Industries To Watch

I think that most industry professionals can agree that there have been a great deal of technological advancements over the past decade. From machine learning to automation, technology has evolved to an almost unfathomable level. These advancements have given way to new industries that hold much promise.

Artificial intelligence is at the forefront of these technological advancements. As a society, we demand efficiency and convenience, which ultimately, is what makes investments in artificial intelligence so promising. When considering an alternative industry to invest in, consider this… computer science and machine learning have already infiltrated our everyday lives, whether you’re conscious of this or not. Artificial intelligence, simply put, is intelligence exhibited by machines that is considered a cognitive function of a human being. Facebook’s DeepFace program can recognize 97 percent of the faces it scans. Apple’s virtual personal assistant, Siri, processes an exuberant amount of data to form an answer to your question within seconds. As automation continues to be a focus for industry developers, artificial intelligence remains highly relevant. According to a Bank of America Merrill Lynch report, artificial intelligence analytics research will reach $70 billion by 2020.

Another industry to consider, when looking for new investment markets, is virtual reality. As of late, the video game industry has been the biggest player in the field; however, there are predictions in place for other industries to expand within the sector. Today, companies such as Microsoft, Facebook and Google have already shared their interest in the virtual reality and have seen quite the success with their products. An article for fastcompany.com shares insight on the annual investments in the virtual reality industry, which have reached a record breaking $1.1 billion within the first 2 months of 2016. A forecast from digi-capital.com predicts that virtual / augmented reality revenue will reach $10 billion by 2020. With such aggressive predictions, one can assume virtual reality is a safe bet.

When looking to invest in emerging markets, it’s important that you do adequate research. Gain insight on the market from industry professionals and consider their predictions. Look at revenue trends and pay close attention to industry news, so that your may formulate an educated prediction and invest wisely. Check back for more blogs on emerging markets!

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The End of The App

Over the past several years, Silicon Valley has been flooded with an overwhelming amount of eager app developers. Since Apple’s launch of the App Store back in 2008, apps have been at the forefront of innovation in the valley. The App Store made launching a product, be it service driven or recreational, much more achievable. Back in 2008, it was a brand new market with seemingly endless possibilities. Unfortunately, the accessibility of that market has lead to an overwhelming amount of competition, where very few come out successful.

The pullback in app downloads is clearly depicted in an article for recode.net, which features statistics from SensorTower. According to the data featured, app downloads have declined by more than 20% over the past year. Even the bigger app publishers (Facebook/Instagram) are feeling the pullback. Very few apps saw an increase in downloads between May of this year and last, of those included Snapchat and Uber.  

For so long, developers have been focused on catering to the on-demand market; which was built on a concept of just prices and unparalleled convenience. Since Uber’s launch, coincidentally in 2008 as well, there’s been a plethora of developers attempting to mirror that same success. Uber, an infamous unicorn in the app industry, started out with unheard of  Series A funding of $11.5 million. Unfortunately, Uber is one of the few, if not the only, apps to accomplish this.

Today the App Store contains over 2 millions apps, which is quite the bit of competition. With such a stealthy number of applications to choose from, it’s no wonder there’s a shift in downloads. The app craze is over. More often than not, users have already downloaded the apps they’re most interested, and be it for lack of space or desire, they’re not downloading anymore. It’s quite impossible to compete in such a large market that’s seemingly catered to every niche. Though, should you have a concept that hasn’t already been tapped in the app industry, more power to you!

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The Uneven Scale Between Design And Technology

The past several years have been nothing short of a technological boom. From drones that carry passengers to autonomous vehicles, technology has taken society by storm. The technological expertise that is present today is beyond impressive, and more than one could have imagined a few decades ago. While these developments are all well and good, what we’re lacking is that expertise in product design. Developers have been so absorbed in software and applications that the fundamentals of product design has been left on the table. The Harvard Business Review recently released an article which reflects on why we’ve seen such shortcomings on the product design forefront and why the scale needs to be readjusted.

One sector in technological industry, which has been more prominent in recent quarters, is home automation. In a recent blog of mine, Amazon’s Voice Service Products, I discussed Amazon’s voice-recognition system, Alexa. Amazon refers to Alexa as an “intelligent personal assistant”, and operates from cylinder form speaker, the Amazon Echo. While the concept of an “intelligent personal assistant” is certainly appealing, especially in a society that revolves around on-demand services, the product design is lacking. The concept behind the voice service product is for it to act as “a natural interface for the connected home”. While Alexa might be able to activate security systems and adjust the lights, “she” is still an advanced voice-recognition software that operates out of a less than ideal product.

