1.
Programming Biology: Read (r), Write (w), Execute (x)
Our best tools for understanding and manipulating biology have historically been observation and experimentation. Then, we developed the ability to “read” and “write” in biology. And now, the convergence of biology with computation and engineering has finally unlocked our ability to “execute” in biology. In other words: biology is becoming programmable. [ a16z ]
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2.
China’s Venture Capital Landscape
Jenny Zeng, managing partner at MSA Capital, discusses the venture capital industry in China, her investment strategy and how the trade war is impacting China’s tech space. She speaks on “Bloomberg Markets: China Open.” (Source: Bloomberg) [ Bloomberg ]
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3.
Why Silicon Valley Investors Are Bonkers For European Startups
Index Ventures partner Danny Rimer always planned to move back to London from Silicon Valley. But when Rimer returned to England a year ago after seven years establishing Index’s U.S. foothold with stakes in companies like Dropbox, Etsy and Slack, he had company: Investors from U.S. venture capital firms Benchmark, NEA and Sequoia were also appearing at startup dinners, leading deals and even looking to open offices. [ Forbes ] Checkout 15K+ Venture Capital Data on our platform.
4.
Singapore App-Lending Startup Scores $500 Million Valuation
5.
Dyal raises $9B+ GP stakes fund amid strategy spike
Not only do private equity firms invest in private businesses, but they also invest in each other—and with increasing vigor. Dyal Capital Partners, a New York-based PE firm and subsidiary of Nueberger Berman, has closed its fourth vehicle on more than $9 billion, marking the largest-ever fund for this strategy. [ Pitchbook ] Checkout 15K+ Venture Capital Data on our platform.
6.
Lucid Motors breaks ground on its $700 million Arizona factory
Lucid Motors today is breaking ground on its manufacturing facility. Located in Casa Grande, Ariz., the factory will be used to build the Lucid Motor Lucid Air electric sedan. According to the company, production will begin in late 2020. [ Tech Crunch ] Checkout 15K+ Venture Capital
Data on our platform.
7.
Amazon’s Revolutionary Retail Strategy? Recycling Old Ideas
I sometimes think that if you could look in the safe behind Jeff Bezos’ desk, instead of the sports almanac from Back to the Future you’d find an Encyclopedia of Retail, written in maybe 1985. There would be Post-It notes on every page, and every one of those notes would have been turned into a team and maybe a product. Amazon is so new, and so dramatic in its speed and scale and aggression, that we can easily forget how many of the things it’s
doing are actually very old. And we can forget how many of the slightly dusty incumbent retailers we all grew up with were also once considered radical, daring, piratical new businesses that made people angry with their new ideas. [ a16z ]
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8.
'I don't think it should be anyone's focus': Australian startup plays down unicorn hype
Workforce management startup Deputy has doubled in size since raising $111 million in funding last year but its founders are trying to ignore the hype of predictions it will be Australia's next tech unicorn. "Being a unicorn, I don't think it should be anyone's focus, it's just an outcome of what happens," co-founder and chief executive Ashik Ahmed says. "Do people's lives get any better by being a unicorn?". [ smh ]
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9.
Private Internet Access VPN to be acquired by malware company founded by former Israeli spy
I'd like to start by giving credit where it is due. Forbes did some excellent reporting which detailed the business practices of Crossrider (Kape Technologies) prior to the recent news of their acquisition of PIA. Much of that article will be used for context throughout this one. I highly recommend reading it. [ telegra ] Checkout 15K+ Venture Capital Data on our platform.
10.
Carlyle’s Acosta Files Bankruptcy as Marketing Budgets Wane
Acosta Inc., the marketing firm owned by Carlyle Group LP, has gone bankrupt after big consumer-product firms decided to do more of the work themselves to keep up with changing consumer tastes. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Wilmington, Delaware, with support from creditors on a plan that would hand them ownership of a reorganized company and slash $3 billion of long-term debt. Creditors including Elliott Management Corp., Oaktree Capital Management, Davidson Kempner Capital Management and Nexus Capital Management agreed to the deal, interim Chief Financial Officer Matthew Laurie said in a court declaration. [ Bloomberg
]
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11.
Silicon Valley Braces for Belt-Tightening
At Airbnb’s board meeting two weeks ago, one topic took center stage: how to contain accelerating costs. It is a question that until relatively recently received scant attention inside Silicon Valley’s big-name startups. But a string of rejections by the public markets of some of the tech industry’s superstars has prompted companies once primarily concerned with rapid growth to take a closer look at their spending. [ The Information ] Checkout 15K+ Venture Capital Data on our platform.
