8 weird and wonderful applications of CRISPR technology March 31, 2021 | City Talk Techno-optimists like to talk about the notion of a “singularity” – a time when technology progresses so rapidly that life is transformed beyond recognition. The driving force of this hypothetical event is typically regarded to be artificial intelligence becoming omnipresent. But what does omnipresent AI really mean for everyday life? ‘Technoking’ Elon Musk says that [...]
Online learning platform Coursera jumps on US stock market debut March 31, 2021 Shares in online learning company Coursera surged by almost a fifth following their debut on the New York Stock Exchange today, valuing the company at more than $5bn (£3.6bn). Coursera, which offers online courses from top universities and companies, opened at $39 per share this afternoon — 18 per cent above its IPO price of [...]
Nick Clegg defends Facebook algorithms as platform revamps news feed March 31, 2021 Sir Nick Clegg has launched an impassioned defence of Facebook’s algorithms, insisting the platform had empowered people and denying it was responsible for increased polarisation. The former deputy prime minister, who is now Facebook’s vice president of global affairs, said people needed to “make their peace” with algorithms and acknowledge they were “here to stay”. [...]
Apple leads $50m funding round in record label disruptor United Masters March 31, 2021 Apple has led a $50m (£36m) investment in United Masters, an independent music platform aiming to challenge the dominance of major record labels. United Masters, which was founded in 2017 by former label executive Steve Stoute, provides a platform for artists to distribute their music while retaining ownership of their master recording rights. This is [...]
6 esports business leaders that you should follow March 31, 2021 | City Talk Esports has become a global phenomenon that has created a new class of super star celebrity and plenty of healthy competition between world-class professional esports teams. In 2019 approximately 32% of Internet users aged between 16 and 24 watched esports. Then came the lockdowns of 2020, and viewership skyrocketed. Twitch saw an increase of 17% [...]
NHS hits back in legal row over £23m data deal with Palantir March 30, 2021 The NHS has been thrown into a row with campaigners amid a legal row over a £23m deal with secretive US tech giant Palantir to process sensitive health data. Palantir first began working with the NHS in March last year as part of efforts to tap into a vast data store of health information to [...]
Biotech firm Oxford Nanopore plots London listing March 30, 2021 The Oxfordshire-based scale-up helping to track coronavirus mutations has announced plans to list in London later this year. Oxford Nanopore, which specialises in DNA sequencing technology, today said it had started preparing for a London float but disclosed no further details. “Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited has today informed its shareholders that it has started the [...]
Green light: Competition watchdog clears Uber’s Autocab takeover March 29, 2021 The competition watchdog has given the green light to Uber’s takeover of taxi tech firm Autocab, giving the ride-hailing giant a much-needed boost for its UK operations. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened a phase one investigation into the merger in January to examine how the deal could harm the private hire vehicle market. [...]
Cazoo confirms it will go public in merger with US SPAC March 29, 2021 Cazoo has agreed to a deal with a New York-listed SPAC in a deal which values the online used car platform at $7bn. The company, which was founded by serial entrepreneur Alex Chesterman in 2018, will merge with Ajax I, a blank-cheque vehicle led by billionaire investor Dan Och. The deal, which will see Cazoo [...]
Top City investor James Anderson gives Deliveroo the cold shoulder March 29, 2021 Deliveroo’s flotation has been snubbed again, this time by a leading tech investor who remains unconvinced by the platform’s model outside of London. The tech platform is targeting a market cap of almost £9bn in its upcoming London listing as demand soared during lockdown. The City has largely welcomed the blockbuster float as it tries [...]