In today’s newsletter:
- 🗞️ Quick Hits: 2024 CVC Closures: Strategic Shifts and Market Challenges
- 🛰️ Industry Radar: To keep you ahead on industry trends
- 🔎 Research: 2025 M&A Outlook: Global Momentum, AI-Driven Transformation, and Strategic Simplifications
Let’s open the vault 🏦
🗞️ Quick Hits
Short & sweet—news that caught our eye this week.
📊 Corporate venture capital (CVC) units have a survival rate exceeding 60% beyond three years, but closures still occur due to factors like corporate restructuring and internal misalignment. In 2024, notable closures such as Anglo American's Decarbonisation Ventures, Verizon Ventures, and SAP.io highlight the impact of shifting strategic priorities and market challenges. These closures often stem from financial struggles, misalignment with parent company goals, or evolving corporate focuses.
Source: Global Corporate Venturing
📡 Industry Radar
Stay ahead of the curve— some of the hottest news & trends across our reference industries paired with some bonus insights from FounderNest.
🔋 Oil & Energy: Oil & Gas Outlook: Key Trends Shaping 2025
As the oil and gas industry approaches 2025, key trends are shaped by interest rate cuts, potential policy shifts post-2024 elections, and geopolitical uncertainties. The Permian Basin remains vital to U.S. production, despite pipeline constraints. Companies will prioritize capital discipline and tech investments, especially in low-carbon initiatives, to boost productivity and profitability amid market fluctuations.
FounderNest Bonus: We wanted to learn more about the trends and technologies shaping the Oil & Energy sector, so we ran our Space Momentum tool, and here's what we found. To explore this and more, sign up for a FounderNest account!
🍏 CPGs - CPG 2025: AI, Agility, and the Next-Gen Consumer Revolution
By 2025, CPG brands will leverage generative AI, prioritize responsible data practices, and adapt to the digital-first preferences of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Trusted data, agility, and strategic collaborations will drive growth, with technology playing a central role in creating impactful consumer experiences.
📦 Retail & Logistics - 2025 Shipping Shake-Up: FedEx and UPS Target Oversized Packages
FedEx and UPS are increasing 2025 fees, with steep surcharges on oversized packages like furniture and sports equipment. UPS now imposes a 40-pound minimum billable weight for bulky items, and FedEx is expected to follow. Shippers can cut costs by optimizing packaging and using alternative shipping options.
💻 Cybersecurity - Future of Cybersecurity: AI, Quantum Computing, and Evolving Threats in 2025
Cybersecurity in 2025 will be shaped by AI, quantum computing, and ongoing threats like phishing and ransomware. While AI strengthens defenses and aids attacks, quantum computing challenges encryption methods. Businesses must focus on stronger encryption, improved threat detection, and adopting emerging technologies, while enhancing cybersecurity practices.
FounderNest Bonus: We wanted to identify the strongest companies in encryption and threat detection, so we run a light search, and this is what we found. If you're curious as well, sign up for a FounderNest account to explore more companies in this industry.
🏥 Healthcare: Healthcare 2025: Digital Transformation Driving Smarter, Patient-Centered Care
By 2025, healthcare will be transformed by AI, cloud computing, and machine learning, improving outcomes, efficiency, and reducing costs. Key trends include smarter electronic health records, enhanced cybersecurity, and universal data standards for better interoperability. Patient engagement through AI portals and integrating real-world data will drive innovation, while automation will streamline administrative processes.
🎓 EdTech: Revolutionizing Education by 2025: AI, Immersive Tech, and Human-Centered Leadership
As we approach 2025, EdTech trends include AI-driven personalized learning, immersive technologies in Career Technical Education (CTE), and human-centered leadership. These trends focus on individualized learning, hands-on job training, and balancing AI efficiency with human values. Educational leaders are encouraged to embrace curiosity, new technologies, and empathy.
👩🌾 Farming & Agriculture - Future Farming: Adapting to Change with Innovation and Sustainability
In 2025, farmers are focusing on flexible, sustainable approaches to planting and crop protection, prioritizing efficacy and cost efficiency. Technological advancements and eco-friendly solutions are key as farmers navigate rising costs, climate challenges, and economic uncertainty.
🏦 Banking: 2025 and Beyond: The New Era of Retail Banking
By 2025, retail banking faces disruption from technology, regulation, and changing customer needs. To adapt, banks must prioritize tech transformation, data-driven focus, and trust. Five scenarios—tech dominance, consolidation, local banking, stricter regulation, and digital currencies—show the need for urgent action to navigate a transformed landscape.
FounderNest Bonus: If you were wondering about the hot technologies used by retail banking companies, here's a sneak peek. For more, simply sign up for a FounderNest account.
🌐 IT: Navigating AI's Path: Top Challenges for 2025
Key issues shaping AI in 2025 include prioritizing data quality, navigating legal debates, advancing computing power and algorithms, and addressing AI's energy demands. Balancing innovation with regulation and ensuring AI serves democratic values and global inclusivity will be crucial, especially for emerging markets.
💊 Pharma - The Shift Towards Personalized and Proactive Care by 2025
By 2025, individuals will take more control of their health, using personalized insights for proactive prevention and treatment. The focus will shift to healthy aging, with technology enabling continuous monitoring and tailored interventions. Greater collaboration will drive innovative solutions, addressing social determinants and promoting equitable access to healthcare.
🖥️ Technology - Gartner's 2025 Tech Trends: AI, Computing Frontiers, and Synergy
Gartner's 2025 tech trends highlight AI imperatives, new computing frontiers, and human-machine synergy. Key trends include agentic AI, AI governance, and disinformation security, each with distinct challenges. Advances in post-quantum cryptography, ambient intelligence, energy-efficient, and hybrid computing drive innovation, focusing on sustainability, efficiency, and transformative potential.
