Profile: Shani Bhavsar
Meet Shani Bhavsar. CEO and CTO at Dash Technologies.
Name: Shani Bhavsar
Job: CEO/CTO of Dash Technologies
City: Columbus
Hometown: Visnagar, India
Q: What do you do at Dash Technologies?
Development as a Service (Daas) delivering programming and coding on a project basis that connects machine learning, data science and artificial intelligence to apps, websites, existing products, or future concepts. Our agile development methodology and sprint project management helps clients envision, build, and run more innovative and efficient businesses.
Q: What’s a problem you're working to solve?
How Ohio-based companies in these vertical markets can use AI successfully: healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and InsurTech.
For one client, we recently combined all three into the world’s most comprehensive operating room and Zimmer BioMet launched its OmniSuite product in February.
They came to Dash to combine these three technologies in new ways that would be able to take massive amounts of data and “feed it back” to all levels of the hospital from the C-Suite to the doctor in the operation room; from the scrub nurse to the medical device representative. It also uses AI to answer questions in the operation room during surgeries on a variety of topics.
Q: What’s a lesson you’ve learned that's shaped your work?
Stay humble. Work hard. Never stop innovating. Be inspired by the promise of technology and inspire those around you with a vision.
Q: What’s a trend in technology or innovation that doesn’t get enough attention?
AI. It will change our world.
We view AI now as the internet was in the mid-1990s. It’s important and will change the way the world works, but it's emerging at this point and mostly just exercised by Early Adopters. Over the next 10 years, we believe everyone will use AI in some way, shape or form in their business.
Having a team to build it into the business is a new skill set that many in-house IT staffs currently don’t have, so many – like Zimmer BioMet – rely on a small, agile team to execute projects like this on their behalf.
Q: What’s one moonshot idea that could help make Ohio a world leader in technology and innovation?
The combination of AI, machine learning and data science is not limited to the coasts, especially the West Coast. If you have the A-level coding skills, and the soft skills to listen to the marketplace, Ohio can do more than just drive acceptance: it can accelerate it.
Imagine if Ohio became the first state to have AI from government to private enterprise; from start-ups to mid-size manufacturers; from retail to InsurTech. All these industries have major players in Ohio.
To become Early Adopters on a state-wide basis would take an open-minded approach. That is, companies large and small that want to “get in the game” need talented resources, understanding, and willingness to leverage the technology. It can’t holistically import the talent, so providers will be required. There are very few small, elite teams that can execute at this stage, even fewer that do it on massive projects like the “smart” operating room, but there are companies driving AI (Honda) in the state.
For Ohio, if there are innovators in government, who can fast-track this, that would be helpful, but it’s moving fast and they will have to move quickly as well.
Q: What’s a recent book, podcast or news story that you found interesting?
Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future.
Elon Musk has built three of the most exciting companies in the last 10 years (four if you include his tunnel-building startup: Boring). He’s a visionary leader, inspirational and fun as well. To build an electronic car would be an achievement. To build a private space program is even more impressive. These are wonderful lifetime achievements. He’s done both in the last 10 years. Plus two other startups. Amazing!
Q: What's your favorite place in Ohio?
My Harley with my girlfriend, Margi, on the back headed out from Columbus up Route 33 on a crisp fall day. That’s freedom!
Q: What makes Ohio special to you?
I’m from out of state, but my brother convinced me that this was the center of his universe as he was building his business. I was lucky enough to get a job at Cardinal Health, but was recruited by my brother to form Dash Technology in Columbus.. I met my girlfriend here, grew two businesses, found Ohio to be a great home for myself and my businesses. It’s an entrepreneur’s paradise and a great place to live. I’m a Buckeye through and through, and bleed Scarlet and Grey now. A convert. A believer.
Connect with Shani on LinkedIn.