Coca-Cola, BanQu launch payment platform for informal waste reclaimers, boosting bankability

In recognition of Global Recycling Day on March 18, beverage company Coca-Cola South Africa and blockchain-based supply chain and economic passport platform BanQu are rolling out a payment platform to financially empower informal waste reclaimers and buyback centres in a boost to the local recycling sector.
Blip Labs, Inc. Announces Collaboration with Movencorp

Blip and Moven will work together to provide community financial institutions with proactive ways for customers to manage cash flow, lower their bills, and find new products and services that improve their everyday and financial lives.
This Pipe-ing hot startup just raised $50M to be the ‘Nasdaq for revenue’

A little over one year ago, Pipe raised a $6 million seed round led by Craft Ventures to help it pursue its mission of giving SaaS companies a funding alternative outside of equity or venture debt.
Vantiq, PrimusTech collaborate to usher in new era of smart buildings and smart healthcare

Vantiq today announced a partnership agreement with Singapore-based PrimusTech for the development and deployment of real-time applications that further the digital transformation of hospitals and commercial buildings.
Sarcos Robotics named 2021 Product Innovation Award Winner by IEEE Robotics and Automation Society for the Guardian XO Exoskeleton

Sarcos Robotics, a global leader in the production of robots that augment humans to enhance productivity and safety, today announced that its Guardian ® XO ® industrial exoskeleton —the world’s first full-body, battery-powered wearable industrial robot designed to increase strength and endurance—has been chosen by the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) as this year’s winner for Product Innovation in their annual RAS Awards program.
Boosted by the pandemic, meeting transcription service Otter.ai raises $50M

Over the past year or so, voice transcription startup Otter.ai doubled down on the future of remote work by integrating its product with meeting apps like Zoom and Google Meet. With the COVID-19 pandemic having sent so many to work from home, those investments have paid off — the company has transcribed over 100 million meetings with more than 3 billion minutes, and has seen an 8x increase in revenues during 2020. Now, Otter.ai is announcing its next steps, fueled by a new $50 million Series B round of investment.
Vantiq signs value-added distributorship with Tech Data Singapore

Vantiq today announced a partnership agreement with Tech Data Singapore to help Singapore companies build and deploy real-time applications to support their digital transformation efforts.
KPMG LLP, BitGo, Inc. and Coin Metrics, Inc. launch combined offering

KPMG LLP, the audit, tax and advisory firm, BitGo, Inc and Coin Metrics Inc. have announced a combined offering and the commercial launch of Coin Metrics’ FARUM™ to enable BitGo’s existing and future clients to actively monitor and manage public blockchain network risks.
Moven News: Allied Payment Network Announces Collaboration with Movencorp

Partnership Helps Fintechs, Community Banks and Credit Unions Offer Modernized Bill Pay Technology to Compete with Larger Institutions, Billers, Retailers
SoFar Sounds News: Sofar Sounds Acquires Ticketing Company Seated

Sofar Sounds announced its acquisition of ticketing company Seated for an undisclosed amount. Seated will continue to operate as an independent company and there are no changes in management structure.
Caffeine Inc. News: Drake + URL release 2021 battle rap lineup on Caffeine

In 2020, Drake brought together Ultimate Rap League (URL) and Caffeine, setting the battle rap scene on fire. With over 8.7 million in total viewership, millions of fans watched, voted and supported their favorite MCs during live battles—resulting in some of the largest entertainment streams in the world.
Flink News: Accel backs Mexican startup Flink’s effort to bring consumer investing to Latin America

Here in the U.S., we take for granted the ability to invest and trade in the stock market. So while we can get in an uproar about the various ways Robinhood may or may not be acting responsibly, it can be easy to forget that not everyone in the world has the same access to potentially making — or losing — money via trading as we do.
Seventh Sense News: Seventh Sense Biosystems Expands to European Markets for Consumer Blood Collection with TAP II CE Marking

Seventh Sense Biosystems, Inc. (7SBio), developers of the world’s first push-button blood collection device, announced today that the company has received CE mark approval from the European Commission for its TAP® II blood collection device. This clearance opens up European Union markets for consumers and patients to access simple, convenient, and more comfortable blood collection at home, all at the push of a button.
Qolo News: PlaceIQ Acquires Skyhook’s Geospatial Insights Business Line

Qolo, the B2B payments hub for the New Economy, today launched its INTERACT embedded processing functionality and platform licensing solutions through its 100% native cloud capability, an industry first.
PlaceIQ News: PlaceIQ Acquires Skyhook’s Geospatial Insights Business Line

PlaceIQ Inc., the leading data and technology provider that powers critical business and marketing decisions with location data, analytics, and insights, today announced it has acquired the Geospatial Insights business line from Skyhook Wireless Inc., the worldwide independent leader in location technology. This strategic acquisition will further accelerate PlaceIQ’s growth as the leader in location intelligence. Financial terms for the acquisition were not disclosed.
Kintaba News: Declare, Respond, Mitigate, Learn: How Kintaba Tackles Incident Response

There is established tooling for alert routing: Something breaks and it gets directed to an on-call dev or ops person to fix it. Then you try to automate testing to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Westbrook News: Ryan Reynolds to Star in Snapchat Series From Will Smith’s Westbrook Media

‘Ryan Doesn’t Know’ will feature the ‘Deadpool’ star trying his hand at new skills like ice sculpting, latte art and axe throwing.
ImaginAb News: ImaginAb and NEUVOGEN Announce Licensing Agreement for CD8 ImmunoPET Technology

