Fintech unicorn activity. Mobile health market map. Amazon's patents.
Retail bloodbath
Hi there,
We just released our 64-page Q1’17 Global Fintech Report, covering global financial technology investment trends, top deals, active investors, and corporate activity.
Check out a few highlights below.
But first.
Some really smart folks
In the last year, CB Insights has said no to $1M in event sponsorship revenue.
Not fun.
But sponsors often want stage time as moderators or whatever, and we haven’t played that game. You know those events that are run by sponsors. Yeah — they’re great.
At The Future of Fintech Conference, the moderators are really smart folks from The New York Times, The Financial Times, Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Thomson Reuters, among others.
Many other media folks will be at the event as well, so if you’re looking to build relationships with some of the smartest folks in financial services journalism, there isn’t a better PR opportunity than at the conference.
Use the code SmartMedia to get $1000 off through April 28th here.
If you’re with a media outlet and interested in a press pass, please fill out this press pass form. Note: If you have a blog on Medium, that doesn’t count as being media. Sorry.
Speaking of fintech
In Q1’17, there were 22 global fintech unicorns valued at $77B. The quarter saw the second most highly valued fintech unicorn in the US, SoFi, raise $500M at a $4.5B valuation.
We identified 49 of the leading mobile health startups and the 12 categories within which they operate, from telemedicine to mental health to medication management, and more.
There will be blood
If you’ve read our 9900+ word Amazon Strategy Teardown, you have a good sense for the company’s ambition and the challenges that brick & mortar retailers will be facing as a result of Amazon’s unbridled ambition and investment in innovation.
The reality is that the picture has already gotten ugly for retailers. Shelly Banjo and Lisa Abramowicz of Bloomberg Gadfly recently detailed this (see The Industry Standard) writing “The number of retailers filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy is approaching its highest level since 2008 and 2009.”
Yes — it’s getting ugly with retail bankruptcies on track to exceed 2008/2009 levels.
Here’s another view on retail looking at retail sq footage per capita in the USA vs other markets.
With this brick & mortar pullback, one might expect that e-commerce would benefit as that is where retail is shifting. Interestingly, CB Insights data (featured in the same Bloomberg article) highlights that this is not the case.
Scandal
A PR firm (it’s one guy so not really a firm) threatened to “expose how CB Insights does its market maps” cuz one of his clients wasn’t included.
I don’t know much about PR, but I’m pretty sure this is not a good strategy.
Around the world
Europe saw deal activity to VC-backed fintech companies rise a notable 74% on a quarterly basis in Q1’17. North America saw deals to VC-backed fintech startups drop 12% compared to Q4’16.
For more on the industry, we’ll be chatting about all things fintech in our upcoming briefing on May 4th. Sign up here.
The Industry Standard
CB Insights data is the most trusted by those in the industry and the media. A few recent hits.
Bloomberg Quint. A report on retail bankruptcies with a mention of CB Insights funding data.
Racked. Beth Shapouri on why beauty brands are betting on incubation with a quote from CB Insights retail tech analyst Zoe Leavitt (@zoe_leavitt) on the subject.
