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☆ A proptech startup used this pitch deck to raise $5.1 million to build a LinkedIn for construction workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Contractors are challenged in hiring skilled workers. Skillit, founded in 2021, offers a platform specifically for recruiting skilled labor. The company's CEO walked Insider through a pitch deck used to raise $5.1 million in seed funding. What's more, many skilled workers are getting ready to retire. The company's first product focuses on recruiting craft workers, or construction workers who hone their skills in trade schools and apprenticeships.

☆ Some FedEx employees say layoffs are wrecking morale and chipping away at the famous loyalty that Fred Smith built
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Emma Cosgrove | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Some insiders see the layoffs as a failure of leadership and fear a lasting shift in FedEx culture. But now, some also question if the company Smith built is changing for good. "The erosion just kept happening," said one former FedEx who left the company in the last year. Inside the company, employees are doing the back-of-the-envelope calculations on the cuts still to come — Subramaniam promised $4 billion and cuts this fiscal year. "There is still that emphasis that people are first at FedEx," said a 15-year FedEx veteran who left last year.

☆ Biden wants EV chargers on every 50 miles of highway. That misses a key piece of the electrification puzzle.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But to boost EV adoption, not all chargers need to be on highways, experts say. The goal is to put 500,000 public EV chargers on US roads by 2030, up from about 130,000 currently. EV chargers need to meet people where they're at. Studies suggest that a lack of reliable and functional EV charging is one of the biggest factors standing in the way of consumer EV adoption. Of note, however, is that a majority of EV charging can technically be done at home.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHow layoffs will impact DEI pledges: McKinsey's Shelley StewartMcKinsey senior partner Shelley Stewart worries that an economic downturn may impact diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. He tells CNBC's Sharon Epperson how companies can mitigate high attrition rates in frontline jobs and reflects on how DEI pledges have evolved since 2020.

Businesses need to remain diligent in their diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, efforts as layoffs continue, according to McKinsey senior partner Shelley Stewart. Stewart told CNBC that Black Americans have historically been disproportionately affected during economic downturns. Because Black workers are underrepresented in the tech industry, he said, they may not be hit disproportionately in that sector. Stewart encourages companies to continue their DEI efforts by working with diverse suppliers, saying partnering with diverse businesses is "the biggest lever that corporations have to directly impact society other than wages." "Inclusive growth is better for companies, better for society, better for our global economy and our domestic economy," he said.

☆ The 8 leading biotechs using AI to upend how drugs are discovered
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Andrew Dunn | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A few biotech companies have used AI to develop drugs that are already being tested in people. Insider found eight AI biotechs now in the clinic, a critical stage in drug development. Some of the fastest progress has been in using AI to improve the process of creating medicines. At the start of 2020, AI-focused biotechs had zero drugs in the clinic, according to Air Street Capital. Here are the eight biotechs using AI to develop better drugs, in order of how many drugs they have in human testing.

☆ A subsidy arms race is kicking off between Europe and America
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Julia Horowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

This premium is expected to shrink as clean energy technologies become more advanced and infrastructure to produce them is scaled up. Most of the money the IRA has earmarked for clean energy initiatives comes in the form of tax credits. In the meantime, government officials are lobbying the United States to rethink parts of the IRA. “Europe and other allied countries have nothing to fear from the Inflation Reduction Act and quite a bit to gain,” said Brian Deese, Biden’s top economic adviser. The fight over green subsidies also comes as geopolitical tensions are pushing countries to focus on greater localization of production — not just for green energy, but also for sensitive technologies like computer chips.

LONDON, Feb 10 (Reuters) - The two investment obsessions of the year so far - artificial intelligence and super-tight labour markets - meet head on. Far from relaxing, should office or home-based workers now fret that we're in for anything but a tight jobs market over the coming years? Morgan Stanley's thematic research team said this week it was inundated with enquiries about generative AI during its recent client visits. Much like the pandemic, fear of automation could have as big an economic impact as its actual spread. US jobs growth by sectorMcKinsey chart on automation worldwideFathom chart on US vs China AIThe opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.

☆ 34-year-old's startup, worth $1.5 billion and backed by Google, wants to make tutoring free for kids everywhere
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

As college prep season starts, some high schoolers — or their parents — are probably thinking about hiring private tutors to help boost their SAT scores. It makes a difference: Research shows that private tutoring can help improve SAT scores by roughly 37 points, which can make a difference on college applications. The 34-year-old is the CEO and founder of Paper, a Montreal-based virtual learning platform he launched in 2014 to try making private tutoring more financially accessible. He quickly learned that wealthier students often performed better in school, even before they hired private tutors. Over the last five years, the startup has made some of its biggest strides in "large, urban districts," Cutler says.

