You Exec - News Briefs: Recent Episodes
You Exec
Each day we go through thousands of news stories to find the top articles that best predict the future. There is no magic algorithm here — just sheer human curation. Used daily by product developers, managers, and investors.
MAY 6 — E-commerce platforms compete to bring tens of millions of Indian mom-and-pop stores into their supply chains. India’s retail market could grow to nearly $1.5 trillion by 2030. Microsoft pledged to store all European cloud-based client data in the EU. EU market could grow by a factor of 5 to 10x by 2030. Many US-based companies struggle to find workers. Higher wages and post-vaccination reopening could ease up labor shortages.
MAY 7 — Google released plans for a new privacy update for 2022 that will provide more user transparency. A leaked memo from Walmart revealed how competitive the grocery delivery landscape is with Europe as the next big market. And IBM’s latest 2nm microchip is the latest innovation in an industry set to expand to $1.2 trillion by 2030.
MAY 5 — China’s Pinduoduo could become the world’s largest social commerce platform due to its unique focus on interactive experiences. Chinese automakers could produce over eight million electric cars a year by 2028. The US has nullified a rule that would have made it more difficult for gig workers to be considered employees. New York Digital Investment Group and fintech company FIS partnered to provide a framework for US banks to offer crypto trading to customers.
MAY 4th — Uber will partner with UK startup Arrival to create an EV by 2023, designed specifically for Uber drivers. The UK and India will deepen trade relations over the next decade as part of a new diplomatic roadmap. President Biden plans to deliver at least one vaccine dose to 70% of the US by July 4th. Meanwhile, BioNTech’s founders predict the pandemic could last until 2022. MDMA-assisted therapy could be approved by the FDA as early as 2023.
MAY 3 — The EPA proposed new rules to reduce polluting coolants from air conditioners and refrigerators by 85% over the next 15 years. Merck’s new CEO has become the first woman in Germany to run a DAX 30-listed company, signaling the need for better inclusivity. The semiconductor shortage is expected to cost the entire auto industry $61 billion in 2021, and could continue in 2022. Tyson unveiled its newest lineup of 100% vegan meat products as the plant-based meat industry is expected to be worth $9.43 billion by 2026.
APRIL 30 — Cloud-computing spending hit a record $41.8 billion this quarter as more businesses relied on the internet to make it through the pandemic. New research predicts global spending on medicine could grow to $1.6 trillion by 2025. The number of people in the US who expect to work after age 67 fell to a record low of 32.9%. The price of lumber has added nearly $36,000 to the cost of an average single-family home. This calls for alternative ways to increase lumber supply.
APRIL 29 — Biden’s $1.8 trillion American Families Plan proposes to expand the social safety net over ten years. Kaia Health just raised $75 million for its digital physical therapy platform as digital health tech continues on an upward trend. Germany’s highest court has ordered the government to bring the country’s carbon emissions down to almost zero by 2050. New research from Goldman Sachs predicts quantum computing could be ready in five years or less.
APRIL 28 — Lyft will sell its autonomous vehicle division since autonomous vehicles will likely not be a reality before 2025. Australia is the next country to level an antitrust complaint against Apple, as tech companies are the new target of many governments. New FAA rules for drones could give a boost to the commercialization of flying machines. Real estate investors in the US may no longer defer tax payments on capital gains.
APRIL 27 — Basecamp banned political discussions at work, fueling the debate on whether civil discussions are better for society or a distraction from work. France and Germany released a joint economic plan to invest more heavily in environmental and digital technologies. The US will raise the federal contractor minimum wage as class inequality looms large. And Japan will use technologies like virus-testing robots and 6G to advance its long-term economic future.
APRIL 26 — Apple’s highly anticipated privacy update comes out this week with serious implications for the digital ad industry. Chinese e-commerce site Jd.com is already paying salaries with the digital yuan. A new weedkilling robot can manage 20 acres per day as the pandemic accelerates robot adoption. And PE-firm Thoma Bravo is taking the cybersecurity company Proofpoint private for $12.3 billion as M&A activity in cybersecurity heats up.
APRIL 23 — New research shows that personalized cancer vaccines made using DNA can program the immune system to attack malignant tumors. SpaceX’s latest manned launch shows the commercial space age is finally here. Biden invited African leaders to his Climate Summit as the US pursues stronger economic ties with Africa. Sony’s PlayStation Now is rolling out 1080p to capitalize on video game streaming.
APRIL 22 — NuBank now the largest online bank in the world, competing to reach the millions of unbanked people in Latin America. Netflix eyes overseas competition despite slow subscriber growth. Grocery stores could be where a touchless future begins as Amazon’s ready to roll out its automated checkout technology to a full-size store. “Recommerce” resale platforms are going public at a record rate as many try to capitalize on sustainability.
Adoption of central bank digital currencies could become a reality if privacy can be ensured. Funding valuations are tripling from last year and virtual fundraising has accelerated the funding tempo. The EU is proposing new rules to standardize sustainability reporting metrics to fight “green-washing”.
Carbon dioxide emissions are forecasted to jump by the second-biggest annual rise in history this year. India’s rising covid surge could delay its projected economic recovery to 2022 with implications for other countries. Parler is getting reinstated on the Apple App Store, but the future of digital speech is murky.
