CB Insights - the hustle economy

Hi there,
 

Tons of range in today’s newsletter, from the creator economy to agtech to where big tech is going to how in-store retail is being digitized.  

But first, one quick ask.

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Alright — now on with the show.

THE market to watch
 

Last week, we dropped our creator economy market map. 

This week, we’re digging in. 

For the uninitiated, the “creator economy” refers to the businesses (which sometimes begin as side hustles) launched by independent creators, from vloggers to writers. They then monetize their knowledge, skills, or following — or potentially all of them.

It also encompasses the companies servicing creators, like content creation tools and analytics platforms. 

And these cos are taking off: funding has already passed $1.3B this year. 

Creators/influencers are looking to monetize their work more directly, and media giants as well as newer platforms are now fighting to win and keep these creators. 

Dig into our latest report to find out:

• How startups are capitalizing on each step of the creator work cycle 
• Who the top investors and companies in the space are
• What the “creator middle class” is
• Where the opportunity lies — and where the space goes next

Check out the free report here.

Google — I’m pretty confused

Google will make its Workspace offering available to all users as it looks to improve user collaboration — and compete with productivity tools like Microsoft Office 365. 

For the record, I love Google Docs and Google Sheets.

But Google renames its communication software tools so frequently, I’m not sure what to think of this or what was launched. I believe the takeaway is that Workspace which was formerly known as G Suite is now available to all. I also believe the intuitively named Google Chat is now called Spaces, or maybe it’s Google Chat Spaces?

It’s a powerful suite of tools but seems like yet another example of how product design or product marketing by consensus doesn’t work.

To try and make sense of it all, we broke down big tech's strategy to see where Google — and the rest of FAMGA — are betting on the future of work, and more, here.

Off the charts

Future of Fintech (October 5-6, NYC) will provide updates on the insane market activity plus offer an in-depth analysis on important trends driving financial services.
 

In Q1’21, fintech saw a record $23B in VC-backed funding and 11 IPOs of VC-backed startups. Q2’21 looks to be just as strong.
 

Startups and new players across financial services are seeing growth in users and revenue as more consumers embrace digital.
 

Incumbents are launching new digital businesses and seeking out partners and vendors to ensure they have the tech capabilities necessary to excel now and in the future.
 

Even in the midst of a pandemic, financial technology is overflowing with activity.
 

If you want insights on any and all of the trends above, a ticket to Future of Fintech is a no-brainer. Register here.

Retail therapy

Stores still drive the majority of retailers' revenue, but as e-commerce slices into profits, they must run more efficiently. 

Across categories like shelf management, loss prevention tech, and digital shelf displays, we highlight 120+ retail tech cos automating in-store tasks in this market map. 

Up and at 'em

Agtech deals and M&A activity surged in 2020.  

Clients can check out the latest trends in agtech in this interactive report. 

Forbes. Katie Jennings (@katiedjennings) looks at mental health startup investment and cites CB Insights research.

Protocol. Joe Williams (@JoePWilliams31) uses CB Insights data to dig into the future of the booming database sector. 

Adweek. Paul Hiebert (@hiebertpaul) discusses retail media and references the CB Insights State Of Retail Tech Q1’21 report.
 

P.S. We’re hiring an associate research analyst. Apply here.

The Blurb

Hodl. A 401(k) provider has teamed up with Coinbase to offer plan participants the opportunity to invest up to 5% of their contributions in crypto.

WSJ 

Fresh ink. Tattoo artists are seeing a boom in bookings after months of inactivity during the pandemic.

Vox

Piggy banks. US household wealth reached a record $136.9T at the end of March 2021, according to the Fed.

Reuters

Freaky fast. Google is using machine learning to design AI chips, accomplishing work in 6 hours that would take humans months to complete.

The Verge 

Down by the bay. National Geographic has recognized a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, which surrounds Antarctica.

The Guardian