London’s Looop snapped up by SoftBank-backed ed-tech firm for $20m January 11, 2022 London-based corporate learning company Looop has been snapped up by SoftBank-backed education technology firm 360Learning for some $20m. Looop, which works with fintech giants Klarna and Monzo, as well as retail heavyweight Asos, is 360Learning’s first-ever acquisition. “Now as learning and development grapples with the triple hit of remote work, the Great Resignation, and the [...]
Pharma firms shares plunge after pausing marketing of Covid-19 test January 10, 2022 A Covid-19 lateral flow test has been found to be less effective at detecting the Omicron variant, which has prompted companies to pause its marketing. Rapid test developer Abingdon Health and biopharmaceutical firm Avacta announced this morning that their AffiDX lateral flow has “reduced sensitivity”, which prompted investors to duck out of the stock. [...]
Bill Gates-backed fund invest $15bn in clean tech as aviation industry eyes ‘green’ fuels January 10, 2022 Bill Gates-backed fund Breakthrough Energy Capital (BEC) has tabled plans to invest $15bn into clean technology projects in the US, EU and UK. The eye-watering sum will be pushed towards green hydrogen, aviation fuel, energy storage technology and cleaning polluted air. “We are actually trying to demonstrate which technical path is most effective,” BEC managing [...]
Common cold helps protect against Covid-19, London study finds January 10, 2022 The common cold can help protect people against Covid-19, a new study has found, due to the high levels of T cells found in sufferers. The “important discovery” by Imperial College London researchers could help vaccine makers in developing new vaccines which grant longer immunity – even against future variants. Though the London scientists urged [...]
Technip Energies to join revolutionary tyre-recycling project in Sunderland January 10, 2022 A potentially revolutionary tyre-recycling plant in Sunderland has taken the next step towards reality with the appointment of Technip Energies as the project’s engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) partner. Owned by Norwegian waste recycling company Wastefront AS, the project will also see Dutch energy giant Vitol acquire a 5 per cent stake. The £100m plant, [...]
Fintech PrimaryBid on verge of £110m Softbank backed round January 8, 2022 Fintech company PrimaryBid is close to finalising the details of a $150m (£110m) funding round led by SoftBank's Vision Fund II according to weekend reports.
Online meal maker Gousto raises $150m fresh funding January 7, 2022 Online meal company Gousto has raised a fresh funding led by the Japanese technology investment giant SoftBank.
Could tech stocks lose their shine in 2022? January 7, 2022 If you wanted to put money in the stock market over the past five years, then a sure-fire bet has been to invest in US tech stocks, which have significantly outperformed the wider markets. That divergence in performance has been particularly noticeable since the start of the pandemic, as the crisis spurred new ways of [...]
Advertising tech firm Smartly snaps up London-based Ad-Lib for $100m January 6, 2022 View Post Advertising technology giant Smartly has snapped up a London-based Google advertising firm as it looks to broaden its reach beyond social media. Ad-Lib, which provides Google-focused creative advertising services, was acquired by Helsinki-based Smartly for over $100m, the Wall Street Journal reported. Smartly’s technology previously focused on providing paid social media advertising services [...]
Playtech delays takeover decision as bidding war looms January 5, 2022 Playtech has delayed a shareholder vote on a takeover today as a potential bidding war looms.