December 2016
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In the early 1930s, IBM developers the world’s first modern accounting machine, which was designed for banks. Yet, banks did not buy the new machine. What saved the company from its inevitable crumbling, was its exploitation of an unexpected opportunity. According to Thomas Watson, Sr., the company’s founder and long-term CEO, the New York Public Library wanted to buy a machine. Unlike the banks though, the libraries in those days had money, and Watson made a deal wherein he sold more than a hundred of his otherwise unsellable machines to the libraries. A decade later, when everyone believed that machines were designed for advanced scientific work, businesses unexpectedly showed an interest in a machine that could do payroll. UNIVAC, one of the earliest computers, which had the most advanced machine, impelled business applications. However IBM immediately realized it faced a possible success, and so it designed what was basically UNIVAC’s machine for applications for payroll. Within five years, IBM became a leader in the computer industry, and has maintained the position to this day. Innovation comes from cold-eyes analysis of existing problems. More often, it comes from an unexpected failure, and yet businesses dismiss them, and even resent them. In this issue, we’re showcasing how our view of things can create opportunities for innovations. While innovation requires knowledge, ingenuity and focus, far more than that, it needs the ability to engage through real problems to create real solutions that can have an immediate impact.
Content Features Latest In Business
Pepsi’s Sugar-free Makeover
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Power Players
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James Dyson: The Steve Jobs of Industrial Design
Green Revolution Growing Life on Concrete
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Swish
Top Earning NBA Teams of 2016
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Cover Story Path-breaking Business Ideas of 2016
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Big Ticket
Brussels’ Finest
New Ventures
Europe’s Hottest Startups to Watch in 2017
Imminent Trends
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The Mystical World of Christmas Marketing
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Big Events, Bigger Gains ‘Tis Seaason of Effective Altruism
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Events & Trends 6
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SUGAR-FREE MAKEOVER:
PEPSI’S SUDDEN PLEDGE TO REDUCE SUGAR IN SODAS
The Pepsi Interactive Vending Machine allows consumers in select U.S. locations to buy, gift and play games with PepsiCo beverages. The state-ofthe-art unit features full touch screen technology.
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In a 2012 study titled “Sugar consumption at a crossroads” by Credit Suisse, the soda consumption per capita in America was so high that had to literally expand the chart to include it. As per the Obesity Society, Americans now consume 30% more sugar daily than three decades ago. So, how much soda do we drink, anyway? According to an Associated Press report, Americans consume 44 gallons of the soda per year. Within the broader context, we’re moving towards an age where we need to cut down on excessive sugar consumption and sugar-infused beverages. Last month, PepsiCo announced that by 2025, it will reduce sugar in sodas to build a more sustainable global food system. PepsiCo has set a global target to reduce the sugar in its flagship sugarbased Pepsi drink. The change was driven by evolving consumer needs and latest dietary guidelines from the World Health Organization. Currently, less than forty percent of its drinks have 100 calories or fewer. By 2025, two-thirds of its single serving drinks will have 100 or fewer calories as it cuts back on sugar. Pepsi announced last year it would stop using the artificial sweetener aspartame due to consumer backlash. Scientific studies have linked artificial sweeteners to metabolic diseases. The beverage giant which owns Pepsi, Gatorade, Tropicana and Mountain Dew, said its goals are informed by the new dietary guidelines of the World Health Organization. These guidelines recommend that people limit sugar consumption to less than 10 percent of their daily calories. The WHO also recommended taxes on sugar-sweetened drinks to curb consumption and improve health. Mexico and France have imposed taxes on beverages with added powder, flavor extract, syrup, sugar, or caloric sweeteners. For Pepsi – Cola, sugary sodas are no longer the backbone of the business. To survive due to evolving consumer demand, the beverage giants need to reduce sugar in sodas. The companies are moving to diversify their offerings and grow revenue with drinks such as coffee, tea, and bottled water. Soda companies are fighting the decline in consumption by shrinking the size of cans and bottles. Smaller cans contain fewer total calories and are much more appealing to the consumer. However, they generally cost more per ounce. For example, an 8.5-ounce bottle of Coke generated $1.60 in revenue per purchase. On the other hand, a 2-litre gallon only generates $0.18, this is nearly nine times the revenue. Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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How Will Trump’s Win Impact 2016 Holiday Spending? Even with less than a month to go for Christmas, holiday shopping is the last thing on everyone’s mind right now. Not so long ago, the National Retail Federation predicted a 3.6% spike in holiday season sales. But, a lot has changed since the NRF’s prediction last month. Donald Trump became the President-Elect of the United States, and well, his triumph has impacted early holiday sales. As we oscillating between an economic plunge and markets stabilization, analysts expect shoppers to be more cautious with their spending. As a matter of fact, Trump’s victory has even prompted retailers to increase their holiday promotions and discounting. Of course, such discounts will come at the expense of the manufacturers’ profit margins. It’s going to be a dry spell, especially among high-income spenders, who help drive holiday spending. In fact, everyone’s cautious this holiday season. Whether it’s the top 1% or the 15% or the 20%, everyone’s cautious because they simply don’t know what is coming ahead. Regardless, retailers like Target, Walmart, Barnes & Noble are anxiously waiting for the market to stabilize before ramping up their holiday season ads. Mall mainstays like Macy’s, Gap Inc., and Toys R Us sent emails with deals promoting 15% to 40% off. According to a market study, 68% of shoppers plan to spend the same amount post-election regardless of who the victor is. The finding is a part of an upcoming 2016 holiday spending study. Economists have said that Trump’s policies could do significant damage on both the sides of the cash register. Trump’s proposed immigration policies could lead to deportation of illegal immigrants or just those who are convicted of crimes. The removal of a large piece of the population would cut into the number of consumers and employees. Moreover, his opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, as well as threats to pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement could put significant stress on retailers who bring their merchandise from abroad. Moreover, Trump has repeatedly brushed off with some retail CEOS. In 10
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the past, he has also threatened to impose large tariffs made on items manufactured overseas. This move, if well executed, could drastically increase prices for consumers. Department stores and chains, most of whose merchandise production is moved to cheaper offshore locations like Bangladesh, Mexico, Pakistan and China, will take the blow. Despite the divisive rhetoric, the NRF has predicted that 2016 holiday spending will rise 3.6%, and would make for the best Christmas period in years. Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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HSBC Profits Fall 86% after Disposal of Brazil Operations HSBC Q3 earnings recorded a $1.7billion loss from the sale of its operations in Brazil. HSBC profits (pre-tax) slumped by 86 percent at $10.6 billion, compared with $19.7 billion a year ago. HSBC’s $843million quarterly profit fell below analysts’ expectations of $2.45billion. The bank’s profit went down from $6billion in the same period a year ago. HSBC profits were knocked largely by the sale of Brazilian unit. The bank also took a $500 hit for compensation payments for UK customers arising from payment protection insurance misselling. Britain’s largest bank has operations over 70 countries and is headquartered in London. It had warned that it would take a loss due to the sale of its Brazilian unit. The sale was a part of the strategy by HSBC CEO Stuart Gulliver to cut costs and focus towards Asian markets. In July 2015, he announced an overhaul which also included 25,000 job cuts globally. This included 8,000 job cuts in the UK. In September 2016, the bank’s workforce was at 12
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234,681 – down 1,378 from December. The sale of HSBC’s Brazilian unit has helped the British bank to announce its first share buyback of $2.5billion. Financial analysts are now focusing on the bank’s ability to pay dividends after it jilted a pledge to keep increasing the payouts. Amidst all the losses, HSBC has reported a rise in its core capital ratio to 13.9 percent. It arises from a change in the regulatory treatment of its investment in China’s Bank of Communications.
After a 10-month review, the bank announced in February to keep its headquarters in London, instead of moving to Hong Kong. Chief Gulliver, however, says HSBC could shift 1,000 to Paris post-Brexit. It emerged last week that HSBC could face trial for alleged tax fraud in France over the illicit activities of its Swiss subsidiary. According to a leading business magazine, HSBC’s Swiss arm helped the wealthy evade taxes.
Additionally, the economic conditions will get worse at Britain formally begins the process of leaving the EU. HSBC has experienced limited impact on its British business. So far, it has experienced a trifling plunge in small business loan demand. A decline in HSBC profits in Q4 would combine with dividend as well as bank tax payments that will cut the increase in capital in the near term. Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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Amazon is Hiring 120,000 Temporary Workers this Holiday Season Amazon.com Inc. is ramping up hiring nationwide of 120,000 seasonal employees to fulfill holiday online orders. The shortterm hires will supplement 230,800 permanent employees at Amazon’s 70 warehouses, sortation centers, and customer service sites. The National Retail Federation estimates that retail spending will reach 3.5 percent in November and December to $655.8 billion. Additionally, employers will hire even more temporary workers, between 640,000 and 690,000, this holiday season. Although, this number is unchanged from last year’s 675,300. As more shoppers go online, of brickand-mortar stores are hiring less seasonal employees than before. Companies are also keeping low sales expectations and inventories this year. This is in light of the fact that last year turned out to be a huge disaster when an unusually warm weather hit sales and piled up unsold goods. Macy’s Inc. announced in September it would hire 83,000 temporary workers for the holiday quarter. The number is a 2 percent decline 14
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from last year. On the other side, courier companies like FedEx and U.S. Postal Service have been adding more workers to their seasonal workforce to avoid what happened two years ago. In 2013, millions of holiday shipments arrived late due to bad weather and a high demand. Last year, Amazon added 100,000 seasonal employees, twenty-five percent more than the year before. More than 20,000 seasonal positions were later transitions to regular, full-time roles after the holidays. In 2015, Amazon expanded same-day delivery to 12 U.S. cities. This has also resulted in Amazon expanding its infrastructure closer to urban areas. In 2015, Amazon expanded to 173 facilities worldwide from 155 warehouses the year before. With warehouses close to
customers, the retailer will have a competitive advantage against other retailers. The world’s largest online retailer is also delivering meals from restaurants in Portland and Seattle. Moreover, its artisanal marketplace AmazonHandmade is competing with eBay and Etsy as it seeks new revenue sources. Flex is an Uber-like platform where on-demand employees could pick up shifts delivering packages. Investors see Amazon as a cash cow, as the retailer is unafraid to try out new avenues for more revenue. It’s continually innovating and is attractive to potential shareholders even after 21 years of its existence. Although, the only hiccup, for now, is the existing culture problem. In August 2015, a New York Times expose shined light on the retailer’s brutal workplace culture. Of course, Amazon hit back by circulating a rebuttal post along with a companywide memo. But, it seems that the damage has been done. Amazon temporary employees receive starting wages and are eligible for healthcare benefits. Since the 2008 financial crisis, Amazon had added over 50,000 jobs in the U.S. These jobs include healthcare, 401(k), stock awards, and tuition payment benefits.
