Students turn a climate emergency assignment into a flourishing AI business – Kenznow Newsletter
Dear Amici,
Buongiorno!
Welcome to Kenznow Newsletter
CAMPUS STORY
Students turn a climate emergency assignment into a flourishing AI business
Source: Oxford SBS
A group of Saïd Business School students has transformed a project on climate emergencies into a thriving AI company that increases wine production while conserving water resources.
UNICEF has predicted that half of the world’s population will face water scarcity by 2025. Conserving water supplies is much needed in this era and that requires scientists and businesses to come together to provide new ways of helping people to use limited water reserves. That’s where one team of students at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School came up with a ground-breaking business venture in 2018.
Their business, Deep Planet, measures soil moisture levels using satellite photos and powerful AI technologies so winemakers can save water by irrigating vines only when necessary. The venture initially focused on agriculture in a wide sense but later narrowed it down to vineyards that require irrigation. The company focused on Australia because it has a shortage of water.
The Deep Planet technology can assess the amount of moisture above and below the surface by combining data from on-the-ground sensors and satellite sensors. As a result, winemakers are better able to resist the need to water grapes when the soil already has enough moisture.
Deep Planet’s AI technology can interpret the satellite imagery to determine the health of vines and, find the optimal time to harvest grapes. So, vineyards can produce high-quality yields regularly. It can also predict when to harvest, and how much yield a grower can expect.
Deep Planet co-founders Sushma Sankar and Natalia Efremova credited the company’s next stage of evolution to a mentoring program at the Saad Business School organized by the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL). They say that the Oxford ecosystem was extremely helpful in multiple ways for helping them with the business.
HEARD ON WEB
Canada plans a fast-track immigration program for temporary foreign workers, international students
Canada is developing a new immigration policy that will hasten the conversion of current temporary foreign workers and international students to permanent residents.
The program is still in the planning stages. The initiative is a “permanent avenue for temporary residents” and will target individuals who are already in Canada, such as temporary foreign workers and international students.
The Canadian government wants to open up more pathways to permanent residency since temporary foreign workers and international students are important to Canada’s economy.
International students support Canada’s workforce in growing, becoming more productive, and reversing the impacts of an aging population. Foreign workers assist in meeting the urgent workforce demands of various businesses. Thus the country is seeking foreign nationals who are working in Canada and international student graduates to stay by extending or modifying the present pathways. The nation wants to help people make the transition from temporary to permanent residency.
Provinces and territories will be able to alter and expand their immigration streams as necessary to meet local labor market demands. The government will modernize the immigration system, boost processing capacity, and improve the customer experience through technological innovations. All of these initiatives are meant to speed up the process of granting permanent residency to immigrants in Canada.
LIFELONG LEARNING CORNER
TRENDING SUBJECTS FOR LIFELONG LEARNING
Digital Marketing and Social Media Marketing
The word “digital marketing” serves as an umbrella for any digital marketing initiatives that a company uses to advertise its services and goods online and offline. On the other hand, social media marketing is a form of digital media marketing. It involves social media marketing on sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others.
The number of people accessing the internet has multiplied tremendously, thanks to cheap data and accessible cell phones. Digital and social media marketing has grown in a very spectacular way, and the statistics indicate that this growth will continue to accelerate in the next few years. To put it simply, the future of digital and social media marketing appears promising and secure.
Being creative, original, and up-to-date with the most recent trends will therefore be the guiding concept for every digital marketer as more and more chances arise. As a result, it is highly advised that you begin learning digital marketing techniques and prepare for a job in the field. This is one of the most sought-after sectors in terms of careers.
PASSING BY
Oxford researchers are leading the way in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Nearly 10 million people die from cancer each year in the world. In the UK, 50% of people will develop cancer over their lives.
The causes of cancer are being uncovered by Oxford researchers, whether they are hereditary, environmental, adjustable, or inescapable. By utilizing big data to transform cancer research and artificial intelligence (AI) to better diagnosis, Oxford is at the forefront of the movement to find cancer sooner.
Scientists at Oxford are directing the immune system against tumors, developing cancer vaccines, and enhancing current medicines in order to improve the results for cancer patients around the world.
Oxford is collaborating with partners locally, nationally, and internationally to transform Oxford discoveries into a life-saving reality, drawing on previous Oxford cancer breakthroughs.
These are only a few of the motivations for the research as well as the stories behind it.
Till next issue.
Arrivederci
Team Kenznow
