News & Events | SmartTechNXT https://smarttechnxt.pro/category/news-events/ Wed, 29 Jul 2026 10:27:24 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.3 https://smarttechnxt.pro/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/cropped-image003-32x32.png News & Events | SmartTechNXT https://smarttechnxt.pro/category/news-events/ 32 32 SmartTechNXT Partners with ElectroNeek to Bring Cloud-Based RPA to SMEs https://smarttechnxt.pro/smarttechnxt-partners-with-electroneek/ Tue, 25 Feb 2025 11:21:20 +0000 https://smarttechnxt.pro/?page_id=5445 SmartTechNXT Joins Forces with ElectroNeek to Offer Next-Level Automation for SMEs The demand for cost-effective, scalable automation has never been higher, and SmartTechNXT is answering the call. We’re proud to announce our official partnership with ElectroNeek, a leading RPA provider, to bring cutting-edge cloud-based automation solutions to SMEs across South Africa and beyond. Why This Partnership Matters Traditional automation solutions often require significant infrastructure investment, making them inaccessible for many small and mid-sized businesses. Our partnership with ElectroNeek changes that. With a fully cloud-native approach, businesses can now implement powerful automation tools without the need for expensive servers or IT teams. What This Means for SMEs Cloud-Based Convenience – Deploy, manage, and scale bots from anywhere—no on-prem infrastructure required. Affordable & Flexible – No large upfront costs; simply pay for what you need. Fast & Easy Implementation – No-code/low-code solutions empower businesses to automate quickly with minimal setup. AI-Powered Efficiency – Smart automation that integrates seamlessly with existing tools and workflows. Key Benefits of ElectroNeek’s RPA Solutions 💡 For Small Teams: Reduce manual tasks and focus on strategy. 📈 For Growing Businesses: Automate complex workflows to scale efficiently. 🔄 For All Industries: Tailored automation solutions for Finance, HR, Logistics, Healthcare, and Insurance. The Future of Automation Starts Here At SmartTechNXT, we believe in automation that works for you—affordable, flexible, and designed for SMEs. This partnership with ElectroNeek is just the beginning of our mission to bring intelligent, scalable RPA solutions to businesses of all sizes. 📢 Stay tuned for exclusive webinars, case studies, and a closer look at how this technology can transform your operations! 👉 Get in Touch to see how cloud-based RPA can help your business grow smarter.

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SmartTechNXT Joins Forces with ElectroNeek to Offer Next-Level Automation for SMEs

The demand for cost-effective, scalable automation has never been higher, and SmartTechNXT is answering the call. We’re proud to announce our official partnership with ElectroNeek, a leading RPA provider, to bring cutting-edge cloud-based automation solutions to SMEs across South Africa and beyond.

Why This Partnership Matters

Traditional automation solutions often require significant infrastructure investment, making them inaccessible for many small and mid-sized businesses. Our partnership with ElectroNeek changes that. With a fully cloud-native approach, businesses can now implement powerful automation tools without the need for expensive servers or IT teams.

What This Means for SMEs

  • Cloud-Based Convenience – Deploy, manage, and scale bots from anywhere—no on-prem infrastructure required.
  • Affordable & Flexible – No large upfront costs; simply pay for what you need.
  • Fast & Easy Implementation – No-code/low-code solutions empower businesses to automate quickly with minimal setup.
  • AI-Powered Efficiency – Smart automation that integrates seamlessly with existing tools and workflows.

Key Benefits of ElectroNeek’s RPA Solutions

  • 💡 For Small Teams: Reduce manual tasks and focus on strategy.
  • 📈 For Growing Businesses: Automate complex workflows to scale efficiently.
  • 🔄 For All Industries: Tailored automation solutions for Finance, HR, Logistics, Healthcare, and Insurance.

The Future of Automation Starts Here

At SmartTechNXT, we believe in automation that works for you—affordable, flexible, and designed for SMEs. This partnership with ElectroNeek is just the beginning of our mission to bring intelligent, scalable RPA solutions to businesses of all sizes.

📢 Stay tuned for exclusive webinars, case studies, and a closer look at how this technology can transform your operations!

👉 Get in Touch to see how cloud-based RPA can help your business grow smarter.

The post SmartTechNXT Partners with ElectroNeek to Bring Cloud-Based RPA to SMEs appeared first on SmartTechNXT.

]]> Driving Innovation with Automation: Aldred Dreyer’s Journey with SmartTechNXT https://smarttechnxt.pro/driving-innovation-with-automation-aldred-dreyers-smarttechnxt-journey/ Fri, 25 Oct 2024 09:58:39 +0000 https://smarttechnxt.pro/?page_id=5089 Driving Innovation with Automation: Aldred Dreyer’s Journey with SmartTechNXT For the past two years, Aldred Dreyer has been an integral part of SmartTechNXT, leading the company’s business development efforts in Southern Africa with a focus on robotic process automation (RPA) and digital transformation. With over two decades of experience in media, broadcasting, and business process automation, Aldred continues to drive innovation that elevates industry standards and delivers meaningful change for SmartTechNXT clients. The ‘Why’? Reflecting on his career, Aldred frequently recalls how his early fascination with media and broadcasting sparked his interest in digital technology. Aldred’s roles as the Executive Director for the Digital Migration PMO at the Department of Communications and CTO at the Namibian Broadcast Corporation (nbc) stand as proof of his dedication to digital transformation. In these positions, he spearheaded initiatives that shifted organisations into the digital space. “It was more than just project management,” Aldred explains. “It was about setting new standards that could redefine our new, digital, work environments.” The global shift towards the fourth industrial revolution sparked his interest in blockchain technology, AI and robotic process automation. The ‘How’? Since joining SmartTechNXT, Aldred has applied his wealth of experience to expanding the company’s offerings in robotic process automation (RPA). He views RPA as more than just a tool—he sees it as a gateway to smarterwork solutions that empower people  and streamline operations. “By reducing mundane tasks, we create space for teams to focus on what matters—innovation and growth,” Aldred shares. The ‘Where’ Aldred remains optimistic about the future of automation and its potential to revolutionise business operations. At SmartTechNXT, his focus is on building partnerships and pushing the boundaries of automation to help clients achieve their productivity goals. “Automation is the future, and every organisation deserves access to tools that support their journey toward efficiency and progress,” he says. Reflecting on his alignment with SmartTechNXT, Aldred states, “I’m excited to be part of the SmartTechNXT team and use my background, experience, and skills to make a significant impact in the 4IR space.” The X Factor As Global CEO Dr. Laureen van Aswegen notes, “Aldred’s role is a key step in SmartTechNXT’s journey toward advancing automation solutions for organisations across sectors.” With Aldred’s continued leadership, SmartTechNXT looks forward to achieving new milestones and creating lasting impacts for clients and their teams. Ready to Explore Automation? If you’re ready to optimise your business operations and unlock new levels of efficiency, we encourage you to book a consultation with Aldred Dreyer. Click HERE to complete a short form, where you can share more about your industry and business needs. This will allow us to tailor the consultation to best address your pain points and provide a personalised demo.

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Driving Innovation with Automation: Aldred Dreyer’s Journey with SmartTechNXT

For the past two years, Aldred Dreyer has been an integral part of SmartTechNXT, leading the company’s business development efforts in Southern Africa with a focus on robotic process automation (RPA) and digital transformation. With over two decades of experience in media, broadcasting, and business process automation, Aldred continues to drive innovation that elevates industry standards and delivers meaningful change for SmartTechNXT clients.

The ‘Why’?

