Dear colleagues,

A few weeks of conversations, conferences, and product launches later, one signal kept showing up everywhere:

Innovation is becoming more contextual, more adaptive, and increasingly built around how people actually behave in real life.

Not just adding features… but solving small, everyday frictions in smarter ways.

A few things that stood out this month:

ChatGPT is now being integrated into cars via Apple CarPlay.

Instead of just navigation and music, drivers can now ask questions, get recommendations, and have a back-and-forth with AI while driving.

It's a subtle shift, but an important one.

Cars are no longer just a means of transportation. They're becoming interactive environments.

Soon, your car might know your schedule better than you do. 😄

Huawei introduced a new foldable phone (Pura X Max) with an even larger, more flexible display.

Foldables have been around for a while… but they're slowly becoming more practical and less experimental.

Bigger screens, better durability, fewer compromises.

The category is quietly moving from "cool concept" to real everyday device.

At this pace, our laptops might end up in our back pockets soon. 😄

Škoda introduced a smart bicycle bell designed to cut through noise… even when people are wearing headphones.

It adjusts its sound dynamically — noticeable when it needs to be, quiet when it doesn't.

A small product, but a great example of a much bigger shift:

Products are starting to adapt to human behavior… instead of expecting humans to adapt to them.

Toyota's CUE7 robot is now shooting basketballs with impressive accuracy.

At first glance, it feels like a fun demo.

But it points to something deeper: robots are becoming incredibly precise at repetitive, high-skill physical tasks.

From factory lines to free-throw lines… the same principle applies.

And yes… they're now running marathons 🏃‍♂️

A humanoid robot in China just set a half-marathon record.

Not breaking human records yet… but still a big step forward.

Endurance, balance, coordination — all improving fast.

Robots aren't just getting smarter. They're becoming physically capable in the real world.

Don't be surprised if your next 10K running buddy isn't human. 😄

Red Bull is testing a sleep-focused drink.

Yes… the brand known for "giving you wings" is now helping you wind down.

Sounds ironic — but it actually makes sense.

Energy and recovery are two sides of the same coin. And brands are starting to play across both.

Same can shape, opposite mission. 😄

Google is reportedly working with Gucci on AI-powered smart glasses, expected around 2027.

We've seen smart glasses before. What's new is the positioning.

This isn't just tech… it's fashion + AI.

Wearables are slowly becoming something people want to wear, not just try.

Funny how the fastest path to mass adoption keeps turning out to be "make it look good." 😎

L'Oréal, in partnership with NVIDIA, is using AI to simulate how ingredients behave before products are even created.

Rather than relying only on lab testing, teams can now model formulations digitally — faster and with more precision.

A completely different approach to R&D.

What it means for brands:

Fewer assumptions. More confidence before launch.

And a shift from trial-and-error… to prediction-first innovation.

Which, honestly, is exactly what we've been preaching for years. 😎

We had a great joint presentation with Ducati at IIEX in Washington, DC.

Prelaunch helped Ducati test and validate their newest off-road bike, the Ducati Desmo 450, before launch.

During the Prelaunch process, we uncovered something surprising.

Ducati was targeting the wrong audience.

The strongest interest did not come from riders in their mid-30s to early 40s.

It came from riders over 50.

On top of that, Prelaunch helped Ducati identify demand for a more premium Factory Edition version of the bike.

As Phil Read Jr., Marketing Manager at Ducati North America, shared during our presentation, these insights helped Ducati save at least a year in product development.

That's all for this month.

As always, curious to hear what signals you're seeing from your side.

Until next time,

– Narek