Important Innovations

  December IPO To Raise $2.8 Billion                                             Source:  DoorDash Hot Food Delivery US Startup San Francisco based startup DoorDash is expected to raise nearly $3 billion in a December IPO on the NYSE.  That would double the value of the food delivery startup.  DoorDash is expected to be one of the biggest IPO's of 2020. COVID-19 Driving Restaurant Meal Take-Outs COVID-19 has greatly accelerated demand for meal delivery services as people try to avoid going into restaurants and stores.  That has driven up business for Door Dash, which is the biggest, 3rd party delivery service for restaurants in the US. Millions of IPO Shares DoorDash is pricing 33 million shares at between $75 and $85.  At $85 per share that would give DoorDash a market cap of $27 billion.  In June during a private fundraisi...

  COVID Vaccines Very Close to Market                                             Source:  Moderna Hope For a COVID Weary World Moderna, headquartered in Cambridge, MA, is seeking US, EU and UK emergency authorization for their COVID vaccine.  The vaccine has proved to be 94% effective.  The company adds it has no serious side effects. Highly Effective More than 1.5 million people have died from COVID.  Moderna says the vaccine is 100% effective in preventing severe cases of COVID.  It also works across demographic groups, including age, gender, ethnicity and race. Second COVID Vaccine Close to Market This is the second vaccine that is now under review for emergency authorization.  The other vaccine was developed by Pfizer and its German biotech partner BioNTech.  That vaccine is 95%.  Both the Pfizer and the Moder...

  Singapore Ranks #8 on Global Innovation Index                                               Source: Singapore Stock Image City-State Investing Heavily in Technology and Innovation Singapore is investing heavily in technology and innovation,  It hopes to become the world's first smart nation.  And, its investments are paying off.  The funding it put into digital innovation helped it to continue to do business during the COVID pandemic.  COVID has devastated its tourism business.  So, Singapore is using AI to help bring tourists back safely to its MICE economy.  Singapore is a global leader in meetings, incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions otherwise known as MICE. AI "Chat Bots" on Duty From Vouch Tourism and business travel to Singapore this year took a very hard hit.  From January - July 2020, it wa...

  The Rainforest Connection and Connected Mangroves                               Source:  Philippine Mangroves Drones, Cell Phones, the Cloud Fighting Climate Change In the Philippines, telecom company PLDT and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications are deploying drones, cell phones, digital technology and the Cloud to preserve and protect critical areas of global environmental biodiversity.  Specifically, they're using technology to protect the Caimpuga Peatlands and the Aguran Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary.  They contain the only remaining peat swamp forest in the Philippines.  The project is called The Rainforest Connection.  Another PLDT program Connected Mangroves is using technology to protect mangrove forests.  These are unique ecosystems critical in the fight against Climate Change. Climate Change's Impact Peatlands can store twice as much carbon as all ...

  VW Speeds Production of Small E-Car & Offers e-MiniBuses                                                            Source:  VW Increasing Green Market Share VW is significantly expanding and accelerating its electric vehicle model line-up.  It is speeding development of a new, compact e-car that would cost less than $35,800 and be in showrooms as early as 2023. Electric Station Wagons and Mini-Buses VW has a lot in the electric works.  In 2020, a new ID.5 crossover will hit the market.  Also in 2021, VW's EV push will go global with the ID.4 SUV being produced in Europe, China and the US.  In 2023, an electric minibus, reminiscent of the hippie-era minibus, will be on the market. Also in 2023, an electric station wagon called the Aero with a range of 435 miles on a single charge...

