Lazy Sunday #16

Hi ,

The biggest wealth manager in the world, Blackrock, identified neuroscience and adjacent health industries as one of the main megatrends of the upcoming decade. If this is not a pro-argument for why we are learning more about it.

By the way, both Switzerland and Finland officially introduced brain health plans: investments into research and public education about the brain, neurodegenerative diseases and treatments.

Grab your South Indian Coffee - if you don’t know what this is, check the video at the bottom - and let’s dig in.

Find my research: neuroscience

Switzerland and Finland leading the way with national brain health plans

In 2023, a group of policymakers, clinicians, researchers and patient organizations came together to ratify the 2023-2033 brain plan for Switzerland. This is a wider attempt in collaboration with the WHO and EAN Brain Health Strategy. It proposes several national-wide initiatives such as:

• raising awareness about brain health

• improve diagnosis and treatment

• invest in brain research

Some numbers across Europe:

Finland started to lead the way in 2021, with the program being implemented between 2023-2029.

(Switzerland / Finland)

Microplastic can be found in organs

The study name sounds very sophisticated: “In Vivo Tissue Distribution of Polystyrene or Mixed Polymer Microspheres and Metabolomic Analysis after Oral Exposure in Mice”.

In this study, researchers gave mice microplastic, then tested blood and organs for microplastic remains. I hoped to read they couldn’t find any, but nope - they found plastic in various organs and, after some time, even impact on the organs itself.

Remotel, one could assume similar processes in humans.

The call-out? Reduce plastic, use glass containers, paper bags.

I don’t think we really realize the impact of plastic on our bodies, including the brain.

Scary, but important to understand.

(EHP)

Significant association between moderate exercising and reduction in depression

We are built to move. So much so that our body and brain reacts positively and improves our health.

Can you imagine how many thousands of years humans and our predecessors had to be moving for the brain to be like “moving is fun”? I mean, establishing health-positive release of hormones and neuromodulators does not happen overnight.

A study carried out by the Anglia Ruskin University, a world-leading university in the UK, showed that “physical activity reduced the risk of depression by 23% and anxiety by 26%”.

Do we really realize how impactful 25% can be and how easy it is to follow through on “light exercising” almost daily?

(ARU)

Find my research: office

Even the best get the bias and noise is not helping

A great article about how bias is prominent even with scientists. Nobody is immune, but as I say, being aware is a good first step.

Not only scientists. All of us!

In addition, the problem is that when people have to make judgement calls (lawyers, insurance underwriters, investors), we fall back on individual bias. This results in two people making different decisions on the same base of facts. The late Daniel Kahneman calls this “noise”.

Professionals in the same field, provided with the same information, make decisions (e.g. investment sum, years in prison etc.) that are up to 50% apart. That can be either 10 years in prison or 5 years in prison.

(NewScientist)

A take on office design aiming at the brain

Last year I was at a VC conference in Sydney. During a roundtable discussion, the question about the ideal office space setup in today’s hybrid world came up. How do we bring people into the office, and how do we need to design the space to allow for greater collaboration?

One founder said:”We don’t want employees to come to the office and then just sit in front of the monitors in Zoom calls all day. They can do that at home!”

This report, albeit from early 2023, touches on these points, but more so from a “brain health” angle. Can we build an office that decreases stress while increasing productivity at the same time?

More flexible spaces, less soulless rows of desks. More meeting spaces inviting for collaboration, less “conference call”-like setups, more quiet space outside the designated personal desk - indeed, do we need a designated desk in the office at all?

But it is not only the office space. Employees need training to help them to become more effective and efficient at work: meeting agendas, meeting notes, clear roles, decision-making process etc.

(HKSinc)

Blended: internal teams and external knowledge

As technology moves fast, knowledge spreads across niches. Not everyone can keep up with the fast-paced development of every LLM application.

But a distributed, at the same time well-connected workforce allows organization to tap into “specializations” they’d otherwise need to hire or build up.

The question for teams becomes: hire, acquire or build?

The gig-economy moved up into corporate, and single contributors can work with clients around the world offering their specific skills, often making more money and having more flexibility than when employed.

I don’t think this shift will go away. But it requires an integrated approach for team and performance management, capital allocation and collaboration.

(HBR)

On top of tech

Neurovalens received FDA clearance and new funding

The neurotech funding continuous to gain momentum. For me, it is immensely interesting to see the different funding stages of medical companies compared to e.g. Software-as-a-Service, which I am much more familiar with.

Neurovalens, a UK-based company, got FDA clearance for their neuro-stimulation device to treat mental diseases. This means it can be officially used in the US to treat anxiety. And the device does not look like an ugly medical device at all if you ask me.

The company also received another US$2.65 million in preparation for a Series B round later this year. The company is aiming to raise around US$50 million. It received around US$13 million previously.

FDA approval is a big milestone for every company in the medical industry. Only post-approval do go-to-market activities really make sense. Hence, many companies receive additional funding after FDA approval, specifically to gear up sales and additional product development.

(Techcrunch)

The ring to rule your health

Oura Ring and Whoop have been the only real alternatives to chunky Apple and Garmin watches on the wearable market. You need some skin-to-device surface to measure pulse and related bodily information, and rings have become popular alongside watches and wristbands.

An Indian company, called Ultrahuman, has quietly grabbed $35 million and some real market share and quotes to be No.2 behind Oura.

The design is very similar, the website a combination of Apple and Oura. The statements on the funding news page are bold.

In addition to the ring, the company is about to release several other products:

1. Blood Vision, a blood test;

2. Ultrahuman Home, a “home health device that monitors environmental markers”

I can’t help but have some “Theranos” thoughts, and really hope that Ultrahuman can produce to-quality products and growth with integrity and data-security.

(Ultrahuman)

China tests “Neuralink”-like BCI in monkeys

Despite flying under the radar for the most part, the BCI / robot race between the US and China is very much like the race to the moon between the US and Russia.

Just conquered the news, China comes around with its own BCI implanted in a monkey to control a robotic arm.

Unlike the US, China might be less strict on regulating the research process. Even the FDA has to deal with a legal inquiry into their “Neuralink” approval.

(PCMag)

Media Box

Blackrock’s US Head of Blackrock Megatrends / Sector ETF’s on the mega trend “Neuroscience”

Blackrock is the biggest wealth management company, with over $10 trillion USD under management. Jeff Spiegel, the US Head of Blackrock megatrends, is very bullish on neuroscience. Here is why:

A fundamental issue for neuroscience is the ageing population. For example, by the end of this decade, there will be more grandparents than grandchildren in the United States.

Jeff Spiegel continues that on the positive side, we live longer than ever. On the negative side, age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s are on the rise. It is on us to make the additional years a positive experience: healthier, productive, happier.

He also talks about better (faster, cheaper, more approachable) diagnostics and treatments. Consider this: brain injuries are one of the top reasons for deaths in young people.

All in all, Blackrock sees diagnostics and treatments becoming a US$ 200 bn market by 2029. That is in 5 years. To give a comparison: the CRM market is set to grow into a US$ 131 bn by 2028.

AI gives this sector a new boost - both to discover drugs (time to discovery down by up to 90%) as well as helping us to understand the brain and our behaviour, for better treatments down the line.

It is a short 20min interview. Have a listen!

Misc but not least…

More coffee, I say. As I am gearing up for my trip later this year, I will let you join me for a refresher on South Indian coffee. 🤩

Thank you for reading.

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Have a great rest of the weekend.

Alex