The consumers of today are used to efficiency. These technological developments have made it possible to order groceries, book a flight, and pay a bill all in a matter of minutes, at the touch of a button. That’s what our society seeks in new products, that same level of accessibility and efficiency. In the article for The Harvard Business Review, authors Nelson and Metaxatos, reiterates the disconnect here. Developers have been so fixated on the Internet of Things that they’re so far removed from product design. While these advancements in network connectivity are certainly valued, its not transferable to consumers without the proper product design.

The article shares an appropriate conclusion, “Customers do not buy IoT”. The Internet of Things enhances a product’s value, but if that product doesn’t have an effective design, it’s essentially irrelevant to consumers. Consumers need products that have integrated the technology into a simple and well thought out design. For home automation technology to truly infiltrate the market, several things will have to be considered. Consumers will need a product that is simplified, perhaps smaller devices with a greater range. Developers will also have to be mindful of product to product connectivity. It could be some time before we see an appropriate balance between technology and design, but  until then, visit The Harvard Business Review for “five ways that technology and design can build successful partnerships”.

 

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Wearable Technology And Your Health

Technology has impacted various sectors of society for some time now; however, most recently has conformed the way we monitor our health. In an earlier blog post, I reflected on the booming smart watch industry, but wearable technology has superseded the ordinary smart watch and now includes more advanced watches and fitness bands.

The Apple watch and Fitbit have seemingly changed the way people view health care overnight. With features that monitor your heart rate and sleeping patterns, it’s almost as though we have a physician readily available on our wrist.

In an article for digitaltrends.com, author Lulu Chang references a study from Northwestern University School of Professional Studies, which reflects on how wearable technology has changed the healthcare industry. According to the study,  one in five Americans owns some form of wearable technology. The study went on to ask those surveyed if they believed their life expectancy had increased due to their device, 56% percent believed it had increased their expectancy by a decade. While I’m unsure of the likelihood behind those beliefs, wearable technology has most certainly made consumers more healthy.

According to Northwestern’s study, there was a 44% decrease in sick days for employees that wear a tracker on a daily basis. BP had distributed FitBits to all of their employees and saw their corporate healthcare costs drop below the national growth rate. BP isn’t the only company taking part in the initiative to integrate wearable technology into their policies. Humana Inc. and UnitedHealth Group Inc. have also taken part in the initiative in hopes of more people investing in their health thus, cutting costs for the corporations.

Fit bands and smart watches have most certainly shaped the way consumers monitor their health and one can only presume it will only further advance in time. Technology is forever progressing and wearable technology has the potential to make a substantial impact on the healthcare industry. Aside from tracking physical activity and collecting minimal health data, wearable technology is constantly being fine tuned to further benefit consumers and better integrate health care providers.

 

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Impact Investments: Financial Return and Social Change

For the last 6 or so million years, human beings (or some form thereof) have walked this earth, advancing technology and quality of life with every step. And, with recent steps–say, the last 300 or so–those same humans have been slowly taking their toll on our home planet. Economic growth in the recent past has naturally bred a similar increase in the burning of fossil fuels. So how do we as a civilization contribute to economic stimulation without contributing to the global downfall of “good?”

Enter impact investing.

Impact investments, in simple terms, are investments made into businesses with the intention of returning not only an fiscal profit for the investor, but a social or environmentally progressive profit for mankind. This doesn’t always mean that an investment is made towards the shift away from the reliance on fossil fuels, as in the example above. Impact investments can also include money put into socially charitable causes.

Impact investments have boomed lately, including a forum on the idea of social impact investing at the G8 summit in 2013. Google keyword searches for the term “impact investing” have seen incredible growth in recent years, particularly since 2011. And in the position that the social and political climate of the world is in right now, impact investing is poised to trend even further up.

Often referred to as the nearly synonymous names “socially responsible investing” and “ethical investing,” impact investments have taken the world by storm, particularly among younger audiences. While many young people today may not yet ready to make large financial investments (it usually involves investments of over $1,000), some are seeking to make a positive impact in the very near future.

Millennials, the generation often chastised for its reliance on smartphones and instant gratification, have been shown to be the most socially and environmentally conscious generation yet, according to statistics compiled by the Pew Research Center. Many have chosen to reject the idea of selfishness that has been bestowed upon them, choosing a positive global impact over personal satisfaction.

This spells good news for the future of impact investing. An increase in current funding of socially responsible investments could be an indicator that further growth in the ethically and socially responsible investment sector.

The results of a recent Nielsen survey indicated that 55 percent of respondents worldwide have claimed that they would pay more for a product from a business that is “committed to positive social and environmental impact.” A similar survey, also from Nielsen, indicated that the findings of the Pew Research Center are true–Millennials are indeed the most socially and environmentally-conscious generation. Over half of those who indicated that they check product packaging for socially responsible practices were members of “Gen Y.”