Zoom is investing $100 million in video startups that take a video-first approach to build “Zoom apps” or integrate Zoom’s API in their products. Gen-Z’s number one form of entertainment is video games, meaning traditional media companies may need to offer a broader range of entertainment to keep up. Two lithium producers are merging as global battery demand is set to increase 10x by 2030.
urkey’s central bank will ban cryptocurrencies to pay for goods and services which could lead to more underground trading. China’s GDP grew 18.3% from last year, but its slowing quarterly growth leaves room for other countries to catch up. And the EU wants to ban “high-risk” AI while the U.S. readies antitrust action against the big four.
APRIL 15 — Key data from Jeff Bezo’s last shareholder letter has big implications for Amazon. Ford’s new self-driving system could overtake Tesla unless the company can implement safer testing procedures. And Apple and Peloton could now officially be competing for the future of fitness.
APRIL 14 — We explain how Facebook isn’t clearing any of your data even if you tell it to. The FCC is laying down the hammer on the big business of robocalls. And what hundreds of CEOs speaking out against discriminatory voting legislation could mean for the future of corporate branding.
APRIL 13 — The CPI rose 0.6% in March, indicating inflation is on the rise in the U.S. — but so is record economic growth. Disney, Viacom, and 10 other ad-tech firms have agreed to remove certain ad tracking tech from children’s apps which could enact industry-wide policy change. And Spotify’s new hardware “micro-launch” could be a gameplan for platforms planning future product-launches
Domino’s launches autonomous pizza delivery while Cruise announced new robotaxi to debut in Dubai by 2023. Microsoft is trying to acquire Nuance Communications, the voice-assistant tech used to create Siri. And U.S. officials are looking into the implications of the digital yuan set to debut in 2022.
APRIL 9 — New York’s new wealth tax could equalize income inequality worsened by the pandemic. NFTs could become the new way to fund Hollywood movies as Trevor Hawkins plans to finance the debut of Lotawana by creating two types of non-fungible tokens. Coinbase has increased its revenue by over 800% this year and could mean the second crypto wave may not crash as the first wave did.
APRIL 8 — Jeff Bezos has made India Amazon’s top target; as the last big market up for grabs, India could generate $200 billion in e-commerce sales by 2026. As more casinos follow money to Asia, Nevada could see esports betting as an opportunity to bring more money back to the U.S. And Best Buy’s subscription offerings will be part of brick and mortar retailers’ future.
APRIL 7 — The pandemic minted 493 new billionaires and $13.1 trillion in wealth across the world as income inequality continues to rise. Patreon is now valued at $4 billion after rapid growth last year accelerated the creator economy. And UPS bought 10 new eVTOL aircraft while British Airways invested in hydrogen flight as the rise of e-commerce continues to drive net-zero emission goals in the aviation industry.
Consumers around the world spent $900 billion more on online sales in 2020 compared to the previous two years, with about 30% of that expected to continue this year. Auction houses Sothebys and Phillips get in on NFT craze even as NFT average sales decline. And at the current vaccination pace of over three million doses per day, it will take 3 more months to cover 75% of the country and reach herd immunity.
The U.S. Federal Reserve is looking for Congressional approval to move forward with a digital currency. Researchers cleared TikTok of posing a national security threat to the U.S., but more politically-driven investigations of tech platforms could take place. And President Biden’s administration is drafting two infrastructure bills to cost $3 trillion, with more spending for green tech, retraining, and childcare.
Pfizer will expand its mRNA research to develop new vaccines using the technology. USPS’s new 10-year plan will increase package delivery and raise prices and could boost mom-and-pop’s competitive edge against Amazon. And co-working could become even more popular as companies and commercial landlords adjust to post-pandemic habits.
Tesla announced it will accept Bitcoin payments in the U.S., with plans to expand to international customers. Yum Brands' latest acquisition lets users order food through social media and could be an insight into the future of food delivery. Amazon warehouse workers are wrapping up their union vote in Alabama, and the results could affect 560,000 Amazon employees around the world.
Chinese state TV and social media activists called for boycotts of H&M and Adidas. Dove will offer its own models to appear in different brands’ commercials for free for the “It’s On Us” campaign. And the main highlight from big tech’s big day in Washington is that platforms are not equipped enough to regulate themselves.
Agritech companies raised $30 billion last year, as investors bet big on green farming. Brazil’s central bank has launched its own digital fintech platform to compete with the country’s banks. The SEC enforcement division is asking Wall Street some preliminary questions about SPACs, and Dominion sued Fox News over defamation.
The U.S. is primed for a fourth wave even as many states lift restrictions — we tally up the potential consequences in today’s report. PayPal will now allow US consumers to use cryptocurrency holdings to pay at millions of its global online merchants. And Spotify acquired a live audio chat app to compete with Clubhouse as more platforms see live audio as a major growth area.
Over 70 black execs from companies like American Express and Starbucks called on their white peers to take action against new Georgia voting laws. New York is now the 15th state to legalize recreational marijuana. And a logistics company partnered with a silicon valley startup to create remote-controlled forklifts for warehouses.
US manufacturers expanded at the fastest pace in 37 years, signaling increased demand as the pandemic subsides and Biden’s infrastructure bill goes into effect. Microsoft partnered with the U.S. Army to produce 120,000 AR headsets, which could be one of the first steps to wide-scale AR adoption. And Google updated its work from home policy — we tally where it and other companies land.
China plans to give visiting athletes some of the country’s new digital yuan to spend at next year’s Winter Olympics in Beijing. The Supreme Court sided with Google against Oracle in the long-running copyright dispute over software used in Android. Netflix loses 30% of U.S. market share as the streaming race tightens, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced her support for a global minimum corporate tax.