Ed Sappin

Big data has immense value, but there is little doubt it remains extremely vulnerable to hackers and malicious actors. Billions of people have had their personal information compromised in recent years, and the tech industry is actively seeking to increase cybersecurity efforts and find more efficient ways to protect big data before breach issues get even more out of hand.

The answer may lie in using the power of big data to protect itself. It may sound incredibly meta, but the process… Show more

Big data has immense value, but there is little doubt it remains extremely vulnerable to hackers and malicious actors. Billions of people have had their personal information compromised in recent years, and the tech industry is actively seeking to increase cybersecurity efforts and find more efficient ways to protect big data before breach issues get even more out of hand.

The answer may lie in using the power of big data to protect itself. It may sound incredibly meta, but the process is relatively straightforward. By scanning huge volumes of data and unearthing security-related insights early, specialists can shut down potential attacks before they prove too big a liability. Show less

With automation on the rise, how can mid-career workers ride the AI wave to ensure a place for themselves?

Asia, in particular, has been enamored with crypto, but the absence of a centralized authority has unsettled many governments and provoked a wide range of responses.

The Federal Reserve continued to raise interest rates in 2018 as we reached the end of one of the longest bull markets in United States history. As the market cycle turns and the likely economic correction plays out in the coming months and years, what are the implications for the energy and infrastructure markets, which have greatly benefited from low interest rates?

The lofty promises of instant riches through crypto have fallen short, but the market will be better as it works through an evolutionary stage.

Last year was a painful one for cryptocurrencies and blockchain. After crypto prices hit all time highs a year ago, the market cap for all cryptocurrencies dropped more than $500 billion by the end of 2018, with many altcoins suffering as bad or worse as bitcoin.

There’s no shortage of claims that the death of crypto is at hand. But is it?

Machine learning is, without a doubt, the future. From Amazon’s recommendations engine to Google Photo’s smart albums, the rise of the algorithms promises us a more streamlined, convenient world.

For businesses, increasingly complex and capable algorithms also promise more profits. Yet for now, it seems that big corporations, such as Alphabet, Amazon, or Facebook are reaping the lion’s share of the machine learning windfall. What, if anything, are small businesses to do? More… Show more

Machine learning is, without a doubt, the future. From Amazon’s recommendations engine to Google Photo’s smart albums, the rise of the algorithms promises us a more streamlined, convenient world.

For businesses, increasingly complex and capable algorithms also promise more profits. Yet for now, it seems that big corporations, such as Alphabet, Amazon, or Facebook are reaping the lion’s share of the machine learning windfall. What, if anything, are small businesses to do? More importantly, will the rise of self-learning machines further entrench large companies at the expense of smaller ones? Show less

The rotary phone. The beeper. The fax machine. These communication devices were revolutionary upon invention, but they're now all but extinct.

Is the smartphone next?

The smartphone is the most widely used mobile technology in the United States — as of 2018, 77% of U.S. adults own a smartphone, according to Pew Research Center. It's created swift and interconnected communications, offering people the ability to connect with friends and family in seconds.

Even so, today's… Show more

The rotary phone. The beeper. The fax machine. These communication devices were revolutionary upon invention, but they're now all but extinct.

Is the smartphone next?

The smartphone is the most widely used mobile technology in the United States — as of 2018, 77% of U.S. adults own a smartphone, according to Pew Research Center. It's created swift and interconnected communications, offering people the ability to connect with friends and family in seconds.

Even so, today's smartphone is also slated for obsolescence. Show less

How likely is it that an algorithm could replace a doctor? At some point in the future, will hospitals force us to enter our symptoms into touchscreens and wait for a disembodied electronic voice to give us a diagnosis?

Innovation is a key asset for any business. Both small and large enterprises can thrive by introducing inventive products to their sectors, benefiting customers, clients, and ultimately the economy at large.

When it comes to innovation, big businesses often take the praise for their ingenuity and strategy; after all, they can afford large research and development departments. But small businesses are just as innovative—usually more so—than large-scale corporations.

Small businesses and corporations have little to do with one another at first glance. The parable of David and Goliath quickly comes to mind: one side features a small, hungry upstart, while the other features an established legacy company with all the advantages--and consequently, everything to lose.

