Hi there, 
 

This is a great graphic from The Economist highlighting the rise of fintech companies vs. legacy banks and payment companies.

Don’t say CB Insights didn’t warn you. :)

We started talking about this phenomenon in 2017 in this presentation entitled Gradually, then Suddenly.

We dug into the Gradually, then Suddenly trend specifically for financial services in 2018 as well.

Those of you reading this newsletter are probably already paying attention to this, but if the leadership of your org isn’t, it might be time for a wake-up call.

Strong as a bull (market)
 

VCs have remained resilient as the pandemic continues, with global funding surging more than 40% in Q3'20 compared to the prior quarter.

We break down the global state of VC in Q3’20 in our latest PwC x CB Insights MoneyTree report. Check it out here.

Walk, walk, fashion, baby

Tech is reshaping the $2.2T fashion industry across design, manufacturing, inventory, and retail merchandising. 
 

From automated garment design to clothes for virtual avatars, read more about how tech is influencing fashion in our Future of Fashion report.

From sci-fi to reality
 

While a large-scale quantum revolution hasn’t arrived yet, the space is gaining traction, with applications ranging from ultra-secure communication to precise sensors.
 

We highlight 75+ private companies using quantum tech to reshape computing, drug discovery, financial modeling, and more.

Last call

Final call to participate in our first-ever Global Innovation Challenge — we're looking for financial services enterprises to submit their challenges and hackers to help solve them for the chance to win some major prizes.

We've already received challenges from Citi, Nasdaq, and Jack Henry & Associates, but we're looking for more. And we need the talent and creativity of the world’s most innovative developers to tackle these challenges put forth by the world’s leading organizations. 

Finalists will be announced at our annual Future of Fintech conference (November 16-18). Prizes include $5,000 cash, free tickets to the Future of Fintech, and networking opportunities with senior fintech execs.

See more details and register here by Thursday, October 15.

That's handy

We’ve been  aggregating exhibitor data from events like SXSW and HIMSS to help with your vendor sourcing, investing, and M&A efforts. Just filter by the Expert Tag column to find the specific cos.

We just added the HLTH 2020 — which kicked off yesterday — and Future of Health exhibitors. See them all in the  Conference Exhibitors Collection. 

The Economist. The Economist examines the digital surge reshaping finance and cites CB Insights data. 

Wall Street Journal. The Pro VC newsletter reports on genomics funding, quoting CB Insights analyst Kedar Karkare (@kedarkarkare) and citing CB Insights research. 

CNBC. Diana Olick (@DianaOlick) covers the demand for life sciences real estate and cites CB Insights data.
 

P.S. We're looking for someone to lead our fintech research. Check out the job posting here.

The Blurb
 

Shine bright. Carbon capture tech could create the world’s first carbon-negative diamonds.

Fast Company

Two-faced. As deepfakes grow increasingly realistic, deepfake casting and acting are taking on more significance.

MIT Technology Review

Double tap. Some influencers are unionizing in an attempt to take the multibillion-dollar industry to task for exploitation. 

The Guardian 

I spy. Lasik surgery has seen a revival amid the pandemic, as consumers spend more on self-improvement.

Bloomberg

Bearable. Bears at a wildlife center test dozens of containers each year to determine if they deserve a bear-proof certification.

Outside Online