Author: jeremiah_owyang

Categories: Ethics Posted on

The Rise of Digital Feudalism; Chances are, You’re a Serf.

This was originally posted on Hugh McCloud’s Gaping Void newsletter. Technology has fulfilled many promises from connecting the world, enabling transparency to increase the speed of otherwise slow processes. While we can and should celebrate the benefits of the tech industry, we also need to recognize that the promise of “power to the people” was a false promise. Just a few decades after the birth of the internet, we can see that power is centralized to the very few, harkening back on prior eras – the era of feudalism. What’s feudalism? Dusting off our history books, it was a class-based system that was led by kings who granted land and resources to lords, who in turn ran the castles, who … Continue readingThe Rise of Digital Feudalism; Chances are, You’re a Serf.

Categories: Off Planet Posted on

Satellites as a Service: What, Why, and How

Satellites as a Service: What is it? The Collaborative/Sharing Economy is now applied to satellites. Now you can “own” your very own satellite, for a fraction of the time and price. Just as Uber enabled anyone to access expensive town cars and chauffeurs and Airbnb enabled us to access beach-side mansions for a single night, this same business model is applying to expensive satellite technology. You don’t need to be a tech billionaire or a government agency to launch your own space fleet into orbit, you can simply rent some of theirs. Key Terms to Know: Satellites as a Service: Satellites as a Service (SataaS) – You no longer need to own your own satellite, now you can have access … Continue readingSatellites as a Service: What, Why, and How

Categories: Customer Experience Posted on

Three Ways Companies Can Offer a Smooth Customer Experience Over a Complicated One.

Imagine having a challenge with a new product you purchased, you want to communicate via chat, but they push you to a 1-800 number, only to be put on hold, routed to various call center agents who asked you the same information time and time again — and finally only to be hung up on? Yeah, that has happened to me, and it’s not a company that I’ll recommend to others. If you’re like me, this is a reality for many customers. I wanted to share both a vision of what an ideal customer experience looks like, as well as share some personal interactions I’ve had with brands. Today, customers have higher-than-ever expectations on companies in their interactions: Customers expect … Continue readingThree Ways Companies Can Offer a Smooth Customer Experience Over a Complicated One.

Categories: Modern Wellbeing, Speech, Video Posted on

Video: Tech Wellness Speech from Techonomy Conference, NYC

It was an honor to present at Techonomy event in NYC this spring. If I had to summarize three words to this event, it’s “Tech, Business, and Purpose”. They frequently made references to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which we should all be aligning our efforts towards. In this short 12 minuted “TED” style speech, I spoke about the rising trend of Modern Wellbeing, where consumers are using technology to improve their own health and wellness. They’re leaning on powerful companies like Apple, Google, Amazon and hundreds of startups. I have a longer version, and even a workshop that I’ve presented to HR leaders, you can read my other related posts on this topic, under the Modern Wellbeing category. … Continue readingVideo: Tech Wellness Speech from Techonomy Conference, NYC

Categories: Speech Posted on

Speech: The Six Digital Eras Illuminates a Roadmap

Speaking at Digitalk, Sofia. Photo by Dan Taylor Last week, I presented in Europe (Spark Me, and at Digitalk) the “Six Digital Eras” a roadmap on how I see the future unfolding in digital. When I first built out this framework several years ago, it was during the social media age. I noticed that the Collaborative Economy era was going to emerge, and you’ve seen my writings on that. Quickly, I could see that the next phase (fourth phase) was going to spur the autonomous era. Now, I’m focused in on the Modern Wellbeing (aka Wellness Tech or WellTech) category as technology integrates and augments our minds, bodies, communities and space. This era focuses on the “inner space” on our … Continue readingSpeech: The Six Digital Eras Illuminates a Roadmap

Categories: Modern Wellbeing Posted on

Investors Bet on Wellness Tech: Startups Funded $2 Billion

Investors are betting that humans turn to tech startups for wellness solutions. Wellness is not just a buzzword, it’s a $4.2 Trillion market and growing. It’s a movement and it’s happening now. Our society has taken a turn and people are more focused on their physical, mental and spiritual health than ever before. Being happy and healthy has evolved into a top priority. In walks technology…Apps and startups have enabled this movement by creating technology to address our mind, fitness, sleep, diet, reproductive health, environment and beyond. WellTech has been surging with innumerable apps and companies over the last decade. Investment activity has followed in suit with over $2.2B in investment in the 97 modern wellness startups we’ve identified as … Continue readingInvestors Bet on Wellness Tech: Startups Funded $2 Billion

Categories: Social Media Posted on

2019, Red Hot IPO Year for Silicon Valley

There are nearly a dozen tech Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) planned for 2019, the tech companies are scurrying to generate immense wealth before the expected 2020 recession. While many industries are seeing financial problems. pre-IPO tech companies are being heavily valued by Wall Street traders and financial analysts. Most of these companies are Collaborative Economy companies, an industry I covered with great detail over the last half decade. These online marketplaces enable the buying and selling of assets (they don’t own) between individuals. Since they don’t own most of the assets, they have great upside –and little downside. These tech companies are the darlings in business, as they prepare for a massive set of IPOs that could result in over $250 … Continue reading2019, Red Hot IPO Year for Silicon Valley

Categories: Modern Wellbeing Posted on

Who’s Who in Corporate Wellness Technology (CWT)

Employees are burning out, losing sleep, becoming less healthy, and being compounded by stress. Furthermore, healthcare costs continue to increase as companies struggle to maximize the productivity of their employees while also retaining them. It’s ironic in many ways, but companies are turning to technology to help employees cope with too much technology. Here’s a summary note from our deeper research on this space after interviewing dozens of companies, startups, experts and attending events. With 80% of today’s companies offering wellness programs, there is a massive market for services in this space. Apps and comprehensive platforms are filling the needs of employers to provide wellness and engage their employees with wellness offerings. From on-demand meditation to one-stop-shops for all that … Continue readingWho’s Who in Corporate Wellness Technology (CWT)

Categories: Infographic, Modern Wellbeing Posted on

Tech Startups Build Tools for Wellbeing

A new market has emerged. Technology has intersected with our wellness – to aid in monitoring, promoting, augmenting and managing our well-being. These low-cost technologies are transforming the field, making tools for managing wellness accessible to anyone who wants to adopt them. This stands in stark contrast to the way the current, traditional health industry approaches health and wellness, by requiring traditional practitioners, insurance, and a wide range of costs. Users are turning to technology to supplement their diet, to develop their mind, aid their fitness, their sleep, and their reproductive health, improve the design of their environment and much more. Using these new tools, they’re not approaching wellness in a vacuum – the offerings typically involve supportive digital communities … Continue readingTech Startups Build Tools for Wellbeing

Categories: Collaborative Economy, Matrix, Social Media Posted on

Roadmap: Five Phases of Digital Eras

Five Phases of Digital Eras Roadmaps directionally guide us when situations are unclear. To guide me, I often used this framework in client work, speeches, and reports. It serves us to see how technology is rolling out in our lives, as Scott Monty said, it could a “chart of your life”. It’s not just for me, it’s for all of us to use in our personal and professional planning. As we approach the anticipated recession, now is a good time to publish this roadmap, as we’ve seen economic conditions shape each era. For example, in the Internet Era, the dot coms experienced a shakeout in the 2001 recession. Next the Social Media era became a low-cost channel in the next … Continue readingRoadmap: Five Phases of Digital Eras