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editor’s NOTE
by Anna Domanska
Business decision makers have always had to juggle between two contradictory goals: making their brands distinctive while at the same time making them central in their industry. Google in search engine and Tesla in electric cars come to mind when we think of brands that maintain centrality and distinctiveness. These companies stand out from the crowd and avoid direct competition with widely popular companies because they excel in terms of consumer preferences, pricing, and the direction of innovation. Traditionally, decision makers have analyzed brand positioning and business performance as two separate yard sticks to measure growth rate, market share, and profitability. The Cover Story, ‘Inside the World’s Most Valuable Brands’ shows what the most coveted brands in the world have in common is their approach towards the two seemingly contradictory goals. Businesses can pursue centrality and distinctiveness to quantify the impact of their marketing efforts without taking a hit! Happy Reading!
Like always, we welcome your comments (Facebook.com/ IndustryLeaders, @IndLeaders on Twitter). You may reach us at editor@indleaders.com or Editor – Industry Leaders Magazine, The Fastest Media, 3651 Lindell Road, Suite 320D, Las Vegas, NV 89103.
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THE TEAM EDITORIAL Anna Domanska, Editor-in-Chief Christy Gren, Sub-Editor Riana Petanjek, Sub-Editor Priyansha Mistry, Sub-Editor Aubrey Chang, Associate Editor
PROJECT MANAGEMENT Tony Raval, Project Director Jay Raol, Project Director
MARKETING Jason Miller, Sr. Project Director
FINANCE CONTROL R R Baratiya
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TECHNOLOGY John Hancock, Head-Web Department Le Manh Coung, Sr Sofrware Coordinator Julia Hunt, Magazine Production
DESIGN Kevin Paul, Sr. Graphic Designer Reepal Savaniya, Graphic Designer
ADVERTISING Richard Dean, Advertising Manager
Content Features 38
08 Power Players
Latest in Business
Philip Freelon: Redefining American Architecture & Design
An Apple healthcare Unit is on the way!
27
50 Young Guns
The Non-Techie Who Built the World’s 3rd Most Popular Social Network
58 Green Revolution
The World We Can Avoid By Removing Excess Carbon Dioxide
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Cover Story
Inside the World’s Most Valuable Brands
70
86
Crowdfunded, Inc.
ICOs & the New Trend of Startup Fundraising
Big Ticket
94
The Timeless Allure of Bespoke Leather
78
Big Events, Bigger Gains
Imminent Trends
Cart-less, Cashless, and Monitored by a Ceiling!
Has the mobile industry reached an innovation plateau?
Events & Tradeshows
102
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An Apple Healthcare Unit is on the way! At the mere mention of the tech giant Apple Inc., images of high-end gadgets fill our minds. The tech giant is now willing to explore its options in other sectors as well. The latest aim of Apple is to establish a benchmark in the healthcare department. In order to make this possible, the establishment of an Apple healthcare unit is underway. This move by Apple is to expand itself in terms of healthcare clinics. The company is considering the Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 008
The move by Apple is to expand itself in t
acquisition of one such startup called Crossover Health. This startup mainly focuses on collaborating with big employers. After doing so, it runs on-site medical clinics in
terms of healthcare clinics.
big offices. This means that it provides services to employers who wish to provide wellness and medical services at the workplace. Apple has been a client of this startup along
with Facebook. Intrigued by the concept, the tech giant thought that this acquisition will be beneficial for the Apple healthcare department. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 009
Qualcomm Rejects the Largest Tech Acquisition in History Qualcomm rejects “the largest tech acquisition offer in the history;” $121 billion bid from Broadcom. The rejected proposal is the second – a revised bid from the Singapore-based competing chipmaker; Broadcom. According to the information released by Qualcomm on February 8, the “unsolicited proposal” to buy its entire shares was “unanimously rejected.” The $121 million bid from Broadcom seeks to acquire each share of Qualcomm at $82, offering $60 cash and $22 as stock. It is $12 higher than the previous bid for each share, which was turned down Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 010
The rejected proposal is the second – Singapore-based competing chipmaker;
on November 13, 2017, by Qualcomm unanimously. Why did Qualcomm reject such a huge bid? Qualcomm believes its
– a revised bid from the Broadcom.
future contribution to wireless technology is underestimated; hence, it’s being undervalued by Broadcom. “Your current proposal is inadequate as it materially undervalues Qualcomm. Your
proposal ascribes no value to our accretive NXP acquisition, no value for the expected resolution of our current licensing disputes and no value for the significant opportunity Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 011
in 5G. Your proposal is inferior relative to our prospects as an independent company and is significantly below both trading and transaction multiples in our sector,” Qualcomm’s Chairman of the Board, Paul E. Jacobs, writes in an open letter to Hock Tan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Broadcom. Qualcomm is not in the best financial position despite its claim. Its shares dropped by 0.1% after it gained approval by EU to acquire NXP in January. Also, the giant chipmaker is still facing a $1.2 billion fine imposed by EU following a violation of chip patent countersuit against Qualcomm filed by Apple; one of its biggest customers. Following the rift between the two technology giants, Apple Inc. has opted to partner with Intel for network chips, forcing Qualcomm to lose a heavy percentage of its yearly sales. However, Qualcomm is expecting to be helped by leadership in Smartphones to Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 012
expand into new areas like automobile chips, sever chips, and PC processors. What next? An additional statement from Qualcomm’s open letter to Broadcom suggests that the company is proposing a meeting where new agreement may be reached in the form of more commitments. Broadcom is insisting that the proposed amount is final and the highest the company would offer to acquire Qualcomm shares. “We want to reiterate that $82 per Qualcomm share is our best and final offer,” Tan writes. Broadcom opines to meet with Qualcomm this weekend “Friday, Saturday or Sunday” although Qualcomm wants a meeting with Glass Lewis and ISS involving the two companies to pull through before any further discussion on the acquisition proposal. Broadcom’s acquire a
proposal to larger company
is the most daring move by Tan has made after seeing through several deals that have promoted the company’s rank as one of the largest suppliers of semiconductors in the world. If the deal holds, Qualcomm would master its division for Smartphone modern-chip while serving as an
example of “franchise” that will dominate semiconductors industry, according to him. Tan’s accomplishments at Broadcom include a significant improvement in its share, from $18.29 in 2009 to its current $229. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 013
Sony’s new CEO Kenichiro Yoshida: What’s next for Sony? Sony Corporation could be set for a new position in the electronics industry after appointing a new chairman, Kenichiro Yoshida. The Tokyo-based electronics giant named Kenichiro, Yoshida, the company’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) as Sony new CEO on February 2, replacing Kazuo Hirai, who led Sony through one of its most difficult times in the electronics industry. Hirai replaced an American, Howard Stringer, as Sony CEO Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 014
Image: Kazuo Hirai
since 2012 and has been awarded credits of turning some lagging fortunes at Sony around by implementing a “One Sony” program. The company has impressed in
the Smartphone market through image sensors and entertainment while losing out in the TV market to the likes of Samsung and LG. A press release by Sony Corp.,
suggests that Hirai proposed the management transition to the company’s nominating committee before its approval by the Sony Board of Directors on February 1. The statement Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 015
revealed that the Sony new CEO, Kenichiro Yoshida, will assume the leadership role from April 1, 2018. What’s next for Sony? Speculations are high that the new Sony leadership may unload some of the company’s unit to channel its revenue on a viable market. Mobile phone and financial services are among the divisions most analysts think would be auctioned by the new CEO. While arguments are also raging that Yoshida would rather auction the SPE. An anonymous Sony analyst said, “There will be more focus on IP, but you can see that from the movie lineup this year already. They have to do something in the movie business, but I can’t see any dramatic change over the next two to three years. If they can form some kind of alliance, and sell maybe 30 to 40 percent of SPE, then that is a possibility.” Expectations are also high that new Sony leadership, chaired by Yoshida would follow steps of the current Sony CEO, rather than overhauling the company. “I really like Yoshida. I credit him with a big part of the turnaround of the last few years and I expect it to continue,” said Eric Jackson “He’s really forced transparency on the different business units.” Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 016
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Despite missing revenue targets in the last q is not designed as a revenue stream for S
Snapchat moves to e-commerce, sells branded merchandise in app Snap Inc. takes a leap to e-commerce by launching a merchandise store to sell its branded products. The moves may not spell financial fortunes but a prove of potentials for an in-app commerce platform. Snapchat ecommerce launching which took place on February 1 to showcase items for sale is welcoming more brands on the February 8. Products like the already known Dancing Hot Dog Plushie and Snapchat hat. The product store which Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 018
is in the Discovery section of the Snapchat app also allows users to access products by scanning a Snap code using the Snapchat camera. Other available products include
quarter of 2017, Snapchat ecommerce Snapchat.