ImaginAb Inc, a leading global provider of immuno-oncology imaging agents and NEUVOGEN, an immuno-oncology company developing next generation therapeutic whole cell cancer vaccines, announced they have signed a multi-year non-exclusive licensing agreement.
Westbrook News: Jada Pinkett Smith & Will Smith’s Westbrook Strikes Production Deal With Israel’s ‘Euphoria’ Producer Tedy Productions

Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith’s Westbrook Media is partnering with Israeli production firm Tedy Productions, known for making hit shows including the original teen drama Euphoria and game show A Star Is Born.
Coupang News: Coupang holds successful ‘Global Shopping Day’Posted

Online retail giant Coupang held a “Global Shopping Day,” Wednesday and Thursday, for customers stuck at home amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, selling imported global brand products with a maximum 50 percent discount.
PlaceIQ News: PlaceIQ’s Mobile Location Data Now Available On Bloomberg Enterprise Access Point

PlaceIQ the company building a new model of consumer behavior with location data and insights, today announced that its intelligence is now available to Bloomberg Data License clients via Bloomberg Enterprise Access Point. Bloomberg clients will now be able to layer in the complexities of foot traffic into their analysis for a fuller picture of consumer behavior and trends. The dataset provided by PlaceIQ will offer coverage for over 400 brands and 250+ tickers across six key verticals.
Paxos News: Paxos teams up with Chainlink to Boost adoption across defi markets

Chainlink’s decentralized oracles integrated into Paxos in a push to revamp its potential in the decentralized finance ecosystem.
ColdSnap News: Best of CES 2021: The (Virtual) Tech Show’s Weirdest and Most Wondrous Gadgets

A home soft-serve ice-cream dispenser is…the future? We went through a few phases of thought when confronted with the ColdSnap: Sure, the Keurig model is a way to hook customers, maybe even into a dreaded subscription.
ColdSnap News: Forget Nespresso, this pod machine makes ice cream and frozen margaritas

ColdSnap is taking the ice-cream dispensing game (if there ever was one) to new, and lofty heights, with its pod-dispensed ice-cream-making.
Moven News: Fintech Firm Moven partners with NYDIG to help digital banks launch Bitcoin products

Fintech firm Movencorp has announced a partnership with digital assets manager NYDIG to help digital banks launch Bitcoin products.
DriveWealth News: DriveWealth acquires Cuttone & Co.

DriveWealth, a leading global brokerage infrastructure platform, today announced the acquisition of Cuttone & Company, a globally-respected New York-based institutional broker dealer, thus bringing its pioneering technology to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). With this acquisition, retail investors around the world who trade fractional shares of U.S. equities via DriveWealth’s partners are provided direct access to the point of sale for NYSE securities with the same sophisticated trade execution technology that had previously only been accessible to institutional investors.
ColdSnap News: We scream for ColdSnap pod ice cream

There’s a Keurig-style pod machine on the market that doesn’t pour coffee into a mug, but ice cream into a bowl.
SoFar Sounds News: Jameson and Sofar Sounds team up to showcase UK musicians through virtual gigs

Jameson, Pernod Ricard’s popular Irish whiskey brand, has teamed up with music events startup Sofar Sounds to promote emerging musicians through a series of virtual gigs.
RiverMeadow News: RiverMeadow becomes the only cloud migration company to offer platform support for Google Cloud

RiverMeadow Software Inc., a leading provider of Cloud Migration Services and Migration Platform Capability, announced Platform support for migrations to Google Cloud. This now makes RiverMeadow the only Cloud Migration Platform to support automated migrations to both Google Cloud and Google Cloud VMware Engine (GCVE).
ColdSnap News: ColdSnap is the Keurig of ice cream, and it’s a CES 2021 product we all need right about now

The pod technology makes ice cream and other treats in under a minute and a half.
ColdSnap News: Ice cream Keurig? ColdSnap, which whips up soft-serve ice cream, smoothies like a Keurig, unveiled at CES

Here’s a reason to us all to scream for ice cream: a new device showcased at CES 2021 that can whip up frozen treats just like a Keurig does for coffee.
ColdSnap News: The ColdSnap will give you soft Serve ice cream on demand

CES 2021 has certainly been delivering the goods. The latest innovation to catch our attention is none other than the ColdSnap ice-cream-making machine, which is a home appliance being described as the Keurig of soft serves due in great part to its use of instant pods and general convenience.
DriveWealth News: Retail Investors Finish 2020 Strong as DriveWealth Sees Record 4Q Activity for Account Openings, Asset Growth, Number of Trades, and Volume Traded

Retail investing finished strong in 2020 as a heavy news cycle comprised of the U.S. presidential election, COVID-19 vaccine rollouts, notable IPO happenings, and general market movement contributed to new highs for account openings (particularly from digital wallets), asset growth, number of trades, and volume traded in 4Q, according to new data released today by DriveWealth, a leading global brokerage infrastructure platform.
ConsejoSano News: ConsejoSano Named a 2021 “Fierce 15” Company by Fierce Healthcare

ConsejoSano, a healthcare technology startup that specializes in linguistically and culturally-aligned outreach, has been named by Fierce Healthcare as one of the 2021 Fierce 15 companies, designating it as one of the most promising healthcare companies in the industry.
Paxos News: Blockchain Unchained: Paxos CEO sees expanded role for token-based digital assets

Although blockchain technology and Bitcoin, its best-known inhabitant, have been around for 10 years, the world is just now entering a seismic transition from holding account-based assets to a system that uses token-based digital assets. Whether it’s crypto, cash, gold, diamonds, stocks or even cows, Paxos Founder and CEO Charles Cascarilla said the financial world is undergoing an adoption curve.
DriveWealth News: Built In honors DriveWealth in Its esteemed 2021 best places To Work awards

