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New year, new IPO market?

In financial markets, the Initial Public Offering (IPO) market stands as a barometer of economic vitality and investor sentiment. An IPO marks the transition of a privately held company into a publicly traded entity, opening its doors to a broader investor base and entering a new chapter of growth and visibility. As companies embark on the IPO journey, the market's response be ...

What Happens in the Arctic, Doesn't Stay in the Arctic: Understanding the Polar Vortex and Climate Change

This week, Belgium witnessed a picturesque winter scene with its first snowfall. As temperatures are likely to rise in the following weeks, it marks a beautiful end of a two-week cold snap. This cold snap had its roots in the fascinating and complex dynamics of the polar vortex. To grasp this concept, let's delve into some essential meteorological concepts. During the northern ...

Indulgence vs. Essentials: navigating brand loyalty and market dynamics in the food industry

Food for thought: While driving through downtown Omaha with a CEO friend in 2009, Warren Buffett posed a question: 'Do you know what the best-selling candy bar was in 1962?'. When the friend said he wasn’t sure, Buffett told him it was Snickers. Then, he told him what the best-selling candy bar was now: Snickers. When it comes to food, it appears that brands can have enormou ...

A Bright Future: Insights into the Solar Power Landscape of 2023

The year 2023 has wrapped up, offering a vital opportunity to analyze the significant trends that have shaped the solar power industry. Last week, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has provided preliminary data, giving a glimpse into the evolving solar landscape. Although final numbers are pending, the current data unveils intriguing insights. Two key observations already ...

Seeking a demographic dividend for everyone

There are only three sources of economic growth: population growth, technology, and the use of natural resources. In this article, we focus on population growth as an engine for economic growth. The relentless growth of the world's population seems, at first glance, to be good news for the economy. However, shifts in the composition of the population also pose significant chall ...

Econopolis Strategy: 2023 Wrapped

As 2023 comes to an end, it is a good time reflect on the past year. This year marked a significant milestone for our team, as we doubled in size and are now actively recruiting for our next team member. We had the privilege to work on a diverse array of fascinating subjects, significantly broadening our expertise in crucial fields such as industry, circularity, climate, the bl ...

The offshore wind industry is navigating turbulent waters

This year, numerous offshore wind projects, particularly in the US and the UK, have encountered a challenging "triple whammy." This situation involves a blend of three factors: 1) escalating financing costs caused by increasing interest rates, 2) fluctuating commodity prices, and 3) persistent supply chain problems. Furthermore, until recently, the situation worsened due to gov ...

10 things we learned after one year of Klimaatschok-lectures

One year ago, Econopolis's Geert Noels, Kristof Eggermont, and I (Yanaika Denoyelle) released 'De Klimaatschok'. This book outlines 20 climate solutions to help Belgium achieve net-zero emissions and explores opportunities to enhance our living environment and economic standing. We transformed the book's content into a lecture series, engaging with government organizations, var ...

Climate Crossroads: Navigating the Challenges and Opportunities of COP28

COP 28 After a year marked by extreme weather events and numerous broken climate records, COP28 is in full swing. Delegates from nearly 200 countries are convening in Dubai, with an unprecedented attendance expected to reach around 70,000. This gathering will see the evaluation of numerous new pledges, projects, and initiatives. However, as this COP represents the midpoint bet ...

Solid-State Batteries: Benefits and Drawbacks

Batteries are one of the cornerstones of the technological evolution of the past decades. They make every electricity dependent technology useable off grid. From using a simple flashlight, to calling family in an electric vehicle in the middle of nowhere, batteries provide endless opportunities that are taken for granted in our current society. A key restriction on this increas ...