Reflecting on his career, Aldred frequently recalls how his early fascination with media and broadcasting sparked his interest in digital technology. Aldred’s roles as the Executive Director for the Digital Migration PMO at the Department of Communications and CTO at the Namibian Broadcast Corporation (nbc) stand as proof of his dedication to digital transformation. In these positions, he spearheaded initiatives that shifted organisations into the digital space. “It was more than just project management,” Aldred explains. “It was about setting new standards that could redefine our new, digital, work environments.”

The global shift towards the fourth industrial revolution sparked his interest in blockchain technology, AI and robotic process automation.

The ‘How’?

Since joining SmartTechNXT, Aldred has applied his wealth of experience to expanding the company’s offerings in robotic process automation (RPA). He views RPA as more than just a tool—he sees it as a gateway to smarterwork solutions that empower people  and streamline operations. “By reducing mundane tasks, we create space for teams to focus on what matters—innovation and growth,” Aldred shares.

The ‘Where’

Aldred remains optimistic about the future of automation and its potential to revolutionise business operations. At SmartTechNXT, his focus is on building partnerships and pushing the boundaries of automation to help clients achieve their productivity goals. “Automation is the future, and every organisation deserves access to tools that support their journey toward efficiency and progress,” he says. Reflecting on his alignment with SmartTechNXT, Aldred states, “I’m excited to be part of the SmartTechNXT team and use my background, experience, and skills to make a significant impact in the 4IR space.”

The X Factor

As Global CEO Dr. Laureen van Aswegen notes, “Aldred’s role is a key step in SmartTechNXT’s journey toward advancing automation solutions for organisations across sectors.” With Aldred’s continued leadership, SmartTechNXT looks forward to achieving new milestones and creating lasting impacts for clients and their teams.

Ready to Explore Automation?

If you’re ready to optimise your business operations and unlock new levels of efficiency, we encourage you to book a consultation with Aldred Dreyer. Click HERE to complete a short form, where you can share more about your industry and business needs. This will allow us to tailor the consultation to best address your pain points and provide a personalised demo.

The post Driving Innovation with Automation: Aldred Dreyer’s Journey with SmartTechNXT appeared first on SmartTechNXT.

]]> Introducing Langelihle Mtshali: SmartTechNXT’s New RPA Developer https://smarttechnxt.pro/introducing-langelihle-mtshali/ Tue, 22 Oct 2024 12:52:14 +0000 https://smarttechnxt.pro/?page_id=5032 Introducing Langelihle Mtshali: SmartTechNXT’s New RPA Developer SmartTechNXT is pleased to welcome Langelihle Mtshali as the latest addition to their RPA (Robotic Process Automation) development team. With a strong academic background and practical experience in RPA, Langelihle is set to deliver innovative solutions to clients across a range of industries. Rejoining the Team with Renewed Vision Langelihle’s journey with SmartTechNXT began during his Digital Internship, where he gained valuable insights into the company’s operations and the potential career paths available. After spending a few years in the banking sector, Langelihle has rejoined SmartTechNXT, eager to apply his skills to solving complex challenges for clients. “I’m particularly excited about solving problems through coding,” says Langelihle. His passion for coding, nurtured from a young age, is now focused on utilising low-code solutions to streamline processes through RPA. He explains, “My goal is to ensure that we use as little code as possible, while keeping our tools light and user-friendly.” Academic and Professional Expertise Langelihle holds a BSc in Computer Science and Information Technology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. His degree laid the foundation for his problem-solving skills, while his certifications in RPA, GPT AI, Orchestrator, and IDP technologies provided him with practical experience in RPA development. “University taught me that there are multiple ways to solve problems, which has diversified my approach to coding,” he reflects. However, Langelihle acknowledges that real-world applications like RPA often extend beyond academic training. His certifications have equipped him with the practical skills needed to implement and scale RPA solutions effectively, ensuring clients benefit from cutting-edge automation. His experience in the banking sector has further sharpened his ability to serve SmartTechNXT’s clients. With a deep understanding of the specific processes and challenges faced by the finance industry, Langelihle is well-positioned to create tailored RPA solutions that meet client needs. “While my experience in finance is valuable, my process-thinking mindset can be applied across industries to help automate their operations,” he adds. Strategic Approach to RPA Development In his role, Langelihle is responsible for building, testing, and deploying software robots for new client solutions. His approach is systematic and client-focused, ensuring that each bot is adjusted or designed to meet the unique requirements of the client’s operations. He is also committed to providing ongoing support and maintenance, recognising that clients may need to evolve over time. “Clients often change the way they work, and our bots need to evolve with them,” Langelihle explains. This approach ensures that the bots remain effective and also creates opportunities for process optimisation. “By staying closely involved in our clients’ operations, we can suggest ways to optimise their processes using RPA,” he adds. Clear Goals for the Future Langelihle has set clear objectives for his role at SmartTechNXT. In the short term, he aims to master all client requirements and quickly become proficient with existing bots. He is also keen to work with the engineering team to develop new bots from scratch, creating highly customised automation tools to meet the specific needs of each client. “I plan to contribute to the growth of the SmartTechNXT engineering team by providing hands-on support and tailoring our bot applications to each client’s unique requirements,” he says. His dedication to continuous learning and process improvement aligns perfectly with SmartTechNXT’s mission to deliver smarter, more efficient automation solutions. A Strong Alignment with SmartTechNXT’s Values Langelihle’s approach to RPA aligns closely with SmartTechNXT’s value proposition. By focusing on low-code solutions, he ensures that the tools developed are effective, accessible, and easy to use. This approach is particularly valuable as businesses across sectors seek to streamline their operations without being overwhelmed by complex coding. As Langelihle begins this new chapter with SmartTechNXT, his technical expertise, industry knowledge, and client-focused mindset position him as a key player in the company’s mission to drive innovation through RPA. The Team at SmartTechNXT is excited to have Langelihle on board and they are looking forward to the valuable contributions he will make in delivering exceptional RPA solutions to their clients.

The post Introducing Langelihle Mtshali: SmartTechNXT’s New RPA Developer appeared first on SmartTechNXT.

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Introducing Langelihle Mtshali: SmartTechNXT’s New RPA Developer

SmartTechNXT is pleased to welcome Langelihle Mtshali as the latest addition to their RPA (Robotic Process Automation) development team. With a strong academic background and practical experience in RPA, Langelihle is set to deliver innovative solutions to clients across a range of industries.

Rejoining the Team with Renewed Vision

Langelihle’s journey with SmartTechNXT began during his Digital Internship, where he gained valuable insights into the company’s operations and the potential career paths available. After spending a few years in the banking sector, Langelihle has rejoined SmartTechNXT, eager to apply his skills to solving complex challenges for clients.

“I’m particularly excited about solving problems through coding,” says Langelihle. His passion for coding, nurtured from a young age, is now focused on utilising low-code solutions to streamline processes through RPA. He explains, “My goal is to ensure that we use as little code as possible, while keeping our tools light and user-friendly.”

Academic and Professional Expertise

Langelihle holds a BSc in Computer Science and Information Technology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. His degree laid the foundation for his problem-solving skills, while his certifications in RPA, GPT AI, Orchestrator, and IDP technologies provided him with practical experience in RPA development.

“University taught me that there are multiple ways to solve problems, which has diversified my approach to coding,” he reflects. However, Langelihle acknowledges that real-world applications like RPA often extend beyond academic training. His certifications have equipped him with the practical skills needed to implement and scale RPA solutions effectively, ensuring clients benefit from cutting-edge automation.

His experience in the banking sector has further sharpened his ability to serve SmartTechNXT’s clients. With a deep understanding of the specific processes and challenges faced by the finance industry, Langelihle is well-positioned to create tailored RPA solutions that meet client needs. “While my experience in finance is valuable, my process-thinking mindset can be applied across industries to help automate their operations,” he adds.

