Chasing Unicorns
Analysis16 Marras 2020

Chasing Unicorns

We live in a world of unicorns. From hailing taxis to ordering pizza to renting a holiday home, the world has come to rely on huge tech startups known in Silicon Valley as unicorns. But in a post-pandemic world, can these mythical beasts survive?

In tech lingo, a unicorn is a rare start-up company valued at $1 billion dollars or more in private markets. Five years ago there were fewer than 50. Today there are over 400, including Airbnb, Uber and Deliveroo. Often created by eccentric founders and funded by evangelical venture capital backers with deep pockets, these companies have come to define our digital age while creating unimaginable riches for their investors.

But with many enduring eye-watering losses even before the pandemic, and with big question marks hanging over their long term viability, is the magic dust finally coming off?

Elaine Moore is a tech columnist at the Financial Times based in San Francisco - home of the tech unicorn. She's on a mission to find out what the future holds for the industry and what it could mean for us next time we take a taxi or order in a Friday night curry.

Presenter: Elaine Moore Producer: Craig Templeton Smith Editor: Jasper Corbett

Jaksot(389)

Holland's Challenge to Tolerance

Holland's Challenge to Tolerance

Why is liberal, tolerant Netherlands home to one of Europe's most successful anti-immigration, anti-Islamic parties?Geert Wilders' radical right-wing Party For Freedom (PVV) - which wants to close mos...

13 Maalis 201728min

How do the SNP sell a second referendum?

How do the SNP sell a second referendum?

Could a second referendum on Scottish independence yield a different result? In September 2014 when Scotland voted against becoming an independent country it seemed like the question had been settled ...

6 Maalis 201728min

How Voters Decide: Part Two

How Voters Decide: Part Two

What makes us change our mind when it comes to elections? We are all swingers now. More voters than ever before are switching party from one election to the next. Tribal loyalties are weakening. The e...

27 Helmi 201728min

How Voters Decide: Part One

How Voters Decide: Part One

What does the story of the Downing Street cat reveal about the way voters decide? We are not taught how to vote. We rely on intuition, snap judgments and class prejudice. We vote for policies that cla...

20 Helmi 201728min

Analysis Extra: The Pull of Putin

Analysis Extra: The Pull of Putin

Why do populist politicians across the West want warmer relations with Russia? Are they just Kremlin agents? Or are they tapping into a growing desire to find common cause with Moscow – and end East-W...

16 Helmi 201737min

Is Talent a Thing?

Is Talent a Thing?

When hiring people, is the concept of talent so ill-defined as to be useless? Entrepreneur and author Margaret Heffernan thinks so and explores what characteristics recruiters might want to look for i...

13 Helmi 201728min

How Not to Do It

How Not to Do It

Jacqui Smith, the former Labour home secretary, investigates why government policies fail, focusing on one of her party's most cherished reforms.Indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPPs) we...

6 Helmi 201728min

Atom Man

Atom Man

The journey of an American 'cold warrior' from nuclear deterrence to nuclear disarmament. Former US Secretary of Defence William J Perry has spent his entire seven-decade career on the nuclear brink. ...

30 Tammi 201728min

Suosittua kategoriassa Politiikka ja uutiset

aikalisa
rss-ootsa-kuullut-tasta
tervo-halme
ootsa-kuullut-tasta-2
politiikan-puskaradio
viisupodi
otetaan-yhdet
rss-podme-livebox
rss-asiastudio
et-sa-noin-voi-sanoo-esittaa
rss-vaalirankkurit-podcast
the-ulkopolitist
linda-maria
rss-kaikki-uusiksi
rss-mina-ukkola
rss-pykalien-takaa
rss-merja-mahkan-rahat
rss-kuka-mina-olen
rss-raha-talous-ja-politiikka
rss-kyselytunti