Ascending Earth 2.0?
According to space studies, there are probably billions of earths and hundred billion of galaxies omnipresent in the universe. However persistent questions arise with regards to what constitutes the entire universe? Despite that space excursions are no longer restricted to astronauts, as space tourism is expected to become the new hot travel destination(though at a whooping exorbitant cost)! A fantasy and mystery brought to life by the greater vision of the founders of Virgin Galactic, SpaceX, Blue Origin and the endless laudablehard work dedicated by their teams over decades. Though paramount questions about space tourism remain unanswered, ethical implications require to be corroborated, individuals are thrilled by the idea but need to be wary of the consequence of such an activity. As the world population expands exponentially and earth’s resources deplete at an equally rapid rate, it may seem apparent that humans may find a new home on different planets over the next century. Studies are conducted day in and day out to explore various planets to find precious resources that once were found on planet earth. Will life thrive in outer space akin to how we live on planet earth? Jeopardy wanders over space at it may become a victim of pollution, an outcome of space tourism (space travel creates pollution in space, a problem space tech startups are targeting). Will we have a population of individuals who will be legitimate citizens of space than earth? While these are all assumptions and presumptions. The presence of numerous earths remains an enigma to all, however Earth 2.0 is budding in the background due to the ‘Metaverse’! The internet is swamped with articles on the metaverse hence a topic worth to consider! So, what does the metaverse mean? Metaverse was coined in the sci fiction novel titled Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson in 1992. In factMark Zuckerberg intends to make the metaverse accessible to all individuals. He articulates the metaverse as an experience in which individuals will be submerged in the internet v/s the present experience of looking at it. How far will the metaverse manifest into the reality? How will it work? What will be its impact be on the humanity? ‘Metaverse’, ‘Mirrorworld’, ‘AR cloud’, ‘MagicVerse’, ‘Web 3.0’ are just some words that have gained traction to describe the radical metaverse. Metaverse is deemed the third generation of the internet. Whilst its predecessors Web 1.0 enabled basic services such as emails or accessing the internet. Web 2.0 upped the ante revolutionizing the human interaction and convenience with the launch of social networking, e-commerce, online payments, online streaming and the internet as we know it. Metaverse/ Web 3.0 brings with it a gamut of unimaginable services accentuating the mélange between physical reality, virtual reality and augmented reality. The face of internet that is yet to be discovered, is undergoing radical transformation, that will humanize the internet experience. Graduating to offer real time virtual immersive, interactive, 3-D experiences with regards to commerce, networking, co- working and so forth. Our digital twin will exist in the metaverse engaging in activities that are synonymous to our earth lives. Be it from working to shopping, playing to earning real money, buying property to befriending strangers, holograms or NPCs (non player characters – commonly found in gaming) or attending concerts. In the metaverse buildings, avatars, names or land can be purchased or virtual digital assets can be traded utilizing cryptocurrency or NFTs (Non-fungible tokens) facilitated by blockchain. PS: Imagine something similar to Fortnite or Roblox!!! Media + entertainment + gaming+ tech = creation of metaverse The metaverse will literally become Earth 2.0 as it will have its own functioning economy, culture, real estate and so on, a replica of our physical world. A much-needed regulatory system will need to be created to maintain law and order, perhaps the metaverse may have their own politicians, business tycoons, investors, real estate tycoons, cyber army, brands and there is more than meets the eye. We’ll be citizens of more than one earth, perhaps holding virtual passports or identity cards. The metaverse will allow consumers to teleport from experience to another and within varied realms from any device. Experiences and content in the metaverse will be user generated or created by brands complemented by functionalities of ML and AI. Imagine the user generated content on social media or YouTube. For a fully functioning economy, brands will need to identify new markets and scrutinize consumer behaviors, preferences and habits. The concept of business 2 robot 2 consumers will gain relevance as robots will maintain relationships with the consumers, just like how it works today with social media conversations or chatbots but via a 3D experience. Brands can bid a farewell to excessive use of adverts by creating/ joining immersive or interactive experiences. For instance Wendy’s hosted a Food fight mission on Fortnite that was live streamed on Twitch hence attracting 7,400 followers (from nil followers) on the gaming platform. Following this strategy tapered their advert expenses drastically whilst attracting consumer eyeballs and creating stronger brand loyalty. In fact, brands themselves can create the metaverse. Fortnite or Roblox are apt examples of providing the metaverse like experience. However we are still oblivious, if there will be multiple metaverse or a single umbrella metaverse with smaller branches of metaverse create by brands? Just like how we have numerous social networking websites, games and so forth under the umbrella of the internet. Privacy, security, identity will be significant issues to consider as the metaverse takes shape. Apparently, technocrats believe that the orchestration of privacy management or privacy managers (as massive amounts of data will be generated and it’s their responsibility to ask owners which data to reveal/ trade or conceal) and identity managers (who will distinguish who we are and hide our real identities) may bring with them law and order in the metaverse. 5G and quantum computing will amplify the way towards the metaverse. Roblox has a full functioning economy as players can create their own games, earn money and reinvest it in the platform itself to purchase additional functionalities for their characters. Creators in the Roblox economy earned $110 million in 2019. The Second Life economy has created $60 million from the businesses operating in the game. This is insane!!! Facebook is working on Horizon Workroom (an app used on Oculus Quest 2 virtual reality headset) that intends to offer real time work experience /office experiences interacting with collogues, attending meetings and job interviews. The future of work is yet to radicalize!!! The reduction in the price and weight of VR headsets or introduction of substitutes (VR contact lenses, gloves) will actin favour of the metaverse experience. Apparently AR glasses by Apple will play a pivotal role in upping the ante for the metaverse (if it is launched in the market). Individuals will desire for Gucci or Prada skin for their virtual avatars. Providing fashion houses an opportunity to embed themselves in the virtual world aka metaverse. All businesses have the opportunity to enter the metaverse. Some individuals may believe that they can obtain whatever they lack in the metaverse akin to the concept of Second Life. However, we’ll need to
Clash of the Titans: Media V/S Gaming
