loyalty matters

The week's best research below, but first.

We raised TRANSFORM ticket prices a bit already (now $2795/ticket) as we're almost sold out. They're going up again this week to $3495 and then to $3995 when we're down to < 10 tickets.

Indecision is expensive. Get going here.

Hack days

Several times per year, CB Insights hosts hack days. Anyone on the team can work on any project loosely tied to CBI for 24 hours. Emphasis on loosely.

Everyone from engineering to research to BD to CS to finance participates.

Some projects will drive future products and technology and some are fun, internal projects.

All of them are awesome.

It's the most fun 3 days of the year for me. The ingenuity, comedic talents and general smarts of our team are on full display.

This year, James from our finance team brewed up some beer and paid homage to our original name. Yup - that's what the CB stands for.

Cheers. If hack day seems like your sorta thing, we're hiring in every group (design, events, engineering, etc). If you're smart, tenacious and humble, we'd love to talk.

We are growing like a weed without burning VC cash. Translation: we control our destiny and aren't reliant on a VC sugar daddy to survive :)

Alright, now here are this week's top briefs.

What Are Stablecoins?
There's a "stablecoin invasion" happening. Will this price-stabilized virtual currency be the next big thing to disrupt the crypto space?

Smart People In Healthcare
Top executives and investors sound off on the trends and technologies that will transform healthcare.

The Body Series: How Technology Is Transforming Women’s Healthcare
From "digital" birth control to a wearable breast pump, the women’s health market is gearing up to see an unprecedented wave of innovation. We explore the current landscape and what technologies are taking off.

A Guide To Corporate Innovation: 19 Strategies To Drive Innovation Now
19 Bulletproof Strategies If You Want Your Corporation to Look Innovative

How Blockchain Technology Could Disrupt Healthcare
From managing patient data to tracking drugs through the supply chain, blockchain could solve some of the healthcare industry’s biggest problems.

55+ Startups Upgrading The Loyalty & Rewards Space
From digitizing cards to AI-powered rewards to blockchain-based programs, these startups are upgrading the traditional loyalty & rewards space.

The US Small Business Fintech Report
An analysis of investment trends in the small business fintech space and the startups catering to small businesses across payments, insurance, accounting, lending, and more.

Big Tech In Gaming: From Streaming Platforms To VR Developer Tools, FAMGA’s Strategy For The Future Of Gaming
Since 2012, Microsoft and Google have been the most active FAMGA corporates in the gaming industry. But each of the 5 big tech giants is betting on the future of gaming in some strategic way.

287 Startup Failure Post-Mortems
It's hard to say goodbye. A compilation of startup failure post-mortems by founders and investors.

Microsoft’s Patent Activity Reveals Increasing Focus On Artificial Intelligence
Microsoft has applied for over 1,000 patents related to artificial intelligence or machine learning since 2012. These patents illustrate the use of AI in areas like healthcare, financial services, security, and more.

Have a great weekend.