02 : 06 : 23 : Weekly Debrief

Germany, France ­ – The Icon, developed by BMW and boat-maker Tyde, encapsulates the start of a new era for sustainable mobility on water, with the first fully battery-powered and emission-free marine craft.

BMW and Tyde put their automotive and nautical expertise to work to create a prototype for The Icon revealed during the 76th Cannes film festival. The battery-powered marine craft boasts a range of some 50 nautical miles (100km) and a maximum speed of 33 knots (55km/hour). The 13.15m-long watercraft exhibits technological prowess on more levels than its sustainability credentials – the boat is nearly silent and does not generate waves or vibrations by rising above sea level, providing optimal comfort while cruising. The luxurious experience is further enhanced with a customised soundtrack composed by Hans Zimmer for a synaesthetic ride.

This innovative project, and the in-depth knowledge exchange between experts from different areas of mobility, show how luxury brands can embrace electric mobility futures.

Europe – Creative agency Saint Elmo’s and the Long Covid Europe patient network have teamed up to launch an awareness campaign on the long-term debilitating effects of Covid through the world’s most popular single-player games, including Minecraft.

Using game modifications, Long Covid mode imposes effects on the game characters that resemble real long Covid symptoms, including exhaustion, reduced concentration, dizzy spells, blackouts and shortness of breath. This creates a new level of difficulty for players – an exciting proposition – while also recreating the sensation of living with long Covid.

According to the World Health Organization, one in 10 Covid infections leads to long-term health problems, which means millions of people are now living with long Covid, a number that continues to grow with very few diagnostic and therapeutic solutions available. The vivid stimulation of a life with long Covid showcases the potential of gaming platforms as sites for activism, especially as the line between people’s real lives and online worlds blur – a phenomenon we explored in our Affirmative Avatars market report.

UK — North London arts venue Roundhouse is launching Roundhouse Works, a creative centre for young people.

The fully accessible space will open on 19 June 2023 within the historic grounds of the Roundhouse. The project aims to support 15,000 creative freelancers aged 18–30 annually. It will focus on offering its services to those from disadvantaged backgrounds and young people who lack the finances to pursue a creative career.

Roundhouse Works will offer various membership options, giving access to work and studio space. Help with childcare and travel costs will also be available. Career support will be provided through the venue’s Self Made Series, which will include free workshops, one-to-one mentoring, industry professional talks and networking events.

Membership starts at £25 ($31, €29) a year and co-working packages from £30 ($37, €34) per month.

Roundhouse Works is Neo-collectivism in action. The project was made possible by £8m ($9.9m, €9.2m) in funding from philanthropists, charitable foundations and corporate donations.