22-25 April 2026

Bridging the Gap: Transforming Tech Friction into Startup Success

Proposed session for SQLBits 2026

TL; DR

Discover how startups can bridge the communication gap between investors and technical teams. This session shows how the Microsoft Startup Hub, Azure AI, and OpenAI enable clearer alignment, faster development, and stronger investor confidence, helping startups accelerate instead of stall.

Session Details

Ever wondered why some promising startups grind to a halt just when they should be accelerating? Often, it’s because non-technical investors and technical teams speak entirely different languages. Misunderstandings create friction, stall innovation, and prevent startups from realising their true potential.

But what if there was a clear pathway to bridge this divide? Imagine investors confidently backing technology they fully understand, and developers empowered to articulate their solutions with clarity and conviction.

This dynamic session reveals how successful startups are leveraging the Microsoft Startup Hub—powered by Azure AI and OpenAI Services—to overcome communication barriers, align stakeholders, and drive rapid innovation.

You'll discover how to:

Quickly clarify and translate business goals into precise, actionable technical requirements.

Create meaningful dialogue between non-technical investors and development teams, fostering mutual trust and alignment.

Deploy Azure AI and OpenAI services to streamline development, eliminate costly misunderstandings, and accelerate project timelines.

Don't let misalignment stall your innovation. Join us and unlock proven strategies to move your startup from impasse to impactful growth.

Learning Objectives

- Clearly translate business needs into actionable tech strategies.

- Foster effective dialogue between investors and tech teams for rapid alignment.

- Leverage Azure AI and OpenAI to streamline development and boost innovation speed.

3 things you'll get out of this session

Understand how to translate investor and business goals into clear, actionable technical requirements. Learn techniques to improve communication and alignment between non-technical stakeholders and development teams. Gain practical insight into using Azure AI and OpenAI tools to speed up development, reduce misalignment, and drive innovation.

Speakers

Gethyn Ellis

gethynellis.com/blog

Gethyn Ellis's previous sessions

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Data Leadership: Navigating Security, Governance, and Ethical Decision-Making in the Digitial Skies
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