Year: 2013

Impact Lab > 2013
Analysis, Education, Latest Trend

College enrollment declined in 2012, but for good reasons

Ninety percent of the overall decline in enrollment was from students over 25.

For the first time in six years the number of college students has declined, according to new Census figures released this week. The half-a-million-student drop is “a huge decline,” Census Bureau statistician Julie Siebens told me. This sounds like bad news, but it could actually be a sign of good news. It means the labor market is — slowly, but surely — getting better.

 

 

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Analysis, Birth, Economy, Latest Trend

Are reported high rates of childlessness a myth?

Reported high rates of childlessness fail to take into account fertility treatments, adoptions and the simple delay of childbirth.

Recent reports of the rise of childlessness are premature. As with fertility dynamics generally, the phenomenon has many parts. The reports may prove true in the long term, or they may not—but it’s too soon to tell.

 

 

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Analysis, Business, Internet, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News

The growing success of piggybacking

Piggyback on a thriving network as long as your platform is contextual and complementary to that network.

When creating a two-sided network one of the key challenges is deciding how to get both sides on board. What does a marketplace do first – get the consumer or the merchant first? Why would either side join without the other? It’s a chicken and egg problem that often occurs during the initial stages of seeding. A great way to gain traction for such a network is to steal traction from another one.

 

 

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Business, government, Latest Trend, Money Talk

UK’s Angel CoFund can super-charge angel syndicates with extra cash

The Angel CoFund is a government-backed fund in the UK.

Startups in the UK that are raising financing have a new route to funds in the shape of a government-backed fund which can super-charge an Angel round with extra cash. The UK government-backed fund, Angel CoFund ,is able to make initial investments of between £100,000 to £1 million into businesses, alongside syndicates of business angels. Angel CoFund launched in November 2011, and it was an early backer of Yplan, the events app which this year raised $12 million and PlayJam (a games maker for smart TVs). The fund started out investing in just some parts of the UK, but now it works nationwide. And it’s now had its first exit in its short, two year history.

 

 

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Analysis, Business, Latest Trend

Can Jeff Bezos reinvent the newspaper industry?

Jeff Bezos, Amazon CEO,  purchased the Washington Post for $250 million.

Jeff Bezos , Amazon’s CEO, may be able to transfer his Midas touch from Amazon to usher in a “Golden Era” for the newspaper industry. He has announced that he plans to provide guidance “from a distance” – the secret to this experiment will ultimately come down to Bezos’ infamous personality.

 

 

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Analysis, Business, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News

Another 1.8 million people drop their cable TV subscriptions this year

The numbers of people who pay for any type of TV service are in decline.

There’s another dismal set of numbers for the TV business from Q2 2013. About 1.8 million people ended their cable TV subscriptions during the second quarter, according to analysts at SNL Kagan.

 

 

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Analysis, Education, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News

Carnegie Mellon increases the proportion of women in computer science from 7% to 42%

In 2004, 30% of undergraduate computer science degrees awarded at Carnegie Mellon were to women.

Allan Fisher, the Associate Dean of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University, realized there was a gender ratio problem in the department in 1995. Only 7% of freshman computer science majors were women. Along with Jane Margolis, a social scientist, Fisher tried to figure out what they could do to change the ratio. By 2000, 42% of the freshman class was made up of women.

 

 

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Analysis, Education, Games, Globalism, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News

Global demand for learning games and simulations is surging

Revenues for game-based learning will grow to $2.3 billion by 2017.

According to recent analysis, the global market for learning games and simulations is growing and likely to continue to expand over the next few years, driven in large part by the booming use of mobile technologies.

 

 

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Architecture, Latest Trend, Photo Perspectives, Science & Technology News

Will the ProtoHouse win the 3D printed house race?

 The ProtoHouse features long, fibrous threads of plastic, unlike other 3-D printing projects which use sand or concrete.

The ProtoHouse may look like something out of science fiction, but when it’s done the architects say it will be the first house you can say came from a 3D printer. (Pics)

 

 

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Discover the Hidden Patterns of Tomorrow with Futurist Thomas Frey
Unlock Your Potential, Ignite Your Success.

By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.

Learn More about this exciting program.