Big Tech’s foray into financial services has significant potential for innovation and disruption. Yet, without proper regulation, it may create material risks for fair competition and financial stability.
In the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis of ’08, FinTech startups took the financial services industry by storm. More agile and technologically advanced than their incumbent counterparts, these companies accelerated the digitisation and unbundling of financial services, spurring innovation by competing and collaborating with banks.
The next wave of disruption, led by Big Tech, is likely to augment the roles of both traditional financial institutions and FinTech companies. …
Panic buying, face masks and other irrational ways we have behaved in this crisis—why we do it and what we can do about it.
Panic buying was a widespread phenomenon observed of buyers at the start of the COVID-19 crisis. With food supplies and household products being in particular demand (toilet paper sales skyrocketed by a shocking 700% between February and March!), many supermarkets were forced to impose limits on the number of items shoppers can buy.
Resilience and agility are crucial for navigating crises. Startups are best placed to adapt and innovate, but also most at risk.
As lockdowns ease and early signs of an uptick in infection rates spark fears of a resurgence in the coronavirus, the current crisis continues to disrupt startups and the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Startups have been among the hardest hit businesses
Startups and entrepreneurial ecosystems, valued at $2.8 trillion and growing at over 10% per year, are a vital part of our global economy. In addition to providing a significant source of employment, they are paving the way for a digital and more sustainable future. Yet, these businesses have been among the hardest hit by COVID-19. As sales orders have collapsed and production has ground to a halt, investors…
Park Yeung
Hobbyist writer covering entrepreneurship, innovation, sustainability and COVID-19. Published by The Startup and other Medium publications.
