HI there, 

WELCOME TO THE INNERCIRCLE:

your monthly recap to stay connected with the world of Smart tech and Smart life.

VOTE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD

The U.S. election brings a small measure of anticipated closure, a moment to breathe perhaps, while riding the treadmill of 2020. For some it will be a merciful end to presidential campaigns that have many of us feeling exhausted. 

There’s only one thing left to do: vote. That message is coming through, with early forecasts of what might be the highest vote turnout rate in 100 years. 

On the deep list of important issues at stake, undecided voters reading this might be interested in taking note of each candidate’s position on tech and innovation. One report says Trump may favor reduced hurdles to usher in technology, while Biden prefers an active government role in partnering with industry. Meanwhile, neither seems to be taking a strong stance on key elements such as research spending or broadband access – a persistent concern given the light the pandemic shone on the telecom industry's shortcomings. 

The pandemic, of course, will continue to demand innovation, foresight and a focus on humanity – and its impact will stretch long after the votes are counted. We encourage, and thank everyone for voting who can!

PANDEMIC PERMUTATIONS

Talk of COVID19, its waves and surges, has been as exhausting as the political landscape. The numbers and forecasts at this moment for the U.S., Canada and many other western countries aren’t good – meaning that businesses continue to face down this relentless challenge.

But despite headlines, the truth is that plenty of companies are keeping their doors open in some capacity, and employees have been returning to work for some time. A Gallup poll this month found that only 33 percent of Americans are working from home – so, whether or not it’s being broadcast from the rooftops, many offices are open, in one form or another.

An employer’s job, as we’ve explored in several articles on our blog in recent months, is to keep people safe indoors while empowering staff to do their work effectively. Key to this effort is closely monitoring occupancy data while innovating and automating workspaces and processes, with an eye to being more efficient and economical.   

One positive outcome of this year has been accelerated innovation. Starting last spring there was a race to commercialize technologies that were still in the idea phase – as evidenced by hackathons that drew thousands of participants. 

It’s no surprise there is a wealth of startup tech activity during these difficult months. Times of crisis tend to bring opportunity. During the recession years of 2007-2009, for instance, more than 50 big technology companies (including UBER and Airbnb) were founded. Today, they are collectively valued at over $145 billion. 

Of course, we know that COVID19-inspired virtual business and conferencing solutions brought rapid new levels of flexibility and efficiency for workforces and customers alike. And as the months wear on, we see new trends such as B2B sales shifting to self-service digital platforms, with 70 percent of buyers reporting they prefer this new landscape. (As a result, e-commerce is no longer the domain of small-ticket items or quick purchases.)

NEW IN SMART TECH

The evolution of tech continues apace, and innovations sparked by the pandemic have fueled many more exciting new developments to make our world a better place. 

Across the pond, Dublin is embracing the boom in Smart city tech from Smart bins to tracking population flow. Check out the Engineers Collective podcast to hear more about how the city is using its position as a tech hub to accelerate its Smart infrastructure. 

Across the garden, Smart tech is showing promise in an effort to save the world’s honeybees. Before COVID, there was plenty of attention on this crisis, which affects food supplies worldwide. Among the many developments underway, Smart devices can now give beekeepers access to information about the state of their hives in an effort to improve bee health. 

Meanwhile, everything from award-winning contactless consumer sampling to modernized hearing aids that address the issues of social stigma, accessibility and cost, are bringing positive light as we embrace what’s possible with amazing tech solutions. 

MEANWHILE, INSIDE OFFICES...

As we’re seeing a greater shift toward Dynamic Offices, which evolve into flex working hubs to suit work-specific needs, we know that measuring occupancy is only step one. It’s vital for businesses to be able to analyze the trends of who uses space and resources in order to determine how best to build a digital-first experience for employees. 

Here we find the potential of indoor location data. This type of precision intel over time will reveal past and future trends in how people are using and interacting in the office, so businesses can implement better protocols, manage utility and optimize spaces. It’s important now to go beyond occupancy data and into this more insightful data zone. 

We’ve got the details in our latest blog entry.

IN OUR SPACE ...

• Thrilled that Your Workplace featured a story on our Innerspace technology and how it can used to future-proof workplaces after COVID – with Cerys Goodall, our president and COO, offering insight. 
• Cerys also contributed this story to BDC’s Women in Tech newsletter, exploring how companies can understand how office space is being used in order to open safely, and productively.
• Our 5-step guide on how companies can negotiate the return to operations during is getting a ton of interest. If you haven’t had a peek, find it here. 

“Way down deep, we’re all motivated by the same urges. Cats have the courage to live by them.”  – Jim Davis

That's a wrap... 

THANKS FOR READING, FOR SUBSCRIBING, AND FOR BEING PART OF THE CONVERSATION. GET IN TOUCH ANY TIME WITH QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK.

Stay well, stay safe. See you in November.

YOUR TEAM AT INNERSPACE