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Turkey Aims to Raise $28 Billion Investment for Renewable Energy Resources by 2020 According to a prediction by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Turkey is likely to raise around $28 billion for renewable energy resources. The predictive report claims that the investment for such a project will be raised by the year 2020. Turkey holds the position of an energy importer and has high aims of increasing the overall production of renewable energy resources. This results in the increased use of renewable energy in place of electricity production. In accordance with such factors, Turkey is a potential investment in the clean energy sector by interested companies. The predictive report is a part of the Anadolu Agency’s compilation from the IFC. This is known as the “Climate Investment Opportunities in Emerging Markets” report. Turkey will receive $27.7 billion in the form of investment for the renewable energy sector. The company has potential investors who are showing immense interest in the project. Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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Successful completion of this investment is of utmost importance for the development of the renewable energy sector in Turkey. The amount $18.6 billion is for the new green buildings. This is in order to keep up with the pace of urbanization and industrialization in the country. Out of the total amount, $16.4 billion is for wind energy, $7.4 billion for solar energy, $3.4 for geothermal, and $560 million for the hydroelectric field. Apart from these investments, there are different projects which come under the scope of the environmentally friendly developments in Turkey. Notably, an investment worth almost $47 billion will be in projects like transportation infrastructure, waste management, and green buildings. In addition to this, there will also be noteworthy investments in the transportation sector which is one of the fastest growing fields of Turkey. For this project, there will be investments worth at least $24 billion to enhance low carbon transportation by 2020. Moreover, there is an expectation of $4.4 billion investment in the field of waste management. According to the report by IFC, the growth of Turkey in gross domestic product has left many countries behind. This progress is despite the recent political events which took place in the country. Such a scenario has raised the interests of the investors in Turkey’s energy efficiency. Also, the country is currently stressing on the creation of a more sustainable environment. This will take place by various factors like the dissemination of electric vehicles for transportation to reduce the pollution level. Reports suggest that on the basis of such plans, there will be more eco-friendly investments in terms of transportation. Moreover, Turkey plans to substitute 37 percent of its electricity generation with renewable energy resources by 2023. The IFC claims that the nation is gradually moving forward to achieve this goal. In reference to this aim, the plan consists of building an additional capacity of 20,000 megawatts of wind energy. In this case, production of 5,000 megawatts of solar energy will take place along with 600 megawatts of geothermal energy. Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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Ikea Creates Syrian Home Replica to Emphasize on War Destruction Ikea collaborated with Red Cross Norway to create a Syrian home replica in its flagship store. This innovative has been inspired by the real-life incident of a woman who fled the war and created a home to provide shelter to her four children as well. This replica is built in order to raise funds for such victims of the war. Due to the ongoing war in Damascus, Rana realized that Syria was no longer safe for her and her young children. They fled to Jamarana which is a relatively safe suburb. As she did not have sufficient financial supplies, Rana rented a cinder block walled home devoid of any mattresses or plumbing. In reference to this, the Red Cross Norway decided to help Rana and other such families in distress due to the war. For this, Ikea will also provide support by reaching out to the public. Presently, Rana and her family are receiving basic amenities like food from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, which is a humanitarian organization part of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The Red Cross of Norway got together with Ikea for this project. The Syrian home replica has been set up in the flagship store in Stockholm. This is in order to attract the customers’ attention to the plight of these victims of the war and evoke empathy among them. Once people empathize with her story, they can donate either in the store or online. This innovative project was designed by an advertising agency called POL. The agency has taken care to make sure that the replica is as close to the real home as possible. The replica has been named “25 meters of Syria” as it is also the actual size of the home. Roughly it is around 269 feet in area, which is just a little bigger than an average one-car garage. There are blankets and foam mattresses in place of beds, just like the actual home. Each article of the house has tags telling the stories related to Rana and her family about their refugee lives. This will give an exact picture to the customers about how tough life is for the Syrian refugees. It will promote them to help in whatever little way they can. This contribution might make a difference to the people in need. The physical tour of such a humble home will make people realize how fortunate they are to be living in such 20
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comfortable accommodations. The Syrian home replica is a striking contrast to the luxury home products available in the flagship store. The contradiction between the two lifestyles is deliberate to create an impact in the mind of the customer. The complete installation of this Syrian home replica in the Ikea store was done in the month of October. Since then, 40,000 people have visited the store. A majority of them specially came to take a tour of the replica. The campaign can be called a success as it raised $23.8 million.
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Apple Keen on Launching Apple Smart Glasses by 2018 After Google and Snapchat, Apple Inc. decided to venture further into the field of wearable devices. Rumors suggest that groundwork for the production of the Apple smart glasses has already begun. Apple insiders stated that the smart glass project is being taken up in order to expand the wearable devices section of the company. Apple issued a report confirming the rumors that had surfaced in the market for a while now. This will help the company in entering the augmented reality market. The official report also states that the work on these digital glasses is already under way. The experimentation of this technology suggests that the glasses will be in sync with Apple’s iPhone. The working of this gadget will be close to the one used in the Apple watch. At the moment, Apple is exploring its options regarding this project. It is in search of a capable company with which it can collaborate. Also, there is no definite decision about whether the company will go ahead with the production right ahead. This does not mean that Apple is not interested in going ahead with 22
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the project. Recently, Apple ordered a small batch of near-eye displays from various suppliers. This suggests that the project has advanced to its prototyping phase. Another indefinite picture about the Apple wearable device is whether
the digital world. This takes place with the help of sensors, cameras, transparent displays, and complex algorithms. On the other hand, the heads-up device is just a secondary display in coordination with its host device. The host device in this project will be the Apple iPhone. According to the official report, in case Apple decides to proceed with the production of the Apple smart glasses, its release might take place at the earliest in 2018. The iPhone sales is at an all-time low currently, Apple needs to lure more customers to bounce back on its next quarter earnings call.
it will integrate the technology of augmented reality or not. There are chances that the gadget might end up having a simple wearable headsup display. The difference between these two technologies is quite clear. The augmented reality features help in presenting overlay information into
There have been talks about Apple working on augmented reality solutions for a while now. There has been no official statement about the product in relation to this study. The first mention of the study was by the Apple CEO, Tim Cook, during a quarterly investors conference call in July. Cook talked about Apple’s interest in developing this technology and investments for the same were welcome. Apple already owns a number of augmented reality solutions. Its most recent development was for the iPhone mapping system. The company has also hired augmented reality specialists. This shows that there is a high possibility of the release of the Apple smart glasses in the near future. Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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Genetically Modified Bacteria Can Conduct Electricity from Soil Researchers at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst have genetically modified common soil bacteria to produce bacterial nanowires capable of conducting electricity for small-scale electronic devices. The conducting nanowires are a thousand times thinner than the human hair and are capable of a conducting electricity at a level that has impressed the scientific community. The genetically modified bacteria practically prove the theoretical notion of generating electricity from the soil. Not only are they efficient, but also capable of producing a renewable source of power. Here’s why: the bacterial nanowires can be linked to solar energy or other renewable energy sources such as plant waste. Moreover, the biological material construct makes it non-toxic, since no chemicals are required to generate the nanoelectronic particles. The organisms used are species of Geobacter. These microorganisms naturally produce nanowires, which take the form of hair-like protein filaments that protrude from the bacterial cell. In the soil, the organisms use these hair-like protein filaments to connect with iron oxide and includes minerals to bolster growth. The generated electricity from soil is sufficient to power small-scale devices. However, with more research in the future, scientists will be able to alter the genetic make-up of the bacteria (the process involves replacing amino acids) so electricity conductivity can be boosted. The research was originally published in a series of papers by the UM Amherst professor Derek Lovley in 2011. Back then, it was believed to be supported by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) only. The paper may have become a laughing stock among skeptics then, but guess who’s having the last laugh now. In a series of experiments, Dr. Lovley has demonstrated that is it possible to turn bacteria into electrically conductive nanowires. Linda Chrisey, a program officer in ONR’s Warfighter Performance Department, believes Dr. Derek Lovley’s research could lead to more advancements in the field of new electronic materials. There’s an increasing demand for smaller, more powerful computing devices. The microbiologist’s research will help 24
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us produce extremely thin wires with sustainable materials. In fact, these materials will have the potential application such as components of electronic devices such as sensors, transistors, and capacitors. The modified bacteria are over 2,000 times conductive as they are in their natural state. Greater conductive brings smaller size and greater durability. These two properties can prove to be a boon in the making
of electronics applications. It could be something ranging from medical sensors to digital electronics. The future applications are boundless. Since the research is supposed by the ONR, its military applications are going to shoot up to the priority list. The ONR believes, that someday the genetically modified bacteria could help us in providing electrical currents to microbes for producing the fuel butanol. Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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GROWING LIFE ON CONCRETE The idea of including nature within a city was a relatively foreign concept to most urban cultures before the dawn of the 18th century. When nature was grown into urban settings, it was for a specific purpose: plots for growing food, hunting land to show off the wealth of the monarch.
