Amazon is developing a cure for the common cold

What to read today: Podcast Industry Report: This brand new report gives readers a clear understanding of how the major players and components of podcasting function so that brands can more readily take advantage of the many opportunities this dynamic digital media format presents..

Every morning the Business Insider Intelligence team delivers research briefings covering key trends moving industries. As a bonus for being a frequent Business Insider reader, we're including some free content below. Want more content like this daily? Join our FREE Business Insider Intelligence Daily newsletter by clicking here.

March 14, 2020 Amazon has been working on a cure for the common cold. The plan is part of a secret, years-long initiative called "Project Gesundheit." Amazon's Grand Challenge – an R&D group under Amazon Web Services – aims to develop a vaccine. Rolling out a cure would have huge implications on patients' health and insurers' bottom lines, as the common cold costs the US about $40 billion each year. This highlights yet another layer of Amazon's large, multifaceted healthcare play, and our research analysts think the tech giant is in a good position to build out its drug R&D efforts. Business Insider Intelligence's Dane Finley has the full story. BRIEFING HIGHLIGHTS South Korea is burning cash amid coronavirus outbreak The Bank of Korea is tightening its processes for incinerating bank notes that might be infected or otherwise dirty as the outbreak spreads. Read More → Aon is buying Willis Towers Watson for $30 billion Aon is bidding to purchase Willis Towers Watson, which would create the world's largest insurance broker by forming a company worth $76 billion. Read More → Three ways the coronavirus could affect banking globally As fallout from the coronavirus outbreak continues, there are three potential trends developing in the global banking industry in response. Read More → Microsoft unveils new healthcare provider-facing tools Microsoft introduced a line of solutions designed to streamline healthcare operations and bulk out tech capabilities within provider organizations. Read More → Here's what top executives say could be the business impact of a potential recession Execs paint a rosy picture for the future of investment in digital technologies for the workplace — even in the face of a potential economic downturn. Read More → Amazon offering merchants autonomous checkout tech Amazon is licensing the "Just Walk Out" tech it uses in its Go stores, and it has made a few tweaks to convince third-party retailers to work with it. Read More → How the coronavirus can affect fintech across industries The coronavirus outbreak has spread to over 80 countries — and fallout from the virus has the potential to significantly affect the fintech landscape.. Read More → Afterpay now has more customers in the US than its native Australia Though Afterpay only launched in the US in 2018, its customer base in the market has already surpassed its base of 3.1 million customers in Australia. Read More → A new study shows Verizon tops 5G speeds but lags in availability While RootMetrics found Verizon was a sure winner in terms of speed, its 5G availability rate was at 3.1% – falling below T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T. Read More → What the NBA suspension could mean for marketers Depending on how many NBA games are ultimately cancelled, the suspension could result in a sizable lost opportunity for TV advertisers. Read More → RESEARCH IN FOCUS Podcast Industry Report This brand new report gives readers a clear understanding of how the major players and components of podcasting function so that brands can more readily take advantage of the many opportunities this dynamic digital media format presents. Get the full report → US Mobile Wallets in 2020 and Beyond Report An overall uptick in US consumer time spent on smartphones is trickling down to payments and commerce and driving volume in three core categories: mobile commerce (m-commerce), mobile peer-to-peer (P2P) payments, and mobile proximity payments. This report sizes the mobile payments market and identifies what''s driving growth in these key areas. Get the full report → The Digital Health Ecosystem Personalization and convenience have become table stakes in nearly every industry, and consumers are extending demands for these digital-powered experiences to healthcare. In this report, Business Insider Intelligence will explore the current healthcare ecosystem, the key trends driving digital transformation, and what we expect to see in the year ahead. Get the full report → BECOME A MEMBER Did you know the Daily is just a preview of everything Business Insider Intelligence has to offer? Our Pro memberships deliver analysis on the biggest trends and decisions shaping the future of a specific industry. With a Pro membership you'll get... Industry Briefings: Our analysts' perspective on the news and companies that matter most to our subscribers, delivered to your inbox 6 times a week. What The Pros Are Saying: Exclusive insights from industry thought leaders on the most important stories of the day. A Piece of the Conversation: Weekly opportunities to share your perspective and even have your words read by thousands of your peers. The Industry Ecosystem Report: An annual report that sets the foundation for understanding the most pressing industry trends and key players. Get Started Today   → FOLLOW US Email sent to: ipat39@gmail.com Manage your email preferences  |  Unsubscribe  |  Terms of Service  |  Privacy Policy © 2020 Insider Inc. 1 Liberty Plaza, New York, NY 10006