Strategic Approach to RPA Development

In his role, Langelihle is responsible for building, testing, and deploying software robots for new client solutions. His approach is systematic and client-focused, ensuring that each bot is adjusted or designed to meet the unique requirements of the client’s operations. He is also committed to providing ongoing support and maintenance, recognising that clients may need to evolve over time.

“Clients often change the way they work, and our bots need to evolve with them,” Langelihle explains. This approach ensures that the bots remain effective and also creates opportunities for process optimisation. “By staying closely involved in our clients’ operations, we can suggest ways to optimise their processes using RPA,” he adds.

Clear Goals for the Future

Langelihle has set clear objectives for his role at SmartTechNXT. In the short term, he aims to master all client requirements and quickly become proficient with existing bots. He is also keen to work with the engineering team to develop new bots from scratch, creating highly customised automation tools to meet the specific needs of each client.

“I plan to contribute to the growth of the SmartTechNXT engineering team by providing hands-on support and tailoring our bot applications to each client’s unique requirements,” he says. His dedication to continuous learning and process improvement aligns perfectly with SmartTechNXT’s mission to deliver smarter, more efficient automation solutions.

A Strong Alignment with SmartTechNXT’s Values

Langelihle’s approach to RPA aligns closely with SmartTechNXT’s value proposition. By focusing on low-code solutions, he ensures that the tools developed are effective, accessible, and easy to use. This approach is particularly valuable as businesses across sectors seek to streamline their operations without being overwhelmed by complex coding.

As Langelihle begins this new chapter with SmartTechNXT, his technical expertise, industry knowledge, and client-focused mindset position him as a key player in the company’s mission to drive innovation through RPA.

The Team at SmartTechNXT is excited to have Langelihle on board and they are looking forward to the valuable contributions he will make in delivering exceptional RPA solutions to their clients.

The post Introducing Langelihle Mtshali: SmartTechNXT’s New RPA Developer appeared first on SmartTechNXT.

]]> SmartTechNXT at FinTech Summit https://smarttechnxt.pro/smarttechnxt-at-fintech-summit/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 10:21:31 +0000 https://smarttechnxt.pro/?page_id=4570 SmartTechNXT at FinTech Summit Africa 2024: A Successful Event Recap This year’s FinTech Summit Africa 2024, themed “Empowering Africa – Innovation, Inclusion, Impact,” took place on 26 and 27 June at the Hilton Hotel Sandton in Johannesburg, South Africa. SmartTechNXT was a proud participant and exhibitor at this innovative and trend-setting event.   Event Highlights This year’s FINTECH Summit Africa was attended by over 200 delegates from across the continent, engaging in the latest trends, solutions, and innovations shaping the industry in Africa. The event emphasised financial inclusivity, providing affordable and sustainable financial services to every sector of society, including underserved and unbanked communities. Key themes included the impact of FinTech on economic growth, poverty reduction, and social empowerment across the continent. SmartTechNXT’s Participation SmartTechNXT showcased its cutting-edge Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solutions, which drive efficiency and innovation in financial operations. Engaging with our experts, delegates learned how our technology could revolutionise their businesses. Many delegates were pleased to hear how RPA could solve their pain points related to accuracy, compliance, data migration, integration, and reducing time to complete tasks. Highlights of Our Offerings: Increased Efficiency: Automate repetitive tasks to save time and resources. Higher Productivity: Free up your team to focus on strategic initiatives. Improved Compliance: Ensure adherence to regulations with automated compliance checks. Enhanced Customer Service: Faster processing times lead to better customer satisfaction. Reduced Errors: Minimize human error with precise automation. Increased Accuracy: Reliable data handling and processing. Cost Savings: Reduce operational costs through automation. Scalability: Easily scale processes as your business grows.   Event Engagement We had insightful conversations with delegates from Mauritius, Lesotho, Ghana, Egypt, Zambia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Many were interested in how our RPA solutions could address their specific needs. Our booth was a hub of activity, with live demos of our technology in action. Delegates participated in our exciting competition for a chance to win amazing prizes. We are pleased to announce the lucky winner of a 10% discount on their first year’s Automate journey: Mr M. Mshamma from Honora Tanzania Mobile Solutions Ltd (Tigo Pesa). Startup World Cup The summit concluded with the Startup World Cup pitching session, where aspiring FinTech startups presented their innovative solutions to a panel of industry experts. The winner, MEDSOL, pitched their groundbreaking mobile breast cancer detection solution, which operates without electricity and can be used offline if internet connectivity is an issue. More details can be found at medsol.ai. Looking Forward The two days of the summit were filled with great insights and interesting conversations. We are excited about the collaborations and innovations that will arise from the connections made during the event. SmartTechNXT looks forward to participating in next year’s event and continuing to drive financial inclusivity and innovation in Africa. Get in Touch To learn more about how SmartTechNXT can transform your business with RPA, contact us today. We look forward to continuing the conversation and empowering your business with smart technology solutions.

The post SmartTechNXT at FinTech Summit appeared first on SmartTechNXT.

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SmartTechNXT at FinTech Summit Africa 2024: A Successful Event Recap

This year’s FinTech Summit Africa 2024, themed “Empowering Africa – Innovation, Inclusion, Impact,” took place on 26 and 27 June at the Hilton Hotel Sandton in Johannesburg, South Africa. SmartTechNXT was a proud participant and exhibitor at this innovative and trend-setting event.

 

Event Highlights

This year’s FINTECH Summit Africa was attended by over 200 delegates from across the continent, engaging in the latest trends, solutions, and innovations shaping the industry in Africa. The event emphasised financial inclusivity, providing affordable and sustainable financial services to every sector of society, including underserved and unbanked communities. Key themes included the impact of FinTech on economic growth, poverty reduction, and social empowerment across the continent.

SmartTechNXT’s Participation

SmartTechNXT showcased its cutting-edge Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solutions, which drive efficiency and innovation in financial operations. Engaging with our experts, delegates learned how our technology could revolutionise their businesses. Many delegates were pleased to hear how RPA could solve their pain points related to accuracy, compliance, data migration, integration, and reducing time to complete tasks.

Highlights of Our Offerings:

  • Increased Efficiency: Automate repetitive tasks to save time and resources.
  • Higher Productivity: Free up your team to focus on strategic initiatives.
  • Improved Compliance: Ensure adherence to regulations with automated compliance checks.
  • Enhanced Customer Service: Faster processing times lead to better customer satisfaction.
  • Reduced Errors: Minimize human error with precise automation.
  • Increased Accuracy: Reliable data handling and processing.
  • Cost Savings: Reduce operational costs through automation.
  • Scalability: Easily scale processes as your business grows.

 

Event Engagement

We had insightful conversations with delegates from Mauritius, Lesotho, Ghana, Egypt, Zambia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Many were interested in how our RPA solutions could address their specific needs.

Our booth was a hub of activity, with live demos of our technology in action. Delegates participated in our exciting competition for a chance to win amazing prizes. We are pleased to announce the lucky winner of a 10% discount on their first year’s Automate journey: Mr M. Mshamma from Honora Tanzania Mobile Solutions Ltd (Tigo Pesa).

Startup World Cup

The summit concluded with the Startup World Cup pitching session, where aspiring FinTech startups presented their innovative solutions to a panel of industry experts. The winner, MEDSOL, pitched their groundbreaking mobile breast cancer detection solution, which operates without electricity and can be used offline if internet connectivity is an issue. More details can be found at medsol.ai.

