We Company reportedly mulls slashing its valuation ahead of its initial public offering

Posted on September 5, 2019 by Jonathan Shieber

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the company formerly known as WeWork is considering slashing its valuation as it looks to woo public market investors. The company is reportedly considering a valuation of somewhere in the $20 billion range for its initial public offering, a figure that’s far less than the $47 billion valuation it Read more about We Company reportedly mulls slashing its valuation ahead of its initial public offering[…]

Children’s privacy costs just $170 million for Google in settlement with the FTC

Posted on September 4, 2019 by Jonathan Shieber

The Federal Trade Commission has set a price on children’s privacy online and the going rate is $170 million. That’s how much Google will have to pay under the terms of a settlement agreement to end investigations by the Federal Trade Commission and the New York Attorney General into YouTube’s alleged collection of children’s personal Read more about Children’s privacy costs just $170 million for Google in settlement with the FTC[…]

Energy Vault raises $110 million from SoftBank Vision Fund as energy storage grabs headlines

Posted on August 15, 2019 by Jonathan Shieber

Imagine a moving tower made of huge cement bricks weighing 35 metric tons. The movement of these massive blocks is powered by wind or solar power plants and is a way to store the energy those plants generate. Software controls the movement of the blocks automatically, responding to changes in power availability across an electric Read more about Energy Vault raises $110 million from SoftBank Vision Fund as energy storage grabs headlines[…]

Competition among alternative protein players gets hot as companies beef up with new deals

Posted on August 12, 2019 by Jonathan Shieber

The competition for control of the burgeoning market for burger replacements (and other alternatives to animal proteins) continues to heat up. Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods the two leading contenders for top purveyor of plant-based patties (and other formulations) have spent most of the typically sleepy summer months jockeying for the position as top supplier Read more about Competition among alternative protein players gets hot as companies beef up with new deals[…]

Earbuds lets audiences stream the playlists of athletes, entertainers and each other

Posted on August 8, 2019 by Jonathan Shieber

Earbuds, a new startup from Austin founded by former Detroit Lions lineman Jason Fox, wants to bring the power of social media to your eardrums. The company is one of a growing number of startups trying to rejuvenate the music streaming market by combining it with social networking so that audiences can listen to the Read more about Earbuds lets audiences stream the playlists of athletes, entertainers and each other[…]

MaC Ventures, the brainchild of Adrian Fenty and Marlon Nichols, is quietly making its first investments

Posted on August 3, 2019 by Jonathan Shieber

MaC Ventures, the new Los Angeles-based investment firm formed from the merger of Cross Culture Ventures and M Ventures, has quietly started deploying capital from its fund. One of the firm’s first disclosed investments is Edge Delta, which announced a $3 million seed round earlier this week. The Seattle-based company, which has a tool to Read more about MaC Ventures, the brainchild of Adrian Fenty and Marlon Nichols, is quietly making its first investments[…]

Fortnite World Cup has handed out $30 million in prizes, and cemented its spot in the culture

Posted on July 29, 2019 by Jonathan Shieber

The Fortnite phenomenon — the wildly popular battle royale game from Epic Games — has manifested itself in concerned articles, cultural shoutouts and now has sealed its place in the cultural firmament by wrapping up its first “World Cup” which saw the company give away $30 million in prizes. Congrats to all of our winners Read more about Fortnite World Cup has handed out $30 million in prizes, and cemented its spot in the culture[…]

The Knight Foundation launches $750,000 initiative for immersive technology for the arts

Posted on July 28, 2019 by Jonathan Shieber

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is looking for pitches on how to enhance and augment traditional creative arts through immersive technologies. Through a partnership with Microsoft the foundation is offering a share of a $750,00 pool of cash and the option of technical support from Microsoft, including mentoring in mixed-reality technologies and Read more about The Knight Foundation launches $750,000 initiative for immersive technology for the arts[…]

Cities must plan ahead for innovation without leaving people behind

Posted on July 22, 2019 by Jonathan Shieber

Yung Wu Contributor Yung Wu is the CEO of MaRS Discovery District, a Toronto-based innovation hub. More posts by this contributor In big tech’s future expansion plans, public good should be the corporate incentive To actually change the world, Big Tech needs to grow up From Toronto to Tokyo, the challenges faced by cities today Read more about Cities must plan ahead for innovation without leaving people behind[…]

WeWork CEO Adam Neumann has reportedly cashed out of over $700 million ahead of its IPO

Posted on July 19, 2019 by Jonathan Shieber

Adam Neumann, the co-founder and chief executive of the international real estate co-working startup, WeWork, has reportedly cashed out of more than $700 million from his company ahead of its initial public offering. The size and timing of the payouts, made through a mix of stock sales and loans secured by his equity in the Read more about WeWork CEO Adam Neumann has reportedly cashed out of over $700 million ahead of its IPO[…]