Major investors today are reluctant to capitalize ventures further into the future than 10 years. However, with vast innovations proceeding, this cautious attitude allows for too many missed opportunities. Take D-Wave for example. This company founded in 1999 in Burnaby, BC, backed by six keen capital investors, took thirteen year for the capital to transform into a revolution of quantum computing, yet it continually advances. In early 2012, the company launched D-Wave Two, which became the first commercially available quantum computer and is believed to be able to solve some of the world’s most perplexing computational problems. In May 2013, Google, NASA, and the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) were not hesitant to purchase this $15-million machine together, intended for their new Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab. Even with this gigantic advancement, founder and CTO of D-Wave, Geordie Rose acknowledges that this is just an early step toward the true potential of quantum computing. Although it may be difficult to persuade other investors to capitalize on ventures similar that will demand 10 to 30 years, the potential returns made through innovation may be worth the risk. Canadian businessman Mike Lazaridis suggests, “…invest in something that nobody understands. Because if you understand it, you’re probably too late.”
Category Archives: Business Growth
Twitter Vs. Facebook: An Endless Race
Twitter and Facebook have continuously been striving to advance one another. However, Facebook (with 82% of users that are active compared to Twitter’s 62%, according to social media today) has steadily taken the lead. Despite these pressing statistics, Twitter has been working diligently to amplify its services to appeal to more users, more frequently. A recent Canadian Business article details the company’s latest features that are believed to attract more traffic to the site: a new emergency messaging system that notifies users with critical health and safety warnings and regular NFL game highlights, info, and analysis based on the new partnership between the two companies. These new utilities are suspected to attract millions more to sign on with twitter.
Conversely, Facebook is taking another approach to grow their business. Rather than attract more users, they’re goal is to absorb more information out of individual’s interactions with Facebook to enhance the company’s ad targeting. “Facebook’s piles of data on people’s lives could allow it to push the boundaries of what can be done,” says the Technology Review. Although, the advancements of these companies are somewhat incomparable, it is obvious that regardless of which social media company you are, if you’re not growing, you’re dying.