All posts filed under: Startups

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What Does It Take to Create to a Circular Economy?

Published by Gert Christen

According to most recent estimations, over 300 million tons of petroleum-based plastics are produced annually. These plastics are used in a wide range of products, from packaging materials to electronics and vehicles. However, a significant amount of plastic waste ends up in landfills, where it can take centuries to break down, leading to pollution of the surrounding soil and waterways, as well as harm to wildlife that may ingest or become entangled in the plastic. A large amount of plastic waste also ends up in the ocean, where it harms marine life and disrupts ecosystems. It is estimated that by 2050, there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish by weight. Sure, efforts are being made to reduce plastic waste, such as recycling programs and the development of biodegradable plastics. However, these solutions are not perfect and face challenges including contamination and lack of infrastructure for collection and processing. For the curious, there are a couple of ways you can handle plastic from a biochemical standpoint: Traditional Method, which involves melting plastics and …

2023 MIT Climate Energy Prize

Published by Gert Christen

I am thrilled to be working to bring the MIT Climate & Energy Prize competition to Europe this year as a part of my work as senior advisor to McKinsey. This is the largest and longest-running competition among university students to launch companies tackling climate change. Teams compete for $100,000+ in prize money and have access to mentoring and other resources. Founded in 2007, the MIT Climate & Energy Prize has received over 750 applications, offered world-class mentoring to over 260 teams, and granted more than $3.3M in non-dilutive cash prizes. Over 220 MIT Climate & Energy Prize companies have successfully launched and raised $1.7+ billion in follow-on funding. Over 100 startups, including two dozen from Europe’s best universities, applied for this year’s competition. The best climate startups from each continent will be chosen in Paris on March 9 and in Boston on March 16 to compete for the grand prize at MIT in Boston on April 13. If you’re interested in learning more about the competition, you can watch our recent webinar. We welcome volunteers to spend …

“Connected Life” Startup Class at UC Berkeley

Published by Gert Christen

I just finished teaching my latest course at UC Berkeley, “Connected Life”. In this course, we examined our “always-on” lifestyle and how this expectation of being ever-connected in our social and professional lives continues to develop, especially in a post-COVID world that allows for work via connectivity. We examined connectedness from an entrepreneurial standpoint to solve previously unsolvable problems using apps, data, IoT for machines, AI for decision-making, robotics for automation, and beyond. The course explored practical applications of e.g. 5G-connected smartphones, machines, and sensors, empowering entrepreneurs to solve previously unsolvable problems. For example, a surgeon can now use technology to save patients’ lives on the other side of the world, or anyone can be automatically alerted if a faraway family member needs help. However, questionable uses have also appeared, such as the constant battle to protect private data against illegal use for commercial, political, or criminal gain.  The course explored the use of technologies at the foundation of connectivity for people, communities, businesses, factories, and the environment and what happens when there is a lack of equity in …

I don’t buy it! The rationale Amazon gave for buying Zoox.

Published by Gert Christen

Amazon bought a self-driving car company. Zoox, the company that gave me my first-ever autonomous car ride (unforgettable, even though it wasn’t the wild ride shown here). Congratulations to the entire Zoox team — I’m very, very happy for you! So why did Amazon buy Zoox? Amazon gave this rationale: “We’re acquiring Zoox to help bring their vision of ride-hailing to reality.” And further down in the press release: “Zoox is pioneering the future of ride-hailing by designing autonomous technology from the ground up with passengers front-of-mind.” I don’t buy that Amazon would “help” to pioneer the future of ride-hailing by passengers. Amazon simply doesn’t strike me as a company that altruistically helps others achieve their visions. Furthermore, Amazon isn’t in the people-moving business, a space with already fierce competition, and lots of controversies. I don’t think they’d touch that business with a 10-foot pole. However, Amazon’s own business is plagued by problems that could be solved by self-driving cars:  Cost of last-mile deliveries: Amazon has traditionally used the U.S. Postal Service for many of …

Silicon Valley Innovation Tours Done Right

Published by Gert Christen

This article was first published as a LinkedIn article by Antonio Grgic on November 12, 2018. He condensed his personal learnings from a study tour to Silicon Valley organized by HWZ University of Applied Sciences Zurich. What follows is the English translation of the article with an introduction by Gert Christen who organized and led the study tour. Silicon Valley Tours – Just Tourism or Meaningful for Innovation? If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area you know the two types of buses shuttling people between San Francisco and Silicon Valley: Employee buses of the large tech companies on the one hand and chartered buses carrying visitors from all over the world to the same tech companies on the other. Each week there are hundreds of delegations from all over the world traveling around the Silicon Valley determined to learn its secrets. They fall into five categories: Politicians who want to learn how to set policies that attract innovative companies, resulting in more high qualified jobs and highly profitable and future-proof companies. Business people who want to learn how to be more innovative and who want to sell their products, find new suppliers or create …

Thank you for a great 2017. And wishing you a happy 2018!