Snapchat sweatshirt and Dog Lens T-shirt. Despite missing revenue targets in the last quarter of 2017, the company spokesperson alleged
that Snapchat ecommerce is not designed as a revenue stream for Snapchat when speaking with TechCruch. “It is something the company does for the community and Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 019
a way to drive brand loyalty.” However, Snapchat ecommerce is expected to earn the company free marketing as people use the brands. Also, Snapchat ecommerce can become a revenue channel by charging a cut from transactions on the platform or sell Ads for stores if the company can use Snap store to prove the viability of in-app commerce. Before the Snapchat ecommerce launch, the company had sold some items such as the Dancing Hot Dog and the Ghostface Chillah backpack on Amazon. Its spectacles camera sunglasses are sold at pop-up shops, Snap Boys and retail partners. But now, Snapchat is only having the Spectacles on Amazon, with other products moved to Snapchat ecommerce where the company is selling third-party manufactured merchandise. The head of sponsorship and content at Wavemaker, Noah Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 020
Malkin said, “This is more of a way to test full e-commerce capabilities within the platform, which could be interesting down the road if Snap proves out a real willingness to transact on the platform.” Other social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram all are already shopping destinations. Unpaid posts and ad on Instagram may include links for shopping which users make purchases from the images. Snapchat in-app ecommerce will allow playing the company to alert people when products are about to disappear from store. Easy accessibility of items would include arrangements such as “if you like what you see, swipe up to buy it.” The use of mobile phone to access commercial pages may be annoying such as having to punch every payment details, slow page loading and a static array of choices. Most buyers
notably leave the page before buying a product. But Snapchat can position itself as a premium platform to perform seamless shopping while also promoting their brands for a distinct social experience.
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Google Inks a $1.1 Billion Deal with HTC Design Team Google aims to boost its competitiveness in the Smartphone market by closing a $1.1 billion deal with HTC to acquire a part of the company’s Smartphone division – a deal which will recruit about 2,000 HTC engineers and designers into Google. Acquisition of HTC’s research and engineers will offer Google a serious expansion in hardware production. It’s understood that this move will provide new engineering talents for the production of its Pixel Smartphones. According to TheVerge, Google had already Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 022
While Google is still holding a small share is at the high-end market leaders.
worked with some set of HTC hires on a contract agreement for the already produced Pixel and Pixel 2. While Google is still holding a small share in the
e in the Smartphone market, its target
Smartphone market, its target is at the high-end market leaders. Google seems to be chasing Apple’s iPhone as a major brand to compete with, in the premium
Smartphone market through this late January acquisition. However, the market is still wide open to see if the deal will indeed pay off. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 023
“Quite honestly, Apple is doing really well in developed markets,” says the Senior Vice President of Hardware in Google, Rich Osterloh, in an interview with Bloomberg. Google has taken a similar route to fetch success in the Smartphone market when it acquired Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion in 2012. But the campaign was not successful as they gave up the company to Lenovo a year later for a fraction of the price, though Google did hold on the patents. What’s Next For HTC? The deal means that HTC is a billion dollar richer and 2,000 employees lighter. We think this deal is not only beneficial to Google. HTC has been provided with cash now that the company is struggling in the Smartphone market. The company had already lost its 11 percent supply quota in the Android Market to the likes of Huawei and other Chinese rivals, holding merely 0.5 percent contribution to Smartphone supplies as at June last year, according to a London-based research firm. HTC’s plan after this deal is still unclear but the company is launching its next flagship Smartphone soon. HTC may move its focus to the virtual reality industry since its Vive VR business is recording a lot of success. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 024
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The World We Can Avoid By Removing Excess Carbon Dioxide In April 2017, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere went over 410 parts per million. These suggests that the last time atmospheric CO2 was over 400 ppm was at least as far back as the Pliocene, three to five million years ago, before humans roamed the earth and when the climate was considerably warmer than today. If we have put too much carbon dioxide into the air, wouldn’t it make sense to simply remove it? Well, yes: it would. Sadly, it’s a costly affair, and doing it on a large enough scale to make a real difference would be arduous. To turn it into a viable technology, we need two things: time, and plenty of money. Billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has taken it as a personal challenge.
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Carbon Engineering (CE), a company owned in part by Bill Gates, has constructed a prototype plant, installed large fans, and has been extracting around one tonne of pure CO2 every day for a year. Recently, CE passed a major milestone, when it directly began synthesizing a mixture of petrol and diesel, using only CO2 captured from the air and hydrogen split rom water with clean electricity. This carbon-neutral, synthetic petrol and diesel will fuel today’s cars, trucks, ships and planes. The technology may not sound new, but it would be groundbreaking. In the past, synthetic fuels have been made from CO2 and H2, but on a much smaller scale. Carbon Engineering’s pilot plant is the first instance of Air to Fuels where all the equipment has large-scale industrial precedent. It gives a real indication of commercial performance and viability. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 028
At a waste facility near Zurich, a Climewor out of the air.
rks carbon capture plant is sucking CO2
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A High-stakes Gamble Governments have argued that the world’s primary concern shouldn’t be to capture excess CO2, but to make less emissions. In the journal Science, Professor Kevin Anderson, deputy director of the Tyndall Center for Climate Change Research, and Glen Peters research director at the Center for International Climate Research (Cicero) in Norway, argue that technologies to remove excess carbon from the planet may not work at scale.
Critics warn little tested carboncutting technologies wouldn’t incentivize governments to make emissions.
University of Manchester
Anderson warns that cities are assuming that these technologies will clean up the atmosphere in the future. Such immature, little tested technologies wouldn’t incentivize governments
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communities, set to pay the price if our highstakes bet fails to deliver as promised,” Anderson says. If the technologies fail, “our own children will be forced to endure the consequences of rapidly rising temperatures and a highly unstable climate.” Bill Gates has persuasively argued that cities and companies must invest in a wide range of green energy technologies, from solar grids to sola fuels, even though it may take decades to scale up.
to make less emissions. “They are not an insurance policy; they are a high-risk gamble with tomorrow’s generations, particularly those living in poor and climatically vulnerable
“Breakthroughs in energy technologies could reduce air pollution, help people escape poverty, and avoid the worst effects of climate change,” he wrote in an op-ed on green energy last year. “But here’s the tricky part: we don’t yet know which ones will succeed. So we need to explore lots of ideas with investments from both the government and the private sector.”
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Carbon Vacuum Cleaners across the Globe Four thousand miles away, in the South Yorkshire coalfield outside Sheffield, the UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Center (UKCCSRC) is experimenting with technologies that would produce negative emissions. The UKCCSRC is what remains of Britain’s preliminary foray into carbon capture and storage. One billion GBP was granted for companies that would extract CO2 from coal and gas plants and store it. A plan of this magnitude didn’t survive the austerity and UK’s only running carbon capture and storage plant, at Ferrybridge power station, was abandoned. At a waste incineration facility
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Governments have argued that the world’s excess CO2, but to make less emissions.
primary concern shouldn’t be to capture
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near Zurich, a Climeworks carbon capture plant is sucking CO2 out of the air. The plant, which opened in May 2017, is the first commercial venture of its kind. By 2050, we’ll need hundreds and thousands of such carbon capture plants to keep global temperatures from rising above two degrees Celsius, a limit set by the Paris Agreement. At the Swiss plant, three stacked shipping containers each hold six of Climeworks’ CO2 collectors. Small fans suction air into the collectors, where sponge-like filter soaks up carbon dioxide. It takes up to three hours to fully saturate a filter. Next, the process is reversed where the box closes, and the collector is heated to 100 degrees Celsius, which releases the CO2 in a pure form that can sold, made into other products, or buried underground.
