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  • Conversion Value/Cost increased by 300% for Calendly Ad

    Conversion Value/Cost increased by 300% for Calendly Ad

    The result after just one week is astonishing. Previously, Hacked.com (my other company) has continuously advertised on Google Ads to get more clients to book with our security experts using Calendly. Our main goal is to have fully booked calendars for our employees, ensuring we help the most people at any given time. However, a harsh reality hit me just a couple of weeks ago.

    The issue with advertising your availability with a tool like Calendly

    Calendly is great. Great for small and medium-sized businesses. It can be used as a part of the sales process or be the main revenue source for a business (you can integrate Stripe or Paypal on your Calendly calendar.)

    BUT.

    If your calendar is full for the current or upcoming days, or if a potential client visits your site during off-hours or holidays, then the likelihood of them scheduling a meeting with you significantly decreases.

    I realized Hacked.com wasted money by advertising our service to potential clients when we didn’t have any “products to sell.” Potential clients visited our site but never booked a session with us as our availability was limited.

    After this “aha” moment, I decided to develop a new service that can help businesses like Hacked.com only to advertise their services when employees are available to handle calls or meetings.

    My test started on November 13th and gave incredible results

    As the benchmark, I used the same ads and settings from my “Get Help Here” campaign on Google Ads. In October 2023, the campaign had 1 570 clicks, a total conversion value of 48,900 NOK (approx. 4,890 USD), a conversion value/cost ratio of 1.31, and a total cost of 37,400 NOK (approx 3,740 USD).

    The conversion rate was 6.88%, while cost per conversion was 346 NOK (35 USD).

    Our one ad campaign in October 2023.

    On November 13th, 2023, I enabled my new feature to stop the campaign when we were fully booked or absent. Then, the service starts the campaign again automatically when it detects availability in two hours or less (a factor I believe suits our service).

    To explain it in a code-like terminology:

    If available in 2 hours or less, then start the campaign.

    If not available in 2 hours or less, then pause the campaign.

    The results are fabulous. After just one week, the new campaign had 87 clicks, a total conversion value of 6,390 NOK (approx. 639 USD), a conversion value/cost ratio of 4.43, and a total cost of 1,440 NOK (approx. 144 USD).

    The conversion rate climbed to 11.49 percent (from 6.88%), while cost per conversion decreased to 144 NOK (14 USD) from 346 NOK.

    Preliminary results from the week of November 13th to November 20th are way better than the original results from October.

    I need three more guinea pigs

    If your business spends money on advertising your services and if your business also relies on Calendly to some degree in your sales process, then I would be thrilled if you sent me an email to [email protected]. I can help set you up with the current system I’m using free of charge for a period of three months.



  • Boosting your Calendly-based business

    Boosting your Calendly-based business

    Are you using Calendly in your business? Is it a significant part of your sales strategy, direct or indirect? Or are you considering integrating Calendly into your existing business setup?

    We have completely fallen in love with Calendly, and it has become our main revenue source for Hacked.com, a recovery service where we help people and businesses recover hacked online accounts.

    Since it’s an integral part of our business, we have developed clever solutions with third-party and stand-alone apps to help fill our employees’ schedules and increase overall profit.

    I’ve decided to share these strategies with other businesses or sole proprietorships to help cut development costs and time to market.

    Perhaps we can assist individuals in launching new businesses?

    As AI and specialized GPTs start to compete with already established online businesses, I believe businesses must improve their human skills and integrate real human sales processes or non-automated customer service.

    I still believe humans need and desire human interaction, and will pay a premium to get it instead of an AI as a chatbot or even in a video session.

    What can we do for you?

    We can help you with almost everything except your core business idea or service. What are you offering your customers or clients? That’s something you have to figure out.