Looking Forward

The two days of the summit were filled with great insights and interesting conversations. We are excited about the collaborations and innovations that will arise from the connections made during the event. SmartTechNXT looks forward to participating in next year’s event and continuing to drive financial inclusivity and innovation in Africa.

Get in Touch

To learn more about how SmartTechNXT can transform your business with RPA, contact us today. We look forward to continuing the conversation and empowering your business with smart technology solutions.

The post SmartTechNXT at FinTech Summit appeared first on SmartTechNXT.

]]> Software Robots in Action https://smarttechnxt.pro/software-robots-in-action/ Fri, 19 Apr 2024 14:23:29 +0000 https://smarttechnxt.pro/?page_id=4363 SmartTechNXT showcases Software Robots in Action On Thursday, June 30, SmartTechNXT organised a ‘Peak under the hood’ event offered by the World Trade Centre Twente #businessclub. The theme was “Software Robots in Action.” During the event, all participants had the opportunity to get a unique insiders perspective on the benefits of using Software Robots. For example, within a company or department, there are often steps in routine processes that could be actioned by some kind of automation. Capturing received invoices is a good example of a routine process that can be automated. Invoices come in different formats and often with numerous attachments. Someone invariably needs to manually transfer the data from these invoices to the payment system. Using a smart solution from SmartTechNXT, the invoice can be extracted, automatically scanned, and the relevant information transferred to the payment system for further processing and payment. The participants were invited to actively participate in building their Task-Bot using the Fortra Automate RPA tool. The interactive demonstration showed how to extract data from a website, or PDF, and place the data into a spreadsheet for further manipulation. Everyone was surprised at how simple it was to use the Automate bot studio. The event concluded with a delightful South African wine and biltong reception, where the anniversary of SmartTechNXT B.V.’s establishment in Hengelo, Netherlands, was celebrated with a taste of its proudly South African roots. If you are interested in a no-obligation demonstration or want to learn more about robot process automation, please feel free to contact us.

The post Software Robots in Action appeared first on SmartTechNXT.

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SmartTechNXT showcases Software Robots in Action

On Thursday, June 30, SmartTechNXT organised a ‘Peak under the hood’ event offered by the World Trade Centre Twente #businessclub. The theme was “Software Robots in Action.”

During the event, all participants had the opportunity to get a unique insiders perspective on the benefits of using Software Robots. For example, within a company or department, there are often steps in routine processes that could be actioned by some kind of automation.

Capturing received invoices is a good example of a routine process that can be automated. Invoices come in different formats and often with numerous attachments. Someone invariably needs to manually transfer the data from these invoices to the payment system. Using a smart solution from SmartTechNXT, the invoice can be extracted, automatically scanned, and the relevant information transferred to the payment system for further processing and payment.

The participants were invited to actively participate in building their Task-Bot using the Fortra Automate RPA tool. The interactive demonstration showed how to extract data from a website, or PDF, and place the data into a spreadsheet for further manipulation. Everyone was surprised at how simple it was to use the Automate bot studio.

The event concluded with a delightful South African wine and biltong reception, where the anniversary of SmartTechNXT B.V.’s establishment in Hengelo, Netherlands, was celebrated with a taste of its proudly South African roots.

If you are interested in a no-obligation demonstration or want to learn more about robot process automation, please feel free to contact us.

The post Software Robots in Action appeared first on SmartTechNXT.

]]> Next Generation Coders https://smarttechnxt.pro/next-generation-coders/ Fri, 19 Apr 2024 14:00:50 +0000 https://smarttechnxt.pro/?page_id=4354 SmartTechNXT helps next generation coders On Thursday, July 14, 2022, Nuffic Neso South Africa organised the SA-NL Digital Innovation Challenge 2022. Laureen van Aswegen, Global Director – Intelligent Automation at SmartTechNXT, was a co organiser of the event. Nuffic Neso is the Netherlands Education Support Office and the official South African representative for all matters related to Dutch higher education. Nuffic Neso South Africa organises a wide range of activities, such as supporting Dutch students in South Africa, as well as South African students in the Netherlands through various programs and initiatives. Additionally, Nuffic coordinates professional collaborations between South African and Dutch stakeholders in the knowledge sector, such as the NRF- Nuffic PhD program, Living Labs, and the Alumni program. SA-NL Digital Innovation Challenge 2022 As part of its activities, Nuffic Neso, along with The Southern African Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (SANEC) and Fontys University of Applied Sciences, organised the SA-NL Digital Innovation Challenge 2022. The challenge’s theme was: How can we optimise digital education in the Western Cape, South Africa? The virtual event was organised by Nuffic’s Beverley Fanella and Huba Boshoff and included various facilitators, including SmartTechNXT’s Dr. Laureen van Aswegen. The Speakers Laureen is responsible for leading large-scale digital transformation programs. During the Challenge, she provided an overview of the process for creating innovative enterprises and how a scalable digital/tech enterprise can be built. Huba Boshoff from Nuffic Neso spoke about VC financing for the future of digital enterprises. South African entrepreneur and development specialist Daniel Maloba took participants through an interactive process from ideation to prototyping using a human-centred Design Thinking Lens. Rama Raphalalani joined the team as an entrepreneur, researcher, and Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Fellow. Rama addressed topics related to entrepreneurship. Tjade Moezelaar is the Chief Operating Officer of a leading digital marketing agency in South Africa and covered topics related to digitally marketing a new product or service. Casper Schellekens, a senior lecturer at Fontys University of Applied Sciences, guided participants through the three-step process of turning an idea into a quick prototype. The Challenge and Participants The participating students were tasked with optimising digital education in the Western Cape, South Africa. The students presented various ideas and concepts to address the challenge. The panel evaluated the student presentations based on criteria such as value proposition, uniqueness, and prototype presentation. Nika Coetzee and Rumi Onu were this years winners of the SA- NL Digital Innovation Challenge 2022. Congratulations! We wish you success on your digital entrepreneurial journey.

The post Next Generation Coders appeared first on SmartTechNXT.

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SmartTechNXT helps next generation coders

On Thursday, July 14, 2022, Nuffic Neso South Africa organised the SA-NL Digital Innovation Challenge 2022. Laureen van Aswegen, Global Director – Intelligent Automation at SmartTechNXT, was a co organiser of the event.

Nuffic Neso is the Netherlands Education Support Office and the official South African representative for all matters related to Dutch higher education.

Nuffic Neso South Africa organises a wide range of activities, such as supporting Dutch students in South Africa, as well as South African students in the Netherlands through various programs and initiatives. Additionally, Nuffic coordinates professional collaborations between South African and Dutch stakeholders in the knowledge sector, such as the NRF- Nuffic PhD program, Living Labs, and the Alumni program.

SA-NL Digital Innovation Challenge 2022

As part of its activities, Nuffic Neso, along with The Southern African Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (SANEC) and Fontys University of Applied Sciences, organised the SA-NL Digital Innovation Challenge 2022. The challenge’s theme was: How can we optimise digital education in the Western Cape, South Africa? The virtual event was organised by Nuffic’s Beverley Fanella and Huba Boshoff and included various facilitators, including SmartTechNXT’s Dr. Laureen van Aswegen.

The Speakers

Laureen is responsible for leading large-scale digital transformation programs. During the Challenge, she provided an overview of the process for creating innovative enterprises and how a scalable digital/tech enterprise can be built.

Huba Boshoff from Nuffic Neso spoke about VC financing for the future of digital enterprises.

South African entrepreneur and development specialist Daniel Maloba took participants through an interactive process from ideation to prototyping using a human-centred Design Thinking Lens.

