Hi there,

This pandemic is finally getting enterprises to pay much-needed attention to digital transformation.

Retailers have been hit especially hard by shut-downs and social distancing — but these factors are also driving home the need to charge ahead with adopting critical technology. We highlighted some ways tech can help stores and restaurants stay connected to customers in our State Of Retail Tech report, including:

• Livestream commerce — Startups are leveraging livestreams and social shopping to encourage purchases without needing to step into stores or see products IRL

• Tech-driven microfulfillment — Companies are helping reduce last-mile costs for online grocery delivery

• Autonomous delivery — Autonomous delivery vehicles, mobile vending machines, and drones are helping retailers deliver goods on demand

• Virtual kitchens and food delivery — Startups are experimenting with virtual ("ghost") kitchens and tailored food delivery

:Partyparrot:

Slack's seeing a surge in usage as the Covid-19 crisis forces companies to go remote.

We map out 115+ cos that are part of Slack's vast integration ecosystem here.

Dumb and dumber

I mean, c’mon. (BTW, if you believe this and have some data that suggests there might be a tie, please do not email me. Okthxbye.)

Sugar, we're goin' down

Investors across all asset classes are liquidating assets to fortify cash positions. 

We take a look at what this means for fintech startups, which have already seen declining deals and dollars.

An unfair advantage

We have some exclusive perks for Future of Fintech (November 16-18, San Francisco) ticket holders.

First up is a virtual speaker series taking place over the next several months. Our first briefing is next week, featuring: 

• Bain Capital Ventures Partner, Matt Harris — What's Next? Challenges and Innovation Opportunities Facing Fintech

• Dave.com CEO, Jason Wilk — Lending a (Virtual) Hand: How Dave Assists Money-Challenged Consumers

Hope you're staying safe and healthy!

Mental wellness is being increasingly prioritized as people adjust to social distancing.

Clients can check out how tech-enabled solutions from teletherapy to brain-stimulating wearables are shaping the future of mental health here.

Protocol. Shakeel Hashim (@ShakeelHashim) and Hayden Field (@haydenfield) report on the difficulty of penetrating the US banking market and quote CB Insights senior fintech analyst Lindsay Davis (@lcdavis1225).

Business Insider. Dan DeFrancesco (@dandefrancesco) writes up 11 investors’ advice to young fintech startups and references CB Insights research.

Nikkei Asian Review. James Hand-Cukierman analyzes Israel’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak and cites CB Insights data.

P.S. A few of our friends are hiring: Sun Life is looking for an AVP, Distribution Strategy (Toronto, Ontario) and Highline Beta is looking for a senior software developer (Toronto, Ontario).

Burger with a side of TP. Some restaurants are offering toilet paper, gloves, and other essentials as delivery order add-ons. 

CNBC

Watching paint dry. Cooped up in cramped apartments, millennials are dreaming big with virtual decorating apps.

The Guardian

Party like it’s 1999. For some, the internet during social distancing feels like it did in its glory days of democratic community-building.

MIT Technology Review

Talk nice to me. Email pleasantries have become more sentimental during the global crisis.

WIRED