Information and communication technology plays an important part in dealing with the challenges of demographic change. On the one hand more and more age-appropriate offers are available (such as Ambient Assisted Living systems, e-Health and health games) tailored to the specific needs of older, often physically restricted people and broadening the sector’s sales potential in the private consumer segment. On the other, technology is enabling older people in the workplace to participate longer in working life under more flexible terms of employment. Ultimately, technology is thus edging inexorably closer to the human sphere. But in stark contrast to the doomsday scenarios this is conjuring up stands the sober realisation that, faced with the looming decline in the working population, the only way to secure our prosperity is through the use of technology. [more]

P2P-lending sites, which broker small loans between savers and lenders online, are gaining popularity. This new issue gives an overview of P2P lending and shows current trends. New developments, such as automatic bidding and secondary trading of loan notes, inject more professionalism into P2P lending. Yet, the original idea of community lending may fall behind. [more]

Venture capital is an indicator of future economic trends, which suggests that there will be a shift away from IT and telecommunication towards energy, biotechnology and medical technology. The share of VC investments in startups from the energy sector in particular reacts strongly to oil price movements... [more]