2019年3月28日
A Silicon Valley company offers solution to the CBD industry's flavour problem
Silicon Valley company Amyris has been using an approach called synthetic biology to churn out the ingredients in its face creams and a new zero-calorie sugar substitute. Now, it’s teaming up with a new startup called Lavvan to make the cannabis compound CBD using the same tools in a $US255 million deal.
The primary goal of the partnership is to make high-quality CBD for less money than the cost of traditional agriculture. The booming CBD market is valued at roughly $US1 billion. But some news outlets have reported a unique problem facing one segment of the CBD market: beverages made with the compound taste bad. Lavvan have a potential solution: putting the CBD they produce into beverages made with their zero-calorie sweetener.
Amyris’ sweetener is made using synthetic biology and an ingredient from the stevia plant. Amyris signed its first major supply and distribution agreement with ASR Group, the largest cane-sugar refiner in the world. Lately, investors have been pouring millions into startups in the synthetic biology space. A range of startups is aiming to make everything from cheaper drugs to biodegradable bags to less-toxic insect repellant. One potential obstacle that Amyris could face is demonstrating that their scientific approach to sweetener and skincare works with cannabis.
Cathay Pacific has snapped up a budget Hong Kong airline
Premium Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific has moved into the budget airline market by picking up HK Express from HNA Aviation Group in a $HK4.93 billion (A$885 million) deal. Cathay will pay HNA $HK2.25 billion in cash for the low-cost carrier, which offers budget flights from HK to cities across Asia.
The transaction represents an attractive and practical way for the Cathay Pacific Group to support the long-term development and growth of its aviation business and to enhance its competitiveness. The deal comes amid a flurry of activity in the aviation merger and acquisition space as carriers look to expand their reach and reduce costs.
Asia Pacific is expected to be one of the largest markets by 2037, with up to 3.9 billion passengers. Cathay is under pressure from emerging low-cost operators in the region like AirAsia and big competitors out of China like China Southern and China Eastern.
Google is rolling out 'dynamic emails'
Emails have long been static and unchanging. But with a new update to Gmail, Google is trying to change that. Gmail users on desktop will begin seeing “dynamic emails” that are interactive, and that can stay current with the “freshest information.”
Email gets a little more interactive. When a service like Pinterest sends an email about trending topics, the email can automatically refresh itself to stay current. Google Docs, will start to work with the new format by default, gmail now updates that thread and allows users to respond directly or resolve the comment right from the message.
The move for Google signals its recognition that email communication needs to evolve, as competing productivity and messaging apps have been on the rise. Slack, a leading messaging service that has replaced email for many businesses and individuals, has 10 million daily active users and filed for IPO this February at a $US7 billion valuation.
