Investing in Innovation to Drive Growth

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics

Theoretical breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence along with the exponential growth in computing power and the increasingly available vast amounts of data have yielded practical applications that are primed to change our lives forever. Machine learning, with Deep Learning at the forefront of this revolution, has recently proved itself as the most viable approach to building AI systems that can operate in complicated real-world environments and radically transform industries. Artificially intelligent machines are what bring AI and robotics together and allow robots to not only perform autonomous tasks but to complete more complex tasks requiring the use of intelligence. Artificial Intelligence and Robotics can potentially expedite the automation and cost-saving of every industry and relieve labor to positions that require creativity and insights.

Currently, businesses throughout the economy are applying premature AI to automate routine tasks. To push research forward and enable AI and robotics to accomplish jobs that require more decision-making, innovation in algorithms and corresponding training are both essential. ERShares actively seeks entrepreneurial companies that are making advances in technologies in this area or are enabling more companies and individuals to enjoy the benefits of AI technologies.

Genetic Engineering and Biotech

Ever since Watson and Crick revealed the double helix structure of DNA in the 1950s, deciphering the code, or genetic instructions, and harnessing the power of genes have long been among the frontier of biotechnology. Advances in genetic engineering allow people to understand, improve, and even create genetic information and corresponding expressions. These capabilities further boost the development of healthcare, agriculture biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, and environmental science. Moreover, as the most ancient method of data storage, genetic materials can be applied in information technology and material science with advances in biotech.

Just like any other kinds of code, to utilize DNA and other nucleic acid molecules, breakthroughs are needed in Next-Generation Sequencing – the ability to read, Gene Editing – the ability to write, and most importantly to find the correlation between gene sequences and biological expression – the rules for the code. ERShares actively seeks entrepreneurial companies that are bringing innovation to each piece of the biotech puzzle.

Medtech and Diagnostics

MedTech and diagnostics empower the healthcare industry with the latest information technology. By applying Artificial Intelligence and other cutting-edge information technologies in the healthcare sector, operation efficiency can be drastically improved and redistribution of healthcare resources regardless of the geographic limitations could be achieved. Companies in Medtech can be divided into the ones focusing on personal care and the ones focusing on clinical solutions.

MedTech and diagnostics can act as a personal health advisor that monitors a person’s physical conditions through wearable devices, analyzes the data with advanced algorithms, issues an alert to raise awareness, and connects a person to the right professionals when necessary. On the clinical side, advances in Medtech can simplify the paperwork process, organize medical data in a more accessible manner, execute primal diagnostics, and connect clinics and hospitals around the world to share professional experience and data. ERShares actively seeks entrepreneurial companies that are offering technology solutions to make top-notch healthcare accessible to more people in the world.

FinTech

As part of the digital economy, FinTech refers to innovative solutions seeking to improve or automate the delivery and use of financial services. For individuals, Fintech innovations make personal financial planning more accessible by providing people with more options to save, invest, and spend. The historically high barriers to enter the financial markets have been lifted. Online brokers and advisors have leveled the playing field by acting as a vehicle for more people to build wealth. Furthermore, efficiencies of financial markets can be improved by incorporating more participants with diverse mindsets.

On the other side, Fintech is utilizing AI and Cloud Computing to modernize financial institutions by automating repetitive tasks, incorporating untraditional data, and innovating analytical models. Introducing the latest information technologies into the financial industry will ease the burden on staff by taking care of monotonous tasks and allow labor to be allocated to areas that require more interpersonal connections or decision making.

ERShares actively seeks entrepreneurial companies that are bringing innovative and secure solutions to the financial markets, either retail or institutional.

Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing is one of the most important technologies supporting the current trend of digitalization. It represents access to information storage and computational resources at a remote location that is available to users on-demand thereby redistributing computational capacities globally. In the last decade, there has been a general trend towards cloud computing, particularly regarding its data storage capabilities. The demand for both companies and individual consumers is rising as people continue to require greater data storage and computational power capabilities to ensure digital and remote services run smoothly.