DriveWealth Wins Best Small Companies to Work For and Best Paying Companies on Built In’s NYC List
ImaginAb News: Announces license and supply agreement with Pfizer for CD8 immunoPET technology

ImaginAb Inc., a leading global provider of immuno-oncology imaging agents, today announced it has signed a new multi-year, non-exclusive license with Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) to supply 89Zr CD8 Immuno-PET agent, which can be used to image CD8 T cells in cancer patients.
Paxos (itBit) News: PayPal handles $125 Million Crypto volume as market surpasses $1 trillion

According to data on Nomics, daily crypto transactions on leading US-based financial service company PayPal has exceeded $125 million.
Myeloid Therapeutics New: With lessons learned from Vor, Siddhartha Mukherjee takes a different route to target solid tumors with startup Myeloid

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Columbia professor, oncologist, hematologist and leading cancer researcher in 2016 launched Vor, a Cambridge, MA-based startup focused on a new cancer treatment in which cell surface antigens such as CD33 are removed from hematopoietic stem cells. They can then unleash a CAR-T therapy — made from T cells in a patient’s blood and genetically engineered to hunt for the antigens — to treat cancer using the body’s own immune system without attacking healthy cells that would’ve shared those antigens.
Myeloid Therapeutics News: Myeloid Therapeutics launches with Over $50 million in financing and two clinical trials

Myeloid Therapeutics, Inc., a company harnessing and reprogramming myeloid cells for treating cancers, launched today with over $50 million in financing to initiate multiple clinical trials in 2021. The Company combines advanced gene and cell engineering capabilities with substantial biologics knowledge to elucidate and redirect the power of myeloid cells to treat cancers, particularly solid tumors and those that are poorly served by existing therapies. Myeloid has advanced its lead development candidates through preclinical studies, implemented its manufacturing platform and plans to dose patients in the first half of this year.
Liteboxer seeks to KO exercise drudgery with home machine

Jeff Morin wants to eliminate the drudgery associated with exercise, which is why he and a partner have developed an interactive home workout machine built around boxing.
ColdSnap is New Ice Cream Small Appliance For Business & Retail

Sigma Phase, Corp. has announced ColdSnap for Business, a rapid freezing appliance with personalized single servings of premium ice cream, frozen yogurt, frozen cocktails, smoothies, and frozen coffee in about 90 seconds. ColdSnap for Business is a Keurig/Nespresso-style machine for ice cream and other frozen confections that lets stores and businesses offer their customers and employees delicious frozen confections in individualized servings, on-the-spot, free of messy preparation and cleanup.
Media conglomerate’s SPAC Group Nine Acquisition files for a $200 million IPO

Group Nine Acquisition, a blank check company formed by Group Nine Media targeting the media industry, filed on Monday with the SEC to raise up to $200 million in an initial public offering.
Fnatic enters Middle East with Xcite retail partnership

European esports organisation Fnatic has signed an exclusive retail partnership with Xcite by Alghanim Electronics, Kuwait’s largest electronic retailer.
Coldsnap Selected as CES 2021 Innovation Award Honoree

Sigma Phase, Corp. has been selected as a CES® 2021 Innovation Honoree – Home Appliances for the ColdSnap™ rapid freezing appliance, which produces single servings of frozen confections on demandonds with no mess. The CES Innovation Awards announcement was made ahead of CES 2021 – the world’s most influential technology event, happening January 11-14, 2021.
Exo Therapeutics snags $25M to handle ‘undruggable’ enzymes through their exosites

Michael Bruce, Ph.D., has worked for the likes of Pfizer and CRISPR Therapeutics, but now he’s the CEO of what he believes will be the future in medicine: Exo Therapeutics. The company raised $25 million (PDF) in series A funding to back a pipeline of drugs that bind their enzyme targets at their exosites. The goals are to create better medicines without harmful side effects and to hit targets that were previously considered undruggable.
ConsejoSano Raises $17M, Prepares for Vaccine Rollout

ConsejoSano, a patient engagement platform that works with several of the large insurers, raised $17 million in series B funding. The startup’s focus is to better communicate with patients based on their cultural background.
Funding U’s Jeannie Tarkenton Talks About Fintech’s Role in Student Loan Debt

Jeannie Tarkenton, CEO and founder of Funding U, started our conversation by acknowledging the reality faced by up to 45 million Americans: Talking about student loan debt isn’t really an enjoyable topic.
Flutter Ups Bet on U.S. With $4.2 Billion FanDuel Deal

Flutter Entertainment Plc said it’s buying Fastball Holdings LLC’s stake in FanDuel for $4.2 billion to get almost full ownership of the fast-growing U.S. bookmaker. Flutter shares rose as much as 14% to a record high.
Sarcos Robotics Named

Based on its recent analysis of the North American dexterous robots and exoskeletons market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Sarcos Robotics with the 2020 Company of the Year Award. In a market that has been dominated by traditional market players, Sarcos stands out with revolutionary products that are more energy-efficient, functional, and cost-efficient. Its full-body powered robotic exoskeletons combine the best of human intelligence, instinct, and judgment with the strength, endurance, and precision of machines.
Digital Impact Awards to recognise outstanding service providers

Individuals and organisations spearheading the use of digital tools to serve their communities better and enhance financial and digital inclusion across Africa are to be recognized at the 2020 Digital Impact Awards Africa (DIAA).
Chipper Cash, co-founded by Ham Serunjogi, raises Shs110bn, backed by Jeff Bezos

