Announced in mid-2019, Facebook’s foray into the world of cryptocurrencies was backed by the biggest names in the industry including PayPal, MasterCard, Uber and Spotify, to name a few. But then Libra was quickly met with resistance due to Facebook’s spotty record with privacy and concerns over its ambitions. In Oct 2019, six of Libra’s founding members announced that they are backing out of the project, with PayPal being the first one to announce its departure.

What happened to Facebook's Libra? Find out in this podcast!

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Host - Aishwarya Singh

Editor - Kishore Veekay

Digital transformation for the insurance industry is not necessarily disruptive (as is perceived by most). New technologies lead to significant changes, but change has always been a part of the industry, and insurers and their core business model have always survived. This shows a growing need for managers in the insurance industry to think of digital transformation less as a threat and more as an opportunity to grow.

The current level of technology and the potential for growth of the industry reveals that insurance is still in its infancy and will most likely experience significant developments in the times to come. To prepare for a digital future, insurers today must adopt the instruments of digital transformation and find innovative ways to optimize all areas of their operations.

Listen to the podcast to know more!

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Host: Aishwarya Singh

Editor: Kishore Veekay

The global chip shortage, which first reared its head late last year, has sent shockwaves across industries. According to Goldman Sachs, at least 169 industries, from automobiles and guided missiles to lawn equipment and shipbuilding, have faced disruptions due to the shortage, potentially shaving 1% off US GDP in 2021.

The pandemic combined with electrical grid failure and maritime disasters has led to a perfect storm for the US$ 522 billion semiconductor industry. But, with the effects of the crisis said to last until 2022 it begs the question of what led to the chip shortage? What are the implications of the shortage? How can we fix it?

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Host   - Aishwarya Singh

Editor - Kishore Kumar

More than half the world’s population lives in cities, and cities are projected to add another 2.5 billion people over the next three decades. But behind the facade of safety and energy efficiency lies the dark side of smart cities where ‘smart’ is often a euphemism for surveillance. With major cities embracing surveillance technologies and nearly one billion CCTV cameras deployed worldwide, there are increasing concerns of smart cities turning into dystopian surveillance states. 

Find out about the dark side of smart cities in this podcast.

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Host - Komal Pattanayak

Editor - Kishore Kumar

Sovereign wealth funds (SWF), the titans of the venture capital world, command more than $8 trillion (USD) in combined assets or roughly 10% of the worldwide assets under management (AUM). The term sovereign wealth fund, which was coined in 2005, signifies a mechanism through which countries make investments. Usually, countries that use SWFs are overly reliant on one source of income. The income derived from oil or other commodities is used to invest in shares, bonds, infrastructure, real estate or other suitable areas in order to diversify and become less reliant on a single source of income. 

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Host: Komal Pattanayak

Editor: Kishore Veekay

Apple and Google’s recent privacy initiatives have come under the scanner, with critics calling Google’s initiative mere “privacy theatre” and Facebook arguing that Apple’s new privacy features will hurt small businesses. So what are the implications of these initiatives? Is there any merit in Facebook’s argument? Does Big Tech really care about your privacy? 

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The gaming industry in today’s world has hit an all-time high in its growth trajectory, especially with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. Being one of the few industries to flourish amid the pandemic, the gaming industry has witnessed significant growth in the world today. Due to their prolonged time at home, gamers have had the chance to purchase and download new video games, consoles, and so much more. With the state of the global gaming industry today, it comes as no surprise that various high-profile investors are clamouring to invest in this lucrative industry. Some of these investors include Sequoia Capital, Techstars, Y Combinator, 500 startups, Footwork, Greylock, Slow Ventures, and First Round Capital, to mention a few.

In this podcast, we talk about the recent trends in the global gaming industry.

Host: Aishwarya Singh

Editor: Kishore Veekay

It is expected that India’s gig economy will triple over the next 3-4 years to 24 million jobs in the non-firm sector from the existing 8 million, according to a new report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. The number of gig jobs could rise to 90 million in 8-10 years, contributing an incremental 1.25% to India’s GDP.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced people to work from home and many even got kicked out of their jobs. However, this led to an influx of gig workers in 2020. With the success of platform-based companies like Uber (in ridesharing), Swiggy (in food delivery) and Urban Company (in personal services, home renovations and repair), many businesses are embracing the gig work culture with open arms.

Find out more about the surge of gig culture in India in this podcast.

Speaker - Komal Pattanayak

Biohacking originated in Silicon Valley, U.S., and today the world is gradually starting to notice and embrace this phenomenon. The global biohacking market was valued at approximately US$ 12.1 billion as of 2019 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 20.4%, reaching about US$ 54 billion by 2027.

Investors are currently clamouring to exploit the vast potentials this innovative industry has to offer. In an era characterized by ground-breaking advances in technology, the majority believes biohacking presents an opportunity to take the human race to the next step of the evolution ladder. The industry is already making impressive progress and seems to be advancing rapidly in its goal of providing a future where humans can adjust their biological components (naturally or scientifically) in line with their preferences. 

What are the major types of Biohacking? Which companies are working in this field? What are the trends in this industry? Find out in this podcast.

Hosts: Komal Pattanayak and Mukul Rana