☆ Maintaing diversity in tech: Firms continues Atlanta investments
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Frank Holland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMaintaing diversity in tech: Firms continues Atlanta investmentsVisa says it is still hiring and remains focused on hiring Black workers and partnering with Black startups at its new Atlanta office. 27% of Atlanta's tech workers are Black compared to 2% in the Bay Area and 3% in Austin according to CBRE. 2023 could be a major turning point for diversity in tech according to a new report this week from McKinsey. If the Black tech gap isn't closed there will be $360B in lost wages and the underrepresentation will grow. Frank Holland looks at the data, the companies emphasizing diversity, and speaks with Visa's Chief Diversity Officer about the importance of the Atlanta Office.

☆ Mobility study cites roadblocks for U.S. electric vehicles, sustainable aviation
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Paul Lienert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Among those roadblocks, a looming shortage of battery raw materials could put government mandates “in conflict with manufacturing reality” — one of the macro trends charted in the 2023 Moving World Report, published by investment firm UP.Partners. Obstacles to the acceleration of EV production and demand in the United States include ongoing turmoil in global supply chains, insufficient vehicle charging infrastructure and an overloaded electrical grid, the 120-page report said. The study is based on dozens of interviews and cites technical and financial data from research studies by the International Energy Agency, the U.S. Energy Information Administration, McKinsey, Silicon Valley Bank, Carnegie Mellon University and others. While aviation companies continue to pursue alternative technologies from batteries to hydrogen, Managing Partner Cyrus Sigari said that sustainable aviation fuel is “the only rational pathway” to reducing aviation carbon emissions over the next 20 years. Editing by Jane MerrimanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 7 ways to use ChatGPT at work to boost your productivity, make your job easier, and save a ton of time
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

With its impressive functions, the buzzy AI chatbot could give some workers a "productivity boost." Insider compiled a list of seven ways workers can use the AI tool to help do their jobs. But they can help workers across many industries – from tech to media – do their jobs better and more quickly. Workers should be careful when using AI tools, as the tech can be prone to misinformation, and it can remove the human touch from tasks like writing. Here's how you can use ChatGPT and AI to help make your work life easier.

☆ Electric semi-trucks are ready to be deployed, but there aren't near enough plugs to charge them
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Bianca Giacobone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Truck manufacturer Daimler has a production capacity of around 2000 electric semi-trucks per year. Lack of charging infrastructure is slowing down adoption across the industry. Sure, the batteries are a bit heavier than truckers might like, but that's not what's slowing down the deployment of electric semi-trucks on US streets. But there are only around 100 electric trucks out on the streets. The majority of electric passenger vehicles charging stations have fast charging at around 150 kilowatt.

☆ I've been renting all my clothes for over a year. Here's what I love about it — and what everyone should know before trying it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Avery Hartmans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

I've been renting all my clothes since late 2021 through Nuuly, an online-rental marketplace. It's helped me cut back on shopping, stop buying fast fashion, and focus on quality over quantity. As for me, I'm still hooked on renting over a year later, and I would recommend it to anyone who's thinking about trying it. But I've also uncovered some downsides that have made me rethink everything I thought I knew about clothes. Pro: Renting has made me more thoughtful about qualityPerhaps the biggest endorsement for renting all my clothes is the effect it's had on my mindset.

☆ I'm a virtual therapist who booked $350,000 in revenue last year. Here's how I built my business with patients, coaching clients, and social media.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Kelly McKenna started her own virtual therapy practice in February 2021. Her longing for customer connection and her experience with telehealth prompted McKenna to launch a virtual therapy practice in February 2021 called Sit With Kelly. The telehealth industry grew in popularity during the pandemic, and virtual therapy and mental-health services saw substantial increases. There has never been a better time to start a virtual practice, McKenna said. The course comes in three tiers, which focus on specific aspects of running a virtual business.

☆ ChatGPT may be coming for our jobs. Here are the 10 roles that AI is most likely to replace.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Aaron Mok | Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Experts say ChatGPT and related AI could threaten some jobs, particularly white-collar ones. Since its release in November of last year, the impressive AI chatbot has been used to write cover letters, create a children's book, and even help students cheat on their essays. But despite its flaws, the rise of ChatGPT has sparked debates over whether it will replace jobs. Insider talked to experts and conducted research to compile a list of jobs that are at highest-risk for replacement by AI. Here are the 10 jobs that AI may replace, based on our research.

☆ The 10 companies that produce the most startup founders, including Bain, McKinsey, and Sony
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Working for a major tech company or consulting firm can be a launching pad for your startup. An analysis of LinkedIn data identified the US companies that produced the most founders. The small-business-lending platform OnDeck analyzed 228,000 LinkedIn career histories to identify which US companies produced the most founders in former employees. Meanwhile, tech companies are the second-highest generator of founders. Here are the top 10 companies that have produced the most founders.

☆ Want to quit your job and run your side hustle full time? Start by working at one of these 5 companies
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

In the case of many a successful startup founder, that means working a day job before they're ready to strike out and start their own new business. Multiple big-name companies top the list, according to a new report from small-business lending platform OnDeck, which examined large U.S. companies with high rates of former employees launching their own businesses. The top four companies on OnDeck's list all hail from the consulting world, which isn't surprising: Consultants at those companies are often tasked with helping clients hone their management and business strategies. Goldman Sachs leads the way among financial services companies on OnDeck's rankings, with 5.92% of former employees becoming founders. By focusing primarily on large companies, OnDeck's report doesn't provide a comprehensive list.