Gaming has come to the forefront as a strong contender to media entertainment. The ongoing pandemic can be considered pivotal in the victory of gaming as non-gamers got accustomed to gaming. Whilst OTT was the winning factor for the entertainment industry as multiplexes remained abandoned, gaming enchanted bountiful individuals. Binge watching led individuals to explore new avenues of entertainment, EUREKA! Gaming no longer remains sacred to the professional gamers, as non-gamers too have joined the bandwagon. Statics reveal the same, around 55% of US consumers resorted to gaming during the lockdown period (Nielson report 2020). In fact, Gen Ys and Gen Zs have chosen or aspire to become full time professional gamers that would earn them millions of dollars a year. This year the global gaming market is projected to generate $176 billion dollars of revenue bourgeoning to $200 billion in 2023 (Newzoo).Moreover, gaming has outshined the Hollywood film industry and sporting industry (Market Watch). The only difference in games and movies is that gaming provides players both a mentally and physically immersive experience assisted by VR and AR. So, is the media entertainment and sport industry jeopardized by the onset of the gaming glamour? Will gaming finally surpass media’s hegemonic role in history? Or will people prefer a mélange of gaming, sports and movie experience? Well Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, expressed his views on who he considers potential competitors to Netflix. To one’s surprise it is not it’s OTT counterparts but the gaming industry, as witnessed by the success of games such as Fortnite or Pokemon Go. Hence be it Apple, Google or Amazon all have entered the gaming industry with their respective offerings: Apple Arcade, Stadia and Twitch. Meanwhile Netflix is creating its gaming blueprint! Fans wait curiously, assuming what their all-time favorite OTT platform will bring to the table with regards to gaming! There are several factors that have amplified the adoption of gaming such as: New business models and developments are on the horizon for the gaming industry such as subscription models and cloud gaming. According to industry experts, cloud gaming is a milestone development for the gaming industry in the coming decades. Players can bid adieu to the barbaric, unnecessaryand bulky hardware consoles. Cloud gaming allows them to stream video games from anywhere, at any time (internet connection required) avoiding the hassles of downloading and storage space. The roll out of 5G with it’s ultrasonic speed(super low latency) will eschew the much-dreaded game lag. SaaS, PaaS to Gaming as a Service (GaaS), On Demand Entertainment to Games On Demand are the cool new jargonsfloating in the gaming community. Mixed reality is the demand of the hour. Individuals crave an immersive and interactive experience that is a mélange of physical reality and digital/ virtual reality. A drawback for VRbased games or experiences as it offers a 100% virtual experience. Thus AR focused experiences are favored more than VR. Recall the days of Pokemon Go, how the creators and designers cleverly maneuvered with elements such as real time physical and digital immersive experience (not requiring heavy console! A sigh of relief for gamers!). VR cannot be neglected of its bombastic and mindboggling experienceofferings. Though a couple of problems exist such as cost and weight of the headset consoles. Recall the time you last had your VR experience!!! It wasnerve racking, breathtaking and dead real… but… the headsets were really annoying!!!! Thus, permeating the notion that a VR experience is usually a short lived and restrained to gaming arcades or theme parts (as people don’t prefer to purchase expensive headsets). Albeit new wearables are being sculpted to replace the expensive and heavy VR headsets such as smart contact lenses, smart gloves and wrist devices to encapsulate physical reality and introduce the possibility of tactile experiences. Another term gaining limelight is hyper reality that teams up VR and AR to provide real time gaming experience that is not only restricted to what one can sees in their VR headsets but interact with the external environment and involves senses such as touch. A gaming company that is working on this type of experience is the Void. The possibilities are endless and unfathomable! It is foreseen by experts that gaming, movies, OTT or esports will work in tandem to bring alive unimaginable incredible experiences that will tantalize all human senses at the same time! AI has always remained the backbone of gaming programming. Non-player characters (NPCs) (fictional characters who play with us) are instructed to respond to a player’s trick in multiple ways and perform few complex decision-making tasks according to the coding written for them. Albeit, it is deliberated by experts whether they should have fully AI driven NPC i.e. let the NPC decide how they want to react and make their presence felt. Some experts argue that integrating this feature will make the gaming experience less engaging and unpredictable. Moreover the process itself can be expensive and risky and therefore overlooked at the moment. AL, ML and natural language are being amalgamated in game designing as technology is evolving with time. NPCs developing the competence to interact with us and befriend us does not seem a distant future. Seems intriguing, think Alexa! AI and data analytics ensure efficient tracking and monitoring of players performance in order to provide them better and modified gaming experiences. They can track parameters such as: At what time are players active? For how long are they active? What is the bounce rate? How many days of the week they play a particular game? How many levels do they manage to play within a particular time duration? …..And so forth….. New game assets (such as tress, rocks (external environmentdesigning of the game)) and game levels can be created by harnessing AI/ ML. Procedural content generation can be substituted by technology. A relief for creators and designers, as they get acquainted with a range of design possibilities. An extension to this process is called experience driven procedural content generation. Wherein games can be conceptualized and designed based on data such as how players choose (strategic moves, habits, choices) to play a particular game. Subsequently AI can then shoot out options to consider while designing a new game or new levels for a game. In foresight technology will attain supremacy to conduct each and every human task in the coming decades. Will designers too become redundant and worthless in the future? Perhaps not, AI has not evolved to an extent where it can design full-fledged games, it can act as a support or companion to guide and improve the gaming experience and decision-making processes. Not to forget human creativity cannot go in vain.Experts stress that new blood in the industry will bring a new flavor to gaming with their eccentric and quirky ideas. Considering from another spectrum, can’t quantum computing initiate the process of game designing and generation? A thought to consider. According to expert’s quantum’s supreme power to process data exponentially will modify the process of procedural generation (new characters and levels) evadingthe present pattern-based outcomes. Thus opening up an enormous horizon for infinite unpredictable design opportunities. Designers can decipher the success or failure of games from start to end using quantum computing to maintain practicality. As suggestions produced from quantum computing can be a tad bit ambitious! It will bring an all new ray of sunshine for graphics and game optimization (more realistic and intelligent NPCs). But quantum computingchallenges and hurdles (the fragile nature of qubits and so on) exist. Hey! Quantum gaming is a new jargon again!!! Experts brainstorm the future of gaming! It is no longer restricted to the youth demographic, it is captivating individuals from various demographics and geographies thus creating potential new markets to
THE CELEB SWITCH?
