Business, Management, Marketing, Money, Tax, Law, People

Creating a how-to guide for climate tech start-ups and scale-ups

Climate technologies play a crucial role in the net-zero transition, with their potential to abate 90 percent of man-made emissions globally by 2050. According to McKinsey estimates, a successful transition will require the creation of 1,000 unicorns (start-ups valued at $1 billion or more) and 300 decacorns (start-ups valued at $10 billion or more) in the climate tech space by 2030. This is a massive challenge, especially as the fundraising and…

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  • Reading time:8 mins read
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Global Immigration and Mobility Podcast

The Global Immigration and Mobility Team launched its first podcast, as part of a collaborative cross-practice series, airing on Seyfarth’s Health Care Beat. In this episode, our Seyfarth team had a fireside chat with Fred Chereau, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, to discuss Fred’s career trajectory and how business immigration programs have impacted his success and can help companies to attract top talent. Tune…

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Education under siege: How cybercriminals target our schools​​

Introduction | Security snapshot | Threat briefingDefending against attacks | Expert profile  Education is essentially an “industry of industries,” with K-12 and higher education enterprises handling data that could include health records, financial data, and other regulated information. At the same time, their facilities can host payment processing systems, networks that are used as internet service providers (ISPs), and other diverse infrastructure. The cyberthreats that Microsoft observes across different industries…

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  • Reading time:15 mins read
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How AI Could Ease the Refugee Crisis and Bring New Talent to Businesses

The world’s refugee population has exploded over the last decade, straining the resources of international resettlement agencies as staff struggle to keep up with manually matching millions of refugees and asylum seekers to host countries.Artificial intelligence and machine learning—which have transformed several industries over the past two years—may offer solutions for overwhelmed resettlement programs run by both nongovernmental organizations and governments, according to a study by Harvard Business School Assistant…

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Where Did All the Public Companies Go?

It’s an easy mistake to make. When you look at a graph of the number of public firms in the U.S. between 1980 and 2020, and you see a 50 percent decline after 1996, it’s natural to think that companies don’t see the benefit of going public in the U.S. It causes one to question the competitiveness of the U.S. economy and stock markets. Tuck Centennial Professor of Finance, Bjorn…

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How did the building blocks of life arrive on Earth?

Volatiles are elements or compounds that change into vapour at relatively low temperatures. They include the six most common elements found in living organisms, as well as water. The zinc found in meteorites has a unique composition, which can be used to identify the sources of Earth’s volatiles.The researchers, from the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London, have previously found that Earth’s zinc came from different parts of our…

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Celebrating a Milestone in the Campaign to Eliminate a Major Cause of Blindness

This commentary was adapted from episode 145 of the Health & Veritas podcast. Trachoma is a disease I am certain I learned about in medical school and probably forgot sometime after I took part three of my boards in 1990. Why? Because it doesn’t occur in the United States—or at least rarely enough that I would never see it as a student or intern—and it is not a disease that…

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The state of gen AI implementation among European banks

McKinsey: How have European banks started to implement gen AI? Gökhan Sari: Since we spoke last year, we’ve seen a tremendous effort to implement gen AI across most of our clients. Last year, it was more about, “Should we try it? Are we going to have hallucinations? What about the regulatory aspects?” But this year, it’s all about, “OK, it’s working in a few places, how can we scale this…

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How the Employment Rights Bill could transform org health

What does the Employment Rights Bill mean for organisational health? The Employment Rights Bill introduces key reforms to UK labour laws, including a ban on exploitative zero-hours contracts, expanded day-one employment rights, and restrictions on ‘fire and rehire’ practices. These changes aim to enhance worker protections, but they also present challenges and opportunities for businesses, particularly in workforce management, organisational structure, and cultural shifts. Reading time: 7 minutes The UK…

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  • Reading time:7 mins read
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Microsoft expands AI capabilities to shape a healthier future

REDMOND, Wash. — Oct. 10, 2024 — On Thursday, Microsoft Corp. is unveiling several Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare innovations that connect care experiences, enhance team collaboration, empower healthcare workers, and unlock clinical and operational insights. Through new healthcare AI models in Azure AI Studio, capabilities for healthcare data solutions in Microsoft Fabric, the healthcare agent service in Copilot Studio, and an AI-driven nursing workflow solution, Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare is…

