The launch of the innovation platform LOFT (Lab of Forward Thinking) by the Investment Division of Manulife and John Hancock on July 8th signals a change in the way financial services companies are responding to customer needs. The firm, which is located in Boston’s Seaport District, established LOFT as a means to permeate the area’s burgeoning start-up technology scene.
As an engine to prompt new ideas and provide better customer experiences, LOFT will enhance John Hancock’s image from that of solely an insurance and financial services provider to a leading vehicle for innovation.
At the Grand Opening Reception in Boston, LOFT showcased a number of new home-based innovations that utilize artificial intelligence. Two of these prototypes included an umbrella that opens automatically depending on the volume of rain it detects, and a well-camouflaged camera that successfully takes photos without being noticed. These innovations and others, created and presented by the engineers of MIT’s Media Lab, deliver a clear and important message to the contemporary business world: companies that are able to apply innovative thinking to their business models will more readily obtain competitive advantages moving forward.
LOFT comprises a space of 6,500 square feet and is devoted to providing the necessary resources to aid start-ups in Boston’s advancing “Innovation District.”
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