FEBRUARY 2019
THE JOURNAL BUSINESS // TRAVEL // POLITICS // CULTURE // LIFE PRODUCED BY
ALEA GLOBAL GROUP
Contents COUNTRY FOCUS SAUDI ARABIA
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LUPO LANZARA INTERVIEW AN INSIGHT INTO INVESTING IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY
360 VIDEO AND VR HOW TO USE THEM FOR BUSINESS
CITRINE ESTATES NATURAL LUXURY LIVING
LUXURY NILE CRUISES CRUISE DOWN THE NILE WITH OBEROI
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ELECTRIC VEHICLES IS THE UAE READY TO EMBRACE THEM?
TECHNOLOGY IN THE SPORT INDUSTRY
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TIME TO INVEST:
REHAB FOR THE RICH WHY ADDICTIONS HAPPEN, AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
CHANGING THE WORLD BY LEAH ZVEGLICH
DRONE TECHNOLOGY WHAT CAN IT OFFER?
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WELCOME
FEBRUARY 2019
The alea journal
FOREWORD BY MOHAMMAD ALDUAIJ CEO OF ALEA GLOBAL GROUP Welcome to the second edition of The Alea Journal. In this issue we explore uses of new technology for a variety of business issues, looking at drones, 360 video and virtual reality. Our interview with Lupo Lanzara highlights his incredible work in Rome at the Accademia di Costume e di Moda, as well as giving valuable insight into the fashion industry as an investment opportunity.
We also look at more troubling matters, such as the causes of addiction among wealthy families, and what we can do about it. You will also find other valuable contributions from many of our friends, with all topics aimed at the interests and priorities of family offices. If you would like to contribute to the next issue please contact me at info@aleaglobalgroup.com.
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country focus: Saudi Arabia
AN HISTORIC COUNTRY WITH A POWERFUL VISION FOR THE FUTURE
Saudi Arabia is a Kingdom that holds a great fascination for the rest of the world, and with good reason. Never far from the headlines, the country is a powerful and rapidly changing one which has a unique combination of beauty, history, culture and wealth. For those not familiar with Saudi Arabia, there’s much to learn and to follow with interest, as this global force continues to develop along its own distinctive path towards a new vision for 2030.Â
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Riyadh Riyadh, the capital city, is an administrative centre, but it’s also a cultural one. Major exhibitions and conferences take place here, as does the cultural and heritage festival of Jenadriyah. You can visit some of the country’s most well known visitor attractions including the Abstract Art Gallery and The National Museum.
Historical sites include Diriyah - the capital of the very first Saudi State - and UNESCO World Heritage Site the Al-Turaif Quarter. There are also famous natural attractions including the Ibex Reserve, King Salman Park, and Wadi Hanifah, where you can see the huge variety of wildlife and landscapes the country has to offer.
Mecca and Medina The two holy cities of Mecca and Medina are visited by many hundreds of thousands of Muslims each year as part of the Hajj, the pilgrimage to be made at least once in a lifetime. Mecca is the holiest city, and Medina the second holiest. The fact that both are in Saudi Arabia gives some indication of how important the country is to Muslims the world over, many of whom will visit the country at some point to see these holy sites. So important are these cities to the Muslim world that the annual pilgrimage was once Saudi Arabia's chief source of income due to their incredible popularity.
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Culture Economy The culture of Saudi Arabia is built very much on conservative Islamic and family values, which still underpin daily life in the country. Socialising revolves around the home and family, and small groups of trusted friends. Much has been made of historic restrictions on the lives of women living in Saudi Arabia, but in fact great changes have taken place in recent years. These include the right for women to drive, to vote, to access services without a male guardian, and even to compete in the Olympic Games. There are currently more women in higher education in Saudi Arabia than men, and women’s literacy stands at 91%.
Since the 1970s, oil has been the main export and source of financial prosperity for Saudi Arabia. A sudden boom in wealth and opportunity led to many changes in the lives of citizens, including more urbanisation, with 80% of people now living in urban areas. There also came a greater move towards education for all, and foreign workers began taking up employment there in larger numbers. Because of the oil reserves, the economy in Saudi Arabia is still not particularly a commercial one, and there isn’t the same need for every citizen to work as there is in other countries around the world. Of those who do work, many are employed by the government.
