Important Innovations

  World's 1st Electric Muscle Car Debuts in 2024                                  Source:  Dodge Computer Rendering                                 Source: CEO Kuniskis Teasing EV                                             Source:  Dodge                                                  Source:  Stellantis Brand Tagline:  "Tear Up the Streets.....Not The Planet"  Dodge intends to launch the world's first electric muscle car in 2024.  Dodge is owned by Stellantis, the new company formed by Italian-American automaker Fiat Chrysler and the French PSA Group. Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis made the announcement at the Stellantis annual EV Day event.  According to computer renderings of the upcoming vehicle, it is a car not an SUV.  And the four wheel car design is intriguingly reminiscent of the iconic Dodge Charger of the late 1960's.  The tires are big, beefy and wide.  The front of the retro styled coupe appears to have a LED light bar with a lighted emblem in the center. 

  Space Balloons For a Leisurely Space Visit Source:  Space Perspective Space Trip With No Rockets & No Rocket Fuel Space Perspective, a human space flight company based in Cape Canaveral, Florida, is offering a unique space adventure.  Luxury balloon trips to 20 miles above the Earth into the stratosphere. There are no rockets and no rocket fuel involved.  The company says it is a safer and smoother way to experience the edges of space.  In fact, the approach is completely different from a rocket flight.  The space craft takes off at a leisurely pace of 12 mph.  A huge hot air balloon gently carries the passenger capsule aloft into the upper atmosphere and then gently returns it for a splashdown in the ocean, according to the company. Passenger Tickets to Space Space Perspective has started selling tickets for the first trip in late 2024 aboard the Spaceship Neptune.  It's a hot air balloon type space vehicle that gets lift from hydrogen.  The company is taking $1,000 deposits

  First Missions to Inferno Like Planet in 30 Years                                                                           Source:  NASA Search for Interplanetary Answers NASA will launch two new missions to Venus between 2028 and 2030.  These missions of discovery will be the first explorations of Venus in thirty years.  NASA Administration Bill Nelson says the purpose is to provide new understanding of how Earth evolved, why it is habitable and why other planets in our solar system are not.  Nelson added that planetary science is critical to answering key questions like "Are we alone?" $1 Billion in Funding   The two selected mission concepts are called DAVINCI+ and VERITAS.  Each will be given $500 million for development funding. DAVINCI+ will measure the composition of Venus' atmosphere to learn how the planet formed, evolved and if it ever contained an ocean.  DAVINCI+ stands for Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry and Imaging.  The meas

  Golden State's Curry Invests In Literati Subscription Book Co.                                                  Source:  Literati Curry, Richard Branson, Malala Lead "Luminaries Book Clubs Basketball superstar Steph Curry is a big believer in deep innovation in books.  He and several venture capitalists are investing $40 million in Austin, TX based Literati to further develop deep product and technological innovations in books.  Curry and several funding sources are playing a major financial role in Literati's expansion of book clubs.  Literati is already the biggest book club for children in the US.  It is growing at 300% per year.  With the new funding, the company plans to develop what it calls "deep innovation" in books Literati Kids The funding will allow Literati to develop deep innovation in reading experiences for kids.  The innovations will include product designs, the use of algorithms and data science to key-in on children's interests, online inf

  Airbnb With a Possible $35 billion Valuation                                                       Source: Airbnb Fast, Dramatic Turnaround from COVID-19 Business Hit Airbnb, the San Francisco based home rental company, will debut on the Nasdaq on December 10, aiming for a valuation of $35 billion.  It along with DoorDash (my blog 10/30) are expected to be blockbuster U.S. IPO's to close out the year.  Airbnb was devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.  As travel came to a halt, Airbnb had to layoff 25% of its workforce and get $2 billion in emergency funding from investors.  As people started traveling again in Q3 2020, the company's business turned around and it scored a surprise profit for Q3.  Two new trends moved the company forward.  People opted to book homes rather than hotels.  And, they preferred to book a home away from major cities. Entrepreneurial Success Story Airbnb was founded as a website in 2008 by two entrepreneurs:  Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia. They started t