Technology exudes its omnipresence leaving everyone hypnotized by its charm. Its shimmer is glossier than the glitz of the media and entertainment industry. The transformation of entertainment viewing and content distribution has gravitated realms thanks to advancement in technology. For instance the switch from cable television to DTH/set up box services to eventually the present day OTT platforms (Amazon, Netflix). The multiplex business had its own share of time travel, be it from the halcyon days of drive in theaters to indoor cinema halls. Over time, gradually cinemasreconstructed and reconceptualized themselves to incorporateIMAX 3D and 4D experiences along with a 5/7-starexperience, a cherry on the top. As we are cognizant of the fact, Covid-19 has been a tailwind for the OTT platforms as individuals resorted to binge watching amidst the never-ending lockdown. However Covid-19 brutally devastated the multiplex businesses due to the impeding social distancing norms. It is evidently apparent that technology can be harnessed to revolutionize businesses and their revenue models. As seen in the case of films being released and distributed over OTT platforms. Apart from distribution, it is foreseen content development will be driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning, as tech can drill down big data to reckon consumer viewing habits, likes and dislikes. Entirely new experiences will be created leveraging VR and AR to immerse audiences into their favorite movies or shows. This is just a trailer; the possibilities are infinite. Technology will become a directing force for change in the media and entertainment industry. What would these developments look like? Who will actually be titled a celeb in the future: consumers or movie stars? Why So? Will these developments and changes be for the better or worst? Two schools of thought can be pondered over (you choose what you believe): one that stresses on the influencing power of media and entertainment on individuals primarily younger generations. The other deliberates on the fact that it is actually the consumer who sways it’s wand to influence media and entertainment content writers, directors and producers, as they seek ways to please them on the content they demand. The glitz, glamour, fantasy and opulence of the past is nowhere to be seen or heard of, it has vanished in thin air. Consider blockbuster genres gaining popularity since the last few years: biopics, real life-based events, the life of a common man, earthy and relatable content. PERSONALIZATION is the new way forward! CUSTOMER IS KING! Let’s consider the case of advertising: Individuals detest unnecessary intrusion caused by advertisements during their binge hours or free viewing periods. Therefore, the use of ad blockers proliferated as marketers and media bombarded individuals with unwanted and irrelevant advertisements. Thus determining personalized and targeted advertising as a solution for marketers. With the roll out of tech and algos, personalization and targeted offerings became possible and gained transaction. OTT platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime created their own algos to analyze consumer viewing habits and patterns thus serving them content recommendations on their plate based on their viewing pattern. Therefore, saving them the time to navigate menusscreens. One revelation is crystalized in the minds of content providers: Individuals prefer to get acquainted with content that is relevant according to their beliefs, wants and needs. AI possess adept power to gain consumer insights based on the data collected by entertainment platforms. Thus, dictating consumer touch points and meaningful content creation. It is predicted that AI in synergy with deep learning and analytics is competent to create storylines, scripts and songs for movies and daily soaps. It can also generate trailers based on what scenes and shots from a movie can grab eyeballs based on the analysis of consumer behaviour and preferences. According to a report from Cognizant software will become the new artist. AI will become the content creator and entertainment producer (tech invasion alert!!!). Entertainment in any form will need to offer tailored immersive experiences than passive (a story of the past). Chris Milk a VR guru and artist propagates the word ‘story living’than story telling indicating at the immersive experiences that are on its ways for eager audiences. A particular customized story line just for you in real time which would make us feel like it is a part of our life. This brings to mind the bourgeoning gaming industry that together with the future of movies can curate unfathomable viewing + gaming immersive experiences. The concept of AI characters may come to live where they can respond to us in real time. While it may take years for technology to evolve and bring this into reality, it is truly thinking out loud. One thing is true for sure CUSTOMER is the KING as content providers race to attain their attention. Content providers aim to not only target vision as a sense but all the human senses to encapsulate an immersive experience. A start up Valkyrie aims to harness haptics to help consumers avoid misleading claims about products being marketed by feeling the texture of the product virtually before they decide to purchase it. This sounds insane!!! Moreover with VR one can visualize and sense how an individual suffering from autism would interact with the world around and a zillion more such experiences. We would become part of the movies interacting with the characters in real time fulfilling and experiencing our adrenaline rush moments. The synergy of gaming and movies will up their ante with the improvements and novelties in VR and AR. Individuals can party with holographic versions of their favorite celebs anytime thanks to top notch VR and AR experiences. So, is common man the celeb? or movie stars the celeb? Embracing personalization and the notion of keeping consumers/ viewers as the center of focus for content generation, apparently implies that consumers possess the ultimate power and celeb status! With the advent of Covid-19 there will be a surge in the use of VR in live events, green screens whilst shooting, virtual concerts, livestreaming, drones for capturing implausible 360 degree action sequences, live VR events and AI adding a never seen before flavor to movies. 5G will catapult content consumption to the zenith with its supersonic download and streaming speed. The Echo is a startup that offers an avatar-based entertainment venue where individuals can interact with each other’s virtual avatar during entertainment events or conferences to level down the ‘zoom fatigue’. This tech is being utilized by Facebook, Intel and Dell to name a few clients. Believe it or not blockchain will be embraced with open arms in the field of entertainment. In order to maintain fairness, work ethic and transparency for content providers and developers. As previously the ethos and mechanism of the industry was dependent on trust and relationships, which were sometimes manipulated and violated. Novko is an easy to use software that manages legalities, contracts and fee structures to safeguard creative rights, ownership and royalties. Preventing hoaxes, fake news, deep fake will also become a need of the moment to eradicate fraud and chaos due to increased online entertainment activity. Fakespot helps consumers differentiate between fake and real reviews and make right purchasing decisions. BUT WAIT!!! How will we differentiate between what is artificial and what is reality? Individuals
From MnM’s to Eminem to M2M
We all can resonate with and devour the irresistible MnMs, so can all relate to Eminem (all the hip hop fanatics). But what is M2M? This blog explores the world of M2M and mind it, this is not about chocolates or hip-hop music. Human to human connections and interactions evolved from facial expressions to gestures, speaking to writing and expressions via art, music, dance and literature. The sixth sense or even telepathy promoted themselves as a medium of expression and interaction. Likewise M2M adopts a communication mechanism between machines connected to a network (cellular data) in order disseminate information sans human intervention. Today machine to human interactions is possible due to the intervention of emotionally intelligent robots or even smart home devices like Alexa, Echo or Google Home. Hence M2M is the pivot around which technological advancements and developments manifest. The glorious hegemony of technology is bound to proliferate revolutionizing a gamut of industries. From manufacturing to healthcare, agriculture to efficient smart cities, logistics to fostering IoT to the next level. Whilst M2M has been present since the last couple of years, it is expected to accelerate astronomically with the introduction of 5G and quantum computing. So how is M2M employed in various industries? Do M2M and IoT mean the same? How do they complement each other? How quantum computing can pose a threat to IoT? These are few questions that will be discussed and unearthed. M2M or IoT aren’t they the same? M2M and IoT as terms are often assumed to be identical however stark difference exists. Whilst both propel the interaction between machines the former operates using point to point communication in a closed network (cellular data). For instance in a particular factory, machines communicate with each other conducting their respective activities seamlessly, augmenting automation and efficiency. In the case of vending machines, M2M in synergy with inventory management ensures replenishment of stock. ATM’s deploy the concept of M2M to carry transactions impeccably. The latter utilizes cloud networks in an open ecosystem and its scalability potential is ceaseless. For example, smart cities where sensors, machines and humans can communicate and share data simultaneously over the internet to maintain efficient traffic management system, waste management system and so forth. IoT is a notch up higher as it is endowed with the ability to store and analyze data, for instance in the case of self-driving cars as they interact with each other and analyze each other’s movement to ensure safety on road. M2M is the foundation of IoT, whilst IoT functions at a massive scale running colossal cities. In simpler words M2M is level 1 and IoT is level 2. Moreover, M2M is the fulcrum of technological development as machines were programmed (utilizing AI/ML) to interact with each other to sculpt a convenient life for all. M2M to the rescue! M2M is a marvelous technology catapulting productivity, saving costs (reduced labour costs, failure/ defect costs), boosting revenues for businesses and ensuring provision of excellent post purchase journey for customers. So let’s explore an array of applications of M2M: On the factory floor M2M can phenomenally maneuver complex