The 2030 Vision Crown Prince and Chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, has unveiled a new vision for Saudi Arabia to be in place by 2030. Described as ‘an ambitious yet achievable blueprint’, it rests on three principle pillars. The first of these is the country’s status as the heart of the Arab and Islamic worlds, the place where the Two Holy Mosques can be found, and the responsibilities and opportunities this blessing presents. The second pillar is the determination to become a global investment powerhouse, with diversification and economic stimulation at its core. And the third and final pillar is to use the country’s location as a global hub that connects the three continents of Asia, Europe and Africa, making it a gateway between the three. More details of the 2030 vision can be found at vision2030.gov.sa
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“If it’s only nice clothes, you’re not going to get anywhere” LUPO LANZARA ON THE FASHION INDUSTRY Lupo Lanzara is the deputy chairman of Accademia di Costume e di Moda, a fashion school in Rome founded by his grandmother Rosana Pistolese in 1964. The school has become a global force since Lupo took the helm ten years ago, along with his brother Furio Francini. In 2017, the school rose from number 34 to number 11 in The Business of Fashion’s globally renowned rankings. Lupo spoke to us about the cultural significance of fashion, as well as the unique way his students are educated, and his philosophy on investing in the future.
What is the history of the Accademia di Costume e di Moda? Ten years ago the school was undergoing some very heavy problems, and we were concerned that the family had to close it. But then again it’s the school where very important creative directors have studied and I was very fond of my grandmother, so I decided to join the school, even though my father has never been involved in it because he’s in finance. It was a family decision, and it’s going very well today.
The school is very famous for its BA course which is based on costume and fashion design, and it’s the only course in the world that offers costume and fashion within the same educational path. The costume is intended as history of fashion, a history of art, a history of theatre, a history of cinema. We combine all of this knowledge with the contemporary interpretation of society, so that our students are able to interpret fashion houses’ clothes, and work with a strong identity.
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What is your approach to teaching? We have a very strong ethical approach to our jobs and we work very closely with our students - they are not numbers, they are individuals with their own personal history. Some of the personal histories of the students are also quite complicated, and this is an extremely important upside if the students channel their emotions towards their projects. We allow them to grow personally and professionally. Our students should not be afraid to push their limits at the school because this is a safe environment, and so they are allowed to cry, get angry, laugh and smile. Everything is allowed here that is not allowed in a work environment. Suzy Menkes, the fashion journalist, has said she was very surprised by this approach and also by the importance that we give to costume, because it’s something that is very unique within the global educational industry. It’s something that allows our students to foster knowledge and creativity towards research and design, and then apply to the industry processes, which make our experience really unique. We have some very important alumni. Alessandro Michele who is the creative director of Gucci, he studied in our school, and also other very important people have studied here also. It’s a process which we have implemented in the last years which are giving us outstanding results and allowing our students to find a job, which in the end is the only reason why a school should exist.
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What are the advantages of being based in Italy? Global luxury is manufactured in Italy, and we have very very strong ties with the Italian manufacturing industry, so our students experience not only design briefs from the main fashion houses but also briefs from these manufacturing companies. This gives the students a lot of technical confidence, and helps them develop industry networks so that when a 21year-old goes to a Fendi interview or Prada interview for their first job, he or she already knows about the supply chain of these companies and about the experimentations of fabrics and materials and textiles. All this is very well received and accepted by the fashion houses and our placement ratios are skyrocketing. We have 100 percent placement ratios on some of our courses,
How does the fashion industry function and grow? Now everyone can set up their own brand, but the challenge is to distribute that product, and this is something very difficult to do for a number of reasons. If you want to be one of these brands you need to have a very strong identity, you need to storytell very well, you need to create an experience for your customers in communication and social media and in retail.
Today it’s all about storytelling it’s not about the product, because there are so many products out there.
Today it’s about being local, not being global, so if a fashion brand is based in Italy it should stick to being Italian, but at the same time it should have some resonance in the markets that they want to target in order for that market to be inspired to buy that product.
If I’m just selling a jacket or a gown or a trouser then it’s very difficult to achieve the brand positioning of the main fashion houses of course which have been there for decades have incredible archives.
Look at Gucci for example, you are Guccified today, this is so powerful, it’s so powerful, it’s amazing, and Alessandro Michele did this, he’s a genius, and the entire team, really genius.
If not, if it’s only nice clothes, you’re not going to get anywhere.
How and why should we invest in fashion? Today the world is dynamic, fast, and everyone wants to make money in a fast and easy way. But the world has also taught us that you have to have a platform, so if I want to be an investor I would really look for companies with a long term vision that have also a strong platform on which to built that vision. If not, ok I invest, I make money in 3-5 years’ time, and then I sell, but what is the added value you are contributing to the world? It’s nothing.
In order to create a story and in order to communicate that story either you have a very strong cultural platform linked to traditions, the heritage of your own country. Look at what Virgil Abloh just did with Louis Vuitton menswear the other day, he presented clothes which were inspired by his home country in Ghana.
So, this is really personal, but I think that we are all responsible for what we leave when we die, and I would like to leave something that has contributed to empower or improve the lives of someone else. I think this type of investment is always the most valuable because investment doesn’t mean always making money, it also means contributing to a better world. The world is made of lives, so even if you improve the life of one person you have done a good job with your life.