In truth though, this zero-sum mindset is not only inaccurate, but also counterproductive. After all, small businesses have a lot to learn from their corporate rivals, especially where it… Show more

Small businesses and corporations have little to do with one another at first glance. The parable of David and Goliath quickly comes to mind: one side features a small, hungry upstart, while the other features an established legacy company with all the advantages--and consequently, everything to lose.

In truth though, this zero-sum mindset is not only inaccurate, but also counterproductive. After all, small businesses have a lot to learn from their corporate rivals, especially where it concerns the areas of systems, branding, and the use of analytics and data. The big difference is scale: obviously there’s a large disparity (in finances, time, and staff) between a corporation and a small business. All the same, with enough creativity and imagination (as well as the power of the internet), small businesses can apply big company knowhow to their own business model. Show less

Sight for the blind, hearing for the deaf. A human body with functionality restored. That’s the promise of bionics, a field that sits at the intersection of engineering, nanotechnology, medicine, and other scientific disciplines.

Bionics is the merger of electronics and technology with the human body, or in other words: robotic body parts. Bionics holds extraordinary promise for its potential to improve quality of life and restore physical functionality in people with debilitating… Show more

Sight for the blind, hearing for the deaf. A human body with functionality restored. That’s the promise of bionics, a field that sits at the intersection of engineering, nanotechnology, medicine, and other scientific disciplines.

Bionics is the merger of electronics and technology with the human body, or in other words: robotic body parts. Bionics holds extraordinary promise for its potential to improve quality of life and restore physical functionality in people with debilitating conditions. In the past decade, bionic innovation has progressed in leaps and bounds, emerging as a hotbed of breakthrough developments. Show less

Google, Alibaba, Facebook, Baidu, and other tech giants are leading the charge in developing and acquiring AI companies and talent. Many observers have expressed concern that the big players are dominating what will be one of the most important fields in technology. Unlike past waves of technological development, the AI boom could shut out startups and entrepreneurs. I’ve written about the potential for AI to create a stratified society, but I am optimistic about the ability of smart, savvy… Show more

Google, Alibaba, Facebook, Baidu, and other tech giants are leading the charge in developing and acquiring AI companies and talent. Many observers have expressed concern that the big players are dominating what will be one of the most important fields in technology. Unlike past waves of technological development, the AI boom could shut out startups and entrepreneurs. I’ve written about the potential for AI to create a stratified society, but I am optimistic about the ability of smart, savvy visionaries to build leading AI technologies without backing from major tech companies. Show less

Artificial intelligence is all over the news, with tech titans arguing over whether it is a force for good or bad. An equally important question is whether AI will further stratify society, creating a world of haves and have-nots.

As artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) become more commonplace, it is both useful and important to understand how these two important trends work together to benefit specialists and the average person alike.

How can AI control and potentially improve the rollout of IoT?

The maturing smartphone industry no longer excites customers as it once did - do you really get excited about a slightly larger display or more pixels on your phone camera? Given the familiarity with almost predictable annual upgrades, it’s no surprise that smartphones sales have stagnated. Against this backdrop small businesses have been very active - about 94% of them have successfully implemented smartphones into their core business strategy.

Business owners can’t be too comfortable… Show more

The maturing smartphone industry no longer excites customers as it once did - do you really get excited about a slightly larger display or more pixels on your phone camera? Given the familiarity with almost predictable annual upgrades, it’s no surprise that smartphones sales have stagnated. Against this backdrop small businesses have been very active - about 94% of them have successfully implemented smartphones into their core business strategy.

Business owners can’t be too comfortable though. The mobile industry offers a false sense of stability for business owners who assume a Facebook page or a smartphone app are the best ways to engage with consumers. In fact, disruptive technologies are emerging; business owners will need to change their practices to keep up with these emerging trends or risk getting left behind. Show less

AI is constantly touted as the next big thing. But how many of us are aware that AI is already here? While the jury is still out on whether it will be a benevolent force or an existential threat to humankind, AI is active in many facets of our daily lives and will play a larger role in the years to come.
For example, the NSA has basically a version of “Skynet” from the Terminator series to track suspected terrorists and predict terrorist attacks (Minority Report, anyone?). And AI “hivemind”… Show more

AI is constantly touted as the next big thing. But how many of us are aware that AI is already here? While the jury is still out on whether it will be a benevolent force or an existential threat to humankind, AI is active in many facets of our daily lives and will play a larger role in the years to come.
For example, the NSA has basically a version of “Skynet” from the Terminator series to track suspected terrorists and predict terrorist attacks (Minority Report, anyone?). And AI “hivemind” UNU correctly predicted the exact final score for this year’s Super Bowl.

