Welcome, this industry newsletter shares key market changes, in a twice-monthly publication, curated by Jeremiah Owyang, Founder of Catalyst Companies™, you can subscribe to the email newsletter on the footer of the homepage.

Catalyst Companies 2015 Awards Recognize Excellence in the Collaborative Economy
Catalyst Companies hosted the inaugural Catalyst Companies Awards on Oct. 6, 2015, in San Francisco as part of The Main Event 2015. The Catalyst Companies Awards honors council members that have surmounted challenges and exhibited excellence in collaborative economy program deployment. The 2015 Catalyst Companies Awards recipients are: Autodesk (Maker Enablement Award); BMW (Brand Innovation Award); Intuit (Marketplace Enablement Award); Swisscom (Crowd Collaboration Award); and Whole Foods Market (On-Demand Integration Award). Award winners must have proven business results from program deployment and have a current Catalyst Companies council membership. Read more about the awards here.

BMW Partners with Uber to Offer Free Rides in 7 Series Sedan Before Public Launch
Uber passengers were treated to a special option on Oct. 19 when opening their apps to hail a car: BMW’s new, top-of-the-line flagship 7 Series sedans. Users in Miami, NYC, Chicago, and Los Angeles simply had to select the BMW option within their apps to be treated to a free ride in the backseat of this luxury vehicle before its U.S. launch on Oct. 24. This partnership served as a connection between BMW and potential customers who might not normally test drive the 7 Series while simultaneously showcasing the car’s extensive backseat infotainment and comfort controls. According to an Uber interview with Fortune, this is the first time the car sharing company has partnered with an automaker on a release of a new make/model ahead of retail launch. Get more information on the promotion from Fortune.

Burson-Marsteller “Crisis Survey” Reveals Disruptive Business Models as Top Threat
According to Burson-Marsteller’s annual “Crisis Survey” published this month, disruption from competitors with innovative business models (like Uber, Airbnb, and other Collaborative Economy startups) is business leaders’ top concern. The survey, running since 2009, takes into account input from more than 400 decision makers in the EMEA across 20 sectors. Nearly 75% of respondents reported new challengers or innovative models that could threaten their business in the past three years, and a fifth had experienced a related crisis to these threats in the past year. Companies that proactively plan for disruption by working with, rather than against, Collaborative Economy marketplaces and customer behaviors will be best poised for success in the coming year. Find additional survey findings on PR Week.

We’re proud that BMW is a council member of Catalyst Companies.