Listen to today’s podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/silk-logic-small-business-daily/id1841930957
Small Business Daily Podcast — January 30, 2026
Welcome back! “Today’s podcast episode was created from the following stories:”—a fast, practical lineup spanning AI tools, cloud security, hiring, and the creative economy. Here’s what you need to know and why it matters for growing teams.
Development and Implementation of a Digital Twin Workshop for a Smoke Alarm Production Line
Researchers built a real-time digital twin for a smoke alarm production line, connecting multi-source data via OPC UA to mirror and optimize factory operations. In a live deployment, throughput rose 4–6x, labor costs fell 96.7%, and defects dropped below 0.1%, while enabling traceability and predictive maintenance. For manufacturers, it’s a replicable blueprint to modernize legacy lines and recover ROI in 2–4 years.
MITO AI raised $4.5 million to launch project-management software for filmmakers. Read its pitch deck.
MITO AI raised $4.5M (pre-seed, led by Lightspeed) to launch a workflow platform that helps filmmakers storyboard, collaborate, and orchestrate AI assets across tools like Runway, Veo, ComfyUI, and Pika. Tested with 200 beta partners, it targets the gap between powerful models and professional, longer-form storytelling with tiered pricing for creators and studios. For brands and indie teams, it promises faster iteration without retooling your entire stack.
Upwind raises $250M at $1.5B valuation to continue building ‘runtime’ cloud security
Upwind secured $250M Series B at a $1.5B valuation to scale its inside-out, runtime cloud security that prioritizes real-time risks based on internal signals. With 900% YoY revenue growth and customers like Siemens and Roku, the company will deepen AI capabilities and expand globally, backed by Bessemer and Salesforce Ventures. The pitch: cut alert noise and surface truly actionable threats across ephemeral infrastructure.
I ditched PowerPoint for Google’s latest tool, and I won’t go back
An SMB owner explains why Google’s NotebookLM now replaces PowerPoint for most day-to-day decks: it builds slide presentations directly from your own notes, preserving tone while saving hours of formatting. You’ll still want a quick review, but it nails structure and messaging better than generic AI slide generators. For lean teams, it’s a practical way to turn research into client-ready visuals fast.
AI-video firm Higgsfield is attracting artists and investors alike
Higgsfield, valued above $1.3B after a $130M Series A, says more than 15 million people are making GenAI videos on its platform, including artists like Snoop Dogg and Madonna. The service aggregates multiple video models and adds a simplified layer so marketers can produce 30–40 seconds of on-trend content daily. It’s another sign that pro-grade AI video is becoming accessible beyond prompt experts.
After Infosys, Cognizant taps Cognition for AI-driven development
Cognizant will integrate Cognition’s AI engineer Devin and the Windsurf IDE into its delivery frameworks to accelerate enterprise modernization with governance and security. Following a similar move by Infosys, the partnership starts with engineering transformation programs and will expand across industries. Expect broader adoption as services firms operationalize AI agents in real development workflows.
Kearney turns to AI to eliminate human bias in consulting hiring
Kearney is overhauling recruiting with AI to reduce bias, mapping historical applicant data to career outcomes and piloting AI-led screening interviews from its India office. The aim is to minimize false positives and negatives while improving consistency across campuses, though experts warn biased training data can still skew results. For HR leaders, transparent auditing and ethical guardrails will be essential.
Voice AI startups hear the sound of money as enterprises sign up
Indian voice AI startups are drawing fresh capital as enterprises deploy real-time, human-like agents across languages—Bolna AI, Ringg AI, and ArrowHead all raised rounds in January. Founders cite cost savings of up to 75% and nationwide scalability, though competition with Big Tech and a crowded field is intensifying. The likely winners will specialize by vertical and deliver seamless, trusted experiences in local languages.
