In today’s newsletter:
• 🤝 Company List: ITC Vegas Conference
• 🗞️ Quick Hits from this week’s news
• 📡 Industry Radar to keep you ahead on industry trends
• 🧠 Research: What are 2024's top 20 CVCs investing in?
Let’s open the vault 🏦
🤝 ITC Vegas: Company List
We’re excited to announce that we’ll be attending ITC Vegas 2024, the world’s largest insurtech event, bringing together top insurance professionals and innovators from around the globe.
To enhance your networking experience and keep you informed, we’ve created a detailed company list with key insights of the insurance firms participating in the event. Whether you're attending in person or following remotely, this list will help you maximize your experience at ITC Vegas! You can find the complete company list here.
🗞️ Quick Hits
- Short & sweet—news that caught our eye this week.
• Counter V: Insights from the event in San Francisco reveal that Corporate Venture Capital is undergoing a dynamic resurgence in 2024, with a strong emphasis on early-stage investments. Generative AI expands investment opportunities for Corporate Venture Capitalists (CVCs) across a broad range of industries, while the strategic choice of a passive role in co-investments is key to fostering startup success.
• From Crisis to Catalyst: How Google Ventures is Shaping the Future:
Over the past 15 years, Google Ventures (GV) has evolved from a nascent project launched during the 2009 financial crisis into a significant player in Silicon Valley, investing in groundbreaking companies like Uber and Nest. Managing over $10 billion in assets, GV operates independently with a unique 300-year investment horizon, allowing it to focus on long-term, unconventional solutions.
📡 Industry Radar
Stay ahead of the curve— some of the hottest news & trends across our reference industries paired with some bonus insights from FounderNest.
Energy & Oil: Global Upstream Oil & Gas Need a $135B Boost
The oil and gas market in Q1 2024 saw record-high upstream M&A deals, strategic international networking, and significant revenue shifts. Global oil consumption increased moderately, with major producers cautiously ramping up output. The industry is embracing sustainability through electrification and digital technologies, with companies like ADNOC, Shell, and Equinor leading in AI and emissions monitoring innovations.
FounderNest Bonus: We decided to look into ADNOC’s activities with our Competitive Intelligence Module.
Sign up for FounderNest to see more data now!
Retail: Generative AI powered stores are the future of retail
Generative AI has the potential to significantly enhance retail stores by improving customer experiences, optimizing inventory management, and personalizing marketing strategies. By leveraging data-driven insights, retailers can streamline operations and create more engaging shopping environments.
Healthcare & Hospital: Unlocking the Fountain of Youth: The Rise of Longevity and Anti-Aging Technologies
The market for longevity and anti-aging technologies is rapidly growing, driven by the aging global population and advancements in biotechnology, AI, and genetic engineering. Key focus areas include Genetic Engineering, Cellular Senescence, Regenerative Medicine, Pharmacological Interventions, and Biogerontology. These innovations are crucial in extending health-span and combating age-related diseases.
FounderNest Bonus: Check out our full research on the topic here.
Farming & Agriculture: How Digital Twins Revolutionize Agriculture
Digital twins—virtual replicas of farm operations—can significantly mitigate risks for farmers by allowing them to test various scenarios and optimize decisions without the costs of physical trials. This technology enhances climate resilience and efficiency in resource management, enabling both large agribusinesses and small family farms to adapt to unpredictable weather conditions.
FounderNest Bonus: We decided to look for some relevant companies and hidden gems in the Agriculture world. We got the following results within seconds by running our Light Search tool. Sign up for FounderNest to see more data now!
Food & Bev: The Evolution of Specialty Food Ingredients Amid Economic Pressures
The specialty food and beverage ingredient industry has seen significant EBITDA growth over the past decade, driven by consumer and regulatory demands for clean labels and healthier products. This growth previously resulted in premium trading multiples, but recent economic pressures have reduced these premiums.
FounderNest Bonus: Considering the challenges the industry is facing, we decided to look at some trends that are shaping the space of Specialty Food and Beverage. Sign up for FounderNest to see more data now!