AI is here whether we like it or not. Should you care? Let’s take a look at how companies are using AI today, and I’ll let you decide.
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Back in 2012, the launch of the first private spacecraft bound for the international space station brought earthlings into a new era of space exploration. Now, it seems like new space-related startups are launching (metaphorically-speaking) every day. Along with companies such as Planetary Resources and Deep Space Industries, well-known Silicon Valley figures like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg have backed space-related ventures, regarding these projects as exciting new frontiers that could… Show more

Back in 2012, the launch of the first private spacecraft bound for the international space station brought earthlings into a new era of space exploration. Now, it seems like new space-related startups are launching (metaphorically-speaking) every day. Along with companies such as Planetary Resources and Deep Space Industries, well-known Silicon Valley figures like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg have backed space-related ventures, regarding these projects as exciting new frontiers that could yield tremendous profits. Show less

China and India, two of the world’s oldest civilizations, are also two of the fastest growing. Until the year 1000 AD, China and India accounted for a quarter and a third, respectively, of all economic activity in the world.

Having lived and worked in the US and China, I often tell those who are interested that the people of the two nations are more similar than they are different. However, the systems of government and, less obviously, the projection of hard and soft power differ greatly between the two countries.

China is no longer content to play a regional role, and has begun creating its own spheres of influence through initiatives such as the One Belt, One Road (land and maritime connections between… Show more

Having lived and worked in the US and China, I often tell those who are interested that the people of the two nations are more similar than they are different. However, the systems of government and, less obviously, the projection of hard and soft power differ greatly between the two countries.

China is no longer content to play a regional role, and has begun creating its own spheres of influence through initiatives such as the One Belt, One Road (land and maritime connections between China, Asia and Europe), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (meant as an alternative to the World Bank and IMF), its somewhat stalled attempts to make the renminbi a global currency, and a harder military stance in East and Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, the US President promises to be tough on China, raising the prospect of economic sanctions, protectionism, and a focus on hard power.

We examine three key areas where the US and China have the potential to find a resolution to their differences, but could also fall into outright conflict. Show less

Human beings have ascended from barbarism into civilization in just 10 million years, thanks in large part to modern science and systems of governance. Urbanization is one of the results of our advancement, with cities representing our technological prowess and the rich culture our species has achieved over millennia.

Cities throughout the world are expected to rapidly expand in the coming decades. We need new strategies for creating the places where people live and work, as growing… Show more

Human beings have ascended from barbarism into civilization in just 10 million years, thanks in large part to modern science and systems of governance. Urbanization is one of the results of our advancement, with cities representing our technological prowess and the rich culture our species has achieved over millennia.

Cities throughout the world are expected to rapidly expand in the coming decades. We need new strategies for creating the places where people live and work, as growing urban populations compound city-centric problems like aging infrastructure, pollution, and traffic congestion. Solutions to these problems and other challenges that lie ahead in the future—continuing to fight poverty, offering opportunities for upward mobility, addressing climate change, amongst others—hinge on developing stronger, more functional cities. This begs the question: how can cities accommodate this growth? Show less

You’ve taken the plunge and started a new business. You made it through the first year and turned a profit - congratulations. When an entrepreneur takes an idea and turns it into a profitable business, it’s a cause for celebration. But it’s not enough to just keep doing the same thing -- continued success is going to depend on different and evolving strategies. In order to scale up and grow in a big way, business owners have to prioritize a growth to-do list.

In 2007, I was living in Shanghai and decided to come back to the US for a visit to see my family in New York. I also passed through Chicago to attend the law school commencement of a cousin living there. Trudging through the winter in Chicago was actually fun (my cousin graduated midyear). I had some free time during the trip and visited the Catherine Edelman Gallery in River North, where I first saw the works of Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison.

