered to tackle menopausal symptoms — from mobile apps that track hormones and symptoms and platforms facilitating user interaction and community building to consumer goods and therapeutic medications. According to Pubmed, by 2030, up to 1.2 billion women will be in or approaching menopause globally, with 47 million new women joining every year. By 2025, it is estimated that over 1 billion people worldwide—about 12% of the population—will be going through menopause. Financially, the menopause product market was valued at $15 billion in 2020 and is projected to skyrocket to $23 billion by 2028. These figures illustrate a maturing market with significant financial potential, underscoring why it has become a magnet for innovation and investment. An Irish startup, IdentifyHer, offers menopausal women sensor solutions. Controlled through a smartphone app, the sensor passively gathers information on menopause symptoms without interfering with the wearer's daily activities. The app also makes use of the data gathered to track progress and assess the effectiveness of lifestyle changes. The collected data is presented in periodic reports and can be used by medical professionals to diagnose and treat menopausal symptoms. AI-driven Midday is another customized menopause product developed by US-based startup Lisa Health that offers comprehensive management of the menopause journey. Midday’s solution, including a wearable device, an AI-based symptom tracking system, and a decision support tool for hormone therapy, uses advanced tracking to determine the menopause stage and anticipate symptoms. The app is used by doctors to manage the entire menopause process and provide decision support, while users are provided with a variety of therapeutic options and informational resources to give them personalized insights and get them ready for every stage of menopause. 4. Going Beyond Just Health Although Femtech is considered, first of all, a rising star in the Medtech industry, the possibilities of women-oriented digital technology products are not limited to healthcare alone. Recently, the term started to see new applications, one of which is Women’s Safety. Indian startup Shakti Wearables manufactures Shakti, a women’s defensive wearable device that increases women's safety in dangerous situations. When the wearer activates the button on the device, a small, non-lethal current is released, electrifying an attacker, while the internal insulation of the bangle keeps the wearer safe; this gives women a chance to flee their attackers and call for assistance. Additionally, Shakti sends the wearer's most important three contacts a WhatsApp message with their most recent live location. Another interesting personal safety app is being developed by Australian startup Safely, offering women peer-to-peer support in tense or frightening circumstances. With their contacts, users of the app can create private groups or circles for internal communication and location sharing. In case of emergency, users can also switch on the high-alert mode and notify each of their designated guardians. The app then uses live monitoring, records live video and audio, sends GPS updates, and saves all of this data to the cloud for later use as evidence. Additionally, users receive safety alerts from locations of interest to help them plan their commute or travel safely. Expanding healthcare’s reach with new technologies The world of healthcare is rapidly evolving, especially when it comes to Femtech. This dynamic transformation is powered by modern innovative technologies that are reshaping how women engage with healthcare and how healthcare providers offer services tailored to them. 1. The Personalization Revolution Fueled by LLMs One of the most disruptive advancements in this domain is the rise of Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and GPT-4. Far from being a mere tech fad, LLMs are revolutionizing healthcare, with Femtech embracing this new technology. LLMs have the potential to serve as virtual nursing assistants, supporting busy doctors in responding to patients' basic queries about medications or health conditions. As you will see from the examples below, LLMs are proving to be instrumental in facilitating the creation of highly promising Femtech products, from personalized consulting products to innovative community engagement tools. One of the most intriguing examples of the implementation of this technology in Femtech is Soula, a Cyprus-based startup that provides women with support during pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood with its "AI-powered" assistant. Powered by Med-PaLM, an LLM developed by Google to generate answers to medical questions, the app is expected to be able to respond to inquiries about pregnancies and maternity issues and provide information on a range of health-related concerns. It will also be able to answer questions about diet, sleep, physical activity, and emotional self-care, as well as track fetal movement and kick frequency. Mexican startup Kuna utilizes an LLM-powered chatbot to give women a secure way to access information and advice on parenting and sexual health. The startup's , Kuna Chat, offers details on sex, reproduction, pregnancy, and parenthood. The startup also provides online consultations with experts for more complex or difficult questions. In this way, Kuna encourages sex education for the uneducated while offering trustworthy, practical, and concrete answers to users' queries. AI-powered chatbot 2. Cost-Effective Health Management An extraordinarily important aspect of building successful medical products is to make services affordable to the customer, reaching broader but less solvent user segments and geographies. In this vein, Femtech offers not only personalized but also cost-effective healthcare solutions. Apps often provide free basic versions, with premium services available through subscription fees. Quite obviously, the use of LLMs trained on medical data sets and specialized in specific product cases can provide a boost to the more affordable cost of the products themselves. For example, the Ava fertility bracelet mentioned in the previous section of this article costs around $249 in the U.S., and the accompanying app is free with the bracelet purchase. When considering that the average cost of infertility treatment in the U.S. is around $11,000—often not covered by basic healthcare plans—Femtech presents a more affordable starting point for many women. 