Category: Alternative Investments

America is a leading country in supplying  energy to itself and the rest of the world. It also is one of the world’s largest energy consumers. Demand for energy is growing the USA, and will do so into the foreseeable future. But industry participants need to be sensitive to industry and economic cycles – this is a cyclical industry and is recession sensitive. USA businesses supply renewable energy, oil & gas, nuclear energy and is a leader in related technologies.   USA firms provide distribution services and storage of energy. America is a world leader in technology innovation in energy.  Emerging…

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Initial Coin Offerings or ICOs are hyped as a new way many early stage companies try to raise capital. An ICO sounds like the well-known term Initial Public Offering but it does not operate the same way.  An ICO offers ownership of a crypto currency issued by a company.  Not equity in a company.  This crypto currency often just gives the right to purchase a product or service that will be offered at some undetermined future time. The use of ICOs has gone ballistic.  In 2017 there were $5.5 billion in ICOs purchased by investors.  In 2016 that amount was…

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Manufacturing starts with raw materials and parts and produces finished goods that are then sold in wholesale or retail markets.  These can also be exported to other countries. Manufacturing includes  huge range of industries, from food to pharmaceuticals to steel to textiles and lumber, automotive, aerospace, and energy. Manufacturing is one of the primary wealth creators in the American economy.  It uses many different types of technologies and methods.   It has two basic categories: durable and nondurable goods. Durable goods such as household appliances, automotive and machinery are  used for a long periods of time. Nondurable goods are consumed quickly.…

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Some of our clients are in construction therefore we are often made aware of early trends in that industry.  Taken together with client information provided to us from other areas/industries, insights can be gained into what is happening in the national economy. Construction is a broad industry encompassing the building, maintaining, and repairing structures.   Construction also includes general contractors engaged in heavy construction other than buildings, such as highways and streets, bridges, sewers, railroads  and flood control projects and marine construction. We also include special trade contractors who undertake activities that are specialized either to building construction, including work on…

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Over the years, Chicago and the Midwest has attempted to grow its technology ecosystem.  This includes creating a friendly environment for startups and increasing the availability of venture capital.   Growing the ecosystem in the region has taken the form of government support (e.g. angel investing tax breaks in Wisconsin, incubator funding such as for 1871, etc.) and private efforts.   It always was that the entrepreneurs in Chicago complained there wasn’t enough venture capital available and the VCs complained there was a lack of good investable startups.  A Catch-22 it seemed.   I thought that the risk-adverse Midwestern culture was…

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