Published by Gert Christen

San Francisco is home to one of the most iconic bridges in the world. And I  crossed it a lot during 2017. And I took a picture every time…. While  driving on the bridge and while sailing underneath. Here are pictures of San Francisco’s prettiest bridge during 2017. I hope you enjoy this San Francisco landmark as much as I did. Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all of you! Looking forward to seeing you again in 2018, Yours, Gert Christen

Update on the State of the Digital Revolution – Resistance (still) Futile and Unnecessary

Published by Gert Christen

Two years ago I wanted to raise awareness for the digital revolution and its influence on our lives. So I invited digital startups as “Digital Lifestyle Showcases” to Startupfair. What has happened since? Did new digital technologies change our lives for the better? Or are there reasons to be scared of the oncoming digital tsunami? Time to assess for an update: Digital technologies indeed started solving some previously unsolvable problems. Digital technologies have matured from standalone concepts to integral parts of real world applications. Some of the Startupfair showcases already transformed their field, many have grown into respectable businesses. What I didn’t see coming: Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain as new two powerful enabling technologies.   “Today’s confluence of new digital technologies, new devices and people’s lifestyle preferences is a revolution and offers vast opportunities for innovation, new businesses, and a better life”, is how I started my post two years ago. And fundamentally nothing has changed: Moore’s law continues to advance miniaturization, which in turns allows for ever smaller devices with ever larger capabilities! And with this, new digital technologies are being adopted by more and more users for many different applications. …

Named Digital Shaper of Switzerland

Published by Gert Christen

The Swiss business magazine “BILANZ” covered the digital revolution and how Switzerland is coping with it. Proud to be selected as one of the 100 “Digital Shapers” of Switzerland. The article concludes that Switzerland lost the first half-time against US corporations. The main reasons were lack of access to (big) financing rounds, too few visas for foreign experts and risk avoidance in the Swiss DNA. Several initiatives are now on the way to catch up; on federal, state and local levels but also driven by the large companies of Switzerland. The main assets of Switzerland are its engineering tradition, strong universities and the startup eco-system. The article and the list of the 100 Swiss Digital Shapers in ten categories can be downloaded here (Thank you Pascal Ihle of furrerhugi.ch).

Switzerland for Start-ups: More than Chocolate!

Published by Gert Christen

Switzerland is a location to consider for startups! It offers so much more than only chocolate. Its main advantages are the central location in Europe, great talent, a vibrant & growing startup ecosystem and excellent quality of life and work!   If you are a startup and are wondering where to open an office in Europe; you should consider Switzerland and the Zurich region. I recently did a live webinar to make the case for SAAS: Switzerland as a service for startups. See my presentation here.           The recording of the webinar can be watched here.             Welcome to Switzerland! Where chocolate is as good as the startups there.

Opening of Superpublic San Francisco City Innovation Lab

Published by Gert Christen

Superpublic San Francisco is officially open! This morning the founding partners of Superpublic San Francisco officially opened the lab. We were honored by GSA General Services Administration Administrator Denise Roth, San Francisco San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, City Administrator Naomi Kelly, Supervisor Mark Farrell of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, City Chief Innovation Officer Jay Nath, University of California Berkeley’s Prof. Susan Shaheen and City Innovate Foundation Co-Founder and Executive Director, Kamran Saddique. Superpublic brings together the innovation forces of the federal, state and city government with private industry, startups and university researchers to solve urban problems thru open innovation:           We employ our own methodology using user-centered techniques, innovation sprints and consistent community outreach to accelerate the time it takes for public organizations to learn, to research about a problem, to prototype and to document the findings in white papers and policy recommendations. These are invaluable tools for cities to educate themselves on issues and possible paths to their solution and to build capacity within city governments to tackle urban problems. The findings …