    We, on the other hand, can help you with:

    • Branding
    • Domain
    • Email setup
    • Website setup and hosting
    • Calendly integration
    • Sales funnel
    • Google Adsense (intent-based advertisement)
      • Including a customized application that reduces cost/conversion significantly
    • Zoom / Teams setup
    • Payment setup (Stripe/PayPal/Chargedesk)
    • Project Management Setup
    • Knowledgebase setup
    • Professional email setup for larger teams
    • Zapier setup
    • Customer flow analysis

    Our MoneyMakers.com is specifically targeting small to medium-sized business that wants to utilize the latest technology to improve customer satisfaction while reducing overhead and improving profits.

    Get in touch with me here: [email protected]

    Featured image by Artur Ch from Shutterstock.

  • Making Money From eSports

    Making Money From eSports

    The rapid expansion of the eSports industry, including the growing millions of viewers who tune into to watch their favorite players battle it out, means there is plenty of money to be made from this lucrative new space.

    The opportunity eSports presents is not just one for the game creators or media giants, players and teams are set to make their fortunes too. That’s not all, a thriving new sector creates possibilities for startups, entrepreneurs, and investors.

    The sector is driven by, and for, the millennial and Gen Z generations, many of whom lean more to the space than to traditional sports, hobbies, or viewing.

    Kent Wakeford, Co-founder, and COO of the world’s 7th most valuable eSports company, Gen.G, told VentureBeat recently:

    “What you’re seeing is a tectonic shift in viewership and consumption from the millennials and Gen Z — gaming is the preferred entertainment.”

    The eSports industry is likely to generate around $1 billion dollars this year, a figure set to grow to $1.65 billion in 2019. By 2023 the value of the eSports industry could reach $2.17 billion. Wakeford’s company Gen.G is valued at $110 million.

    The U.S eSports Industry is Set to Grow

    Wakeford says that more than 22% of American millennials watch eSports, and that’s more than the number who watch Major League Baseball or the NHL. The total number of eSports viewers is around 300 million today and likely to grow by as much as 50% by 2019. Around 50% of eSports viewers live in the Asia-Pacific region, a further 15% in the U.S, and around 18% in the EU.

    “I believe that in the future we’re going to see viewership continue to grow and surpass traditional sports, including the NFL.”

    Prizes, Endorsements, Streaming, and Merchandising

    eSports players and teams are making their money from tournament prizes, sponsorship, and endorsement, as well as appearances and merchandising.

    Just a handful of Fortnite’s top players have earned a combined $1.2 million already in prize money and the top ten eSports companies and teams are worth a combined $1.5 billion.

    Nike recently sponsored it’s first eSports player, League of Legends player “Uzi.”

    Players can also earn as much as millions, and certainly thousands, from streaming their live play and other broadcasts on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. Tyler Blevins aka “Ninja” now earns more from streaming than he does winning tournaments and is worth around $10 million.

    eSports fans are engaged by the stories and daily lives of their favorite players. Celebrities like Ninja can make their fortunes, but amateur players can also make plenty of money through streaming and vlogging, taking advantage of the monetization opportunities of the web.

    Other players are paying their way through college by coaching online for popular game titles.

    Game Revenue, Live Events, Media Rights, Advertising and Big Buck Sponsorship Deals

    Event organizers, gaming companies, and rights owners earn millions from live events, sponsorships, and a very lucrative income from media rights.

    In January 2018 Overwatch League and Twitch signed a historic partnership which made sure the Overwatch tournaments were available to viewers around the world.  Overwatch creator Blizzard entertainment is worth around $18 billion. League of Legends, developed by Riot Games, is worth $15 billion alone significantly contributing to the overall value of Riot Games at $21 billion.

    Gen.G COO, Wakeford, expects media rights to be a key growth area for both big game leagues and for individual teams and players:

    “That’s a key area of differentiation from traditional sports, where esports teams are highly engaged and doing a lot of innovative content creation through streaming platforms.”

    Sponsorship deals, as well as the number of opportunities, are becoming more profitable too, Wakeford explained why:

    “Well-known Fortune 500 brands and marketers coming into the space.”

    These brands are beginning to understand the eSports industry and the scope it presents for sponsoring teams and players, as well as live events with audiences set to rival traditional sports.

