Martin Strigač: A Transformational Leader Paving the Way to Innovation with Top-Notch Technologies

GPS or Global Positioning System is a worldwide radio-navigation satellite system that helps to remotely navigate the destination you want to reach.GPS tracking has truly become essential in the day-to-day operations of fleets of all types and other services. Sygic uses augmented reality and other technologies to make navigation safer and more intuitive. Sygic's dedicated platform for electric vehicles aggregates premium maps and technologies in one comprehensive SDK, allowing the automakers to address the main challenges of e-mobility successfully.

Redefining Navigation with Disruptive Solutions

Sygic is one of the most successful mobile navigation solution companies in the world. Founded in Bratislava, Slovakia, in 2004, Sygic is a Deloitte Fast 50 Company. Sygic became a winner as a result of public voting for a Global Champion prize, which was awarded by the Emerging Europe platform in 2021 amongst many other international awards and prizes. The real-time Traffic Lights add-on for Sygic GPS Navigation has been awarded by the jury of leading technology experts as a top CES 2020 innovation. Sygic was recognized multiple times as a winner of the Superbrands Slovakia Award, the IT Company of the Year, and the Most Profitable IT Company of the Year. Sygic is also a part of the publicly listed W.A.G. payments solutions PLC (WPS.L), leading pan-European integrated payments and mobility platform that is focused on the commercial road transport industry.

A Self-Made Intellectual Leader

Martin Strigač is the CEO of Sygic. He took up the position in January 2018. He joined Sygic in 2015 as the Vice President Enterprise Solutions from the international software company Asseco. He worked there in a senior management position and was part of the supervisory boards of subsidiaries. One of the Sygic co-founders is his friend and classmate from university studies, and this led Martin to know the story of Sygic from the beginning.

Martin says, "I have never focused on my career path too much." He felt that everything came naturally. Martin studied management and information technology, worked as a developer, team lead, solution and enterprise architect, project manager, IT director, and so on. He helped M&A teams with successful acquisitions and post-merger integration and was part of top management and supervisory boards. "Becoming a true leader, who inspires teams, requires skills that one can only acquire over time through hard work," opines Martin.

"When we have a job that fulfills us, the challenges are something we expect as a daily routine. I am a lucky person in my professional life because I always had work, I love," adds Martin.

Transparency, the Best Quality of Leadership

Speaking about the vital attributes for every leader, Martin says that he always tries to lead by example. He adds that he respects transparent leaders working hard with their teams, presenting their leadership and success through inspirational products and innovations which help people around the globe.

Spearheading Innovation with Market Best Products

Martin believes that innovation plays a crucial role in any business. "Innovation is one of our core values; it is in our DNA and our lifestyle. In 2004 we started in an office with ​​25 square meters as a small start-up, and we still keep the start-up culture with a flat organisational structure, lean and understandable processes, regular hackathons, all-hands meetings, joint breakfasts, and dinners. We also listen to our broad and diverse beta-testers community, who provide continuous feedback on the new products and inspire us for new challenges," asserts Martin.

Martin claims that more than 200 million users worldwide trust Sygic products, which are constantly ranked as the best and most innovative on the market globally. He adds that, unlike the giants that have changed the market rules by providing pre-installed navigations in smartphones for free, Sygic has always relied on its agility and continuous innovations.

Bequeathing the Key to Success with Disruptive Technologies

According to Martin, almost all the innovations are somehow related to artificial intelligence, IoT, cloud computing or big data today. Just recently, Sygic became the first mobile navigation to detect traffic signs using AI, machine learning, and the collection of our big data. Its awarded Traffic Lights Add-On for the Sygic GPS Navigation used IoT integration of smart cities infrastructure and AI prediction algorithms. "We use disruptive technologies to primarily improve road safety and help to reduce carbon emissions by using accessible technology. Our collaborative routing algorithm has become one of the Top European Innovations by Innovation Radar Prize, appreciating the potential to reduce the time spent in the traffic by more than 20 percent, significantly lower costs, and contribute to CO2 reduction in cities. Sygic also participates in the development of a universal European AI platform called Everest, focusing on smart mobility in cities," adds Martin.

Building a Seamless Digital Ecosystem

Martin believes that monopolies heavily paralyse the navigation industry. He highlights that Apple and Google dominate the consumer market due to unfair advantages and governments are very slow to put appropriate policies in place. Martin asserts that Sygicfocuses on commercial transportation. Together with the other group teams, the company has the vision to democratise the on-road mobility industry through a technological revolution. Sygicwant to give every road transportation company – however small it is –access to the benefits of digitization at scale. The company is building a seamless, integrated digital ecosystem with the potential to revolutionise the middle mile. This benefits the planet and its customers, and everyone wins, claims Martin.

The Secret Mantra to Success

Martin advises emerging CEOs to be themselves and follow their passion. "Love what you do. Don't be CEO, be a colleague. Work hard with your teams and never forget about your customers. And always try to lead by example," he concludes.