Hi there, 

Here are 5 stats that have recently caught my eye:  

• Microsoft’s rumored $10B acquisition of Discord would be its  fifth $1B+ M&A deal in the last 5 years.

•  Amazon’s minority investments in startups hit a 20-year high last year, and they are on track to increase in 2021.

•  Alibaba’s investment activity is materially down vs. last year, and its investments in US-based startups have slowed dramatically. It continues to invest in China and the rest of the world.

•  Tiger Global is doing 1 investment every 48 hours in 2021. Dang.

• Legendary venture firm Kleiner Perkins’  investment activity is materially down in 2021 vs. last year. So far, most deals are follow-on rounds, rather than investments into new cos.

A bit more on Amazon’s competition, which is heating up in online retail, below.

While the e-commerce giant posted blockbuster results in 2020, its share of US e-commerce sales dropped more than 10% from 2019. 

Emerging retail players are taking on Amazon by tapping into key trends like: 

• Sustainability (critical for eco-conscious consumers)

• Social connection (shopping + friends = magic)

• Personalization (what’s mine is not yours)

Read more on how companies like StockX, GoPuff, and Allbirds are leveraging these trends and more to build competitive advantages in the e-commerce industry here.

Chatting the bots up

AI chatbots for self-triage are becoming a vital part of patient engagement, as health systems and providers navigate high volumes of requests for care navigation. 

We analyze 8 vendors helping save physicians time in this client-only ESP Vendor Assessment Matrix.

A la carte

Since 2015, tech companies in Europe have received $130B in investment. 

From Sweden-based Klarna to Germany-based N26, we map out the top-funded startups across Europe here.

Win win
 

There are 3 spots left in our VIP Buyer program at CB Insights Tech Market: Digitizing P&C Insurance (May 13-14).

If you are a P&C exec who makes strategy and buying decisions and want a complimentary ticket to the event, apply here. In exchange for the ticket, we'll pair you up to meet with 2-3 technology companies.

In addition to the free ticket, you’ll get access to CB insights analyst platform data on the companies we introduce you to along with the ability to choose which categories of tech companies we’ll match you with. Learn more and apply here or register via general admission here.

Health IT is what it is... or is it?
 

Startups are leveraging AI to bring the next generation of enterprise healthcare technology to market. 

From remote patient monitoring to automated coding and billing, clients can see the 90+ companies driving innovation in the health IT ecosystem here.

STAT. Casey Ross (@caseymross) reports on telehealth SPACs and quotes CB Insights senior analyst Marissa Schlueter (@mschlueter13).

Wall Street Journal. Marc Vartabedian (@marcvarta) digs into the CB Insights 2020 Global CVC Report in the Pro VC newsletter.

Business Insider. Megan Hernbroth (@Megan_Hernbroth) profiles SoftBank's biotech investor Deep Nishar and quotes CB Insights analyst Kedar Karkare (@kedarkarkare). 

P.S. Last chance to sign up for our tech trends roundtable tomorrow. Ask our analysts anything about the 12 tech trends we anticipate will take off this year.

P.P.S. We’re hiring a director of digital marketing. Apply here.

Nose dive. Billions of dollars worth of travel and hotel vouchers are set to expire, but some consumers are fighting back.

WSJ

On repeat. Ikea has released an almost 4-hour audiobook version of its 2021 catalog.

Quartz 

Zombie ads. New York’s transit system is filled with outdated ads, as ad spending plummeted 76% amid the pandemic. 

Curbed

One hit wonders. Spotify is now releasing stats on how much it pays artists in an effort to be more transparent.

The Verge 

Somebody call 911. Companies are redesigning the software and equipment 911 operators use to optimize emergency response times.

Fast Company