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Following the Edwardian era, we were building materials designed specifically to resist lichen and moss draping buildings. And so, monumental research has been done to develop paint treatments and biocides that make sure the concrete and wood and bricks don’t turn into a swamp laden with lichen and moss. But, that’s all to change. Soon, we’ll have buildings and even cities become home to urban microbiome. Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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The profound shift – the idea of including nature into the architecture and design of our buildings as a decorative elements, so as to connect people with nature, or to soften cities, is new, and on the rise. A group of researchers are developing building surfaces that are ‘bioreceptive’. BiotA lab, based in University College London’s Bartlett School of Architecture, which was established a year ago. The lab’s architects and engineers are taking a shot at making bioreceptive materials that can cultivate the growth of cryptograms, life forms like lichens and mosses. The idea is that eventually they’ll be able to build structures onto which a variety of these micro-organisms can grow. At this moment, all efforts are centered on designing a type of bioreceptive concrete. Marcos Cruz, one of the directors of the BiotA lab, says that he has for quite some time been interested with what he sees as a conflicted state of mind about structures and aesthetic: “We admire mosses growing on old buildings, we identify them with our romantic past, but we don’t like them on contemporary buildings because we see them as a pathology,”he says. Cruz says that he needs the BiotA project to push back against the idea that cleanliness is the ideal that buildings should strive for. Richard Beckett, another director of the BiotA lab, says that he’s interested 28
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with the venture flipping the standard way that structures are designed. “Traditionally, architecture is a top-down process, you decide what the building will look like, and then you build it. Here we’re designing for a specific species or group of species, the material and geometry we’re using is so specific that it only allows certain species to grow. Both Cruz and Beckett discussed a particular mindset about their buildings that they said was unique from most architects. Architecture is a whole wide world, with every architect having his or her own mojo. Some create structure of wild grace, reviving Italianate, Gothic, Romanesque, Greek beauty. While, some include sweeping porches, colonnades, and roofs that are flower-bedecked shrines to stimulate your senses, make you feel clear inside. Some see barks as mediators between the internal conditions of a tree in which a wide range of species can grow and enrich the environment with an ecology that is practically inconceivable without bark. Unlike existing vertical garden systems, bioreceptive concrete supports
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MusĂŠe du quai Branly Greenwall, Paris, France
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the growth of micro-organisms on its own surface. Researchers from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona are developing a new type of biological concrete that captures rainwater to create walls of moss and fungi. The concrete contains a biological layer that collects and stores the rainwater. The rainwater provides a moist growing environment where micro-organisms like fungi, lichens, microalgae, and mosses can grow and thrive. The green concrete has a waterproof layer that separates the organisms from the inner structural part of the concrete. Meanwhile, the outer layer acts in reverse, thus allowing the rainwater in, and preventing it from escaping. Across the world, the climate change demands innovative architecture and design. Architects are designing structures intended to maximize the amount of shade and ventilation. But, that’s not enough. We need green concrete that also absorbs carbon dioxide and also acts as an insulating material and a thermal regulator. In the bigger plan of things, the BiotA work fits in with the recent trend towards “green” structures and architecture. Frequently those efforts drop, by way for things like living walls loaded with plants, or green rooftops. However, these living systems can be costly and difficult Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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to keep up. Every once in a while, every one of the plants dies, and must be supplanted. A plant nursery in East London had a green wall. A few months passed when the plants on the nursery were all dead and literally, falling off the wall. A year later, there were steel panels with photographs of a forest on them! In the latest push towards ‘green structures’ people want to think of exterior of a building as bark. Bringing nature into urban communities may appear to be normal to people today, for gardens and parks are laden with green spaces across quite a few American cities. 34
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The BiotA team is still in the early periods of testing the materials they’re working on. They’re not certain, for instance, precisely how much carbon these lichens may absorb, or how much water they may keep from going down the drains. The team’s sole aim is to create materials which are maximally sustainable. The team has a long way to go when it comes to working with construction companies. Beckett says that it will be likely in five years before they can see their concrete facades on building structures. They’re not certain how much the material will cost, but rather Beckett compares it to Victorian-era living walls. The installation price won’t be cheap, however it will be much Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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cheaper after that, as there would be little to no maintenance or upkeep costs. Making a structure bioreceptive doesn’t mean greenery would all of a sudden grow on the building. Rather, the group is designing surfaces with geometric patterns, channels in which the greenery can develop. The BiotA venture is a mélange of the two ways for bringing nature into a city. It’s not an open green space, and it’s not exactly a sacrosanct tree, but rather it’s somewhere in the middle. An office building Chartier-Corbasson Architects in France, draws inspiration from Japanese-style garden. The row of buildings is covered in mossy walls and piles of stone, representing a plinth of living greenery. In London, British architect Dave Edwards has proposed a skyscraper with a green wall that would produce energy and clean water. The outer skin of the green wall would be made of algae, and will be used for food and improving air quality. The algae will absorb carbon dioxide and also harvest bio-methane to provide heat and power. Waste biomass will be fed to the building’s skin, while waste water will be sent through the algae recycled. Unlike the current vertical garden systems and vegetated façade, biological concrete will support ecosystems of cryptograms on its own surface. These materials are not only good for newly built structure, but also for the renovation of existing structures. Cryptograms may look small and insignificant, but they stand a good chance in undoing the age-old separation in nature and industrialization led by climate change. Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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JAMES DYSON: THE STEVE JOBS OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN The index of James Dyson’s autobiography pivots around the word failure, a curious affiliation by a man who is one of the richest people in Britain. Truth be told, James’s career and brand are built on failure, rather than immaculate triumph and achievement.
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At school, we’re taught to value success, ergo, we never gain the experience, the maturity, or the wisdom to cope with failure. Because we’re never taught to look at things objectively, we validate failure as definitive and shameful. To James Dyson, failure, coupled with perseverance, spurs on improvement like nothing else. Failure is not fatal. And when James Dyson tells of a surefire formula of success in life, believe him! Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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Frustration Is Often The Mother Of Invention
One summer in the early 1970s, James Dyson was vacuuming his house when he realized his Hoover Junior was losing suction and the dust kept getting clogged. An industrial designer by training, he had the idea of creating a bagless cleaner that would not lose suction as it picked up dirt. The inspiration came from a 30ft-tall cyclone sucking air out of a sawmill. If only, he could create a mini-replica of the 30ft-tall cyclone. As Dyson continued his bagless obsession, his garden shed became his workshop. All this while, his wife Deidre continued working as an art teacher to keep everyone – James and the three young children, Emily, Jacob and Sam. By the mid-eighties, he had a huge overdraft, which at one point tipped £1 million. But, it didn’t deter Dyson.
“Fear is always a good motivator,” James Dyson To James Dyson, it took 5,127 prototypes and 15 years, for failure to pan out. And, when he launched Dyson Limited to produce his design, nobody else would take on it. One by one they turned him down, apparently, not interested in what he was selling. Meanwhile, the vacuum industry continued selling vacuum cleaner bags, worth $550 million each year. A few years later, then Hoover’s vice president for Europe, Mike Rutter, said on U.K. national TV, “I do regret that Hoover as a company did not take the product technology off Dyson; it would have lain on the shelf and not been used. 40
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The Dyson dual cyclone vacuum cleaner won the International Design Fair Prize in Japan, went into production in that year. The G-Force cleaner was sold at $2,000 in Japan, but Dyson failed to popularize it. Four years later, Dyson pulled finances to make the product available in his home country, and within 18 months, it became Britain’s best-selling carpet cleaner. Just as his vacuum cleaner rallied as a must-have household item, other Dyson product’s tragically failed. Dyson’s first washing machine, the world’s first dual cylinder, was a gigantic failure. It became James Dyson’s first failure as an entrepreneur. So when James Dyson entered into the entrepreneurial world, he was sunken under increasing debts and inexperienced. But, he wasn’t a quitter. In an interview with The Telegraph, he confided about early entrepreneurial problems, “It was too expensive to make. As well as that, we were going into a field where everyone had been at it for years and had their lines of suppliers, whereas we were making it here. They had refined and refined their products. We were starting from scratch.”
Confessions of Cheating After years and years of development and marketing, Dyson was approached by then vice president for global operations of Amway in 1984. Amway wanted a Dyson’s vacuum cleaner, at any or no cost. As Dyson describes in his recent book, Against the Odds, “After a few days, they offered me what seemed a huge sum for a license for the Dual Cyclone.” After four days of negotiations, Dyson and his partner met with lawyers and company executives on a deal, ready to sign. A few days, he received a letter from Amway’s lawyers accusing Dyson of misrepresentation on the grounds that the Dual Cyclone vacuum cleaner wasn’t ready for market. As the agreement was being contested with Amway, Dyson was unable to market his product elsewhere. The legal repercussions of which were dreadful. After several months, in early 1985, the case was resolved, with Dyson paying back every penny they had advanced, and in return terminating Amway’s license and having his patents returned. In November 1987, Dyson received a call from an associated who announced that Amway had created a cyclonic vacuum cleaner, just like Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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Dyson’s. “What was most unfair I felt was that I had invested all that money and all those years in research and development of my invention, and on patenting. I had had to borrow and pawn and risk the welfare of my own family and now some enormous organization with more money and man hours than I could even dream of, were just going to get on with selling their version. They were out on the market before us, and, it transpired, they were claiming the credit for it.” This wasn’t the only case where Dyson’s patents were being infringed. In 1999, Hoover US was also found guilty of patent infringement. In September 2013, Dyson initiated court proceedings against Samsung alleging they had infringed on Dyson’s steering mechanism patent, only to drop it later. In 2002, Dyson stirred controversy when he moved production of his inventions from Malmesbury, North Wiltshire, to Malaysia, to cut labor costs. Some condemned the decision, given his cheerleading for British engineering industry. Today, the Dyson Foundation, an engineering charity supports Britain’s world leading science, research and innovation. In 2011, the James Dyson Foundation funded $11 million scholarships at Cambridge University. Last year, it gave $12million for creation of engineering school. James Dyson is undeniably passionate about the need for more youth to go into engineering to ensure British innovation industry becomes more competitive. ‘Britain produces only 24,000 engineering graduates a year, compared with 450,000 in India and 300,000 in China,’ he said in an interview with The Telegraph. ‘We have a lack of respect for engineers here, in the way that the Japanese and Chinese do not. Britain has lost its confidence to engineer and make things. As our balance of trade sinks into the red, we have a choice: do we want Britain to be a theme park, or a hub of creative engineering? There is a bit of a “shoddy will do” notion about British manufacturing these days. Shoddy offends and irritates me. I want to see Britain back at the forefront. Patriotism? Yes, partly. What’s wrong with that?
