How Did Adaptable Tools Come Into Being?
We started with noticing a gap. Then one of those “how is it possible no one’s doing anything about it?” moments, followed by a (longer) discussion about why don’t we make ourselves the people to fill the gap. What we’d noticed is that although there were lots of products that brought some order and organisation to data – from Excel through to major innovations like AG Grid and OpenFin’s desktop offerings – every single application using data was building its management on a bespoke basis, and some organisations were repeat building, bespoke, for multiple applications many times a year. It just didn’t make sense.
How Did You End Up Leading the Business?
My background is in innovation for global businesses. Amongst other things I’ve launched HD television globally, and 3D TV, as well as new ways of working across professional service sectors. My partner and CTO, Jonny Wolfson, comes from the world of cutting edge banking technology. So together we have a complementary skillset.
Where Has Adaptable Tools Got To Now?
For the first couple of years we built the best product we could, a toolbox of data controls to meet any and every need. We started running the business full time from 2019 and since then we’ve won awards and clients right around the world for our core product, AdapTable, which offers everything people need to manage data in grids right out of the box.
What Have Been the Biggest Challenges?
It’s tough running a start up and anyone who says otherwise is lying! It has been hard to get heard with all the noise around new life-changing products and innovations, and to strike a balance around tools that are game changing for end users in the business, but which also have to connect to Developers and convince them that this is not a threat to their livelihoods (as it saves months of work) but will allow them to spend their time solving business problems rather than UI issues.
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How Has COVID Impacted You?
For a period of time it felt as if every longer term decision in the financial sector was on hold. But as the world is emerging from lock down we are finding a renewed energy around projects and technology solutions, as well as an even greater interest in finding ways for people in disparate locations (whether at home or around the globe) to work together. That has had a substantial knock on effect for us given that smart team working is a key part of what AdapTable offers, together with transformational data controls more generally.
What Are You Planning Next?
In the last few weeks we have launched AdapTable Rx which has been our lockdown baby, and offers a whole new level of reactive controls (hence the name). For example, if you want to know how often a row has changed every hour, or if a number has gone below a certain level more than three times in ten minutes, AdapTable Rx can do that for you out of the box.
Obviously our next challenge is to make sure that all our existing users are aware of everything they can get from AdapTable, and that people who are not our users but could be know that they can join our global community of licencees.