There’s been a lot of talk lately about the future of work. Much of the time, these conversations are fueled by the anxiety many of us share as we try to understand the impact new technologies will have on our industries. We tend to reduce these discussions to binary arguments -- how smart machines will do extraordinary things to improve our lives, or how this or that innovation will make human labor obsolete, creating a jobless dystopia. Both conclusions strike me as somewhat specious. It’s… Show more

There’s been a lot of talk lately about the future of work. Much of the time, these conversations are fueled by the anxiety many of us share as we try to understand the impact new technologies will have on our industries. We tend to reduce these discussions to binary arguments -- how smart machines will do extraordinary things to improve our lives, or how this or that innovation will make human labor obsolete, creating a jobless dystopia. Both conclusions strike me as somewhat specious. It’s not that these concerns aren’t valid, but they oversimplify a more complex phenomenon.

Why do entrepreneurship and innovation fuel economic growth? On the surface, the answer seems intuitive: entrepreneurs create businesses and new businesses create jobs, strengthen market competition and increase productivity. Here in the United States, entrepreneurism is part of our American identity and self-image. It’s non-partisan, too; both sides of the political spectrum celebrate entrepreneurial small business as a fount of innovation and growth. Entrepreneurism is seen as a route to upward mobility -- a way for average people to build wealth. Let’s take a closer look. Show less

The World has been Flat for more than a decade, and our worldwide market continues bringing people and countries closer and closer. Competition and opportunity increase as technology travels across the globe in milliseconds. Collectively tuned into streams of newsfeeds, with an on-demand global database of knowledge at our fingertips, we are of a century awash in innovation. Businesses and people, are for the most part, better for it.

So what does this mean for your company? Are you… Show more

The World has been Flat for more than a decade, and our worldwide market continues bringing people and countries closer and closer. Competition and opportunity increase as technology travels across the globe in milliseconds. Collectively tuned into streams of newsfeeds, with an on-demand global database of knowledge at our fingertips, we are of a century awash in innovation. Businesses and people, are for the most part, better for it.

So what does this mean for your company? Are you going to be left in the dust, leverage the global opportunity to drive your company to even greater heights, or muddle through without taking advantage of the resources available to you? Show less

It’s been a rough year, a rough month, a rough week. Police shooting minorities, police being shot; Brexit creating global uncertainty; thousands of people dying in Syria including an uptick in child suicides; another terror attack in France; China vowing to ignore an international tribunal ruling in favor of the Philippines; a US Presidential election where almost nobody really likes the two leading candidates; negative interest rates in major economies threatening to upend the world… Show more

It’s been a rough year, a rough month, a rough week. Police shooting minorities, police being shot; Brexit creating global uncertainty; thousands of people dying in Syria including an uptick in child suicides; another terror attack in France; China vowing to ignore an international tribunal ruling in favor of the Philippines; a US Presidential election where almost nobody really likes the two leading candidates; negative interest rates in major economies threatening to upend the world economy.

If this is the new normal, then a lot of people are being left out in the cold and those that are not are understandably worried.

So if you are living in the good old US of A, here are 10 reasons to remember how lucky you are and that the future is actually quite bright Show less

We interact with countless things each day that support us as we sleep, eat, work and play -- the bed we get out of in the morning, the shower head, your toothbrush, the car steering wheel, your watch and your lunchbox. Your stove, blender and refrigerator -- you get the picture. What if these objects, on which we rarely spare a second thought, had intelligence of their own?

Market return investors taking the best of traditional investing and impact investing can be a valuable resource for clean and green entrepreneurs looking to raise capital. If you have a business model that works well in the non-impact sector but has even stronger advantages due to impact investment, you have the best of both worlds.

The changing economy has meant a loss of manufacturing jobs to technology advancement and to the global marketplace. In an election year it is popular to talk about bringing those jobs back, but the truth is that they are largely gone forever. Instead, we need to focus on creating family wage jobs of the future in emerging areas such as mobile and internet, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and renewable energy, and retraining those that have been displaced in our modern economy to be… Show more

The changing economy has meant a loss of manufacturing jobs to technology advancement and to the global marketplace. In an election year it is popular to talk about bringing those jobs back, but the truth is that they are largely gone forever. Instead, we need to focus on creating family wage jobs of the future in emerging areas such as mobile and internet, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and renewable energy, and retraining those that have been displaced in our modern economy to be qualified for such jobs. Show less

Bitcoin and the blockchain are all over the news these days as pundits debate whether or not cryptocurrencies will mean the end of banks within the next decade. What is clear in the short term is that continued global financial market instability and distortions continue to drive interest in bitcoin and other alternative stores of value.

