From corn to 5G: A year of tech content and PR in 15+ facts

One day you’re dissecting Europe’s hydrogen plans, and the next you’re waist-deep in research about 5G’s role in military communications. While you’re mining productivity data for new trends, your colleague is learning about payment rails and the reasons for the Belgium banking sector’s reluctant digital transition. 

The variety isn't just in the topics we cover – but in perspectives, too. Clients from the same sector often have differing opinions on how it should run, and capturing their thoughts in ink requires submerging yourself in current industry debates and camps. 

At the same time, each project reveals surprising links and parallels between different fields. Our work puts us at the intersection of multiple industries, giving us a unique vantage point to spot trends, identify patterns, and uncover fascinating insights that might otherwise go unnoticed. This helps us grapple with the variety and complexity of all the different topics we work with, while also bringing added value to our clients – we know what the world is talking about and how. 

All of this is to say two things:

1. Need tech content/PR for your project? We got you. Whether you’re building night-vision goggles for greyhounds or trying to launch rockets into space using paraffin, we’ll help put you in a global spotlight and get you the oxygen of the internet – attention. 
2. We learn a lot of random facts. 

To the latter point, I scoured some of our work over the last 12 months and put together an eclectic selection of facts and anecdotes that will make you go “huh”, “okay”, and perhaps even “haha”. If nothing else, it’s a weird tapestry of life at Truesix. 

12 months at Truesix in 17 facts

I’m willing to bet a virtual cookie that you didn’t know that:

1. Before the 1960s, corn was almost nonexistent in Europe because it's a tropical plant. (source)

2. Japan – the world’s third largest economy – has only 11 unicorns (startups valued at over 1 billion USD). That’s only one more than Estonia. (source)

3. Latvians rate their State Fire and Rescue Service as the most trustworthy public institution. The least trusted one? The Parliament of Latvia (Saeima). (source)

4. The producer of Discobitch - C'est Beau La Bourgeoisie is now the CEO of French computer vision scale-up XXII. (source)

5. Kenya – and Nairobi in particular – has become Africa’s top digital hub, attracting 31% of all investments in African startups. (source)

6. There is a big interoperability issue between the communication systems of European armed forces. They’re working on finding a solution rooted in 5G. (source)

7. 92% of offices in India are using ChatGPT, making the world’s most populous country a global leader in AI adoption. (source)

8. Europe wants to produce 10 million tonnes and import 10 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen by 2030. Since, current hydrogen consumption sits at 7 million tonnes and only 0.03% of it isn’t from fossil fuels, Europe has five years to not only triple its hydrogen consumption, but also fully decarbonize it. (source)

9. 5G was overhyped and that’s a fact. (source)

10. Wall art offers e-commerce sellers a significantly higher profit margin than apparel because people perceive things like canvases as more expensive even if they cost the same to manufacture as a hoodie. (source)

11. 92% of employees multitask during online meetings. (source)

12. Because of bank transfer delays, there are about EUR 200 billion currently locked in the EU financial system on any given day. The EU’s IPR regulation aims to make payments instant, essentially unlocking this money and making transferring funds more convenient. (source)

13. 10 advertising creatives were asked to bring in their favorite work. They then had to evaluate all 10 pieces, while in an MRI scanner. The grades given were both similar and consistent, except for one crucial exception — the marketers gave themselves the highest marks. When presented with their own work, the MRI scanner would light up in a way suggesting that these individuals were genuinely convinced that their work was spectacular, even though all of their colleagues might independently agree it’s a 7/10.

So, in short, us creatives genuinely love our babies. (source)

14. Only about 25% of European rural households have access to connectivity speed in the gigabyte territory. (source)

15. In Indian tech companies, on average, the sales team works the longest hours (~8h 20 mins), and digital marketers the fewest (~6h 40 mins). (source)

16. Companies are willing to pay big money for truly random numbers, which are going to be a cornerstone of quantum cryptography. (source)

17. Riga’s Alberta Street is one of the most beautiful places in Europe. (source)

What’s your story? 

This is just a slice of what we learn while helping tech companies tell their stories. But it’s a crucial part of it. Realistically, most time is invested deep-diving into often-boring technicalities and basic foundational concepts, but these are not where the story lies. Experience shows that the best stories come from the unusual, the unexpected, the contrasting, the personal, the emotional, and anything else that comes as a breath of fresh air. 

Let us help you find your story – follow us on LinkedIn or get in touch at hello@truesix.co.