Rama Raphalalani joined the team as an entrepreneur, researcher, and Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Fellow. Rama addressed topics related to entrepreneurship.

Tjade Moezelaar is the Chief Operating Officer of a leading digital marketing agency in South Africa and covered topics related to digitally marketing a new product or service.

Casper Schellekens, a senior lecturer at Fontys University of Applied Sciences, guided participants through the three-step process of turning an idea into a quick prototype.

The Challenge and Participants

The participating students were tasked with optimising digital education in the Western Cape, South Africa.

The students presented various ideas and concepts to address the challenge. The panel evaluated the student presentations based on criteria such as value proposition, uniqueness, and prototype presentation. Nika Coetzee and Rumi Onu were this years winners of the SA- NL Digital Innovation Challenge 2022. Congratulations! We wish you success on your digital entrepreneurial journey.

The post Next Generation Coders appeared first on SmartTechNXT.

]]> Warren Rother’s mission to fulfil his Human Purpose https://smarttechnxt.pro/warren-rothers-mission-to-fulfil-his-human-purpose/ Tue, 07 Dec 2021 11:00:03 +0000 https://smarttechnxt.pro/?page_id=2150 Warren Rother’s mission to fulfil his Human Purpose Having worked in environments from small mom-and-pop shops to large corporations, SmartTechNXT’s Senior Sales Executive for Southern Africa, Warren Rother, brings his knowledge of various management styles and cultures to his new role. His aim is to not merely sell products, but to address clients’ needs by delivering on and exceeding expectations through a personal, people-focused approach.  The ‘Why?’ One day, in conversation with an engineer during his military service, Warren Rother found himself arriving at the answer to questions that had been nagging him for many years – Why are we here? What is our purpose here on Earth? The answer emerged from his interaction with the engineer: to leave something behind, something useful and permanent. This epiphany propelled him into a civil engineering degree. A few years later, Warren shifted his focus to include marketing management, and then delved into the world of IT. A varied and exciting career ensued, giving Warren the knowledge and experience that he now brings to the SmartTechNXT table. Shortly after completing his IMM qualification, Warren took on the role of Supplies Corporate Account Executive at Hewlett Packard, working to increase sales within their bloodline of toner and ink consumables, and becoming the custodian of the HP rebate programme. Here, Warren gained invaluable experience, working with large enterprises in, amongst others, the financial and insurance sectors. Following a stint as EMEA Programme Manager in Germany, looking after Hewlett Packard’s intellectual property rights in approximately 150 countries, Warren returned to South Africa and became the Sub-Saharan business manager for Indigo, HP’s large printing press arm.  In need of a new challenge, Warren put his entrepreneurial skills to the test and started his own successful business, consulting to 4 companies over 6 years and training young salespeople to become sales managers. He then returned to the corporate environment working for Austrian firm, Trotec, as National Sales Manager and developing, growing and enthusing his team by adopting the attitude of, ‘if you look after your team, the targets look after themselves.’ He reaped the rewards of this new management style, doubling Trotec’s turnover within the first two years. The ‘How?’ Warren’s experimental, speculative nature soon saw him immersing himself in other exploratory ventures, from hydroponics to natural ecosystem development to life coaching. Through these experiences, Warren found himself once again questioning his purpose in life, which brought him full circle to his reason for studying civil engineering – the ‘why’ of our existence. Through a process of introspection, he realised that he wanted to help people, an instinct that he believes is inherent in all human beings. This need to help people would soon be fulfilled, because SmartTechNXT’s goal of harnessing smart technology in the service of people speaks precisely to Warren’s personal work ethos, an approach that he refers to as the ‘care and grow methodology’. “By taking away mundane tasks you can allow people to be more experimental and giving. I think robotic process automation (RPA) is one of the tools that can help companies to achieve this,” says Warren. The ‘Where?’   Having worked across Africa, Warren believes that selling RPA into Africa will depend on a strategic deployment approach, and that the continent is ready for and open to SmartTechNXT’s unique offering. “There is an appetite for automation and an understanding that it needn’t compromise job creation. I’ve come across many people wanting to improve the processes in their business, a very comforting experience,” says Warren who points out that automation extends into many other fields, from AI, to data mining to IoT. Warren’s focus with RPA is to maximise the benefits of time- and cost-saving factors. “Depending on where it is deployed, RPA can be used to gather and report or improve turnaround times, in turn saving costs. With the current trend in decentralised working, there are many businesses that may find themselves relying heavily on RPA to improve efficiencies by generating, compiling and comparing information. “I look forward to working with clients to help them overcome their fear of the unknown. I enjoy the challenge of fitting RPA into existing business environments, and I often find that clients need more than they initially expected in terms of RPA deployment.” The X Factor When asked what makes working with SmartTech NXT a unique experience, Warren doesn’t hesitate, describing the management team as hands-on, involved and truly caring. “Besides the team’s knowledge and capabilities, I truly enjoy their work ethic and their human way of working.” The trust that SmartTechNXT shows in their employees is refreshing and inspires people to work hard and make the company succeed in every endeavour. Warren is looking forward to selling products that are the best in the industry for a company that delivers on their commitments and upholds excellent work ethics. He believes that SmartTech NXT has the potential to expand their offerings and grow exponentially beyond RPA. Together with SmartTechNXT, Warren is looking forward to fulfilling his purpose of helping people and leaving behind something not only useful, but permanent.

The post Warren Rother’s mission to fulfil his Human Purpose appeared first on SmartTechNXT.

]]>

Warren Rother’s mission to fulfil his Human Purpose

Having worked in environments from small mom-and-pop shops to large corporations, SmartTechNXT’s Senior Sales Executive for Southern Africa, Warren Rother, brings his knowledge of various management styles and cultures to his new role. His aim is to not merely sell products, but to address clients’ needs by delivering on and exceeding expectations through a personal, people-focused approach. 

The ‘Why?’

One day, in conversation with an engineer during his military service, Warren Rother found himself arriving at the answer to questions that had been nagging him for many years – Why are we here? What is our purpose here on Earth? The answer emerged from his interaction with the engineer: to leave something behind, something useful and permanent. This epiphany propelled him into a civil engineering degree.

A few years later, Warren shifted his focus to include marketing management, and then delved into the world of IT. A varied and exciting career ensued, giving Warren the knowledge and experience that he now brings to the SmartTechNXT table.

Shortly after completing his IMM qualification, Warren took on the role of Supplies Corporate Account Executive at Hewlett Packard, working to increase sales within their bloodline of toner and ink consumables, and becoming the custodian of the HP rebate programme. Here, Warren gained invaluable experience, working with large enterprises in, amongst others, the financial and insurance sectors.

Following a stint as EMEA Programme Manager in Germany, looking after Hewlett Packard’s intellectual property rights in approximately 150 countries, Warren returned to South Africa and became the Sub-Saharan business manager for Indigo, HP’s large printing press arm. 

In need of a new challenge, Warren put his entrepreneurial skills to the test and started his own successful business, consulting to 4 companies over 6 years and training young salespeople to become sales managers. He then returned to the corporate environment working for Austrian firm, Trotec, as National Sales Manager and developing, growing and enthusing his team by adopting the attitude of, ‘if you look after your team, the targets look after themselves.’ He reaped the rewards of this new management style, doubling Trotec’s turnover within the first two years.

The ‘How?’

Warren’s experimental, speculative nature soon saw him immersing himself in other exploratory ventures, from hydroponics to natural ecosystem development to life coaching. Through these experiences, Warren found himself once again questioning his purpose in life, which brought him full circle to his reason for studying civil engineering – the ‘why’ of our existence. Through a process of introspection, he realised that he wanted to help people, an instinct that he believes is inherent in all human beings.

