Competition

CityFlo Reduces Google Maps API Bill by 94% Google Directions API limited their free tier . CityFlo uses this API to calculate ETAs. Initially, CityFlo queried the API every time a stop was registered. This was the problem. The number of API calls should be dependent on the stops themselves, not the buses. For an MVP, sure - make that query - but if you’re running a growing business, those calls add up!...

Betting on Things That Never Change. Morgan Housel. www.collaborativefund.com . Jul 20, 2017. Change by itself is hard. Investors have to spot it before it’s obvious. Consumers have to change their behaviors to make it viable. These two points repel each other. Sears bet the Internet changed nothing. Beenz bet the Internet changed everything - creating a points-based currency valid only at online merchants. Amazon bet the Internet changed distribution, but rooted its strategy in selection and low prices....

Luxottica - Queen of the Seven Kingdoms Luxottica owns and licenses Armani, Brooks Brothers, Burberry, Chanel, Coach, DKNY, Dolce & Gabbana, Michael Kors, Oakley, Oliver Peoples, Persol, Polo Ralph Lauren, Ray-Ban, Tiffany, Valentino, Vogue and Versace. Italy’s Luxottica also runs EyeMed Vision Care, LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Sears Optical, Sunglass Hut and Target Optical. It also merged with the world’s leading maker of prescription eyeglass lenses and contact lenses, to form EssilorLuxottica....

Protectionism vs. Globalization Prestige Ameritech is America’s #1 maker of surgical masks. In outbreaks, demand peaks, but when it’s all over, hospitals go back to exclusively buying cheaper masks from China. Reduced demand makes Ameritech lay off workers. Ameritech is pushing for a federal contract to stabilize demand over time. India’s Foreign Exchange Act of 1973 gave Coca-Cola an ultimatum: hand over 60% of the local subsidiary to Indian partners and the syrup recipe....

Innovation Africa & Water Availability Bring in Israeli solar panels and drip irrigation. Pump water from the large reservoirs below. Cost $7,000. Adapting to community: 6-8 weeks on committees, bank accounts; mobile charging stations and barbershops using solar panels for sustainability. Can’t sell the water, but you can subsidize it with complementary products. Set up remote monitoring with real time stats in order to schedule maintenance. Honorable Mentions Push Party by MSCHF is valued at $200m, led by The Founders Fund....

AT&T restricted FaceTime from running on some data plans. Justifications? FaceTime is preloaded, therefore 100% of users have it FaceTime wasn’t efficient in network usage. The capacity was asymmetrical, but video chat is symmetrical Interestingly enough, AT&T required Apple to greenlight it, which they did. AT&T worked with top developers to teach network etiquette.