I’m investing in students who are 18 years old now, but what are they going to be when they are 40 or 50? I want them to be creative directors, I want them to be entrepreneurs, I want them to be visionaries, That’s why I have a very strong commitment to long term vision and of course to financial sustainability. If you get too greedy you lose quality, so there’s always a balance that needs to be taken into consideration for achieving your own objectives. This is for work but it’s also in life.
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Using 360 Video and Virtual Reality for Business LIVE CINEMA UK EXPLAIN THE BASICS OF IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGY
VIRTUAL REALITY AND 360 VIDEO ARE THE TALK OF GAMING, MARKETING AND ENTERTAINMENT RIGHT NOW, AND THEY SHOW NO SIGNS OF GOING AWAY. IF YOU THINK THESE TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS HAVE NO RELEVANCE TO YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS - OR IF YOU’RE SIMPLY CONFUSED BY THEM - YOU COULD BE MISSING OUT ON SOME VALUABLE OPPORTUNITIES.
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Live Cinema UK is an organisation that works internationally to research and produce film events that have some element of live action. That could mean using live music, actors or immersive environments to make unique and memorable events. Most recently, they have been researching and working with 360 video and VR to look at how they could be used for large scale events. Here they explain the differences between 360 video and virtual reality, and why they’re both such exciting developments for businesses of all kinds.
What is 360 degree video? 360 degree video, sometimes simply called 360, is a form of filming that takes in all angles at once.
Among the most popular cameras for consumers is the Insta360, which allows you to capture things on the move.
The result is an image that lets you take in an entire scene in full panoramic vision, rather than from a single angle.
The Obsidian S and R are professional level cameras that offer high resolution images.
There are special cameras developed to film in 360 degrees, and you can get both professional and consumer level versions, offering differing quality and functionality.
With a sufficient internet connection at either end, the right camera and the right platform, it’s also possible to film and live stream 360 video, so that it can be viewed in real time.
What is virtual reality? Virtual reality is usually a digitally created form of 360 video, often with interactivity built into it so you can move around and control certain aspects of the experience. Unlike most 360 video, it is not a ‘real’ environment, but one made by an artist or developer, which can make it much more time consuming, expensive and difficult to create. Gaming is the area in which virtual reality is most popular, allowing players to immerse themselves in playable worlds they would only previously have been able to see on a TV or computer screen.
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How to view 360 and VR With so many consumer devices available now to shoot 360 video, platforms such as YouTube and Facebook have introduced a function to upload and view it. On a computer you can view this content by clicking and dragging your mouse around the video to see the different angles, and with a phone you can pick it up and move it around to act as a 360 viewer. You can also wear a virtual reality headset which lets you look around the image in a more natural way, and there are inexpensive phone holders such as the
Google Cardboard that can turn your mobile phone into a virtual reality headset for this purpose too. For more functionality with your phone, a headset like the Samsung Gear VR has added control when you’re in VR. VR content is made for headsets, and VR enthusiasts will usually have their own headset and hand controller which works with a PC or games console. This allows them to become fully immersed in the experience and control their actions so they can interact with the virtual world around them.
VR and 360 for business The world of entertainment is at the forefront of the development and growth of 360 video and VR, but there are many practical applications these technologies can bring to the business world as well.
Training By filming scenarios in 360, or making them interactive with VR, you can create engaging training experiences that feel much more real than a traditional training video. By placing people into these immersive environments, it;s much more likely they will retain the information for use in the real world.
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Putting people into certain scenarios in this way can be cheaper, safer and faster than physically taking them into the training environment, and you need only carry out the training scenario a single time in order to film it. It’s the ideal way to capture and teach safety procedures, product features and production processes. Live streaming in 360 video can also allow many people at once to participate in webinars and remotely attend conferences.
real estate The real estate business is entirely about the spaces that are built, bought and sold, so showcasing these spaces in a flattering way is of huge importance to the industry. Once a potential buyer can imagine themselves in the space, they are on their way to a purchase. With VR you can create walkthrough experiences showing an artist’s impression of a development that is not yet finished,
or even started, enabling potential buyers to see what it feels like to visit the completed building. 360 video will also allow a potential buyers to visit the real space without actually being there, and it also allows you to control the experience in some way whether that’s picking the time of day with the best light for filming, or ensuring the best apartment is filmed.
tourism Tourism can be a huge boost to a country’s economy, which is why governments can spend millions creating global campaigns to encourage international visitors. Capturing the imagination of potential visitors online is the key to a brilliant tourism campaign, so it’s no wonder more and more tourist boards are looking to 360 video to help them. In the same way as real estate buying works, potential tourists need to be able to imagine themselves in the location first before they decide to visit it for real. 360 video is more effective for this than any other medium, and people are much more likely to trust an image they can see in 360 degrees than an image which may have been shot from the only attractive angle.
To see some real world examples of 360 for tourism, you can look up some of the Qantas Airways campaign which has used 360 video effectively to allow viewers to visit hotels, tourist hotspots, and even the cockpit of an aeroplane so they can experience their dream holiday before they’ve actually decided to book it.