With impact investments steadily on the rise since the coining of the term in 2007, skeptics and supporters alike can turn their attention to the future, where statistics could indicate that ethical investments will undergo an even greater boom.
Here’s to looking towards the future.

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Amazon’s Voice Service Products

It seems as though the general direction that technological developments are going is towards a completely automated life. For some time now there has been this ever-present idea of a fully connected smart home, and it seems as though there’s another race at play, aside from the autonomous vehicle race. More tech companies are beginning to develop variations of these voice interfaces, in hopes of creating the ultimate personal assistant for your home.

Not only are we getting closer to having  fully autonomous vehicles drive us around, but our homes are becoming more and more automated as well. Amazon’s Alexa is changing the way we operate a home and the newest additions to the Alexa voice-recognition system suggests the progression towards a fully connected house, rather than a fully connected room.

Referred to as an “intelligent personal assistant”, Alexa is essentially a Siri that operates from the Amazon Echo. The Echo, which announced back in 2014, looks very much like a typical cylinder speaker, and it’s just that, a speaker simply equipped with an “always-listening”  assistant. In an article for fastcompany.com, Alexa is is depicted as, “a natural interface for the connected home.” Alexa offers homeowners a variety of features and benefits with compatible smart home devices. Homeowners can monitor their homes by setting security alarms, they can also adjust the thermostat and lights through simple commands to Alexa. The connection between Alexa and a smartphone allows users to order a pizza, set alarms, make grocery lists in notes, or even order an Uber.

The newest additions to the Alexa-enabled home automation products is the Echo Dot and Amazon Tap. The Echo Dot is essentially the same as it’s original and was developed as an extension of range for the Echo. The Amazon Tap is a portable option that offers consumers the same experience at The Echo.

What we can expect to see next is connected home devices such as your refrigerator, dishwasher, and coffee pot. The idea of connecting all of the different devices and appliances we have in our home, which are developed by varying companies, seems a little far fetched. It would be ideal to speak to an Alexa or Siri and simply say, “Make a pot of coffee and turn on the stove”, but the reality of the situation is that companies such as GE or Whirlpool would have to be willing to embrace these voice services in order to sync these devices. As with anything, in time, we will have an “intelligent personal assistant” that’s fully connected to homes. Until then, enjoy Alexa with the Amazon Echo!

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Motivating Millennials

Millennials are a vital component in various corporations. This generation will be spearheading businesses, corporations, governments, and other institutions in the years to come. Now, motivating Millennials may be tricky for those not part of this ever prominent generation. Old corporate structures and practices do not appeal to Millennials, therefore, employers and managers are finding new and innovative ways of keeping the incoming workforce active and inspired in the workplace. Entrepreneur recently highlighted some of the most important ways of keeping workplace culture open and positive, in order to ensure motivation and satisfaction.

Today, more and more individuals are valuing a positive culture within the workplace. Without such culture, it is difficult to keep employees motivated to continue to produce good work. Whether this means creating an open and deliberative environment or promoting collaboration between team members, a constructive workplace is most conducive to great work output.

For starters, management should grant their employees flexibility and trust. For younger employees especially, the flexibility to use their creative abilities is important. Creative freedom allows individuals to develop their own routines and pathways to success. Micromanaging, on the other hand, pushes employees away. Understand that newer generations do not like to be micromanaged, and doing this will only push them away from your organization. Remember allow flexibility to site creative freedom.

Because of this flexibility, you still need to evaluate your employees’ work. Providing constructive feedback is important to evaluate how your team is doing. Millennials and younger generations especially respond favorably to constructive feedback because it acknowledges accountability. By discussing goals and manners in which they can improve you inevitably empower them. Guidance and respect in your feedback shows trust, allowing you to build relationships that are valued by your employees.

No longer can successful workplaces be filled with inauthentic or destructive relationships. Motivation AT work stems from a desire TO work. As you build relationships with your employees, you create a sense of loyalty between yourself and them. Even more important is the loyalty they begin to feel for the brand, work, and organization they are part of.

Most importantly, though, make the workplace fun from time to time. Major companies like Google, Facebook, Lyft, and focus on creating cultures conducive to fun. The fact that many of these companies have high retention and low turnover rates really emphasizes this point.

