Solving the interesting problems we're living through

The best thing about working with cutting edge technology is that you get to work on solving interesting problems. 2020 certainly had some interesting problems and ones that I was personally living through.

As sales director at Place Technology in 2020, I worked to bring disparate technology together and solve problems that improved people's lives in the midst of a pandemic. This included delivering stage one of MyVirtualCare; an integrated video consultation platform. The project to deliver MyVirtualCare integrated PlaceOS with Pexip, Message media, and Splunk so that NSW Health could deliver a robust video consultation service using their preferred VC platform but with the user experience to support the health workflow. It also gave them the analytics that they needed to drive decisions on further innovation.

I worked on a project with Deloitte to deliver a contactless visitor experience solution for their Melbourne office so that they could elevate their visitor experience in a new office building bringing clients and employees back to safely meet in person.

I worked with Lendlease to understand how they wanted to bring their team back to the office with a solution that included a desk reservation app, QR code check-in, and occupancy analytics.

In 2021, I’m full time in my new business, Elypsys, and our aim is to keep solving the interesting problems that we’re living through. A NSW tender has caught my eye over the break. It’s calling for startups to meet the innovation challenge of bringing people back to the Sydney CBD to enjoy unique experiences safely and confidently.

As a Sydney Sider, I absolutely want to be able to enjoy the city. We’re so lucky that restrictions on travel don’t have to kill the wanderlust that travel brings when you have a world-class city to explore.

When I’m with my friends, that means finding little-known rooftop bars, the latest eateries, and the best cocktails.

When I’m with my family, that means wandering through the museums, the botanical gardens and enjoying alfresco dining (read: ice cream from a truck).

When I’m by myself, it means shopping like a local and finding spots with the best coffee where I can get some work done or just read a book.

When you know the experiences you’re trying to create, you can discover the data that’s going to help you activate the plan. Google mobility data shows you trends in occupancy and busy times of places. Transport NSW density data shows you the best time to catch public transport and the carriage in which to sit to maintain physical distance requirements. Someone somewhere is gathering a heap of data from the Service NSW check-in application so they know how many people are in a venue at any given time. And there’s plenty of data in restaurant booking applications and event websites to let us know what’s on and to what capacity it is booked.

Our passion is bringing those disparate sets of data together to create the user experience. The technology we use for that includes the PlaceOS integration platform and some web development that creates the ultimate connected user experience. Imagine a web app accessible to people that help them plan their trip or spontaneously find the next spot to kick on. A web app that can notify you of places nearby with low occupancy and also allows you to cross-check occupancy with what you’re up for (Adventure, Italian Cuisine, a lychee martini). A web app that keeps you safely away from hotspots and crowded places but lets you discover new spots whether you’re with friends, family, or by yourself. The best travel experiences are the ones where you find the hidden gems and the best days out are the ones that kick on spontaneously. So let’s help people do that and stimulate the CBD economy at the same time. Having done this work in workplaces, universities, and health, we’re interested in solving the next interesting problem using the same principles.

Elypsys will absolutely be responding to the NSW government’s call for startups to drive innovation in this space and I’d love to hear more of your ideas on what would help you feel safe and confident exploring the Sydney CBD.