The Hype Nobody Knows: A Reality Check on IoT Adoption

Host: Nassia Skoulikariti
Guest: Afzal Mangal (Telco veteran, IoT advocate, author)

Episode Summary:

In this insightful episode of Tech Stage, Nassia welcomes Afzal, a renowned telco veteran and outspoken IoT expert, to demystify the ongoing “hype” around the Internet of Things (IoT). They dive into Afzal’s new book, "IoT: The Hype that Nobody Knows About," and explore why IoT hasn’t yet lived up to expectations, what’s holding it back, and the lessons the IoT community can learn from the rapid success of AI. The conversation is packed with practical advice for entrepreneurs, industry insiders, and anyone curious about the reality behind the IoT buzz.

Timeline & Key Topics:

• 00:00:01 – Introduction

  • Nassia opens the episode sharing her passion for IoT and introduces guest Afzal as the “Telco Rebel.”

  • Overview of the episode: discussing Afzal’s new book, the current state of IoT, and lessons from AI.

• 00:03:02 – Meet Afzal

  • Afzal gives a personal introduction, his background in telco and IoT since 2017.

  • Experience with Deutsche Telekom and running IoTcreators.com.

• 00:04:16 – About the Book: "IoT the Hype that Nobody Knows About"

  • Afzal’s Twitter-summary: The book questions why IoT adoption is slow and challenges common narratives (e.g., blaming technology and fragmentation).

• 00:05:35 – The Problem: IoT’s Slow Growth & Industry Blind Spots

  • Reality check: Many in the industry don’t acknowledge the core issues preventing IoT scale.

  • The challenge moving from successful pilots to full-scale rollouts.

  • Internal resistance and lack of organizational readiness identified as major blockers.

• 00:09:51 – Comparing IoT and AI: What Did AI Get Right?

  • Public and enterprise awareness of AI compared to IoT.

  • AI’s effective branding, hype, and urgency creation.

  • Need for IoT to replicate AI’s strategies for greater adoption and excitement.

• 00:14:25 – Should We Rename IoT?

  • Discussion on whether IoT’s name is now a liability.

  • Possibility of rebranding to “connected business” or “connected world.”

  • Importance of changing sentiment, not just terminology.

• 00:16:58 – Book Insights: Practical Steps for IoT Success

  • Nassia highlights the book’s practical frameworks for founders and innovators.

  • The importance of awareness and real-world demonstrations to build buy-in.

• 00:19:18 – Market Awareness: The “Smart Garden” Anecdote

  • Illustrates how mainstream audiences are still excited by simple IoT applications.

  • Reinforces the need for better public education and storytelling in IoT.

• 00:20:43 – Where Is IoT Heading?

  • Are we at a crossroads for mainstream IoT?

  • The future is “everything connected, everyone augmented with AI.”

• 00:22:12 – POCs and the Scaling Dilemma

  • Why most IoT proofs-of-concept stall after success.

  • Organizational “side quests” vs. real commitment to change.

  • Importance of creating internal ownership across departments.

• 00:27:11 – Culture and Hyper-Efficiency

  • Hyper-efficiency as a cultural imperative for adopting new tech.

  • Challenges of organizational inertia and fear of obsolescence.

  • The role of leadership in driving culture change.

• 00:31:15 – Can Organizational Culture Beat Urgency?

  • Case studies from telco illustrating that urgency alone isn’t enough without the right DNA.

• 00:36:07 – Connectivity: IoT’s Achilles Heel

  • Why focusing too much on connectivity has stalled telco innovation in IoT.

  • Challenges for MNOs and MVNOs in moving beyond commoditized data services.

  • Success stories from smaller, local providers with closer business partnerships.

• 00:41:53 – The Marketing Gap in IoT

  • Industry’s failure to market IoT solutions effectively.

  • Lessons from The Things Industries on community building and authentic engagement.

  • Marketing is more than social media: it’s about building real user communities and advocates.

• 00:47:34 – If You Had €10 Million…

  • Afzal’s (and ChatGPT’s) advice: Don’t just build another niche product—build urgency for IoT adoption globally.

  • The power of creating a marketplace or agency to raise awareness and drive scale.

• 00:50:28 – Closing Thoughts & How to Connect

  • Book strongly recommended for founders, executives, and tech strategists.

  • Details on how to contact Afzal and where to find the book (in show notes).

Key Takeaways:

• The IoT “hype” hasn’t translated into mass adoption—largely due to organizational resistance, lack of urgency, and unclear value propositions.

• AI’s success is a blueprint IoT should follow: build urgency, market effectively, and create internal champions and communities.

• Shifting away from connectivity alone and building solutions and communities is critical for the next chapter of IoT.

• Cultural transformation, not just tech skills, will determine who thrives in the connected future.

• Practical frameworks for IoT implementation can dramatically shorten the path to value and scale for businesses.

Connect with the Show:

Links:

Website: www.apirodata.io

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nassiaskoulikariti/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nassiaskoulikariti-1

Guest: Afzal Mangal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afzalmangal/

Website: https://afzalmangal.com

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