We recently sat down with the new CEO of Imagimob to talk about stepping into the role, the future of Edge AI, and the kind of culture she hopes to foster within the company. With a deep enthusiasm for emerging technologies, Sarah Hemmer shared insights on leadership, innovation, and staying grounded in a fast-moving tech world. From cultivating a team culture rooted in curiosity and ownership to building out a powerful Edge AI software ecosystem under Infineon’s DEEPCRAFT™ umbrella, there’s a lot to be excited about.
Welcome aboard! First off, how does it feel to step into the role of CEO role here at Imagimob?
Sarah: Thank you! I have enjoyed every second of it so far – I get to be part of a great team that works on exciting technology in a fast-paced market environment.
All of which are aspects that I value and thrive on in my day to day work. I am really looking forward to growing the business and turning problems into customer value!
What emerging technologies or trends are you most excited about? Are there any Imagimob is actively exploring, and what are the biggest opportunities?
Sarah: As we are an Edge AI company, at least part of that answer is rather straightforward: per definition, we are playing on one of the most interesting fields that are out there at the moment.
I am particularly excited about are the opportunities that open up when we bring GenAI to the edge. This will unlock a new level of device capability that is unprecedented: For me as a runner for example, I could get real time recommendations during my workouts based on my current vitals – all without having to bring my phone or worry about connectivity.
Another aspect is unlocking sensor data at scale – there is a lot of available data sets for common sensors – think images, audio data, video data. But, there are many more sensors out there – radar, IMUs, current, magnetic sensory and many more where data collection & labelling today can be time consuming and tedious. And data is the basis for machine learning.
Culture is a huge part of any organization. What kind of culture are you hoping to cultivate or continue building here?
Sarah: Exactly. Culture is made up of the values, the “unwritten” rules and behaviors that emerge over time, and we as a team at Imagimob shape it together.
It is a reflection of how I and the entire team act and collaborate every day. It is so crucial because it finally reflects on the products that we build, how we interact with customers, and the talents we attract.
I care about a culture that thrives on curiosity, ownership and a willingness to challenge the status quo. I want our team to be unafraid to ask "why" and to constantly seek out new and better ways of doing things, as well as feeling a true sense of contribution and ownership for everything that goes out of our door.
In tech, innovation often depends on collaboration.
How do you plan to empower teams to take risks and innovate?
Sarah: To me it is about trust and ownership. My contribution is to give the team direction and then make sure they have what they need to achieve our joint goals.
I see myself as an enabler for my team, acting as a multiplier and bridge builder for them.
Outside of work, what keeps you inspired or grounded? Any hobbies or passions that help you recharge?
Sarah: Yes! I am quite outdoorsy and love all sorts of exercise – my ideal “recharge” day looks like this: Get up early, leave the phone behind, get out in the mountains with friends to trail run / hike / climb / ski and then have a nice meal together.
In the day to day, I go running a lot and like learning new things as my mind is always buzzing.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice when starting out in the field of tech, what would it be?
Sarah: One aha moment that I had early on was to see passion as an output, not an input – passion is something that develops over time by engaging, learning, spending time and getting something out in return.
For starting out in tech specifically, it helped me to expose myself to innovation, people that are experts in their fields, staying curious and saying yes to opportunities.
There are so many problems out there that are waiting to be solved! It is about finding the sweet spot of what you enjoy, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what gets you paid (see: IKIGAI)
What are you most excited about in the coming months – both for the company and for yourself as a leader?
Sarah: For the team and company I am most excited about the new products we are launching, that will form a true Edge AI Software Ecosystem under the Infineon DEEPCRAFT™ umbrella.
Later this year, Infineon is launching PSOC™ Edge, a very powerful AI-enabled MCU – this will give Imagimob’s products and technology the chance to truly shine and bring Edge AI to life with our customers!
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