Chipper Cash, a payments company that was co-founded by Ugandan software developer Ham Serunjogi, raised $30 million (about Shs110 billion) in series B financing, with part of the money coming from Bezos Expeditions — the personal VC fund of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.
The Best Inventions of 2020: Rowing with a Router Hydrow

The Best Inventions of 2020: Times List
The Best Inventions of 2020: The Robot Suit

Sarcos Robotics Guardian XO Full-Body Powered Exoskeleton
Zapata Computing Announces $38 Million Funding for Series B Financing to Accelerate the Commercial Adoption of Quantum Computing Technologies and Applications

Zapata Computing, Inc., the leading enterprise software company for NISQ-based quantum applications, today announced it has received $38 million in Series B funding, bringing the total investment to over $64 million. This funding round was led by Comcast Ventures, Pitango and Prelude Ventures, with the support of additional existing Series A investors, including BASF Venture Capital, Robert Bosch Venture Capital and The Engine, as well as the commitment of new investors, including Ahren Innovation Capital, Alumni Ventures Group, Honeywell Venture Capital, ITOCHU Corporation and Merck Global Health Innovation Fund. This financing testifies to the investors’ belief in the promise of quantum computing as well as Zapata’s significant progress since its Series A financing last year.
Group Nine Launches Its Largest Shopping Solution, “Swipe.Shop,” With Over 80 Mobile Storefronts for the Holiday Shopping Season

Group Nine Media, the no. 1 video publisher on mobile in the U.S. [source: Nielsen DCR, June 2020], today announced the launch of “Swipe.Shop,” its largest, portfolio-wide, mobile shopping solution ever. Swipe.Shop will feature over 80 bespoke digital storefronts curated from editors across the five Group Nine brands (The Dodo, NowThis, POPSUGAR, Thrillist and Seeker) and spotlight the must-have products this holiday season. Group Nine has committed that 50% of all Swipe.Shop products will be from small business owners, including entrepreneurs Aurora James, Founder & Creative Director, Brother Vellies; Massy Arias, Health Coach & Co-Founder Tru Supplements; Kai Avent-deLeon, Founder, Sincerely, Tommy; Andréa McBride John, CEO and Co-Founder, and Robin McBride, President and Co-Founder, McBride Sisters Collection. 15% of all shelfspace will be reserved for Black-owned businesses.
Liteboxer seizes on home fitness trend with interactive boxing device

Peloton has cornered the market on interactive cycling machines; for rowing, Cambridge-based Hydrow has things covered. Now, a new startup is aiming to accomplish the same for at-home boxing workouts.
Esports Team Fnatic Secures $10 Million In Investment And Opens Up Crowdfunding

Major esports organization Fnatic has announced a new $10 million internal funding round and plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign to raise a further $1.3 million.
Entercom Acquires Direct-to-consumer Sports Betting Technology and Analytics Leader QL Gaming Group

Entercom Communications Corp. (NYSE: ETM) announced it has closed on the acquisition of sports data and iGaming affiliate platform QL Gaming Group (QLGG) in an all cash deal for approximately $32 million. The acquisition brings unrivaled data, analytics and insight-driven content to Entercom’s best-in-class sports broadcast stations, influential podcasts and RADIO.COM, the fastest growing digital audio platform in America.
Funding U Closes $14M debt/equity Round With Goldman Sachs as Provider of Credit Facility

Funding U, a financial technology company serving high-performing, underrepresented college students, has closed a $14 million debt/equity round and has added Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group to its roster of credit providers, with a $10 million line of credit. Investors providing $4 million in equity include Deciens Capital, Valor Ventures, MacKenzie Scott, Next Act Fund LLC and The JumpFund.
Fabletics and Hydrow Team up to Deliver Immersive Fitness Experience in Retail and Beyond

Fabletics today announced a strategic, long-term partnership with Hydrow, the immersive at-home rower with live and on-demand athlete-led workouts. With this partnership, the Fabletics community of more than two million VIP Members and guests of the brand’s 51 retail stores gain unrivaled access to the Hydrow experience.
The 2020 Shape Well Tech Awards

From smart jump ropes to lightweight sneakers, these are the best tech wellness products you’ll want to get your hands on this year.
KPMG LLP And Coin Metrics, Inc. Enter Strategic Alliance

KPMG LLP and Coin Metrics, Inc. have entered a strategic alliance to deliver trusted data & insights, proprietary analytics and cryptoasset services to support growth in institutional adoption of cryptoassets and public blockchains. This alliance pairs Coin Metrics’ full-suite of institutional data products and infrastructure with KPMG Chain Fusion, a patent pending suite of capabilities announced in June.
Brokerage provider DriveWealth scoops $56.7m Series C funding round

The fintech raised the fresh pot of cash from new and existing investors, including Santander’s fintech-friendly investment arm Mouro Capital.US-based brokerage DriveWealth has secured a $56.7m Series C funding round, taking its total raised to date to $100.8m.
iHeartMedia to Acquire Podcast Company Voxnest

iHeartMedia has announced plans to acquire Voxnest, a podcast and analytics organization. The acquisition will provide iHeart’s podcast infrastructure with new features including a new podcast analytics platform, enterprise publishing tools, programmatic integration and targeted ad serving for the growing podcast market
Retail Investing Hits New Highs in Q3 as DriveWealth Sees Record Activity for Account Openings, Number of Trades, and Volume Traded

Retail investing hit several new highs for account openings, number of trades, and volume traded in Q3 amid the ongoing global economic uncertainty due to the pandemic, according to new data released today by DriveWealth, a leader in global digital trading technology.
Fnatic Are One Of The Most Resilient European Team, Look To Make Furors On The International Stage