To keep global warming
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within safe limits, we need to remove an average of 10 gigatons of CO2 from the atmosphere by 2050. Climeworks first customer is a greenhouse in Zurich, which uses the CO2 to make its tomatoes and cucumbers grow faster. The carbon capture company is also in talks with beverage manufacturers that use CO2 in sparkling water or soda, located in particularly difficult terrains where trucking a conventional source of CO2 would be extortionate. The company also plans to use CO2 to make carbon-neutral products. Using renewable energy, Climeworks can split water to create hydrogen, and combine that with the CO2 in various processes to create plastics or fuel. Quite similar to Carbon Engineering and Climeworks is Global Thermostat. As the
Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 035
name suggests, the green tech startup is focused on removing CO2 from flue gas (Flue gases are emissions from fossilfuel combustion) to control the average temperature of our planet’s atmosphere. Co-founded by physicist Peter Eisenberger and Graciela Chichilnisky, a Columbia University economist and mathematician, Global Thermostat has raised: about $15 million in private investment for Climeworks and Carbon Engineering, and $50 million for Global Thermostat. Each of these negative emissions startups has built a functional plant to prove the viability of their technology. Their technology is robust, meaning they can build a direct air capture plant, small or large, as the client is ready to pay for. Even at $50 per metric ton of capturing carbon emissions, we are looking at $500 billion each year to capture carbon dioxide from the air to remove 10 billion metric tons by 2050. The figure looks outrageous, but the idea isn’t when we put into perspective what we’re betting against.
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At the Swiss plant, three sta
acked shipping containers each hold six of Climeworks’ CO2 collectors.
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Image: Philip Freelon Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 038
Philip Freelon A Profile of the Most Accomplished African-American Architect
The legacy of Philip Freelon; the most accomplished African-American architect will never be described enough referring to his skills at the extremes of engineering. His passion has built a culture around commercial architecture. Influences by the Durham-based architect began with physical remarks represented as buildings – a derivative of heritably influenced creativity in arts. Now, many communities in the U.S. are benefiting from the dividends of a passion, talent, purpose, style and commitment from the Philadelphia-born AfricanAmerican architect.
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To mention a few of Freelon’s most significant art contributions, he designed the 2015 Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the 2014 Atlanta Center for Civil & Human Rights, and the Harvey B. Gantt Center for AfricanAmerican Arts and Culture. He also has the credit of designing the first major building in Baltimore designed by African-American, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture, 82,000-square-foot Museum opened in 2005. Residents in his home city are having their lives touched every day through the Durham Station Transportation Center designed by Freelon in 2008, a public transportation hub that records over 4.5 million passengers annually. “I have this feeling that everyone should have access to beautiful architecture, not only
Image: National Center for Civil and Human Rights, Atlanta, Georgia Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 040
people who can afford custom homes or are going to a museum and can pay the price of getting in,” Freelon says. “It doesn’t look like a bus station; it looks beautiful,” he added. “I’m happy that people get to experience that kind of uplift in their everyday lives.” Freelon is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). He is accredited by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) as a professional architect. In 2017, he won the Fast Company’s Architect of the Year Award. He has also received other awards/ honours which include the North Carolina’s Highest Civilian Honor and Thomas Jefferson’s Award for Public Architecture. In 2012, Freelon was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve in the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts.
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The Making Philip Freelon comes from a family of artists. Though his father was a sales executive, he made some drawings at some point. Freelon is the grandson of a prominent impressionist painter, Allan Randall Freelon Sr., one of the seven African-American artists that participated in the 1935 Art Commentary on Lynching exhibition. “My father encouraged painting and drawing,” Freelon says. “I discovered architecture in high school — I thought it was a perfect blend of art and science.” Philip Freelon earned a Bachelor of Environmental Design (Architecture) degree from the College of Design, North Carolina State University where he has
Image: Durham Station Transportation Center, City of Durham, Durham, North Carolina Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 042
served as an adjunct professor. He earned a Master of Architecture degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He has served as visiting lecturer/ critic at MIT, Harvard University, College Park, the University of Maryland, California College of Arts, University of Utah, Kent State University, and a host of other institutions.
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Rising & Challenges Freelon returned to Carolina from Houston in 1982 after he was offered a job by Durham-based practice O’Brien Atkins. He worked for the firm for about eight years before founding the Freelon Group in 1990; a firm specialized in designing Cultural Center, Museum, and Higher Education facilities. Freelon Group grew to become a forty-member architectural firm and received more than twenty-five awards from the local, state and regional level within a few years of operation. The firm received seven AIA North Carolina design awards within two years (2006 – 2007) – a record that has never been achieved by any company. Freelon Group won Contract Magazine’s Designer of the Year honours in 2008 and the following year they won a contract to design the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, in partnership with J. Max Bond, Jr. and David Adjaye of Davis Brody Bond and Adjaye Associates respectively. “The very highest level in the AIA is the fellowship, and that’s 4% African American. Think about that. That’s because those who go through the struggle and persevere are at the very top of the game. What this means, if you sort of read between the tea leaves, is if you’re a marginalized person, and you don’t have
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Image: Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD), San Francisco, California Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 045
a mentor, you’re not going to get through. If you’re the majority race, the support system is there. If you’re running with the wind to your back, you don’t notice it. But if you’re running with it in your face, you really do notice it.” Freelon says while recounting some of his challenges. In 2014, one of the world’s largest architectural firms, Perkins + Will acquired the Freelon Group. The acquisition made Freelon the managing and design director of Perkin+Will’s North Caroline practice and also a member of the company’s board of directors. “With Phil Freelon, his experienced team of 40 designers, and other professionals who intend to join Perkins+Will, we look forward to offering clients a deeper level of cultural design expertise,” says the CEO of Perkins+Will, Phil Harrison in March 2014 after the acquisition. “Phil will further strengthen our leadership team and is a natural complement to the design excellence culture at Perkins+Will.” While the making process of Freelon is well-contributed by his exceptional approach to design and efficiency in communication, his strength is notably inclined to some influential persons. The result of “shrewd business development” by Lew Meyers, one of Freelon’s oldest friends and closest colleagues is noteworthy in Freelon’s success. Meyers joined the Freelon Group as a business
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development consultant in 1997, before becoming a full-timer to head the firm’s marketing department. His role was deeply influential in bringing new clients and more exposure. Meyers adopted a thorough networking strategy which fueled the rise of the Freelon Group during this marketing regime. He was attending conferences, staying active in community groups and paying full attention to potential commissions in communities; mostly for big projects. “My biggest problem with Phil was trying to sell him. I’d say, ‘Phil, damnit, I need to sell you! You need to do what I tell you to do!’ Because I think he’s bashful, I think he’s shy, I think if Phil had his druthers he’d probably be doing a little sketching, doing some fishing, doing some photography. When you think of a lot of the things that he does, they’re somewhat solitary. Phil is just a good person.” Meyers says. Aside from Freelon’s talent in arts, his devotion to design has inspiration from a few famous architects. “I was drawn to some midcentury architects such as Eero Saarinen and Charles and Ray Eames because they were great architects who happened to extend their talents beyond buildings. They did furniture, photography, and more.” Freelon said in an interview with the AD magazine. “The idea that an architect is a designer of spaces that are both small and larger scale; city planning or a door knob, for example—intrigued me. Julian Abele, who designed much of Duke University’s
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Image: Anacostia Library, District of Columbia Public Library, Washington, DC Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 048
campus, was a massive influence on me, as was Paul Williams. These two black architects have been very influential throughout my career.� In 2016, Freelon was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), a disease that could leave him paralyzed in just a few years. The 65 years old father of three married to Nnenna Freelon, a six times Grammy award nominee has not backed down from creating buildings that are beyond shelters. But has since prioritized his speaking and does not teach any longer. He founded the Freelon Foundation to help combat ALS through awareness and research funding. And the Foundation has raised $172,000 as at December 2017 to fund ALS research. From his creativity and devotion to erect beyond buildings but a culture which will serve as a source to future designers, the world is waiting for the generations that could put up a resemblance to his achievements and success. And at its best, trace their inspiration to the career of Philip Freelon.
