Timex, the company that made those plastic watches you probably wore when you were a kid, has announced a new addition to its lineup of Ironman GPS trackers. The Timex Ironman R300 GPS is available now on Timex’s website for $120. Timex is touting the R300 as its first smartwatch, but it has sold fitness Read More…
Hello and welcome back to our regular morning look at private companies, public markets and the gray space in between. Today we’re starting on a somber topic, so I’ll hold off on our usual jokes and attempts at puns. The impact of the coronavirus known as COVID-19 is starting to show up in U.S.-based technology earnings, and it’s something we need to discuss. We’ll get back to SaaS multiples, the IPO market, and riffing on startups later today, but first, some bad news from the public markets. Let’s examine the latest from Microsoft, Nutanix, and Booking Holdings (parent company of
Uber has announced two new features that are meant to improve communication between riders and drivers and make pickups less stressful. If this sounds familiar, it’s because Uber is constantly tweaking its app and rolling out new devices in its crusade to perfect those pesky pickups. The first change is a series of notifications meant Read More…
Whether you’re heading to Tokyo for two weeks or simply doing a few days in Montreal, a crossbody bag is a very practical thing to pack for a trip. Unlike a slippery tote, a crossbody will stay on your shoulder while you remove your shoes and simultaneously scramble for your boarding pass at security. And Read More…
Microsoft’s Your Phone app for Android can route photos, incoming notifications, and text messages to your Windows 10 PC. Its latest feature update added something even more useful: the ability to make and receive calls on your PC without reaching for your phone. The app can even let you seamlessly transfer calls between your PC Read More…
My Instagram profile probably reveals more personal details about me than any other social network page. As a result, I started to get creeped out after I realized just how many people were following me I didn’t actually know. Locking down your privacy on Instagram can be as simple as setting your profile to “private.” Read More…
Cioplenu, an Augsburg-based startup that is building what it dubs an “operating system” for the production floor, has raised €4.2M in seed financing. Leading the round is Berlin-based Cherry Ventures. Also participating is Munich’s 42Cap, which led Cioplenu’s pre-seed round in 2018, along with three fairly high-profile angels. They are Fabian Heinrich, co-founder of Scoutbee (which recently announced a $60 million Series B), Christian Heinrich, founder and professor for digital transformation, and Moritz Zimmermann, co-founder of Hybris (which exited to SAP for $1.5 billion in 2013). Billed as a SaaS for “deskless” workers, Cioplenu aims to digitize an array of
SparkLabs Group announced today that it has launched SparkLabs Connex, the latest program in its network of startup accelerators and venture funds. Focused on real estate technology (proptech) and the Internet of Things, SparkLabs Connex will tap into startup ecosystems in Silicon Valley, Seoul, Shenzhen, Taipei and Singapore. The program will support startups working with tech, like artificial intelligence, 5G, low-power wide area networks, eSIMS and security, essential to green building and smart city programs. Charles Reed Anderson, the founder of Singapore-based IoT, mobility and smart city advisory firm CRA & Associates, will lead SparkLabs Connex as its managing partner.
Dahmakan, a full-stack food delivery startup based in Malaysia, announced today that it has closed a $18 million Series B. Investors include Rakuten Capital, White Star Capital, JAFCO Asia and GEC-KIP Fund, along with participation from South Korean food delivery app Woowa Brothers, and returning investors Partech Partners and Y Combinator. This brings Dahmakan’s total funding to about $28 million. Its previous round of financing was announced last May. Launched by former executives from FoodPanda, Dahmakan was the first Malaysian startup to participate in Y Combinator’s startup accelerator program. Operational costs for food delivery companies are notoriously high, and eat
In an early-evening press conference, President Donald Trump tapped Vice President Mike Pence to lead the U.S. response to the COVID-19 outbreak that has spread through Europe, Asia and Latin America. The new coronavirus strain, which has infected about 81,000 people around the world and killed 3,000, has already wrought havoc on the global economy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned yesterday that the U.S. will likely not be able to escape the spread of the virus. “It’s not a question of if this will happen but when this will happen and how many people in this country