Despite the ever-changing landscape of the League of Legends professional scene, there’s one team that’s seemingly always adapted and stayed totally present over the entire course of the game’s history: Fnatic.
Kevin Hart Named Creative Director of Hydrow

Hydrow, the Live Outdoor Reality™ (LOR) rower, today announced that award-winning stand-up comedian and actor, Kevin Hart, is joining the brand as Creative Director. In his new role, Hart will bring his unique perspective, vision, drive and passion for fitness to Hydrow as the brand continues to rapidly grow in the connected fitness industry.
Sarcos lands US Navy Contract to Develop Exoskeleton-Based Robot

Sarcos Defense, a Sarcos Robotics subsidiary, announced it has been awarded a contract by the US Office of Naval Research to develop a remote-controlled variant of the upper-body of the Sarcos Guardian XO wearable exoskeleton robot.
[Interview] We’re connecting Africa one transaction at a time, Leon Kiptum, Chipper Cash Kenya boss

Financial technology – Fintech, has become a significant force in shaping the structure of the financial services industry in Africa and the world at large. With over 60% of the adult population being unbanked and the financial sector considerably underdeveloped, fintech has been a welcomed revolution that is seen to be boosting Africa’s financial infrastructure.
Zapata Computing Joins Quantum Industry Canada as Founding Member

Zapata Computing, the leading enterprise software company for quantum computing, announced this week it is a founding member of Quantum Industry Canada, a technology industry association with a mission to ensure that Canadian quantum innovation and talent is translated into Canadian business success and economic prosperity.
INTERVIEWSMax Versace, CEO and Co-Founder of Neurala – Interview Series

Dr. Massimiliano Versace is the co-founder and CEO of Neurala, and the company visionary. After his pioneering research in brain-inspired computing and deep networks, he continues to inspire and lead the world of autonomous robotics. He has spoken at dozens of events and venues, including TedX, NASA, the Pentagon, GTC, InterDrone, National Labs, Air Force Research Labs, HP, iRobot, Samsung, LG, Qualcomm, Ericsson, BAE Systems, AI World, Mitsubishi, ABB and Accenture, among many others.
Sarcos Defense to develop dexterous robotic systems for USAF

Sarcos Robotics-subsidiary Sarcos Defense has secured a contract to support the development of human-scale dexterous robotic systems for the US Air Force (USAF).
Utah company, Sarcos Robotics named a finalist in Fast Company’s 2020 Innovation by Design Awards

Sarcos Robotics, a global leader in the production of robots that augment humans to enhance productivity and safety, announced that its Guardian ® XO ® industrial exoskeleton—the world’s first full-body, battery-powered wearable industrial robot designed to increase strength and endurance—has been recognized by Fast Company in their 2020 Innovation by Design Awards. The Guardian XO robot was named a Finalist in the Products category and received Honorable Mention in the General Excellence category.
Zapata Announces Commercial Release of Orquestra

Zapata Computing, a leading enterprise software company for quantum computing, today announced the commercial release of Orquestra, a workflow-based, unified toolset for applied quantum computing that allows users to compose and run quantum workflows across a range of devices, both quantum and classical, on a unified quantum operating environment. Previously accessible only to Early Access Program participants, Orquestra is now commercially available as a highly extensive workflow management tool for developing quantum and quantum-inspired workflows and algorithms across use cases and industries.
Rally raises $17M to Expand a Platform that Lets You Invest in (but not buy) Collectibles

When people ponder the investment opportunity around collectibles, they probably think about things like wine auctions, sales of very expensive old cars or baseball cards, or maybe a pocket watch that made an unlikely appearance on an antiques TV show, hoping that their piece of treasure might one day also be worth millions. But a startup announcing some funding today is hoping that you might add another kind of more realistic kind of collectibles investment into the mix: taking equity in an object that you might not own outright, but might still prove to give you good dividends.
Zapata Announces Commercial Release of Orquestra, the Workflow-Based, Modular Toolset for Applied Quantum Computing

Zapata Computing, a leading enterprise software company for quantum computing, today announced the commercial release of Orquestra®, a workflow-based, unified toolset for applied quantum computing that allows users to compose and run quantum workflows across a range of devices, both quantum and classical, on a unified quantum operating environment. Previously accessible only to Early Access Program participants, Orquestra is now commercially available as a highly extensive workflow management tool for developing quantum and quantum-inspired workflows and algorithms across use cases and industries.
Channel Your Inner Ripley with the New Guardian XO Exosuit, For Lease in 2021

After stomping into an array of Hollywood films like Aliens, Avatar, Elysium, Edge of Tomorrow and others, the age of the exoskeleton suit is finally upon us. Articulated machines that assist humans with numerous daily endeavors are hitting the marketplace with devices that seem like they’ve stepped straight off a sci-fi movie set.
Chipper Cash, co-founded by Ham Serunjogi, closes deal with AS Roma

Chipper Cash, a payments company that was co-founded by Ugandan software developer Ham Serunjogi, has closed a deal with AS Roma which announced that the fintech will now be its “official money transfer platform for Africa.”
Alloy Secures $40M To Digitally Onboard Banking Customers

Alloy, an identity operating system for the financial services industry, raised $40 million in Series B funding.
Neobank Unifimoney partners with DriveWealth to offer investing services

Unifimoney is partnering with brokerage platform DriveWealth to add investment options to its product offerings, the companies announced Wednesday. The new feature, made available through DriveWealth’s application programming interface (API)-enabled technology, joins Unifimoney’s existing suite of products, which includes a high-yield checking account, a credit and debit card and investing. The San Francisco-based startup, which describes itself as a neobank for affluent millennials, is the latest fintech to use automation to help customers save and invest money.
This Full-body Exoskeleton Allows you to Lift Weights of up to 90 Kilos with Great Ease

