Josh Kern

Autonomous Systems 2.0 More...

October 17, 2019

Gather AI

Autonomous drone software for inventory inspection

Develops an autonomy stack and inventory tracking service for warehouses using drones; features include bar code scanning, temperature monitoring, detecting stock-keeping units (SKUs), and visual inspection The company claims its solution is 15× faster and 30× cheaper than using human labor for the ... read more.
Company Profile

Venkatesh Konanur

Digital Transformation

October 17, 2019

Microfulfillment center startup Takeoff partners with a warehouse automation company to improve e-grocery procurement efficiency

In April 2019, Takeoff, a software platform that manages microfulfillment centers across North America, partnered with Knapp, a warehouse automation provider that plans to open up 50 more of the micro fulfillment centers. These centers are expected to process up to $1.5 billion in grocery e-commerce... read more.

Case Study

Michael Sullivan

Digital Transformation More...

October 17, 2019

Humanyze

Software platform for behavioral analytics to assess organizational change

Humanyze provides an organizational network analytics software platform that measures, aggregates, and models anonymous data from digital communications, including chat, email, surveys, as well as proximity, motion, audio and smart identification badge sensors to model worker behavior and test ... read more.
Company Profile

Venkatesh Konanur

Digital Transformation More...

October 17, 2019

Takeoff

Micro-fulfillment center-based grocery procurement platform

The company was founded by CEO José Vicente Aguerrevere and COO Max Pedro in 2016; to date, Takeoff has raised $63.9 million, with investments from Forrestal Capital and Ignia. The company develops a software platform that automates grocery fulfillment; Takeoff partners with warehouse automation ... read more.
Company Snapshot

Holly Havel

Exploration and Production More...

October 17, 2019

Integrity Insitu

Three-in-one testing tool for in situ geomechanical data

Develops a novel downhole tool that incorporates minifrac, intelligent packer, and downhole scratch testing components to measure in situ geomechanical properties in real time Collects comprehensive geomechanical data, which is used to determine key formation characteristics, such as normal stress, ... read more.
Company Profile

Holly Havel

Exploration and Production More...

October 17, 2019

ES Xplore

Passive electroseismic technology for hydrocarbon exploration

The company was started by Hunt Energy Enterprises, a venture startup incubator owned by Hunt Consolidated, in Dallas, Texas, in 2016; the company is now led by CEO Dan Meyer, who has more than 27 years of experience in management and private equity. To date, the company has raised approximately $12... read more.
Company Snapshot

Michael Sullivan

Digital Transformation More...

October 17, 2019

Updating the Lux comparison of wireless communications: NB-IoT, LTE-M, 5G, and Wi-Fi 6 will dominate the market

Sorting out protocol proliferation With the proliferation of wireless communications protocols, including Amazon's Sidewalk, Vivint's fixed 5G, and multiple flavors of 5G, companies need to understand the fit each version has with their applications' requirements. In addition, they need to determine... read more.

Analyst Insight

Nardev Ramanathan

Consumer IoT More...

October 16, 2019

A roadmap for AI in healthcare

Introduction AI is critical to solving healthcare's biggest challenges, such as rising healthcare costs, chronic diseases and aging, and shifting expectations in developing economies with limited healthcare personnel and infrastructure, but applying it successfully is no easy task. One doesn't have ... read more.

Analyst Insight

Chad Goldberg

The Future of Mobility

October 16, 2019

TransPod

Developer of hyperloop technology and infrastructure

The company was started by Sebastien Gendron and Ryan Janzen in 2015; it currently has 30 employees and offices in Canada, France, and Italy. Gendron holds a master's degree in aerospace engineering and has held leadership positions at companies like Bombardier and Airbus; Janzen holds a Ph.D. in ... read more.
Company Snapshot

Christopher Robinson

Energy Storage More...

October 16, 2019

Dyson pulls the plug on its BEV ambitions, highlighting the deceptively high barriers to entry in building electric vehicles

Electrification is changing what powers the wheels of cars for the first time in nearly a century, as cheaper and more energy-dense batteries make long-range battery electric vehicles (BEVs) possible. Although today the continued shift towards electric mobility appears inevitable, a decade ago the ... read more.

Analyst Insight

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Where and how to find the Green in Green technology

Coverage Areas: Agro Innovation More...

Planned Publication Date: Q1 2020

Lux covers the potential for sustainability and green technologies to become an alternate source of revenue as concerns regarding environmental impact and risk continue to grow.

How 3D Printing Software Will Accelerate the Development of 3D Printing

Coverage Areas: Accelerating Materials Innovation More...