  Maserati's Total Electric Lineup within the Next Five Years                                Source:  Maserati 2021 Grecale SUV World Automakers Pushing EV Future Maserati is Fiat Chrysler's premier luxury brand based in Italy.  Maserati chief executive Davide Grasso said today, during an online event sponsored by the Italian daily newspaper Milano Finanza, that the entire Maserati lineup is being electrified - either fully electric or hybrid electric - within the next five years.  That is a very big deal for a top of the line, combustion engine, high speed, sportscar iconic brand. New SUV Grecale Maserati will launch it new SUV Grecale in 2021 in both combustion engine and hybrid versions.  A fully electric Grecale will follow and be available soon thereafter.  This is another big example of the global push by automakers to electrify their lineups as world governments...

  Musk Talks of  "New Form Factors" in New Designs Source:  Tesla Tesla to Customize Models for International Markets Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who is a notorious big tease, told an online European Conference on Batteries audience this week that he is excited about designing new electric cars that will have "new form factors".  Musk said that to attract top talent to Tesla, he must provide them the big opportunity that they crave - to work on new, original car model designs. Gigafactories in Berlin and Shanghai Musk says  he is really excited about new design concepts which will be originating from his gigafactories in Shanghai and Berlin.  In Berlin, he expects to develop a compact electric car model, likely a hatchback, to cater to the preferences of European drivers for smaller, green cars. Expanding Tesla's Lineup Expansion is clearly on Musk's mind.  Some of his targets include: Designing an original car in China for global distribution Designing a com...

  Now on Audible, ACX, Apple iTunes, Kindle, Amazon                                                                      Source:  Amazon Ed Kane's Book "Big Travel Breakthroughs 2020's - Journalist Guide to Cars, Planes, & More Journalist Edward Kane's latest audiobook on travel innovations "Big Travel Breakthroughs 2020's" is now available on Audible, ACX, Apple iTunes, Kindle and Amazon.   To access the book,  https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08FNHCX18&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_sGRVFb9XPZ4XY   and click on the Audible sample, The b ook showcases the latest, big car, plane, train, new vehicle innovations.  It's a unique and exciting journalist guide to the latest modes of transportation just emerging.  ...

  CEO Musk Wants to Introduce Compact E-Cars in Europe Source:  Tesla Model Y Tesla's European Expansion Plans During a European online conference on batteries sponsored by the German government, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he intends to expand Tesla operations in Europe.  He intends to do so by introducing a compact electric car model that he feels will be more appropriate and in tune with the European market.  The compact electric car will be another new model that Musk will be introducing including his much anticipated Cybertruck which will be rolled out within the next year or two. Hatchbacks for Europe Musk told the online conference that the car he has in mind for Europe is a hatchback.  He noted that US cars tend to be bigger, while in Europe they tend to be smaller.  He said while driving a Tesla Model Y SUV around Berlin, he had a lot of difficulty finding a parking space that was long enough for the car.   Tesla All of Tesla's vehicles are ...

  Customers Order Fully Electric Pickup and SUV in Droves                                                  Source:  Rivian Michigan Based EV Startup Rivian Before Michigan startup Rivian offered the first edition of its electric pickup truck to the public, it sold out of all of its order reservation spots.  The bidding for the first editions of the R1T e-pickup truck and R1S e-SUV were offered first to people who had put down a $1,000 deposit in the past two years.  The vehicles sold out within a week.  Rivian calls it their Launch Edition.  The R1T will be delivered to customers in June 2021.  The R1S SUV will be delivered in August 2021. Pre-Ordering for January 2022 Deliveries Opens Today Rivian is now offering pre-order access to the public on their Adventure and Explore packages which include all-glass ro...

  SAT to Precisely Measure Climate Change Impact on Oceans                                                  Source:  NASA & ESA Keeping a Watchful Eye on Oceans & Climate Change A new NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) satellite to precisely measure rising sea levels from climate change was launched into orbit this weekend onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, from California.  The satellite will be able to precisely measures sea levels on 90% of the world's oceans.  This is the latest in a series of ocean monitoring satellites.  But the technologies on this satellite are so precise they will be able to provide sea level measurements within a few centimeters. Weather Forecasting Data Assistance According to NASA, the new satellite will also help improve the accuracy of weather forecasts as it will provide new, in-...

