Dutch city turns bus stops into bee stops
Spotted: The province of Utrecht in the Netherlands has decorated 316 bus stops with green roofs to support bee pollination. From the 358 bee species in the Netherlands, 56 percent of them are currently in danger of extinction. By turning bus stops into green hubs, the city hopes to encourage pollination and bee reproduction. The…
A rewards program for sustainable shoppers
Spotted: UK-based Koin Rewards has launched a sustainable rewards program in collaboration with card linking API Fidel. The company’s goal is to build a community of traders and users based on shared environmental values. The app automatically rewards shoppers upon completing a responsible purchase. Moreover, Fidel’s API technology allows users to connect their Mastercard, Visa…
Fashion platform provides custom, sustainable designs
Global fashion software company Unmade works to transform the industry through on-demand production. Sustainability is the goal and, using Unmade’s platform, can be achieved through customisation, short runs and collaboration. Companies that work with Unmade provide consumers with customisation options. Via the customisation editor, shoppers see exactly what the garment will look like as they…
Vegan ‘chicken’ nugget company operates like a tech startup
Spotted: The startup NUGGS operates like a software company, offering customers the opportunity to provide feedback to improve their products. Customers, also known as “NUGGS users,” can submit feedback directly on the company’s website, Instagram or even via text message. NUGGS not only uses customer feedback to develop new versions of the product, it also…
Freezer designed to re-freeze the arctic
Spotted: Indonesian designers Faris Rajak Kotahatuhaha, Denny Lesm Ana Budi and Fiera Alifa have proposed a submarine-like structure to float around the Arctic that can “give birth” to an iceberg (or ice “baby”) every month. Moreover, the freezer not only produces icebergs, the icebergs are “salt-free.” Why does this matter? At present, arctic ice contains…
Tech news roundup: Managing IoT, new iPhones, and phishing concerns
This week’s stories from TechRepublic and ZDNet include AI’s influence on retail, the onslaught of malicious emails, and a look at why 50% of employees aren’t satisfied. Tech news roundup: Managing IoT, new iPhones, and phishing concerns This week’s stories from TechRepublic and ZDNet include AI’s influence on retail, the onslaught of malicious emails, and…
It’s Not Who You Know
You’ve been told that it’s not what you know; it’s who you know. That’s almost true. It’s who you know that you maintain good relationships with that matters most. Warm contacts, not just contacts. Years ago, my friend and boss at the time Jeff Pulver told me, “You live or die by your database.” I’ve…
An autonomous shuttle bus service for seniors
Spotted: BusBot, a ride-sharing service similar to Uber or Lyft, has launched a 22-week free trial in Marion Grove Retirement Village, New Wales, Australia. The service includes a BusBot app, which directs users to a nearby virtual bus stop for pick-up and drop-off. BusBot then calculates the most-direct route based on the collective needs of…
A neural implant for recording brain activity
Spotted: Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk in 2016, is developing a high-bandwidth, implantable brain-computer interface (BCI). The goal is to both record and stimulate neural activity with a greater bandwidth than ever before. The implant could enable those with quadriplegia to control devices, such as computers or smartphones, with their thoughts. The device is still…
Immersive events platform shares revenue with fans
Live experience platform VRJAM supports artists and audiences in creating and accessing extended reality (XR) events. The platform has been purpose-built to stream virtual and augmented reality (VR, AR) content on mobile devices. Designed in consultation with Google, VRJAM is currently seeking € 445K in seed funding to complete the build of the platform, create…