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‘Coupled with that is the fact that we are not fulfilling the potential of our children. To make and design things is a basic instinct. Yet we are not encouraging this in our young people.’
Dyson in American Culture In the 2000s, Dyson’s Airblade hand-dryer, which could leave your hands bone dry in 10 seconds, became a massive success. He pitched it to clubs, sports arenas, bars and airports. From there on, James Dyson went on to make a ball-wheeled wheelbarrow to a supercharged fan and heater, a soundless Supersonic hair dryer, energy-efficient washing machine, and a bagless vacuum cleaner. Today, more than 2,500 people including top scientists and engineers work for Dyson and ships its products across 50 countries. Dyson has even become a cultural signifier. In the Royle Family Christmas Special, Barb is moved to exclaim: “Ooh Valerie. What a Christmas! Implants and a Dyson!” In 1999, he took over as chairman of the Design Museum from its founder Sir Terence Conran. Five years later, he publicly resigned in protest to the museum’s misguided pursuit of empty style over substance. They say, the final straw when a Terence Conran exhibition was canceled in favor
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of an exhibition on Constance Spry, the flower-arranger. In Dyson’s view, the museum’s focus on visual styling, rather the quirky, the graphics, had usurped over product and industrial design in the last decade.
Last year, Dyson announced record-breaking profits of £367m, up 13% on the year, despite spending £3m a week on research and development. Max Conze, Dyson’s German-born CEO, said Dyson’s ownership structure had helped it keep its investment in new technology at high levels.
“James took a punt on the bagless vacuum cleaner about 18 years ago, without a team, without a hell of a lot of money. You’re better off being in a family-driven setup, where the family is the guardian of that technology and engineering focus.” The success of cordless vacuum cleaner, for which sales were up 68% in 2014, is a testament to the success of the Dyson ownership model. The entire company is owned by founder Sir James Dyson and his family. Cordless vacuum cleaners can be used for just 20 minutes before needing a recharge. They now outsell traditional vacuum cleaners by 44
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three to one in Japan and by four to one in China. Similarly, the Dyson Humidifier is the top-selling humidifier in Japan by value. Geographically, Dyson took the number one spot in Germany in terms of sales and maintained its position as market leader in Japan. The group doubled the size of its business in China, despite the country’s economic slowdown.
“I have always found that the very moment you’re ready to give up, that if you go on a little longer, you end up finding what you’re looking for. It’s one of life’s rewards for perseverance.” Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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James Dyson’s career and brand are built on innovation. Yet, if you read his book Against the Odds, the theme is ‘being comfortable with failure’, not innovation. In fact, the index of James’s autobiography pivots around the word failure, a curious affiliation by a man who is one of the richest people in Britain. Truth be told, James’s career and brand are built on failure, rather than immaculate triumph and achievement. In a world, where the PresidentElect of the United States callously paints the picture that success never-ever starts with failure, we need role models who can send a powerful message about the power of failure to the young, impressionable audience. We need leaders like James Dyson who exemplify a character trait that we want the future generation to have. 46
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PROFILE
JAMES DYSON (May 2 1947 - )
Eduction Gresham’s School Royal College of Art (MDesRCA) Family Married with three children Career Director, Rotork Marine 1970-74 Managing Director, Kirk-Dyson 1974-79 Founded Dyson Research Ltd 1979 (developed and designed Dyson dual cyclone vacuum cleaner 1979-93) Chairman, Dyson Ltd 1992Chairman, Bath Coll of HE 1990-92 External Examiner, Royal College of Art 1993-96 Member, Design Council 1997Chairman, Design Museum 1999-04 Trustee, Roundhouse Theatre, London, 1998 Dyson on the Design Museum
“In the digital age of ‘overnight’ success stories such as Facebook, the hard slog is easily overlooked.” Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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stor y Greg Hong, CEO & Co-Founder of Reserve
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PATH-BREAKING
BUSINESS IDEAS OF 2016
For an organization to be truly profitable, its leaders must innovate. More than the innovator’s DNA, it needs a business idea to solve an actual problem. You’d be surprised how many businesses are low-impact and fail to discover an innovative solution to an everyday problem. On the other end of the spectrum, there are businesses, which seem to have it all – customers, cash, and most of all, a promising idea to an everyday problem. In today’s world, innovation rankings are popularity contests based on editorial whims. Industry Leaders set out to create something different with Money Making Business Ideas list, using the entrepreneurial wisdom.
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Can We Treat AHDH and Alzheimer’s With Gaming? Co-founders of Boston-based Akili Interactive Labs, Eddie Martucci and Matthew Omernick, believe games promise a quick-fix that big pharma’s can’t deliver. The team’s tablet-based game, EVO, promises to be an effective treatment for brain disorders like ADHD, Alzheimer’s, autism, and depression. EVO guides players through a series of foreign worlds, where players can collect stars and gems and interact with aliens. The game is carefully designed to improve attention, inhibition and working memory in kids with ADHD. Shire, the world’s largest seller of ADHD drugs, has invested an undisclosed sum in Akili to help design its ongoing ADHD study. The trail enrolled 80 children ages 8 to 12; half has AHDH and the other half are cognitively normal. All will play EVO for about 30 minutes a day for a month. The game took four years in the making, and is now ready for launch. It has entered phase-three of clinical trial for pediatric ADHD. The trial will span across the country and multiple hundreds of patients. If approved by the FDA, it will be one of a kind medication, where doctor’s will prescribe a game instead of a pill. 50
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Can A Biometric Gunlock Stop Accidental Gun Deaths? Detroit-based Identilock, has developed a biometric clasp that allows a gun’s trigger to release only when matched with the owner’s fingerprint. Multiple sets of fingerprints can be authorized to unlock the gun, allowing access to trusted users. The gun owner can easily remove people from Identilock’s profile. The biometric clasp can be used to lock almost any handgun. Identilock’s founder, Omer Kiyani, knows what it’s like to get shot in the mouth. When he was a teenager, he says, he survived an accidental gun shot. The portable lock, may not exactly stop all the gun shooting in the US, but it will make sure that personal firearms are in the right person’s hands, and not the wrong person. Identilock was showcased at the CES, the annual technology industry show in Las Vegas, earlier this year. While, no guns were allowed on the show floor, Kiyani’s hitech fingerprinting software was there anyway. Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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Can A Dining Concierge App Curtail No-Show Diners? No-shows are a problem for restaurants, everywhere. One canceled table could mean a 100% loss of profit. While, some restaurants, like the Red Medicine in Los Angeles, have taken to publicly shame diners who don’t show up for their reservations, there are some who’re turning this ordeal into a win-win. Reserve is a dining concierge app that offers restaurant reservations for a $5 booking fee. The app offers access to tables at restaurants in New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, DC, Chicago, and now London. The app has an impressive list of entrepreneurs behind it, including founders from Uber and Foursquare. To combat no-shows, the app charges customers who no-show $10-#25, and passes the fees directly to the restaurant. CEO and co-founder Greg Hong says, the Reserve app is “putting restaurants back in control of the dining room.” Here’s how it works: Select where to dine from the app’s curated list of restaurant partners and give a time window of when you’d like to do so. The Reserve app then secures the reservation at the restaurant, frequently sending updates to you along the way. There’s no membership fees involved, and the app is free to download. Several big-name restaurants have partnered with the Reserve app. This include, New York City restaurants Carbone ZZ’s Clam Bar, ABC Cocina, ABC Kitchen, Aldea, and M. Wells Steakhouse. Participating restaurants in Boston include Craigie on Main, Alden & Harlow, Oleana, and L’Espalier. In Los Angeles, restaurants include Bestia, Lucques, Republique, and Rustic Canyon. 54
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Using Market Data To Tell Farmers What The True Price Of Their Crops Anyone in the food supply chain or commodities market rely on USDA data to operate. This also includes data that farms depend on to price livestock and crops, which ultimately help determine which commodities to grow and which to sell. But, ever since the US government shut down the website in 2013, it has become difficult for farmers to get market quotes. While, there are private data providers, like Informa Economics and Pro Exporter, which provide market quotes, they offer subscription priced at $8,000, and are nearly not as comprehensive as the USDA data. Mercaris is a market data service and online trading platform for organic, non-GMO, and certified agricultural commodities. The platform offers monthly or yearly subscription at affordable rates. The reports available on the platform are designed to help producers, mills, manufacturers, elevators and retailers know how much they should charge or pay for products. Comprehensive reports available on Mercaris also track and compare spot and forward prices of organic products, from the point of first delivery to across the US. The trading platform, launching this month, will allow buyers and sellers to trade commodities online. Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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Using Artifical Intelligence To Make It Easy To Buy Homeowners Insurance Lemonade is a mobile-based, peer-to-peer model focused on selling renters’ and homeowners’ insurance products. It helps manage the same level of personalized financial and estate planning as professional agents and advisors do. “Technology drives everything at Lemonade,” says Shai Wininger, the company’s president and co-founder.“From signing up to submitting a claim, the entire experience is mobile, simple and remarkably fast. What used to take weeks or months now happens in minutes or seconds. Lemonade’s mobile technology offers consumers with policies at a fraction of the cost of what competitors offer. Renters’ insurance starts at $5 a month, and homeowners’ policies start at $35 a month. Although, the company has not yet announced plans to move into the life and health insurance space, it plans on doing so in the next few months. Lemonade was founded over a year ago, and is still expanding its line of insurance products.