This need to help people would soon be fulfilled, because SmartTechNXT’s goal of harnessing smart technology in the service of people speaks precisely to Warren’s personal work ethos, an approach that he refers to as the ‘care and grow methodology’.

“By taking away mundane tasks you can allow people to be more experimental and giving. I think robotic process automation (RPA) is one of the tools that can help companies to achieve this,” says Warren.

The ‘Where?’  

Having worked across Africa, Warren believes that selling RPA into Africa will depend on a strategic deployment approach, and that the continent is ready for and open to SmartTechNXT’s unique offering.

“There is an appetite for automation and an understanding that it needn’t compromise job creation. I’ve come across many people wanting to improve the processes in their business, a very comforting experience,” says Warren who points out that automation extends into many other fields, from AI, to data mining to IoT.

Warren’s focus with RPA is to maximise the benefits of time- and cost-saving factors.

“Depending on where it is deployed, RPA can be used to gather and report or improve turnaround times, in turn saving costs. With the current trend in decentralised working, there are many businesses that may find themselves relying heavily on RPA to improve efficiencies by generating, compiling and comparing information.

“I look forward to working with clients to help them overcome their fear of the unknown. I enjoy the challenge of fitting RPA into existing business environments, and I often find that clients need more than they initially expected in terms of RPA deployment.”

The X Factor

When asked what makes working with SmartTech NXT a unique experience, Warren doesn’t hesitate, describing the management team as hands-on, involved and truly caring. “Besides the team’s knowledge and capabilities, I truly enjoy their work ethic and their human way of working.”

The trust that SmartTechNXT shows in their employees is refreshing and inspires people to work hard and make the company succeed in every endeavour. Warren is looking forward to selling products that are the best in the industry for a company that delivers on their commitments and upholds excellent work ethics. He believes that SmartTech NXT has the potential to expand their offerings and grow exponentially beyond RPA. Together with SmartTechNXT, Warren is looking forward to fulfilling his purpose of helping people and leaving behind something not only useful, but permanent.

The post Warren Rother’s mission to fulfil his Human Purpose appeared first on SmartTechNXT.

]]> Mark Agterdenbosch’s Journey towards a Smart Economy https://smarttechnxt.pro/mark-agterdenboschs-journey-towards-a-smart-economy/ Wed, 03 Nov 2021 23:13:08 +0000 https://smarttechnxt.pro/?page_id=2099 Mark Agterdenbosch’s Journey towards a Smart Economy SmartTechNXT’s newly appointed Senior Business Advisor for Growth, Mark Agterdenbosch, brings a wealth of international trade experience to the table and is looking towards an exciting future in the rapidly evolving arena of smart technology and automation. His passion for growth through technology is set to make SmartTechNXT a gamechanger in its field within the European and South African markets.  Looking Back Mark Agterdenbosch’s journey in international trade, investment and relations began in Brussels where, having studied applied economics at university, focussing on the European Union, he worked as a project consultant for the German-Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce (AHK debelux). He then moved to Johannesburg where he joined the Southern African-Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (SANEC) and gained work experience in business expansion, market access, development and investment relations through SANEC’s collaboration with the European Chamber of Commerce and Industry.   Returning to the Netherlands after three years, Mark joined SANEC in the Hague and forged strong relationships between Southern Africa and the Netherlands, working on projects such as the World Cup 2010 and boosting business for Dutch companies through their partnerships with Southern African organisations. It wasn’t long before he was offered a position as the first General Manager of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund in order to establish an affiliate office in the Netherlands. Over a four-year period, Mark worked with various South African and Dutch stakeholders to build fundraising strategies and projects focussing on children and youngsters.  When SANEC expanded into the EMEA territory, projects focussing not only on business but on sports, arts and culture reinforced the relationship between South Africa and the Netherlands. Business education and government relations were vital and Mark played an intermediary role in assisting companies in achieving their goals on a multinational level.  Focussing on the here and now  Mark believes that staying focussed is vital to attain deliverables and outcomes and, after twenty years, his focus as a Senior Business Developer has shifted from connecting businesses towards creating business for companies. This extends to forming, building and executing partnerships that ensure local experts are employed and jobs are created to achieve local economic growth.  “In order to achieve this, you need to build trust and be a trusted advisor for companies, looking for specific niches in the market and working in depth with companies to make sure that business execution takes place efficiently and effectively,” says Mark, “And of course with smart technology, sustainability goals, climate change and renewable energy, my focus has developed to promote business for good and tech for good. Nowadays, there is a far greater emphasis on the green and blue economy and on sustainable business rather than pure import and export.” Mark’s work with SmartTechNXT was a logical step when looking at how businesses can contribute to sustainable development goals. “SmartTechNXT is ideally and uniquely positioned to catalyse international expansion for companies in the Netherlands,” he observes. “Technology and automation are creating better ways for people to operate within many industries, from agriculture to manufacturing, and from farming to logistics, contributing to the welfare of the country. With regards to international trade and investment, smart technology can be used in every sector and can grow the economy of a country faster, better and in a more environmentally sustainable way that is advantageous for products, services and people.”  Looking to the future Mark spent a number of years living in Johannesburg and has worked with South African organisations for the past twenty years, so his relationship with SmartTechNXT was a welcome step in his journey. He sees the company’s automated business solutions as being essential to future growth in the Dutch economy.  “SmartTechNXT’s products make it possible for every company, from small entrepreneurs to big businesses and organisations, to make processes run more smoothly, assisting companies to more efficiently address skills shortages by building systems to work alongside people – thus making it possible for the existing workforce to have more time available for other activities within the organisation.” SmartTechNXT contributes effectively to the goals of entrepreneurs and organisations doing business in today’s challenging climate. The company also facilitates expansion for these companies because, as Mark points out, “you can only expand your business when your current business is running smoothly.” SmartTechNXT uses the latest smart technologies to automate business processes in manufacturing, finance, legal and people management. With the goal of creating simplified, people-centric pathways to business transformation and expansion, SmartTechNXT provides Robotic Process Automation products that supercharge business processes and unlock business value.  Robotic Process Automation can play a role in every sector by improving processes and accelerating business growth, thereby creating a need for increased production and employment. This type of automation also creates trust, because service levels and delivery become more consistent and reliable. Mark emphasises that the progressive nature of the Netherlands makes it an ideal market for rapid and extensive growth of Robotic Process Automation and, as a service-minded economy, it is the perfect environment for SmartTechNXT’s automated business solutions.  There is already a high level of digitalisation in the Netherlands and the government embraces all forms of progressive development. As one of the big players in the international market, price competitiveness and delivery are essential in keeping the Netherlands highly competitive within the service and supply chain economy.  “You can only stay at the top if you allow for innovation,” says Mark. “We have an economy with a lot of start-ups, upskilling and a landscape for innovation. To stay on that level you have to implement smart technology, automation and robotics.”  Towards a better world Mark believes that South African technology businesses can play a crucial role in collaboration and co-creation with Dutch businesses to fight global challenges. The Netherlands has been a strong trade investment partner with South Africa, and creating partnerships for a better world is one of the most important aspects for the development of the two countries.  “The world is ours,” he says. “In the end, we all have the same

The post Mark Agterdenbosch’s Journey towards a Smart Economy appeared first on SmartTechNXT.

]]>

Mark Agterdenbosch’s Journey towards a Smart Economy

SmartTechNXT’s newly appointed Senior Business Advisor for Growth, Mark Agterdenbosch, brings a wealth of international trade experience to the table and is looking towards an exciting future in the rapidly evolving arena of smart technology and automation. His passion for growth through technology is set to make SmartTechNXT a gamechanger in its field within the European and South African markets. 

