Hola, 
 

This week, a European Union group working on new AI regulations said that to avoid bias, algorithms should be trained on datasets representative of diverse populations (see This Week in Data, below). 

Also this week, the Wall Street Journal reported Postmates, Doordash, and Uber Eats held unsuccessful merger talks. 

What do these events have in common? Well, we predicted both in our 2020 Tech Trends report. One of our trends was a heightened regulatory focus on bias in AI, and another was M&As between onetime high-flying unicorns (startups valued at $1B or more in the private markets) as they seek scale to compete more effectively. 

You can download the report for free here. 

Some other hits: 

• The report featured the risk of “slaughterbots,” small drones programmed to carry out targeted killings. Two weeks after publication, this risk was also highlighted by former presidential candidate Andrew Yang in a tweet calling for a ban on such systems. 
• We also highlighted that Apple would double down on its growing healthcare business, and Tim Cook discussed healthcare on a late January earnings call. 
• Finally, we pointed to the rise of central bank-backed digital currencies, and 5 days after our report was published, the Bank of England announced it would explore a digital currency of its own. 

There are 9 other predictions covered in the report, and 10 months to go in the year. 

As we go on, we remember

Twenty-two of our picks for the 2018 Fintech 250 went on to become unicorns.

Check out where the 2018 Fintech 250 class is now.

Actually, my sleep paralysis demon is my BFF
 

Poor sleep haunts many, but several cos are tackling sleep issues by integrating tech.

From smart beds to microbiome tracking, clients can check out 10 partnerships guiding the future of sleep tech here.

Have a great rest of the week.

P.S. Our friends over at Discovery are looking for a head of enterprise agile based in Gautang, South Africa.

• $34.5B: Funding to fintech startups was $34.5B in 2019, with deals dropping by 7% compared to the year prior to 1,913. From regional funding to the top-funded fintech unicorns to the most active investors, we dig into the latest fintech trends in our State Of Fintech report.

• 452: The number of global unicorns hit 452 this week after AI-driven cybersecurity startup Sentinel One and online learning platform Udemy raised funding at $1B+ valuations. See all the unicorns in the world on our tracker.
   

• 27 countries: The EU announced plans to create tighter regulations for the development and deployment of AI within its 27 member states, including major economies like Germany and France. The proposed rules could include curtailing the use of facial recognition and introducing new criteria for AI transparency. We highlight 9 emerging trends shaping AI in this 40-page report. 

• $6B: UK-based challenger bank Revolut raised $500M at a $6B valuation — a more than 4x increase in valuation since its last raise just under 2 years ago. The fintech startup has now raised over $800M in disclosed equity funding. We dig into the company’s business model, customer acquisition strategy, competition, and more in this  client-exclusive analysis.
    

• $10B: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos — estimated to be worth around $130B — announced a $10B fund to help combat climate change. Bezos said that the new initiative will look to fund scientific research and NGOs, among other climate-focused projects. From focusing on inputs to betting on ideas with an "unlimited upside," take a look at 22 lessons from Jeff Bezos’ annual shareholder letters, some of which may shape his climate thinking, here.
   

• 40%: Human activity could be responsible for significantly more methane emissions than previously thought, according to a study published in Nature. Scientists said the human-driven proportion was up to 40% greater than prior estimates suggested. One major contributor to methane output is livestock farming. We dig into companies and tech that could offer alternatives in our Meatless Future report. 

• 333 tickets: Montreal said that it would ban e-scooters after a city report found that the vehicles were illegally parked 80% of the time and that 333 tickets were issued last year for breaking safety rules — most were for not wearing helmets. Despite profitability challenges and harsher rules from regulators, micromobility companies are still seeing some traction, with Paris-based startup CityScoot raising $50M this week. Learn more about the micromobility space in this report.  

   

• 5 years: A surplus of grapes from California is expected to cause US wine prices to fall to their lowest point in 5 years. A dip in demand for wine is also contributing to the projected price drop. We highlight 95+ startups transforming the alcohol space in this market map.  

Chess is emerging as an e-sport, offering pros and fans alike a new way to make a living via livestreaming. 

The relatively small market has grown quickly: time spent watching chess has risen by more than 500% since 2016, according to Twitch. 

While real-world chess matches can last hours and often end in a draw, livestreamed matches may last less than 10 minutes and can bring levity to the oft-serious game.