Research

A collection of 31 posts
Alternative Financial Services: Essential for Financial Inclusion and Opening Doors to Traditional Financial Services
Research

Alternative Financial Services: Essential for Financial Inclusion and Opening Doors to Traditional Financial Services

Alternative Financial Services (AFS) takes advantage of technology-enabled online communities and lending platforms, such as person-to-person (P2P) lending, mobile micro-finance, and crowdfunding, bringing entirely new sources of capital to traditionally underserved populations. * In 2024, the alternative financial industry facilitated USD 162 billion in transaction volume globally1
8 min read
Defense Budgets Reach All-time Highs, Bolstering Growth in Defense-Adjacent Industries
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Defense Budgets Reach All-time Highs, Bolstering Growth in Defense-Adjacent Industries

Geopolitical tensions, great-power competition, and technological advancements are driving record military spending and profound industrial transformation. Record High: World military expenditure reached $2.7 trillion in 2024, marking the tenth consecutive year of increase (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, 2025), with the total spend doubling since the early 1990s.
12 min read
The Drone Revolution: Large-scale uses of Drones in Battlefield, Surveying, Inspection and Delivery
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The Drone Revolution: Large-scale uses of Drones in Battlefield, Surveying, Inspection and Delivery

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) - drones - once an indulgent recreational luxury are redefining defense and commercial enterprise through operational efficiency, data collection, and automation. Drones are now more accessible and positioned as a fundamental disruptive force in the global economy. Regional dynamics and the investment landscape affect leaders and laggards in
13 min read