    Mastercard became the first global sponsor of League of Legends in September 2018, joining other big name sponsors who have committed at a regional and national level including Mercedes Benz, Doritos, Gillette, and Adidas.

    Spin-Off Opportunities

    This burgeoning industry is creating eSports cities, jobs, inspiring startups and entrepreneurs, and even reviving traditional sports as this sector learns from eSports how to engage the millennial and Gen Z generations.

    Let’s not forget too, the impact on game development and the wider video game industry. eSports may be dominated by brands like Epic Games and Riot Games but independent developers publishing directly to the web and app stores have an enthusiastic gaming audience to lever too.

  • Buy the 700-Year-Old British Stately Home Lymm Hall for $5 Million

    Buy the 700-Year-Old British Stately Home Lymm Hall for $5 Million

    Nothing says you are an English gentleman with loads of cash quite like buying a 700-year-old British stately home. The jaw-dropping Lymm Hall stately mansion is available to buy for a cool $5 million and will cement your reputation as a lord of the realm. Well, not quite!

    Former James Bond actor Sean Connery is said to own a castle in Scotland. Wouldn’t it be nice to be mentioned in the same breath as barons, baronesses, royalty and other dignitaries? Of course!

    British Stately Home Lymm Hall for Sale

    A British stately home is for sale for a cool $5 million (£3.7) and is the first time it has been on the housing market for over 100 years. If you are rolling in cash and want to make a spectacular splash and a grandiose show of wealth, buying a 700-year-old English country mansion certainly sets out your intentions.

    Lymm Hall is a listed national heritage site and is a slice of English history. Located in Cheshire in the northwest of England, the picturesque country house was initially built back in the 14th century when some people thought the world was still flat. Some people still do!

    The property was listed with real estate broker Gascoigne Halman back in May but is still on the market at the time of writing.

    When initially listed by the real estate agent, they issued a press release that said:

    “Lymm Hall is a renowned and highly regarded family-owned estate with an important, rich and diverse history.”

    Back to the Reign of Edward III

    The British stately home Lymm Hall goes back to the reign of British Royal Edward III who ruled England between 1327 and 1377 and was originally called Moat House and then occupied by the then lord of the manor back in the 14th and 15th centuries.

    The lord thought that the Moat House was too small and went on to built the main house that we see today, although the 5-bedroom Moat House is still part of the estate. There are also a further three apartments in the West wing of the house that are also part of the deal.

    There is a further two-acre piece of land that has planning permission for five houses also available to purchase for a further $2,27 million, so if you are looking to expand or looking for a business opportunity, there might be more to the British stately home Lymm Hall than meets the eye.

    Featured image from Liverpool Echo

  • Did you Know Kevin Hart is Worth Over $120 Million?

    Did you Know Kevin Hart is Worth Over $120 Million?

    Comedian and actor Kevin Hart might be vertically challenged, but he is extremely funny and even more extremely loaded with cash. Did you know that the Jumanji star is worth at least $120? And that was back in 2017! He is said to have earned a further $57 million this year.

    It’s one thing to be funny, handsome and charismatic, but to be both an actor and a comedian at the same time and be worth over $100 million, he joins a select few such as Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, and Adam Sandler, who turned their standup act into a major acting gig.

    Kevin Hart – From Standup Comedy to Hollywood

    When Kevin Hart first made his big mark on mainstream America back in 2008 with his I’m a Grown Little Man comedy special, who would’ve thought that the comic would take Hollywood by storm.

    His on-screen chemistry with ‘The Rock’ Dwayne Johnson has been nothing short of monumental and could be compared to the comic-actor duo of Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor back in the 1980s. Johnson and Hart have worked together in the ultra-funny Central Intelligence and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and have wowed crowds with their combined charisma and natural comedic timing.

    Hart as also starred in a myriad of other movie titles such as the cocky promotor in Grudge Match, Scary Movie 3, The Little Fockers, The Secret Life of Pets and many more.