tasks sans errors and defects, which are likely to occur when performed by manual labour. With the application of sensors M2M possesses the capability to distinguish device failure and sprout out solutions without any human intervention. For instance Minto an Indian startup, caters to identification of faults prior to machine break downs. Condition monitoring involves the tracking of certain factors such as temperature or vibrations during various processes such as energy application, utilitiy activities, process manufacturing and much more. Elemental machines a startup hailing from US brings on table similar services of monitoring the impact of different environmental stimuli in containers and manufacturing facilities. For instance in the case of transporting chemicals, vaccines, precious natural resources, oil and so on. Elemental machines, provides services such as gathering of data from original equipment manufacturer devices and different machines to create insights for decision making about machine health, workflows and capacity utilization in varied industries, to name a few, energy, life sciences, material and so forth. Digital factories can master efficiency by the offerings of a German startup RoboticsX, that aims to connect industrial devices to ERP systems for seamless sharing of data. In agriculture, sensors observe and analyze the quality of soil, if it is suitable for planting a particular crop, the impact of weather (precisely precipitation on the health of the crop), appropriate use of pesticides, particular areas that require pasturing or irrigation and the list is endless. M2M’s application in logistics management and inventory management ensures efficient and hassle-free tracking of deliveries (nationally and internationally) and return of products. Thus enforcing a superior post customer service experience. Loticiti a Canadian offers fleet management services employing IIoT and M2M for boosting product deliveries in a spectrum of industries such as cold-chain management, waste management, construction and so forth. Wearable devices can notify doctors when a patient requires a checkup or urgent assistance based on their vitals. In the case of smart homes, a refrigerator can be programmed to order and pay for daily essentials as soon as there is a shortage (every teenagers dream!). The air conditioner can be commanded to cool a particular room whilst you are on your way to home. Smart cities will incorporate connected gas or power meters that share real time data on usage. Well-connected cars and traffic systems to maintain road safety, adept waste management, disaster management, tracking impacted areas and population during natural disasters or crisis, maintaining cleanliness in the city, payment of fines for breaking rules, identifying parking spaces and the list is unbelievably long. Quantum alert! Super hero, villain or both? However, security and privacy implications exist with M2M and IoT as they are vulnerable to cyberattacks. Whilst encryption seems one of the competent options, unfortunately it is challenged by the herculean power of quantum computing due to its ability of decryption. Thus, jeopardizing sensitive data of businesses, banks, consumers and so forth.
Global Gravitates to Grandiose Gratification Gallantly= 5G
5G is the 5th generation of cellular networks! Ok this sounds too technical and geeky, let’s make this explanation a tad bit simpler. 5G = Global Gravitates to Grandiose Gratification Gallantly! If you are still baffled with this phrase, let’s dissect it and comprehend over it. The advent of 5G is here not only to provide 100 X faster speed than 4G, faster connectivity speed, super low latency or greater bandwidth but to radicalize businesses, industries and society. Thus accelerating economic activity across sectors, industries, nations and the global economy, permeating socio economic benefits for society. Individuals especially belonging to the Gen Y and Gen Z seek instant gratification be it in the form of social media appreciation or technology commanding their wishes true. From having companion robots to smart homes to smart cities to autonomous cars or flying cars. Human aspirations and need for gratification will amplify with the activation of 5G worldwide, moving forward in this journey hand and hand. Tech sovereignty here refers to the rampant advancements in technology laying emphasis on its hegemonic role in society. Widespread roll out of 5G will proliferate technologies’ dominance as devices connect with each other, share information, process data, deliver insights all in real time. ‘CONNECTION’ is the ultimate aim of 5G, this connection between devices, machines, equipment, automotive and people will transform the lens from which we viewed the world in the past. It is believed that technology will one day over power human beings. How will 5G dominate industries and what changes do we expect to experience in this decade? 5G, with it will introduce astronomical speed and low latency (ensure seamless connections are maintained whether a device’s or smart sensor’s settings juggle between 5G to WIFI or vice versa). These characteristics of 5G will propel unrelenting opportunities, pivot industries to undergo unbelievable metamorphosis and foster astonishing technologies. 5G will essentially bolster IoT [(internet of things) smart sensors and devices connected to each other and networks], edge computing, cloud computing, AI, AR, VR and so forth influencing a plethora of industries like logistics, AgriTech, healthcare, transportation and manufacturing. It is expected to create job opportunities demanding, data scientists, network architects, software developers, research scientists and information security analysts. However, one of the major challenges of 5G is exorbitant infrastructure/ installation costs during the roll out process.Governments around the world play a pivotal role in the seamless deployment of 5G infrastructure. 5G will remain sensitive to obstructions thus leading to deforestation, loss of habitat for the species, increased pollution and harmful carcinogenic radiation. Furthermore, 5G users claim that their mobile phone battery drains out quickly. Cybersecurity and privacy challenges exist hence it is imperative to employ strong and firm system/back-end for the technology (PS: IoTfostered by 5G will be susceptible to cyber-attacks duemassive amounts of data being created, shared and analyzed). Imagine all devices connected to each other in a smart city and if the system unfortunately gets hacked, the city will come to a constant standstill. Whole enormous manufacturing facilities may cease due to cyber security problems or the electricity grid can be possessed creating a ruckus in a country. This will lead one to wonder, whilst technology is deemed a savior it can be transformed into a lethal weapon thus replacing traditional warfare with technological warfare.The digital divide may augment due to 5G roll out failing to target each and every corner of the country. Albeit a coin has two sides to it. Smart cities will multiply exponentially as 5G is rolled out across the world manifesting its superpowers or sprinkling its majestic pixie dust. CONNECTIVITY is key, autonomous vehicles and traffic systems work in tandem (via IoT) to prevent accidents and unnecessary traffic jams in real time. Haas Alert of Chicago has created a cloud service displaying real time data and notifications (captured from sensors attached to roads) in the form of dashboards for drivers and autonomous cars in order to eschew accidents. Scandinavian countries are lauded for their passion towards smart cities, preserving environmental resources and are big time environmentalists. Smarter electricity girds will taper CO2emissions maintaining a cleaner environment. Waste Hero of Denmark intends to create efficient waste management systems across cities by harnessing 5G and sensors. Sensors notify the waste collection companies when bins are ready to be collected, saving time and energy. Utilization of sensorsand drones can assist in predicting and forecasting any sort of disaster and enforce disaster management. Retail experience will transform 360 degrees promoting personalized real time shopping. Consumers can wave goodbye to never-ending queues, as the process of billing and payment will take place simultaneous to the customer walking out of the store with their purchased goods . Amazon is employing this technique in their personal potential brick and mortar stores. Of course in the media and entertainment bucket, consumers can cherish seamless video streaming at 4K and gaming experiences, getting acquainted with the VR and AR experiences. Manufacturing processes will become automated via connected devices transforming the factory floor, supply chain, inventory management, QA (qualityassurance) resulting in reduced unit costs. Production lines will sense and react to supply and demand sans human intervention. Traceability of goods will become efficient, reflecting a responsible post purchase experience offered by the business, in case of misplaced placed or undelivered products. Companies like Seadronix of South Korea specializes in ship monitoring and autonomous flight control system. It leverages a collection of 5G, cameras and sensors in real time to manage obstacles and taper losses to the environment and human accidents. The combinations of technology such as 5G, IoT, AI will nurture the AgriTech sector that is gradually reviving thanks to the intervention of technology. Covid-19’s impact on society is unparalleled to any of the pandemics that hit the world in the last decade. It catalyzed technological hegemony at an unprecedented rate, turning tables for multiple industries. While plenty failed to endure to this debacle, some emerged victorious such as EdTech and Healthtech (predominantly telemedicine). While physically schools were left abandoned, students continued studies online via remote learning. Students continued their higher education from the comfort of their homes however being neglected of social development. Health care and expert accessibility can act as a barrier to optimum health care services. Remote surgery systems powered by 5G can achieve the unfathomable, a doctor can conduct a surgery miles away from the patient by controlling a robot who is actually performing the surgery. Internet of medical things (IoMT) and 5G together can perform tasks such as sense any health symptoms such as cardiac arrest or low blood pressure and report this information to the nearest hospitals. However risks cannot be ignored as erratic internetconnection can lead to unintended and unforeseenconsequences. Individuals can experience flawless financial transactions and mobile banking and digital wallets will spur product and service innovation. Remote tellers will reduce
Supercomputers: ‘will I just remain an antique piece on the shelf soon?’
