Factories that used to make tee shirts are now making PPE. Products we used to be able to ship to ourselves same day are now on back order for weeks. Much of this is the result of supply chains buckling under the weight of Covid-19. As the dust settles, enterprises will have the opportunity to go back to the drawing board for the first time in years to rebuild supply chains from the ground up. The result will be more robust and modular global production and sourcing.

In this conversation with Marc Dragon, Managing Director of Reefknot Investments, and BSV investor John Mannes, we discuss the valuable data enterprises need to vet new suppliers while ensuring products can get to consumers as fast as possible. Reefknot is a venture firm backed by Singaporian sovereign wealth fund, Temasek and global logistics company Kuehne + Nagel.

Covid-19 is disrupting global flows of goods and people at an unprecedented scale. During the War on Terror, the government invested in technology to keep borders open and trade flowing. Our current pandemic requires a similar investment in a new generation of data infrastructure. If we can stitch together the right data, we can put an end to conversations about closing borders or subjecting large numbers of people and goods to draconian one-size-fits all quarantines and travel bans.

In this conversation between Ari Schuler, the creator and former head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Innovation Team (INVNT) and VP of Emerging Markets at Daon and BSV investor John Mannes, we discuss how customs and trade are are being affected by Covid-19 and the important role new data streams will play in helping CBP respond to future pandemics.

Trucking is one of the most essential industries in the global economy — food, masks and pharmaceuticals are of little value if we can’t get them to those who need them. As Covid19 continues to spread, millions of aging truck drivers remain on the road — ensuring critical goods can get from point A to point B. Moving forward, new technologies will shift the burden of work away from the field, allowing trucking companies to do more with less.

In this conversation with Jeff McCaig, owner of North America’s third largest dry bulk and tanker company, Trimac Transportation, Trevor Adey VP of Digital at Trimac, and BSV investor John Mannes, we discuss how the trucking industry is responding to the pandemic and the role technology has to play in keeping drivers safe and deliveries on schedule.