    Not many have made the transition from small stand-up comedy crowds to the big screen at the movie theater quite like Kevin Hart.

    Kevin Hart Has Made a Fortune in 2018

    It is widely reported that the comedian and movie star had a net worth of over $120 million back at the end of 2017, which really is a monumental figure. However, 2018 has also been a fantastic year for Hart.

    The funnyman has reportedly been laughing to the bank in 2018 and although we are not quite finished for the year, it seems that Kevin Hart has managed to rack up $57 million this year, reported by Forbes, making him the 39th highest earning celebrity in the past 12-months.

    Hart’s new tour, The Irresponsible Tour, has apparently sold over 1-million tickets this year and has earned him in the region of $30 million. The remake of Jumanji also grossed over $1 billion across the world this year, which would’ve also topped up his cash coffers.

    What’s next for Kevin Hart? It seems the world is currently at his feet, which is not very far from his hands being so vertically challenged.

    Feature image from Shutterstock.

  • Russian Entrepreneur Yuri Milner Wants to Probe Saturn’s Moons

    Russian Entrepreneur Yuri Milner Wants to Probe Saturn’s Moons

    Saturn’s moons have always been of great interest to NASA and other space exploration fans and have long been speculated as maybe having some kind of life. Russian billionaire entrepreneur Yuri Milner wants to probe Saturn’s ocean moon Enceladus and NASA have got his back.

    Yuri Milner wants to send a probe to Enceladus to search for evidence of life on the moon to challenge the notion that we are alone in the universe.

    Yuri Milner Wants to Launch a Private Mission

    When David Bowie sang the song “Is there life on Mars?”, he would’ve never thought it possible that there was more chance of life on moons orbiting Saturn. Russian entrepreneur and physicist Yuri Milner wants to make an audacious attempt to probe Saturn’s moons to search for life.

    Enceladus is a very small moon, just 500 kilometers across, but could be home to some form of life. Scientists believe that under the moon’s icy coating, there is a salty ocean that could contain some form of life, albeit very simplistic.

    It seems highly unlikely we are alone in the universe but are we alone in our own solar system? Yuri Milner and NASA think that maybe we’re not alone. With Enceladus being so far away, the mission will be extremely expensive, which is why both the Russian billionaire and NASA are combining forces to explore where no man, or woman, has gone before.

    Are we Alone in the Universe?

    The article in regards to Yuri Milner wanting to explore Saturn’s moons was published in the New Scientist earlier in November, however, the article is currently behind a paywall.

    Here is an extract from the article reported on by Mark Harris in the New Scientist:

    “Agreements signed by NASA and Milner’s non-profit Breakthrough Starshot foundation in September show that the organizations are working on scientific, technical and financial plans for the ambitious mission. NASA has committed over $70,000 to help produce a concept study for a flyby mission. The funds won’t be paid to Breakthrough but represent the agency’s own staffing costs on the project.”

    Although the project is still in its infancy, board member of the Breakthrough Starshot foundation include Facebook head-honcho Mark Zuckerberg and the late Stephan Hawkins.

    Are we alone? Probably not! But if NASA and Russian entrepreneur Yuri Milner have their way, we could well get some answers to questions that have puzzled humankind for eons.

  • Boxer Tyson Fury Wants to House LA’s Homeless with Fight Purse

    Boxer Tyson Fury Wants to House LA’s Homeless with Fight Purse

    It’s a big weekend for heavyweight boxing in the US as current WBC champ Deontay Wilder takes on ‘lineal’ heavyweight champion Tyson Fury at the Staples Center in LA on Saturday night. Controversial boxer Tyson Fury has been making news in the past week as he proposes to give a chunk of his fight purse to help house the homeless.

    The braggadocios British boxer who is known as the ‘Gypsy King’ has been battling his own demons over the past 3 years and wants to help some of LA’s most deprived with an act of generosity.

    Tyson Fury – From Suicide to Superstar

    Tyson Fury has battled with depression and drug abuse and has come back from the brink of suicide to lose 100 pounds over the past year to not just recover but to compete at the highest levels of boxing.