The anonymous Covid- 19 spurred the business ecosystem to experiment with unexpected strategies as a fulcrum of their contingency crisis actions. Dealing with this mayhem numerous business leaders discovered a truth. They were successful in walking the trajectory towards exceptional growth which they had expected to achieve in the next 3-5 years. Fast Forward in action! The same revelation was true with regards to innovations, as tireless scientists, inventors, entrepreneurs and businesses gave in their whole to counter Covid-19. Thus, underpinning technologies or studies that would have taken a few years or so to uncover. Likewise, technology can bring to life the unimaginable and unexpected faster with its magical wand. Presently technology is swinging its wand in the arena of: Quantum computing. Quantum computers can outcompete today’s supercomputers by achieving results at thunderbolt speed, that would have been possible only in the next 50 years. So, will quantum computing be the new super hero or villain. Let’s explore quantum computing and its benefits and consequences for businesses. But firstly, what is quantum computing? (Keep it simple silly) Quantum computing stems from the study of quantum mechanics. Quantum computers are exceptionally proficient than the existing supercomputers, possessing the capacity to accelerate calculations or data churning at an unprecedented rate. So, what makes this possible? Computers inherently use binary bits i.e. 1 or 0, whilst quantum computers utilize quantum bits or qubits i.e. 1 or 0 or both can co-exist known as the superposition state. Moreover, entanglement is a state in which additional qubits are induced in the quantum computers, amplifying its potential to churn data. Hence they procure the ability to analyze, create and consider vast simulations and probabilities, arriving at an impeccable solution or recommendation. Quantum computers boast the impetus to speed up complex calculations exorbitantly compared to its old counterpart friends. Quantum supremacy is essentially a pinnacle point that can be accomplished when a quantum computer can perform mathematical calculations that are impossible for supercomputers to unpuzzle. Challenges exist, but that ain’t shy the experts! However not everything is very merry in the quantum computing world. Qubits demand high maintenance (supercooled fridges and vacuum chambers) as their contact with any stimuli in the environment will deliver inaccurate results. This state is referred to as decoherence. Quantum computing is a phenomenon that certainly has a long path its way. There is immense scope for development in infrastructure for storing qubits as this concept scales up. The supply of qubits remains scarce, scientists/ researchers are oblivious to the number of qubits required to reach the standards of supremacy. There is a dearth of scientists, researchers, professors and experts with the optimum acumen. So, profound mysteries are yet to be unraveled in the world of quantum computing. An array of possibilities awaits. Albeit, fascinating developments in this field cannot be neglected. For instance in 2019 Google established quantum supremacy by deploying a 53 qubit quantum chip to resolve a mathematical calculation. One of the milestones achieved in the quantum computing world. On the other hand, IBM expects to create a 1000 qubit machine by 2023. While PsiQuantum supported by Microsoft aims to create a 1M qubit quantum computer in the next few years. Major tech giants like Google, IBM, Honeywell, Microsoft, Intel and so forth are working day in and day out to enhance the capabilities of their quantum computers. Some companies choose to purchase quantum computers for their respective businesses, while others can access them on cloud computing services. Quantum computer’s availability on cloud sounds incredible but is true as Microsoft and Amazon in collab with IonQ and Rigetti intend to become service providers via their respective cloud platform. Proponents argue that Moore’s Law may be in force with regards to quantum computing, as the computational power is bound to surge exponentially. This will come into effect by the addition of extra qubits into machines and employment of quantum algorithms. Quantum algos are developed to slice and dice through colossal amounts of data and numbers. Quantum’s berserk: its core essence! Quantum computing’s mystical vigor radiates it’s influence on any industry from pharma to financial services, agriculture to national security. Quantum computing’s penetration in the pharma industry will expedite novel drug discovery for fatal and chronic diseases. Furthermore, it can catapult genomic sequencing to another level leading to quicker scrutinization and targeted and personalized treatment. Artificial intelligence will move up notches due to the rampant computational power, excelling in pattern recognition, voice recognition, facial recognition, machine translation and multiple unexplored areas. Astonishing as it may sound, AI systems will be able to emulate the human brain and act human like in real time, taking well thought decisions and be flexible to change. Quantum computers are awed for their ability for optimization, this will lead to a significant transformation for the logistics industry. Stellar companies like DHL are deploying quantum computers for improved efficiency in their supply chains and enhanced post purchase customer experience. Businesses can omit failures and defects in products during manufacturing due to the blessed powers of quantum computing saving costs and reducing waste. In the agriculture sector quantum computers will reign in creating efficient fertilizers due to the complex and intricate permutations and combinations required to complete the process. Discovery of novel materials in the arena of material science will prosper. Volkswagen and Daimler intend to utilize quantum computers to increase the efficacy of batteries of electric cars. The facets of testing will become quick and proficient, concurrently the performance of systems during various contingencies can be corroborated, for instance flight testing and management. Quantum computing is poised to impact financial services in a phenomenal manner, as immense computational power has always been its oil to conduct simulations and forecasting that will accelerate. Thus quantum computers will essentially foster processes in terms of markets simulations, risk management, portfolio optimization, fraud detection and any exercise that involves intense complexity. Institutions such as Goldman Sacs, Citigroup and more have employed quantum computers to ameliorate financial services. National security can be maintained and enriched
Question: Does History Repeat Itself ? Answer: Yes! Agri 2.0 India