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Can We Make Healthy Living Affordable And Accessible For Every American Family? Healthy food is expensive. A 2013 study from Harvard School of Public Health found that a healthy diet costs about $1.50 more per day per person than eating an unhealthy diet. Put it together, that’s about $2,200 annually for a family of four. An online grocer is offering specialty food and beauty products at a cheaper price than what you’d find at Whole Foods or Amazon. Thrive Market, the Seattle-based startup is focused on selling organic and natural food at the price of the conventional non-organic equivalent. The startup is only 17 months old, and is already pulling in big bucks. It registered sales of $10 million in March 2016, a 500% increase from last year. The average household income of Thrive customers is less than $75,000, and are more likely to shop at retailers like Target and Old Navy. Thrive Market is also attempting to convert families with much lower income levels into Thrive shoppers. It donates a free membership for every paid membership it sells, to convince families to buy organic food at a discount. Thrive shoppers can also donate money upon checkout towards the grocery bills of families with free memberships. Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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How Do We Rid World’s Oceans of Plastic? In 2015, non-profit foundation, The Ocean Cleanup hit the milestone of deploying a giant, floating structure to pull floating trash from the Pacific Ocean. With $2.2 million raised from crowdfunding, 21-year-old founder, Boyan Slat plans to deploy 100 kilometers of passive floating barriers in an effort to clean up 42% of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch’s plastic pollution in 10 years. “The ocean garbage patches won’t disappear by themselves. If you collect plastic closer to the source, the total mass that you remove may be larger, and the influx to the gyres would be reduced. Our focus however is on the necessary task of removing the plastic that already reached the gyres.” - Boyan Slat, The Ocean Cleanup The Ocean Cleanup project features 60-km-wide net and boom systems to capture floating plastic. If everything goes right, the first operational pilot system will be deployed on Japan’s coast in 2017 to stop floating plastic from reaching Tsushima island. By 2020, Slat hopes to launch a full-scale, 100-km-long system between Hawaii and California to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. 58
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How Do We Prepare Our Kids for the Singularity? The society we live in has a flawed relationship with technology. Technology Will Save US (TWSU) wants to change this through education. Started in Hackney, East London by a husband-wife team, Bethany Koby and Daniel Hirschmann, TWSU offers resources such as DIY gadgets kits and online educational materials. The wide range of learning resources are designed to encourage children to learn to make, play, code and invent. For now, the resources include a DIY speaker kit, a DIY synth kit and a DIY gamer kit. The kits tap into interests and hobbies, such as cycling, gaming, music, and gardening. The DIY kits are priced from ÂŁ15 and targeted at children aged 5+. So far, over 50,000 kits have been sold. This year, TWSU expanded its product range via retail partnerships with Urban Outfitters, John Lewis, the MoMA Design Store in New York, and The Conran Shop.
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TOP EARNING NBA TEAMS OF 2016 The basketball tournament NBA is much more than simply a sports event. But for the last few years, the slam-dunk tournament is a booming business opportunity for a number of entrepreneurs associated with it. The NBA league has developed on a huge scale on the commercial front. This kind of development not only affects the teams participating in it, but also various companies that help in funding the event. Seeing as how popular it is, NBA is hoarded with successful sponsors from all across the globe. Despite the shared profits, the teams as well as the players representing it attain a majority of the profit. The top earning NBA teams of 2016 have an individual business story behind them. 60
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It will not be wrong to say that the companies investing in the NBA tournament have hardly witnessed commercial disappointment. Thanks to its popularity among the masses, such companies have earned commendable profits in the past few years. Recently, market experts have observed that the pace of business growth in this tournament is on an all-time high. The Commissioner of this sports league, Adam Silver has brought in sponsorship signings that are twice and even up to four times more in value than previous such deals. Such a phenomenon reflects the impact of the US based sports league on a global scale. There are various instances which prove how profitable the NBA business is at the moment. The NBA has extended the television rights deal with ESPN in October 2014 for another nine years which is worth $24 billion. This amount is triple the previous annual rate. The sports league attained its first ever timekeeper sponsor, Tissot, on a contract for six years for $200 million. Verizon struck a deal with NBA replacing Sprint, for the next three years, which is worth more than $400 million. The most recent advancement in terms of sponsorship deals is the deal in which sports merchandise company Nike will take over Adidas, which has been the official merchandise partner. The eight-year contract is worth $1 billion on an annual basis, which is almost $400 million more than the previous deal with Adidas. On an average, the NBA team franchise is worth $1.25 billion. This value is 13% higher than that of last year based on the 74% gains received in the previous year. Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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NEW YORK KNICKS
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
#1
#2
#3
CHICAGO BULLS
BOSTON CELTICS
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
#3
#4
#5
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#1 New York Knicks Topping the list of the top earning NBA teams of 2016, the New York Knicks franchise is worth $3 billion. The team took over this spot from the Los Angeles Lakers. This occurred due to the development of a new cable deal. This deal is said to be the highest premium seating-revenue in the NBA league, which is worth almost $90 million. In September, a split of the media and sports asset of Madison Square Garden Company took place. This resulted in a new media rights deal for the deal which was updated with the same regional sports network. It is a 20-year pact which begins this season and is worth $100 million for the first year. James Dolan is the owner of the New York Knicks, and he is chiefly responsible for making it a commercial success. The Knicks have only won one playoff series since the year 1999. The business strategies of Dolan are efficient which enables constant cash flow despite the number of losses they witness. Apart from this, renewed partnerships, as well as successful sponsorships have also contributed in its monetary success. Due to its popularity and commercial increment, the team has bagged a number of rich deals with well-acquainted companies. Dolan invested in the Knicks in 1994 for $1.1 billion, and has only attained profits since then. Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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#2 Los Angeles Lakers The previous two seasons are considered to be the worst ones in the history of the Los Angeles Lakers. In context to this, the team lost its #1 spot among the top earning NBA teams. The 2015-16 season, which was dominated by Kobe Bryant’s retirement tour did not help in making things better for the team. Despite such drawbacks, the Lakers are the most profitable team in the NBA league. The key factor behind its constant profit is the 20-year deal with Time Warner Cable’s SportsNet LA. The deal is worth $3.6 billion. The overall ratings are 65% lower than the previous two seasons because the star player Byrant was sidelined due to injuries for a majority of the games. The average audience size last year was 92,000 viewers per game, which is way lower than the earlier seasons. The estimated value of Los Angeles Lakers this year is $2.7 billion. Out of this, the average revenue generated by the team is around $304 million. The reason behind the good profit level of this team is that it in under only 1% debt. Due to this, the earning of the team is counted under its revenue as it hardly conducts payments to outside sources. Out of the total input of monetary resources, $76 million is spent on player expenses, whereas $133.4 million is the operating income. The Los Angeles Lakers is said to have the highest operating income among all teams in the NBA league. 66
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#3 Chicago Bulls The team of the Chicago Bulls underwent a number of changes in the year 2016. These changes were in terms of the players representing the teams as well as administrative changes. Despite such unrest, the estimate value of Chicago Bulls this year is $2.3 billion. Since the year 2010, the team has topped the chart of paid attendance. This year, they sold 21,820 tickets per game, which is much more than its contemporary teams. They also sold more amount of official team merchandise through NBA league’s official online store. It also acclaimed the fifth-highest local television rating in the history of the NBA during the 2014-15 season. It also has the highest average audience, which is 163,000, in the sports league. The Chicago Bulls have qualified for the first round of the playoffs only four times since the year 1998. Despite this, the team has led the merchandise sales in the NBA tournament during its regular season. This is in accordance with the tremendous fan base right from the time when Michael Jordan led the team in the 1990s. The Chicago Bulls signed its first ever internationallyheadquartered sponsor this year, Cinkciarz, which is a huge leap for the team on the commercial front. With this deal, the team hopes to carve a niche among its large Polish population. This sponsorship would also open up better business prospects for the team. 68
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#4 Boston Celtics The team of Boston Celtics came as a surprise to all the NBA fans when it successfully made it to the playoffs in the 2014-15 season, devoid of its star players. Taking advantage of the team’s victory in the previous season, Celtics accumulated commendable number of assets in the account of the franchise. The first four such deals were picked by in the NBA draft of 2016 itself. The Boston Celtics maintains a record of being one of the most profitable teams in the NBA league. The current value of the Boston Celtics is $2.1 billion. The revenue it earns in a year is around $181 million, whereas the operating income is $57 million. The team’s primary source of income is the revenue it generates through local television broadcasting of its various matches. This amount sums up to almost $60 million on an annual basis. This revenue also includes its equity stake in the ComCast SportsNet New England. The administration of the team spends $69 million on its players. The annual change rate in its market value is on an average 15%. The team has 8% debt, which is deducted from its annual income. 70
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#5 Los Angeles Clippers The team of the Los Angeles Clippers is one of the most successful teams in the NBA league on the basis of its performance in the matches. The Clippers has won at least 56 matches for the past three seasons, in each and every season. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that this team emerged as a dark horse during these seasons. This statement is based on the fact that had been unable to win 50 games in its entire tournament life, right from its inception in 1970 to the time before these three seasons. The Clippers has a contract with the local television network Fox Stars’ Prime Ticket which expires after the 2015-16 season. But negotiations between the two parties seems to be far-fetched as Fox Stars is offering $60 million on an annual basis, whereas the owner of Clippers, Steve Ballmer, is demanding $100 million for the same. Before this negotiation, Los Angeles Clippers received $25 billion annually from Fox Stars. The team is also thinking about introducing its own gaming line soon. The market value of Los Angeles Clippers is $2 billion. The Clippers’ revenue is $176 million and its operating income for the year is $21 million. 72
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BRUSSELS’ FINEST Brussels has, for so long a period, enjoyed power and big influence on EU-policy-making. How do they do it? European neighbors ask. And what is the lesson the rest of the world can learn from it?
