065: BUILDING IOT TOGETHER: From Hype to Reality

IoT isn't a buzzword anymore. It's business.

Wienke Giezeman built The Things Industries from scratch. Now he's managing 3 million connected devices globally. $4M in annual revenue. And he did it by breaking every Silicon Valley rule.

No "winner takes all" mentality. Pure collaboration.

This episode cuts through the IoT hype cycle. Wienke reveals why most IoT projects failed. How his company survived when others didn't. And why sharing your IP actually grows the market.

Real talk on scaling hardware. Building communities. Making AI work with IoT data.

From cattle tracking to vape detection in school bathrooms. From forest fire sensors to toilet paper dispensers. The use cases that actually make money.

Plus: Why the next wave of IoT growth is coming. And how startups can avoid the graveyard.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:13 Wienke Giezeman's Background and Company Overview

00:52 Early Days and Inspiration

01:34 Building a Global Network

02:08 Community and Collaboration

06:31 The Things Conference

09:22 Trends in IoT and AI Integration

15:12 Future Prospects and Reflections

25:10 Advice for IoT Startups

27:35 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Hit subscribe for more unfiltered tech insights. Rate us 5 stars if this episode delivered value.

Connect with Wienke: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wienke/

The Things Network: https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/

The Things Industries: https://www.thethingsindustries.com/

The Things Conference: https://www.thethingsconference.com/ 23-24 September 2025, Amsterdam