FYI - For Your Innovation

Epic Games won a court case against Google. This week, Autonomous Technology and Robotics Director of Research Sam Korus and Associate Portfolio Manager Nick Grous are joined by Andrew Kim, ARK Analyst. Together they discuss a the Epic Games vs. Google court case.

If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Epic Games vs. Google

For more updates on Public.com:

Website: https://public.com/

YouTube: @publicinvest

Twitter: https://twitter.com/public

In today's episode, Research Associate Andrew Kim has an exciting conversation with Samee Zahid, the director of engineering at Chipper Cash. We dive into how Chipper Cash aims to revolutionize the financial ecosystem, emphasizing its recently launched product, Chipper ID. Chipper ID is an artificial intelligence-driven know your customer (KYC) verification platform that includes user verification, document verification, government database integration, and watch list screening. We'll talk about why Chipper Cash decided to build its own KYC solution and how it's not only cost-effective but can potentially shape the fintech landscape in Africa. Plus, we explore the intricacies of identity verification, the significance of data security, and their recent partnership with Visa for card issuance.

Key Points From This Episode:

- Overview of Samee’s background

- Fintech app Chipper Cash expands with AI-driven KYC platform

- How Chipper Cash's KYC platform reduces fintechs' customer acquisition costs significantly

- Tackling account fraud in Africa with real-time face-matching technology

- Chipper ID pairs on-device liveness checks with server verification for user authenticity

- Leveraging synthetic data for testing

- Why Chipper ID's focus on proprietary data and human insight remains vital in a rapidly evolving tech industry

- Balancing costs and specificity over broad models optimizes tech use

- Streamlining document checks and user verification improves fintech security

- How Screen Sentinel aids compliance teams in sanction screening and reduces false positives

- Integrating payment and ID verification, enabling secure one-click transactions

- Chipper's near-term catalysts to focus on

The FDA Has Approved America’s First Gene-Editing Therapy—Casgevy. This week, Autonomous Technology and Robotics Director of Research Sam Korus and Associate Portfolio Manager Nick Grous are joined by Ali Urman, ARK Analyst. Together they discuss a Crispr gene editing breakthrough. Then, Sam and Nick discuss Google's Gemini and Twitter's Grok

If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Crispr Approval
• Gemini
• Grok

For more updates on Public.com:

Website: https://public.com/

YouTube: @publicinvest

Twitter: https://twitter.com/public

Since inception, ARK has researched and published thoughts on the cryptocurrency ecosystem within Big Ideas and through articles, whitepapers, monthly Bitcoin reports and podcasts. Now, in coordination with Bitcoin Park, ARK is pleased to introduce a monthly conversation with leaders in the Bitcoin space, to discuss everything happening in the rapidly-changing and still nascent Bitcoin ecosystem. Published through the For Your innovation podcast channels, this monthly series aims to be informative and enlightening, including experts with diverse viewpoints.

Guests on this month’s Bitcoin Brainstorm include:

Conor Okus: Product Manager, Spiral

Steve Myers: Contributor, BitcoinDevKit (BDK) Project

Lisa Neigut (NiftyNei): Co-founder, Chief Instruction Officer, Base58

Rockstar Dev: Core Contributor, BTCPay Server

Mike Schmidt: Executive Director, Brink Technology

Yassine Elmandjra: Director of Digital Assets, ARK Invest

Cathie Wood: Founder, CEO and CIO, ARK Invest

Rod Roudi: Co-Founder, Bitcoin Park

Key Points From This Episode:

00:00:00 Rod Roudi introduces the Bitcoin Brainstorm and hands over the floor to each of our fantastic guests

00:12:05 Rod asks Cathie to explain why she and ARK are interested in Bitcoin

00:17:57 Why work in an open-source environment rather than closed source?

00:29:55 Mike explains why it is important for Bitcoin’s code base to be open-source

00:33:13 How Bitcoin has a unique funding model that relies on community support and how open source in Bitcoin has evolved

00:43:09 Why it is challenging to find developers to work on Bitcoin and how Base58 is working to solve this problem

00:47:36 Lisa explains how she uses live action role play to teach Bitcoin development

00:53:36 How gamification can help kids learn how Bitcoin works on a basic level

00:58:41 What is the best way to support open-source development and Bitcoin projects?

01:10:49 Conor explains the Open Source design community

Important Links Mentioned In This Episode:

·https://twitter.com/BtcpayServer/status/1704874856452366696

·https://twitter.com/BtcpayServer/status/1671897255346053120

·https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7xJMno_B3U

·https://spiral.xyz/blog/a-framework-for-sustainable-open-source-bitcoin-development/

·Who is Bitcoin?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvHUOr8ruMw

·Bitcoin Design Community:bitcoin.design

Should you say please to your artificial intelligence companion? This week, Autonomous Technology and Robotics Director of Research Sam Korus and Associate Portfolio Manager Nick Grous are joined by Brett Winton, ARK's Chief Futurist. Together they discuss Cybertruck and AI model manners.