History does repeat itself! An experiential reality we are tackling since 2020. Concurrent to the Spanish flu of the 1918s, Covid 19 swamped the global population under its notorious reign. Moreover, Cold War’s, civil wars or riots still exist but are engulfed and manifested via social media. Natural disasters yet again jeopardize mankind in different periods of cycle to maintain nature equilibrium. Gender equality remains an area of concern not only socially but at the workplace and boardrooms, post decades of women empowerment campaigns. Certain countries deemed powerful in history lost their charm and charisma to others as they were crowned world powers. The developed world experienced its share of developments, success, grandeur, business, transformation, growth and innovation, only to hand it over the emerging markets (BRICSessentially India and China). Essentially the developed after a point of time will grow linearly while the developing will surge exponentially. Eureka moments were not only constrained to Einstein but flourished through to 2021. One idea is crystal clear, cycles exist and repeats itself , synonymous to the life cycle of karma. Similar to how the world and our lives rotate in a cycle, metaphorically hinting at the rat or Guinee pig. The agricultural revolution (green revolution) rotated around the fulcrum of innovation heading towards the boisterous possibility of green revolution/ agricultural revolution 2.0 in India. The Malthusian approach to agriculture/food production was a skeptical outlook towards adequately fulfilling the demands of the exponentially increasing population. He stressed on the augmenting instances of famine, war and diseases as food production may only grow linearly. In contract Boserup was endowed with an optimistic vision, population has the capacity and ability to harness technology and innovation to complete their needs. Indeed the Boserupian approach is absolutely relatable as seen with the advent of Agritech. It is fundamentally, harnessing technology to increase productivity, efficiency, transparency and ethics in a simple and seamless manner creating a win-win situation for all stakeholders especially the neglected farmers (in the Indian scenario). The Indian agriculture scene possessed numerous bottle necks where the farmers were victims to challenges such as: Previously the agricultural value chain consisted of multiple actors such as exploitative zamindars (landlords who rent their land for farming gauging for high returns), unjust raw material suppliers, corrupt middle men, wholesalers, distributers and retailers. Now with the advent of technology, bubbling startups and obliged government support the agricultural value chain is undergoing massive modifications and constructions. Innumerable applications are targeted exclusively for farmers during each stage of the value chain. Be it sourcing or producing or transforming and retail. Educating and nurturing is the first and foremost milestone towards success for the farmer as they build their knowledge base. Leveraging the knowledge, they can cultivate and harvest crops in a productive and efficient manner. Applications such as Agri Media Video App and Farm Bee permit farmers to connect and interact with each other and primarily experts to discuss and resolve queries. These applications persistently acquaint farmers about the latest technologies, governments regulations, schemes and reforms and rural development. In addition farmers have the privilege to share and upload photos and videos of crops (examples of good or bad practices or techniques to improve). The Kisan Yojana app empowers farmers to remain at the same page as the government about policies. Hence it can be argued that they are somewhat like EduTech apps for the Agritech sector. Charlie in the Charlie and the chocolate factory was bestowed with the invite to visit the chocolate factory. Likewise entrepreneurs invite farmers to leverage their unbelievable apps, resolving problems they have always been perturbed about such as weather, soil quality and efficient use of land. Deep technologies play an integral role in the evolution of AgriTech for instance AI, Robotics, IoT, Big data analytics, Biotech, Advanced Manufacturing Tech, Autonomous Vehicles, Satellite imagining and so forth. Precision agriculture propels the engagement of automated systems, drones and satellites to safeguard fields from excessive use of pesticides and water and decipher which particular patch of land requires treatment thus improving yield. Sensors are deployed across fields to acquire constant information about soil health, to cease soil degradation. Furthermore sensors deliver prerequisite information such as weather forecasts (rainfall) and harvesting periods. Spatial satellite data is evaluated to recognize which areas must be targeted for grazing, thwarting soil erosion and degradation. Incredible startups such as Bharat Agri bolster farmers in various stages such as sowing to harvesting. They predominantly focus on furnishing services such as farm mapping, soil testing, weather forecasting, water testing (irrigation planning), exposing farmers to expert advice and crop management. Resulting in phenomenal outputs and harvests. Cropin a SaaS based AgriTech company exercises technology to create, monitor and share insights/analysis/predictions about crop performance and health (eg: detect its likability to be threatened by pests and how to solve the issue). Furthermore they have in place risk assessment for farmers (lending/ insurance), quality control, visibility, marketability, seed to self-traceability (guarantee right price for farmer and credibility for consumers) and the list is endless. Agdhi brings to light defect in seeds and crops hence educating farmers to purchase quality seeds. DeHaat another tremendous startup provides farmers end to end solutions and similar services as Bharat Agri or Cropin, however it’s USP is the, privileged service via which farmers can purchase inputs at fair prices and sell output via their own app, absolutely eliminating the middle man. They serve micro entrepreneurs with services such as digital management of financial data, inventory planning and access to real time data. Terracroft and Tartan Sense envisage the utilization of robots and drones for increased productive capacity whilst balancing the labour deficit. It is mindboggling how technology can move mountains for different sectors and industries. Multiple FinTech and InsuranceTech firms are either targeting rural India or exclusively innovating services for farmers. They are on the verge of competing with not so efficient traditional NBFC’s in the micro credit and insurance space. Frequently farmers are denied access to credit as the money is generally
Genomics: from Cure to Prevention? What’s Next? Immortality?
