A Night with Elijah: Reflecting at the Royal Albert Hall

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Welcome to The Menu Magic - Finance & AI newsletter

In today’s email:

• A Night with Elijah: Reflecting on Time, Attention, and Tradition at the Royal Albert Hall in London

• Unpacking the FT Partners' Fintech Report for the First Half of 2023

• Build a bot in 15 minutes with your data

• Meme of the week

A Night with Elijah: Reflecting on Time, Attention, and Tradition at the Royal Albert Hall

Hello, dear readers!

Just the other day, I found myself nestled among the throngs of eager concert-goers at the iconic Royal Albert Hall. The grandeur of the venue was electric, the audience abuzz with anticipation, and the stage was set for an unforgettable rendition of Felix Mendelssohn's oratorio, Elijah, by the talented Edinburgh orchestra.

As the first notes of the overture filled the hall, a few thoughts began to coalesce in my mind. First off, let's consider the timeline of Elijah's creation. It took Mendelssohn a whole decade to perfect this masterpiece. It’s a strong reminder of how great things often require patience, perseverance, and time. Life-changing works aren't rushed, and yet, pressure does have its merits. When the time came for the premiere, Mendelssohn was hurried to finish. This interplay of patience and pressure, I realized, is the crux of any creative endeavour.

In the middle of the performance, a second reflection dawned upon me. We live in an era dominated by TikTok and NPC characters, where our attention spans are often measured in mere seconds. The experience of sitting through a three-hour performance, phone-free and fully engrossed in the symphony of sopranos, musicians, and choir, felt like a breath of fresh air. It was a stark contrast to the fragmented attention that defines our digital lives. In the hallowed silence between notes, I was reminded of the pure joy of unhurried, undistracted immersion in art.

Lastly, I want to talk about the 'Proms', a long-standing tradition of the BBC that allows everyone to experience world-class classical music at a pocket-friendly price. Being a part of this shared custom, which has endured the test of time and continues to resonate in the modern era, was a humbling experience. The Proms and the Royal Albert Hall are a testament to how deeply embedded music is in our collective culture. Standing in the 'Arena', amidst a diverse crowd united by their love for music, was nothing short of inspiring.

As the final notes of Elijah faded into the silence of the hall, the enormity of the experience settled in. It was a night of introspection, a journey through time and sound, and a testament to the enduring power of music. After all, where else could one meditate on life, art, and tradition while basking in the echoes of a decades-old masterpiece? It was indeed an unforgettable evening at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

As a closing note, if my recount of this magical evening has piqued your interest and you too wish to partake in a Prom or any classical music event, remember you can purchase the Prom tickets directly from their website on the day of the event. Be a part of this magnificent tradition and immerse yourself in the incredible world of classical music. Trust me, you won't regret it!

Unpacking the FT Partners' Fintech Report for the First Half of 2023

I hope you're all doing well. This week, I've got some interesting insights to share from the Q2 2023 Fintech Insights report by FT Partners. These guys are laser-focused on fintech and have been in the game for over 20 years, so they know their stuff.

So, what's the scoop? Well, the report is a treasure trove of data insights, fintech deal statistics, investment trends, industry research, and public comparables. It's like a one-stop shop for everything you need to know about the fintech landscape in Q2 2023.

Here are some key takeaways:

1. Financing Volume: The report highlights a whopping $10.5 billion in financing volume. That's a lot of money flowing into fintech!

2. Transactions: There were 747 transactions in total. It seems like the fintech world is buzzing with activity.

3. M&A Volume: Mergers and acquisitions weren't left behind either, with $24.2 billion in M&A volume and 265 transactions. 55% of M&A deals were valued under $100M

4. IPOs: Currently 0 IPOs in the US during 2023 compared to 41 in 2021.

The report also includes some neat charts showing quarterly fintech deal activity volume and private financing and IPO volume. It's a great way to visualize the trends and get a sense of the direction the industry is heading in.

In the world of fintech, AI is not just a buzzword; it's a core strategy for many companies. And guess what? Some of these AI-focused companies have even reached the coveted unicorn status in 2023. Let's give a shout-out to these high-flyers:

1. Quantexa: These guys are doing some serious work in the field of data analytics. They're using AI to help businesses make better decisions based on a more comprehensive view of their data.

2. Alphasense: This is a search engine designed for investment professionals. It uses AI to help users sift through financial documents, news, and research quickly and efficiently.

3. Cart.com: This company offers an end-to-end eCommerce platform that uses AI to help businesses grow online.

Now, you might be wondering if these companies have changed their definition just to increase their valuation. It's a valid question. After all, AI is a hot topic, and being an "AI company" can certainly make a firm more attractive to investors.

However, it's important to remember that reaching unicorn status isn't just about having a trendy tech label. It's about demonstrating real value and potential for growth. So, while it's possible that the AI focus contributed to their valuation, it's also likely that these companies have shown significant promise in their respective areas.

That's it for now. If you have more questions or need further information, feel free to ask! Remember, you can always check out the full report for a more in-depth look at the fintech landscape. And as always, feel free to hit me up if you have any questions or need more information.

Build a bot in 15 minutes with your data

Hey everyone!

I'm thrilled to share that we've successfully built a chatbot using Zapier, and we did it in less than 15 minutes! What's more? It's trained on our own data and published on our own domain. Excited to know how we did it? Let's get started:

Step 1: Sign Up for Zapier

First things first, you need a Zapier account. You can easily sign up for one at www.zapier.com. The process is simple and quick.

Step 2: Choose Your App

Once logged in, you need to select the app you want to connect to your chatbot. Zapier supports over 3,000 apps, so you have a ton of options!

Step 3: Create a 'Zap'

In Zapier terms, a 'Zap' is basically an automated task. To create a Zap, click on 'Make a Zap' button. Choose your trigger app (the app which will start the action) and the event that you want to trigger (like receiving a new message on your chatbot).

Step 4: Connect Your Data

Now, it's time to feed your chatbot some knowledge. You need to connect your data source to Zapier. This could be a database, a spreadsheet, or any other data you want the chatbot to learn from. Follow the prompts on the screen to connect your data.

Step 5: Train Your Chatbot

With your data source connected, you can now train your chatbot. Depending on the complexity of your data and the tasks you want your bot to perform, this could take a few minutes.

Step 6: Test Your Chatbot

Before you deploy your chatbot, give it a quick test run to make sure it's working as expected. Send a few test messages and see if the responses are satisfactory.

Step 7: Publish Your Chatbot

Finally, it's time to go live! To publish your chatbot on your own domain, you need to embed the chatbot script in your website's code. This process varies slightly depending on your website platform, but generally, you'll need to copy the script provided by Zapier and paste it into your site's HTML.

And there you have it! In less than 15 minutes, you've got a functional chatbot, trained on your own data and published on your own domain. Isn't that something?

Remember, building a chatbot is just the beginning. Keep refining and expanding your bot's knowledge base to provide an even better user experience. Happy bot-building with this video!

Meme of the week

I'd love to hear your feedback on today's newsletter! Is there a specific type of content you'd like to see more of in the future? Since I'll be releasing a new edition each week, I welcome any suggestions or requests you may have. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

The Menu Magic is written by Francisco Cordoba Otalora, a Fintech entrepreneur living in London.

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