  Google App, Smartphone, AI & a Runner's Determination                                             Source:  Thomas Panek's 5K Blind Runner Does 5K Run With No Human or Dog Assistance This is a news story that is so uplifting! A blind runner, in New York City, ran a 5K or 3.1 miles in Central Park without a guide dog or any human help.  He did it on his own with navigation provided by artificial intelligence through his headphones connected to his smartphone.  The runner is Thomas Panek, who is a well known blind person dedicated to running and also to running his Guiding Eyes for the Blind, that trains guide dogs to assist the blind.  Panek is an innovator and adventurer who just keeps on pushing the limits of his own successes.  Those successes have a great deal of application to all of us. Personal Journey to Google Panek ...

  Journey into the Heart of the Milky Way Source:  Milky Way Stock Image Space Mysteries and Wonders Astronomers have discovered a fossil galaxy buried deep inside the Milky Way.  They've named the fossil galaxy Heracles and believe that it collided with the Milky Way 10 billion years ago.  It is very large and accounts for 1/3 of the Milky Way's spherical halo.  So, why wasn't it discovered before now? Scientists say it wasn't discovered before because it is so deeply buried inside the Milky Way.  Highly advanced technology was utilized to make the discovery. APOGEE Technology Highly advanced technology known as APOGEE was used to discover the fossil galaxy.  The team, led by astronomer Ricardo Schiavon of the Liverpool John Moores University in the UK worked with data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey's Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment, or APOGEE. A Needle in a Haystack APOGEE provided the scientists with 10 years worth of track...

 New   Cloud Based Exchanges                                   Source:  Singapore Stock Exchange Amazon's Very Successful Pilot Amazon and two stock exchanges have put global stock trading in the cloud and done so very successfully.  This is a first of its kind pilot program involving Amazon Web Services, the Singapore Stock Exchange and the London-based Aquis Exchange. It demonstrated that trading shares on the cloud works, is fast enough and reliable for global stock trading.  It is a technological first that could move stock trading from expensive physical servers that require backup systems into the cloud.  It could be the start of cloud based stock exchanges that would be a lot less expensive to operate and possibly pass on savings to investors. Amazon Innovation Breakthrough For Amazon Web Services, this is a breakthrough new use of its cloud techn...

  DARPA Expediting & Optimizing eVTOL Designs                                      Source: Flying Taxi Stock Image Artificial Intelligence Created Flying Taxi Designs The US Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency - DARPA - has awarded a $7.2 million contract to Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas to test air  taxi designs created by artificial intelligence systems.  The team will analyze the AI designs and evaluate their capabilities.  The purpose is to use AI to optimize and accelerate the development and deployment of flying taxis, known as eVTOLs or electric, vertical takeoff and landing vehicles. Short Distance Air Taxi Travel The Texas research team has a set of priorities to follow from DARPA. DARPA wants flying taxi designs that can carry at least two people, travel 20 to 30 miles and be no larger than two cars parked...

GM's Electric Vehicles Spending to Increase 35%                                        Source:  Cadillac Lyriq GM Also Increasing Battery Production GM is going full throttle on electric vehicles.  Challenging Tesla's EV leadership, GM just announced it is accelerating planned spending on future EV's to more than $27 billion.  That is 35% more than planned.  And to accommodate the increased production of EV's, it will simultaneously increase its battery production. The announcement was made by GM CEO Mary Barra. Electric Vehicle Push By Global Automakers Last week, Volkswagen announced that it is investing $86 billion in electric vehicle development and production.  Tesla continues to leave the competition behind as it dominates global EV sales.  For GM, CEO Barra plans to offer EV's across the entire product line from vehicles costing less tha...

