illinois Illinois Startups Maintain Strong Momentum After Record 2018 Illinois startups experience a record-breaking 2018 with nearly $2 billion in VC deals and notable acquisitions, while early 2019 already sees almost $100 million in new funding.
slack Slack Logo Controversy Overshadows Massive Startup Funding Rounds Venture capitalists keep busy with massive funding rounds for Rubrik and Knock, but a controversial Slack logo redesign steals the spotlight in this week's startup news.
ipo Tech Companies Bypass Wall Street With Direct Listing Trend Major tech companies like Spotify, Slack, and Airbnb choose direct listings over traditional IPOs to avoid Wall Street fees and roadshows.
bitcoin Why Crypto Needs People More Than Pure Code Despite the belief that cryptocurrency eliminates human fallibility, the human "social layer" is actually the strongest defense mechanism for blockchain networks. User demographics and ideologies ultimately determine a network's direction and resilience.
lego Life-Size Lego Chevy Silverado Built From Over 330,000 Bricks A team of 18 builders spends 2,000 hours assembling a massive, 3,307-pound Lego version of the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado. The promotional project coincides with the release of the upcoming Lego Movie.
transportation Cities Face a Bizarre and Beautiful Transportation Transformation Urban landscapes are experiencing a mobility revolution filled with scooters, autonomous vehicles, and flying cars. Policymakers face a massive challenge in regulating this chaotic but promising shift.
german auto labs German Auto Labs Unveils Chris, a Gesture-Controlled Assistant for Drivers A new device called Chris allows drivers to control their smartphones using simple hand gestures, eliminating the need to touch a screen while behind the wheel. CEO Holger Weiss demonstrates the technology and shares his company's broader vision for safer driving.
gdpr Privacy Campaigner Schrems Files GDPR Complaints Against Amazon, Apple, Netflix Max Schrems files GDPR complaints against Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube over inadequate data access responses.
microsoft Microsoft and Amazon Team Up to Connect Cortana and Alexa Microsoft and Amazon team up in a first-of-its-kind collaboration to connect Cortana and Alexa.
sling tv Sling TV Adds Personalized Recommendations, Launching First on Apple TV Sling TV introduces personalized recommendations based on viewing history, launching first on Apple TV.
google Google Plans Purge of Play Store Apps Without Privacy Policies Google plans to penalize or remove Play Store apps that lack valid privacy policies.
facebook Facebook Secretly Tests 'LOL' Meme Feed to Win Back Teens Facebook secretly tests LOL, a meme-video feed aimed at winning back teenage users.
ftc FTC Imposes Record $5 Billion Penalty on Facebook The FTC imposes a record $5 billion penalty on Facebook with sweeping new privacy restrictions.
fda FDA Clears Verily's Prescription-Only ECG Smartwatch The FDA clears Verily's Study Watch for on-demand ECG recording as a prescription-only medical device.
verily Alphabet's Verily Gains FDA Approval for Study Watch ECG Feature Verily, Alphabet's life sciences arm, receives FDA clearance for an on-demand ECG feature on its clinical Study Watch. This milestone hints at potential health-tracking capabilities for future Google consumer wearables.