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360 and VR for events
As an organisation with a focus on bringing audiences together, we’re much more interested in shared VR environments than we are in headsets. Headsets are a single viewer experience, but there are ways of viewing 360 and VR content without a headset and with many other people at once. Using a custom built dome or cylinder screen you can show your 360 or VR content without any need for a headset. This means you can hold events or viewings in which the image is all around you, in a space that can hold anywhere from a handful of people to hundreds of people at a time. As part of a well curated event, these kinds of screenings can be an unforgettable experience, no matter whether it’s for business or simply for entertainment. Aside from spaces like planetariums - which have a specific remit to show space and science content there are a few fixed dome screens around the world which show 360 and VR content purely for creative purposes. The Satosphere in Montreal and the Wisdone in LA are great examples of this, and sometimes have live performances too. Companies like Igloo Vision and Fulldome Pro also hire portable domes of various sizes which can show 360 video content and can even be used as venues for corporate events.
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TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT EVENTS USING 360 VIDEO AND VR, OR TO SPEAK TO LIVE CINEMA UK ABOUT ANY OF OUR WORK OR RESEARCH, YOU CAN VISIT LIVECINEMA.ORG.UK
Citrine estates NATURAL LUXURY LIVING Citrine Estates is Limassol’s exclusive premier development. A unique and delicate blend of nature and modern design, Citrine Estates grants investors unparalleled access to holistic living. Citrine Estates is nestled in the Akrotiri Peninsula of Limassol, surrounded by the gentle, iridescent nature of Cyprus — its lush greenery, fragrant orange groves, and elegant pink flamingoes.
An international business hub by day and a vibrant city by night, Limassol is the cosmopolitan center of Cyprus and the perfect location for a luxury investment. Developed by the CNS Group, Citrine Estates offers a limited selection of designer apartment blocks, ornate houses, and luxury villas, each designed according to investors’ bespoke finishing preferences.
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UNPARALLELED ACCESS TO NATURE Located amid the majestic Akrotiri Peninsula of Limassol, Citrine Estates is a harmonious fusion of luxury design and unbridled natural beauty. Awaken to the delicate scent of the nearby Salt Lake, breathe in the sweet, zesty aroma of the surrounding orange groves while basking in the Mediterranean sun, and watch a parade of Cyprus’s indigenous pink flamingoes at sunset.
While Citrine Estates is located only 2 km from the city center, this premier development will soon become a major aspect of the city center itself.
A HOME TO FALL IN LOVE WITH Limassol exhibits a rich cultural history, an advanced modern lifestyle, and a thriving financial network that make it a prime destination for investors. Excellent private healthcare, first rate educational establishments, and notably safe neighborhoods further enrich the city’s admirable global stature.
ULTRA-MODERN LIVING
ABUNDANCE OF CHOICE
Limassol’s captivating urban landscape provides the perfect backdrop to the distinctly luxurious character of Citrine Estates.
With the CNS Group at the reins, Citrine Estates is a sophisticated creation of luxurious and modern design.
The My Mall shopping center, one of Cyprus’s biggest retail centers, is only a few minutes’ walk from Citrine Estates, giving investors exclusive access to internationally recognized boutiques, retail stores, and restaurants. As well as convenient proximity to the mall, Citrine Estates is also located near the highly anticipated premier casino-resort City of Dreams Mediterranean, a EUR 600 million project that starts operating in 2021, significantly adding to Limassol’s subtle grandeur.
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The developer’s vision of living in nature is majestically realized by the abundant birdlife and the fragrant orange groves and eucalyptus trees that enliven Citrine Estates’ unique landscape. The estate offers a selection of sophisticated apartment blocks, houses, and villas, each with designer finishes and an ornate design, providing investors with a secure haven of luxury and an oasis of tranquility. For further enquiries call +357 2239 9300, email info@citrineestates.com, or visit citrineestates.com.
Cruise Down the Nile in Luxury with Oberoi WHY SIMPLY SEE THE WORLD FAMOUS NILE IN EGYPT, WHEN YOU CAN CRUISE ALONG IT FOR UP TO A WEEK IN LUXURY AND STYLE?
Award-winning hotel and resort group Oberoi have curated a four-to-seven day river cruise along the Nile, taking in some of the most popular and culturally significant historic sights, as well as the most picturesque natural scenery. Cruising between Luxor and Aswan, the cruises offer private docking at several locations along the way, giving you an unparalleled level of access to some of the legendary attractions including Egypt’s tombs and pyramids.
And on board each of Oberoi’s two Nile cruiser ships are leading Egyptologists who will be on hand to give some valuable insight into everything you see during your excursions, so nothing passes you by. The ships have been designed to give you modern comfort amid the ancient landscape, with contemporary interior design, and a range of extra facilities. Large windows in each cabin and suite frame the river views, and you can enjoy gourmet dining, fine wines and cocktails on board.