Despite the exponential growth in the application of Cloud Computing, certain obstacles need to be conquered before the world can fully enter the era of cloud computing including the security of sensitive data and intellectual property, cost control, consistency among multiple providers, and integration with prevailing IT systems. ERShares actively seeks entrepreneurial companies that have the potential to provide innovative solutions to further popularize cloud computing.

5G & NextGen Communication

Entering the era of digitalization, the exponential growth of the needs of data transmission is calling for the next generation of communication technology. 5G is the fifth-generation technology standard for cellular networks and incorporates greater bandwidth and faster download speeds. It can deliver data at a rate comparable to the speeds of wired connection like cable or fiber optic internet service. 5G or any other kind of breakthrough in a wireless network can be the pillar stone of many visions for the future such as the Internet of Things, Virtual Reality, Digital Economy, and Autonomous Transportation among other things.

The prevalence of NextGen Communication requires an upgrade through the whole industry chain, from the manufacture of chips and equipment, construction & operation of the network, to iteration in end-user devices. ERShares closely tracks entrepreneurial companies in each link of the chain that can expedite this process.

Intelligent Manufacturing

Intelligent manufacturing is revolutionizing every step of manufacturing with the latest technologies, from sourcing materials, managing raw materials and inventory, to automating production lines, and distribution to end customers. As a result, factories can become connected, optimized, transparent, proactive, and agile, saving on materials and labor time while shifting quickly to suit customer needs.

Like other modernizing trends in industrials, the realization of intelligent manufacturing relies on the advances of information technology infrastructure. Along the journey, advances need to be accomplished in software solutions for factory monitoring and operation management as well as hardware equipment like industrial 3D printers and intelligent robotic arms enhanced by the Internet of Things. ERShares actively seeks entrepreneurial companies that are making significant progress in the digitalization and automation of manufacturing processes.

3D Printing

3D printing is the process of making a digital 3D model into a physical three-dimensional object through an automated process. The concept of 3D printing was originally used to quickly produce prototypes and has now spread across industries. The ability to 3D print opens possibilities for precise, fast, and customized production in all kinds of areas such as biotechnology, healthcare, fashion, real estate, and more as the equipment and materials used for printing expand.

To grow the concept of 3D printing and to let it reach more industries and more people, the right materials, equipment, and design assisting software need to develop. ERShares actively seeks entrepreneurial companies that bring forward the right solutions to apply 3D printing in all industries.

Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology refers to the group of technologies related to dealing with particles less than 100 nanometers, especially the manipulation of individual atoms and molecules. Through engineering on a nanoscale, scientists and engineers have been able to research and invent new materials at a smaller scale. The new materials can be stronger, more efficient, and have a longer lifespan, thus reducing maintenance and repair costs. Furthermore, as nanotechnology keeps evolving, engineers may adjust the features of certain materials in a controlled direction at a controlled level to fit certain application needs. Emerging new special materials will then inspire innovation in industrials, construction, information technology, biotechnology, and energy, and more.

Successful application of a type of nanomaterial, or nanoparticle, requires proper research, staff, equipment, solid proof of the safety of the material, corresponding technologies, raw materials for mass production, and the right products or solutions to apply the material. ERShares actively seeks entrepreneurial companies that are making breakthroughs in each link of bringing nanotechnology to everyday life.

Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is the power supply that is collected via resources and replenished naturally. It can be divided into two categories: power from direct solar (solar thermal and photovoltaics) and indirect solar (biomass, hydro, wind, and wave) or non-solar (tidal and geothermal) energy sources.

Switching from traditional fossil fuels to renewable energy can bring enormous benefits to the environment while eliminating the concerns of exhaustion. To achieve this, technological advances and cost savings are needed throughout the whole power supply network, from generation and distribution to end-use devices. ERShares actively seeks entrepreneurial companies that make disruptive advances in generating renewable energy in more efficient ways, reducing the construction costs or transmission loss for distribution, and integrating renewable energy into current industrials and households.

