Tech Bytes: 05.11.2017

May 11th, 2017

Topics: AI & Machine Learning eCommerce Finance Future of Work Infrastructure Mobile P2P / Sharing Economy Privacy Risk Management Talent & Workforce

Tech Bytes

SoFi Moves to Expand Its Services Via the ILC – The peer-to-peer refinancer of student loans announced its intention to seek an industrial loan company (ILC) charter that would, essentially, allow it to offer banking services. The company has been busy of late, cancelling its IPO, raising another round of funding, and pushing a weeklong campaign to help Americans ask for a raise. As the FinTech space continues to garner significant attention, expect SoFi to maintain its position as a key player driving the space forward.

For more on FinTech and alternative lending, join the CDS for a Britt Technology Impact Series event this Friday on campus at Tuck. The session will be a part of the Dartmouth Entrepreneurs Forum and will feature CDS affiliated faculty Steve Kahl sitting down with Lending Club Chairman Hans Morris D’80. Sign up today to sit in on the conversation.

Transportation is Now the Hottest Space in Tech – The full digitization of transportation is impressive and happening more quickly than a Tesla on the open road. With a landscape that ranges from self-driving semi-trucks to 3D printing of replacement parts, the players are all over the map. The solution? A map! How analogue! The fine folks at Wired have put together a great rundown of the major players across the future transportation stack:

Microsoft Blurs the Line Between Work and Personal With Its Latest Tech – Microsoft unveiled its future at the MSFT Build developer conference in Seattle this week. The company is betting big on its voice assistant, Cortana, as well as significant cloud- and AI-based tech that links its business services and personal assistant. While it’s true that workers increasingly work outside the office and mobile has blurred the line between on and off the clock, betting your future on full integration between work and personal is a big risk. Only time will tell if the bet will pay off.

Stitch Fix Filling Void Left by Shuttered Department Stores – Department stores are in trouble due to consumers migrating to online deal hunting and comparison shopping apps, among other reasons. But the role of personal shopping and guidance received by knowledgeable sales associates at department stores hasn’t died, it’s merely moved online. Stitch Fix is the main company stepping up the plate for consumers by blending online convenience with personal shopping. The results speak for themselves, with sales of $730 million and, more importantly, profits. The future of retail so frequently focuses on deals and discounts (and Amazon), but to avoid understanding the role of value-added services, like those provided by Stitch Fix, is short-sighted.

Featured CXOTalk Video of the Week: Disruption in Education, with Rick Levin, CEO, Coursera

Companies like Coursera are changing education dramatically. From higher education to vocational and skills training, online courses offer high quality instruction at lower cost than ever before. In this episode, Michael Krigsman talks with Coursera CEO and online education pioneer, Rick Levin, to learn about the impact of technology on modern education.