☆ Some CEOs are pushing workers to return to the office, but it could come with a cost: hurting diversity
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Marguerite Ward | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

But remote work has benefited many people with disabilities, many Black workers, and others. But Dimon appears more bearish when it comes to another measure that's been shown to promote diversity: remote work. Citadel CEO Ken Griffin slammed remote work at a conference last year, saying innovation and creativity declines because of it. The shift to remote work has been especially helpful for people with physical difficulties and mobility limitations. MoMo Productions/Getty ImagesSome Black workers report facing less discrimination and fewer microaggressions working from home than when they're at the office.

☆ Macron campaign accounts cleared by French audit body
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, Jan 27 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron's 2022 election campaign finances, which came under scrutiny amid a wider controversy linked to U.S. consultancy McKinsey's ties to his government, were cleared by an audit commission, the body saidon Friday. The independent state body said it had received two tips about alleged irregularities in Macron's re-election campaign accounts which cited "irregular" assistance from unspecified consultancies, but said they appeared to be unfounded. Macron has said his campaign accounts had been flawless and that, as president, he does not directly deal with public tenders, adding: "The core of the investigation is not about me." With his campaign accounts now cleared and confirmation he did not break the legal ceiling applied to presidential election spending, Macron will get back about 10.4 million euros ($11.30 million) from the state towards his campaign spending. All the other contenders in the 2022 presidential election had their campaign accounts cleared by the state body.

☆ An ex-McKinsey consultant shares 5 myths about management-consulting interviews — and what to prepare for instead
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Hendrikje Rudnick | Nathan Rennolds | Business Insider Deutschland | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An ex-McKinsey consultant listed five common myths about management-consulting interviews. Top management-consulting firms such as McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, and Bain & Company, known collectively as MBB, are notorious for their challenging interviews. Interviewers are trained to refrain from asking such things," Koné said. Instead, you'll face a series of case-study interviews where the interviewer will give you a problem from a previous project, he continued. "If you depend on specific knowledge to solve problems, you'll struggle when you have to tackle problems that take you out of your comfort zone.

☆ Goldman predicts clean hydrogen will be a $1 trillion market. Here's how to play it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Pia Singh | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

In the race to reduce global carbon emissions to zero, clean hydrogen is increasingly expected to be a winner. As the costs of renewable power falls, green hydrogen is becoming a better solution to decarbonization, Goldman said. How to play it Goldman said buy-rated First Solar is among the key players in the generation of green hydrogen. Experts say the tax credit makes nuclear hydrogen highly competitive with fossil fuel produced hydrogen, as companies can look to make clean hydrogen without losing any money. Goldman identified both Air Products & Chemicals and Linde as integrated clean hydrogen supply chain players.

☆ Hiring slowdowns, manager burnout and other trends that will shape U.S. workplaces in 2023, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Now, with a potential recession on the horizon, economists and researchers are convinced that 2023 will usher in even more significant changes to the workplace. CNBC Make It spoke with three experts about the biggest trends that will shape work this year. Hiring will slow in 2023 — but jobseekers will still hold the powerEven though several U.S. companies have slashed staff in recent months, workers will continue to have the upper hand in the labor market this year. Education, government, health care and retail are among the industries where hiring has maintained its momentum, and are poised for continued growth in 2023. "All of this is creating a manager shortage, which just exacerbates the challenges companies are facing attracting and retaining talent," she adds.

☆ We spoke with more than 50 CEOs, billionaires, execs, and government officials in Davos. Here are our 4 biggest takeaways.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Matt Turner | Cadie Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Insider's Matt Turner and Cadie Thompson share their biggest takeaways from the World Economic Forum. More than 1,500 business leaders descended on Davos in the Swiss Alps last week for the World Economic Forum's annual meeting. The week of Davos, Alphabet published an explainer on its approach to AI signed by execs including CEO Sundar Pichai. "With every technology, there is good and then there's bad," Rima Qureshi, Verizon's chief strategy officer, told Insider. Several of those who spoke with Insider highlighted the need for much-greater collaboration among companies — and a willingness to experiment.

But to reach its ultimate destination - supermarket shelves - cultivated meat faces big obstacles, five executives told Reuters. California-based cultivated meat company GOOD Meat already has an application pending with the FDA, which has not been previously reported. Regulatory approval is just the first hurdle for making cultivated meat accessible to a broad swath of consumers, executives at UPSIDE, Mosa Meat, Believer Meats, and GOOD Meat told Reuters. But it will take hundreds of millions of dollars for GOOD Meat, for example, to build bioreactors of the size needed to make its meat at scale, Tetrick said. But cultivated meat companies have the advantage that they can claim their product is real meat, Tetrick said.

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