Uber Is Said to Face FBI Probe as Compliance Chief Exits Uber Technologies Inc. is under investigation by federal authorities in New York for its alleged use of a spyware program designed to undermine competition for its digital ride-hailing service, according to people familiar with the matter. The executive charged with making sure Uber follows the law, Global Head of Compliance Joseph Spiegler, resigned last week after a year and a half on the job, according to two people familiar with the matter. While Spiegler reported to the company’s top lawyer, Uber is searching for a replacement who would report directly to new Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi, one of the people said. The ride-hailing company faces three major U.S. legal probes. [ Bloomberg ] 23andMe’s second act sits squarely in drug research and development23andMe is best known for its $199 at-home spit-tube DNA test, but the consumer genetics company has been making strides in the last few years to get into drug development and research. The company first began making moves early in 2015, forging a partnership with Pfizer to conduct a bit of drug research using 23andMe’s genetic data. The pact was formed in the midst of orders from the Food and Drug Administration that 23andMe cease sales of its consumer health report product, which drove a major portion of both 23andMe’s revenue and brand awareness at the time. [ Tech Crunch ] RMIT launches Blockchain Innovation Hub to investigate blockchain regulation and social implications RMIT has announced the launch of the RMIT Blockchain Innovation Hub, a research centre that will work to understand the social science of blockchain, and develop policies accordingly. Taking researchers from around the globe, the centre will develop an interdisciplinary research team that will look to examine the economic, cultural, and social implications of applying blockchain technologies. The research team, led by Jason Potts, a professor within the university’s school of economics, finance and marketing, will apply its research to create relevant policies tailored to managing the impact and growing size of the blockchain industry. [ Startup Daily ] To support local founders, universities should invest in venture capitalIn the world of university endowments, everyone wants to be Yale. That’s because over the past two decades Yale’s investment officers have consistently generated market-beating returns by shifting a large portion of the university’s $25 billion endowment away from traditional stocks and bonds and into alternative investments such as private equity, hedge funds, and venture capital. [ Venture Beat ] The Investors: Anne Ravanona | Inspirefest 2017Silicon Valley's quirky politics recall the railroad boom of pre-Civil War America: StudyWhen Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan wrote a letter to their newborn daughter last month, they called themselves "optimists." It's a popular concept in Silicon Valley, where founders view themselves as improving the world through innovative disruption. And, according to a study from Stanford University, it's a philosophy rooted in 19th-century America, when an enterprising group of American businessmen revolutionized the economy via the railroad. [ CNBC ] Wellness Blog Burpees + Brunch Leads The Charge For Women Of Color With Subscription BoxThe health, fitness & wellness industry makes billions of dollars annually for corporations like Procter & Gamble, Nike, PepsiCo and Hearst Communications, and a diverse array of smaller businesses. However, the consumer and lived experiences women of color face when they embark on their wellness journeys often leave them wanting more. [ Forbes ] Khosla Ventures adds two women to investment team — Kristina Simmons and Kanu Gulati Last June I wrote about Portugal’s thriving scaleup ecosystem, which is growing twice as fast as the European average. Since then, I’ve actually relocated my VR startup to Portugal and so have an even better view of the ecosystem now. I wrote last year about how the country’s capital, Lisbon, successfully turned its economic troubles into an opportunity to reinvent itself as a European hub for creative and tech startups. Scores of accelerators, incubators, coworking spaces, and repurposed structures have popped up as a result. And that trend appears only to be accelerating. [ Venture Beat ] Jokes Aside, I Hope Medium’s Clap Micropayment Strategy Works E762: Leap Motion’s Michael Buckwald talks mission & funding a 10yr journey pre product-market fitLinxo raises $24 million for its app that brings bank accounts togetherHow Silicon Valley is erasing your individualityMeet the tech company that wants to make you even more addicted to your phoneSilicon Valley is obsessed with these ultra-comfy, machine-washable shoes that cost $95 — here's why |