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Image: Ben Silbermann
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Ben Sillbermann The Non-Techie Who Built the World’s 3rd Most Popular Social Network
What can be more inspiring than a political science student, who loved to collect cool things like stamps and insects building a social online pin board for collecting, showing the pictures of their interest over the Internet? Ben Silbermann doesn’t hail from a specialized technical background. But, he worked for Google before he spent the most important years of his life building Pinterest. He even got his heart transplanted when he was in his junior years. His interest in technology woke up after his graduation. He worked at Google as an ad creator at first. There he was presented to the possibilities of doing big things. He assembled products and ideas in his mind, seeing people working in Google, however they were dependably put down on because he wasn’t from an engineering background. To begin something new and big in your life you need the quit the old one, and that’s exactly what Ben Silbermann did. He quit Google and got punched to accomplishing something of his own. He talked to one of his friends Paul Sciarra, they began working together on Ben’s big idea. Soon, Ben figured out how to build iOS applications, and they began to develop applications for iPhone. They assembled different applications, all of which turned into a massive failure. It was then when he was hit with the idea of Pinterest. They began to work together on his idea, they even got the Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 051
investors from financing led by Jeremy Levine and Sarah Tavel. Together, they were building something for themselves. The company secured a $10 million Series A financing led by Jeremy Levine and Sarah Tavel of Bessemer Venture Partners (Tavel later joined Pinterest). In October 2011, the company secured $27 million in funding from Andreessen Horowitz, which valued the company at $200 million. Soon, Pinterest ended up being one of the greatest things on the Internet after Facebook. Ben’s primary motto wasn’t to make Pinterest successful, but to make it work. His confidence and hard work turned Ben into a millionaire that he is today. In 2012, Pinterest started receiving all the media attention it deserved, thus attracting even more users to its platform. Ben believes that if you want to achieve something in this world, you want to see it become better, you should keep going, no matter what. “Don’t take too much advice….Most people generalize whatever they did, and say that was the strategy that made it work…In reality, there’s very little way of knowing how various factors contributed to success or failure”. - Ben Silbermann offers startup advice during Stanford’s Startup School As of today, Pinterest generates over 400% more revenue per click as Twitter and 27% more than Facebook. Interestingly, 82% of Pinterest users are Women. In fact, 25% of Fortune Global 100 companies have Pinterest accounts. The Palo-Alto based image pin site Pinterest has skyrocketed to become the third biggest social network. However, it may Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 052
Image: Pinterest User Interface
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Image: Pinterest Headquarters, Palo Alto California
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be the site’s marketing - not just its user interface - that has made it the achievement it is today. Pinterest is a social network where people make image boards to share photos. When an image is “pinned,” it goes to a main feed where thousands of other people can either repin the image or follow the user or board. According to Pinterest CEO, Ben Silbermann, the site’s success can be mainly attributed to good old-fashioned marketing. Silbermann spoke at Y Combinator’s Startup School at Sanford University, AllThingsD reports. Silbermann explained how Pinterest, which started with just 3,000 users, began having events at local businesses to engage active users and local bloggers. Because the founders did not have a technical background, they found that investors were wary of backing the company. Things eventually worked out. Since its inception, Pinterest has developed into a wellfunded site financially supported by a group of successful entrepreneurs and investors including FirstMark Capital, Jack Abraham (Milo), Michael Birch (Bebo), Scott Belsky (Behance), Shana Fisher (Highline Venture Partners), Ron Conway (SV Angel), Kevin Hartz (EventBrite), Jeremy Stoppelman (Yelp), Hank Vigil, Fritz Lanman, and Brian S. Cohen. Silbermann’s lesson to aspiring entrepreneurs may be that there is no single secret to Silicon Valley success stories. “A lot of people in Silicon Valley didn’t get, and I don’t know if they still get, Pinterest,” Silbermann once said in an interview. “The fact that it made sense to someone is what really mattered to me.” One might say Pinterest’s success is attributed to its addictive nature. Why not? After all, some of its most popular pins are Do-It-Yourself tutorials and recipes. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 055
The platform has given women the confidence to do and try out new things. Everything you see on Pinterest, recipes, centerpiece ideas, everything can be made at home because there’s always a corresponding pin below it to show how it can be made at home. It has made things easier for women who had to resort to Martha Stewart and her experience DIYs. What separates Pinterest and makes it so appealing is its emphasis on who we need to be - not on what we’re doing, where we’ve gone, how critical we are or how adored. While a much bigger part of the content sharing on sites like Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare shouts, “Take a look at me,” Pinterest posts encourage, “Take a look at this.” The site is a refreshing change from the boosterism that has plagused so many sites on social media. The latest posts from my friends on Facebook could be summed up as a great deal of “was on this TV appear,” “wrote this article,” “read this op-ed” and “ate this.” On Pinterest, the pinners I follow have quite recently shared a colorful guide to manual photography, inspiration for a rainbow-inspired outfit, etc. It might not give an insight into the current affairs of the world, but it’s a refreshing change from what we see on the Internet everyday. A great deal of the content that we share on social networking sites focuses not only on ourselves but it depicts a carefully curated version of ourselves hobnobbing at big parties, snapping artfully staged photos of sunsets, and what not. The tone of Pinterest isn’t “How great I am,” but it seems to be “Wouldn’t this be great?” Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 056
What’s even more interesting is that unlike some of the most popular social networking sites, Pinterest’s biggest user base comes from outside the Silicon Valley.
Image: Pinterest Headquarters, Palo Alto California
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stor y
INSIDE THE WORLD’S MOST VALUABLE
BRANDS
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Building and managing a brand has become a priority for companies of all sizes, in a wide range of industries, in a wide range of markets. All things considered, solid brand value that brings customer loyalty and profits, the rewards of having a strong brand are clear. The problem is, very few businesses are able to step back and assess their brand’s strengths and weaknesses objectively. Most have a decent sense of one or two areas in which their brand may excel or may need help. But if pressed, many would recognize the need to identify the factors necessary in becoming valuable. Industry Leaders Magazine has identified five characteristics of the world’s most valuable brands. This will help you assess your brand’s strengths and weaknesses, and learn more about how you can reconfigure it to be better recognized by your customers.
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stor y THE TOP TRAITS The world’s strongest brands share these five attributes:
1. A wholesome customer experience. For what reason do customers really buy a product? Not because the product is a collection of the most attractive attributes but because those attributes when put together with the brand’s image, service and other tangible and intangible factors, create a wholesome experience. Consider Starbuck. It’s not just a cup of Joe. Back in the 80s, Starbucks was a small Seattle-based coffee shop. Then while on a vacation in Italy, Howard Schultz, now Starbucks chairman, was starstruck by the sense of community he felt in Italian cafés. He saw an opportunity in the coffee culture, and he grabbed it. “It seemed so obvious,” Schultz says in the 1997 book he wrote with Dori Jones Yang, Pour Your Heart Into It. “Starbucks sold great coffee beans, but we didn’t serve coffee by the cup. We treated coffee as produce, something to be bagged and sent home with the groceries. We stayed one big step away from the heart and soul of what coffee has meant throughout centuries.” And so Starbucks started to focus its endeavors on building a café culture, opening cafés like those in Italy. The organization kept up control over the coffee all the
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Solid brand value is tied to both to the real nature of the item or service and to different intangible factors.
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stor y way—from the selection and procurement of the beans to their roasting and blending to their consumption. The end-to-end integration has paid off. Starbucks locations thus far has successfully delivered superior benefits to customers by appealing to all five senses – the rich aroma of the coffee beans, the enticing taste of the coffee, the product displays and the rich artwork adorning the walls, the contemporary music playing and the cozy feel of the tables and chairs. Starbucks startling success is evident: The average Starbucks customer visits a store 10 times and spends $4 a visit. The company’s sales and profits have grown more than twofold annually through much of the 1990s.
