The future of mobility. Information warfare. 2019 tech IPOs.
Coming down the pipeline
Hi there,
Tech IPO activity didn’t see a major spike this year, but investment to potential candidates continues to grow.
In our 7th annual Tech IPO Pipeline Report, we identify 286 of the most promising venture- and private equity-backed tech companies in the US that could go public next year.
It moves us all
Data-driven VC has been a topic for a while.
Every couple of quarters, a new VC comes along with an algorithm — which it claims a bunch of data scientists have built — to identify startup companies.
As far as we can tell, the “algo” usually boils down to:
Invest in companies after Sequoia
See whose website traffic has jumped
But gullible LPs seem to drink this up, so good for them.
The discussion of using data in venture/corporate venture is very focused on seeing more deals, but actually, data can be used across the entire VC circle of life.
If you’re a corporate venture or venture team, you should download our guide to data-driven venture capital, which highlights 21 strategies for effectively using data in VC.
Move along
The way we get from point A to point B is changing. From electric vehicles to flying robotaxis to digital dealerships, we take a look at the top mobility trends to watch in 2019.
Experts are predicting that digital assistants will eventually be able to tell when your relationship is in danger by listening to your conversations and arguments.
By 2021, the devices could predict how likely it is that a couple will stay together with an accuracy rate of around 75%.
Alexa and similar devices might even be able to provide relationship advice and suggest ways to settle arguments.
If you find this news unsettling, just think of all the romcom potential.
Moving pictures
Adobe recently previewed an AI tool that could add features like animated rain to still photos — but the company’s patent activity shows the shift to AI and machine learning has been in the works for a long time.
ICYMI, PETA released suggestions for alternatives to common sayings that are also “anti-animal.”
As an FYI, “feed two birds with one scone” is now CBI’s unofficial new slogan.
Well, it’s not great
New Senate-commissioned reports show the Russian misinformation campaign during the 2016 presidential election was much broader than previously believed, touching nearly every top social media site.
We examine how social networks have become weaponized and what the future of information warfare could look like. Check it out here.
Brace yourselves
2019 could be a huge year for tech IPOs. If Uber, Airbnb, Pinterest, and Slack go public at their rumored valuations, they would all rank among the 10 largest venture-backed tech IPOs since 2012.
CB Insights data is the most trusted by those in the industry and the media. A few recent hits.
Bloomberg. Saritha Rai (@saritharai) reports that Indian education startup Byju’s is valued at $3.6B after its latest funding round and references CB Insights data.
Moving pictures