  NASA Finds Mysterious Glow in Deep Space                             Source:  NASA New Horizon Spacecraft New Science: Discovery of Light in Space From Outside Our Galaxy This is remarkable astronomy just reported by scientists at NASA.  For decades, scientists have been unable to answer the question:  How dark is space?  Meaning, is there any light in the inky darkness that you see in the night sky between stars and galaxies?  Through painstaking analysis, NASA scientists have discovered there is the mysterious glow of light in deep space coming from outside of our galaxy.   New Horizon Mission The NASA mission, to determine how dark space really is, is called New Horizon.  The New Horizon spacecraft is 4 billion miles from Earth and has provided astronomers with a series of images from its telescopes.  NASA scientists processed out any light from sta...

  Isolated Trips To Nature                                                Source:  HipCamp Vermont COVID Proofed Vacation Destination Travel COVID-19 has caused major disruptions and damage to the global economy and to global travel.  In response the travel industry is innovating with new forms of travel such as outdoor travel trips, remote lodging and private camps far from COVID infected cities.  It's an attempt at COVID proofing a getaway and includes a great deal of social distancing and hygiene.  As people start to think about travelling again and as we await the new COVID vaccines,  travel companies are innovating with new vacation solutions to distance vacationers from the crowds and COVID.  These are largely vacations into nature and the great outdoors. Hot Trends: Biking, Rowing, Camping and Fishing Accord...

  Pfizer To Request Quick Emergency FDA Approval Source:  Pfizer COVID Vaccine Suddenly There Is Hope    Pfizer has completed its late stage trial of its COVID-19 vaccine, saying it is 95% effective.  The company adds that it is effective on older adults, who are more vulnerable, and works against both mild and severe cases of COVID.  The company has the required 2 months of safety data for regulators.  Within days, Pfizer says it will apply for emergency FDA approval to start making it available for public use.  The vaccine's efficacy rate is the highest among all current vaccine candidate now in trials.  As the Economist magazine put it "Suddenly There is Hope". "The Speed of Science" Pfizer expects that the FDA will hold a public hearing on their vaccine in December.  Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla says knowing that every day matters in the fight against COVID, the company is moving at what he calls "the speed of science".  The vaccine...

Daimler & China's Geely to Develop Next-G Combustion Engine                                                Source:  2021 Mercedes New Engine for Hybrids German based automotive company Daimler and China's automaker Geely have just announced a partnership to develop a next generation combustion engine for use in hybrid vehicles.  The surprise announcement came as many governments, including the European Union, are tightening regulations on auto emissions.  Daimler says the new engine will be modular and highly efficient.  It will be manufactured in both China and Europe for use in hybrid drivetrains. Daimler Saving Money Daimler sets the bar in global automotive innovation and luxury. Geely is a huge automotive powerhouse.  It owns Volvo, the US based flying car company Terrafugia, Geely Auto, Lotus, Proton and has a 9.69...

  1st Pfizer/BioNTech COVID Vaccine,  Now Moderna Vaccine                                    Source: Moderna COVID Vaccine Moderna Vaccine is 94.5% Effective, Pfizer More than 90% More hope in the fight against the COVID-19 global pandemic.  Cambridge, MA based biotech Moderna reports that it has a COVID vaccine candidate that is 94.5% effective against the deadly virus .  COVID-19 has infected more than 55 million people and taken more than 1.3 million lives globally as of today.  Pfizer/Germany's BioNTech Vaccine Moderna has the second highly acclaimed vaccine candidate since Pfizer/BioNTech announced theirs a few days ago.  Pfizer claims their vaccine has a more than 90% effective rate. These vaccines have to be approved by regulatory authorities, but their results look very promising and are giving global medical experts hope of quick turnaround depl...

