Engineer AI

Sachin Dev Duggal is Co-founder of Shoto and SD Squared Labs. I enjoy speaking with entrepreneurs like Duggal. Why? Because Sachin has a macro-view of the world, an important skill to develop when you are trying to solve world problems. Solving world problems not only requires a unique reframing of the issue, but it also needs support from individuals that are working on macro-issues. Finding a platform where Sachin could research solutions and consult magnets became the next stage of his development.  Duggal was fortunate to find what he needed at the World Economic Forum. At WEF Sachin took full advantage as he met with Bill Gates, and discussed ideas with Paul Jacobs. As a result, of his experience at the World Economic Forum Duggal donates to various charities including Keep a Child Alive by Alicia Keys. What problem are you looking to solve? How are you reframing that problem? How are you connecting with others that can help you? Let’s read on how Sac...

Being a founder of one of the early cloud computing companies, Nivio, founder and CEO of Engineer.ai , an active investor in 20 technology startups, and a serial entrepreneur since the age of 17, Sachin Dev Duggal is constantly on the move. The 36-year-old, however, ensures his annual calendar includes several breaks, to unwind with his family. “It’s essential to know when you need to pause. Travel is a creative way to let the soul expand. You need to be able to shift to a lower gear often, else you will just burn out,” says Sachin Dev Duggal. He’s always on the go: He recently had breakfast in Singapore, lunch the next day in Tel Aviv, dinner the following day in Tokyo, and returned home to enjoy Sunday brunch with his two-and-a-half-year-old son, Aramnäya, in Los Angeles. Sachin Duggal says he has the ability to learn new things and enjoy cities in shorter bursts, despite the intensity of travel. “I h...

Shoto and sd2labs recently co-hosted a webinar with RocketSpace where I outlined some of my favorite strategies and user acquisition hacks for apps. I refer to these strategies as the “magic” — or the glue — that increases adoption and promotes long term engagement. The 3 keys to creating “magic” Within 50 seconds of downloading an app, users decide to get started or jump ship. The first thing the user sees — whether it’s copy, colors, a splash screen or permissions — is critical to the first impression your app makes and, potentially, its long-term success. So how do you make “magic” happen? Appeal to the (1) motivation, (2) ability and (3) triggers in the process of adoption (a.k.a. the first 50 seconds).   Let’s break it down: Motivation = satisfy a need or emotion — the one thing that will blow users’ minds. We created the following push notification on Shoto to create this motivation: “Your friend X has 50 photos to share with you.” It creates exci...