
Sam Loyd specialises in turning complex technical challenges into elegant solutions that actually work in the real world.
As a fractional CTO based in Dubai, Sam has spent the past decade helping startups and scale-ups navigate their most critical technical decisions. He's the guy founders bring in when they need someone who can see both the big picture and the implementation details - bridging the gap between ambitious vision and practical execution.
His approach is refreshingly straightforward: understand the business problem first, then build the right technology to solve it. No unnecessary complexity, no tech for tech's sake. Just solutions that fit seamlessly into how businesses actually operate.
This philosophy has taken him through multiple ventures as both a founder and technical leader, working across industries from fintech to consumer products. Each experience taught him more about what separates technology that impresses from technology that transforms.
Which brings us to COVER.
After countless conversations with restaurant operators, Sam and his co-founder identified a gap that traditional tech solutions weren't addressing. Restaurants needed intelligent communication systems that could handle the nuances of hospitality - not just process transactions, but actually understand context, tone, and timing.
So they built it. COVER combines conversational AI with deep integration into restaurant operations, creating a system that feels natural to both staff and guests. It's the kind of practical innovation that only comes from understanding both the technical possibilities and the operational realities.
Sam's track record speaks to his ability to take emerging technologies and make them work for real businesses with real constraints. At COVER, he's applying that same approach to revolutionise how restaurants handle their most fundamental touchpoint: the first conversation with every guest.
Curious about practical AI applications in hospitality? Sam's got insights.
Explore the sessions where Sam Loyd will be sharing insights, including timings, locations, and tracks.