In the intricate landscape of enterprise technology software development, discerning the true visionaries is a complex task. Amidst this sector’s bustling activity, Galya Westler emerges as a luminary. As a 3 time tech entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Plazus Technologies Inc., she not only carves a distinctive path but also brings a unique combination of technical expertise and business acumen. Galya pioneers innovative applications of AI in automating tasks in Telehealth and utilizes blockchain technology for anonymizing health data.
Beyond her role in technology, she is a powerful TED speaker, captivating audiences with her insights and experiences. Where many in the field might simply follow existing trends, Galya charts these new territories, catalyzing progress and innovation. Her role transcends mere leadership; she acts as a beacon for gender diversity in technology, inspiring a new generation of female leaders.
In Galya Westler’s approach, one sees the embodiment of the future of enterprise technology solutions: intellectually stimulating, inclusively designed, and relentlessly forward-thinking, challenging the normative boundaries of the industry.
The Illustrious Journey
Success, as Galya Westler’s journey illustrates, is not an overnight phenomenon but a gradual accumulation of dedication, skill, and personal growth, often rooted in one’s formative educational years. Her time at the university, where she was one of the few women to graduate with a Software Engineering degree, laid the groundwork for her future achievements. Galya’s university years were marked by challenges in coding, physics, and math, but her resolve and hustle set her apart.
While her peers often prioritized social activities over academics, Galya Westler was meticulous in her studies, attending every lecture and compiling comprehensive notes that soon became invaluable to her classmates. This led to a unique barter system: she offered her notes in exchange for assistance in her weaker subjects, creating a collaborative network that helped her thrive academically. When faced with underwhelming exam results, Galya didn’t hesitate to leverage her negotiation skills, often discussing reevaluations or retakes with her professors, which enabled her to graduate within the standard four-year timeline with commendable grades.
Her transition to the professional world in Israel, a tech hub, brought new challenges. Lacking a degree from a prestigious university, Galya Westler found job opportunities limited. Undeterred, she used her honed negotiation skills to land her first role as a QA engineer, emphasizing her educational background and practical experience. Her exceptional performance in this role led to successful salary negotiations, significantly increasing her initial pay, a trend that continued throughout her career.
Upon returning to Canada, Galya’s professional journey continued to ascend. She strategically moved through various companies, consistently negotiating higher salaries. Her evolution from a university graduate leveraging her negotiation skills to a successful entrepreneur is a testament to her unyielding determination and mastery in the art of negotiation.
Galya’s Entrepreneurial Dream
Galya’s journey in establishing Plazus is a shining example of her ability to foresee industry needs before they become mainstream. Influenced by her highly educated and free-spirited parents, she developed a strong inclination for research and data-driven decision-making from an early age. In 2010, she recognized the untapped potential of Apple’s developer program, envisioning user-friendly apps empowered by DIY back-end systems to easily create apps without technical knowledge that would free businesses from needing to hire a technical team. It was this very visionary insight that served as the bedrock for the establishment of Plazus.
Initially, Plazus was a DIY platform empowering individuals to create private social network apps using pre-designed templates. Over time, Galya Westler and her team transformed the platform into an Ethereum-based blockchain system, emphasizing data ownership and introducing a token reward system for monetization. By 2018, they responded to the surging demand for blockchain solutions in identity verification, contract authenticity, and supply chain management. Today, Plazus is committed to developing sophisticated enterprise systems tailored to the unique requirements of its enterprise clients.
Innovation and Security Solutions
Headquartered in Canada, Plazus is an esteemed software development enterprise, fundamentally dedicated to enhancing business capabilities through the revolutionary power of blockchain technology. The company presents an expansive array of services, encompassing rigorous security audits, detailed assessments of business objectives, and comprehensive gap analysis.
These services are meticulously designed to fortify security frameworks and refine operational procedures. Under the insightful guidance of Galya Westler, Plazus has emerged as a distinguished collaborator for enterprises aspiring to harness the advanced security and operational efficiency offered by blockchain technology. Galya’s entrepreneurial odyssey in establishing and nurturing this company is a narrative of exceptional achievement and innovation.
A Blockchain Veteran
As both the founder and CEO, Galya Westler spearheads Plazus, transforming it into a prominent name in the market. However, her accomplishments don’t stop there; she is also the driving force behind GOHealth Technologies, a blockchain-based health technology solution designed to combat pandemics and jumpstart the economy: developing custom health related applications in Telehealth and anonymising patient data by using self sovereign identity and automating clinicians’ work using AI
In addition to her remarkable entrepreneurial achievements, Galya Westler is an engaging speaker who globe-trots, sharing her wisdom on how blockchain can revolutionize sectors like finance, HR, social networks, and healthcare. She believes in sharing ideas to empower the world. Her TED talk, “Social Media and Loneliness,” delved into the challenge of divisive online content and the importance of finding authentic communities to combat loneliness.
When she’s not immersed in her professional pursuits, Galya Westler dedicates her spare time to making a positive impact on society. She passionately volunteers for various social causes, from Toastmasters clubs to soup kitchens’ work and mentoring many on how to become the best public speaker.
Triumphs and Trials of Women in Tech
In the dynamic realm of technology, Galya Westler’s career path is a testament to boundless possibilities, paving a path for women in their professional endeavors. Her journey, rich in milestones, transitions seamlessly from securing a software engineering degree to mastering diverse tech roles, ultimately ascending to the pinnacle of entrepreneurship. As a woman in a male-dominated industry, Galya often faced unwelcoming advances, but she stood resolute, wielding her confidence and professionalism as armor in these situations.
