In this hyperconnected era, how can the average person gain back control of their data? Fay Arjomandi, founder and CEO of Mimik Technology is one changemaker aiming to do just that by disrupting the computing world with her hybrid edge cloud platform. With data autonomy embedded in Mimik’s business model, Fay aims to create an ethical, sustainable way to make data work for its producers. Listen as Fay shares her story and her vision for the future of data democratization, the usefulness of the hybrid edge cloud, and what’s next for ethical technology.

Key Takeaways:

[1:51] Fay Arjomandi has always pointed her compass toward new frontiers. She was a child when the Iranian Revolution upended her life, and this led her to choose a path that felt right to her, despite any opposition. She speaks about how growing up in a world with political upheaval now helps her have empathy, curiosity, and passion in her role as Founder, President, and CEO of Mimik.

[3:38] Mimik is Fay’s third company, and her first two helped her understand how the traffic pattern of mobile internet and how we consume and share information was about to change. We needed to protect our digital footprint, reduce our digital waste, and have the ability for the cloud to move. Enter mimik access, a test application that can help turn your devices into cloud storage.

[4:09] Fay and her team developed Mimik in stealth mode until 2019. Hybrid-edge cloud gives users control of their own data, and democratizes the wild west of cloud data processing.

[7:06] COVID-19 became the business justification overnight and the perfect data demand with privacy and scalability at the height of our society’s needs. Fay discusses how Mimik’s technology can address better and more secure COVID-19 contract tracing.

[11:43] Separating users from data is built into our current model, but it’s a model Fay hopes to change. If we don’t adapt, we have a lot of shame and profit loss coming our way. She and Jo discuss rideshare as an example where workers should be paid for their data contributions, especially as they are being replaced in the workforce.

[14:19] After leaving Iran, Fay started her first company, a hair salon in Dubai. From there she moved from Sweden, Turkey, Germany and Canada to become an award winning makeup artist. At 22, someone told her she was too old to go to engineering school, and that sparked a passion in her to prove them wrong and help pave the way for others in the tech industry.

[15:58] The core part of Mimk Technology is to enable solutions that are getting developed by giving data control back to the data producers. Fay is optimistic about the future, and sees the landscape as an opportunity.

[17:42] We need to participate in digital income generated from our contribution. If this is the fourth industrial revolution, we can learn from ones that came before, and protect the vulnerable and low income from being the most affected. We can build profitable and equitable businesses that allow everyone a fair chance.

[19:27] Giving people access to information and the ability to consume information is the answer to elevating social discourse.

[21:19] We can save our data like a bank, and get paid for our knowledge as it accrues and builds over time. This not only gives us money, but more control, privacy, and a holistic view of our own usage.

Quotes:

• [3:05] “I was always trying to find a way to live as who I am, and discover myself.” - Fay
• [9:49] “I call it living in a glass house naked. That’s how we are right now, given everybody is looking at our data.” - Fay
• [10:37] It’s not just about nosy spying, it’s about power imbalances, control, and influence. - Jo
• [23:20] “The future of digital can be a force for good, but it starts by returning data to the people.” - Jo

Continue on your journey:

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Mentioned:

• Mimik
• Blue Origin
• Declaration of Internet Freedom