Tech Chat – July 2020
Scream in your heart
This week, we share a quick roundup of what’s been happening in Tech.
This week, we look back at IQGeo’s highly informative Tech Lockdown Demo, encouraging news from Bigblu Broadband, the potential for digital transformation in Ed-Tech following a catch-up with RM, and the very different approach one theme park is adopting as it re-opens…
IQGeo exhibits how its geospatial software delivers meaningful ROI to network operators – This week IQGeo demonstrated the capabilities of its geospatial location platform in our latest finnCap Tech Lockdown Demo. Addressing the core existential problems faced by telcos and network operators, IQGeo guided us through how its software optimizes productivity and efficiency in infrastructure mapping and construction planning, whilst driving underlying customer loyalty and ROI for its global customer base. We’ll let you know when a link to the Demo is live on our research portal.
Bigblu Broadband is now the largest satellite provider down under, and is well worth spending some time on ahead of H1 results in August – BBB announced this week that its Australian business SkyMesh has now grown to be Australia’s largest satellite internet service provider with over 40k subscribers and a 50% share of net adds in the past 12 months. This is encouraging news ahead of H1 results in August, and we think BBB is well worth spending some time on as it is currently trading on 12m forward multiples of just 6x EV/EBITDA and 9x adjusted P/E, with growth forecasts of +9% for revenue and +12% for EBITDA.
RM is excellently positioned to benefit from the growth in Ed-Tech, while HBS’s new classes remind us of Celebrity Squares – We spoke to ed tech-focused RM this week, and while there has been a sharp decline in revenue in the lower margin Resources business due to schools and nurseries closing in response to COVID-19, there has been a resilient performance in its technology-focused Education division. With schools now more aware of the importance of a digital strategy, and governments encouraging schools to develop their digital strategy with increased funding, RM looks set to see some strong tailwinds in the near to medium term from accelerated digital adoption. We’re already seeing this come through in other areas of Ed-Tech, with Harvard Business school showing how future classes and lectures could look, and reminding us of Celebrity Squares.
Don’t scream if you want to go faster – A theme park in Japan has adopted a unique approach to preventing the spread of COVID-19 after re-opening. “Scream in your heart” is the new recommendation for rollercoaster revellers, to stop them from screaming and prevent the spread of droplets flying out of their mouths as they accelerate from 0 to 80mph in 1.9 seconds. Perhaps not the most innovative solution (although certainly imaginative), we think theme parks would be better equipped with the suite of virtual queuing, cashless point-of-sale, and guest experience management solutions offered by accesso Technology. As more theme parks open and visitor levels rise, we expect a tech-first approach to managing guest activity will become a necessity, and accesso’s products will become a requisite resource.
Happy Friday