The CRISPR-based biotech startup Mammoth Biosciences is officially a unicorn, the company says. The billion dollar valuation comes on the back of a $150 million series D round led by Redmile Group, with participation from Foresite Capital, Senator Investment Group, Sixth Street, Greenspring Associates, Mayfield, Decheng Capital, Plum Alley and NFX. Combined with a late […]
Amazon is releasing its own TVs with Alexa built in
This has felt like an inevitability at least since Amazon teamed with South Carolina-based Element Electronics to bring the world a 43-inch Amazon Fire TV Edition back in 2017. The company has also teamed with several third-party TV makers to build its popular voice assistant into sets, but today Amazon is taking things to the […]
Allianz backs AV8 Ventures’ second fund focused on AI technologies
AV8 Ventures unveiled its AV8 Ventures II fund with $180 million from Allianz Group, an insurance and asset management giant, aimed at supporting entrepreneurs developing artificial intelligence-driven technologies in the areas of health, mobility, enterprise and deep tech. Since the Palo Alto venture firm’s launch in 2018, it has invested in 20 seed-stage companies, with […]
Solar-powered aircraft developer Skydweller Aero adds $8M to Series A, partners with Palantir
Airplanes and drones today, regardless of size or fuel type, all face the same limitation: eventually they have to land. Skydweller Aero, the U.S.-Spanish aerospace startup, wants to break free from that constraint by developing an autonomous solar-powered aircraft it says will eventually be capable of perpetual flight. Their pitch, which helped the company raise […]
Edtech leans into the creator economy with cohort-based classes
Revitalized by the pandemic, entrepreneurs are on the hunt to refresh some of education’s most traditional tenets, from flashcards to tutors to after-school programs. And those aren’t just bets: They’re unicorn-valued businesses looking to capitalize on consumers’ newfound digital adoption. The edtech sector’s boom is rivaled by that of the creator economy, which promises to […]
Soccer-Arsenal’s Arteta hopes for fresh start after international break
September 9, 2021 LONDON (Reuters) – Mikel Arteta believes the international break came at the right time for his Arsenal side as they try to overturn a dreadful start to the Premier League season. A 5-0 hammering at champions Manchester City heading into the break left Arsenal bottom of the table with three defeats from […]
Blockstream to partner with Australia’s Macquarie for green bitcoin mining
September 9, 2021 (Reuters) – Blockchain firm Blockstream Mining said on Thursday it would partner with Australian financial conglomerate Macquarie Group to develop bitcoin mining facilities that use renewable energy. Bitcoin is the world’s biggest cryptocurrency and is “mined” using vast amounts of electricity generated with fossil fuels, leading to criticism over the environmental harm […]
Exclusive-Singapore’s ADVANCE.AI raising $200 million from Warburg Pincus-led investors – sources
September 9, 2021 By Anshuman Daga SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Singapore-headquartered tech startup ADVANCE.AI is raising about $200 million in a funding round that will propel it into a small group of Southeast Asia unicorns – unlisted companies valued at $1 billion or more, two sources familiar with the matter said. ADVANCE.AI, which uses artificial intelligence-driven […]
Euro zone banks rise as ECB slows bond purchases
September 9, 2021 By Sruthi Shankar (Reuters) -Euro zone stocks bounced off session lows and banking shares climbed on Thursday after the European Central Bank signalled it will only slightly reduce its emergency bond purchases over the coming quarter, in line with expectations. After falling as much as 0.9% in morning trade, the index clawed […]
Russia’s Yakutia province governor warns of more deadly wildfires next year
September 9, 2021 VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (Reuters) – The governor of Russia’s northern province of Yakutia, which suffered from widespread wildfires this summer, warned of the risks of a similar disaster next year if unusually hot and dry weather persists. The vast swathes of Yakutia’s forest were engulfed by wildfires in the summer, with smoke reaching […]
Soccer-Stuttering Juve look to returning Kean for inspiration
September 9, 2021 By Peter Hall (Reuters) – After losing talisman Cristiano Ronaldo to Manchester United, things went from bad to worse for Juventus in their last match against Empoli and now they must look elsewhere for inspiration, with a new yet familiar face ready to fire. To say things did not work out for […]
Soccer-European club body opposes biennial World Cup plans
September 9, 2021 (Reuters) – European Leagues, the body representing professional club competitions on the continent, has firmly and unanimously opposed any proposals to stage the World Cup every two years. European Leagues is the latest among a number of stakeholders in the game who have expressed concerns over FIFA’s plans for a biennial World […]
Nio may delay Hong Kong listing to next year – Bloomberg News
September 9, 2021 (Reuters) – Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio Inc may delay its planned Hong Kong listing to next year, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. The U.S.-traded company has received queries from the Hong Kong stock exchange about aspects of its structure, including a user trust set up […]
Fed officials say tapering could still get started this year
September 9, 2021 By Jonnelle Marte (Reuters) – Several Federal Reserve policymakers on Wednesday signaled that the U.S. central bank remains on track to trimming its massive asset purchases this year, despite the slowdown in jobs growth seen in August and the impact of the recent COVID-19 resurgence. “The big picture is that the taper […]
Wildfire in Southern Spain forces 500 to flee
September 9, 2021 ESTEPONA, Spain (Reuters) – A wildfire has forced the evacuation of some 500 people from the southern Spanish resort of Estepona, local authorities said on Thursday. The blaze started on Wednesday around 9:30 p.m., according to the emergency services, who received 140 calls. About 250 firefighters are operating to extinguish the fire, […]
Afghan journalists beaten in Taliban detention, editor says
September 9, 2021 (Reuters) – Two Afghan journalists were beaten in police custody this week after covering a protest by women in Kabul where they were detained by the Taliban, their editor said. Zaki Daryabi, founder and editor-in-chief of the Etilaat Roz newspaper, shared images on social media of two male reporters, one with large, […]
Former French Health Minister Buzyn summoned by judges – Le Monde
September 9, 2021 PARIS (Reuters) – Former French Health Minister Agnes Buzyn was summoned to appear before judges on Friday to face questions over whether her response to the coronavirus pandemic was inadequate, newspaper Le Monde reported. The judges of the Cour de Justice de La Republique, a special court that deals with complaints against […]
Qatari official says Kabul airport 90% operational, expects gradual reopening
September 9, 2021 DUBAI (Reuters) – Afghanistan’s Kabul Airport is about 90% ready for operations but its re-opening is planned gradually, a Qatari official said, speaking on the tarmac on Thursday. Reopening the airport, a vital lifeline with both the outside world and across Afghanistan’s mountainous territory has been a high priority for the Taliban […]
Soccer-Ronaldo set for Old Trafford homecoming party
September 9, 2021 By Martyn Herman LONDON (Reuters) – As the Premier League resumes following the international break all eyes will be on Cristiano Ronaldo’s homecoming party at Old Trafford on Saturday, with the Portuguese international set to resume his Manchester United career after 12 years away. The 36-year-old re-joined United from Juventus on a […]
Soccer-Long to miss Southampton clash with West Ham after COVID test
September 9, 2021 LONDON (Reuters) – Southampton will be without striker Shane Long for their home Premier League game with West Ham United after he tested positive for COVID-19, manager Ralph Hasenhuettl confirmed on Thursday. Hasenhuettl, like his fellow top-flight managers, says the international breaks are complicated with players travelling back from far flung destinations. […]