12.
Top Israeli VC talks cybersecurity, diversity and ‘no go’ investments
It’s no secret that Israel is second only to the U.S. for its leading cybersecurity acumen, talent, startups and successful exits. Israel is a powerhouse in both offensive and defensive cyber operations, with cybersecurity giants CyberArk, Check Point, Radware, and Illusive Networks all founded in the country in recent years. For more than two decades behind the scenes and powering some of the country’s largest cybersecurity startups was Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP), a major venture capital firm in the region with more than $1.4 billion raised to date. [ Tech Crunch ] Checkout 15K+ Venture Capital Data on our platform.
13.
Omar Hamoui leaves Sequoia for LA-based Mucker Capital as it looks to lead more Series A deals
Mucker Capital, the now eight-year-old, Santa Monica, Calif.-based pre-seed startup accelerator and venture outfit, has brought aboard Omar Hamoui, a partner at Sequoia Capital for the last six-plus years, as its third general partner. [ Tech Crunch ] Checkout 15K+ Venture Capital Data on our
platform.
14.
FEBE Ventures launches $25m Vietnam-focused early-stage VC fund
FEBE Ventures is the latest venture capital (VC) firm to join the tech investment arena in Vietnam with a $25 million early-stage fund. The fund, which will invest in early-stage startup companies, has made its first close after securing the backing of entrepreneurs and family offices from Asia, the US and Europe, as well as senior executives at LinkedIn, Goldman Sachs and Jardine Matheson. [ Medium ] Checkout 15K+ Venture Capital Data on our platform.
15.
Pixpay is a challenger bank for teens focused on pocket money
Meet Pixpay, a French startup that wants to replace cash when you’re handing out pocket money to your kids. Anybody who is older than 10 years old can create a Pixpay account, get a debit card and manage pocket money. Challenger banks are nothing new, but they’re still mostly targeted towards adults. If you want to create an N26 or Revolut account, you need to be at least 18 years old. You can create a Lydia account if you’re at least 14 years
old with parental consent. [ Tech Crunch ]
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16.
With £10 million seed, Uncapped is Europe’s first revenue-based financing model, offering capital without taking control
Uncapped, Europe’s first revenue-based finance provider, has set out to help European founders raise working capital without giving up control of their business or going deep into debt. Based in London with an office in Warsaw, the new financing firm has raised a £10 million seed round from White Star Capital, Global Founders Capital, and Seedcamp. [ Tech.eu ]
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17.
How StreetLight Data uses machine learning to plug cities into the mobility revolution
The mobility revolution may have the potential to transform cities, but in the short term the rise in ride-hailing apps, bike sharing, and electric scooters is giving many local officials fits. A healthy dose of data and machine learning may help get this movement back on track. [ Venture Beat ]
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18.
Atomico partner Tom Wehmeier reviews ‘The State of European Tech’ 2019 report
Atomico, the European venture capital firm founded by Skype’s Niklas Zennström, has released its latest annual The State of European Tech report, published in partnership with Slush and Orrick. As part of the report, the authors surveyed 5,000 members of the ecosystem — including 1,000 founders — as well as pulling in robust data from other sources, such as Dealroom and the London Stock Exchange . [ Tech Crunch ] Checkout 15K+ Venture Capital Data on our platform.
19.
Atari delays crowdfunded VCS console deliveries until spring
Atari said it has delayed shipment of the Atari VCS game console until the spring, the second time it’s done so for fans who placed their preorders on IndieGogo. It is the latest sign, including a contractor resignation, that the console launch is going slower than planned. Chief operating office Michael Arzt said in a post last week that the Atari VCS will not ship to IndieGogo supporters in December as previously promised. Those who preordered their
machines for $250-plus could still get their deliveries ahead of the general ship date of March for the broader launch. [ Venture Beat ] Checkout 15K+ Venture Capital Data on our platform.
20.
Forest Admin (eF16) Raises $7M Series A to Say Bye to Homemade Admin Panels
Forest Admin is announcing a big step in their journey by bringing on new investors — welcome Notion Capital and Runa Capital! — and funding to build an admin panel loved by developers and business teams. The startup launched as part of our eF16 batch and moved on to raise its Seed round in 2018. This new milestone comes as the team have shifted gears and aim to becoming a fully fledged framework made up of simple components for developers to build their own, custom admin panel. [ Medium ]
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