If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Cybertruck
• AI Model Manners

For more updates on Public.com:

Website: https://public.com/

YouTube: @publicinvest

Twitter: https://twitter.com/public

Today, Sam Korus sits down with Brett Adcock, a veteran in the technology industry who has devoted his career to building cutting-edge tech companies. Brett has been an integral part of technology companies for over two decades, more recently steering his focus toward creating affordable and practical humanoid robots. With his company Figure AI, Brett is giving life to robots that can easily blend into commercial sectors like manufacturing, retail, and warehouses. His plan involves developing an artificial intelligence-centric (AI-centric) robotic design that would not just decrease dependence on humans for tedious tasks but also make these robots more reliable. Our guest also shares his valuable insights on the challenges faced in this venture and the ambitious timeline for seeing these robots in action.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Overview of Brett’s background
• Advances in AI and robotics
• How robots tackling simple, repetitive tasks can address labor shortages in warehouses
• Unexpected challenges of designing entire robots from scratch
• How advancements and strategic data collection propel AI and robotics to new heights
• Robotic automation promises significant cost reductions over time
• How robotics as a service could revolutionize affordability and functionality in automation
• Robots could match human ability in certain jobs this decade, with home use by its end

More founders leaving companies? This week, Autonomous Technology and Robotics Director of Research Sam Korus and Associate Portfolio Manager Nick Grous are joined by Tasha Keeney, CFA, ARK’s Director of Investment Analysis and Institutional Strategies. Together they discuss Cruise updates and the potential of sodium ion batteries.

If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.

Key Points From This Episode

• Cruise CEO Steps Down
• Sodium Ion Batteries

For more updates on Public.com: Website: https://public.com/ YouTube: @publicinvest Twitter: https://twitter.com/public

On today’s episode of FYI, Florian Berberich and Thomas Hartmann-Boyce engage with prominent entrepreneur and investor Frank Thelen. We put the spotlight on the state of disruptive innovation and technology in Europe, with a focused gaze on Frank’s home country, Germany. Thelen, the founder of Freigeist Capital and 10xDNA, shares his insights into the challenges that European and German companies face in keeping pace with the United States’ progress. The episode traverses an assortment of subjects, ranging from the future of the German car industry to artificial intelligence (AI’s) potential and its impact on the precision agriculture sector. Thelen’s significant influence in Germany’s version of Shark Tank draws attention to the importance of entrepreneurship and its potential for generating revenue. All this and more, on FYI.

“Change is coming. It starts slowly, but then it will grow rapidly. And currently, with Tesla, where we both are invested in, we see that we might lose this important industry in Germany very fast and very soon.” @frank_thelen Key Points From This Episode:

• Overview of Frank’s background
• Adapting to exponential tech growth beyond linear success
• How Europe’s innovation merges AI, 3D printing, internet of things (IoT), and blockchain
• Why Europe’s innovation potential needs more investment to keep pace globally
• German caution slows fintech adoption; mindset shift needed for innovation
• Europe may lead in robotics and biotech, leveraging manufacturing excellence
• Why Europe needs entrepreneurial stars to inspire innovation and drive talent
• Germany’s potential in seed-stage tech stifled by a lack of late-stage funding
• European interest in innovation and thematic investments is growing
• “Shark Tank” Germany experience shows entrepreneurship’s broad appeal and success
• Sustainable food innovation is necessary and ripe for technological investment

What’s going on with OpenAI? This week, Autonomous Technology and Robotics Director of Research Sam Korus and Associate Portfolio Manager Nick Grous are joined by Brett Winton, ARK’s Chief Futurist. Together they discuss Sam Altman’s removal as CEO of OpenAI and SpaceX’s Starship.

If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.

Key Points From This Episode

• OpenAI
• SpaceX

For more updates on Public.com: Website: https://public.com/ YouTube: @publicinvest Twitter: https://twitter.com/public

On today’s episode, Research Associate Andrew Kim interviews Joris Henson, who pulls back the curtain on Deutsche Bank’s approach to open banking, revealing valuable insights into the evolution of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and giving us a taste of what the future might hold for this trailblazing sector. Joris will share stories about incredibly creative approaches he’s taken, like data cocktail bars and design thinking workshops, to identify needs and generate ideas. We’ll take a closer look at the Open Finance Framework in the European Union, contrast Meta’s reception against open banking, and ponder the potential impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in finance. Plus, Joris busts open the proverbial black box of airline points to reveal how AI could simplify complexities and discusses product innovation at Deutsche Bank, specifically DB Smart Access.

“It’s about the small and big moments of life. And our vision is that with the help of open banking and through those partnerships, we can play a role in those small and big moments in the life of our customer.” – @Joris_Hensen Key Points From This Episode:

• Overview of Deutsche Bank
• API vision evolution and open banking opportunities before and after Payment Services Directive Two (PSD2)
• How understanding niche products and successful partnerships accelerated open banking
• How Third-party data needs grew from transaction details to comprehensive finance APIs
• Future fintech may reduce data moats but emphasize innovative product development
• Open banking in Europe prioritizes consent and trust over ad-driven models
• How hackathons and practical demos were key in advancing open banking innovation
• Aggregators gain value by integrating diverse APIs in open banking evolution
• Life-centric products integrate finance with everyday activities like home energy
• Why evolving consumer consent may balance security with convenience for AI use
• AI financial advisors could offer tax and asset management insights affordably
• Investors should watch how banks adapt to open banking and leverage APIs