Rude Baguette
French startup raises €2.25m to develop smartwatch that monitors glucose levels in diabetes patients
The Paris-based healthtech startup PKvitality has raised €2.25 million from a major German manufacturer, to develop an advanced glucose monitoring smartwatch for patients with diabetes, according to EU-Startups.com. Called the K’Watch, the smartwatch would be the first device to allow effortless, painless, constant, and precise monitoring of glucose levels while on the go. It would […]
Antler raises another $50m to help launch startups, with backing from Facebook co-founder
The ‘startup generator’ Antler has raised another $50 million to support fledgling startups, with investment from Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, according to TechCrunch. With locations in London, Amsterdam, Stockholm, New York, Sydney, Nairobi, and Singapore, Antler offers a company building program for selected applicants, focused on early-stage funding. They assist entrepreneurs in the first steps of establishing their […]
Tesla reports record production, with shares on the rise
Tesla produced a record number of vehicles in last year’s fourth quarter, meeting their year-end goal, according to Bloomberg, sparking optimism among investors. Tesla’s annual deliveries for 2019 increased by about 50 percent from the year before. Production also included 1,000 cars from a new factory in Shanghai, with deliveries to Chinese customers starting last month. […]
Libra official remains optimistic despite regulatory hurdles, says the cryptocurrency will benefit Europe
A Libra Association executive says it’s still hoping for a 2020 rollout for the digital currency, despite regulatory obstacles and mounting criticism from officials, according to Politico. Facebook’s plans for Libra have faced a nearly constant barrage of criticism and new setbacks from regulators. Officials have expressed concern that it could undermine official currencies, impact global […]
Google will abandon Dutch and Irish tax loopholes, as rules shift on both sides of the Atlantic
Google says it will no longer use the controversial “Double Irish, Dutch sandwich” tax scheme, a set of loopholes that have allowed it to pay a single-digit tax rate on profits made outside the US, according to Reuters. In the widely used tax strategy, companies first transfer funds from an Irish subsidiary to a Dutch holding company, […]
Scotland details plans to become a hub for the development of self-driving vehicles
Scotland’s cabinet secretary Michael Matheson says the nation will take steps to spearhead the development of driverless vehicles, in a report from Transport Scotland outlining its plans to foster innovation, according to BBC News. The “Roadmap for Scotland” report outlines steps to allow Scottish companies to distinguish themselves in the research, testing, and rollout of autonomous […]
Russia has tested a controlled, domestic alternative to the global internet
Russia’s Ministry of Communications says it has successfully tested a domestic alternative to the global internet, according to BBC News. While providing few details, the ministry said that Russian internet users did not notice any changes during a test run in which the domestic internet replaced global access. President Vladimir Putin framed the move as a […]
The UK’s competition authority will investigate Amazon’s investment in Deliveroo
Amazon’s move to invest in the London-based food delivery platform Deliveroo will be investigated by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the agency announced Friday, according to The Guardian. The CMA raised concerns earlier this month that Amazon’s £442 million investment would lead to higher prices and reduced quality of services for consumers, restaurants, and grocers. […]
Co-founder and former CEO Travis Kalanick steps down from Uber’s board
Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick will step down from the company’s board at the end of the year, cutting ties with the ride-sharing platform and selling the rest of his shares, according to Ars Technica. Investors ousted Kalanick as Uber’s CEO following a series of scandals and scrutiny of the company’s workplace culture in 2017, but he […]
US official warns China could steal state secrets and “intimate” data on UK citizens if Huawei is involved in 5G networks
Huawei’s involvement in 5G mobile networks poses a risk for the UK’s citizens and intelligence agencies, US National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien has warned, according to Reuters. Using the Chinese telecom firm’s equipment in 5G infrastructure could create backdoors allowing the theft of “wholesale state secrets” as well as “intimate” data on UK citizens, he told […]