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‘Inside-out’ galaxy growth observed in the early universe

This galaxy is one hundred times smaller than the Milky Way, but is surprisingly mature for so early in the universe. Like a large city, this galaxy has a dense collection of stars at its core but becomes less dense in the galactic ‘suburbs’. And like a large city, this galaxy is starting to sprawl, with star formation accelerating in the outskirts.This is the earliest-ever detection of inside-out galactic growth.…

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The state of retail banking: Profitability and growth in the era of digital and AI

The last few years have been among the most successful in the recent history of retail banking, with a confluence of macroeconomic trends driving growth and profitability. In some geographies, pandemic-era government stimulus lifted economic growth, fueled consumer spending, created favorable conditions for balance sheet expansion, and helped keep credit risk in check. Following the pandemic years, rising interest rates improved banks’ net interest margins as loan interest grew faster…

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  • Reading time:12 mins read
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Iran’s “Nuclear Box”

In the best traditions of a Persian epic, Tehran has long been able to play on the fear and curiosity of the great powers, leaving them in the dark about the true contents of its “box”. Against this background, all sorts of assumptions arise about whether Iran really needs nuclear weapons, which will almost certainly lead to international condemnation and even greater isolation, or whether it is more focused on…

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Vines in a cold climate

The rise of English wine over the past 30 years, is a remarkable story. Award-winning drinks expert Henry Jeffreys shares insights on England’s newfound prominence in the wine world and discusses his latest book, ‘Vines in a Cold Climate,’ which explores the pioneers behind this revolution. What first piqued your interest in English wine? I’d enjoyed English sparkling wines for quite some time but hadn’t really fallen in love with…

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  • Reading time:4 mins read
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[Editorial] The Evolving Era of Home Appliances Meets AI and Software

Over the past century, home appliances have evolved to reduce the burden of household chores and add convenience to lives. The accelerated development of these appliances is marked by the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technology that analyzes usage environments and executes optimal functions to significantly alleviate inconveniences associated with household tasks. To that end, Samsung Electronics is updating its home appliances every year. With software at the core, these…

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Managing carbon: A new role for the CFO

Carbon emissions are a global challenge, but the way each company responds to the risks and assesses new opportunities should be highly case specific. While compliance is critical, strategy should matter most of all. CFOs must ensure that their organizations meet customer priorities, adapt to regulatory changes, and develop an informed view of carbon management tools. Too often, companies can have multiple, inconsistent, and ineffective carbon data and analyses across…

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  • Reading time:12 mins read
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A Radical Rethink of HR

Human resources needs to rethink its role as an agent of management and become a passionate advocate for employees and their interests. Ashley Goodall October 10, 2024 Reading Time: 9 min  subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images For the human resources profession, this has been the best of times and the worst of times. Early in 2020, as the realities of the pandemic set in, all the…

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Employers in England, Scotland, and Wales Have New Obligation to Prevent Sexual Harassment

Quick Hits The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published technical guidance for employers on 26 September 2024, after a short consultation on a draft version earlier this year. Alongside the full guidance, the EHRC produced the Employer 8-step guide: Preventing sexual harassment at work. Under the act, employers will be held accountable for addressing sexual harassment after it occurs and for proactively mitigating the risk of such conduct occurring.…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:4 mins read
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LLMs are becoming a commodity—Now what?

Whenever a compelling new AI model emerges, I like to put it through its paces. Recently, I’ve been experimenting with the preview of OpenAI o1 (formerly known as Strawberry), an astonishing new LLM that’s capable of solving complex and layered problems, especially in math, science, and coding. For businesses, o1 model and a slew of others in the works represent a clear opportunity. But they also reflect a less obvious challenge:…

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Who Makes the Rules for the New Space Economy?