Sarcos Robotics is preparing to market its Guardian XO exoskeleton designed to lift up to 90 kilos of weight, to make workers in industries such as aviation, logistics, oil, construction or defense able to perform much more varied tasks without endangering their physical integrity.
Fnatic Replaces Rivalry with two-year Parimatch Partnership

London-based organisation Fnatic has found a new betting sponsor in Cypriot online bookmaker Parimatch.
Fnatic CEO Says ‘Esports Is Growing Exponentially’

Fnatic founder and CEO Sam Matthews believes that esports is growing exponentially right now, partly thanks to the impact the current pandemic has had on the industry.
How a Network of Cities and Livestreams is Keeping Musicians Playing

Technology and innovation form a new model disrupting the music industry by giving artists a global audience, fair pay and industry education—all during a pandemic.
Zapata Computing Announces Scientific Advisory Board to Foster Collaboration Between Enterprise Quantum Computing and the Greater Research Community

Zapata Computing, the leading enterprise software company for NISQ-based quantum applications, today announced its newly formed Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). The SAB’s mission is to establish a stronger connection between the community of scientists focused on quantum computing, a community in which Zapata is actively involved, and the broader business community.
Sarcos Robotics Raises $40 Million In Series C Funding

Today, Sarcos Robotics, a global leader in the production of robots that augment humans to enhance productivity and safety, announced that it has raised $40 million in an oversubscribed Series C financing round. The Series C round was led by Rotor Capital, with most of the company’s existing investors participating in the financing.
HypeVR Becomes 3nfinite And Launches Enbly App Enabling Spatial Volumetric Video Over 5G

I have been following HypeVR, a San Diego-based company in the VR space, since I encountered it at Intel’s booth at CES 2017, and I’ve watched the company’s technology improve and grow. During a recent visit to the company’s San Diego offices, founder Tonaci Tran walked me through the progress that the company has made over the last 3 years. The company’s growth is in part due to the involvement of industry luminaries and a co-founder and CSO at 3nfinite like Ted Schilowitz, Futurist at Paramount (who I know from way back in his days at RED Digital Cinema).
Mexican Neobank Flink Selects DriveWealth to Access US Equities

Mexico-based neobank Flink has announced a partnership with DriveWealth, LLC, a US-based digital trading technology supplier, to add access to the US equities market to its platform. Leveraging DriveWealth’s real-time fractional share trading technology and API-enabled brokerage infrastructure, Flink customers will be able to invest in US stocks with as little as 30 pesos, directly funded from the Flink platform.
Using Space To Help With The Mauritius Oil Spill

On July 25, 2020, the Japanese-owned bulk carrier MV Wakashio ran aground on a coral reef off the coast of Mauritius, spilling at least 1,000 tons of oil and endangering some of the world’s most pristine coral reefs and lagoons. Twenty-three days later, the spill continues to threaten the reefs, human well-being and livelihoods, and many rare species along the coast, engulfing UNESCO-designated marine parks and protected mangrove forests alike.
Sarcos-Built Exoskeleton Wins Tech Competition

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences selected an exoskeleton suit from Sarcos Robotics as the winner of the nonprofit consortium’s 2020 Commercial Technologies for Maintenance Activities Technology Competition.
Big Night Entertainment Group Announces Launch of Big Night Talent

Big Night Entertainment Group, one of the nation’s preeminent entertainment and hospitality companies, announced today the launch of Big Night Talent (BNT), a first-of-its-kind venture strategically designed to support artists in managing all facets of their careers amid the challenges and turbulency of today’s creative industries.
Luminoso Recognized On Inc. 5000 List Of Fastest-Growing Private Companies

Luminoso, the company that turns unstructured text data into business-critical insights, announced that it has been named to the annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing companies.
Moven Marks 10 Year Anniversary Milestone

Moven, the New York-based financial technology innovator is marking an historical moment on August 8, 2020 as the company celebrates its 10-year anniversary. Brett King, Moven founder and Executive Chairman, first registered the domain name movenbank.com on August 8, 2010. The beginnings of the company can be traced to Brett King’s national launch tour for his bestseller Bank 2.0. The concept of transforming access to banking through technology was in its infancy, yet was attracting attention from entrepreneurs, bankers, innovators, and the like, and generating conversations about the future roles of technology and banking.
From Desert Battlefields To Coral Reefs, Private Satellites Revolutionize The View

As the U.S. military and its allies attacked the last Islamic State holdouts last year, it wasn’t clear how many civilians were still in the besieged desert town of Baghouz, Syria.
U.S. Marines To Test

With the Guardian XO, the U.S. Marines can boost the capabilities of its logistics personnel while improving safety and productivity.
Luminoso Introduces Deep Learning Model for Evaluating Sentiment at the Concept Level

Company’s state-of-the-art architecture identifies unique concepts within text-based communications, and analyzes the sentiment of each concept. Luminoso, the company that automatically turns unstructured text data into business-critical insights, unveiled its new deep learning model for analyzing sentiment of multiple concepts within the same text-based document.
Why Fnatic is a Leading Brand in Esports

Fnatic is one of the oldest leading brands in esports. A staple of the European esports scene, Fnatic has risen to become one of esports’ most elite organizations since its founding in 2004. Esports fans associate the name “Fnatic” with top teams competing for championships.
IfOnly has been acquired by Mastercard

