What you need to know:

• While the micromobility market has been tumultuous, continued demand from consumers is incentivizing players working to figure out a profitable solution. 
• The maintenance and charging of electric batteries have been a common pain point for various business models, but new solutions are emerging. 
• B2B players are entering the market to serve last-mile logistics and sustainability goals.
  

  ---

Micromobility is not an easy business — just look at the plight of electric scooter pioneer Bird, a former VC darling. Demand is not the issue, making money is.

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Micromobility is poised for a comeback — thank last-mile logistics and EV automakers appeared first on CB Insights Research.

These tech leaders are collaborating with energy incumbents and startups alike to tap into renewable energy sources and decarbonize their operations.

While these big tech players are competing in the energy space, they are also developing unique strategies:

• Amazon is working to decarbonize its transportation and fulfillment center operations, with a focus on hydrogen tech.
• Google is pioneering new models for clean energy procurement as it works to boost the sustainability of its data center network.
• Microsoft is focusing on renewable energy sources — like solar and fusion — and carbon capture technologies to meet the growing energy demands of its AI-driven operations.
• Nvidia is enhancing data center energy efficiency and investing in the development of a green and reliable power grid.

This report uses CB Insights datasets like investments, acquisitions, business relationships, company scouting reports, earnings transcripts, and more. Learn more about our data here.

The post Big Tech in Energy: How Amazon, Google, Microsoft, & Nvidia are advancing the global energy transition appeared first on CB Insights Research.

What you need to know:

• Companies like Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation, Lilium, and Volocopter are nearing eVTOL commercialization, with plans to launch air taxi services as soon as 2025, pending regulatory approvals.

• Regulatory hurdles, infrastructure requirements, and battery efficiency are key challenges that need to be addressed before eVTOLs can become a widespread mode of transportation.

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Small electric aircraft are edging closer to swarming the skies — here’s what to expect as the ‘flying car’ tech matures appeared first on CB Insights Research.

The logistics giant is ceding its USPS contract — worth ~$2B per year — to its competitor UPS in September 2024. But despite the upcoming loss in revenue, FedEx’s recent earnings have exceeded expectations and it has actually seen its share price reach an all-time high since USPS announced it wouldn’t renew. 

As FedEx cut costs and reconfigures its shipping network to focus less on expensive-to-maintain air cargo (which USPS relied upon heavily), it now has more wiggle room to ramp up its investments in areas that promise a long-term pay-off.

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post FedEx lost a deal worth $2B in ARR to archrival UPS — here are 3 strategic moves it’s doubling down on in response appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Humans will still play a crucial role — but instead of assembling parts or operating machinery, they will maintain robots and keep them running.

In these future factories, robots coordinate in unison, completing work automatically — without breaks, every hour of the day — to get products out the door. 

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Future of the factory: The emerging technologies defining next-generation manufacturing appeared first on CB Insights Research.

The impact on the pharma industry has been substantial, with Ozempic’s producer, Novo Nordisk, seeing a 36% rise in sales in 2023 driven by the accelerated adoption of its GLP-1 products. D2C pharmacies like Hims are also entering the space, offering their own GLP-1 drugs at a fraction of the cost to patients. 

The rapid growth in prescriptions for these appetite-curbing drugs has drawn wide-spread attention from corporates across industries.  

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Counterfeits of drugs like Ozempic cost pharma companies billions of dollars annually. We look at the tech solutions that can help tackle the problem appeared first on CB Insights Research.

While most genAI initiatives are still in early stages of development, incumbents and startups are betting heavily on its potential.

ABB, for instance, has identified over 100 internal applications for the tech, from robotics to predictive maintenance. Retrocausal, which develops a computer vision-enabled AI copilot for the assembly line, estimates that genAI can reduce manual assembly time by a third.

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post 3 applications of generative AI in manufacturing appeared first on CB Insights Research.

The industry is built around encoding information in quantum entities called “qubits” — which have a probability of being either 1 or 0, as opposed to traditional bits that can only be one or the other — to open up new computational approaches and ways of handling data that are not possible on conventional devices.

For example, quantum computing could allow entirely new algorithms that are much more efficient at some key tasks — like complex optimization problems, sorting through large datasets, and running simulations. Though the tech is not yet mature, companies are already working to apply quantum computing to commercial applications like drug discovery, finance, materials discovery, and logistics. Investors are excited — startups in the space saw equity funding surge to $1.3B in 2023, a rare bright spot for venture last year. As quantum computers become more capable in the coming years, expect commercial interest to rise quickly.