    In November 2015, Tyson Fury defeated the heavyweight champion of the world, Wladimir Klitschko in one of the most shocking surprises in boxing history. Klitschko had been undefeated for 10-years and no-one expected the Manchester-born boxer with traveler roots to dethrone the king.

    After becoming the four-belt champion, Tyson Fury went off the rails and didn’t fight again until earlier this year. During his layoff, he battled to clear his name as he refused to take a drug test due to his cocaine consumption. The fighter had pretty much lost the will to live and has publicly come out to talk about his battle with drugs, depression and suicidal thoughts.

    His battle has been an inspiration to many. You can find out more about his struggle in his recent interview with comedian and podcaster Joe Rogan on the JRE podcast.

    Tyson Fury To Tackle LA’s Homeless Situation

    Although Tyson Fury has caused much controversy with some foolish comments about homosexuals a few years ago, which were more to do with his religion than anything else, he is a decent man at heart.

    While training at LA’s Wild Card Gym for his December 1 clash against the current WBC champ Deontay Wilder, Fury couldn’t believe the extent of homelessness in Los Angeles.

    “There are a lot of homeless people on the streets here, more than I’ve ever seen ever in my life. I’m staying in downtown LA but if you go five minutes down the road there’s like – I don’t know – thousands of homeless people. You think you might be in a third world country but it’s a crisis situation and something needs to be done about it.”

    Tyson Fury has pledged some of his fight purse to help the homeless in the US, which he has done for the right reason as opposed to a gimmick to promote his fight. It seems the Gypsy King is endearing himself to the American public. All he has to do now is beat Deantay Wilder to be back on top of the world after his 3-year hiatus.

    Featured image from The Guardian

  • New Fortnite Games Modes Available in Wake of Season 7

    New Fortnite Games Modes Available in Wake of Season 7

    The online battle royal game Fornite has been one of the success stories of 2018. In the wake of the launch of the eagerly-awaited season 7, two new Fortnite game modes are now available that takes the chaos to new levels of craziness.

    If you are a Fortnite fanatic, it’ss an exciting week as Epic Games are poised to launch the new Season 7 at the end of next week.

    Check out the New Fortnite Games Modes

    If you are already chomping at the bit for the next season, you can get some respite by playing the two new Fortnite game modes that were released on November 27 that are now available on the Fortnite Battle Royale.

    The two new games modes are Team Rumble Limited Time Mode and the Alchemist Pop-Up Cup event. The modes were part of the v6.31 update.

    The Team Rumble Limited Time Mode allows two teams of 20 players to fight it out until one team eliminates 100 foes. This is a team-based mode and even if you are eliminated, you will be continually respawned until one team makes the 100 eliminations to take the game. And the best part is that you even get to keep your inventory when respawned.

    The second of the new Fortnite game modes is the Alchemist Pop-Up Cup event that is only available in duos mode. In short, you will need to link up with a friend to play this mode. It’s very similar to the Scavenger Pop-Up Mode that is testing new game adjustments and formats.

    This mode pits pairs against each other in designated lobbies with the aim of getting the highest score. The duo who achieve 20 or more points will be rewarded with an achievement pin.

    Fortnite Season 7 Release Date

    As we move into week 10 of Fortnite Season 6, it has been an exciting experience with the now-defunct cube and the surprise appearance Wreck-It-Ralph.

    Although we thought Season 7 of Fortnite was still quite a while away, it seems we were wrong. The release of the next season is set for December 6. The countdown clock is already underway on the game.

    It is important to remember that when seasons 5 and 6 of Fortnite were launched that they experienced delays. There was a 10-day delay between the two seasons, so don’t be surprised if everything doesn’t go according to plan.

    In the meantime, you can enjoy the two new Fortnite game modes that are getting gamers talking and keeping the game relevant.

    Featured image from Epic Games.

