Wasabi, Agetech, and McMetaverse
February 18, 2022
Welcome to this 45th issue of our newsletter “Weak Signals and other Trends”. Each week, I sift through hundreds of sources of inspiration to track where we’re heading. If you are a new subscriber to this newsletter, take the time to send me a note and introduce yourself, I love to understand who is reading.
Join us on Clubhouse to discuss how to interpret some of those trends and weak signals most Saturday at 9 am EST (we’re on tomorrow).
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This is what I noticed this week, thank you for sharing this newsletter to those who look into the future.
Competitive and strategic Intelligence
Exposed documents reveal how the powerful clean up their digital past using a reputation laundering firm. The search engine that plans trees. Visualize routing information. Can Algorithms Predict Political Unrest? Track insights across the web. The archive of my curiosities. The rise of integrated thinking environments. Meet the NSA spies shaping the future. The Ice Cream Machine Hacking Saga.
For those who need to master online competitive research We offer advanced search techniques courses online.
Strategic blindspots
Looking at the familiar with “alien eyes” allows you to unlock new business model opportunities while avoiding risks stemming from strategic blindspots.
TikTok Kitchens will bring viral culinary creations to fans. The gas station of the future will have treadmills, gardens, and solar panels—but no gas. Subscription-Based Pricing for your heated car seat. The U.S. is debating whether to adopt a digital dollar. When Is the Revolution in Architecture Coming? In-person care services by Amazon are expanding to more than 20 new cities in 2022. The death of the department store. Who Owns the Space Behind Your Airplane Seat? The movie pass is changing business model.
We have scheduled the dates for 2022 for our “Strategic Blindspots”course . Our next cohort which will take place in Montreal, Canada, on April 26-27, 2022. Registrations are open.
Our future
Robots could be used to support soldiers in combat. "AgeTech" companies court digital seniors. Alfa Romeo Tonale SUV comes with NFT, linked to blockchain. When Private Equity Becomes Your Landlord. These robotic fish swim to the beat of human heart cells. Cultured Meat Milestone by Developing Muscle Fibers from Stem Cells. Japan is home to the world's first autonomous container ships.
Four essential tools for your cognitive, future-toolbox.
We keep you updated on those trends and more on Twitter.
Weak signals
Weak signals are indicators of a change, a trend or an emerging risk that might become significant for the future. They allow us to run hypothesis, expand our thinking, and challenge assumptions. How will you interpret those in your industry or field of expertise?
The 2.78-Pound French Truffle Being Sold In An NFT Auction. Danone releases new tool to help farmers measure regen ag’s potential returns. Paris doctor tries to sell X-ray of a patient as an NFT. Bloomberg accidentally reports that Russia invaded Ukraine. Apple or orange? French GenZ use fruit to date. Wordle Saves Elderly Woman From Kidnapping. A new program in Canada gives doctors the option of prescribing national park visits. McDonald’s files trademarks for McMetaverse restaurants. The pinstripes on Rolls-Royce automobiles are all hand-painted with a squirrel hair brush by one craftsman, Mark Court. ‘A Sense of Crisis’ for Wasabi. The US paused avocado imports.
Join us to discuss those trends and signals every Saturday at 9am EST on Clubhouse. We have a panel of futurists that illustrate what those signals might mean, and a fantastic group of curious minds in the room.
On our radar
This week, I did some research about the real levels of inflation - as consumer inflation fails to capture what I call “niche inflation” and “production inflation”: Where Inflation Is Hitting Hardest. Teens Find Rising Used-Car Prices Dash Hopes of First Car. Inflation gobbles up fresh produce. COVID-driven exodus out of big cities could fuel wage inflation. With inflation surging, big companies’ wage upticks aren’t nearly enough. Raw material commodity prices continue rising. Inflation is worse than expected.
Down the rabbit hole
This section highlights a subject that lead me to many useful threads, or a single site, that opened many doors.
This week, I went down the rabbit hole into Unique and Unusual Food & Drink.
Hodgepodge discovery
Articles for curious minds and the polymaths …
About vibes. Body language in the post-pandemic workplace. The roaring game. New quantum experiments are blurring past, present and future. The Oslo futures catalog. An analysis of thousands of Slack messages shows how groups can adjust their cognitive diversity. We need a Covid forecast. The Prince and the Coachline Painter.
I have published this week a yearly review of the top 70 newsletters curious minds are reading in 2022.
Feeling Good
A lullaby for her mom. Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage. As a pilot, I , of course, like the skybot. Top 10 species new to science in 2021. I’ve been many times to Jordan and this is why. When ski ballet was an Olympic sport.
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Contact me at Competia with your feedback or ideas. Thank you for reading.