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post The quantum information market map: The companies working on quantum computing, post-quantum cryptography, and more appeared first on CB Insights Research.

A handful of developers are targeting 2024 to release their humanoid robots, which are designed to perform tasks similar to humans. Technologies like generative AI and reinforcement learning are helping drive this progress. However, the impact will be limited at first, and it will likely take 3-5 years to see more widespread commercial rollout and usefulness.

Below, we dive into 6 industries that humanoids will impact the most in both the near- and long-term, as well as the technology firms making this possible:

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post 6 applications of humanoid robots across industries appeared first on CB Insights Research.

At the same time, rising fuel prices and a thinning labor force are pushing other industries like retail and pharma to favor privatized fleets that can better ensure timely delivery of goods to customers. For example, for Walmart, owning its fleet has been key to keeping prices down and ensuring products are in stock.

To successfully run a fleet, operators need to maintain high visibility into freight movement, optimize routes and schedules, and ensure compliance with driver regulations. They’re turning to tech solutions like transportation management and yard management systems to achieve this — as well as tech like AR/VR to train employees on skills like truck loading. 

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post The trucking tech market map: The startups making fleets more efficient and connected appeared first on CB Insights Research.

The company maintains a robust internal combustion portfolio, but it has aggressively invested across the entire vehicle electrification ecosystem. Despite scaling back its EV production goals to account for fluctuating consumer demand, GM remains committed to electric vehicles and plans to have the capacity to produce 1M EVs by 2025.

Meanwhile, GM has also pulled back from fully autonomous driving by reducing spending on Cruise — its autonomous vehicle (AV) subsidiary — and moved investments away from AV companies. However, the company has retained its focus on its advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), Super Cruise.

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Analyzing GM’s growth strategy: How the automaker is reimagining its approach to vehicle electrification and automation appeared first on CB Insights Research.

AI cuts across practically every emerging area of activity. For instance, on-demand manufacturing companies are using AI to automatically match clients with vendors, while manufacturing analytics platforms use it to generate real-time insights from factories and process plants.

Early-stage companies in these areas focus on a range of manufacturing industries, including aerospace, automotive, consumer products, oil & gas, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors.

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post 7 advanced manufacturing markets gaining momentum in 2024 appeared first on CB Insights Research.

2024 is set to see the commercial release of several new humanoid robots, which resemble the human body and can perform tasks traditionally carried out by humans in areas like manufacturing, logistics, and retail.

The surge is propelled by advancements in AI, pilot programs demonstrating commercial viability, and significant investment from big tech. In particular, robotics developers are targeting more realistic human-robot interactions using large language models (LLMs) and natural language processing.

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Humanoid robotics in 5 charts: AI drives funding to record levels appeared first on CB Insights Research.

New possibilities have emerged thanks to the proliferation of satellite launches — with SpaceX alone conducting a record 98 launches during 2023 — combined with the affordability of drones and advancements in imaging technologies.

This progress opens opportunities for startups and incumbents, helping expand geospatial use cases and capabilities across industries like agriculture, automotive, construction, defense & national security, insurance, manufacturing, mining, oil & gas, and more.

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post The satellite & geospatial tech market map appeared first on CB Insights Research.

While this has created a new level of accessibility for consumers, it has also led to spikes in drug shortages and counterfeit medicines. 

To combat these public health risks, regulations have been put in place to promote pharma supply chain traceability and safety. For example, the FDA announced that players along the supply chain must meet new Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) standards by the end of 2024. This will require companies throughout the value chain to maintain and share electronic documentation regarding the chain of ownership for their products.

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post The pharma supply chain tech market map appeared first on CB Insights Research.

These robots resemble the human form and are designed to be multi-talented, making it possible to swap them in for complex tasks normally handled by flesh-and-bone employees. Popular robot forms like automated guided vehicles (AGVs) & autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and collaborative robotic arms are much less flexible.

However, humanoid robots are complicated to build and deploy. They require substantial sensor processing, advanced control, and complex skill execution. They also need multimodal artificial intelligence (AI) to understand the environment around them.

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post AI-powered humanoid robots are coming and big tech wants in appeared first on CB Insights Research.