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big T I C K E T It is intriguing to know that the country of Belgium is divided into three regions, based on the differences of language- it has French and Dutch speakers. The region in the north is known as Flanders which consists of Dutch speakers, the southern region is Wallonia having French speakers, whereas, Brussels is in the central region which is the bilingual part of the country. Due to such various factors, Brussels is the official capital of Belgium as well. Being a part of the western region of Europe, one can evidently witness the impact of the European culture and architecture in Brussels. The Brussels region is an amalgamation of 19 separate communes. Out of these, the city of Brussels is the capital city. It inhabits around 150,000 people, and has maintained its originality from the time it was formed, that is originally in the 13th century. Despite being such a small city in terms of population, the city of Brussels is without a doubt the most international city in the world. This means that it has the highest ratio of foreign inhabitants in comparison to its local people. Out of the total population of the city, 27% of the people are foreigners. Except for this, there a number of foreigners who have attained Belgian citizenship, they have not been included in this survey. Not only this, Brussels is also known as the capital of Europe as it has the highest number of European employees which work in the administrative part of the continent. It would be a shame if one does not discuss the beauty of a European country. Each layman has a picture in their head about what kind of natural beauty would they come across in the continent of Europe. Well, Belgium keeps up to that expectation in a positive manner. It offers a remarkably varied landscape to the tourist. The region of Flanders comprises of enchanting medieval towns, which stretches out from Pajottenland to Brussels. In the eastern region of the country, it is like a separate era altogether. Due to the constant snowfall that blankets the region with snow, one gets the feeling that he is transferred back to the ice age. Apart from this, there is the exquisite valley of Meuse which stuns the person, whoever visits it with its beauty. It is important to realize that Brussels isn’t all about European tourism and scenic beauty; it is much more than that. After the Second World War ended, Brussels has become a major center for international politics. It is also home to numerous international organization, diplomats, politicians, as well as civil servants. Apart from this, the city of Brussels holds important 76
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administrative offices of the European Union. This proves that Belgium serves as the center of administration of the European continent. Due to the presence of a large number of important offices in the country, people from various fields of professions flock here for official purposes.
Why is Brussels a popular investment location
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The economy of Brussels is largely serviceoriented. This is in accordance with the fact that the city is home to the regional as well as the world headquarters of significant multinational organizations. Not only does it have fancy companies situated here, but it also has notable craft industries which are the local Belgian small scale industries. Due to the presence of such important offices, Belgium is an attractive place for entrepreneurs to invest. Apart from this, the services provided over here are also convenient from the professional point of view. The international air, rail, and shipping infrastructure are competent enough, making it one of the best places for shipping and logistics. Brussels does not only offer a good opportunity for investment on a large scale. The economy over here is mainly tainted by private enterprises which offer a proximity to the investors to different markets and cultures as well. Another key factor is that Brussels has a highly impressive economic growth. The GDP per capita of Brussels alone is nearly double than the GDP per capita of Belgium as a country. This shows the efficiency of Brussels. The city of Brussels is so efficient in the field of business, be it small scale, multinational, private, or government owned, that it can easily overpower the economic growth rate of any country. This shows that the productivity of Brussels as a city is way better than that of Belgium as a country on the whole. It also has the highest GDP per capita among all other regions in the European Union. One of the major reasons behind the high GDP rate in Brussels is that people from the surrounding regions of Belgium also flock here for professional gains. On being more specific, we can say that more than half of the people who work in Brussels Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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big T I C K E T originally live in Flanders and Wallonia. There are 230,000 commuters from Flanders and 130,000 commuters from Wallonia on an everyday basis in order to work here. This might be beneficial for the region of Brussels, but it has a drawback as well. Even though people from all around Belgium prefer to work in Brussels, this means that the wealth generated in this city will also be segregated to different parts of the country. According to the census carried out in December 2013, around 20.4% residents of Brussels suffer unemployment. This is because as there are workers from neighboring regions in the city, the employment opportunities of the local residents are put into jeopardy.
Belgium: A convenient location with great economic prospects The private enterprise in Belgium is gaining immense significance because of its central geographical location and a well-developed transportation network. This makes it a favorable location for the entrepreneurs to invest in. Apart from these factors, it has a diversified commercial and industrial base. This means that there is not just one particular industry which dominates the market of Belgium. The country excels in various spheres of industrial and commercial projects, therefore luring investors over here. An important point is that Belgium was the first country in the continent of Europe to undergo an industrial revolution in the early 19th century. Right from the industrial revolution, Belgium has always strived to get better in the economic market and has worked accordingly in that direction. It has maintained the consistency of its efficiency throughout the centuries. Over these years, it developed an excellent transportation infrastructure. The proper development of canals, railways, ports, 80
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big T I C K E T highways, has encouraged better trade relations with the neighboring countries. This is because if the infrastructure for import and export is well-developed, other countries will readily agree to establish a business relationship with the host country. This is why Belgium focuses on its transportation infrastructure. The country is known to export its raw materials to other countries and imports semi-finished goods. These goods are then processed by the local laborers and sold in the international market. Despite the limited supply of natural resources, the traditional industries like textile, steel, chemicals, refining, food processing, automobiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and machinery fabrication contributes heavily on the annual income of the country. Even though there are such a high number of industrial components in Belgium, out of the total GDP of the nation, 74.9% is contributed by the service sector whereas 1% is contributed by the agricultural sector. Out of the total Gross National Product of Belgium, more than two-thirds of it is dominated by world trade. The country takes advantage of its central geographical location by putting in highly skilled, multilingual workforce which is efficient in its productivity. With the help of these two factors, Belgium cashes upon its world trade. Being one of the founding members of the European Community, Belgium has a significant contribution in the development of the European economy.
What is Brussels’ economic plan for the festive season The city of Brussels has a special market to keep up with the festive feel of Christmas, which is known as Winter Wonders. This festive market is set up right in the heart of Brussels. The British tour operators have claimed that this market is the most original Christmas 82
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market in the entire continent of Europe. The Winter Wonders is organized from 25th November to 1st January every year. It is set up in and around the areas of Grand-Place, Place Sainte-Catherine, Bourse, and Marche aux Poissons. The Winter Wonders Christmas market offers more than 230 stalls to shop from, which cater to all the needs one would desire for, be it wine or reindeer antiques, everything is on sale over here. The market is not just a shopping destination, but it is more like the celebration of Christmas which goes on for weeks over here. Apart from the stalls to shop from, the market also has entertaining attraction like the Ferris Wheel, ice skating rink, and the MerryGo-Round. This makes the market a great business prospect for the local artisans as well as a fun-filled event. The city also has a special Christmas parade which is carried out in the evening for two hours and patrols around the main lanes of the city. 84
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During the duration of this market, a 45 minute mini-concert is hosted every Friday afternoon near the ice skating rink, in the Grand Foyer of the La Monnaie. Thus, the Winter Wonders market is like a small township in itself which is solely constructed to make the festive season an enjoyable as well as happy one for the local population. Even though the market is a part of the Christmas celebration of the city of Brussels, it is a great business opportunity for hundreds of people. Especially for the small scale industries and local artisans, this is the most important event of the year in which they can attain commendable sale within the span of a few weeks. Due to the stalls that are set up, hundreds of artisans are able to sell their creations. Also, each and every person connected to the market in a direct or indirect manner will earn something through it, even the people belonging to the entertainment section. For this reason, the Winter Wonders Christmas market is a great business opportunity for the Belgian entrepreneurs. Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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THE MYSTICAL WORLD OF CHRISTMAS MARKETING
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Companies have to be fanciful and careful, during this time of the year to put a smile on the consumers’ face that will long outlive the twelve days of Christmas. Last year, Starbucks sparked the most absurd controversy over its classic red holiday cups. This year, the John Lewis advert in the UK seems to have only doubled the pain of the Brexit. The events that piled up in 2016 have only made it one of the worse year’s ever. It’s unimaginable to cap off 2016 without putting together a list of surprising and heartwarming trends. By the numbers, Industry Leaders has put together a list of extravagant holiday trends that will keep our minds occupied and effervescent until the end of the year. The spot is given to whimsical trends that craft a simply, uplifting story that brings a smile and laugh – basically, things we’re in short supply of lately.
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Heartfelt Holiday Commercials Like many Americans, we cannot jiggle out seasonal adverts from the other side of the Pacific. Fuzzy, holiday-themed Christmas adverts posted online by U.K. retailers John Lewis, Sainsbury’s, Marks and Spencer, and WWF - warming even the coldest hearts. Like tens of millions of Americans, we share these videos on social media, and wonder if retailers in the U.S. would ever produce Christmassier tearjerkers. Sure, we don’t have Christmas commercials in the U.S. In contrast, we have the Super Bowl Sunday, which grabs 115 million eye balls on one night. But, U.S. retailers are longer taking the back seat to the U.K. this year. That probably explains why mall stay retailers like Macy’s and Target are now producing cinema-quality Christmas commercials. 90
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‘Tis the season to be cinematic: Retailers in the U.S. are now using the once-missed opportunity to tugs on our heart strings as they increase the level of emotions (and sales!). And, we can’t thank them enough!
Corporate Gifts Nothing says ‘Christmas spirit’like pretending to love the appalling corporate Christmas gifts you have gotten from corporate clients. People have received crappy, unwanted gifts like a dog leash, a pen that didn’t work, and stock options in a struggling company. In the last few years though, corporate Christmas presents have gotten to a whole other, opulent level. U.S. companies are starting to realize that for some corporate clients, a Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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common-or-garden Christmas present, no matter how expensive, is simply too pedestrian. And so, many are opting for limited-edition objects, like the Hans Wegner’s Flag Halyard chair of 1950 (first image). This object of design comprises a white lacquered steel frame, the eponymous flag halyard-and-leather neck cushion and a long-haired sheepskin cushion. The limited-edition aspect of such signature pieces not only make them great gifts, but also rise in value significantly. Even cards and stationery now come packaged in oversized creamy envelopes, decorated with gold or copper embellishments. If you don’t like contemporary designs, you can turn to exquisite, bespoke stationery. It’s all about going big this year – and, the bigger, the better! What a delightful way to splurge on Christmas presents!
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Hideous Gear
Holiday
Wooly wonders so hideous yet so popular, that they have inspired an abundance of Ugly Christmas Sweater parties. But, it’s entrepreneurs, DIYers, big retailers and thrift stores that are all wrapped in yarns of kitschy, trendy clothing. Let’s not underestimate people’s willingness to splurge to look hideous. The Ugly Christmas Sweater trend has spurned e-commerce sites like Skedouche, U g l y C h r i s t m a s S w e a t e r, ButtUglySweaters, MyUglyChristmasSweater and Tipsy Elves. These sites feature designs that Ugly Christmas Sweater aficionados can choose from. The gaudy pieces are covered in Kim Kardashian’s break the internet picture to grumpy cat, all poinsettiacovered, decked with mistletoes, candy canes, and even raunchier decorations. The Ugly Christmas Sweater trend is now become a multi-million dollar industry. After thick-rimmed glasses and plaid flannel shirts, ugly Christmas, we think we can live with this trend.
