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 […]
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 […]
French startup Majelan raises another €6m for its personalized podcast platform
The French podcast platform Majelan has raised an additional €6 million in funding, according to EU-startups.com, to develop its app offering thousands of podcasts in one place. The startup is also publishing original audio content to compete with established companies like Apple, Spotify, Audible, and Luminary. “Podcasts are growing in popularity in France, with more than […]
London startup Portify raises £7m, offering credit building and financial tools for self-employed and gig workers
The London fintech startup Portify has raised £7 million in a Series A funding round, for its platform to help gig economy and self-employed workers manage their finances, according to TechCrunch. In addition to financial planning with Open Banking to track and plan finances through a mobile app, the company also wants to help workers access credit […]
Waymo acquires the UK firm Latent Logic, using ‘imitation learning’ to help self-driving cars learn human behavior
Waymo has acquired the UK artificial intelligence firm Latent Logic, giving Alphabet’s self-driving car company its first foothold in the UK, according to The Guardian. With roots at Oxford University, Latent Logic specializes in a type of machine learning called imitation learning, which models the behavior of human drivers and pedestrians to help emulate and react to […]
Paris startup Outsight raises €18 million to develop 3D sensor cameras for smart cities and self-driving cars
The Paris-based startup Outsight has raised €18 million in seed funding, tying for the largest seed funding round in Europe this year, to develop AI-powered, 3D sensor cameras for drones, autonomous vehicles, and smart city infrastructure, according to Venture Beat. Outsight’s 3D Semantic Camera can not only perceive, but also interpret its surroundings and environment. It […]
UK startup Otta raises £850k in seed funding, to help job seekers find the most relevant opportunities
The UK-based startup Otta has raised £850,000 in seed funding for its job search and recruitment platform, according to TechCrunch. The company’s platform prioritizes the needs of job seekers, an approach they say is long overdue in a recruitment market worth £35 billion in the UK and $150 billion in the US. They’ve now raised seed […]
Richard Alden, entrepreneur: “We need to reform the last mile of parcel delivery”
This year’s Black Friday is expected to have garnered record sales in France—but it’s also sparked considerable controversy. Parisian mayor Anne Hidalgo indicated last week that she is moving towards taxing major firms like Amazon for the environmental impact of their deliveries, while on Black Friday itself, environmental demonstrators around the country protested against the […]
Fintech startup PixPay offers debit cards for teens, with tools for parents
The French fintech startup PixPay is offering a new alternative for kids and their parents to manage money, instead of cash or a conventional bank account. Unlike with most other digital challenger banks such as Revolut, kids 10 years and up can create an account with PixPay, according to TechCrunch. Often, conventional banks do little to meet […]
Telecel, MEST, and the IFC look to give African startups a leg up
There’s no doubt that Africa’s startup sector has been booming. Last year saw a four-fold increase in funding raised for African startups, with the total number of deals doubling. Startups across the continent raised over $725 million, soaring nearly 40 percent from $528 million the year before. There were also more large funding rounds over $5 million, with the […]