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The Future Of The Automotive Industry

There has been a looming conversation around autonomous cars for some time now. Talk of the self-driving car has been in the works for years. The first real inkling of this came when we were introduced to cruise control, next came electric/hybrid cars, then the semi-autonomous vehicle. and now comes the fully autonomous vehicle. There have been a number of predictions that, in time, the number of personally owned vehicles will significantly decrease and be replaced by more communal options. With such predictions in place, major automotive makers are getting behind the wheel on this. 

As more and more technology companies are entering the automotive business, car makers are feeling a greater sense of competition around innovation. It seems that almost every week there’s a new press release from either a tech company or car maker suggesting a potential date for their “fully autonomous” car. It’s a race to see who develops the first autonomous car available to the public.

Car makers have since been teaming up with both technology companies and ride sharing companies in the efforts to be at the forefront of this initiative. There has been speculation of a partnership between Google and Ford in the world of autonomous driving. Google has been testing a fleet of 53 vehicles in California and Texas since early 2015, that includes both their prototype and a modified version of a Lexus SUV. Ford now has a fleet of 30 vehicles being tested in Michigan, California, and Arizona. Although no official statement has been made as of yet, a partnership between one of the most influential tech companies and oldest car makers could make for quite a team.

Another trend in partnerships is that of car makers and ride sharing companies. It was recently announced that General Motors invested $500 million into ride-sharing company Lyft. While most car makers are focusing on their fully autonomous prototypes, GM is also looking at things in a broad manner. It is more likely for autonomous cars to first be used in ridesharing situations, as opposed to individual use. By utilizing these autonomous cars in conjunction with ride-sharing services, you’ll create an on-demand autonomous service that eliminates congested roadways and pollution.

There’s still a lot that remains to be seen with the future of fully autonomous cars. One can presume there is quite a bit of negotiating going on behind closed doors between tech companies, car makers, and ride sharing services. As we’re likely a number of years away from on-demand autonomous services, it’s interesting to see the partnerships that are beginning to form thus far.

 

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The Relevance of Alternative Data

Alternative data is becoming an increasingly popular factor in investments. Investors are partially relying on unstructured data to make a more educated business investment. Over the past several years, alternative data has become more attainable through mobile devices and is reflected in investor success.

Investors are now using data from everything from social media apps to government filings in order to gauge a company’s performance prior to revenue reports. Perhaps the most interesting of such data being used is from RS Metrics. Investors have partnered with RS Metrics to obtain satellite images of JCPenny’s parking lots across the country. With these images, investors were able to see an increase in traffic between April and May, thus gaining an advantage on real-time company performance which was then used to trade JCPenny shares.

Companies like RS Metrics are in demand now more than ever. Investors are realizing the benefit of alternative data in conjunction with the market. New tech firms are continuously emerging in the market in hopes of making the alternative data they’ve gathered and processed into a profit. If investors are able to obtain data, that projects a quarterly earning prior to a company’s report, then they have an advantage on competition.

Social media platforms are also realizing the relevance of such data, and in turn are making that an additional investment. Companies like Twitter, about.me, and Pinterest are just a few properties that offer statistics from a social standpoint, which too can be beneficial to investors. They’re able to gather information on profile visits and user followers, and whether it’s for a company or a personal account, that gives investors and tech firms analytics to determine popularity in the particular market.

While alternative data is a more frequent practice for firms and investors, it still carries a lot of questions and concerns. As it is a newer concept there are few regulations on using web data for investment purposes. However, this is very much a existing source of information for investors and as technology progresses so too will the usage of alternative data in investments. To read more on alternative data visit Matt Turner’s Business Insider article.

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Movado, the Next Big Name in Smartwatches

We knew it wouldn’t be long for this market to take off after the Apple Watch release back in April. While the Apple Watch at first received a lot of skepticism around its relevance and demand, it unsurprisingly took off immediately along with the smartwatch market.

The next big name in the smartwatch market is a timeless brand, best known for their Museum Watch, none other than Movado. Movado’s new smart watch Bold Motion is joining the likes of Apple, Samsung, and Sony in the creation of a watch compatible to a user’s smartphone.  

Bold Motion remains true to the Museum Watch staple with a timeless analog design. Unlike that of Apple Watch and Samsung, Bold Motion does not have a graphic interface screen, instead it offers subtle vibrations and lighting alerts in response to your smartphone. The focus is to deliver the user notifications on email alerts, social media updates, text messages and scheduled events. The watch is synced to the Movado app which available for both IOS and Android devices. The Movado Bold Motion, engineered by Hewlett-Packard (HP), also works as an activity monitor.

Movado’s watch plays on the aesthetics for the consumer more so than the technology behind it. While the Bold Motion would certainly give you a classic, timeless piece to wear everyday it won’t give you just everything the Apple Watch offers.

 

See more on Movado’s Bold Motion here.

 

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