Q: What is space law right now and what developments can we anticipate? Space law is a very underdeveloped field of international law. That’s understandable because until recently, activities in space were quite limited and primarily state led. The boom in commercial space companies and the plans by a number of nations to establish bases on the moon will necessarily lead to filling in the gaps, because the main legal…

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The power of digital: Quantifying semiconductor fab performance

The need for semiconductors has exploded since 2010, and despite a recent downturn in 2023, the semiconductor industry is trending toward recovery and long-term growth to more than $1 trillion in revenue by 2030. Comparable to previous market cycles, some segments of the semiconductor industry have grown, while others have contracted. In this market cycle, the demand for chips to power smartphones and personal computers has dropped, and the demand for…

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  • Reading time:13 mins read
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Pennsylvania Company Drops Challenge to FTC Noncompete Ban After Injunction Denial

Quick Hits A Pennsylvania company dropped its lawsuit challenging the FTC’s noncompete rule after a judge refused to enjoin it. The move leaves the fate of the rule to litigation stemming from Florida and Texas federal courts that have ruled against it. The rule is currently enjoined nationwide based on the Texas court’s order. The FTC’s noncompete rule would effectively ban all noncompete agreements between employers and employees. On October…

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Podcast: How can leaders invest the time that AI gives back?

[Music] MOLLY WOOD: Tomas, thanks so much for being on the show.  TOMAS CHAMORRO-PREMUZIC: It’s a great pleasure. Thank you for having me.  MOLLY WOOD: So, you’re a psychologist, an educator, an executive, an author. I’d love to hear a little about your career path and how your interest in AI developed alongside of that. TOMAS CHAMORRO-PREMUZIC: So I started my career as an academic, but I was always very interested in the real-life…

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  • Reading time:18 mins read
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Seven Keys to a Happy Retirement

Nicolas, a busy senior executive, really enjoyed working in the construction industry. He knew his company had a mandatory retirement age, but he didn’t give it much thought. He figured that retirement would give him more time to perfect his golf game and travel with his wife.On the day he retired, he was delighted to see how his colleagues had gone out of their way to celebrate his achievements. Immediately…

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Why leadership’s ‘Hands-Off’ approach to culture is costing you more than you think

Picture this: you’re actively working to foster a positive workplace culture, but managers and leaders are adopting a ‘hands-off’ approach. At first, it seems harmless, even convenient—but beneath the surface, it’s quietly wreaking havoc. Top talent? They’re slipping away unnoticed. And while you’re busy chasing other priorities, the very core of your organization is weakening—dragging down morale, productivity, and ultimately, organizational success.  A recent SHRM Culture Report reveals that three…

  • Post category:Civility Partners
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The World Majority and Its Interests

The emergence, in 2022, of a large group of countries, which in the Russian foreign policy discourse is referred to as the “World Majority,” came as a most meaningful event in the modern-day international life. The World Majority countries refused to be part of the economic and other sanctions imposed on Moscow by the West and have kept unchanged, or even expanded, trade and investment relations with Russia. This concept…

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How to Build Diverse Leadership Teams by Enlisting Stakeholders

Topics Frontiers An MIT SMR initiative exploring how technology is reshaping the practice of management. More in this series Matt Herring/Ikon Images When decision makers include individuals from varied economic backgrounds, generations, genders, races and ethnicities, sexual orientations, physical abilities, and religions, everyone is better off — employees, customers, suppliers, investors, and the people in the communities where businesses operate. I have worked with global companies for over two decades…

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Human Resources’ Role in Data Privacy and Cybersecurity, Part I: The Basics

AccessDefinition: The ability and means to communicate with or otherwise interact with a system, to use system resources to handle information, to gain knowledge of the information the system contains, or to control system components and functions.Air GapDefinition: To physically separate or isolate a system from other systems or networks (verb).AnonymizersDefinition: An anonymous proxy is a tool that attempts to make activity on the Internet untraceable [by making data anonymous…

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How AI is poised to transform air travel, from reservations and check-in to baggage handling

Introducing a new industry reference architecture for airlines and airports The aviation industry is entering a new era: airlines and airports worldwide are on the brink of transformation, driven by the power of generative AI. This powerful technology is creating new value at every stage of the aviation ecosystem, revolutionizing the way we fly and operate. From personalized travel offers to instant responses for customer service requests, AI is enhancing…

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  • Reading time:12 mins read
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Cambridge joins forces with ARIA to fast-track radical new technologies to revolutionise brain health

The collaboration, which includes researchers from the University of Cambridge, aims to accelerate progress on new neuro-technologies, including miniaturised brain implants designed to treat depression, dementia, chronic pain, epilepsy and injuries to the nervous system.Neurological and mental health disorders will affect four in every five people in their lifetimes, and present a greater overall health burden than cancer and cardiovascular disease combined. For example, 28 million people in the UK…