  • Japan’s Richest Have the Most Wealth in Asia, China and India are Gaining  

    Japan’s Richest Have the Most Wealth in Asia, China and India are Gaining  

    Japan has more of the Asia-Pacific region’s wealthy than any other country. China, however, is quickly catching up and India is beginning to make its mark in the region’s richest wealth statistics.

    The latest Asia-Pacific Wealth Report from Capgemini reveals where the Asia-Pacific region’s richest people’s wealth lies, and which countries are leading in the latest figures.

    The wealth of Japan’s high-net-worth individuals (HNWI) grew from $4.1 trillion in 2010, to $7.7 trillion in 2017, that’s growth of 87%. China is chipping away at Japan’s lead with growth of 144% since 2010 taking the wealth of its richest from $2.7 trillion, to $6.5 trillion in 2017.

    One of many reasons for China’s wealth growth is the volume of “unicorn” companies, startups that have achieved a value of $1 billion or more. The number of “unicorns” in China has reached at 181, surpassing the U.S with 138. Overall economic growth in China has, however, hit a ten-year low and the number of billionaires in the country dropped below 2,000 in October 2018, for the first time since 2015.

    Asia Pacific Wealth Source: Capgemini

    Capgemini expects the rapid wealth growth of the Asia-Pacific region’s high-net-worth individuals to continue to grow. In 2017 the combined value of the region’s richest was $21.6 trillion, this could be as high as $42 trillion by 2025.

    The value of South Korea’s wealthy grew by 18% in the period 2010 to 2017, Hong Kong’s richest by 16.3% due to a thriving real estate market, and Singapore had 13% growth. Capgemini says:

    “Mature markets like South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore also saw double digital HNWI population growth, adding 88.2 thousand HNWIs collectively in 2017.”

    All in all, the Asia-Pacific region now contributes over 41% of all new high-net-worth individuals globally.

    India’s Wealth is Also Growing Fast

    “Emerging markets drove more than half (52.9 percent) of regional new wealth growth, with India’s growth of more than 20 percent in both wealth and population, making it the fastest growing region.”

    As also the world’s fastest-growing economy India will significantly contribute to the Asia-Pacific region’s wealth growth. It’s richest were valued at $0.6 trillion in 2010, in 2017 that rose by 22% to $1.1 trillion.

    A Harvard University report recently predicted that India will continue to be one of the fastest growing economies in the world for the next decade, ahead of China and the U.S.

    Growth for 2018 is expected to be around 7.3%. India is proving that it is able to diversify its industrial, agricultural, and manufacturing base to quickly take advantage of new sectors. There are a number of major growth areas for India, all sectors to watch for entrepreneurs and investors inside and outside of the region.

    The Forbes India Leadership Awards (FILA) 2018 just a week ago honored some of India’s millionaires and billionaires. Again, a significant theme for the event and its winners was the ability to change and adapt long-standing industries and companies to survive in the 21st Century.

    Featured image from Shutterstock.

  • FAANG Stocks Are Yesterday’s News: 5 Emerging Technology Markets to Watch

    FAANG Stocks Are Yesterday’s News: 5 Emerging Technology Markets to Watch

    Forget fluctuating FAANG stocks, here are five emerging technology markets valued in the billions that investors and entrepreneurs should take note of.

    The World Economic Forum (WEF) says we are entering the Fourth Industrial Revolution, an age characterized by the internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, virtual reality (VR), and blockchain technology.

    Accompanying these core sectors are other emerging and arriving technologies like robotics, electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles, 3-D printing, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and quantum computing.

    The way we work and play is changing, creating even more new avenues for savvy fourth age industrialists like cloud computing, the decentralized web, and even eSports.

    For the everyday opportunist here are five emerging technology markets and their potential market values.

    The Internet of Things (IoT)

    One of the biggest growth markets for emerging technologies, the global IoT market, could reach $1.1 trillion in 2021 and $6.5 trillion by 2024.

    The IoT, where all our devices communicate with each other and ourselves using sensors, Wi-Fi, and even blockchain technology is prevalent in our lives already and increasingly so.