Pharma: Innovating for Health Equity and Sustainable Solutions
The pharmaceutical industry faces significant challenges in 2024. To address these, pharma companies are focusing on scientific innovation, particularly in areas like obesity treatment, CNS disorders, and cardiovascular disease. They are also prioritizing cost optimization, reimagining customer engagement strategies and fostering deeper relationships across the healthcare ecosystem.
Telecom: How AI is Enhancing Efficiency and Customer Engagement
AI is transforming the telecommunications sector by enhancing operational efficiency and customer engagement. By leveraging AI technologies, telcos can optimize transactions, improve customer experiences, and significantly reduce operational costs. The integration of AI tools enables personalized marketing strategies and proactive service enhancements, leading to increased sales productivity and customer retention.
FounderNest Bonus: We got curious about the technologies behind the AI technologies Telecom companies have been using.
Sign up for FounderNest to see more data now!
Banking & Financial Services: Evolving risks for Reinsurance
The reinsurance industry faces evolving risks such as climate change and cyber threats, requiring strategic adaptation and digital transformation. M&A activity and ESG criteria are reshaping operations and capital acquisition. To thrive, reinsurers must optimize processes, integrate new risks, and manage market volatility while ensuring stability and efficiency.
Automotive: The Rise of Subscription Models Among Young Consumers.
Growing trend among younger consumers (18-34) shifting from traditional vehicle ownership to subscription-based models, with 79% interest in countries like India. Despite the appeal, concerns over vehicle availability, higher ownership costs, and elevated monthly fees temper enthusiasm.
Transportation & Logistics: Navigating the Downturn, Transport & Logistics M&A Hits New Lows Amidst Digital Transformation Drive.
In the first half of 2024, the transport and logistics sector saw a notable shift with 86 mergers and acquisitions announced, marking a 12% decline to a new low. Despite this, the average deal value rose to $494.7 million, totaling $42.5 billion, thanks to 12 significant megadeals.
Tech: The Unstoppable Rise of AI and Electrification in Enterprise Tech
There has been significant growth in enterprise technology adoption despite challenging market conditions. Key trends include a surge in generative AI, driven by advancements in large language models, and the rise of electrification. The research indicates a positive long-term trajectory for technology adoption, emphasizing the importance of aligning strategies with external ecosystem factors.
🧠 Research: What are 2024's top 20 CVCs investing in?
Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) arms are playing a key role in driving innovation across industries by providing both financial support and access to the resources of established companies. These investments focus on key sectors, with CVCs strategically backing startups through prominent investment rounds, helping them scale and innovate.
We’ve researched the top 20 CVCs and their 2024 investment trends. Below you can find the main takeaways, and you can access the full report here.
Main Insights
- Software Industry: Leading players such as Google Ventures and PayPal Ventures are heavily investing in Information Technology, AI, FinTech, and Healthcare, with 27% of investments in Series A rounds, 25% in Seed rounds and a 15% in Series B.
- Financial Services Industry: The analyzed CVCs—SMBC Venture Capital, Zürcher Kantonal Bank, Sumitomo, ADB Ventures, and Saison Capital—invest in sectors aligned with their financial services expertise, including Information Technology and AI, FinTech, Healthcare and Biotechnology, and Software and SaaS.
- Hardware & Consumer electronics Industry: The leading CVC in the industry, Intel Capital, focuses on Manufacturing and Robotics. Overall, investments in the Hardware and Consumer Electronics sector are distributed with 25% allocated to Series A rounds, 21% to Series B rounds and 18% in Seed rounds.
- Crypto Industry: Led by CVCs—Binance Labs and Coinbase Ventures, focusing the investments on Blockchain, decentralized technologies, gaming and financial services.
- Pharmaceutical Industry: Spearheaded by Bristol-Myers Squibb, emphasize heavily in areas that promise breakthroughs in health and medicine such as Biotechnology and Therapeutics.
- Insurance Industry: MassMutual Ventures, the leading CVC in this industry, invests primarily in digital solutions and financial integration. Its priorities include improving operational efficiency, enhancing cybersecurity, and promoting sustainability.
Explore the full report here.
Feel free to suggest a topic for us to dive into next! If you have any questions, feedback, or just want to connect you can get in touch or connect on LinkedIn.
