Bridging the Gap: Transforming Tech Friction into Startup Success
Proposed session for SQLBits 2026TL; 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.
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
David Postlethwaite's other proposed sessions for 2026
A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Data-Driven Culture - 2026
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who can sync their data best of all - 2026
Moneyball – Build a killer Fantasy Football Team with Power BI - 2026
From Zero to Hero: Accidental SQL Server DBAs Survival Guide - 2026
What you can do to protect your SQL Server and why it matters - 2026
David Postlethwaite's previous sessions
What you can do to protect your SQL Server and why it matters
The CIS Benchmarks, from the Centre of Internet Security (CIS), are a set of globally recognized and consensus-driven best practices to help us implement and manage our cybersecurity defences.
In this 20-minute session, listen to David and Gethyn discussing these best practices, see if you agree with them, and see how many you have implemented.
Top Five Disasters we've dealt with in our time as DBAs
Come and hear our top five disasters and how we managed them (or not)
I'm a SQL DBA. What do I do with this Oracle database?
This talk sets out to explain some of the terminology, the differences and the similarities between Oracle and SQL Server and hopefully make Oracle not look quite so intimidating.
Dynamic Data Masking in 20 Minutes
In this 20 minute session we will have an overview and demos of Dynamic Data Masking which allows us to obfuscate data in real time
Gethyn Ellis
gethynellis.com/blog
Gethyn Ellis's other proposed sessions for 2026
A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Data-Driven Culture - 2026
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who can sync their data best of all - 2026
Moneyball – Build a killer Fantasy Football Team with Power BI - 2026
Will AI Replace Us or Raise Us? The New Landscape for Data Professionals and Consultants - 2026
From Zero to Hero: Accidental SQL Server DBAs Survival Guide - 2026
What you can do to protect your SQL Server and why it matters - 2026
Gethyn Ellis's previous sessions
A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Data-Driven Culture in Your Business Using Power BI
Embarking on a journey to instill a data-driven culture within a prominent police force, Chief Data Officer Berry Wand discovered a transformative conference talk that unveiled the potential of Power BI in establishing a robust data infrastructure. Diving deep into a world teeming with insights, Berry gleaned invaluable strategies, such as establishing leadership support and promoting a data-focused mindset, that promised to steer her team toward an innovative future. The experience not only energized and inspired her but provided a strategic blueprint that, while challenging, paved the way for the implementation of a visionary, data-centric organizational culture. Now, armed with knowledge and a resolute spirit, Berry is poised to elevate her department into a new era of data-driven decision-making.
Data Leadership: Navigating Security, Governance, and Ethical Decision-Making in the Digitial Skies
In the complex digital realm, ensuring data's security and its ethical handling is paramount. This session delves into robust data protection, effective governance, and leadership acumen, spotlighting OneLake, Purview, and contemporary data security strategies to promote seamless, secure operations.
What you can do to protect your SQL Server and why it matters
The CIS Benchmarks, from the Centre of Internet Security (CIS), are a set of globally recognized and consensus-driven best practices to help us implement and manage our cybersecurity defences.
In this 20-minute session, listen to David and Gethyn discussing these best practices, see if you agree with them, and see how many you have implemented.
Top Five Disasters we've dealt with in our time as DBAs
Come and hear our top five disasters and how we managed them (or not)