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The Oberoi Zahra, Luxury Nile Cruiser Egypt The Oberoi Zahra has 25 Luxury Cabins measuring 26.4 metres square, and two Luxury Suites at 50 metres square, all with en suite bathrooms. The suites also have their own private terrace with an outdoor hot tub. There’s a cinema, library and cigar lounge and a gym on board, as well as a spa and pool.
The Oberoi Philae, Luxury Nile Cruiser, Egypt The Oberoi Philae has 22 cabins and suites, ranging in size from 36 square metres to 55 square metres. Suites on this ship also have their own terrace and outdoor hot tub, while all guests can visit the spa and swimming pool. A gym, beauty salon, cinema, dance floor and cigar lounge complete the cruising experience.
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Is the UAE ready to embrace electric vehicles? With an economy famously built on oil, the UAE doesn’t seem like the most obvious place for electric vehicles to take off in any significant way. There are several major obstacles both logistical and cultural, making it a uniquely difficult sell for greener vehicles. To begin with, the practicalities; batteries die faster in hot climates, and with charging stations still far less prevalent than gas stations this does make driving an electric vehicle more of a chore than a gas-powered alternative. And then there’s the environmental concern which has doubtless driven uptake in other countries around the world, such as climate-conscious Norway, but which is less of a concern to consumers in the Middle East. Yet despite these barriers, the region could become a big market for sustainably fuelled transport much sooner than you might think, due to some sustained targeting from manufacturers and campaigners, and a softening of drivers’ opinions. Electric car giant, Tesla, opened their first showroom in Dubai in 2017, to some initial bemusement, but have done so well in the city that its vehicles can even be found among the Dubai taxi fleet.
This is helping to normalise the sight of electric vehicles, all while demonstrating their efficiency in a day-to-day context. Although consumers might not currently place a high priority on reducing carbon emissions, the UAE government has certainly placed it on the agenda, aiming for a 15 percent emissions reduction by 2020. To help achieve this outcome, Dubai’s own aim is to have 42,000 electric vehicles in the city by 2030. In January this year, the Electric Vehicle Road Trip (EVRT) Middle East 2019 sent 12 cars on an eightday 2000 km trip through Oman and the UAE. This publicity-seeking stunt departed appropriately from the World Future Energy Summit during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, marking a serious commitment to selling these vehicles as exciting and cutting edge, rather than simply green and cost-conscious. There are encouraging signs that the combination of incentives and marketing exercises - as well as ever-growing electric vehicles options - is paying off. In a survey undertaken by Global EVRT, almost a quarter of people said they would consider buying an electric vehicle within two years. And with electric vehicle sales predicted to make up 2.5 percent of global car sales by 2020, the UAE will naturally see its own uptake rise among this growth in popularity. Car manufacturers are already eyeing the region with interest, with Haval and General Motors among the names looking to increase their choice and visibility there, offering the greater choice of vehicles consumers will need to make the switch.
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Time to Invest: Technology in the Sport Industry Technology and Sports Technology has always impacted the wide world of sports and has been growing rapidly, especially in the past few years. With the recent developments of the technological field in sports comes the below challenges : One of the main challenges of combining both sports and technology is gathering the know-how of sports professionals and technology experts. What is missing today in some sports is the bridge that links the professional requirements and the technical expertise. Therefore, it is fundamental that the team building the technology has a solid understanding of business requirements of the sport industry. Another important challenge is analyzing the data captured. Analysts across sports are beginning to understand the criticality of capturing data for every game that occurred. We are only starting to see the depth and interaction that artificial intelligence, technology and digital transformation can bring to sports. A perfect marriage between these three and sports requirements is still in its infancy in this industry, and thus creating a wide array of investment opportunities.
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A third challenge is the ability to accurately mimic real life training through innovative technology. This ability will be the differentiating factor between any new product and what is currently available in the market.
The Need for Technological Breakthrough for Combat Sports Although some popular sports such as football, and rugby are already usingadvanced technology to quantify athletes’ performance, skills and mental conditioning, many other popular sports are still looking for technological breakthrough. Combat sports such as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and Boxing have gained so much popularity over the past few years and are now ranked between the top 15 most popular sports in the world [1]. After recognizing the huge opportunity in martial arts, Sports Intelligence (SI), an innovative company founded by Fares Abi Nader, shifted its attention towards combat sports. When talking to professional martial art athletes and gathering their requirements, SI understood their need for assistance and automation in their training, in order to ensure consistency and high level performance.
