Business – Page 70

Analysis, Business, Latest Trend, Money Talk, Science & Technology News

Bitcoin isn’t just for anarchists and libertarians anymore

October 17, 2014

Consumers are embracing the digital currency even though the value of Bitcoin has fallen 55% against the dollar.

Earlier this year Mary Fons joined the Bitcoin economy. She uses the digital currency to buy gift cards and office supplies. Her partner reimburses her with Bitcoin for his portion of the rent. Thirty-five year old Fons isn’t a nerd or a self-proclaimed libertarian like many of the currency’s early adopters. She lives in New York and co-hosts the Love of Quilting show on public television. “Why Bitcoin?” she asks. “Because I want to have options. I think it’s a beautiful thing open to everyone.”

Continue reading… “Bitcoin isn’t just for anarchists and libertarians anymore”

Alternative Transportation, Business, Science & Technology News

Electric cars with 310 to 373 miles of range are possible by 2020

October 17, 2014

Dr Heinz-Jakob Neusser

The head of Volkswagen’s powertrain development, Dr Heinz-Jakob Neusser, thinks that electric cars with over 300 miles of range aren’t too far off. The foundation of his argument is that the energy density of electric car batteries has been improving rapidly and will continue to do so.

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Analysis, Business, Energy, Science & Technology News

Tesla to focus on the grid-scale energy storage business

October 17, 2014

Mateo Jaramillo, Tesla’s Director of Powertrain Business Development, was the keynote speaker at last week’s Energy Storage North America. He spoke of Tesla’s aggressive efforts in stationary storage.

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

New study reveals big data analytics adoption imperative for global organizations

October 17, 2014

The Industrial Internet has the potential to drive trillions of dollars in new services and overall growth.

A new study from GE and Accenture, “Industrial Internet Insights for 2015,” reveals there is a growing urgency for organizations to embrace big data analytics to advance their Industrial Internet strategy. However, less than 29 percent of the 250 executives surveyed for the study are using big data across their company for predictive analytics or to optimize their business.

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Analysis, Business, Latest Trend, Money Talk, People Making a Difference

Chuck Feeney, an unconventional billionaire who is revolutionizing philanthropy by closing his foundation

October 17, 2014

Chuck Feeney

Chuck Feeney is a self-made billionaire who is an extreme philanthropist. He believes that charity shouldn’t go on forever and his fellow billionaires, from newly minted Silicon Valley entrepreneurs to Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, are learning from his example.

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Analysis, Business, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News

On-demand amenities are making all travel feel like first-class

October 16, 2014

Travelers can use their mobile device to remotely control a digital advertising panel with ‘Tap or Scan’ technology with oOh!media.

VIP comforts and conveniences were previously only available to elite travelers, but they are now being made available to anyone, on-demand. Whether having a private workspace directly in front of the gate, connecting with a personalized shopper during a layover or renting a mobile device to hit the ground without missing a beat, these services and amenities are designed to help people maximize their enjoyment and productivity at every stage of their trip.

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Business, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News, Space

Space will go commercial with 2015 launch of Bigelow inflatable room

October 15, 2014

Bigelow Expandable Activity Module

An inflatable workroom from Bigelow Aerospace will be added to the International Space Station, The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, or BEAM, will head to low-Earth orbit (LEO) in 2015 aboard the Dragon, a rocket built and operated by the privately run, Elon Musk-founded company SpaceX.

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

What sharing-economy startups know that you don’t

October 15, 2014

What goes on behind the scenes that the general public or entrepreneurs don’t see?

Whatever you want to call “the sharing economy” or “marketplace startups,” peer-to-peer marketplaces continue to gain popularity, with a flurry of startups growing rapidly to keep up with all of this “on-demand” demand.

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Analysis, Business, Money Talk, Science & Technology News

Why managing cashflow is critical for the survival of your startup

October 14, 2014

Managing cashflow and burn rate is more critical to your business success than having the right idea and the right product.

A basic survival metric for every startup is cashflow. Investors check your burn rate to assess your efficiency, and project your remaining runway before you run out of money and into a brick wall. Don’t wait until you are almost out of cash before managing every dollar spent, or looking for the next refueling from investors. Desperate entrepreneurs lose their leverage and die young.

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Analysis, Business, Energy, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News, Solar Power, Wind Power

Solar and wind prices plunge below fossil fuel prices

October 13, 2014

Renewable energy shows an average price decline over the last 5 years of 78% for utility scale solar and 58% for wind.

Lazard, an asset management firm, has a fascinating new analysis of renewable and other energy prices out. There are a huge number of insights in this, from an outside analyst whose primary interest is financial.

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Analysis, Business, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News

Why startups fail

October 10, 2014

Many startups build things people don’t want with the irrational hope that they’ll convince them otherwise.

When a startup shuts its doors, it is customary to write an essay that tells the rest of the community what went wrong, called a failure post-mortem. It’s estimated that nine out of 10 startups fail, which is why the technique has become so common as to be a Silicon Valley cliché.

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Analysis, Breakthrough Thinking, Business, New Viewpoints, People Making a Difference, Science & Technology News

New technologies will be key for job growth: Futurist Thomas Frey

October 10, 2014

Futurist Thomas Frey speaking at Steamboat’s 20th Economic Summit.

Futurist Thomas Frey took an audience of Steamboat Springs business leaders last week into a future where 3-D printers are printing clothes and food, cars no longer need drivers and drones deliver packages.

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