According to the most recent edition of PitchBook’s Venture Monitor, the first half of 2018 saw 94 investment deals surpassing the $100 million mark, continuing a trend in which late-stage successful startups and larger companies receive the lion’s share of VC funding allocations. That’s not to say that seed rounds for startups don’t get VC investment, but by […]
For techies out there, it may seem evident that the self-driving car promises unparalleled levels of safety for the 1.2B car commuters out there. We are in dire need of a solution to reduce the > one million deaths that occur on public roads every year. But with seven billion people in the world today […]
Smart cities can add value not just through money saved by efficient operations but also through the added benefits for citizens and local businesses by adding great design. Let’s change the design — and build a city. The key to building truly “smart” and efficient cities of the future is improving not just infrastructure — […]
Data has never been more critical to marketing success. Companies are striving to employ the latest analytics to drive improvement in all areas of operations. The good news is that the majority of consumers are willing to provide data, given the right conditions. In fact, a 2018 survey by Acxiom found that 58 percent of […]
For all of the “isms” supposedly being felled by enlightened Americans, the U.S. economy remains stunningly unfair. Take racism. On one hand, interracial marriages have grown fivefold in the 50 years since Loving v. Virginia, which legalized the practice. On the other, the average median household wealth of African-Americans declined by 75 percent between 1983 […]
Founding Jive Software CEO Dave Hersh defined the enterprise community and collaboration category from 2001 up to the company’s 2011 IPO. Since then, the space has changed dramatically as businesses have realized the importance of building engaging, valuable communities of professionals and supporters. So it may come as a surprise to learn Hersh recently acquired […]
Some say marketing is all about buzz. Well, maybe. But, selling is about results. Can artificial intelligence still make a difference in sales? These two sides of business are more closely linked than you might think. Marketing and artificial intelligence. The fusion of marketing and AI is the next step in the evolution of sales. […]
The internet of things (IoT) has the power to make our lives more convenient and more connected than ever before, but many critical thinkers have admitted concern about consumer privacy. Consumer groups, corporations, and even governments have spoken out about the dangers of IoT being exploited, but are these truly worthy of the concern and […]
If you are in the Information Technology space, you are likely knowledgeable on what artificial intelligence holds. In fact, considering AI, the future of Information Technology appears bleak to some experts but promising to others. If a tech worker is worried about their job — they really don’t understand the magic of AI. Some workers […]
The trend of bringing your own device (BYOD) to work in healthcare is based on efficiency. Being able to communicate on devices they’re familiar with can help doctors, nurses, and care teams respond faster, which translates into better experiences for patients. In fact, it’s widespread enough that calling BYOD a trend might not be accurate […]
Influencers in the arts can drive real profits, even with small moves. A single Instagram post by Beyoncé, for example, is worth $1 million. D’Marie Analytics found that Beyoncé’s follower count — which puts her at No. 18 across Instagram — was only one factor in evaluating her worth as an ambassador. Engagement and click-through […]
Insights as a service is a model experiencing supersonic growth, so it’s natural to wonder where it’s headed. Fortunately, there are some clues that can give us a sense of where and how it is likely to evolve. Consider what is fueling its growth. That starts with determining its added value in a marketplace already […]
Text message marketing is one of the more effective ways for small businesses to reach a targeted audience. The main focus with your group texting marketing has to be done very carefully — or you’ll turn your audience off quickly and you’ll be blocked. You’ll want to message your targeted or interested consumers first. Interested […]
Once upon a time, “tech company” referred exclusively to a business working in a science or engineering field. Today, nearly every company relies heavily on tech talent to create, market, distribute, or interact with its product or service in some way. With tech jobs so widely distributed among different industries, many companies are struggling to meet their […]
Companies may be well aware they’re sitting on a gold mine of data, but most of them have no idea how to exploit its value. Case in point: According to research by Forrester, up to 73 percent of corporate data goes unanalyzed. Information is collected, then neglected. That’s as unproductive as living with Superman and […]
If you’ve been wondering why the past few years have been ripe with discussion about the enormous potential of blockchain technology, yet we haven’t seen much investment or progression from major tech companies, you’re not alone—but the discrepancy may be coming from a massive talent shortage that has been plaguing the blockchain community. Without available, […]
Freelancing has been dubbed the on-demand economy, where businesses hire independent contractors to perform tasks for the company instead of regular employees. Contractors are generally less expensive to hire because you only pay for what you need. This can make them more appealing for smaller or shorter term projects, but some Silicon Valley startups are […]
Nine years ago Square launched it’s iconic white card reader that turned any cell phone into a credit card reader and solved a huge problem for America’s tiniest businesses. Fast forward almost a decade and many of those small businesses are not so small anymore. That taco truck start-up is now a fleet of ten […]
In 2006 Google’s acquired YouTube for $1.65 billion, and Facebook acquired Instagram for $1 billion in 2012. Many dismissed these purchases as indulgences of cash-rich tech behemoths, and federal regulators took no action. But, these acquisitions were far from frivolous. They shut out potential competitors, strengthening Google’s market dominance in search and Facebook’s in social media. And, now […]
Stop for a second and think about how nice it would be if you could boost your company’s profits by 95 percent. Or let’s be conservative and ask for a smaller number like 25 percent. The truth is that all it takes is a 5 percent increase in your customer retention rates, according to research […]