Radical evolutions in science and technology have persistently proliferated the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry across the globe. Since the evolution of life on earth, numerous epidemics and pandemics jeopardized mankind, thus catalyzing innumerable empirical studies conducted by scientists and clinical professionals on living organisms such as humans, animals and plants. Identifying answers to various questions such as what constitutes the human body? What is genetics? How do viruses and illnesses originate and subsequently spread. How do organisms get infected? What can be a potential cure? Fast-forward to 2020s, unbelievable metamorphic changes propelled health care, pharma, life sciences, healthtech, medtech, biotech, nanotech and so forth. The notion of playing around with genetics/genomics has adorned itself as a game changer for decades to follow. Bringing under the spotlight, potential cures to fatal illnesses such as cancer or chronic diseases, plausible shift towards prevention than diagnosis and considerate increase in life expectancy. Unfathomable projects are under scrutiny and experimentation by Google and many to achieve immortality. Something individuals have been acquainted with via mythologies or sci fi movies. So, what is the world heading towards? How ethical are these advancements? What should be a response towards this change? Genomics is the study of the collection of all the genes in an organism. Governments along with health care systems around the world are propagating the idea of having their citizens to opt for sequencing. Indeed, the demand for sequencing has skyrocketed, from predominantly being a niche offering to a mass accessibility. The cost of a sequencing costed $95,000,000 in 2001 while in 2020s its costs just $300. Mind-blowing isn’t it? In just a decade the prices tapered drastically thanks to augmenting computational power. Technology is becoming smarter, absorbing massive amounts of data at an astounding rate and coming back with recommendations / suggestions for decision making. Developments in genomics bring with it a ray of hope to cure cancer and chronic diseases. Genetic editing allows scientists to add, modify and remove genetic material of an organism creating possibilities of treatments for incurable diseases however ethical implications exist. Designer babies are a subject of ethical dilemma and prohibited in multiple countries albeit the possibility of manipulating genetics of an embryo according to one’s parents’ wishes sounds extremely far-fetched. All the more genomics has the prowess to shift the ideal procedure of diagnosis and cure to preventive healthcare. Gene therapy boils down to the fact that hereditary diseases can be evaded by alteration of genes. Implying that an individual’s life expectancy is bound to increase by a significant number of years. Liquid biopsy a fantastic outcome of genomics believed to help detect cancer at earlier stages than before. Another interesting process called pharmacogenomics ensures increased efficacy of medication during treatments, by investigating the impact of genes on medication. Hence assuring doctors what medications will complement the individuals body system and increase recovery rates. Genomics is at the forefront to permeate change for the health care, healthtech and medtech industry, catalyzing them to up the ante time and again. The Human Genome Project commenced in the 1990s and was successful in furnishing the understanding of genomes, genetics and development of future technologies that would help to delve deeper into the study. People were supportive in offering their samples to propel studies, innovations, conclusions and establish solutions to ease the pain of mankind. Today as individuals agree to share their genetic information with health authorities and governments for scrutiny and experimentation, concerns of over data privacy and protection cannot be ignored. The question of ethics and morality is certainly raised. Hence it is increasing imperative for all stakeholders around the world to collaborate to create a framework and regulations, in order to protect data and eschew sharing of information to third parties. Genomics will bring about substantial disruption for the insurance industry, as they are abstained from underwriting genetic results of individuals in multiple countries. Furthermore, consumers are perturbed and reluctant about sharing genetic information because of its likely impact on their eligibility for insurance cover. It is plausible some individuals will perhaps deny genetics testing as a whole. The need of the moment is to recruit genetic experts and counselors or train physicians and certify them to implement accurate analysis and interpretation of results. In addition if laws in the future permit insurers to access genetic information or provide genetic testing services for individuals (permitted in certain countries) they have immense onus to ensure confidentiality, privacy and protection of data. Not to miss no matter what the results showcase or diagnose post policy agreement, it is unlikely to have an impact on their policy. Hence as genetic testing augments amongst the population, insurers and governments may corroborate incorporating it in their policy product portfolio to benefit all the parties and increase life expectancy of individuals. Embracing social and economic change is imperative. Amidst of the developments healthtech and medtech is destined to benefit from genomics unlocking its power to deliver phenomenal products and services. Starry eyed investors watch genomic firms with awe as these next revolutionaries reshape the health and pharma industry. However, an analysis of the ethical implications of supporting and investing in these firms is crucial. Let’s consider a few schools of thoughts. A social investor will be thrilled to take a bold step of investing in genomics firms as they intend to cure fatal diseases by identifying the root cause, to prevent it and provide accurate and personalized medication. Investors complying to socially responsible investing (SRI) may not hesitate to invest in them based on their particular values or belief systems. For instance an investor who has witnessed the sorrowful event of a near one struggling with a fatal disease. However whilst investors may view advancements from the emotional lens they are required to remain judicious in their decision taking and ascertain implications (be it ethical or social) before arriving at conclusions. Genomics is a megatrend that is implausible to ignore, they require as much investment, funds and grants as possible, to have a microscopic
Steps towards an egalitarian society?
The jargons impact investing, socially responsible investing (SRI) and environmental social governance (ESG) may sound synonymous. To one’s surprise there is an extremely thin line between them, the root may be the same of creating a positive social and environmental impact but they branch out as three different types of investing. These words have attracted traction since the last decade or so. Booming consumer culture around the world not only exposed different parts of the world with consumerism but led to resultants such as global warming, climate change, accumulation of e-waste, pollution, violation of human rights, health and safety concerns at work, inequality between haves and haves not, corruption, governance issues, digital divide, inefficiency ofseamless health care services. Concepts of ethics and morality have become a revelation by individuals and the same is expected by businesses thus highlighting responsible investing such as impact investing, SRI and ESG. Fostered by the plight of the environment, disrupted ecosystems, animal extinctions and increasing disparity in society. So, what differentiates impact investing, SRI and ESG? How do investors and businesses view them? Are they really impactful? Impact investing, SRI and ESG advocates the intent to establish both positive social outcomes and financial outcomes. The predecessor to the millennials usually were proponents of profits maximization and generating maximum yields based on their invested capital. Consumerism was on its peaks, only a handful of individuals were environmentally conscious and familiarized with its ill effects (landfills, incineration, pollution, climate change, global warming, pandemics, natural disasters) taking a toll on the environmental and society as a whole. Environmental activists and supporters commenced spreading awareness, holding rallies and challenging corporate businesses and governments. Eventually environmental studies carved a part for itself in school and university curriculums. Gradually successors such as millennials based on their academic backing and experiences (Gen Y) brought to light the idea of responsible investing. They either choose to invest in companies that are environmentally and socially friendly and transparent, or provide funds to social entrepreneurs (having an hands on or hands off approach) or merely invest in companies that reflect their values, beliefs and personality. Millennials state that their ultimate reason for espousing responsible investing is reflecting their beliefs, values, personality, social, political and environmental views. Millennials and the budding Gen Z are extremely thoughtfultowards protecting the environment for the future generations, having being exposed to and cognizant of the dire impacts of corporate businesses on the environment and society. For instance planned obsolescence a strategy employed by major tech giant firms to upsurge demand for their products by creating products that carry a short life span. Thus leading to massive amounts of e-waste being generated, pollution due to incineration, pollution of nearby waterways and rising number of fatal cases such as cancer or asthma amongst people living nearby such sites or who deal with the waste. The collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory (in Bangladesh) took lives of numerous workers producing clothes for brands such as H&M, bringing in headlines of poor working condition and dearth of health and safety provision. The infamous BP oil spill in the gulf of Mexico (2010)/ Exxon Valdez spill (1989) created a precarious situation for the marine life. The Volkswagen emissions scandal deceived public on emission testing. Consumer demands for data protection online/social networking websites propelled the introduction of GDRA regulation in EU, enforcing other countries to create and adopt similar frameworks and regulations. Investments in small social enterprises and backing social entrepreneurs/innovators is in short, the aim of impact investing. Impact creation