Planned Publication Date: Q1 2020

In the last few years, synergies between the design software space and 3D printing have become increasingly apparent. For example, generative design software takes advantage of 3D printing’s ability to expand manufacturability and vastly enlarges the explorable design candidate space. 3D printing simulation software models the stress profile of a part, and therefore predicts part failure before physically printing it. Within the 3D printing community, we are seeing a trend of 3D printing companies developing and strengthening their software components. Several major examples include Desktop Metal’s software for generative design, Markforged’s cloud-based software for part print optimization, and Arevo’s computer-aided design (CAD) and FEA-based software for 3D printing design and simulation. In this report, we review the most relevant 3D printing software technologies and argue that the formation of a 3D printing software thread (design, simulation, manufacturing, as well as workflow management and data security) with data control through the whole process will be crucial for 3D printing at industrial scale. We expect to see more 3D printing companies either develop their own software strategies or to partner with large software companies in the near future.

Scouting Innovations for Corrosion's Tough Problems

Coverage Areas: Accelerating Materials Innovation More...

Planned Publication Date: Q1 2020

Corrosion remains perhaps the most persistent challenge we face in the materials industry. New sustainability regulations are making this even more challenging, by pushing out chrome 6 and limiting the use of solvents. This report will scout early stage technologies, start-ups, and identify corporate approaches to tackling the corrosion challenge.

Innovating the Lithium Industry

Coverage Areas: Energy Storage More...

Planned Publication Date: Q1 2020

With many automakers heavily invested in battery electric vehicle (BEV) development and more than 1 million vehicles in annual sales, the electric mobility revolution is well underway. Yet even as more and more automakers announce aggressive electrification strategies, challenges facing the lithium industry could have significant impacts on the future battery and BEV markets. This report considers the gap between lithium supply and demand forecasts, the innovative companies looking to address the challenges in producing battery-ready lithium chemicals, and the established incumbents best positioned to take advantage of this critical market opportunity.

The future of big data and edge computing

Coverage Areas: Digital Transformation More...

Planned Publication Date: Q1 2020

Several metrics indicate that, over the past couple of years, there has been a steady rise in interest as well as innovation in the area of edge computing. In a previous report, we had discussed the key drivers, taxonomy of different types of edge computing technologies, and some key players in this space. However, there is little clarity on where and what type of edge computing should be used in different applications. In this report, we will dive into the nuances of different applications and use cases where edge computing will play an important role.

Innovation in Metal-Organic Frameworks

Coverage Areas: Accelerating Materials Innovation More...

Planned Publication Date: Q1 2020

While metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) remain a highly academic subject, understanding of their capabilities has grown in the past several years, and synthetic methods and MOF design tools continue to improve. MOFs can be widely applicable to potential use cases in gas and liquid separations, gas storage, catalysis, battery anodes, and even food storage. This report surveys the market opportunities for MOFs and explores key players that both OEMs and chemical and materials companies need to be aware of to act on these opportunities.

Biopolymer Vision 2020

Coverage Areas: Accelerating Materials Innovation More...

Planned Publication Date: Q1 2020

Bio-based polymers have garnered significant interest for replacing petroleum-based incumbents, but commercial success stories have been few and far between. Has the recent rise of interest in sustainability and worries about plastic waste changed the game for biopolymers? Or are the same economic challenges going to keep biopolymers consigned to a niche unless or until oil prices skyrocket? In this report, we update partnerships and production capacity to provide a new vision of the commercial future of bio-based polymers.

Water Scarcity: the Next Big Threat to Materials Manufacturing

Coverage Areas: Accelerating Materials Innovation More...

Planned Publication Date: Q1 2020

Concerns surrounding water scarcity are on the rise, with more regions facing extreme drought conditions than ever before. As such, industries that are historically water intensive will face mounting pressure from consumers and government agencies to curb consumption. To get ahead of such threats, companies should be adopting methods of synthesizing products that do not involve water as heavily. This report aims to identify where innovation in materials manufacturing can have the greatest impact in reducing water consumption and strategies materials companies should take in implementing such technologies.

Organizing for Digital

Coverage Areas: Digital Transformation

Planned Publication Date: Q2 2020

Many companies are trying to embark on their digital transformation. However, success rates are not that high; estimates indicate that more than 80% of digital transformation projects fail. While there are many determining factors for success, one of them is the structure of the organization and the culture within an organization. Interestingly, with the arrival of digital, companies also need to re-imagine their traditional structures. How can companies organize themselves to ensure success in their digital transformation efforts? What type of a culture should they build? With the arrival of digital, what should the org structure look like to ensure success in the future?

The Future of the Composites Industry

Coverage Areas: Accelerating Materials Innovation More...

Planned Publication Date: Q2 2020

The composites industry is growing rapidly with the development of new technologies and market applications, but still remains very small compared to other incumbent materials like steel or aluminum. This report will take a holistic view on the state of the composites industry — encompassing both glass and carbon fiber alike — identifying key drivers and challenges and discuss strategies to grow the overall industry pie rather than simply competing over current markets.