While it’s bittersweet to say farewell to IfOnly.com, we are excited to inform you that IfOnly has been acquired by Mastercard, officially becoming part of a well-recognized, global brand and Fortune 500 company.
Retail Investing Continues Its Upward Trend in Q2 as DriveWealth Sees Record Retail Investing Activity

DriveWealth’s retail investing hit new highs in Q2 amid the ongoing global economic uncertainty due to the pandemic, with fractional share trades increasing 87% from Q1, according to new data released today by DriveWealth, a leader in global digital trading technology. Data from the DriveWealth platform indicates this surge in retail activity is evidence of a larger paradigm shift in retail investing.
PayPal Picks Paxos to Supply Crypto for New Service, Sources Say

PayPal, the fintech giant planning to bring crypto trading to its massive user base, has chosen Paxos to handle the new service’s supply of digital assets, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Reed’s Inc. Launches Ultimate Ready-to-Drink Mule With A Real Ginger Kick

Reed’s Inc. (NASDAQ: REED), America’s #1 name in ginger has launched its first-ever alcoholic beverage: Reed’s® Zero Sugar Classic Mule, a naturally brewed, ready-to-drink ginger mule made in partnership with Full Sail Brewing Co., Oregon’s award-winning craft brewer.
African payment startup Chipper Cash raises $13.8M Series A

African cross-border fintech startup Chipper Cash has closed a $13.8 million Series A funding round led by Deciens Capital and plans to hire 30 new staff globally.
4 Alternatives to Payday Loans in Pennsylvania

We think it’s important for you to understand how we make money. It’s pretty simple, actually. The offers for financial products you see on our platform come from companies who pay us. The money we make helps us give you access to free credit scores and reports and helps us create our other great tools and educational materials.
Hydrow Raises $25 Million Led by LVMH Fund to Take On Peloton

Hydrow, a maker of $2,199 rowing machines that competes against Peloton Interactive Inc. for a share of the at-home fitness market, raised $25 million from investors led by L Catterton, a LVMH-backed private equity firm.
Vanguard & Symbiont Pilot ABS Settlement on Distributed Ledger Technology

Vanguard, an American registered investment advisor in partnership with technology provider Symbiont, has announced the completion of the initial phase of a blockchain pilot designed to digitise the issuance of asset-backed securities (ABS).
Liteboxer is Peloton, but for Boxing

Liteboxer is a new startup offering a Peloton-esque digital boxing trainer for at-home use, arriving at the perfect time. The hardware reimagines an old-timey standup punch ball as a digital game of Lights Out, harnessing rhythm to guide your punches. On the front of the machine is a flower with six punch zones that light up, directing where you should hit in a given program.
Liteboxer Steps Into The Ring To Deliver An Unbeatable At-Home Fitness Experience

Fitness technology startup Liteboxer launches today with a first-of-its-kind fitness platform that brings the excitement of the boxing ring into the home. Now available for pre-order, Liteboxer combines breakthrough technology and expert training for a full-body boxing workout that builds cardio, strength, and mental acuity.
The Good Face Project Announces iOS Mobile App to Deliver Clean, Customized Skincare Directly to Consumers

The Good Face Project, the world’s largest data-driven index of cosmetic ingredients, today announced the availability of its new app for iOS mobile devices. Using powerful AI algorithms, the app prompts users to answer questions regarding their skincare needs and goals, factoring in lifestyle choices and other natural elements, to provide a personalized, shoppable skincare regimen of clean beauty products available on the market. The Good Face app is providing consumers with the space to discover the safest and most effective products, and offering beauty brands an insight into consumer needs.
Rally Rd. Lets You Own a Piece of Rare Sports History Without Being Filthy Rich

A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card in mint condition sold for $2.88 million in 2018, and the same card with a little more wear and tear was auctioned for $408,000 a year earlier. While any collector would love to own such cards, their price tags far exceeded the budgets of all but the very rich.
Fox Co-leads Backing as Caffeine.tv Raises US$113m

US social broadcast platform Caffeine.tv has raised US$113 million during a series D funding round co-led by the US media giant Fox Corporation, Atlanta-based conglomerate Cox Enterprises, and the Saudi Arabian investment firm Sanabil Investments.
Ever Imagined Sending Money With Zero Charges?

Let’s talk about Chipper Cash App! The beauty of fintech is in its versatility. As we embrace technology, we begin to realize how expensive it is to save and move our money. Think about it this way – if you were to be refunded all the extra charges on your account (including the money you paid for ‘paper’ used to print out your account statement) how much would it be?
Vanguard to Go Live on Symbiont’s Blockchain Platform for Foreign Exchange in Q3 2020

Mutual fund giant Vanguard has completed another blockchain pilot that aims to change the risk profile of foreign exchange (FX) transactions.
Hydrow Raises $25 Million Led by LVMH Fund to Take On Peloton

Hydrow, a maker of $2,199 rowing machines that competes against Peloton Interactive Inc. for a share of the at-home fitness market, raised $25 million from investors led by L Catterton, a LVMH-backed private equity firm.
Bionic Sight, LLC Doses First Patient in a Phase 1/2 Clinical Trial of a New Investigational Treatment for Blindness caused by Retinitis Pigmentosa

Bionic Sight, LLC announced today that it has dosed the first patient in the Company’s Phase 1/2 clinical trial of BS01, an optogenetic gene therapy for patients with Retinitis Pigmentosa. This is an important step toward bringing BS01 forward as a treatment to enable patients with retinal degenerative diseases to detect light, motion, and shapes, with the ultimate goal of restoring eyesight.
A Military EDC that Lifts Up to 45,000 Pounds

