CB Insights - blockchain goes boom

Hi there,

Before we get to the data and research, I wanted to get personal with you.

Cuz this has been really bothering me. 

I just can’t stop thinking about how much bitcoin I could have bought in 2020 if I had not wasted money on food.

My lack of self-discipline hurts me again. :(

Alright, let’s get some of that blockchain.

As bitcoin blitzes past $50K, let's look at the broader potential of blockchain for banking. 

New guidance was released last month, allowing federally chartered banks to participate in blockchain networks and use stablecoins for payments. 

This was big news. 

Blockchain might not replace traditional financial payments rails immediately, but this showed an openness from traditionally conservative regulators toward leveraging the underlying tech for better banking. 

We dig deeper into the potential for blockchain-based banking here.

Flush with cash
 

The latest unicorn in our US of tech startups graphic is New Jersey-based data company OwnBackup. It notched a $1.4B valuation after its Series D in January.

See the top-funded startup in each US state here.

Let's talk about tech, baby

Chief prepper officer. The quantum time bomb. Empathetic AI. 

We dig into the 12 tech trends to keep an eye out for in our 2021 Tech Trends report.

Want a behind-the-scenes look at how we compiled the report? Have questions on this year's tech trends? Submit your Qs here & register for our upcoming roundtable here.

The juicy stuff

With a focus on automation and digitization, CB Insights Tech Market: Digitizing P&C Insurance (May 13-14) features 25+ rapid-fire demos across 6 major tech categories shaping insurance.
 

Attendees will hear how these technologies can drive results across their business from underwriting to claims to customer engagement.
 

Beyond demos, here’s what else CBI Tech Market offers:

• Themed networking, hosted-buyer program, and other matchmaking services to foster the right connections between buyers and sellers

• Exclusive CB Insights research analyzing key tech categories and noteworthy tech trends in insurance

• In-depth workshops on how to evaluate, adopt, and integrate new tech

• Roundtable discussions with peers and partners

• One-on-one interviews from insurers with winning digital strategies and high-profile tech companies delivering value and ROI for insurance firms

Register today.

Health is wealth

Since 2015, healthcare Smart Money VCs have invested $5.4B in startups driving value-based care. 

From population health management software to tech-enabled Medicare Advantage plans, we examine top investors’ deal activity across the space in this client-only post.

Bloomberg. Helene Fouquet (@HeleneFouquet) and Loni Prinsloo (@LoniPrinsloo1) report on Africa-based startup funding trends and cite the PwC and CB Insights Q4 2020 MoneyTree report.

Financial Times. John Thornhill (@johnthornhillft) cites CB Insights research in his op-ed on the best tech CEO. 

BloombergQuint. Yoolim Lee (@yoolimleenews) and Elffie Chew cover online travel startup Traveloka’s SPAC moves and cite CB Insights valuation data.

The Blurb
 

Campus life. While some companies have announced plans to go fully remote, big tech is building new offices.

WIRED

Mozilla mafia. Former Mozilla employees have taken the principles of openness, privacy, and security to new reaches of the internet. 

Protocol

Call me maybe. Some Clubhouse users have been surprised by the app’s suggestion they invite contacts like their psychiatrist or weed dealer to join the network.

OneZero 

RV herds. A couple who traded their NYC apartment for an RV has found the digital nomad lifestyle can also include spotty Wi-Fi and overbooked parks.

WSJ

Design thinking. “Chain reaction artists” whose videos have taken off online now create elaborate Rube Goldberg machines full-time. 

The Guardian