Current and Future Projects of SI One project started when International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) approached Sports Intelligence in order to develop the first progression scheme application for MMA players around the world. The project consists in implementing a progression scheme application for all MMA athletes including the youth, to monitor their progressions and track their skills. Athletes will be able to log in, upgrade to new levels and track all their progress. Federations, certified coaches and athletes will all have a crucial role in the progression scheme solution. The solution is gaining massive interest prior to its Go live that is expected in February 2019, and is expected to go viral in other sports. Another project that is currently ongoing is “Smart Strikes”. The project began when Fares Abi Nader and his team sat with several martial art professionals; Anderson Silva, a former UFC Middleweight Champion expressed the need to have recovery gyms and methods that help fighters/athletes in the recovery process. In addition, John Kavanagh, a famous MMA coach who has trained big UFC fighters such as Connor McGregor, Eden Payne, Bayley Dynan and Gunnar Nelson, has expressed his need to have an automated machine where trainers can input their personalized training workouts. In response to this need, the team came up with the idea of a set of
customized pad machines that can be calibrated depending on each athlete’s specific needs. The idea was then adopted on the “Smart Strikes” machines in the form of shock absorbers linked directly to a phone application for constant modification and feedback. The machines will act as a smart striking pad, moving along a three dimensional space. It will also send performance indicators to the trainer using the same application. Gyms and coaches are essential to the success of the product and a profit sharing scheme between both parties will be part of the business model. In the near future, SI aims to approach other sports and will be working on the creation of a digital solution that provides the consolidation of all athletes’ data in a block chain technology. SI also understands that youth is a big part of the martial arts market. Therefore, SI intends to provide educational tailored training programs for youth. The objective is to be able to rewire youth’s brain and turn their smartphone and applications’ dependency into productive smart learning. The training program will trigger a series of simple mathematical exercises that has to be solved by a physical response. This combination of physical and mental activities will motivate, develop and improve their learning and motor skills.
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Why invest in technology in combat sports? Combat sports, and specifically MMA, are today one of the fastest growing sports. It is rising in popularity especially with the growing need to be health-oriented and fit. Combat sports are known to improve both cardiovascular conditions and muscle toning. Many athletes are drawn today by all the benefits that combat sports have to offer which includes, but is not limited to, reduced stress, increased cardio conditioning, improved health rate, better metabolism and enhanced recovery ability. “When you think about it we haven’t even scratched the surface yet of how big this thing can be, we just did a TV deal with ESPN for $1.5 billion for five years. Now the company is worth $7 billion”, said Dana White, President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) [2]. UFC is the biggest MMA tournament and is broadcasted in more than 145 countries in 28 different languages. It is no secret why ESPN+ and UFC’s new partnership gained 568 000 new ESPN subscribers and had the highest-rated UFC prelims on cable since at least 2013. In addition, ESPN noted more than 1.8 million unique visitors to its MMA-related content across all digital platforms on the day of its first MMA debut event [3]. This number is constantly on the rise and represents the potential market and worldwide reach of
combat sports. Today, UFC has over 6.8 million followers on Twitter, over 12.5 million on Instagram and over 22 million on Facebook. In conclusion, SI believes that there is a great opportunity in investing in the rising technology of the sport industry. There is a new digital sport world that is just waiting for us to dive in. Ultimately in order to create your portfolio of success stories, you need the right technology, the right data and the right people.
A Deeper Look into Sports Intelligence (SI) The vision of SI was to create a passionate team dedicated to revolutionize the world of sports. Fares has 20 years of experience in the advisory sector and is the co-founder of Abington Advisory, an international company located in France, Lebanon, UAE and Indonesia, with partnerships in North Africa, Brazil, Canada and KSA. In addition, he has been a Judoka for more than 30 years. He is also an amateur in martial arts and is very well connected in the world of MMA/Judo. His strong sports background and passion for innovation triggered his vision and pushed him to lead an investment fund targeting innovation, eco-friendly technologies, block-chain technologies and sports. Therefore, SI strongly believes that we are just at the start of an incredible journey to take sports, and mainly combat sports, to a whole new digitalized era.
By Fares Abi Nader, founder of Sports Intelligence, founder of Smart Strikes, co-founder of Abington Advisory
References [1] https://www.totalsportek.com/most-popular-sports/ [2]https://www.forbes.com/sites/trentreinsmith/2 018/08/21/with-dana-whites-claim-that-the-ufc-isworth-7-billion-its-time-to-revisit-fighter-pay/#29b4e58544c0 [3] https://www.ufc.com/news/espn-debut-sets-record
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rehab for the rich WHY FAMILY WEALTH AND BUSINESS CAN LEAD TO RUIN, AND WHERE TO GO FOR HELP One of the first things to understand about addiction is that is is not something that only occurs in those with no hope in life.
and gambling are all too common among the wealthy, and can wreck not only the life of the addict, but also the lives of everyone around them.
In fact a lifestyle of privilege and success can actually worsen or even cause addiction in the first place.
Seeing a child, parent or sibling losing themselves to a pattern of behaviour that seems to be outside their control can be both heartbreaking and frustrating, as well as deeply shameful to the family.