The endeavor of securing funding for her ventures was akin to a strategic conquest, requiring not just skill but the art of forming strategic alliances. Galya Westler triumphed in this arena multiple times, breathing life and vigor into her entrepreneurial visions. Her advise to aspiring entrepreneurs echoes the ethos of a strategist: embark on your venture by relying on your own resources. Validating your business concept and initiating sales might reveal that the quest for external funding is a path less necessary. This philosophy of self-reliance has been the cornerstone of triumph for all three of Galya’s enterprises, guiding them to remarkable successes.
Navigating the Pandemic Challenge
With a wealth of experience and a keen eye for seizing opportunities when the time is right, Galya Westler has successfully led numerous Cutting-Edge Technology Projects. Undoubtedly, her remarkable skill lies in turning challenges into valuable opportunities. A significant instance of her impact on groundbreaking innovations took place during the challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, and her business faced the impact, she and her team volunteered their ideas and innovations in various tech hackathons, including “Hack the Crisis” in Europe. Their collaborative efforts birthed her third company, GOHealth Technologies Inc. They developed a unique concept that focused on patient anonymity and verified patient credentials concerning COVID status, determining if individuals were actively shedding the virus.
The project, named “GO”, to get the economy going, involved anonymous testing, encrypted result storage on the GO app, and NFC-enabled access control. The goal was to safely segregate society based on virus-shedding status, ultimately curbing virus spread while protecting individuals’ health data through blockchain-based self-sovereign identity methode to store health data anonymously. This groundbreaking idea even inspired collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and a Canadian government project aimed at eradicating another pandemic akin to COVID, such as HIV.
Here’s what people are saying about the GO project:
“We collaborated with Galya Westler and her team at GOHealth Technologies, they specialize in cutting-edge Blockchain and SSI technologies, to launch Canada’s pioneering HIV testing kit mobile app, in tandem with over 30 Canadian entities. Their expertise ensured not only a seamless onboarding experience for the ‘I’m Ready To Know’ initiative but also top-tier protection of personal health data. With their high-quality and timely delivery, GO proved indispensable to the success of this national campaign of almost 100,000 HIV test kits with the technology built reaching the undiagnosed in Canada.”
– Scott Andison, I’m Ready Initiative—reach nexus
“Life is like a centrifuge”
Galya Westler has always embraced non-conformity, a trait nurtured by her family’s teachings of critical thought, relentless pursuit of goals, and adaptability in the face of change. These values have been the beacon guiding her path, emphasizing the importance of being a role model, welcoming shifts in life, and handling setbacks with resilience.
Her mantra is: “Life is like a centrifuge, those who think quickly thrive, while others remain on the periphery”. This perspective is crucial in an era marked by groundbreaking developments like AI and the shift to digital platforms, a transition made evident during recent global challenges. Being a Canadian business, Canada’s nurturing business environment and its emphasis on citizen welfare further bolster Galya Westler’s commitment to continuous growth and innovation. In a landscape where staying static is equivalent to falling behind, Galya’s philosophy is to constantly evolve, facing each new challenge with a spirit of “failing forward” – experimenting, learning from setbacks, and tackling obstacles with determination.
In the fast-paced world of technology, where AI tools like ChatGPT-4 are revolutionizing industries, and where online presence has become more vital than ever, this mindset is not just beneficial but essential. The Canadian government’s recognition of this digital shift, offering support to businesses adapting online, highlights its role in creating an environment conducive to growth and the well-being of its community.
Perspective on Future Technology
The future of technology holds limitless potential, and Galya Westler envisions significant opportunities in quantum computing, augmented reality (AR), and biotechnology over the next decade. Quantum computing can revolutionize industries from healthcare to cryptography, while AR will reshape digital interaction with the physical world, affecting education, healthcare, and entertainment. Biotechnology, particularly gene editing and personalized medicine, offers promise in eradicating hereditary diseases and extending human lifespan.
However, these advancements also pose challenges, especially in ethics and cybersecurity. Galya Westler emphasizes the importance of responsible innovation to avoid unintended problems. As the leader of Plazus Technologies, her focus is on security assessment and penetration testing to help businesses adopt new technologies safely. The company aims to not only lead in innovation but also ensure that businesses can integrate these advances securely into their operations.
Guidance for Young Minds and Women
Galya’s guidance to the youth and women resonates with a powerful message of self-belief and active pursuit of knowledge. She advocates for self-reliance and critical thinking, emphasizing the significance of education in all its forms – be it through formal degrees or specialized courses. Her philosophy is rooted in the conviction that passion, when chased fervently, leads not just to personal fulfillment but also to financial success. Galya Westler stresses the importance of making a positive impact on those around you, offering solutions to their challenges, and nurturing associations with individuals who contribute meaningful value to your life.
She also encourages involvement in volunteering activities, especially those aligned with personal values, as a means to broaden one’s network and perspective. Among her top recommendations is participation in Toastmasters clubs worldwide. These clubs are not just platforms for mastering public speaking skills; they also offer opportunities to forge lasting friendships and to engage in a community where the rewards extend beyond financial benefits. Embracing these avenues can open doors to unforeseen opportunities, possibly leading to transformative roles like becoming a TED speaker and making a dent in this world.
