With an explosion of data creation and growing concerns about consumer privacy, companies are increasingly turning to a technology called the hybrid cloud, says Michael Kenworthy of the Goldman Sachs Investment Banking Division. In the latest episode of our video series, The Long & Short of It, Kenworthy explains how the hybrid cloud allows companies to store data both on premise and in the cloud, a two-pronged approach that is particularly helpful for handling highly sensitive information while leveraging the benefits of cloud computing. Companies in the airline industry, for instance, deliver real-time travel updates to customers via the cloud but manage personal travel information on premise to ensure higher data security. As adoption of the technology rises, Kenworthy expects an uptick in deal activity. "What I expect to see is a significant amount of funding for a number of businesses... as well as a considerable amount of M&A transactions where enterprises are trying to bolster these solutions and provide an all-in-one package to their clients," he says.