Addiction to legal and illegal drugs, alcohol, and even behaviours such as sex
When family is part of the problem Within the family structure, there are elements that can lead to or worsen addictions. Family offices and other family businesses may require that the son or daughter take over the leadership at some point, which may mean they must sacrifice their own personal ambitions and dreams out of obligation to continuing the legacy. Arranged marriages for the good of the family name or for business reasons can have the same effect,
by taking away autonomy from a young person and removing their own hopes of meeting and marrying someone of their own choosing. The obligations of a family business can cause problems in other ways, too, with work taking parents away from their children and leaving those children to be raised by hired help such as nannies. This can cause the kind of psychological damage that can lead to addiction.
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Why wealth can be an enabler The exact causes of addiction are still something of a mystery, and can differ from person to person. But one thing is certain - addiction is a true leveller, and neither wealth nor success offer any protection from falling into dangerously addictive habits.
When money and access to addictive substances are always on hand, is it any wonder that a damaged person can fall into bad habits? If willpower is the only thing standing in the way of repeating damaging and addictive behaviours, repetition is almost inevitable.
Why choose tailored facilities? That’s where the help of a new breed of rehabilitation facility can save lives, and can also save reputations at the same time. There are a number of rehabs around the world that are tailored to the rich and famous, ensuring privacy, discretion, comfort and effective treatment. These environments may be far more luxurious than the typical rehab facility, but they also offer something else very important to their wealthy patients: a genuine understanding of the dangerous dynamic of money, prestige and addiction. It takes a special kind of knowledge and experience to treat wealthy and successful people who are also slaves to addiction. The pressures wealthy and often successful addicts face are somewhat unique, and it takes a tailored treatment plan to face these challenges. When the first step to treating an addiction is to admit that one is powerless in the face of it, it can take a lot of work to help these otherwise very powerful people to admit their helplessness and begin to get better.
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Specialist rehabs around the world Here are just some examples of the best facilities around the world for discretely and successfully treating addictions in the rich and famous:
Cliffside Malibu
Newport Academy
This Malibu mansion has a seafront location and caters to patients’ other health needs while treating their addictions.
Another California-based facility, Newport Academy’s specialism is treating adolescents.
Hiking, acupuncture and yoga are among additional therapies offered to complement treatment plans.
The facility offers family-focused treatment with the help of the natural environment.
Treatment is based on neuroscience and the Stages of Change model, looking at pain and trauma as the root of addiction.
Teen patients can separate male or female residential programmes, as well as day schools, to tackle substance abuse, eating disorders and more.
cliffsidemalibu.com
newportacademy.com
Platinum Recovery Center
Les Mariannes
This facility in Israel offers personalised care and privacy in five-star accommodation. Drug and alcohol misuse are among the addictions treated with a range of therapies including horseback riding and day trips to ensure the days feel packed and fulfilling once the addictive substances are no longer available. platinumrecoverycenter.com
Mauritius is the setting for this holistic centre which has a general focus on wellness. The problems the centre treats include but are not limited to - addiction. Stress, burnout and emotional issues are also included in their list of challenges they treat, which is helpful when considering that addiction is not often an isolated illness and can in fact be linked with many of these other elements. lesmariannes.com
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Changing the world using the power of business Solving one social problem at a time Giving hope and future to the underprivileged People want to work for, buy from, and invest in businesses they believe in. B-lab leads a global movement of entrepreneurs using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.
by Leah Zveglich The gap between rich and poor has increased in almost every region of the world over the last four decades, according to the World Inequality Report published in December 2017 by French economist Thomas Piketty. Since 1980, the top 0.1 percent of wealth owners captured almost 50% of the world’s growth. In January 2017, the World Economic Forum (WEF) found rising income inequality and the polarization of sectors in societies. They are key underlying trends likely to shape the world over the next decade. How do we resolve the problems of inequality and polarization and create an equal and harmonious society? People need a decent job to have financial independence. A job provides a social network, an opportunity to develop and a chance to contribute to the community. It gives a person dignity, pride, and hope. Underprivileged people have less opportunity for a job creating a vicious cycle of poverty, despair, and anger. We are a part of a global movement who believe that a company can be a force of positive social change. Companies create jobs, supporting a person, a family, a community and a country. A public benefit corporation, a legal structure available in the US and Italy are for companies that balance purpose and profit.
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Nonprofits are doing good in the society but they have challenges of sustainability. They rely on donation which limits their capacity. The officers spend so much time and efforts getting a donation to support their activities. Foundations are a little bit more stable as they have a fund allocated for them. However, their budget is still limited as they rely on fixed income for their operation. Bdar Center provides a decent job to the youth, women, and underprivileged, a public benefit corporation registered in the US. We solve the youth unemployment problem, a global crisis which has the potential to have significant and serious social repercussions leading to social exclusion and unrest. Investing in decent job creation as well as in training opportunities will help them find their place and contribute to more prosperous and stable societies. We have two centers in operation; Bdar Center Saudi Arabia and Astra Centar in Croatia. Bdar Center Saudi Arabia supports Saudi Vision 2030 developing local workforce. The youth unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia is over 25% in 2017 and continues to increase pausing social and economic challenges as the youth population represents about 20% of the total population. The irony is, companies are desperately looking for people. There is a mismatch of what companies are looking for and what job applicants offer.