  Amazon Pharmacy:  Direct, Online Prescription Drug Services Source:  Stock image Starts This Week Amazon just announced another innovative business addition to its online retail portfolio.  It's opening a discount online pharmacy for prescription medications.  For Amazon Prime members, the drug will be delivered right to the customer's door, for free, within two days. Pharmacy Competition Amazon Pharmacy puts Amazon in direct competition with traditional pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens.  And the timing couldn't be better.  Many consumers are seeking to obtain their medicines online and avoid going into the pharmacy because of COVID.  Amazon says their new business line is designed to make it easy and convenient to order prescription medicines online.  The service is rolling out in the US this week. $300 Billion Market For Amazon, the stakes are big.  Prescription medicines are a $300 billion industry in the US.  Amazon has been ...

  Manager & Supervisor Jobs At Risk Source: Robot Stock Image Fascinating New Study from Penn's Wharton School of Management A new study by the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Management finds that it is managers and supervisors, not lower level employees, who are losing their jobs to robots and artificial intelligence.  The reason:  fewer numbers of managers can oversee larger portions of business operations with the help of AI and robotics expanding in their enterprise. Business Expansion With Robots The study's results are compelling.  The analysis covered businesses in Canada that used and didn't use robots and AI over the past 20 years.  Lead researcher Professor Lynn Wu found that firms deploying robots expanded their human workforce.  Those that did not deploy robots ended up with shrinking businesses and had to cut workers. Less Managers and Supervisors Needed According to the authors, the most surprising finding is that using AI ...

SpaceX 1st Fully Operational Flight for NASA Takes Off                                                 Source:  NASA 4 US Astronauts on SpaceX Resilience                                                       Source:  Space X SpaceX CEO Musk Has Moderate Symptoms of COVID SpaceX's 1st operational flight for NASA to the ISS with 4 US astronauts onboard just successfully launched in a capsule named Resilience.  This launch is historic.  It will be the first time in 60 years that NASA handed over the keys for a fully operational launch of NASA astronauts to a US private space company. Ironically, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk could not be in person for the historic moment.  H...

  VW Pumping $86 Billion into Electric & Autonomous Mobility                                                  Source:  VW  Leading the Way in Green Mobility Over the next five years, Volkswagen will pump $86 billion into electric and autonomous technologies. VW seeks to remain the world's largest automaker as the world shifts toward green, no emissions cars.   Half of VW's investment budget is going into electric vehicles, autonomous technology, hybrids and what it calls seamless software-based vehicle operating systems.  VW is also doubling its spending on digitalization to develop new self-driving systems and new vehicle operating systems. Tighter Emissions Standards in Europe and Elsewhere  With the European Union and many countries around the world toughening their regulations to reduce carbon emission...

  Big Bucks to Back Green Energy & Climate Projects                               Source: Renewable energy stock image "Green Roadmap" to Greener Environment Europe is putting big money behind its .commitment to a greener future.  European Union governments have approved $1.2 trillion in funding, which they call a "green roadmap" for the European Union's lending.  This new funding plan will stop financing of fossil fuel projects and move the lending over to green projects, such as renewable energy.  It's the European Investment Bank's Climate Bank. $1.2 Trillion For This Decade The $1.2 trillion in funding will be spent by 2030.  All the financing activity will be in sync with the Paris Climate Accord goals. Projects particularly in focus are those related to climate, biodiversity and sustainably focused projects.  The European Union has stated on many occasions th...

  Spot Spotted on the High Seas Aboard an Oil Rig Source:  Boston Dynamics Spot RoboDog Multitasking Robot Dog I've been following Boston Dynamics' Spot RoboDog for some time.  Here's an update on this incredible quadruped, multi-tasking robot dog.  Spot has been on duty in Asia doing polite, social distancing patrols on the streets of Singapore to advise and encourage people to keep their distances and prevent the spread of COVID-19 among residents during 2020.  Spot is serving as a service assistance robot in US offices and homes.  He's on duty as a patrol robot on UK construction sites.  And, now Spot has gone on the high-seas, aboard a British Petroleum oil rig more than 190 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico to do off-shore robotic duty.  Spot seems to be the world's greatest utility robot. Spot on Oil Rig Duty Onboard the BP oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, Spot is being programmed to monitor gauges, sniff out dangerous smells of methane and chec...

