Despite threats of US retaliation, the UK will tax tech giants, with support from Europe’s digital policy chief
The UK will move forward with its plan to tax multinational digital firms, despite retaliatory threats from US officials, chancellor Sajid Javid said at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this week, according to The Guardian. “We plan to go ahead with our digital services tax in April,” he said. “It is a proportionate tax, and […]
German startup Grover secures €250 million for its tech subscription service
The Berlin-based startup Grover has drawn €250 million in funding, to expand its tech subscription service in Germany and into the rest of Europe, according to Tech.eu. Founded in 2015, Grover offers a subscription service allowing users access to over 2,000 tech devices such as laptops, smartphones, virtual reality equipment, micromobility vehicles, and wearable tech. In […]
Google acquires Pointy, an Irish startup with tools to help local retailers list products online
Google has announced plans to acquire the Dublin-based startup Pointy, which offers digital solutions to help local, brick-and-mortar retailers list their products online to compete with Amazon, according to Venture Beat. The two companies did not disclose the sale price, but Yahoo Finance reported that it’s a $163 million deal. The acquisition is expected to go […]
UK startup Jolt raises another €12.7m for its streamlined alternative to business school
The UK education startup Jolt has raised an additional €12.7 million for its accessible, flexible approach to business classes, according to EU-startups.com. The new funding round, led by Balderton Capital, brings Jolt’s total funding raised to €20.9 million. The company was founded in 2015, launched a marketplace for live business class videos in 2016, and opened […]
Most requests for cookie consent don’t comply with EU rules, new research suggests
Most consent requests for digital cookies to track users’ web activity do not comply with Europe’s data collection regulations, according to new research, detailed in a report from TechCrunch. The findings echo another study published in August, which also suggested that consent notices routinely fail to offer the meaningful choice required by EU law—which states that […]
Facebook says it will “expand transparency,” but won’t limit political ads
Facebook has reaffirmed that it has no plans to limit political ads or microtargeting on its platform, despite public criticism that has led its rivals to take action, according to AP News. The platform has been widely criticized since it announced in October that ads and other content from politicians and candidates would be exempt from fact-checking. Facebook […]
Facebook and eBay take steps to combat fake product reviews, after warning from UK competition authority
Facebook and eBay have agreed to combat fake reviews on their platforms in response to pressure from the UK’s Competition and Market Authority (CMA), according to TechCrunch. In June, the CMA said it had found evidence of a “thriving marketplace for fake and misleading online reviews” on the platforms. It found over 100 eBay listings […]
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. […]