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To Have The Happiest Of Holidays Isn’t Christmas all about peace, happiness and goodwill to all mankind? Let’s admit it, we all like good old-fashioned, thoughtful presents for Christmas. Entrepreneurs too like to give thoughtful presents in the form of endowment for higher learning, or a table at a fundraiser. While a lot of Christmas commercials and films from big companies hint at spending time with friends and family, there are some which are thoughtful about those who don’t have any family. Apple’s 2016 holiday commercial is devoted to reminding people that it’s not just friends and family who might need comforting during the holidays. In a beautifully shot ad ‘Frankenstein,’ Frankenstein’s monster appears to have retired to a mountain cabin on the edge of a village. His possessions are meagre, a music box which he is trying to sync up with an iPhone 7 94
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to deliver a present to the village. The ad ends with ‘Open your heart to everyone’ as a plea to consider the notion of acceptance of those who are foreign to us. The monster could be a metaphor for some people who’re not ready to accept people or change, for that matter. It’s not just evangelical message companies are spreading this year. Amazon seems to have picked on a national ticker – class, nationality and race, into one tearful holiday advert. Amazon Prime’s 2016 holiday adverts stars two men of different faiths: a Muslim imam and an Anglican vicar. While, both don’t have much in common, they’re united by the unspeakable discomfort and a distinctive friendship. After the contentious Brexit and the 2016 U.S. elections, consumers need exuberant promotions broadcasting selflessness and the spirit of the holiday season.
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NEW VENTURES
Europe’s Hottest Startups to Watch in 2017
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Unless you have been living on the other side of the world for the past few months, you would be aware that the Brexit outcome has left UK and Europe’s fintech future foggy at its best. The sky-is-falling mentality has been so rampant ever since that analysts are distressing over uncertain future and the consequences of the leave vote. To dispel delusions, we decided to approach Brexit from an entrepreneur-investor’s point of view. While doing so, we couldn’t help but marvel at some of Europe’s fastest growing and most ambitious startups. Engineers, product managers and commercial people, who’re taking up the startup space and helping each one grow at an unprecedented rate.
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BABYLON HEALTH This digital health app lets you have video consultations with your doctor and health care professionals. The service also allows users to receive drug prescriptions, book health exams, and referrals to health specialists. As of now, Babylon employees more than 100 or so doctors to serve its users who pay a monthly subscription fee to get access via their employer’s healthcare provision. In 2015, Babylon demoed its AI feature – wherein users can talk to the app as it leads them through their symptoms. Babylon’s AI feature is not yet ready for a full commercial launch, but we’re sure that it will help the U.K. startup grow twofold in the coming months. Babylon was founded in 2013 by Ali Parsa, a British entrepreneur of Iranian origin. Babylon has remained pretty quiet about its valuation, however sources reveal that the war-chest is in excess of $100 million. What makes Babylon stand out from the already crowded digital health app space is that it is putting accessible and affordable in the hands of every person on the planet.
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WALLAPOP Just as Uber owns no cars, Wallapop owns no inventory. It’s a free, mobile app for Android, gunning for the virtual flea/ classified ads market. Shopping sites need plenty of inventory to attract buyers, as well as buyers to attract sellers. There’s no doubt that in the coming years, the startup scene will be booming with players like Wallapop. But, there’s something about Wallapop, which makes it pop out from the biggies and the newbies. Its high profile TV marketing, is not only taking down incumbents like Craigslist and eBay, but also newcomers like OfferUp, 5miles and Facebook’s Marketplace. Wallapop was founded in 2013 by CEO Agustín Gómez, Gerard Olive (BeRepublic) and Miguel Vicente (Letsbonus). It has cash injections in excess of $140 million and a $1 billion valuation, raised from Caixa Capital Risc, Bonsai Venture Capital, ESADE Ban, Antai, Grupo Godó and Grupo Zeta.
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CITYMAPPER Founded in 2011 by ex-Googler Azmat Yusuf, Citymapper began life as an app exclusively for Londoners. The app has since expanded to cover over 30 cities - including San Francisco, Madrid and Sao Paulo. The quirky app pulls humungous data to present users with a range of transit options including metro, bus, train and Uber. It also displays information such as journey times and prices. Citymapper has been pretty quiet about the user numbers. Although, the app is often featured on the top of the transportation app download chats for both Android and iOS. It has raised a total of $50 million, giving it a valuation in excess of $270 million.
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STRATEJET Flying by private jet is no longer for the high on the hog. The service is exploring the potential to use technology to make private planes affordable to use, widely accessible, and profitable to operate. Former British fighter pilot and army officer Jonny Nicole spent four years creating a private jet marketplace where owners, operators, and offer private jet flights to be less expensive on a per person basis than a business class flight. Using the Stratajet app, users can now book a private jet at the per person cost down to business class, first class, or even economy ticket prices. Nicole has secured $5 million on a valuation of $25 million from investors in a seed money round. Since the app opened for booking in last year, the service has received sales at well above expected rates. Some users have even booked giant Airbus Corporate Jets – costing over $110,000.
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REVOLUT This London fintech startup enables vacationers to spend money abroad on plastic without running up foreign exchange fees. Founded by co-founders Nikolay Storonsky and Vladyslav Yatsenko, the app to date has raised $7 million from two of London’s most esteemed venture capital offices: Balderton Capital backer of LoveFilm and Betfair; and Index backer of Dropbox, Facebook, and TransferWise. The app offers interbank rates on currency, i.e. the rate in which the banks lend to each other. In comparison, bureaux de change and banks make their money adding cash withdrawal fees of between 2.75% to 3% above the exchange rate. Their smartphone app, Revolut is linked to an electronic credit card, allows consumers to spend in over 90 currencies around the world at the best exchange rate. Once installed, users can spend online through the card, stored securely within the app. Users can also choose to apply for a physical card, which can be used to pay and withdraw up to $600, after which a 2% of fee applies at the end of the month. Alternatively, the app also allows users to transfer money to other accounts using WhatsApp, email, or SMS. 102
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MOVE Guides Relocating abroad for a job can be extremely stressful and complicated, especially when process requires typically time consuming process like opening a bank account, applying for a national insurance number, etc. To solve this problem, MOVE Guides, a London-based startup is offering ‘talent mobility’ software in cloud to help companies manage the relocation of their employees. The software offers assistance with processes such as find a new home, setting up the internet, registering for healthcare providers, applying for local registration such as setting up a bank account, applying for a national insurance number, etc. In addition, it also offers assistance with moving, such as finding professional movers, The startup helps companies reduce the cost of mobility on average by 10 percent. It aims to make mobility less costly for companies and easier for employees, says founder and Chief Executive Brynne Herbert. MOVE Guides now has offices in New York, San Francisco and Hong Kong. So far, the startup has raised over $100 million in funding for the development of the enterprise app.
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THE FOOD ASSEMBLY Even when the produce in supermarkets are scribbled with signs like ‘100% fresh’ or ‘100% local’, it’s hard to tell how much we really know about where our food comes from. The Food Assembly, also known as also known as La Ruche qui dit Oui! in French (meaning ‘ the hive that says yes’, is a hybrid of farmers market and buying group. The online platform was founded in 2010 by Guilhem Chéron and Marc-David Choukroun, with the aim to strengthen the relationship between local producers and consumers through organized events and pop-up markets, called ‘Food Assemblies’. The Food Assembly has grown its network has grown to more than 500 assemblies in the country with more than 3,000 farmers delivering to local communities.
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ADYEN It’d be a surprise if you haven’t heard of Adyen already! With a valuation of $2.3 billion, its clients include Uber, Facebook, Spotify, Netflix, and Airbnb. So, what is Adyen and what does it do? Adyen is a payments processing app, which powers online and mobile payments. So far, it has processed $56 billion in payment in 2015, while it doubled its revenue to $371 million, and raked $45 million in profit. Adyen was founded in 2006 by Pieter van der Does and Arnout Schuijff, a pair of Dutch serial entrepreneurs. The core idea was to create a payment technology that would work seamlessly – regardless of the type of geography, payment method, and merchant. The service has been an early adopter of Apply Pay, Alipay in China, Qiwi in Russia, and Boletos in Brazil.
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‘TIS THE SEASON OF EFFECTIVE ALTRUISM The season of adoration, peace and earnestness is upon us! The air is filled with the heady scents of the festive season – pumpkin spice, eggnog, and baked cookies. The whimsical feel leaves us effervescent, as we have strands of lights strung up everywhere in the city. Perhaps, the most favorite part is the spirit of love, generosity, and of goodness. And, one of the best ways to start giving, as we celebrate the Christmas spirit, is by being someone’s miracle in one of the toughest years of the decade!
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Two big electoral events of 2016 – Brexit and election of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States, have become the biggest determinant of the now-plagued early-stage investment market today. The untenable conditions have left startups writhing to learn to survive, operate and thrive during uncertainty. So, what’s happening? The EU Referendum result has left a profound influence on investment in seed-stage to early-stage companies. In the past few weeks, stories have been rife of investment being put on hold, or worse, being taken off altogether. In a report published in November by Beauhurst, the overall deal numbers in investments via crowdfunding platforms fell by more than 20% between July and September, reflecting greater wariness among private investors in seed, earlystage startups.
