At an intense level of combined heat and humidity—a “wet bulb” reading of 35 degrees Celsius, hotter and more humid than humans have ever experienced—the air will become so muggy that people can’t sweat and their organs begin to shut down. A healthy person sitting outside could eventually overheat and die, even if they’re resting in the shade. And by 2030, there’s a chance that this type of deadly heat wave could hit regions in India where as many as 200 million people live.

In today’s tight labor market, companies are doing all they can to attract employees and keep them around. From free beer to foosball tables, many employers are going all out to get your attention.

But the noise and hoopla of silly perks can be a distraction. They might seem like fun things to have, but when you’re choosing your next job, your next company, or even deciding whether to stay in your organization, you need to look behind the hype.

According to Deloitte, some of the key drivers for life sciences in 2020 will be data-driven approaches that employ machine learning and AI, the use of sensors and wearables for telemedicine and predictive medicine, and precision medicine supported by new cell and gene therapies. For years, we’ve been reading about these superb innovations and what they mean for our well being, yet the majority of the global population still dies of the same causes as they did 16 years ago. With the advent of technologies like 5G and affordable broadband for all, it’s only a matter of time before everyone has access to quality healthcare.

Just as we become habituated to a country’s culture — we know the “right answer” when someone asks us how we’re doing, or which topics are off-limits with casual acquaintances — the same thing happens in corporate life. We develop an unwritten understanding of how interactions should go, and it can be jarring when we trip across unexpected fault lines.

Reeves, a professor at Stanford University, and two colleagues announced the launch of the Human Screenome Project today in Nature. The project aims to more accurately capture our digital footprint using an eyebrow-raising technique: background software that screenshots a volunteer’s phone every five seconds while it’s activated. The idea is that just as the Human Genome Project and genomics changed our understanding of diseases, big data could give us a better idea of how technology is linked with social problems.

Valuing a business based on assets and financial performance is a well-understood process, but every investor knows the real value goes well beyond these parameters, either higher or lower. The key elements of leadership in a company, both individual and organizational, are less tangible, but very critical in setting a market value for investment, acquisition, or going public.

A curious thing is happening in European venture-capital (VC) funding. Larger sums of money are increasingly available, but the industry has been neglecting the very source of new ideas – European entrepreneurs seeking seed stage funding to get their ideas off the ground. There are, however, early indicators that Europe is at the cusp of a golden age for investment, and the next few years will be exciting times for seed. In 2020, European tech will step up to the global stage.

Image: Nick D Burton

Richmond’s emerging financial technology market is challenging traditional districts, with its advanced telecommunications infrastructure, educated workers with high-tech skills, streamlined regulations, and low taxes.

Financial technology (fintech) is one of the hottest technology sectors to emerge over the last decade. Once limited to traditional financial centers, fintech is now a rapidly expanding market with innovative startups that can set up operations just about anywhere. Smaller cities can easily compete with larger, well-established fintech clusters in other cities if they have an abundance of IT talent, modern infrastructure, and low business costs.

Image: Capital One Financial operates its largest corporate campus in the Richmond Region. - https://www.grpva.com

Millennials are projected to overtake baby boomers as America’s largest generation after they became the largest generation in the U.S. workforce in 2016. At a time when a significant percentage of the industrial world’s current workforce is at or nearing retirement, millennials — the oldest of which will turn 38 this year — are starting to transition at a rapid rate into management positions.

People do not always expect us to succeed. Maybe your boss does not think you have what it takes to lead a project. Or investors tell you that your idea is unlikely to take off. Or analysts expect your company to flounder over the next quarter.

Herndon, VA, Jan. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) today released the 2019 CIT GAP Funds Impact Report, detailing both return on investment and socio-economic impact made since the fund’s inception in 2005. A family of funds placing equity investments in Virginia’s high-growth based technology, life science, and cleantech companies at the earliest developmental stages, CIT GAP Funds has deployed $28.8 million in capital across 223 investments. CIT GAP Funds investment leadership has attracted national recognition and continues to demonstrate why CIT has been named Virginia’s Most Active Investor for the last five years by CB Insights.CIT GAP Funds has yielded four times their capital invested across Tech Fund “Roadmap” investments in cybersecurity, data analytics, enterprise software and deep tech sectors and helped position the fund for return of all capital deployed. The report highlights several other figures that capture the overall impact CIT GAP Funds has on the Commonwealth, including:

Whether we like it or not, responding to emails consumes much of our time on the job.

American workers spend approximately five hours a day checking work and personal email, according to a study from Adobe. As work becomes more flexible, employees are scrolling their inboxes while watching TV, laying in bed, driving, in the bathroom, during work meetings and meals, and even while driving, Adobe found.

Comcast Corp. is funding a new startup accelerator in a bid to connect its media properties and sports league partners with emerging marketing, media and technology companies, the company said.

Comcast will initially invest more than $15 million annually in the Atlanta-based program, called SportsTech, which will focus on startups across eight categories including sports media and entertainment; player and fan engagement; venue and event innovation; esports; and fantasy sports and betting.

The decade that just ended was by far the hottest ever measured on Earth, capped off by the second-warmest year on record, two U.S. agencies reported Wednesday. And scientists said they see no end to the way man-made climate change keeps shattering records.

"This is real. This is happening," Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, said at the close of a decade plagued by raging wildfires, melting ice and extreme weather that researchers have repeatedly tied to human activity.

The teaching profession is under siege. Working hours for teachers are increasing as student needs become more complex and administrative and paperwork burdens increase. According to a recent McKinsey survey, conducted in a research partnership with Microsoft, teachers are working an average of 50 hours a week1 —a number that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Teaching and Learning International Survey suggests has increased by 3 percent over the past five years.2

Image: https://www.mckinsey.com

A business is far more likely to succeed if it has a strong brand. This is as true of small businesses as it is of major corporations. A brand gives your business an identity customers will recognize, associating it with both your services and your overall values.

That said, if you’re a small business owner, you might not have much experience developing a brand or the personal funds for building one. Don’t worry if this is the case, since there are plenty of small business loans available (like these ones from Funding Circle) for entrepreneurs with vision. The following tips will help you create a brand that stands out among the competition, or help you choose an agency that can build your brand.

Although “MVP” used to be only a sports term (most valuable player), it’s taken on new life as part of the lexicon of entrepreneurs getting something new off the ground. But what exactly is an MVP (minimally viable product)? 

It’s a very early-stage version of a product or concept that gives startup entrepreneurs crucial feedback that they can use to further develop and improve their brainchild. Entrepreneur, author and Stanford University adjunct professor in the department of management science and engineering Steve Blank was one of the first to make use of the term.

The thing about technology is that it never fails to disappoint it, and which CES, the world's biggest tech show already happening in Las Vegas, we can't help but appreciate how cool things technology can invent.

Renowned companies like Samsung, Lenovo, LG, Sony like every year has showcased the best of their products. While popular companies always have something to present, we also have companies who have showcased some really quirky products this year making us say, "Isn't that just so cool?"

One of the big questions that every entrepreneur struggles with is how much funding they should request from investors in the first round. They know from forums such as Shark Tank on TV that asking for either too much or too little will derail credibility in the eyes of the investor, and leave the entrepreneur with no money and a struggling startup.

Image: https://blog.startupprofessionals.com

2020 has begun and an entire year of opportunities lies ahead for the Indian start-up ecosystem. The space has bustled about quicker than many would have imagined and while there have been downs, the ups have been far more overwhelming. That famed entrepreneurial bug slowly finding its way past the select few to several venture capitalists propping up in the last few years, the ecosystem has evolved at a breathtaking pace.