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Cambridge joins forces with ARIA to build new micro-machines that could revolutionise brain health

The collaboration, which includes researchers from the University of Cambridge, aims to accelerate progress on new neuro-technologies, including miniaturised brain implants designed to treat depression, dementia, chronic pain, epilepsy and injuries to the nervous system.Neurological and mental health disorders will affect four in every five people in their lifetimes, and present a greater overall health burden than cancer and cardiovascular disease combined. For example, 28 million people in the UK…

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A revolution is transforming women’s sports. How retail brands keep pace.

In 2024, the sector will generate $1.28 billion in revenue; the data should be sounding alarm bells for brands. Women’s sports are breaking through age-old barriers. In the past few years, we’ve witnessed significant progress, notably highlighted by the 2023 Women’s World Cup, which saw women’s sports take centre stage. That momentum gained further traction when EA Sports included women’s teams and players in their video game for the first time with EA…

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California Governor Signs Freelance Worker Protection Act

Quick Hits Contracts for freelance work of $250 or more must be in writing and contain certain specific information regarding services to be provided and dates for contract completion, among other things. Payment for freelance work must be made on time or within thirty days after the completion of the work if no due date is specified in the contract. The FWPA prohibits discrimination or adverse action against freelance workers…

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University of Cambridge alumni awarded 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

In 2020, Hassabis and Jumper of Google DeepMind presented an AI model called AlphaFold2. With its help, they have been able to predict the structure of virtually all the 200 million proteins that researchers have identified.Since their breakthrough, AlphaFold2 has been used by more than two million people from 190 countries. Among a myriad of scientific applications, researchers can now better understand antibiotic resistance and create images of enzymes that…

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Critical inputs from China: how vulnerable are European firms to supply shortages?

9 October 2024By Dennis Essers, Laura Lebastard, Michele Mancini, Ludovic Panon and Jacopo TiminiChina has been an important and reliable supplier of critical inputs for European industries for decades. But how vulnerable would our companies be if that suddenly stopped? The ECB Blog estimates the potential losses in value added for manufacturers in five countries. China is the top provider of Foreign Critical Inputs (FCIs) to the EU’s industries. So…

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Navigating a successful financial future

Whether you’re interested in setting clear financial goals, saving to buy a property or planning an enjoyable retirement, a positive side-effect of getting a solid plan in place is the impact it makes on your financial wellbeing. Strong financial wellbeing comes when you’ve built a good relationship with your money and have peace of mind about your financial circumstances. These elements enable you to thrive, whatever your stage of life. In our…

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Uday Shankar on India’s media and entertainment evolution

Media executive and entrepreneur Uday Shankar has played a key role in the transformation of entertainment and media in India and the Asia–Pacific region over the past three decades. After getting his start in journalism, Shankar transitioned to the entertainment business in 2007 as CEO of Star India, part of News Corp. He later went on to hold executive roles at 21st Century Fox (Asia) and Disney (Asia–Pacific). While at…

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C-Suite Hiring: Seven Mistakes Companies Still Make

Topics Leadership Talent Management Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Selecting the right candidate for an executive role ranks high on the list of the most consequential organizational decisions. But despite employing the common tools of due diligence when assessing whether someone will perform well in the role, most companies’ predictive powers rank alongside astrology in reliability. Organizations consistently make poor hiring decisions, but they rarely rethink their approaches. Despite…

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Protecting democratic institutions from cyber threats

Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) is disrupting the technical infrastructure used by a persistent Russian nation-state actor Microsoft Threat Intelligence tracks as Star Blizzard. Today, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia unsealed a civil action brought by Microsoft’s DCU, including its order authorizing Microsoft to seize 66 unique domains used by Star Blizzard in cyberattacks targeting Microsoft customers globally, including throughout the United States. Between January…

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Finding the Blueprint for Thriving Organizations

Q: What questions have guided your career? The question I began with was, “What drives inequality in society?” Early projects led me to believe that the way organizations structure themselves and manage their employment relationships has a significant impact on why some people get ahead and some people don’t. At the time, organizations were getting essentially no attention from scholars interested in inequality, so it was an area where I…

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