Synthetic fibers and some old fashioned engineering chops led to this man-packable, mission-critical device. A company that develops robots for industries like construction has created a “man-packable” heavy-lift system that can lift objects weighing up to 45,000 pounds. It’s a good example of the dexterity of an engineering-first firm when tasked with problems that may fall outside its primary brief but nonetheless present alluring engineering challenges.
Sports Data Platform QL Gaming Raises $1.1 Million; Acquires Accuscore

The QL Gaming Group, which provides sports betting data and analytics to consumers, media companies and sportsbooks, has raised $1.1 million in funding, and acquired Finnish sports simulation company Accuscore.
BioBeats Becomes a Huma Company

Today we have the pleasure to inform you that BioBeats has been acquired by the leading health-tech company, Huma.
YANA unveils AS Roma, Fnatic, NiP, North, and more as participants

AS Roma, LAFC, Fnatic, Ninjas in Pyjamas, North, and NoFuchsGiven have all signed up to support YANA, which takes place from midday to midnight on May 2nd. Titles such as FIFA 20, Fortnite, Rainbow Six Siege, Minecraft, and Zwift will be broadcast on both Facebook and Twitch on the day.
Zapata Computing opens early access to Orquestra for quantum-enabled workflow

Today Zapata Computing announced an Early Access Program to Orquestra, its end-to-end platform for quantum-enabled workflows. Providing the most software- and hardware-interoperable, enterprise quantum toolset, Orquestra enables advanced technology, R&D and academic teams to accelerate quantum solutions for complex computational problems in optimization, machine learning and simulation across a variety of industries. With extensive support and guidance from Zapata experts, Orquestra will allow teams to accelerate their work in quantum.
TDK Ventures Invests in Biomagnetic Medical Imaging Company Genetesis

TDK Corporation (TSE:6762) announces that subsidiary TDK Ventures Inc. adds to its growing portfolio of companies with an investment in Genetesis, a world leader in non-invasive biomagnetic imaging. Genetesis is the fifth investment by the TDK corporate venture capital (CVC) fund, and first in digital healthcare, since its July 2019 launch – with a mission to invest in innovative startups focusing on digital and energy transformation and contributing to sustainability.
Real-time biometric and thermal tracking for airports developed by Amorph Systems and Vantiq

Amorph Systems and Vantiq are collaborating with each other and an unknown number of development and hardware partners on integrated systems for continuous, real-time biometric and thermal monitoring for airports.
New Premium Ice Cream from The Farmer’s Cow Gives Families a Reason to Smile

The Farmer’s Cow has teamed up with Bliss Creamery to create new premium recipes and deliver a wholesome, value-packed treat that’s good for the regional economy. Look for it in the freezer at more than 550 locations throughout New England.
Luminoso Offers Cloud-based Text Analytics Application through Partner Program

Luminoso, the company that turns unstructured text data into business-critical insights, announced that the company’s cloud-based text analytics application Daylight Express is now available to channel partners through the Luminoso Partner Program.
Voya to Provide Student Loan Debt Solution to its Workplace Clients

Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE:VOYA), announced today a new strategic relationship with Vault, an industry-leading student loan benefit technology provider. With student loan debt in the U.S. totaling approximately $1.55 trillion,1 the new relationship comes at a time when more Americans are seeking resources to help pay off debt as fast as possible — without sacrificing saving for retirement. Voya will offer Vault’s platform as an optional service to its workplace clients, supporting the company’s broader focus and efforts to address the financial wellness needs of Americans.
DriveWealth Forges First Partnership in Middle East and North Africa Region with UAE-Based Wealthface

A U.S. based leader in global digital trading technology, announced today a new partnership with Wealthface LLC, an innovative UAE-based wealth management company and online investment platform. The agreement marks DriveWealth’s first initiative in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, bringing the firm’s technology and brokerage execution services to one of the region’s first investment robo-advisors.
CloudChomp Announces Partnership with RiverMeadow to Accelerate Customers’ Migrations to AWS

CloudChomp announces RiverMeadow Software® Inc. as a new addition to their new C3 Partner Program which will accelerate onboarding to Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Cambridge Mobile Telematics Launches the ‘Safest Driver’ Mobile App Rewarding Drivers for Safe Behavior Behind the Wheel

Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT), the world’s leader in mobile telematics and behavioral analytics, announced the public release of its Safest Driver platform today, making widely available the app proven to reduce phone distraction and other risky driving behaviors by almost half in as little as 30 days.
Scotch Porter Founder Calvin Quallis Talks New Haircare Line, Self Care Beyond Products

With the launch of a new line and reformulated products, Scotch Porter’s founder talks to VIBE about the company’s history and its emphasis on community and lifestyle.
Sia blockchain developer Nebulous releases decentralized file sharing platform

Nebulous, the company behind the Sia decentralized cloud storage network, has released a new platform called Skynet to enable high-speed, low-cost content distribution and file sharing.
Luminoso offers smarts for enterprise search engines

American startup Luminoso has launched an AI-based product aimed at improving the results of search engines used by businesses.
Fnatic partners with PCSpecialist to launch branded computer

London-based organisation Fnatic has announced computer manufacturer PCSpecialist as its new official gaming PC partner.
Esports Organization Fnatic Completes Rebrand

Fnatic, the London based esports organization, who fields teams in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends, Dota 2, and others took to Twitter on Friday announcing a complete organization rebrand.
Sarcos robo-suit turning Delta air crews into superhuman man-machines

At this year’s CES, the Salt Lake City-based robotics specialist [Sarcos] and Delta Airlines announced pilot trials, with Delta employees set to be among the first workers to suit up in the battery-powered, force-multiplying wearable robots, enjoying superhuman strength and endurance without body wear and tear.