If 5G roll-outs are now well on track, there is also a lot of activity in space-based connectivity that is expected to complement 5G in hard-to-reach locations, make the Internet of Things a reality (e.g. providing connectivity to a ship in the middle of the ocean) and provide faster Internet to rural areas. SpaceX’s Starlink,…
After having reached the top-level in the graphic chips (GPU) segment, Nvidia is now attacking the server microprocessor (CPU) market, currently dominated by the Intel–AMD duopoly. The CPU and GPU markets are linked but independent. Every computer integrates, by default, a graphic processing unit inside its CPU. But discrete GPU chips, like the ones provided by…
There has been a lot of talk recently around NFTs (non-fungible tokens) with, notably, the sale by Christie’s of digital art patchwork “Beeple” for $69m. NFTs are blockchain-based records that identify notably unique pieces of digital media (music, video, gifs, tweets…). The fact that NFTs come with documentation about an item’s history and are based…
Microsoft just announced the acquisition of medical artificial intelligence software maker Nuance in a deal worth $19.7bn, that represents a 23% premium to the last closing price. Nuance, one of our Digital Health portfolio companies, is focused on speech recognition software that allows physicians to capture patient discussions and enter the data into electronic health…
Even if video gaming stocks have not been spared by the massive Tech correction of the last few weeks, it’s worth noting that several Tech giants keep spending big on gaming M&A, in a clear sign of confidence in the industry’s outlook and valuation in a post-pandemic world. Just a few weeks after the completion of…
Over the last couple of days, the cleantech industry has suffered from an uninspiring newsflow. First, three of California’s major utilities proposed to increase grid access fees and reduce compensation for consumers who install solar panels on their home rooftops, a move that would make solar economics less attractive for consumers. Second, hydrogen leader Plug…
“A Zest of Crypto On Booming e-commerce Trends” is probably the best way to depict right now our Fintech certificate which is up 25% year-to-date (and 80% over the last 12 months). We started building a crypto pocket in our portfolio and investing in several “crypto equities” (that mine or invest their cash reserves in digital…
What do high-end smartphones, state-of-the-art security cameras and next generation autonomous cars have in common? Answer: LiDARs, or Light Detection And Ranging, a sensing technology that uses lasers to measure reflected light to create a 3D image of whatever it’s focused on. The LiDAR technology, used in the military & aerospace segments since the early…
It is now crystal clear that the worldwide rollout of the 5th generation of cellular networks is strongly catching up last year’s Covid-19 induced slowdown. Despite many closed retail locations, Apple was able to grow its iPhone line by 17% year-over-year in Q4, with customers rushing to buy its latest 5G enabled models. Skyworks, a…
Hydrogen fuel cell maker Plug Power, our largest portfolio company, just announced a strategic partnership with SK Group, one of the leading South Korean conglomerates which owns various businesses in the energy industry. The partnership aims to accelerate hydrogen penetration in Korea and broader Asian markets and to leverage Plug Power’s fuel cell and electrolyzer…