Looking Back

Mark Agterdenbosch’s journey in international trade, investment and relations began in Brussels where, having studied applied economics at university, focussing on the European Union, he worked as a project consultant for the German-Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce (AHK debelux). He then moved to Johannesburg where he joined the Southern African-Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (SANEC) and gained work experience in business expansion, market access, development and investment relations through SANEC’s collaboration with the European Chamber of Commerce and Industry.  

Returning to the Netherlands after three years, Mark joined SANEC in the Hague and forged strong relationships between Southern Africa and the Netherlands, working on projects such as the World Cup 2010 and boosting business for Dutch companies through their partnerships with Southern African organisations. It wasn’t long before he was offered a position as the first General Manager of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund in order to establish an affiliate office in the Netherlands. Over a four-year period, Mark worked with various South African and Dutch stakeholders to build fundraising strategies and projects focussing on children and youngsters. 

When SANEC expanded into the EMEA territory, projects focussing not only on business but on sports, arts and culture reinforced the relationship between South Africa and the Netherlands. Business education and government relations were vital and Mark played an intermediary role in assisting companies in achieving their goals on a multinational level. 

Focussing on the here and now 

Mark believes that staying focussed is vital to attain deliverables and outcomes and, after twenty years, his focus as a Senior Business Developer has shifted from connecting businesses towards creating business for companies. This extends to forming, building and executing partnerships that ensure local experts are employed and jobs are created to achieve local economic growth. 

“In order to achieve this, you need to build trust and be a trusted advisor for companies, looking for specific niches in the market and working in depth with companies to make sure that business execution takes place efficiently and effectively,” says Mark, “And of course with smart technology, sustainability goals, climate change and renewable energy, my focus has developed to promote business for good and tech for good. Nowadays, there is a far greater emphasis on the green and blue economy and on sustainable business rather than pure import and export.”

Mark’s work with SmartTechNXT was a logical step when looking at how businesses can contribute to sustainable development goals. “SmartTechNXT is ideally and uniquely positioned to catalyse international expansion for companies in the Netherlands,” he observes. “Technology and automation are creating better ways for people to operate within many industries, from agriculture to manufacturing, and from farming to logistics, contributing to the welfare of the country. With regards to international trade and investment, smart technology can be used in every sector and can grow the economy of a country faster, better and in a more environmentally sustainable way that is advantageous for products, services and people.” 

Looking to the future

Mark spent a number of years living in Johannesburg and has worked with South African organisations for the past twenty years, so his relationship with SmartTechNXT was a welcome step in his journey. He sees the company’s automated business solutions as being essential to future growth in the Dutch economy. 

“SmartTechNXT’s products make it possible for every company, from small entrepreneurs to big businesses and organisations, to make processes run more smoothly, assisting companies to more efficiently address skills shortages by building systems to work alongside people – thus making it possible for the existing workforce to have more time available for other activities within the organisation.”

SmartTechNXT contributes effectively to the goals of entrepreneurs and organisations doing business in today’s challenging climate. The company also facilitates expansion for these companies because, as Mark points out, “you can only expand your business when your current business is running smoothly.” SmartTechNXT uses the latest smart technologies to automate business processes in manufacturing, finance, legal and people management. With the goal of creating simplified, people-centric pathways to business transformation and expansion, SmartTechNXT provides Robotic Process Automation products that supercharge business processes and unlock business value. 

Robotic Process Automation can play a role in every sector by improving processes and accelerating business growth, thereby creating a need for increased production and employment. This type of automation also creates trust, because service levels and delivery become more consistent and reliable. Mark emphasises that the progressive nature of the Netherlands makes it an ideal market for rapid and extensive growth of Robotic Process Automation and, as a service-minded economy, it is the perfect environment for SmartTechNXT’s automated business solutions. 

There is already a high level of digitalisation in the Netherlands and the government embraces all forms of progressive development. As one of the big players in the international market, price competitiveness and delivery are essential in keeping the Netherlands highly competitive within the service and supply chain economy. 

“You can only stay at the top if you allow for innovation,” says Mark. “We have an economy with a lot of start-ups, upskilling and a landscape for innovation. To stay on that level you have to implement smart technology, automation and robotics.” 

Towards a better world

Mark believes that South African technology businesses can play a crucial role in collaboration and co-creation with Dutch businesses to fight global challenges. The Netherlands has been a strong trade investment partner with South Africa, and creating partnerships for a better world is one of the most important aspects for the development of the two countries. 

“The world is ours,” he says. “In the end, we all have the same goals and dreams. So, you need to face the challenges not only in your own area, but in other regions too. SmartTechNXT is doing just that.”

The post Mark Agterdenbosch’s Journey towards a Smart Economy appeared first on SmartTechNXT.

]]> Dr Laureen van Aswegen on taking SmartTechNXT abroad https://smarttechnxt.pro/dr-laureen-van-aswegen-on-taking-smarttechnxt-abroad/ Tue, 21 Sep 2021 21:50:48 +0000 https://smarttechnxt.pro/?page_id=2055 Dr Laureen van Aswegen on taking SmartTechNXT abroad Dr Laureen van Aswegen, the newly appointed CEO of SmartTechNXT, has over 25 years of combined experience in executive technical leadership and business process transformation. Her unwavering commitment to delivering excellent value to customers through Intelligent Automation Solutions is an inspiration to women entrepreneurs who are looking to expand their ventures internationally. In 2018, Laureen joined Pétanque NXT, a boutique consultancy aimed at business process architecture and re engineering based in South Africa, as a shareholder and founding partner of Pétanque NXT Europe. Her focus was to build out their intelligent automation division and expand the business. “I had a great opportunity to step out of corporate to finish a PhD in Organizational Behaviour. I believe that the interface between people and technology is essential,” she says. “I wanted to help people live smarter, better working lives enabled by technology. So, I took a step back to look at what opportunities the next stage in my career could provide.” “Working as an entrepreneur opened up a whole new world for me. In my previous corporate role, I worked with internal customers. Now, I worked with a plethora of people from different sectors to understand various problems and a diversity of ways to solve them.” “Early in that process, I represented our Intelligent Automation practice at a science and technology meeting with Dutch Ambassador Han Peters in Pretoria, South Africa. There, I was introduced to the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) and the Southern African Netherlands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SANEC), who provided invaluable support for internationalising our business. We already had a small footprint in Portugal at that stage, however I immediately realised there was a huge opportunity for growth in forward-thinking, tech-mature countries like the Netherlands that are actively working to make technology a force for good in business .” I also realised that rather than support a foreign office remotely, we needed to roll up our sleeves, climb in boots and all, and make the opportunity a reality. In contemplating the move from South Africa, Laureen and her husband, Kurt, decided to navigate the business owner relocation landscape themselves. “Working in another country wasn’t a daunting task for me,” Laureen recalls. “As engineers, we are quite pragmatic and structured in our work, and  internationalisation works in a structured way. The process was an interesting learning curve, and it brought us a new network of people and businesses in the international sphere – we were fortunate to find really good partners and a very supportive network.” In early 2020, Laureen and her business partner, Michélle Booysen, started developing the business in the Netherlands and quickly came to realise that recruiting new clients would require a different approach to that in South Africa. “While knowing the local language is sometimes essential for expansion, particularly in regions where English is not the predominant business language, our biggest lesson was that you must be absolutely focussed and crystal clear in your messaging.” “We were used to marketing our consultancy services under the banner of business process improvements. When we started expanding the intelligent automation side of the business, the feedback received was that we sounded like a consulting company. Our message wasn’t landing, and that’s when we decided to establish a new entity focussed on business process automation and robotic process automation.” In July 2021, Pétanque NXT announced the establishment of SmartTechNXT, an independent NewCothat focuses on delivering Intelligent Business Process Automation Solutions in Europe and Africa.This process was completed on 31 August. With Laureen at the helm, SmartTechNXT offers smart automation and digitalisation to accelerate the harmonisation of human and digital workforces in the manufacturing, finance, legal and people management sectors. “Organisations that choose simpler, smarter automation are better equipped to thrive in a highly digitised and fast-moving world,” Laureen observes. “Our mission is to create simplified, people-centric ways to transform businesses digitally. At SmartTechNXT, we automate business processes with smart technology in the service of people to unlock business value.” Commenting on the needs of female entrepreneurs from the Netherlands regarding international business, Laureen says, “In my experience I have needed, and have been blessed with, an amazing support network, primarily through The Southern African-Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (SANEC), the East Netherlands Development Agency (OostNL) and the amazing team at WTC Twente – who have embraced us as part of their family and done everything in their power to help us succeed including securing government support for our international expansion, coaching, and identifying pathways to neighbouring countries.” Like any entrepreneur, Laureen’s motivation for international expansion is growth. She admits that finding information on funding for business expansion has been challenging to navigate because, while there are numerous funding instruments, it’s not obvious where to go and what to do to apply, so access to information for these processes could be improved. Laureen also believes that women’s networks have an important role to play in this respect. “In South Africa, we were a member of WEConnect International, a network of certified procurement- ready women business owners. We would collaborate and bid together for new business. In South Africa, corporates are actively driving diversity within their supply chains and are making huge strides towards gender parity in terms of business ownership and leadership, and I constantly felt like we were all working towards this goal collectively. I find this is missing in the Netherlands and its absence makes me think that there’s more that can be done to support female entrepreneurs. WTC Twente’s ‘Women in International Business Project’ is the first time I have seen this addressed as a local initiative in a very deliberate way.” For those just starting on the business internationalisation process, Laureen’s advice is, “Don’t go it alone! You do need a pioneering spirit, but organisations like Invest Holland (NFIA), SANEC, WTC Twente, and OostNL were invaluable in facilitating our internationalising journey – they are genuinely interested in helping us to succeed. We have felt supported at every