NextGen Transportation

The future of transportation involves moving into more efficient and smarter sources of energy, creating new models of transportation, and developing the physical and technological infrastructure to support these innovations. Currently, cars are becoming smarter, faster, and more environmental-friendly. NextGen transportation refers not only to the upgrade of current methods of transportation but also to a disruptive redesign of how people will travel, therefore changing the way people will live.

To achieve NextGen transportation that is more efficient in both power resources and time, upgrades in industrial design, manufacturing, along with an exploration into fundamental sciences are needed. To keep up with the next generation of transportation, ERShares actively tracks entrepreneurial companies that manufacture electric vehicles and those bringing innovation in other methods of transportation or supporting infrastructure.

Interactive Entertainment

Interactive entertainment refers to entertainment experiences that allow users to interact with the system or other users. This idea initially was illustrated in the gaming industry but has now expanded to almost all forms of entertainment enabled by the rapid development of information technology and telecommunications. The trend of people spending more and more of their leisure time online could potentially change the way people socialize and build connections in the future.

Like other digitalization innovations, Interactive Entertainment also relies heavily on the development of cloud computing to provide greater data processing and storage capacities, AI to improve the development process and user experiences, and NextGen Communication to ensure faster and more stable network connections. Besides these factors, the understanding and prediction of customers’ needs and innovations in terminal devices, online platforms, and the content will also decide the path of interactive entertainment. ERShares actively seeks entrepreneurial companies that offer refreshing products in both hardware and software.

Digital Economy

Digital Economy refers to an economy that is embedded within the digital ecosystem on the Internet utilizing information technologies, thus it is also referred to as the internet economy. It is predicted to be the future of the economy with the prevailing trend of digitalization across industries. The digitalization of economic activities will not only affect how people shop as it already does, but will also bring convenience to every aspect of people’s lives. International borders for human resources will be broken with the development of distant education, distant healthcare, and remote working. Furthermore, the marginal benefit of intellectual work will be raised and the inequality across geographic areas will be alleviated.

The Digital Economy heavily relies on the evolution of information technology infrastructure, especially Artificial Intelligence, NextGen Communication, and Cloud Computing. Besides that, secure and user-friendly applications are needed to allow as many people as possible to participate in the Digital Economy. ERShares actively seeks entrepreneurial companies that are applying the latest technologies to the digitalization of commercial activities or to provide free and open platforms for the exchange of intellectual resources.

E-Commerce

E-Commerce connects businesses, customers, and logistics services online. E-commerce can be operated in the forms of B2B and B2C. E-commerce enables cost-saving and time-saving for both businesses and customers by lifting the logistical and geographical limitations thereby increasing information transparency. Furthermore, with advances in intelligent manufacturing and other information technologies, E-Commerce has the potential to enable mass customization in products and services to both businesses and individuals thus improving the efficiency throughout supply chains across industries.

Businesses providing E-commerce services whether as marketplaces or as sellers need continuous refinements on methods of secured transactions, online user experience, optimization of logistics, and management of production & inventory. ERShares actively seeks entrepreneurial companies that provide solutions in these areas.

Space Exploration

Space Exploration refers to activities related to manufacturing objects that go into Earth’s orbit or beyond, delivering them to specific tracks, and performing scientific or commercial tasks in outer space. Although these activities seem remote and mysterious, they are highly correlated with every aspect of modern lifestyles. Ever since the first artificial satellite launched in 1957, the mission of investigating and researching the observable universe has generated or inspired technology breakthroughs that then been applied to people’s daily lives.

Currently, besides scientific research, more companies are realizing the commercial value of space exploration from prevailing commercial satellites to space tourism. ERShares actively seeks entrepreneurial companies bringing innovation to reduce costs in space exploration or to apply outcomes from space exploration into widespread use.