September 12th, 2024 | 07:15 CEST
From VC revolution to AI integration: BlockchainK2, Palantir, and Apple are setting trends
Many investors still underestimate how many business models will be disrupted by AI. This makes it all the more important to stay on top of things in the fast-paced world of venture capital. BlockchainK2 is transforming the venture capital landscape with its RealBlocks platform by providing fund managers with powerful tools for more efficient investing. Palantir, meanwhile, is expanding its reach in data analytics and AI, a move highlighted by its recent inclusion in the US S&P 500 index. Apple, on the other hand, is maintaining its position as an innovation leader in the consumer electronics market despite regulatory challenges in Europe. We look at where investors should focus their attention now.
time to read: 5 minutes
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Author:
Juliane Zielonka
ISIN:
BLOCKCHAINK2 CORP | CA09369M1077 , PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES INC | US69608A1088 , APPLE INC. | US0378331005
Table of contents:
"[...] In Canada, there is $1.75 of debt for every dollar of disposable income - and that was true even before the pandemic. [...]" Karim Nanji, CEO, Marble Financial
Author
Juliane Zielonka
Born in Bielefeld, she studied German, English and psychology. The emergence of the Internet in the early '90s led her from university to training in graphic design and marketing communications. After years of agency work in corporate branding, she switched to publishing and learned her editorial craft at Hubert Burda Media.
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BlockchainK2: Digital revolution in fund management - RealBlocks sets new standards
The world of start-ups is dominated by venture capital and private equity firms. In this industry, every effort is made to discover the next unicorn. A unicorn company is characterized by a valuation of at least USD 1 billion before it goes public or is sold. Fund managers and venture partners have their hands full scouring the market.
Their activities include deal flow management, due diligence, research, and portfolio management in order to find exciting companies and provide them with seed capital. Ongoing transaction management is characterized by further financing rounds. It is important that the Company's own shares are not diluted.
For this sector, the Canadian software company BlockchainK2 has now developed a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform called "RealBlocks", which enables users to quickly obtain an overview of their investments and deal flows. The "Fund in a Box" concept offers a comprehensive solution for fund managers. It includes a data room, an investor portal, and enables online onboarding and digital subscriptions. In addition, capital calls, redemptions, transfers, and distributions are managed efficiently. A lightweight investor CRM and integrations with fund administrators, custodians, broker-dealers, and fiduciary accounts complete the offering. This all-in-one solution reduces friction losses, in particular by reducing the number of incorrect documents (NIGOs). This reduces operating costs and accelerates time to market, giving fund managers a decisive competitive advantage.
RealBlocks achieved impressive success in 2023. The platform reached USD 77 billion in assets under management under contract, demonstrating the strong market position and client confidence in the solution offered. The Company has also secured USD 750 million in capital commitments from clients. These figures demonstrate the significant growth and increasing acceptance of the RealBlocks platform in the investment industry.
According to Bain & Company, in Q2/2024, global venture capital funding grew 5% quarter-over-quarter, reaching USD 94 billion across 4,500 deals. Investments in AI, healthcare, and financial services drove much of the activity. Europe is seeing an upswing, mainly driven by the UK technology market and sectors such as financial services, cleantech and AI.
So, those wanting to invest in an expanding B2B software solution should take a closer look at the Company Blockchaink2.
Palantir share price shoots up 14% after S&P 500 inclusion
Shares in data analytics company Palantir surged 14% at the beginning of the week, reaching their highest level since the start of 2021. This is because of its inclusion in the S&P 500 index, which was announced late on Friday.
In order to be included in the S&P 500, a company must show profits. Palantir met this requirement with a net profit of USD 135.6 million in the second quarter of 2023. Palantir and Dell replace American Airlines and Etsy, respectively, in the US leading index.
One of the largest shareholders, co-founder and CEO Peter Thiel, could benefit from this increase by selling shares worth nearly USD 1 billion. Thiel's last sales took place from May 8 to 10, when he sold a total of 13 million shares for USD 273.5 million.
Meanwhile, Palantir is expanding its AI business into more industries. Palantir's AIP software will help the oil and gas company BP use large language models (LLMs). The aim is to improve and accelerate human decision-making processes by recommending actions based on an automated analysis of the underlying data.
The Palantir software combines a robust data infrastructure and a digital twin with tools that ensure transparency in AI recommendations. All decisions and actions are recorded in fully auditable digital records.
EU demands EUR 13 billion - Apple counters with innovative gadgets and praise from analysts
Apple not only impresses analysts with its new consumer gadgets. Since this week, ardent Apple fans can look forward to a new iPhone 16, new AirPods, and a new Apple Watch. The devices will be available in the usual Apple Stores online and offline starting in September. Oppenheimer reiterated its "Outperform" rating for Apple shares on Tuesday morning and set a price target of USD 250.00. A total of 25 analysts have issued a "Buy" recommendation, 10 a "Hold" recommendation and one a "Sell" recommendation. The average target price is USD 238.62.
The Cupertino-based company can make good use of the future income, as an EU court has confirmed the EUR 13 billion tax demand against Apple for market abuse. In the Apple case, the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg confirmed the EU Commission's 2016 finding that Ireland had granted the Company illegal state aid and thus provided it with an unfair tax advantage.
EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager sees the current rulings as a "major victory for European citizens and tax justice". Her efforts to take action against unfair practices and tax regulations have met with global approval from critics of US tech companies such as Apple and Google (Alphabet). However, there are also voices warning that the strict regulatory environment in Europe could hinder the development of tech giants. The Apple ruling is considered to be groundbreaking for future regulations in the technology sector.
BlockhainK2 is revolutionizing fund management with an all-in-one SaaS solution. The RealBlocks platform automates processes from deal flow to investor onboarding, reduces errors, and accelerates launches. With USD 77 billion in assets under management and USD 750 million in capital commitments, the young Canadian company is showing strong growth in the expanding venture capital market.
Palantir's inclusion in the S&P 500 has led to a 14% increase in its share price. The Company is continuously expanding its AI business, including through a partnership with the oil company BP. Palantir's software combines data infrastructure with AI transparency for improved decision-making processes. Major shareholder Peter Thiel could now sell shares worth USD 1 billion as a result of the share price increase and would still be the leading shareholder. Apple presents new gadgets such as the iPhone 16, new AirPods, and an improved Apple Watch. Despite an EU tax demand of EUR 13 billion, analysts remain optimistic and forecast an average price target of USD 238.62. The latest EU court ruling confirms illegal state aid by Ireland. EU Competition Commissioner Vestager sees this as a victory for tax justice, while critics warn against excessive regulation.
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