2. Relevant. Solid brand value is tied to both to the real nature of the item or service and to different intangible factors. Those intangibles include “user imagery,” “usage imagery” the type of personality the brand portrays, and the type of feeling that the brand tries to elicit in customers, and the type of relationship it seeks to build with its customers. Apple and Google, for instance, pour a millions of dollars into R&D to ensure that its products are as technologically advanced as possible, calling attention to major customerimpacting advances such as Apple’s iPhone 7, AirPods or Google’s Google Glass. Nowadays, images can be changed from various perspectives other than through conventional advertising, logos, or slogans. “Relevance” has a more profound in the present market. Progressively, customers’ view of a company as a whole and its part in the public eye influence a brand’s strength as well. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 062
A lot of brands are woefully unaware of how pricing can and must relate to what customers think of a product, and thus charge too little or a little too much. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 063
stor y 3. Consumers’ perceptions of value. The correct mix of product quality, design, features, costs, and prices can be an unachievable feat but worth the effort. A lot of brands are woefully unaware of how pricing can and must relate to what customers think of a product, and thus charge too little or a little too much. For instance, in implementing its value-pricing strategy for each and every product, Procter & Gamble has rolled out a change in its formulation that once had an adverse effect on the product’s performance under certain conditions. Its value pricing is not at the expense of the brand-building activities. With its notable move to an “everyday low pricing” (EDLP) strategy, Procter and Gamble did effectively adjust its prices to customer view of its items’ value while maintaining profit levels. Indeed, in the financial year after Procter and Gamble changed to EDLP, the company reported its highest profit margins in 21 years.
4. Properly positioned. Brands that are well positioned enjoy particular niches in consumers’ minds. The most valuable brands keep up with competitors by creating points of parity in areas where competitors are still trying to find an advantage over their competitors. The Mercedes-Benz and Sony brands, for instance, hold clear advantages in terms of product superiority and match
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Maintaining a solid brand means striking the right balance between continuity in marketing and the need to stay relevant.
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stor y competitors’ level of service. Calvin Klein and HarleyDavidson exceed expectations at offering adequate or strong performance. Visa is one good example of a valuable brand whose managers understand the positioning games. Back in the 1980s, American Express maintained its position as a valuable brand in the credit card market through highly effective advertisements. In response, Visa introduced the Gold and the Platinum cards and propelled an aggressive marketing campaign to match up to the start of the American Express credit cards. In addition, it developed a seamless merchant delivery system to make its products more superior in terms of convenience and accessibility. As a result, Visa became the consumer card choice for shopping, entertainment, and even international travel. Obviously, advertising isn’t a static game, and at times it’s even more difficult when the brand spans across many product categories. Mix points of parity and of difference that works for one brand in product category may not work right for the same brand in another.
5. Consistent. Maintaining a solid brand means striking the right balance between continuity in marketing and the need to stay relevant. Sometimes, a brand’s image gets lost in a cacophony of marketing efforts that confuse customers by sending conflicting messages. Recently, Chipotle created an unconventional loyalty Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 066
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stor y program, that didn’t reward customers who frequent the chain; it rewarded customers who had knowledge of food-industry issues. In an introductory video that aired in some 5,000 movie theatres, Chipotle challenged the very heart of the American farming and the food industry. Predictably, sales soared.
STRIKING THE RIGHT BALANCE Building the world’s most valuable brand includes amplifying every one of the five qualities. In practice, however, it is quite difficult because much of the time when a brand focuses on improving one, others suffer. Consider a premium brand facing a new entrant with similar features at a lower cost. The brand’s decision makers may be tempted to reevaluate their pricing strategy. Bringing down costs may effectively hinder the new entrant from gaining market share in the short term. Yet, what effect would that have in the long term? Will venturing outside the “premium” change the brand in the brains of its target customers? Will it create the feeling that the brand is no longer innovative? The pricing change may in fact attract customers from a different market segment. Try to understand how a brand performs on each of the aforementioned traits and then evaluate any move from
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For what reason do customers really buy a product?
all perspectives. How will a brand’s new ad campaign affect customers’ perception of price? How will the new product line affect the brand hierarchy in the portfolio? One would think that it’s a lot of questions. But it’s the right amount of questions. Monitoring how valuable a brand is isn’t necessarily a part of some mathematical equation. But it can effectively negate repercussions when a brand has to go through a certain decision making process.
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big T I C K E T
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The Timeless Allure of Leather When we think leather, we think Kate Moss and Johnny Depp and pretty much anyone else in the high-fashion and entertainment industry. While leather may be the unofficial uniform of the modern-day rebel, but the iconic material has had a very practical start, dating back to centuries. Its rich history spans its incarnation from the 1550s as a water bag to its presence as leather jackets for soldiers in WWI. It’s easy to see how versatile leather is! Intricately clad on a shop door in Vigo Street in Mayfair, London is crocodile-printed leather. The splendid Vienna Black Gold design was custom-made using black faux crocodile and a gold base, a magnificently striking balance that’s a fitting entrance for one of world’s leading luxury leather goods maker Alma.
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big T I C K E T The bespoke leather maker was founded in 1938, and produces a full range of bespoke commissions, from compact accessories to personalized laptop cases, suede cushions, travel accessories, leather coasters and keyrings – to even more extravagant requests such as a beautifully handcrafted mouldedleather walls, or a crocodile gold bag, or skirting created for Britain’s leading luxury property developers, Christian and Nick Candy. Alma’s most esteemed clients include names such as Donna Karan, Ian Schrager and Giorgio Armani. Some of Alma’s bespoke furniture is predominantly popular; this ranges from luxury leather sofas and chairs to tables. One particular client requested in four colors of stingray, for which they paid a whooping $10,000. All of Alma’s work is carried out on its 1,500sq meter workshop in Whitechapel, East London. It’s the very same place that houses an extensive library of 100 styles of leather in 700 colors. Generally, bespoke furniture takes about six to eight weeks in the making, while smaller pieces take as little as 48 hours. Visitors at the Vigo Street studio will find some of Alma’s more phenomenal creations cocooning the interiors, including a bespoke leather staircase, and bannister decked in 60 Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 072
Alma’s most esteemed cl Karan, Ian Schrager and
lients include names such as Donna Giorgio Armani.
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big T I C K E T
All of Alma’s work is carried out on its 1,500sq meter workshop in Whitechapel, East London. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 074
custom-stained silver-grey stingray skins; a luxury bathroom clad with wall-to-wall leather cutout tiles; a kitchen floor in luxury crocodileprint leather, and dumbbells wrapped in leather. Feeling instantly at home, you’ll want to stay there forever, browsing the luxury furniture, admiring the sublimely surfaces. Alma’s most impressive project remains to be the Qatar National Convention Center, one of world’s most sophisticated structure that put Doha on the map as an extraordinary event destination. The multicolored structure is said to be the world’s first leather-clad architectural marvel. The $1.2 billion project involves 7,500 individually cut mosaic pieces, all handcrafted at Alma’s Whitechaper workshop. Designed by renowned Japanese architect Arata Isozaki., the Qatar National Convention Center resembles two intertwined trees reaching up to support the exterior canopy. The design is a beacon of learning and comfort in the desert and a harbor for poets and scholars who gathered beneath its branches to share knowledge. Alma has built a coveted reputation for sourcing the finest leather from across the globe. It has a diverse collection of over 100 different types of leather at any given time. A team of specialists advice on a range of bespoke designs, applications and finishes. The Vigo Street studio serves both private and corporate clients, bringing a wealth of Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 075
big T I C K E T unmatched leather goods to retail, fashion, transport, hospitality and other sectors. It’s inventive and resourceful team is familiar with the intricacies that involve leather applications. At Alma, you’ll learn which skins are hard wearing, and which are more malleable. You’ll learn about recommendations for paneling and apparel. Or what is the best way to emboss, finish and embellish on leather, and this includes some of antiquated techniques to more pioneering ones. Alma can make pretty much anything a client wants. One women came in looking for pieces for her homes in Aspen and Florida. She loved some of Alma’s suede skins so much she requested for them to be made into a skirt, designed after the one she was wearing. She returned to her hotel in Mayfair, only to return the next afternoon to request for two more to be made for her, and have them delivered the next day. The London-based studio has enjoyed a moment among world’s niche fashion brands. The style, for its exclusivity, is extremely tricky to construct. The technique is time-intensive and quite difficult to perfect. It’s scarce even among heavyweight luxury brands of today.