  Fully Functional Electric Car Created From Recycled Waste                           Source:  Technical University of Eindhoven   A Car Called Luca 22 students at the the Technical University of Eindhoven in the Netherlands have built a fully functional electric car from recycled waste.  The waste they used to build the car includes recycled PET bottles, ocean plastics and household waste.  Their purpose is to show the value of waste and how it can be recycled and used to create items of value like an electric car.  This was part of a University project to discover innovative ways that industries can find new uses for the 2.1 billions tons of waste the world generates every year.  The team that created Luca is led by a young woman, project manager Lisa van Etten. Luca The car is called Luca.  It's a two seat sports car that's totally electric.  The EV can hit 56 ...

  Highly Advanced Sensors to Warn of COVID in the Air                                                                           Source:  COVID-19 stock image US Defense Dept.'s DARPA Push The US Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency DARPA plans to build a series of prototype detectors capable of spotting the COVID virus in the air.  The devices are targeted for use in office buildings and schools.  The sensors would quickly and accurately detect the presence of the virus in the air in order to alert occupants and prevent the spread. Rising COVID Toll Experts have warned that the virus is airborne.  More than 52 million people worldwide have been infected and more than 1 million have died.  Both Europe and the US are experien...

  Orlando, Florida Will be Germany's Lilium's 1st US Vertiport                                                       Source:  Lilium Lilium's US Air Taxi Operations Start in 2025 from Florida Germany's Lilium air-taxi is one of the most promising, successfully tested and well funded air mobility startups in the world.  I've been blogging about the company's achievements for some time. It now has $375 million in investor funding.  It is establishing a Dusseldorf, Germany Vertiport planned for its eVTOLs - electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles.  And now, it announced its first US Vertiport at Lake Nona, a smart city being built near Orlando International Airport.  5 year old Lilium is racing ahead in the eVTOL field to revolutionize short haul transit. Lilium is an electric, green, air taxi se...

  UK based Hopin - Fastest Growth Startup                                                  Source:  Hopin Started in 2019, Now Valued at $2.1 Billion London-based virtual events startup Hopin has just raised $125 million in funding at a valuation of more than $2 billion.  Hopin is fascinating case of what may be the world's fastest growing startup that was created during the founder's struggles with illness. Founder Johnny Boufarhat became so ill that he had to stay at home for two years.  During those two years of being housebound, he created a very hot company that's an all-in-one, live, online events platform.  The platform connects people in different locations and is a perfect fit in the COVID world. Large Menu of Services Hopin carries virtual events, recreating just about every aspect of an in-person event. ...

Apple's New Computer Products                                                        Source:  Apple                                    New Microprocessor Tying Apple Macs & iPhones Together Apple just launched its MacBook Air notebook and several more new computers.  They contain the first Apple in-house designed microprocessor - the M1.  This technology is designed to closely tie together Apple's Macs and iPhones.  This is a radical change in the core, silicon chip technology for Apple.  Apple has used Intel technology for the past fifteen years as the brains of its computers. This is an apparent parting of the ways. Families of Apps For New Families of Computers Apple hopes that developers w...

  German Biotech BioNTech's & Pfizer's New COVID Vaccine                                                  Source:  BioNTech 1st Vaccine Against COVID that Appears Effective COVID-19 has caused more than 1 million deaths and infected 52 million people worldwide.  Finding a vaccine to protect the world against this unrelenting disease is the Holy Grail of medical research. Frankfurt, Germany based BioNTech appears to be the first to have produced a vaccine that is effective against COVID.  The company is co-developing the vaccine with Pfizer. Below Market Rate Vaccine Pricing BioNTech plans to price the vaccine, which requires two shots, at below "typical market rates".  It will also differentiate the price among countries and regions.  The company is doing so to ensure broad-based access around the world.  ...