3. Breaking Barriers in Remote and Rural Areas Digital technology in Femtech is also crucial for improving healthcare access in remote and rural areas, especially in low- or middle-income countries in Africa and Asia — two regions with the highest female populations. Femtech provides innovative solutions such as virtual prenatal visits and remote monitoring, to manage their health more cost-effectively, regardless of their location. empowering women One successful example of such a product is M♡THer – a virtual care product facilitating the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus by measuring blood glucose levels, blood pressure, weight, and more. GDM affects up to 20% of pregnant women, leading to various birth complications, and M♡THer, developed by the Australia E-Health Research Centre, has already benefited thousands of women in remote areas of the region. 4. A Multifaceted Approach to Chronic Diseases Femtech is not solely about reproductive health; it also targets female-specific chronic diseases through a mix of prevention, societal change, and technology. Mobile apps and wearable devices make it easier to manage and monitor conditions over time, a vital component of tackling chronic diseases that affect women disproportionately. To name an example of a health issue specific to women, it is estimated that 1 in 10 women have endometriosis – the growth of endometrial tissue outside of the uterus that can cause significant problems from pelvic pain to infertility. DotLab, a US-based medical diagnostics company, pioneers medical tests in this area, applying machine learning mechanisms to diagnose and assess this currently incurable disease. On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, Kheiron Medical Technologies, a UK Medtech startup, combines data science and radiology to help with the diagnosis of breast cancer, another terrible disease affecting predominantly women. According to published clinical trial results, the company’s breakthrough technology achieves previously unseen heights in malignancy detection in breast cancer screening. Applied Conclusions Recent years have shown rapid exponential growth in the number of Femtech companies and products, both through the use of innovative technologies and through the discovery of more and more new applications and solutions. With the Femtech market estimated to reach an imposing $100 billion globally by 2030, it is one of the areas of the modern technology economy that is expected to provide maximum lucrative opportunities for new bright ideas and prosperous businesses in the coming years. While deciding whether to follow this attractive route, aspiring Femtech entrepreneurs should consider the following market characteristics. While there are highly competitive niches in the Femtech market, specifically well-established fields like menstrual cycle and pregnancy tracking, there are also areas that are more attractive for entry. Examples of such areas include app-controlled wearables and menopause management. The largest share of the global women’s health market surprisingly pertains to chronic women’s health conditions (forecast to reach $218 billion by 2027), and only 1 percent of existing Femtech companies address this area. Did you hear that? That is an opportunity knocking. AI and specifically Large Language Models can be a powerful boost for Femtech products as (a) with proper customization, LLMs assist in scaling the product or service itself and strengthen the core part of the product, and (b) they provide magnificent tools for community development, and the community is said to be the most important part of a product! Organic communities built around products are both a way of monetization and a tool that increases retention, helping build durable community-led growth. Taking into account the fact that the Femtech market is rapidly developing with a simultaneous increase in competition, and given the general market conditions (in particular, subscription applications revenues are currently declining; even if positive dynamics have remained in the Medtech segment, it has become more difficult to attract and retain users), companies need to be cost-efficient and provide a highly personalized, secure service to survive and rise above the competitors. A relevant and extremely effective tool employed by more and more technology startups for achieving these goals, again, is AI technologies. Whether it's addressing questions about menstrual health, pregnancy, or chronic conditions, LLMs can fill the information gap quickly and efficiently. Statistically, only 6% of Femtech companies used AI in 2021, mostly in diagnostics and data analytics, and while this share has seen stable growth over the years, there is enough room for new inspired ideas and success stories in this area. All in all, the advent of heralds an exciting era for Femtech entrepreneurs. LLMs have the potential to revolutionize user engagement and content delivery, supporting busy healthcare professionals by handling preliminary patient communication, serving as virtual nursing assistants or health advisors, and simply bringing a personalized touch to technology. With cutting-edge AI technologies charging Femtech products, humanity has the chance to drastically improve the efficiency of the entire healthcare system catering to women. Finally, there is a chance to overcome the millennia-old barriers plaguing this area of medicine, such as high costs, gender bias, stigmatization of women's health-related topics, and a lack of resources. Large Language Models Powered by the latest technological advancements, Femtech waits for its next hero — and it may be you!

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