Hi there, 

In the current bonkers funding environment, a quick reminder: Funding buys you time. It doesn't buy you the ability to execute.

Two cases in point (from the “our customers are our investors" school of thinking): 

#1: Mailchimp, co-founded by Ben Chestnut and Dan Kurzius 21 years ago. 

The email marketing platform received no outside investment and was acquired for $12B this week. $800M in revenue. 

The idea of building 1 co for 21 years is odd in today’s climate. But dang, SaaS compounds.

#2: PrettyLitter, founded by Daniel Rotman.

The D2C cat litter brand raised $1M from investors since founding and exited for up to $1B last week. 

Now, these are some entrepreneurs. 

Shock to the system
 

In 2011, global electric vehicle sales reportedly reached just 50,000 units. By 2020, EV sales had increased over 50x to surpass 3.1M units.
 

Read our deep dive into the race for the electric car to see where the market is now and the brands to watch here.

Putting medical devices on the map

Facing pressure to reduce healthcare expenditures and meet demand for innovative therapies, medical device leaders are shifting more of their R&D budgets to focus on novel technologies.  

Clients can check out 240+ medical device companies incorporating technologies — ranging from bioelectric neuromodulation to VR therapeutics — into their new products and services in this market map.

What’s in vogue

Next Thursday (September 23), join us to learn about the trends dominating retail tech.

CB Insights Senior Lead Analyst Laura Kennedy will give a sneak preview of how funding and deals are shaping up in Q3’21 and dig into big tech’s moves in the space. 

Have your questions ready. Save your webinar spot here. 

Hookup culture, but better

Digital therapeutics (DTx) companies have already raised more funding in 2021 so far than all of 2020. 

As DTx startup funding, clinical validation, and regulatory approvals gain momentum, players across the healthcare system are increasingly looking to enter the space through business relationships.

Using CB Insights business relationships data, we mapped out recent DTx partnerships with pharma, payers, and providers in this client-only brief.

BIG blockchain adoption stats

17 of the 20 largest venture funds in the world (based on assets under management) have invested in companies that build blockchain technology.

Download the full dataset or find out more in Blockdata’s recent research here.

TechCrunch. Alex Wilhelm (@alex) and Anna Heim (@abracarioca) report on Atlanta's startup funding boom using CB Insights research.

The Economist. The Economist discusses the health of American business and references CB Insights data.

BBC News. BBC News covers Canva’s raise at a $40B valuation and cites CB Insights unicorn data. 
 

P.S. Want to lead research across the future of manufacturing, automation, and advanced materials technologies? Apply to work with us as a Senior Managing Analyst, Industrials here.

Client-Exclusive Research
 

[Consumer Products]

AI makeover. Artificial intelligence is being applied to everything from research & development to supply chain management in order to help beauty brands and retailers increase revenues and cut costs. 

[Store Tech]

Into the future. From shopper emotion detection to in-store robotic warehouses, here are the technologies and trends bringing retail stores into the future.

[Consumer Products]

Pet care oppawtunity. These 65+ startups are using new technology, like GPS-enabled collars and telehealth vets, to meet the expectations of a younger demographic of pet owners.

[Food & Beverage]

Eyes on the prize. We analyze vendors that deliver demand forecasting and inventory optimization solutions in grocery and food retail.

[Supply Chain]

Food waste market map. From upcycling ingredients to extending the shelf life of produce, these 75+ companies are tackling the $1T food waste problem.