Morning Thrust | Weekly Highlights (2nd Edition: 11.12.2022)

Welcome to the 2nd edition of Morning Thrust where I share weekly highlights on Future tech, Space Economy, Sustainability, Smart Cities, Supply Chain and logistics (Edition: 11.12.2022)

Irish woman Rhiannon Adam from Cork, has been selected to participate in the first ever civilian mission to the moon. The mission, which is being carried out by SpaceX, received over one million applications, and Adam was chosen as one of the eight participants. Adam will be flying on a spaceship designed by SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk. This mission represents a significant milestone in the history of space exploration, as it will be the first time civilians have traveled to the moon. Adam and the other participants will embark on a week-long trip to the moon, where they will conduct various experiments and explore the lunar surface. More details on the article by Charlie Taylor of Business Post :

Asda has launched a "refill price promise" which guarantees that refill products will be cheaper than their packaged alternatives. The supermarket has partnered with WRAP and 联合利华 , with funding from Innovate UK , to develop the refill proposition. Clear pricing was the top priority, and the supermarket is implementing a new refill pricing strategy. Other objectives include increasing customer communication, making the experience fun and enjoyable, and combatting uncertainty and apprehension. #cadbury's Giant Buttons, #Maynards Wine Gums, and pet food will be introduced in Asda's refill stores in Middleton, Toryglen, York and Milton Keynes. Shoppers can bring their own containers or buy reusable ones in store. More details on:

? 亚马逊 is inspired to launch TikTok?like feature called 'Inspire' which supports photos & videos. A new short-form video and photo feed that allows consumers to shop from content created by?#influencers?#brands?and other?#customers. More details on:

The acquisition of German rival Gorillas by Istanbul-based online grocery start-up Getir has been completed, valuing the combined group at $10bn. This deal brings together two of Europe's biggest winners in the rapid delivery app market, which has seen significant growth and consolidation during the pandemic. Both companies have raised over $3bn from venture capitalists since 2020 to expand their services delivering groceries and convenience store items in as little as 10 minutes. Great commentary on this deal by Brittain Ladd applauding Ka?an Sümer , founder of Gorillas & his take on future:

Venture capital investment in Generative AI has seen significant growth in recent years, with a 425% increase since 2020. #generativeai refers to a type of artificial intelligence that is capable of generating new content, such as images, audio, or text, based on a set of inputs or training data. This type of AI has a wide range of applications, from creating new forms of art and media, to improving natural language processing and machine translation. As a result, many investors and companies are eager to invest in and develop this technology. This increase in investment has allowed for significant progress in the field, and it is likely that we will continue to see rapid advancements in generative AI in the coming years. Very interesting take by Dr. Andre Retterath & more detailed article by Financial Times :

微软 is reportedly developing a "super app" that combines popular services like #bing #Skype and #linkedin into a single platform. This move is seen as a way for Microsoft to tap into the growing mobile search market, which is valued at over $100bn. The proposed app would be a one-stop-shop for a variety of services, including search, social media, e-commerce, and more. Microsoft is hoping that the super app will give Bing, its search engine, a much-needed boost against rivals like Google and Apple. The super app would be integrated into smartphone operating systems, allowing users to access a wide range of services without having to download and switch between multiple apps.

Flink Austria GmbH, a 100% subsidiary of Berlin-based Flink SE, has had bankruptcy proceedings opened against it at the Commercial Court of Vienna. Flink Austria is known for its bicycle messengers with large pink backpacks, but its operations are likely to be discontinued soon, as its German parent company is no longer willing to finance the business. Stephan M. Leuschner shares:

Amazon?is offering some users a monthly payment of $2 in exchange for sharing their traffic data with the company. This move is part of Amazon's effort to gather more information about how people are using its website and services, in order to improve the customer experience and make more informed business decisions. By agreeing to share their traffic data, users will help Amazon better understand how people are navigating its website and using its various features, such as shopping and searching for products. In return, Amazon will compensate users for their contribution to this research. This program is voluntary, and users can choose to opt out at any time. Full article by Aaron Mok :

A Swiss start-up called LOXO has revealed a market-ready autonomous vehicle that is designed for last mile delivery. This will be the first time an autonomous last mile delivery vehicle is used commercially in?#switzerland?and likely in all of?#Europe. More details on:

Londoners are prioritising cost over convenience when it comes to food shopping, with 90% of respondents stating that cost is one of the biggest factors in deciding where and when to purchase groceries. This comes as food inflation in the city increases to 14.6%. Despite rapid-delivery and Q-commerce apps becoming more popular, with 37% of Londoners using them, the rising cost of food has made these services less attractive. As a result, venture capital funding for Q-commerce companies has dropped, leading to a decrease in available subsidies and incentives. This, combined with a 19% decline in web traffic for Q-commerce providers over the past three months, indicates a challenging future for fast delivery services. Details & graph on post by Stephan Soroka???? on the study:

麦当劳 and Subway have recently introduced new contactless technology for takeout and drive-thru orders. This move is part of a broader trend in the restaurant industry, as companies increasingly invest in automation and technology in order to improve service and reduce the reliance on human labor. This is particularly important in the current economic climate, as the restaurant industry is still facing a shortage of workers due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic. By implementing these new technologies, McDonald's and Subway are positioning themselves to better serve their customers and stay competitive in an increasingly digital marketplace. Full article by Nancy Luna of Business Insider :

Very interesting analysis by Nate Skiver where VCs are abandoning supply chain tech — except for startups that can cut out the human’:

Lastly, on Tuesday the 13th of December 2022, the first Meteosat Third Generation Imager satellite will launch from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) is a new generation of satellites developed by the European Space Agency - ESA Space Agency (ESA) and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites EUMETSAT . The MTG-I1 is the first of these satellites, and it will carry two new instruments: Europe's first Lightning Imager and a Flexible Combined Imager. These instruments will provide improved data for weather forecasting, helping to better detect and predict severe storms and monitor climate. The MTG satellite system is designed to operate in geostationary orbit for the next two decades. It is being built by a consortium of more than 100 European industrial partners, led by Thales Alenia Space .

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