is the first and foremost criteria for investment while profit maximization is weighted second.However, the balance between the two differs, grounded oninvestment approach of the investor. Impact investing can take the form of funding projects such as affordable housing, clean energy/ clean tech, education provision, affordable health care services and microfinance. It is relatively a risky investment congruent to investing in a startup as financial returns are uncertain and also the impact creation may not sustain due to scalability issues. Impact investing is at a nascent stage and only a handful of investors have the inherent ability, passion and enthusiasm to get on board.Usually enormous VC funds or investment funds don’t mind dipping their hands in tricky waters, and in fact they and NGOs together are majorly supporting social enterprises. In agreement that any manifestation of responsible investing will steadily proliferate in the comes years due to changing societal mindsets. Valuing a corporate business lacks complexity due to abundance of financial information. However impact investing just like a startup encounters scarcity of valuation metrics. As an investor ascertaining multiple facts such the actual impact created, relevant audience being targeted, the number of people impacted, effective and efficient business model and frameworks for valuation purposes can be challenging. Besides some mind churn and research is essential to determine that the problem targeted is practical and so is the solution. One needs to have clear picture and approach in mind before becoming an impact investor. What is their purpose in life? What do they want to achieve/ outcome? What change would they like to create in the world? Hence identify a small social enterprise which shares concurrent beliefs, meet with the founders and understand their perspective, their mission and vision, their ability to scale up and create as much impact possible. Akin to startups others risks involve scalability, liquidity issues and exits avenues. Impact investors can additionally form club deals with VC and PE investors to continue their support to the enterprises as their backed social enterprises scale. ESG essentially refers to an array of environmental, social, governance factors a commercial corporate firm should possess and abide by to attract investments from the socially/environmentally conscious investors. To delve deeperlet’s have a look at the factors one considers before investing in a company: Environmental factors: • Harmful Emissions from factories • Pollution • Biodiversity • Waste management • Cradle to Grave • Circular economy • Animal Welfare • Energy use (carbon neutral organization) Social factors: • Health and Safety of employees and workers • Child Labour • Human Rights • Employee rights • Supplier relations • Customer relations • Data protection and privacy • Gender diversity Governance: • Transparency • Auditing • Shareholder Rights • Conflicts of interest Firms that integrate, target and administer ESG factors/guidelines will certainly reap the benefits with regards to yield generation, profit maximization and social change.Incorporating a mix of the ESG expectations create manifold benefits such as minimalize any regulatory or legal difficulties, increase employee motivation, curtail costs significantly and accelerate topline. An argument or alternative perspective arises, ESG can be deliberated as strategic intent for both the parties. The company that complies to ESG standards can undoubtedly attract a pool of new age investors (millennials, GenZ) as the company enhances its reputation and is celebrated in the limelight. Accumulating funds to grow and prosper producing phenomenal financial outcomes (for themselves and the investors) and simultaneously social change. SRI (Socially responsible investing) is embraced by investors who wish to support a company that conforms to their beliefs and personal, ethical or religious values post conducting a negative and positive screening of industries and companies. For instance, one investor may take an oath not to invest and collaborate with companies producing and selling alcohol, cigarettes or weapons. It is indeed an interesting outlook to investing as the investor feels a sense of
Accumulate wealth: the long-term way!
Long-term business success, long-term business planning, long-term goal setting, long-term vision, long-term sales/ profits, long-term outcomes, planning for one’s child higher education, purchasing a family insurance. These terms, phrases and actions are inculcated in our daily lives. They sound familiar and we resonate with these phrases as we hear and read about them primarily in the business context or financial planning. From business leaders to students at business school are encouraged to implement a long-term approach to business success and viability. Meanwhile individuals merely rely on savings and short-term investments without conducting research resulting in suboptimal returns sans any suitable approach to create wealth. They are sceptical to take risks and fail to adopt a long-term approach to investments which essentially will create spectacular returns. Advocates and proponents of long-term investing like Warren Buffet, Benjamin Graham and Philip Fisher propagated the idea of long-term investing (in equity markets) underlining the concept of compounding of assets thus accumulating unexpected wealth. Long term investing utilizes the fundamental approach to investing tapering risks and losses . However, this approach requires immense reading and examination of the investee company than the scrutiny of the stock market or its trends. Psychology plays a pivotal role in long term investments, it can either make or break the game. One needs to maintain a logical and practical approach and keep emotions aside. The investor should consider the investment as business investment rather than stock market investment. Patience is truly a virtue for the long-term investor. So how should one explore and follow long-term investing as an investment style? Individuals are baffled with the dilemma that they require expertise for long-term investing. While one can employ an analyst who is competent in the field or a mutual fund/ investment fund that abide by the concept of long-term investing. Getting acquainted with a few concepts of long-term investing will do no harm and in fact empower individuals to gauge their investments and not merely rely on the decision of mutual funds/investment funds. Usually investing is seen from two sides of the lens. A top-down approach or bottom up approach. The former approach implies that investors, investment managers and analysts scrutinize the economy by spotting trends resulting from secular growth, analysing GDP growth and sectors that have favourable potential or huge growth and later identify companies that are financially stable and worthwhile for investment. While the latter approach is the opposite where companies are enumerated first and analysed upwards i.e. industry/ sector/ economy. Let’s consider the bottom up approach. Companies are usually selected based on a thorough analysis, examining both the quantitative and qualitative factors of the business. Moreover, it is vital to validate the potential growth rate of the industry remaining consistent in the next few years. Implying the possibility that the business growth will too accelerate around that figure. Quantitative aspects highlight analysing balance sheets, profit and loss statements, cashflow statements and a couple of financial ratios to deem a company’s financial strength. Consistent growth and performance across the last 7-10 years will paint an accurate picture in the investors mind towards investing in a company. A holistic financial analysis of the company’s financial position is of utmost importance. If it is performing well than only it will lead to accelerating quality of earning (EPS). A company that is generating free cashflows, is operating on zero debt, producing above average EBITDA, ROE, ROCE and PAT ratios can become a part of the stellar list of companies. In addition gauging if the business possess an asset light model (less assets required by the company) is essential as it results in tapered expenses and augmenting profits. The qualitative aspects principally refer to the strength of the business internally and externally: What is the business model and is it durable, scalable, feasible? What are the products and services offered by the company? How are they sold? ‘What is the USP of the products of services? What is the market size and size of opportunity? Is there brand loyalty and customer loyalty? Can they predict disruption and adopt first movers’ advantage? Are they ready to react to disruption? Does it possess the capabilities to organically grow? What are its existing and potential business strategies to grow? Is the quality of the management fair and just? Are they following corporate governance? These are generic questions one may confer to while deliberating on the business they would like to invest. Not to miss, considering the longevity of a business is key, its persistence to survive, remain agile and nimble respond to disruptions. A business that can survive for decades or centuries has the possibility to generate phenomenal and spectacular returns if managed by a highly skilled, competent and committed management. Consider the legacy brands like Coca Cola, Mc Donald’s, HP, Exxon mobile, Pfizer and the lists is never-ending. PS: Extra factors to focus on are listed below: An amalgamation of all these factors together constructs a holistic picture of the business and its suitability for investment. Information on these factors can be accessed from the company websites, annual reports, quarterly reports, brokerage reports, insights collected from your network, analysts or primary research carried out by connecting with suppliers, customers, competitors and other investors. Prior to purchasing shares or stocks in a company one has to ensure if they are purchasing an overvalued or undervalued stock/ shares. So, what does this mean? Overvalued hints at the fact that you are paying more than what the company is worth and undervalued is you are paying less compared to the value of the company. According to the supreme Benjamin Graham, a value investor purchases shares or stock that is undervalued and has the ability to generate optimal returns ( via capital appreciation as the EPS of the company surges its market capitalization increases and price may equal to value) i.e. in simple words buy cheap and sell high while maintaining a long-term approach. It is all the more necessary to always calculate a margin of safety
