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China leads the way with eco-innovation

https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/china-leads-the-way-with-eco-innovation/ China is starting to take a leading position in eco-innovation. This has been driven by the country’s large-scale efforts to address pressing environmental challenges, such as in the areas of air pollution and flood control. Many companies are lending support to this cause. For instance, the Beijing subway introduced special vending machines in May last year which reward commuters with discounts on their travel pass when they recycle plastic bottles. In the same year, Nike opened a concept store in Shanghai which was entirely constructed out of trash. The no-glue construction ensured that all materials could be reused in future. Is China ready to remap the path of eco-innovation?

Africa's aviation sector opens up

When the African Union (AU) launched the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) in January this year, it finally opened up Africa’s skies. 23 signatories on board, though another 32 AU members are yet to sign on. SAATM’s launch is a part of AU’s Africa 2063 project, which is a commitment to intra-continent development. If a common regulatory framework is put into place, this could benefit intra-continental travelers immensely, thus boosting commerce and tourism flows among African countries. Will Africa become the world’s next big aviation market? For more information, click here . 

Shanghai catches the eye of global healthcare service providers

Shanghai is set to become the next hub for quality healthcare services as new hospitals collaborate with established industry players. Will Chinese medical tourists check in at home for medical treatment? Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his insights in the Asian version of Japan’s Nikkei newspaper. Home to a population of 23 million – where 53% of the population is middle class and above – the city of Shanghai continues to lure more foreign investors in the healthcare segment for the affluent. Raffles Medical Group, Singapore’s premium private healthcare provider, has set foot in Shanghai with its first overseas hospital, part of a wider trend of premium healthcare service providers setting up shop in the city. Perera highlighted that the growth in healthcare services has been fuelled by the government’s policy shift to allow more foreign ownership of hospitals. The intent behind this is perhaps to retain some of the 60,000 me...

Raising a glass to India’s wine market

India is not famous for its wine, but the nation does have a viticultural industry that has been producing wine for centuries. This industry suffered a major setback only in the 19th century when phylloxera – a wild pest – destroyed countless vineyards. Nonetheless, a few entrepreneurs in India are now taking great pains to restore the Indian wine industry, setting their sights on the massive vineyard spreads across Nashik, Maharashtra. This is where Rajeev Samant founded Sula Vineyards in 2002 – making a noteworthy entry into the global wine market. Amongst the first in India to be featured in Wine Spectator – a renowned industry magazine – his company currently holds 65% of the country’s wine market, making him the top wine producer in India. Will India’s entrepreneurs succeed in placing India on the world wine map? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/raising-a-glass-to-indias-wine-market/

Spire engaged as Knowledge Partner for Global Summit on cryptocurrency in India

Spire Research and Consulting was honored to be appointed as the Official Knowledge Partner at the Global Summit on Bitcoin & Blockchain: The State of Cryptocurrency – Opportunities and Challenges for Indian Economy – organized by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). The summit was held on 3 March 2017 in New Delhi. It aimed to discuss the challenges and opportunities posed by the new technology. Yap Far Loon, Business Development Director, Telecommunications of Spire Research and Consulting, was honored to be a guest speaker at this event. He highlighted key facts about the Bitcoin & Blockchain ecosystem in India and other countries, focusing on market acceptance of cryptocurrency, security risks and regulatory issues. Following last year’s demonetization move by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the government is not in favor of legitimizing Bitcoin as legal tender. However, a few industry players are working on Distributed Ledger T...