SaaS: A Mandate for Companies Looking for Innovation

Today, Software-as-a-Service refers to a huge number of digital solutions that allow companies to externally manage, own, and deliver software, and represents one of the fastest-growing segments of the economy.

SaaS uses the Cloud infrastructure to store data and allow users to access the service via the internet browser, from everywhere and without the need to download anything. One of the major benefits is that software never goes out of date, just keeps getting updated.

SaaS penetration has accelerated in recent years, disrupting almost every sector and vertical you can think of. E.g., Netflix has become the leader of the SaaS providers in the entertainment industry, with a subscription-based streaming service providing users with an infinity of movie and tv series accessible from any device, notably bankrupting established market leader Blockbuster Inc. In recent years many other companies embraced the Netflix business model and introduced their streaming services, such as Disney+, Amazon Prime Videos, and Sony LIV.

Tekion is disrupting the automotive industry by providing the first and fastest cloud-based and end-to-end automotive SaaS platform, including all functionalities of a dealer management system (DMS). Tekion was founded by the former CIO of Tesla, who was responsible for building Tesla’s digital and information systems and software platform of the EVs company. When he launched Tekion, he aimed to make the car buying experience more efficient while increasing profitability.

Tekion provides dealers with the IT infrastructure through which they can manage inventory, keep track of customers’ leases, sell additional services to clients, and review loan options. By efficiently communicating with all the key stakeholders in the automotive sector – dealers, car manufacturers, and customers- the platform provides a rich and unified consumer experience while avoiding losing valuable information. In addition, the platform keeps updating over time thanks to cutting-edge technologies such as Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and IoT. Tekion’s shareholders include established automotive companies such as Hyundai, BMW, and General Motors.

Because of the huge amount of data to be stored in the cloud, companies may experience difficulties in managing and monitoring all the flows of information. End-to-end software Datadog helps companies by providing an integrated monitoring and analytics platform to process information in real-time and across different clouds. Flexibility and accessibility today are not just a benefit, but a mandate for companies that want to scale up globally and be able to adapt their business to rapid environmental changes. Datadog is used by companies of all sizes and industries, and it aims to increasingly democratize the use of the various tools offering an integrated interface where different teams can create, monitor, and gain valuable metrics on the company’s activities.

As reported by Gartner, the SaaS industry is worth about $145bn, and it is expected to experience its largest annual growth in 2022, reaching a value of $171.9bn by the end of the year. The benefits of the SaaS model are evident, and many companies are making the transition to a subscription-based service: By 2026, it is predicted that 50% of organizations will integrate SaaS application.

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The information in this article should not be regarded as a description of services provided by Delian Partners SA. The opinions expressed in this article are for general informational purposes only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual or on any specific security or investment product. It is only intended to provide education about the financial industry. The views reflected in this article are subject to change at any time without notice.

How is AI impacting the healthcare industry?

In the wake of the pandemic, the demand for better healthcare services is rapidly increasing. A smart hospital refers to a combination of artificial intelligence, cloud technology, and connected devices utilized to enhance patient’s care services and optimize hospital’s workflows. The objective is to create a connected ecosystem to provide patients with the best experience while allowing hospitals to increase their operational efficiency.

Healthcare startup Subtle Medical has developed a deep learning-based application which enhances images during the acquisition phase of the radiology workflow and improve hospital's productivity by reducing work hours for diagnosis. The company uses NVIDIA’s Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to improve PET image quality and shortening the image recognition pipeline, from 10 minutes to 10 seconds per patient.

Intel also uses AI based applications to make healthcare services more personalized, connected, and smart. Through Natural Language Processing (NLP), Intel is accelerating the development of telemedicine: In the next years for doctors, it will be normal to visit a patient remotely or to keep automatically note of a visit, uploading it directly into the Cloud. The combination of Telemedicine and AI will help smart hospitals to systematically analyze patients’ real-time data and to respond quickly to emergencies, as AI software can analyze data quicker than humans and more rapidly identify medical issues before they become calamitous.

Also, tech giant Apple is working with hospitals to make it easier for patients to share information with their doctors: Through the Apple Watch, people can share their health data with doctors and keep these recorded in a dashboard accessible through the app. Apple collaborates with many institutions to establish the clinical accuracy of Apple Watch features by continuously upgrading its software and technology, showing that the cardiac metrics it monitors is as good as clinical tests.

Smart hospitals are disrupting the healthcare industry. As reported by MarketWatch, the smart hospital market is expected to be around $77.80B by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 23.5% over the forecasted period. Technology can enrich people’s lives, and AI – including machine learning, deep learning, etc.- plays a critical role to reach this goal. By combining innovative infrastructure and smart technologies, it will be possible to create a metaverse where patients' health can be constantly kept under control and hospitals can respond quicker than ever to emergencies providing more personalized treatments.

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The information in this article should not be regarded as a description of services provided by Delian Partners SA. The opinions expressed in this article are for general informational purposes only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual or on any specific security or investment product. It is only intended to provide education about the financial industry. The views reflected in this article are subject to change at any time without notice.

From Work Automation to RPA: A Revolution in the Digital Workers’ Era

In recent years the level of interest in the Robot-as-a-Service ecosystem has increased together with the acceleration of digitalization worldwide. Compared with Traditional Automation, where a machine’s software is programmed and updated by humans to execute specific repetitive tasks, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is run by an Artificial Intelligence-powered software that allows a machine to autonomously learn and mimic user’s actions and subsequently execute a high volume of repetitive tasks and transactions, with limited human interaction.

RPA is bringing organizations into a new automation era. Digital robots can do a wide range of tasks in a faster and more efficient way than humans. At the same time, with a higher degree of accuracy, they help organizations to reduce workflow costs while improving productivity.

UiPath is among the fastest-growing RPA software Companies in the world. The company developed a high-scale automation software solution for enterprises which operate in different sectors – such as healthcare, finance, or manufacturing, to help them automate repetitive and boring office tasks: By combining different capabilities of AI, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning, the UiPath RPA system can save organizations million-hours of work office and allow employees to be focused on more important things to do.

Another example is Nintex, a global management and automation system developer which provides companies with an RPA bot to control and orchestrate workflows through a simple web interface. Nintex RPA software uses “digital workers” to perform actions similar to human workers, but non-stop, at a higher speed, and without errors, by replicating the same mouse clicks performed by humans. In summary, tasks delegated to the RPA bot interact with apps, systems, websites, and services, allowing people to focus on more relevant aspects of their job.

RPA represents a fast-growing segment as businesses need automated technology to interact more efficiently with their customers and process complex, data-hungry tasks in a faster and more efficient way. According to Gartner, the RPA industry is expected to grow at double-digit rates through 2024. The addressable market is huge, as RPA could disrupt data collection, data processing and predictable physical activities which collectively represent $1.3tn in wages in the US and 51% of time spent in US jobs. As an example, 70% to 80% of both front and back-office processes could be automated in the future.

Of course, human employee performance continues to be critical for the correct functioning of business operations. But RPA is going to be a key component to automate time-consuming processes, limit repetitive tasks, enable quick data entry, and ultimately provide a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

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The information in this article should not be regarded as a description of services provided by Delian Partners SA. The opinions expressed in this article are for general informational purposes only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual or on any specific security or investment product. It is only intended to provide education about the financial industry. The views reflected in this article are subject to change at any time without notice.