One of Alma’s most imp Center, one of world’s m extraordinary event desti
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pressive project remains to be the Qatar National Convention most sophisticated structure that put Doha on the map as an ination.
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imminent trends
CART-LESS, CASHLESS, AND MONITORED BY A CEILING! Inside the 1,800-square foot store packed with shelves of food that can you find in a lot of other convenience stores, there’s something unusual that hits you right at the front door. If one didn’t know any better, they’d say the store feels less like a supermarket chain and more like a subway. The technology that is inside, far away from the sight of its customers, delivers a seamless shopping experience. There are no registers or cashiers anywhere. Shoppers can only enter the gates if they have the store’s smartphone app, and
leave through those same gates, without pausing to pull out their wallet. No actual cash is handed over. No credit card is swiped. What kind of store does that? This is Amazon Go, the company’s checkoutless convenience store in Seattle. On January 22, 2018, the store opened to the public for the first time. There are no shopping carts or baskets inside Amazon Go. Instead, customers put items directly into the shopping bag they’ll eventually walk out with. A ceiling of overhead surveillance cameras
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On Janu
uary 22, 2018, the store opened to the public for the first time. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 079
imminent trends monitor everything the customer picks up and keeps. The product is automatically put into the shopping cart of the customer’s virtual basket every time they grab an item off a shelf. If customers put the item back on the shelf, Amazon removes it from their online account. One reviewer compared it to the size of a gas station mart. As far as Amazon Go’s offerings, the shelves are stocked with packaged, ready to eat lunches and snacks, prepared by a kitchen team in the back of the store. For more substantial meals, customers can browse through a selection of boxed, meal-kits. In addition, customers can buy drinks or convenience store-like items such as jars of peanut butter, eggs, or milk. Since Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods, it should come as no surprise that
the Amazon Go store has a small sector where they sell 365, the in-house brand. The store is designed for office workers looking for some variety than the office cafeteria, minus the hassle of a debit transaction. Those are precious seconds that could be spent sending out tweets from the phone.
THE FUTURE OF IMPULSE PURCHASE We knew the day that first Amazon box showed up on the doorstep that the future of shopping is here.
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One rev
viewer compared it to the size of a gas station mart. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 081
imminent trends But do we really need checkout-free stores? We don’t, but retailers certainly do. According to Cornell University, when people use any abstract form of payment, they spend more. Moreover, the type of products they choose changes too. When we go into a store, one of the first things we do is ask ourselves, “How much cash do I have on me? Do I have enough to pay for the items I am buying?” When you pay with a card, this disappears. We go on an impulse purchasemode. If we see a cookie or a doughnut, and we’re paying with an abstract method, we’re more likely to buy it. When there won’t be a checkout line, you pause at the checkout and suddenly think, ‘Should I be buying this?’ Or when you’re paying cash, that question pops up at the
very beginning. This will disappear with Amazon Go. The checkout-free experience will only result into more impulse shopping and overspending. Good thing is we’ll have all those pies and doughnuts to console us when we realize that the new shopping experience comes at a cost. We’ve seen self-checkout convenience stores before, but nothing as advanced as the Amazon Go. The sophisticated technology can see and identify each and every item in the store, without attaching a special chip. What Amazon has created is incredible, but what the long-term plan is for this huge investment is still unknown. How well the store works over time will become apparent over the coming months. A big question is, how much it costs. Outfitting a panel of
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Accordin abstract
ng to Cornell University, when people use any t form of payment, they spend more. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 083
imminent trends surveillance camera would not be cheap. For comparison, a current four-lane self-service supermarket set up costs upwards of $125,000, and the Amazon Go infrastructure is definitely more complicated. This doesn’t mean that Amazon’s checkout free store eliminates staffing cost entirely. You still need humans to restock shelves, prepare café offerings, and a customer help desk for returns and problems. Amazon Go store in Seattle has even hired someone to stand next to the alcohol section and check identification. Amazon is definitely an interesting experience, however, it is still cheaper for humans to run convenience stores. There are millions of people who work in similar roles in the United States. What happens when more stores
pop up that eliminate the human experience? “I do a lot of my work telecommuting, and so the only interaction I have during the day is with whoever is ringing me up,” says Sheila, a copywriter at an ad agency. “I don’t think we should discount those interactions.” It’s incredibly interesting to see human lives become hassle-free as technology is advancing quickly to rid us of most problems like long, stressful checkout lines. Is it worth the ability to rid us of whatever little human interaction we have in a day? After a year of testing, the Amazon Go store is officially open to the public. Is this the way we are to shop in the future? Has cashless shopping taken over the world yet? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
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Amazon is still ch
n is definitely an interesting experience, however, it heaper for humans to run convenience stores. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 085
CROWD FUNDED INC.
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ICOS & THE NEW TREND OF STARTUP FUNDRAISING The investment business is starting to take a decent look at a new financial trend coming out of the Bitcoin community – Initial Coin Offerings, or ICOs. Otherwise known as “token sales,” this new fundraising trend is being powered by the amalgamation of blockchain technology, savvy entrepreneurs, and cryptocurrency investors who are supporting blockchain ideas. ICOs presents benefits, disadvantages, threats and opportunities to the traditional venture capital business mode. Here is how an ICO works: A new cryptocurrency is created such as Ethereum, or Openledger, and a value is determined by the startup group behind the ICO based on what they think the system is worth
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CROWD FUNDED INC.
at its present stage. At that point, by referring to price determined by the market demand, the value is settled on by the network of members, as opposed to by the government. Venture capitalists are now becoming keen on it for various reasons. One is increasing profits – cryptocurrency investors made a lot of money in 2015 and 2016, with cryptocurrencies from Blockchain startups NEM and Monero both enjoying 2,000% increases in value. The cryptocurrency used for the Etherum network, called Ether, enjoyed more than a value double in just a couple of days in March 2017. In three days, opportunists who invested in Ether doubled their investment. The other reason VCs are ending up more interested on ICOs is a direct result of the liquidity of digital forms of money. Instead of tying up huge amounts of assets in a unicorn startup and sitting tight for the long play as investors gain more profits, by means of ICOs. They basically need to convert their digital currency profits into Bitcoin or Ether on any of the cryptographic exchanges that carry it, and it’s effectively converted over to fiat currency using online services by means of online services, like Coinsbank or Coinbase. Investors don’t care for about the regulatory uncertainty; the high valuations; the absence of regulation over financials, and operations; and the absence of business use-cases. Also, similar to any industry, the ICO community has seen quite a many Ponzi plans. Nonetheless, a significant part of the criminal activity is now being moderated by crowdsourced due diligence in the community, and in addition
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The cryptocurrency used for the Etherum network, called Ether, enjoyed more than a value double in just a couple of days in March 2017. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 089
CROWD FUNDED INC.