The post Dr Laureen van Aswegen on taking SmartTechNXT abroad appeared first on SmartTechNXT.

]]>

Dr Laureen van Aswegen on taking SmartTechNXT abroad

Dr Laureen van Aswegen, the newly appointed CEO of SmartTechNXT, has over 25 years of combined experience in executive technical leadership and business process transformation. Her unwavering commitment to delivering excellent value to customers through Intelligent Automation Solutions is an inspiration to women entrepreneurs who are looking to expand their ventures internationally.

In 2018, Laureen joined Pétanque NXT, a boutique consultancy aimed at business process architecture and re engineering based in South Africa, as a shareholder and founding partner of Pétanque NXT Europe. Her focus was to build out their intelligent automation division and expand the business. “I had a great opportunity to step out of corporate to finish a PhD in Organizational Behaviour. I believe that the interface between people and technology is essential,” she says. “I wanted to help people live smarter, better working lives enabled by technology. So, I took a step back to look at what opportunities the next stage in my career could provide.”

“Working as an entrepreneur opened up a whole new world for me. In my previous corporate role, I worked with internal customers. Now, I worked with a plethora of people from different sectors to understand various problems and a diversity of ways to solve them.”

“Early in that process, I represented our Intelligent Automation practice at a science and technology meeting with Dutch Ambassador Han Peters in Pretoria, South Africa. There, I was introduced to the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) and the Southern African Netherlands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SANEC), who provided invaluable support for internationalising our business. We already had a small footprint in Portugal at that stage, however I immediately realised there was a huge opportunity for growth in forward-thinking, tech-mature countries like the Netherlands that are actively working to make technology a force for good in business .” I also realised that rather than support a foreign office remotely, we needed to roll up our sleeves, climb in boots and all, and make the opportunity a reality.

In contemplating the move from South Africa, Laureen and her husband, Kurt, decided to navigate the business owner relocation landscape themselves. “Working in another country wasn’t a daunting task for me,” Laureen recalls. “As engineers, we are quite pragmatic and structured in our work, and  internationalisation works in a structured way. The process was an interesting learning curve, and it brought us a new network of people and businesses in the international sphere – we were fortunate to find really good partners and a very supportive network.”

In early 2020, Laureen and her business partner, Michélle Booysen, started developing the business in the Netherlands and quickly came to realise that recruiting new clients would require a different approach to that in South Africa. “While knowing the local language is sometimes essential for expansion, particularly in regions where English is not the predominant business language, our biggest lesson was that you must be absolutely focussed and crystal clear in your messaging.”

“We were used to marketing our consultancy services under the banner of business process improvements. When we started expanding the intelligent automation side of the business, the feedback received was that we sounded like a consulting company. Our message wasn’t landing, and that’s when we decided to establish a new entity focussed on business process automation and robotic process automation.”

In July 2021, Pétanque NXT announced the establishment of SmartTechNXT, an independent NewCo
that focuses on delivering Intelligent Business Process Automation Solutions in Europe and Africa.
This process was completed on 31 August. With Laureen at the helm, SmartTechNXT offers smart

automation and digitalisation to accelerate the harmonisation of human and digital workforces in the manufacturing, finance, legal and people management sectors.

“Organisations that choose simpler, smarter automation are better equipped to thrive in a highly digitised and fast-moving world,” Laureen observes. “Our mission is to create simplified, people-centric ways to transform businesses digitally. At SmartTechNXT, we automate business processes with smart technology in the service of people to unlock business value.”

Commenting on the needs of female entrepreneurs from the Netherlands regarding international business, Laureen says, “In my experience I have needed, and have been blessed with, an amazing support network, primarily through The Southern African-Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (SANEC), the East Netherlands Development Agency (OostNL) and the amazing team at WTC Twente – who have embraced us as part of their family and done everything in their power to help us succeed including securing government support for our international expansion, coaching, and identifying pathways to neighbouring countries.”

Like any entrepreneur, Laureen’s motivation for international expansion is growth. She admits that finding information on funding for business expansion has been challenging to navigate because, while there are numerous funding instruments, it’s not obvious where to go and what to do to apply, so access to information for these processes could be improved.

Laureen also believes that women’s networks have an important role to play in this respect. “In South Africa, we were a member of WEConnect International, a network of certified procurement- ready women business owners. We would collaborate and bid together for new business. In South Africa, corporates are actively driving diversity within their supply chains and are making huge strides towards gender parity in terms of business ownership and leadership, and I constantly felt like we were all working towards this goal collectively. I find this is missing in the Netherlands and its absence makes me think that there’s more that can be done to support female entrepreneurs. WTC Twente’s ‘Women in International Business Project’ is the first time I have seen this addressed as a local initiative in a very deliberate way.”

For those just starting on the business internationalisation process, Laureen’s advice is, “Don’t go it alone! You do need a pioneering spirit, but organisations like Invest Holland (NFIA), SANEC, WTC Twente, and OostNL were invaluable in facilitating our internationalising journey – they are genuinely interested in helping us to succeed. We have felt supported at every turn and are encouraged that our vision for the future of our business is shared.”

ENDS
(1003 words)

Contact Dr Laureen van Aswegen | laureen@smarttechnxt.pro
Contact SmartTechNXT: connect@smarttechnxt.pro

The post Dr Laureen van Aswegen on taking SmartTechNXT abroad appeared first on SmartTechNXT.

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