At the heart of its growth strategy is the integration of AI. In 2017, the company founded the Bosch Center for Artificial Intelligence — a global team dedicated to advanced AI research — while investing over $100M+ into a new AI campus. The company’s 2025 goal is to incorporate AI in all of its products or develop them using AI.

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Analyzing Bosch’s industrial strategy: How the global supplier is leveraging AI to disrupt manufacturing and job sites appeared first on CB Insights Research.

However, VCs are still backing plenty of early-stage startups in the supply chain space as they chase after opportunities for innovation and disruptive products. This early-stage interest is particularly pronounced in areas related to task automation & visibility, likely driven by advances in AI and robotics.

To see where supply chain tech is heading in 2024, we looked at the tech markets with the most early-stage activity in 2023 by total early-stage funding and deal count: autonomous trucking systems, autonomous forklifts, drone delivery, warehouse scanning systems, and fleet management software.

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post 5 supply chain markets gaining momentum in 2024 appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Historically, uptake of reusable packaging has been slow due to logistical complexities, affordability, and worries about customer adoption. However, consumers are also ready for a switch: A 2023 pilot study conducted by the WWF found that one-third of consumers opt for reusable packaging when given the option. 

It’s important to note that for reusable packaging to actually be sustainable, companies need to ensure its return and reuse. For instance, plastic reusable packaging typically needs to be used 50+ times before its environmental impact outperforms paper packaging.

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post The reusable e-commerce packaging value chain market map appeared first on CB Insights Research.

The company has raised over $800M in equity funding and has been a unicorn (a private company with a $1B valuation) since 2018.

The pain in supply chain & logistics tech, however, is not restricted to Convoy.

We also used CB Insights valuation comparables data to dig into Flexport — and it looks like its valuation is likely 80% lower than its 2022 round that valued it at $8B.

Want to learn more? We break it all down in this research brief.

The post Bezos-backed logistics unicorn Convoy shuts down appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Intelligent, interconnected machines are driving the rise of smart factories and “Industry 4.0“, the latest wave of manufacturing digitization. This new era is seeing humans collaborate more closely with robots and advanced algorithms being deployed to monitor all aspects of manufacturing operations. By enhancing operational efficiency and productivity, this movement has also revitalized manufacturing in high-cost regions like the US and Europe, enabling companies to produce goods closer to their end users.

The automation technologies behind Industry 4.0 take a number of forms. For example, mobile robots are being developed that autonomously move parts across the factory floor. Systems that automate product inspection help remove human error from the quality control process. Additionally, advanced analytics are helping manufacturers automate data transformation and key processes. This helps manufacturers boost operational efficiency and accuracy, maximize output, and minimize environmental impact.

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post The automation in advanced manufacturing market map appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Why? It’s a combination of the company being priced for perfection and macro headwinds.

Let’s dig in.

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Flexport’s valuation is likely 80% lower than its last valuation of $8B appeared first on CB Insights Research.

In his most recent letter to shareholders, CEO Andy Jassy announced that the e-commerce behemoth has shifted from national to regional fulfillment networks to reduce costs and speed up deliveries. This new strategy could make an acquisition of Ocado more compelling to the tech giant, given Ocado’s position as a leader in localized grocery microfulfillment centers (MFCs) and robotics. 

But would Amazon be getting value for money were it to buy the company?

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Amazon’s rumored takeover of Ocado would be one of its largest acquisitions to date. How likely is it to be good value for money? appeared first on CB Insights Research.

For example, last year it participated in a Series A round for JITX, which offers circuit board design software for integrated device manufacturers and fabless firms. It also provided seed funding to modular smart factory developer Industrial Next.

Using CB Insights data, we mapped how Y Combinator has spread its manufacturing investments across factory analytics, warehouse tech, robotics, and more.

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Analyzing Y Combinator’s manufacturing investment strategy: Where is the accelerator betting on the future of the space? appeared first on CB Insights Research.

It is now cheaper than ever to send satellites into orbit, in part thanks to SpaceX‘s innovations, which have helped bring the price of launching rockets down by 10x vs. a decade ago.

At the same time, satellite technology continues to improve. Today’s satellites feature better imaging systems, more powerful sensors, and faster data processing than ever before.

Want to see more research? Join a demo of the CB Insights platform.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post 3 applications of satellites that are transforming the industrials sector appeared first on CB Insights Research.