ICOs are still in a grey zone since the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other regulatory bodies are investigating them. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 090
by external parties that issue analytical research on blockchain companies. There is at least one venture capital firm that is now moving into cryptocurrencies. Blockchain Capital is set to raise its third fund via a digital token offering in the first-ever liquidity-enhanced VC fund via a digital token called BCAP. And yet, ICOs are in a grey zone since the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other regulatory bodies are still investigating them. The biggest problem, however, is that most ICOs don’t offer equity in startups, and instead only offer markdowns on cryptocurrencies before they hit the exchanges. This does not fit into the current definition of a security. Besides, there are global instruments funded using Bitcoin, Ether, and other cryptocurrencies, which are not controlled by any central authority or bank. Anyone can invest in such cryptocurrencies anonymously. At the moment there are no Anti-Money Laundering (AML) mandates or Know Your Customer (KYC) framework, although some companies are working on the giant loophole. One such example is Tokenmarket, a marketplace for tokens and blockchain-based investing that recently joined hands with the Stock Market of Gilbralter to offer AML- and KYC-compliant ICOs. Critics of these new funding schemes are demanding for security and protection. While at the same time, investors who support such schemes don’t see the point in investing outside the accredited system. Meanwhile for blockchain startups, ICOs are a huge win. They allow startups to raise fund without having equity stakeholders who want to keep control of financial returns overall the product of service itself. There are a few in the blockchain community who feels that
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ICOs are the perfect answer for non-profit foundations that want to build opens-source software to raise funds. Non-profits generally hold about 10% to 20% of the total cryptocurrency they issue. As a matter fact, Ethereum did something similar in their ICO in 2014, with 20% going to the development fund and the remaining to the Ethereum Foundation. As of now, the market capitalization for Bitcoin is close to $20 billion, and half of this is owned by less than two thousand people, also known as ‘Bitcoin whales’. Most of them are in China, where there are dedicated hedge funds and Bitcoin investment funds. A majority of their money for buying or mining Bitcoin was under $10. Today it is worth approximately $8,940 per Bitcoin. Such Bitcoin whales are the ones who are able to make many from the ICOs. The profits they make are channeled back into innovation, while many seek to diversity their holdings. ICOs are becoming more popular than ever for startups seeking funds. They’re also leading the overall crowdfunding charts when it comes to funds raised, with more than half of the top 20 raises coming from the cryptocurrency community. We must now look at this phenomenon with intense scrutiny. Blockchain technology is at the point where the Internet was in 1995, and it’s opening up an ocean of possibilities to the common man.
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ICOs are leading the overall crowdfunding charts when it comes to funds raised, with more than half of the top 20 raises coming from the cryptocurrency community. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 093
events
Has the Mobile Industry Reached an Innovation Plateau?
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The annual Mobile World Congress called in to Barcelona, Spain last week. It was a chance for everyone who’s anyone in the phone industry to meet, ink deals and announce exciting products. More than 70,000 people attended the event which is even bigger than CES in terms of gadgets that fit your pocket. It also a conference featuring mobile phone manufacturers, mobile operators, technology providers and content owners. We saw the launch of new flagship phones from HTC, LG and Samsung, and a bigger-than-usual presence from Microsoft. The Mobile World Congress is the time when the phones and wearables we will be buying and using over 2019 are put on display. It’s organized by the GSM Association, a body formed of some of the most influential mobile operators and manufacturers who joined hands in 1982 to promote the GSM standard. Today, the GSM standard is used by more than 90 percent of networks, across 210 countries. The show first launched in 1987 as the GSM World Congress, and since then to 3GSM World Congress when
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the world switched to faster 3G networks. Realizing its going to need periodic name changes as new technology emerged, it adopted Mobile World Congress. Otherwise we’d now be attending the 4GSM World Congress in Cannes, not in Fira de Barcelona. Up until 2006, the show took place in Cannes, near the beach. Nokia, LG and Samsung are leading the event to reveal their smartphones and other products. South Korean electronics giant Samsung unveiled its latest flagship model in the smartphone segment – Galaxy S9 and S9+. Nokia launched its new flagship smartphone – Sirocco. It’s undoubtedly one of the highlights of this year’s event, and one of the best Android phones you’ll be able to buy in 2018. The phone has a 5.5-inch pOLED display with reduced bezel size and curved edges. The smartphone has a stainless steel frame sandwiched between two Gorilla Glass 5 glass panels. The Finnish company launched Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 096
the all-new 8110 4G, an updated version of Nokia’s classic 20-year-old phone. It has also unveiled Nokia 7 plus, new Nokia 6 and Nokia 1. LG has also took the wrapper off a new smartphone, the V30S ThinQ, an upgraded version of the V30, the company’s flagship phone. Its neighbor from the West, Huawei launched its Matebook X Pro, which is the world’s first FullView touchscreen notebook. The Matebook X Pro has 91 percent screen-to-body ratio and a 13.9-inch 3K display. Its camera is integrated into the keyboard. Japanese electronics giant Sony unveiled Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact turning quite a few heads. The flagship pair will be direct successors of Xperia XZ1 and XZ1 Compact. So, where are we reaching in terms of advancements in the mobile phone segment in 2018? There are significant improvements to the camera. Samsung, for instance, has
Image: Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri at the Mobile World Congress 2018
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placed the fingerprint sensor below the camera at the back, instead of right next to it. At the same time, it appears quite similar to its predecessor, in terms of shape and design. This is despite the updates on the hardware on the inside. Somehow, it looks like we have reached an innovation plateau in the smartphone segment. It’s either that, or that we are playing very safe. A change in formula hardly works. The Galaxy S8 was a big strike from the much-improved Galaxy S6 and S7 by taking out all buttons at the front and having a full-screen display. It was a clear winner, despite Samsung’s exploding Galaxy Note 7 the year before. It doesn’t come as a surprise that all Samsung had to do was tweak a few things here and there, rather than try something radically innovative. Besides, isn’t that what Samsung’s closest competitor, Apple, has been doing for years?
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While the iPhone X has been the biggest innovation in years, with the smart face recognition features, it still had to make up for a lack of a fingerprint sensor to fit the seamless design. One could call it a compromise, rather than a fix at the top of the screen. Similarly, Apple and Samsung could be seen to be tweaking their formula over the years. Some of the greatest minds behind Nokia’s banana phone could have passed it off as a joke, if it didn’t have the vintage appeal to it. Moreover, the allnew 8110 4G is more or less a basic phone, without access to Android apps. It has generated a lot of buzz even when the phone comes without access to Android apps, much of it certainly comes from the hype that Nokia was used to when it dominated the phone market. Another winner among HMD’s other phones at the Mobile World Congress 2018 is the Sirocco. With curved screens like some of Samsung’s top-end models,
Image: Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+
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it certainly has a competitive design to become a phone of choice. Without a doubt, the coolest new feature you can find at the Mobile World Congress 2018 is from Chinese phone maker Vivo. Its concept phone Apex has a cool under-screen fingerprint sensor, something Samsung and Apple have been working on for years. Instead of finding the sensor with your finger, one can simply tap onto the bottom half of the screen to unlock the phone. It’s the coolest interface we’ve seen in a while, making the task of unlocking a lot easier for people who like to check their phone more than a dozen times during the day. Sadly, these are some of the truly exciting updates from the Mobile World Congress 2018. Indeed, smartphone and wearable makers have chosen to play safe. Either phone makers are trying to avoid making headlines by keeping a low profile, or Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 100
they’ve reached the plateau of innovation. Even the most-awaited smartphones will have a hard time living up to the expectations of users. Sony’s redesigned Experia line looks quite humdrum at first glance. The newly unveiled Xperia phone has thinner bexels, while they’re not as thin as many rivals on the market. The corners are certainly rounded, and it’s a relief from the once-cool yet ageing block look from ten years ago. The new flagship also has a haptic feedback, so it vibrates and you can feel your media when you play a game or watch a Netflix movie. What’s important to learn here is that some of the newly launched phones have no headphone jacks. So, you’ll have to go wireless or plug in a dongle in order to play audio. The headphone jack that used to be ubiquitous once, is a headline today.
Image: Mobile World Congress 2018
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Australasian Oil and Gas Exhibition & Conference (AOG)
Date: 14-16 Mar ’18
Australasian Oil & Gas Exhibition is a 3 day event being held from 14th to 16th March 2018 at the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre in Perth, Australia. This event showcases product from Chemicals & Dyes, Computer Hardware & Software, Hand, Machine & Garden Tools, Business Services, Real Estate Agents, Manufacturing, Fabrication, Repair & Maintenance S industries.
Venue: Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, Perth, Australi World Petrochemical Conference
Date: 19-23 Mar ’18
The World Petrochemical Conference, organized by the IHS Global will take place from 19th March to 23rd March 2018 at Hilton Americas-Houston in Houston, United States Of America. The conference will cover areas like networking, unparalleled insight and critical analysis from IHS, your trusted partner in decision-making and many more.
