Meet Teodor Parvanov, participant in VMware’s internal innovation event called RADIO, where VMware engineers pitch their ideas, learn from their peers and form new relationships with one another. Anyone within the company is invited to submit ideas in hopes of getting selected to present in front of the entire RADIO audience. The accepted ideas are then rigorously workshopped by their creators and the RADIO committee before being presented. VMware colleagues from across business units and disciplines work together to polish the contents of the conference, setting the stage for ideas to be further shared and developed at a company-wide level after the event.
We are curios to find out what triggers the innovation impulse of the participants and how they approach the creation and development of their idea.
What was the project you participated with?
Cross-chain readiness of VMware Blockchain. The idea is to “extend” the reach of the distributed trust provided by VMware Blockchain to other platforms using the Interblockchain protocol.
Did you work on it alone or with teammates? How long did it take you to develop it?
I’ve learnt that innovation is a winding road, rather than a “one shot” effort. VMware certainly provides the tools to turn innovative ideas into reality, but it is the “inventor’s” responsibility to leverage those tools. Additionally, it is not unusual that several people contribute along the way – so luckily, one is rarely alone.
Work on this specific idea began as part of my Take 3 project last summer, hosted by the Advanced Development Center in Sofia. The Take 3 Program (T3) is an opportunity for VMware employees, with five or more years of service, to take a three month rejuvenation period and select an assignment outside of their regular day job. T3 is an opportunity for professional, technical, and leadership development that not only benefits personal and professional growth, but also enhances the contributions employees are able to make to the company.
I have received valuable guidance and encouragement by the team, which helped me keep going in the right direction. Another step was to gather a team around this idea and work on a prototype as part of VMware Bulgaria’s 2019 Q3 Borathon. In the meantime, I had already joined the VMware Blockchain team where I’ve received additional support to publish the idea as a RADIO paper – finally accepted for RADIO 2020.
What was your motivation for participating in RADIO?
RADIO is a unique and inspiring opportunity to share ideas among like-minded innovators. I am honored that my idea has received positive feedback and recognition. Although I must admit, I’m also really looking forward to RADIO returning to San Francisco. Being there is a rare moment of both inspiration and respite, where time stands still - somewhere far into a highly technological future.
What triggers the innovation impulse in you? How this process happens?
I guess I’ve always had this inclination to carve my own path (even though sometimes thorny). Personality seems to play a big role in it. Although I believe that any intelligent person is capable of innovation, should they put their mind to it, not everyone craves it.
Do you see initiatives such as RADIO essential to cultivating the innovation spirit in the company?
RADIO is great, we all love it, but we need to be aware that presenting an innovative idea is just the first step. The hardest part is to actually turn good ideas into tangible outcomes for customers. Doing so requires a combination of personal drive, certain soft skills, company support, funding and, most importantly – timing.
What keeps you in VMware?
Since I joined in 2014, VMware has consistently felt like home. My personal values resonate very well with the company’s vision of building a successful business with a strong ethical dimension. I also have the unique opportunity to be working on VMware Blockchain here in Sofia. This provides the benefits of decentralized trust in an enterprise context, thus enabling better, more transparent business models. Essentially, I feel as if my team and I are coding a better future for humanity, no less.