Every week if not every day there is another story in the news on our global refugee crisis. A child dies trying to make it across the Aegean Sea to Greece. The EU negotiates with Turkey to repatriate illegal refugees while supposedly taking in an equal number of legitimate refugees. The Shengen agreement effectively goes up in flames as EU countries reinstitute border controls.

The presidential primaries are in full swing and that means one thing: It is a great time to bash China. Here is a primer on the key U.S.-China relations issues of trade, the South China Seas and climate change; what the candidates are saying; and the reality, which is often far more nuanced than the candidates let on.

Chinese companies are starting to spread their wings and head abroad. Alibaba, China’s dominant ecommerce company recently went public in New York in a $25 billion IPO, the largest ever in the United States. It is now more valuable than Amazon and eBay and appears likely to become a direct competitor in the United States to those companies. There are certainly many challenges Chinese companies face in heading overseas. However, we can expect more global businesses coming out of the Middle… Show more

Chinese companies are starting to spread their wings and head abroad. Alibaba, China’s dominant ecommerce company recently went public in New York in a $25 billion IPO, the largest ever in the United States. It is now more valuable than Amazon and eBay and appears likely to become a direct competitor in the United States to those companies. There are certainly many challenges Chinese companies face in heading overseas. However, we can expect more global businesses coming out of the Middle Kingdom, with an increasing emphasis in each on building a tangible U.S. presence.

Here are six innovative sectors and their China-based flag bearers to help us better understand from where the next Alibaba may come. Show less

Wall Street. Asset-backed securities. Too big to fail. Memories of the mortgage market meltdown still haunt Main Street and Wall Street. But in spite of all the naysayers, the green business sector is growing up and may be just what Wall Street needs to help be a positive force in growing the nation’s economy.

Ukraine’s political crisis continues, with Russian troops in Crimea, reformist forces in power in Kiev, and Europe, the US and Russia vying to broker a lasting solution. Just below the surface is the critical issue of natural gas. Europe gets approximately one-third of its gas from Russia and the majority passes through Ukraine. Will Ukraine play a pivotal role in determining Europe’s energy markets for 2014 and beyond? Are there any unintended consequences of Vladimir Putin’s show of force in… Show more

Ukraine’s political crisis continues, with Russian troops in Crimea, reformist forces in power in Kiev, and Europe, the US and Russia vying to broker a lasting solution. Just below the surface is the critical issue of natural gas. Europe gets approximately one-third of its gas from Russia and the majority passes through Ukraine. Will Ukraine play a pivotal role in determining Europe’s energy markets for 2014 and beyond? Are there any unintended consequences of Vladimir Putin’s show of force in Crimea? Let’s examine Ukraine’s three likely political futures and their impacts on the energy markets. Show less

Innovation is arguably today’s favorite business buzzword. Companies and countries that innovate are the business and cultural leaders, while those that lag are relegated to lower profitability and less political sway. The United States has had a preeminent role in global innovation for more than a century, but the rise of China and its focus on growing an innovative business culture threatens to upset the balance. There will be individual corporate winners and losers in each country, but the… Show more

Innovation is arguably today’s favorite business buzzword. Companies and countries that innovate are the business and cultural leaders, while those that lag are relegated to lower profitability and less political sway. The United States has had a preeminent role in global innovation for more than a century, but the rise of China and its focus on growing an innovative business culture threatens to upset the balance. There will be individual corporate winners and losers in each country, but the nascent competition between China and the United States will be an overall positive development for both nations, driving each to innovate smarter and faster. Show less

China is the world's second largest economy, with its 2014 growth projected at 7.7 percent, compared to just 2.8 percent in the U.S. China's companies are increasingly going abroad, but is the People's Republic of China really poised to take over the business world? Here are five reasons why China Inc. will fail to dominate global commerce.

The debate about the role of renewable energy in the U.S. is highly politicized and polarized, needlessly hurting our energy and national security interests.

Walmart, the U.S. Department of Defense and Intel Corporation would seem a strange lot to put together. The largest retailer on earth, the most sophisticated military and the leading semiconductor company are vastly different arms of US power and success. However, they do share at least one trait: they are some of the biggest supporters of renewable energy and sustainability in the US.

The U.S. prides itself on being the source of the world’s greatest innovations. While this generally is true, we have become complacent and are at risk of being overtaken by increasingly unique innovation in other countries.