Venue: Hilton Americas-Houston, Houston, USA China International Offshore Oil & Gas Exhibition
Date: 27-29 Mar ’18
China International Offshore Oil & Gas Exhibition is a 3 day event being held from 27th March to 29th March 2018 at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing, China. This event showcases products like Pump and related systems, Air Blower, Pipeline Technology and Equipment, Separation Machinery, Gas separation Plant, Hydraulic Pressure & Air Pressure Equipment etc. in the Industrial Products, Petroleum, Oil & Gas industries. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 102
Venue: New China International Exhibition Center, Beijing, China Vancouver International Auto Show
Date: 28 Mar-01 Apr ’18
Vancouver International Auto Show is a 6 day event being held from 28th March to the 1st April 2018 at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, Canada. This event showcases product from Automotive, Industrial Products, Plant, Machinery & Equipment, Telecom Products & Equipment industries.
Venue: Vancouver Convention Centre West Building, Vancouver, Canada Shenzhen International Machinery Manufacturing Industry Exhibition
Date: 29 Mar-01 Apr ’18
Shenzhen International Machinery Manufacturing Industry Exhibition has been a name to reckon with in the field of machinery manufacturing since its beginning in the year 2000. Being the first of its kind to be recognized by the International Exhibition Union or the UFI, this event brings together some of the topmost enterprises and entities from China and abroad. Shenzhen International Machinery Manufacturing Industry Exhibition has all it takes to provide the participants with the kind of global exposure that helps them to grab the attention of their target audience in the best possible manner. With an ever increasing participation from the industrial sectors including heavy machineries, automobile industries, plastic processing industries, electronics to name a few, this event is slated to be a grand event that is definitely not to be missed. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 103
Venue: Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center, Shenzhen, China Date: 30 Mar-01 Apr ’18 International Conference on Renewable and Clean Energy 2018 International Conference on Renewable and Clean Energy (ICRCE 2018) is going to take place in Tokyo, Japan on March 30-April 1, 2018. It will offer an ideal platform for presentation, discussion, criticism and exchange of innovative ideas and current challenges in the field of renewable and clean energy. The main theme of the conference is to address and deliberate on the latest technical status and recent trends in the research and applications of renewable and clean energy. The purpose of the conference is to provide an opportunity for the scientists, engineers, industrialists, scholars and other professionals from all over the world to interact and exchange their new ideas and research outcomes in related fields and develop possible chances for future collaboration.
Venue: Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan Shanghai International Advanced Materials Fair
Date: 01-03 Apr ’18
Shanghai International Advanced Materials Fair is a 3 day event being held on 1st to 3rd April 2018 at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition Center in Shanghai, China. This event showcases products like rare earth materials and products, manufacturing processing equipment, instrument etc.; industrial ceramics: all kinds of ceramics, electronic device for industry, all kinds of grinding balls, raw material, auxiliary material, production equipment, kiln and instrument control equipment; material: Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 104
metal wear-resistant material, non-metal wear-resistant material, composite wear-resistant materials, antifriction engineering technology, hard-faced technology, surfacing material and equipment etc. in the Industrial Products industry.
Venue: Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, Shanghai, China Drug Discovery Chemistry
Date: 02-06 Apr ’18
The Drug Discovery Chemistry, organized by the Cambridge Healthtech Insititute will take place from 2nd April to the 6th April 2018 at Hilton San Diego Bayfront in San Diego, United States Of America. The conference will cover areas like covering the blood-brain barrier, biophysical approaches for drug discovery, and antivirals. For suggestions on program topics or speakers, please contact.
Venue: Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan Green Energy Expo
Date: 04-06 Apr ’18
Green Energy Expo is a 3-day event being held from 4th April to the 6th April 2018 at the exco in Daegu, Korea. This event showcases product from Power, Renewable Energy & Energy Conservation industry.
Venue: EXCO, Daegu, South Korea Indonesia International Dyeing & Chemical for Textile Exhibition
Date: 04-07 Apr ’18
Indonesia International Dyeing and Chemical for Textile Exhibition is a 3 day event being held from 4th April to 7th April 2018 at the Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) in Jakarta, Indonesia. Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 105
This event showcases products like Textile Chemicals, Processing Chemicals, Chemical Equipment & Engineering etc. in the Plants & Machinery industry.
Venue: PRJ Kemayoran (Gambir EXPO), Jakarta, Indonesia International Conference on Control, Robotics and Informatics
Date: 07-09 Apr ’18
Welcome to join in the 2018 International Conference on Control, Robotics and Informatics (ICCRI 2018), which will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia during April 7-9, 2018.For papers submitted to ICCRI 2018, we offer the publications as following: Publication in Conference Proceedings. Submissions will be peer reviewed by conference committees, and accepted papers will be indexed by EI Compendex, Scopus, etc.
Venue: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia World Copper Conference
Date: 09-11 Apr ’18
The World Copper Conference, organized by the CRU will take place from 9th April to the 11th April 2018 at the Grand Hyatt Santiago in Santiago, Chile. The objective is to familiarize yourself with unfolding financial and physical market scenarios and improve your business opportunities by networking at the largest and most influential copper industry conference
Venue: Grand Hyatt Santiago, Rancagua, Chile Wearable Technology Conference & Expo
Date: 10-11 Apr ’18
Wearable Technology Conference & Expo is a 2 day event being Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 106
held from 10th to 11th April 2018 at the Santa Clara Convention Centre in Santa Clara, United States Of America. This event showcases product from Clothing + supports the top brands, sports & fitness, outdoor & leisure, home & leisure, markets electronic components, fiber optic connectors, LCD monitor connectors, waterproof electrical connectors.
Venue: Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, USA Architect At Work
Date: 11-12 Apr ’18
The Architect At Work, organized by the Xpo Press will take place from 11th April to 12th April 2018 at the Enercare Centre Exhibiton Place in Toronto, Canada. The conference will cover areas like facade and exterior cladding, insulation, air & water tightness, roof construction, load bearing structures, roof covering, drainage and rainwater systems.
Venue: Enercare Centre, Toronto, Canada VM and Display Show
Date: 18-19 Apr ’18
VM and Display Show is a 2 day event being held from 18th April to the 19th April 2018 at the Business Design Centre in London, United Kingdom. This event showcases products like Mannequins, Print, Christmas Decorations, Display Services, Props, Design, Graphics, Bust Forms, TurnKey Service, POP, Lighting, Fabrics and everything etc. in the Architecture & Designing industry.
Venue: Business Design Centre, London, UK Internet of Things Summit
Date: 19-20 Apr ’18
The Internet of Things Summit, organized by The Innovation Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 107
Enterprise Limited will take place from 19th April to 20th April 2018 in San Francisco, United States Of America. The conference will cover areas like strategy, digital, finance, chief innovation officer, chief strategy officer, chief data officer, chief digital officer, chief financial officer, chief technology officer, data science, FP&A, S&OP.
Venue: : San Francisco, USA Decorex Cape Town
Date: 30 Mar-01 Apr ’18
Decorex Cape Town is an event focusing on designing, architecture and home décor industries .The event focusing on the remodelling and interior design industries. The event aims at promoting and working on their goal to remodel everything using expert supervision and professional guidance. The event includes seminars based on latest trends and technologies to remodel your house and it also includes the types of accessories and furniture that goes well with your house. Visitors can clear their queries by discussing their issues with the professionals and find professional employees who are willing to remodel their properties at an economic cost. This is a must attend for all interior designers and remodelling agencies.
Venue: CTICC (Cape Town International Convention Centre), Cape Town, South Africa Annual World Health Care Congress
Date: 29 Apr-02 May ’18
The Annual World Health Care Congress, organized by the World Congress will take place from 29th April to the 2nd May 2018 at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, United States Of America. The conference will cover areas like Industry Leaders Magazine - March ‘18 | 108
focus on critical challenges and opportunities including the impact of ACA implementation on health care businesses one year in, payer and provider consolidation, new approaches to value-based payment, and novel partnerships with the true potential to move the needle on care coordination and delivery.
Venue: Washington Marriott Wardman Park, Washington DC, USA Dell EMC World
Date: 30 Apr-03 May ’18
The Dell EMC World, organized by the Dell Inc. will take place from 30th April to 3rd May 2018 in Las Vegas, USA. The conference will cover areas like how the Dell Technologies family of businesses will help you reinvent your business, maintain your competitive advantage, and enrich the lives of those you serve and more.
Venue: The Venetian, Las Vegas, USA
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