Need to Know
01 : 02 : 19

Barcelona – The theme for this year’s IAM Weekend is The Quantumness of Archipelagos, which sets out to understand the internet.

Over the course of the weekend, 400 creative thinkers will tackle the question: how can we decelerate, decolonise, and debrief the co-evolution of the internet(s), digital technologies, and societies? To aid this discussion, speakers including urbanist Tomas Diez and posthuman philosopher Dr Francesca Ferrando will address topics such as decelerating ecosystems, debriefing imaginations and browsing the ethics of design, foresight and AI.

‘The Quantumness of Archipelagos is a ‘what if?’ remix of ideas coming from philosophy, geography, queer theory, and quantum physics, shaped as an experimental thinking tool to deal with the complexity of our realities and a lens through which we can imagine alternatives, collectively,’ explains the co-founders of IAM, Lucy Black-Swan and Andres Colmenares.

LS:N Global will be reporting live from IAM Weekend 19, March 21^st– 23^rd. For more information on the speaker line-up and tickets, click here.

San Francisco –A subscription service for sustainable household and personal care products has launched its own line of laundry detergent, sold in a reusable glass bottle.

Grove Collaborative’s new plant-based detergent is designed to take pride of place in consumers’ homes, while reducing plastic waste. The ultra-concentrated liquid is sold in lightweight, recyclable pouches, and comes with a sleek, refillable glass dispenser. The dispenser itself uses an auto-dosing mechanism to prevent consumers from using too much product.

The start-up claims that this combination of responsible packaging and measured dispensing reduces up to 60% of plastic waste compared to standard detergents, which are typically sold in large, bulky plastic containers. Damaging laundry habits account for a significant proportion of clothing’s carbon footprint but, as we explore in our Conscious Aftercare microtrend, eco-conscious luxury brands are increasingly helping consumes to adopt better habits.

Global – The audio equipment brand is making its pioneering noise-cancelling technology available to vehicle manufacturers worldwide.

Building on Bose’s portfolio of sound management solutions, QuietComfort Road Noise Control (RNC) aims to efficiently minimise unwanted sound caused by driving over rough roads or grooved and uneven concrete. Using a vehicle’s existing sound system, the flexible electronic solution aims to deliver a quieter, more enjoyable driving experience for consumers.

Previously, the Bose automotive division has worked to reduce undesirable engine noise with its Engine Harmonic Cancellation technology, but eliminating external road noise has, until now, posed a greater challenge. QuietComfort Road Noise Control has particular benefits for electric vehicles that are, in the absence of a combustion engine, particularly susceptible to road noise.

Cars are not the only spaces where consumers are looking to reclaim peace and quiet. For more, read our Silent Homes microtrend.

The Chinese mobile payment service is growing drastically, according to an announcement by Ant Financial, the financial arm of parent company Alibaba. Overseas markets such as India and Thailand have contributed to this growing user base, following Alipay’s partnerships with international smart payment services. According to the latest financial report, over 700 million of its users are in China, where an increasingly saturated market means Alipay has taken its services to Southeast Asia and Europe.

Ant Financial is the most valuable FinTech company in the world, with a valuation of $150bn (£114bn, €131bn). Following huge success in China, the e-commerce brand is doubling-down on its financial arm, looking to overseas markets to boost its loyal following.