gong Gong Acquires Vayo to Boost Structured Data Analytics Fresh off a $200 million Series D round, Gong acquires Israeli startup Vayo to enhance its ability to identify high-level customer trends. The deal combines Gong's unstructured data analysis with Vayo's large-scale structured data processing.
tesla Tesla Thwarts Ransomware While Xpeng Raises $1.5 Billion in US Debut Today's top tech news includes Elon Musk confirming a foiled cyberattack on Tesla and Chinese electric vehicle startup Xpeng Motors raising $1.5 billion. Other major stories cover Walmart teaming up with Microsoft to pursue TikTok and Facebook's ongoing battle with Apple over ad tracking.
airbnb Airbnb Confidentially Files for Long-Awaited Public Debut Airbnb officially submits a confidential IPO filing, marking a dramatic turnaround after the pandemic devastated its business earlier this year. The home-sharing giant now eyes a late 2020 public offering as its recovery gains momentum.
apple Apple Crosses Historic $2 Trillion Market Valuation Apple briefly surpasses a $2 trillion market capitalization as a broader tech rally drives its stock up nearly 60% this year. This massive valuation milestone benefits the entire startup ecosystem by boosting private market confidence.
livingpackets Berlin Startup LivingPackets Replaces Cardboard With Smart Reusable Box LivingPackets introduces a high-tech, digitally locked alternative to cardboard boxes that aims to reduce shipping waste and modernize e-commerce logistics.
mmhmm Phil Libin's mmhmm Releases Beta 2 With Copilot Presentation Feature Virtual presentation software mmhmm opens its Beta 2 to a 100,000-person waitlist and introduces a multiplayer Copilot feature. The tool allows users to create highly produced, interactive video presentations directly from their computers.
cloudflare How Cloudflare Turned a Bold Internet Fix into a Public Company Cloudflare co-founder Michelle Zatlyn shares the journey of transforming an audacious goal to fix the internet into a thriving public business.
covid-19 COVID-19 Vaccine Trials Show Promise While Tech Giants Roll Out New Features Researchers at Oxford and in Wuhan report promising early results for COVID-19 vaccines, though experts caution more study is needed. Meanwhile, Google Maps adds end-to-end bikeshare directions and Roblox launches a virtual event space.
hong kong Hong Kong's New Security Law Brings Uncertainty to Tech Sector Hong Kong's newly enacted national security law creates a chilling effect for the local tech industry as entrepreneurs and investors face vague rules and potential data control challenges.
palantir Palantir Files for IPO After 17 Years of Secretive Growth Data mining giant Palantir publicly announces it has privately filed to go public after raising hundreds of millions in new capital. The company prepares for its market debut with a long, complex, and controversial history of government contracts.
robotics investments Robotics Sector Secures $1.9 Billion in Funding During July 2020 Robotics companies attract over $1.9 billion across 47 transactions in July 2020, showing steady investor interest despite the global pandemic. Autonomous vehicles lead the funding rounds, followed by drones and healthcare robots.
ai AI Startups Raise Record $6.9 Billion in Q1 Before Pandemic Hits AI startups raise $6.9 billion in Q1 2020, outpacing the broader venture capital market. However, the coronavirus pandemic is expected to sharply slow this record-setting momentum.
ninja van Logistics Startup Ninja Van Secures $279 Million in New Funding Round Southeast Asian delivery company Ninja Van raises $279 million in a funding round led by French logistics firm GeoPost. The investment highlights growing confidence in regional supply chain solutions.
startups Majority of Startups Face Severe Cash Shortages Amid Pandemic Layoffs A global survey reveals that nearly three-quarters of startups have reduced staff due to COVID-19, while 65% possess less than six months of operating cash. Venture capital funding drops significantly, leaving most young companies in a desperate fight for survival.
velo3d Velo3D Secures $28M to Expand 3D Printing Tech Used by SpaceX Velo3D raises $28 million to scale its metal 3D printing business, which currently supplies equipment to SpaceX. The funding aims to expand the company's product portfolio and push it toward profitability by mid-2022.