Back in September, on stage at CASA25, we announced a strategic partnership with Sandbox Industries—a US-based investment firm with decades of experience working with large corporates and innovation ecosystems.
That moment wasn’t just another announcement.
It was a signal that we’re serious about turning all the conversations in our industry into something that actually creates impact.
Because let’s be honest—this industry doesn’t have a shortage of ideas. It has a shortage of execution.
Since then, we’ve spent the past six months doing what matters most early on: listening, testing, and building relationships.
Hundreds of conversations.
Dozens of early-stage companies.
A growing group of investors and partners leaning in.
And one thing is clear: the timing is now.
From Private Conversations to Real Momentum
Since CASA25, we haven’t just been talking.
We’ve already brought parts of this ecosystem together in smaller, more strategic settings—through a series of CAVE sessions with our senior members.
Two of those dinners—last September and again in March—gave us exactly what we were looking for: honest, closed-door conversations with operators, platforms, and partners who are actively shaping this space.
No slides. No noise. Just real discussions about where things are going—and what’s missing.
Those sessions reinforced one thing:
There’s real appetite to move beyond talking.
The Gap Nobody Really Owns
Early-stage founders in telecom, CPaaS, AI, and Network APIs are building in one of the toughest environments out there.
Long sales cycles.
Complex, fragmented ecosystems.
Heavy technical dependencies.
And on top of that:
- regulatory pressure
- data sovereignty and compliance requirements
- and an increasingly unpredictable geopolitical landscape
In this space, every market can feel like a different world. Every deployment comes with new constraints.
And when it comes to funding and support, these founders often fall in between worlds.
Too early for large investors.
Too complex for generalists.
Too busy building to navigate the ecosystem alone.
At the same time, operators and platforms keep saying they want innovation—but struggle to engage with it in a structured way.
That gap is real.
And it’s where we’re spending our time.
Q1 Was About Listening. Q2 Is About Acting
In Q1, we showed up at the big industry moments.
And those are valuable—but they’re not where real progress happens.
The real work happens in smaller settings. With the right people. Having honest conversations.
So in Q2, we’re changing the approach.
Q2: On the Road
This quarter, we’re taking a much more deliberate approach.
Together with Sandbox, we’ll be on the road—bringing founders, investors, and industry leaders together across a series of key cities.
Not big stages.
Not crowded receptions.
But curated sessions, small dinners, drinks, and focused conversations.
Where we’ll be:
- Paris (April) – starting in continental Europe with a focused group of founders and ecosystem partners
- Madrid (April) – engaging with telcos and partners at the center of the Network API conversation
- New York (May) – connecting with US-based investors and founders in a more intimate setting
- London (May) – informal drinks and small-group discussions with senior leaders
- Amsterdam (June) – bringing together conversations around identity, trust, payments, and their intersection with communications
- Copenhagen (June) – spending a couple of days on the ground during one of the largest global telco gatherings
Across all of these locations, the format is consistent:
Small groups.
Carefully selected people.
Real conversations.
No noise. No filler.
Why This Matters (And Why We’re Doing It This Way)
For CPaaSAA, this is a natural extension of what we’ve always focused on: impact.
Not just talking about innovation—but actually helping it happen.
This roadshow allows us to:
- Bring early-stage innovation closer to the ecosystem
- Connect founders directly with operators and platforms
- Create real opportunities for collaboration and validation
And importantly, it helps us move from discussion to execution.
A More Structured Way to Engage Innovation
What we’re building here is simple, but missing in this industry:
A more structured way for founders, investors, and operators to actually engage with each other.
Not through random introductions.
Not through conference chaos.
But through intentional, repeatable interactions.
Because if we want better outcomes, we need better conversations.
Join Us on the Road
If you’re building in this space…
If you’re investing in this space…
Or if you want to be closer to where things are actually happening—
Come spend time with us.
We’ll be across Europe and the US this quarter, hosting a small number of curated sessions.
We’re selective in who we bring together—but always open to the right conversations.
Reach out directly at rob@cpaasaa.com if you’d like to join one of the sessions, meet our Sandbox partners, grab a coffee, or connect and compare notes along the way.
My lifetime in IT and telecoms has been dedicated to innovation, building bridges and creating change. From the early days of cloud communications to working with operators on innovations and business development, and currently emphasizing APIs, CPaaS/CX and AI, my journey has been one of continuous evolution.
As founding partner at CPaaS Acceleration Alliance and The Next Cloud I'm privileged to help global telcos and techcos thrive in a fast changing world - through events, community building, strategy and global business development. I thrive on challenges and change, strategizing in cloud communications, and bringing people together for mutual success. Travel and continuous learning are my passions.
I believe the global communications industry is pivoting to prioritize customer experience and impactful solutions over mere technology and platforms, and we can tackle societal challenges by merging the strengths of corporates and innovators within new ecosystems.
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