    Smart products like thermostats, lighting and media systems, as well as systems like Amazon’s Alexa, are already in widescale use. In 2017, 430 million smart home devices were sold.

    It’s not just consumer markets here either, the ability of machines to sense, record, deliver, and even act, upon important environmental changes has tremendous application for industry and manufacturing. One sector, automotive fleet management, is expected to be worth $17 billion alone by 2025.

    Artificial Intelligence (AI)

    Gartner, earlier this year, put the value of the AI market at $1.2 trillion in 2018, and $3.3 billion by 2022. John-David Lovelock, research vice president at Gartner said:

    “AI promises to be the most disruptive class of technologies during the next 10 years due to advances in computational power, volume, velocity and variety of data, as well as advances in deep neural networks (DNNs).”

    “Virtual agents” like call center and help desk assistants already account for 46% of the AI-derived business value in 2018, though this falls to 26% by 2022 as more advanced AI technologies come in to play. These more advanced technologies include decision automation and will include the AI needed to effectively power the autonomous vehicle revolution.

    Forecast of Global AI Derived Business Value in US Billions Source: Gartner

    Virtual Reality (VR)

    The consumer virtual reality software and hardware market size by 2021 is predicted to reach $14.5 billion rising from a predicted $3.3 billion in 2018.  The entire VR and augmented reality (AR) market is predicted to grow from $27 million in 2018 to $209 billion by 2020. Though other predictions put this figure at a more conservative $170 billion by 2022.

    The difference between consumer and industrial value is driven by the benefits VR and AR could have for the manufacturing, healthcare, and retail sectors, amongst others. A study by Hampleton Partners named AR and VR in healthcare the hottest new sector for 2018.

    Statistic: Forecast augmented (AR) and virtual reality (VR) market size worldwide from 2016 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars) | Statista
    Find more statistics at  Statista
    The consumer VR market value is driven by gaming and entertainment applications, from virtual meet-ups and social lives to exploring the globe and beyond.

    The global gaming industry is expected to reach a value of $180 billion by 2021 off the back of nearly 3 billion “gamers.” The eSports industry alone is expected to make up $1.65 billion of that statistic.

    Blockchain Technology

    The value of the cryptocurrency market is incredibly difficult to predict with the recent price crash taking tens of billions from the market’s capitalization, now sitting around $122 billion today.

    Cryptocurrency’s underlying technology, however, has taken an industry segment all of its own, over and away from cryptocurrencies. Global banks, businesses, and governments seek to take advantage of blockchain’s potential to improve business efficiencies, cybersecurity, and contractual transparency.

    Statista predicts blockchain’s market value to reach $2.3 billion by 2021.

    Autonomous Vehicles

    An immediate comparative figure for 2021 is not apparent for autonomous vehicles. Other statistics reveal the autonomous, or self-driving vehicle market, will already be worth $54.23 billion in 2019 increasing to a massive $556.67 billion by 2026.

    Autonomous vehicles will combine electric vehicle technology, AI, and IoT, and potentially even blockchain’s smart contract capabilities to share and secure information. A report by Allied Market Research identified the key drivers of the market’s predicted boom including:

    “Elimination of accidents caused due to manual errors, reduced carbon dioxide emission from autonomous vehicle … less battery capacity & less consumption of gas by autonomous vehicle and high penetration in the automotive sector also contribute to the market growth.”

    The market is not without barriers though, the general public is nervous about putting their lives in the hands of computers and trusting artificial intelligence to make the right decision under the threat of a road accident. A survey in late 2017, by the AAA found 63% of respondents were untrusting of autonomous vehicles, by early 2018 this had risen to 73%.

    Another study by Intel and Strategy Analytics predicts the driverless vehicle industry will generate $7 trillion worth of economic benefits and efficiencies by 2050. This figure could be split into a $4 trillion value for the driverless ride-hailing industry, and $3 trillion for driverless delivery and business logistics.