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Bill Gates steps down from the Microsoft board, to focus on philanthropy
Microsoft co-founder and former CEO Bill Gates announced Friday that he’s stepping down from the company’s board, planning to “dedicate more time to his philanthropic priorities” in global health, education, and climate change, according to BBC News. His philanthropic work has often focused on addressing disease and epidemics, and his announcement comes as the world faces […]
European Commission will introduce “right to repair” legislation
The European Commission has announced it will introduce a law mandating “right to repair” for electronics, aiming to cut down on waste by promoting products that can be repaired instead of replaced, according to Engadget. If the legislation were to be passed, the rules would apply to phones, tablets, and computers, and would force manufacturers to […]
Amazon has started offering its cashierless checkout system to other retailers
Amazon has begun marketing its cashierless checkout technology directly to other retailers, offering a system that allows customers to simply walk out of stores, paying for their purchases automatically, according to The Verge. Amazon explains in its website FAQ: “We built Just Walk Out technology leveraging the same types of technologies used in self-driving cars: computer […]
Funding for Europe’s proptech sector has soared 550% in five years, new report shows
Proptech companies are surging in Europe, with a 550 percent growth in funding over the last five years, according to a new report, suggesting steady expansion for a relatively new sector in Europe. The research was conducted by Proptech1 Ventures, a German proptech investment fund. It shows that just €77 million was invested in the proptech […]
Airbnb and other rental platforms agree to share data with European Commission
The European Union has reached a data-sharing agreement with Airbnb and other short-term vacation rental platforms, offering new avenues to track their impact on local housing markets, according to TechCrunch. The commission says the “landmark agreement” will “allow public authorities to better understand the development of the collaborative economy and support evidence-based policies.” The agreement includes […]
Cloud-based banking services platform Thought Machine raises $83m in Series B funding
The London-based fintech startup Thought Machine has raised $83 million in a Series B funding round, for its cloud-based platform providing digital banking services for both challenger and legacy banks, according to TechCrunch. Both conventional, legacy banks and newer banking startups are offering a range of digital services to customers. Banking services that once required a […]
Revolut raises additional $500m in Series D funding round, boosting valuation to $5.5b
The global financial platform Revolut has raised an additional $500 million in a Series D funding round, bringing the total round to $836 million, according to TechCrunch. It also boosts Revolut’s total value up to $5.5 billion, making it one of the highest valued fintech startups in the world, with over 10 million customers. The platform […]
Amazon has removed one million product listings with false claims to protect from coronavirus
Amazon has removed one million product listings from its platform for making false claims to protect from COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, according to Reuters. They also removed tens of thousands of listings that were price gouging for products like protective masks. Italy, which is fighting its own outbreak of the virus, launched […]
Facebook halts election reminders in the EU, in response to concerns from regulators
Facebook has paused its election notification feature, after a key European privacy regulator raised privacy concerns, according to TechCrunch. The social media platform offers an “Election Day Reminder” notification designed to increase voter turnout. A study by the company in 2012 conducted with the University of California at San Diego showed the notifications brought 340,000 additional […]
UK study finds 5G networks pose no health risks from radiation
The UK’s first tests of radiation at 5G base stations has shown levels reaching only a tiny fraction of safe limits, according to BBC News. New tests by the UK communications regulator OfCom found that the highest levels reached just 0.039% of recommended limits, set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). “Non-Ionizing” refers […]