We bridge this gap by securing vacancies from the companies, find unqualified applicants and train them to meet the job requirements through the customized training. This helps companies to find the qualified candidates to grow their business and help applicants to find a job. We give priority to women as they currently make up only 15% of the workforce. We develop retired business executives to be trainers and coaches to support the unemployed youth. We have plans to expand into other countries in the Gulf facing similar challenges: high youth unemployment rate, a large youth population and the localization of the workforce. Astra Centar Croatia solves the workforce shortage crippling the country growing tourism industry due to brain drain. We bring people from countries where there are no jobs due to political and economic instability such as Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Honduras, and more. We bring foreign workers from the Middle East who are losing jobs due to the localization of the workforce. We bring people from communities where there are conflicts and people are suffering.
We first secure jobs from the companies and match a job with applicants. We act as a link between companies and applicants providing them support for cultural integration, and career growth. Croatia needs a workforce who will integrate into their economy providing stability and growth potential. It’s a good match between people who need new homes to settle and companies who need loyal employees. We balance our social impact focus and revenue having sustainability and interdependence. Our team members are guided by our values and driven by the purpose. Our clients receive the best value in the market. Our investors receive a blended return on investment: financial plus social impact. The community we operate increase their capacity and capabilities with our support. We work in partnership with our vendors growing their business while growing ours. We are one of few thousand companies in the world who is using the companies to change the world. Please join our efforts. We need you as an advocate, a team member, an investor, and an advisor. Please contact Leah at Leah.Zveglich@BdarCenter.com or +1 (845) 537-1507.
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What new uses can drone technology offer? WHAT CAN SPIRE SECURITY AND OTHERS TEACH US ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF DRONES?
Those not very familiar with drones may only know them for their often negative portrayal in the media. Initially they drew attention as effective military weaponry which can be operated remotely to accurately deliver blows to a specific target. But the truth is that drones have a multitude of positive and practical uses that could make them one of the key pieces of technology we come to rely on in many areas of our lives. Here we examine just a few emerging uses of drones that could completely change the way we live.
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Goods delivery In the same way that helicopters are the quickest way of transporting people from A to B, so are drones the most effective delivery method for packages. Amazon recognised this early, and their forthcoming Amazon Prime Air Service could change the face of online retail. Through this developing programme, Amazon aim to drastically decrease their delivery times, so same day delivery could even become same hour delivery, with a delivery time of 30 minutes or less. The programme will be rolled out around the world once it’s ready, and is intended for use in rural areas.
Construction
Medical emergencies
While drones alone aren’t helping with the physical side of construction, they are extremely helpful when it comes to planning and progress data.
A drone ambulance which could prevent avoidable deaths, particularly in cases of cardiac arrest, has been developed by Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
Drones can fly over sites to assess the area, mapping out accurate 3D models with everything they gather. They can also survey in-progress construction sites to provide ongoing reports.
It can reach speeds of up to 60 mph, getting to the scene of a medical emergency before a regular ambulance vehicle could. The drone has a camera and two-way communication, which allows remote medical staff to see what’s going on and to talk with those on the scene, as well a defibrillator which any bystander can use under the guidance of the remote medical staff.
One day, however, they may also be directly responsible for the construction process itself, with Chinese firm DJI and US company Skycatch recently announcing their joint plans to create autonomous construction sites where drones control robotic construction vehicles.
Nature conservation
With the first few minutes of a heart attack being the most critical, this technology could save many lives around the world if it can attract the investment it needs.
Security
Conservationists in California looking to entice the native condor back to its natural habitat have employed an unusual two-step plan to do so. The condor can be tempted to fly in the desired direction with a trail of dead cows, which they can feed on, but first the condor needs to be alerted to the presence of these cows, which lie far apart in many miles of countryside. This is where the drones come in, flying in circles above the cows to mimic the behaviour of birds when they have found food. Real birds then spot the drones and begin to circle above the food in large numbers, eventually attracting the attention of the condors. Through this process, conservationists have slowly lured the condor in the direction they need them to travel.
The intelligence gathering offered by drone technology can serve our safety in a number of different environments and scenarios. Companies like Spire Security Solutions are able to use drones to monitor large cultural events like music festivals, as well as providing day-to-day street surveillance in big cities and on major transport routes. Because of their combination of speed, size and camera technology, drones are effective at monitoring large areas, which is ideal for keeping our growing urban centres safe. Spire Security has a particular expertise when it comes to combining drone technology with other cutting edge methods to secure borders, create anti-terrorism measures, and provide intelligence and support for large urban areas.
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