Hi there,
 

With all the data CB Insights has, it’s easy to see certain technology markets as they get hot. Pay attention if you:

• work in a large enterprise and are looking for hot, fast-growing markets

• are a future founder looking for your next big idea
  are an investor scouting for opportunities

• are a biz nerd who likes to know what is going on in technology

Using our Search and Competitors tools, here are a few markets that caught our eye:

• Auto repair shop software. You read that right. Lots of new companies being formed or tackling this area. This continues the march forward of vertical SaaS. See auto repair shop software companies here.

• TikTok competitors in India. The US hasn't been the only country putting pressure on TikTok parent Bytedance. India has also banned many Chinese apps, creating a rush of money flowing to video sharing social networks in India. 

• Collectibles. Both digital and physical collectibles are blowing up. The digital ones are usually built on the blockchain. Physical collectibles are seeing notable M&A and financing activity from some of the smartest in the game. Check out a list of collectibles cos here.

• Amazon FBA brand rollups. Absolute goldrush into companies acquiring Amazon FBA brand. 7 monster financings in the last 6 months totaling $1.5B. See the major players in the Amazon FBA M&A game here.

• OKRs are hot. One of the hottest early-stage areas in HR tech right now is OKR software that helps organizations with goal setting and tracking of outcomes. Here are the companies tackling OKRs.

Note: links above are to the CBI platform for clients or those with free trials.

VCs: we’re soarin’, flyin’

VC funding last year shattered records with a new high of $130B collected, driven by a record 318 mega-rounds.

Get a sneak peek of the trends in this Headline report. 

VBC’s value prop
 

The transition from fee-for-service to the value-based care (VBC) model is critical to the ongoing transformation of the US healthcare system. In VBC, healthcare providers are paid for the healthcare outcomes of their patients, rather than just for services provided. 

From population health and care management software to value-driven providers, we identified 150+ companies driving the transformation to VBC here.

It’s in the jeans
 

Fifteen years ago, portable video players, next-gen DVD players, and laptops that could multitask while running video were making their debut at the 2006 CES expo.
 

Also this week, 15 years ago, Levi’s proved itself years ahead of the connected clothing trend by boldly debuting iPod jeans at Macworld Expo.
 

For a look at other products that were too cutting-edge for their time, such as Twitter Peek and Google Wave, here’s a list of some of the biggest corporate product flops. 

Automating the tedium away

As much as 40% of underwriting time is spent on admin tasks like rekeying data or manually conducting analyses, per McKinsey. 

Reuters. Jane Lanhee Lee (@leejane71) uses the PwC and CB Insights Q4 2020 MoneyTree Headline report and quotes CBI CEO Anand Sanwal (@asanwal) in looking at venture capital funding trends.

Forbes. Eliza Haverstock (@ElizaHaverstock) reports on the newly minted unicorn Quantum Metric, quoting CB Insights senior intelligence analyst Nicholas Pappageorge (@NpappaG) and citing CBI data.

CNBC. Catherine Clifford (@CatClifford) speaks with CB Insights senior intelligence analyst Rachel Binder and cites CBI data in her coverage of sustainability trends in retail.
 

P.S. We’re looking for an associate vice president of product marketing. Sound like you? We'd love to chat.

The Blurb

Mallnite. Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, will purchase a 980,000-square-foot mall in North Carolina to convert into its global headquarters. 

WSJ 

Ugly, but lovable. Croc sales took off amid the pandemic, as younger customers drove demand for the casual foam clogs. 

CNN

Immunization station. NYC’s Covid-19 vaccine rollout is missing key factors — like a reliance on public health systems — that made its 1947 smallpox vaccine campaign so successful. 

City & State NY 

Retrocomputing. Collectors and hobbyists are buying up vintage PCs and their parts to rebuild them for fun.

NYT  

Piano man. A classical pianist who had to give up playing despite 24 hand surgeries can play again, thanks to a pair of bionic gloves. 

Rest of World