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events For an entrepreneur, there’s no greater thrill than seeing their product into the shelves of supermarket chains for the first time. But, it’s tough enough to secure a meeting with an investors in first place during such unpredictable times, let alone impressing a buyer with a pitch and product to win a contract. Virgin Tycoon, Richard Branson loves Christmas, and more than that, he believes in the magic of Christmas. One of his most recent initiatives, Virgin StartUp, wants to culminate the side-effects of the two big events. Virgin StartUp, established back in 2011, is a non-profit company, which offers financial support young entrepreneurs across the UK. It has the support of Virgin Group’s companies including: Virgin Trains, Virgin Media, Virgin Money, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Active, Virgin Care as well as its non-profit foundation Virgin Unite. Along with financial support, these companies also provide business advice, staff mentors, marketing and media support, and a space to host networking and promotional events. The non-profit has funded over 800 business now, giving away almost $9 million in startup loans. Every year around the holiday time, the non-profit organizes the Virgin StartUp Christmas fair, which features VSU-funded businesses. At the startup Christmas fair, people can show their support for startup products by buying from them. Last year, the Virgin StartUp Christmas fair brought together some of the most amazing startups, and gave them a unique opportunity to trade at Virgin headquarters in London. Sir Richard Branson commented: “I started my first business with a handful of coins out of a phone-box at school, but it was the £300 from my mum that really kick-started our Student magazine and sparked the Virgin adventure 40 years ago. Today, young people
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need that same help and I believe Virgin StartUp will provide it - with access to early capital, strong mentorship, advice and promotion. We look forward to helping launch thousands of new businesses as a delivery partner of The Start-Up Loan Company across the UK in years to come.� The UK is full of entrepreneurial talent, willing and able to build business 114
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of the future. The only thing they’re short of, is the cash and mentoring so they can do their thing. Initiatives like the Virgin StartUp Christmas fair help people support aspiring entrepreneurs, while they get rewarded for that support. In recent years, more and more businesses are now turning to VSU Christmas fair for funding and exposure.
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Image: The Glamorous Jam Co. produces delicious, small batch, handmade jams in distinct flavors such as Blackberry & Amaretto and Raspberry & Basil
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VSU gives seed – early-stage startups the chance get the sweet taste of success through – Doing Business with Big Business event, Hive by Virgin StartUp - and more such events. At the Doing Business with Big Business event, startups can learn what type of crowdfunding is most suited to their business idea, and how they could galvanize a following to get the campaign on track. Meanwhile, the Virgin StartUp Christmas Fair, which was first held in 2014, has helped a number of potential business ideas. Some of which include – Rose Rankin, which creates playful, luxurious, and creative handmade sneakers. Founder Rose says, the products are already creating a buzz in the blogosphere across the globe. Smith & Sinclair create the world’s first edible alcoholic pastilles. Seen as pioneers in the field of edible alcohol, they’ve recently opened a pop-up shop on Carnaby Street to sell their products. The Glamorous Jam Co. produces delicious, small batch, handmade jams in distinct flavors such as Blackberry & Amaretto and Raspberry & Basil. It founder Kimberley Wilson is the winner of the Great British bake-off 2014. Hive by Virgin StartUp, is a platform where aspiring entrepreneurs who are interested in starting and growing a business. Entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of the world economies. Events held by bodies like the Virgin StartUp provide a playing field to aspiring entrepreneurs who’ve only seen first-hand obstacles to make their dreams come true. Through the Virgin StartUp, aspiring entrepreneurs have been able to gauge their success at international events. For example, at the Foodpreneur Festival, the winners can pitch to retail giants like Target in the U.S. Some startups are able to celebrate their thriving success by getting a direct entry into global conferences. Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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Image: The brand Rose Rankin, creates playful, luxurious, and creative handmade sneakers.
Similar to the Virgin StartUp Christmas fair are numerous events held in the U.S. One of which is a Startup Guernsey Christmas Fair, where artists, printmakers, designers, jewelers, illustrators, interior designers as well as food and drink companies can showcase and celebrate their creative talent. The event generates wider public awareness of local startups and help connect with other aspiring entrepreneurs with a view to promote future business opportunities. The financial markets are in for a tough time. It might 118
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possibly take a prolonged time for startups to thrive as venture capitalists loosen the purse strings. However, investors who understand that there’s a little correlation between startup success and financial markets, will be rewarded over the long run. This Christmas, let’s create stories to show how we can make things happen. Instead of donating on lastminute splurges, why not take the alternative approach and be a part of an entrepreneur’s journey to startup success! Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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ETRADESHOWS V &E N T Design & Construction Week 10-12 Jan 2017
Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), Orlando, USA Design & Construction Week is a 3 day event being held from 10th January to 12th January 2017 at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, USA. This event showcases products like residential design, industry with educational resources, national design, building design, architecture, renovation, floor design and much more etc. in the Architecture & Designing, Building Construction industries.
RoboDex
18-20 Jan 2017
Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan RoboDex is a 3 day event being held from 18th January to 20th January 2017 at the Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo, Japan. This event showcases products like Robot, industrial robot, service robot, drive technology, motor, actuator, intelligence, control technology, sensing technology and much more etc. in the Architecture & Designing, Automation & Robotics, IT & Technology industries.
Big Data Conference 31 Jan-01 Feb 2017
Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Dubai, UAE The Big Data Conference, organized by the Informa Life 120
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Sciences Exhibition will take place from 31st January to 1st February 2017 at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The conference will cover areas like Population health, Electronic health records, Cyber security, Business intelligence.
Metro Connect USA 31 Jan-01 Feb 2017 Miami, USA
The Metro Connect USA, organized by the Capacity Conference will take place from 31st January to the 1st February 2017 in Miami, United States Of America. The conference will cover areas like US communications and fibre infrastructure, discover and deliberate the most influential M&A activities for 2016, the newest technologies and how these will impact your business.
International Military Helicopter Conference 31 Jan-01 Feb 2017 London, UK
International Military Helicopter is the community’s annual general meeting place, bringing together 150+ Chiefs of Staff, Commanders of Helicopter Operations, Heads of Air Procurement, Chiefs of Plans and Policy, Chiefs of Staff and Industry Executives from across the globe to discuss their challenges shaping helicopters for now and the future.
Smart Energy Summit 20-22 Feb 2017
Four Seasons Hotel Austin, Austin, USA Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer examines the expanding market for energy solutions and home controls and its impact on utilities, service providers, retailers, manufacturers, and consumers. At this annual conference, Parks Associates analysts, media, and industry Industry Leaders Magazine | December 2016
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ETRADESHOWS V &E N T leaders evaluate new partnerships, strategies for consumer engagement, and deployment plans for energy and management solutions in the connected home. The summit agenda features executives representing utilities, telecom and security companies, retailers, and OEMs presenting on the state of the market and the emerging consumer and business opportunities.
State of the Industry Conference 26 Feb-01 Mar 2017
Trump National Doral, Miami, USA The State of the Industry Conference, organized by the National Confectioners Association will take place from 26th February to the 1 March 2017 at the Trump National Doral Miami in Miami, United States Of America. The conference will cover areas like intended for business tycoons and barons in the confectionery industry to assemble and exchange ideas on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated in their respective businesses and the confectionery sector in general.
Virtual Reality Developers Conference & Exhibition 27 Feb-03 Mar 2017
The Moscone Center, San Francisco, USA Virtual Reality Developers Conference & Exhibition is a 5 day event being held from 27th February to 3rd March 2017 at the The Moscone Center in San Francisco, United States Of America. This event showcases product from Business Services, IT & Technology, Real Estate, Sporting Goods, Toys & Games industries. This event showcases products like 122
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software, game engines, monetization models, distribution methods, and evolving production, game designers, audio & much more etc. in the Business Services, IT & Technology, Real Estate, Sporting Goods, Toys & Games industries.
World Congress & Exhibition on Pharmaceutical Sciences and Innovations in Pharma Industry 27 Feb-01 Mar 2017
Hyatt Place Amsterdam Airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands World Congress & Exhibition on Pharmaceutical Sciences and Innovations in Pharma Industry is a 3 day event being held from 27th February to 1st March 2017 at the Hyatt Place Amsterdam Airport in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. This event showcases products like commercial and noncommercial organizations like Drug manufactures, Clinical Trial Sites, Management Consultants, Chemists, Pharmacists, Business delegates and Equipment Manufacturers etc. in the Medical & Pharmaceutical industry.
ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit 27 Feb-01 Mar 2017
Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Washington, USA The ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit, organized by the Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy will take place from 27th February to the 1st March 2017 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Washington, United States Of America. The conference will cover areas like Cutting-edge technologies across all energy sectors, Decision makers interested in investing.
eWorld Procurement and Supply 01 Mar 2017
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ETRADESHOWS V &E N T The eWorld Procurement and Supply, organized by the Revolution Events Ltd will take place on 1st March 2017 at the The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, Central London in London, United Kingdom. The conference will cover areas like Driving business value, Getting to grips with cloud-based procurement, Managing change & stakeholder engagement, Risk management & governance, Social media for procurement, as much more.
Global Nursing & Healthcare Conference & Exhibition 01-02 Mar 2017
Hyatt Place Amsterdam Airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands Global Nursing & Healthcare Conference & Exhibition is a 2 day event being held from 1st March to 2nd March 2017 at the Hyatt Place Amsterdam Airport in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. This event showcases products like Nursing education, nursing practice, critical nursing, dental nursing, healthcare and management and much more etc. in the Medical & Pharmaceutical industry.
Climate Leadership Conference 01-03 Mar 2017
Chicago Marriott Downtown, Chicago, USA The Climate Leadership Conference, organized by the Fineman Communications will take place from 1st March to 3rd March 2017 at the Chicago Marriott Downtown in Chicago, USA. The conference will build strategic business connections with a global audience of climate, energy, 124
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and sustainability thought leaders and decision makers addressing climate change in their operations and many more.
Conference on Human-Robot Interaction 06-09 Mar 2017
Aula der Wissenschaften, Vienna, Austria The Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, organized by the UW-Madison will take place from 6th March to 9th March 2017 at the Aula der Wissenschaften in Vienna, Austria. The conference will cover areas like latest theories, technology, data, and videos furthering the state-of-the-art in humanrobot interaction.
Drone Days
10-11 Mar 2017
Brussels Expo, Brussels, Belgium Drone Days is a 2 day event being held from 10th March to the 11th March 2017 at the Brussels Expo in Brussels, Belgium. This event showcases products like Latest trends in drone technologies and their use for multiple civilian and commercial purposes etc. in the Aerospace, Business Services industries. There will be flight demonstrations by specialists. You can also meet with retailers, manufacturers, training centers and other professionals.
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