Top banks inject $9m into London fintech startup Mosaic Smart Data April 29, 2019 The venture capital arm of Commerzbank and London investor Octopus Ventures have co-led a $9m (£7m) funding round into fintech startup Mosaic Smart Data. Existing backer and client JP Morgan also participated in the round, adding to its minority stake in the startup. The bank signed a multi-year deal to use Mosaic’s technology – which [...]
Could this be the Tesla of mopeds? We test ride the Super Soco CUX April 26, 2019 London’s mopeds have almost entirely avoided electrification so far, owing to the simple fact that they’re as cheap as the Deliveroo chips they carry, and you can run them from here to the moon on a figment of petrol. But as the sword of Damocles hanging over the city’s smog-belching engines looks increasingly precarious, and [...]
Has the government’s £1bn artificial intelligence sector deal made any difference? April 26, 2019 One year on, has the government’s £1bn artificial intelligence (AI) sector deal made any difference? Dr Jeremy Silver, chief executive of Digital Catapult, says YES. A year after the announcement of the government’s sector deal, investment is at an all-time high. AI startups in the UK raised nearly £1.3bn in 2018, very nearly eclipsing the [...]
Slack files for IPO as it targets New York Stock Exchange debut April 26, 2019 Collaboration tool Slack has confidentially filed to float on the New York Stock Exchange. Read more: Uber reveals IPO will value firm as high as $90bn The messaging app will join the stock market under the ticker symbol SK this summer, in either May or June, according to its filing. Slack, which was last valued [...]
Apple recalls plug adapter over electric shock fears April 26, 2019 Apple has recalled certain plug adapters in the UK over fears they could cause an electric shock. The tech giant has recalled the AC wall plug adapter shipped with Macs and iOS devices between 2003 and 2010 and included in the Apple World Traveller Adapter Kit. Read more: Microsoft’s valuation breaks through $1 trillion mark [...]
Uber IPO will value ride-hailing firm at up to $90bn, SEC filing confirms April 26, 2019 Uber is set to pitch shares at between $44 and $50 as it chases an initial public offering (IPO) that could value it at up to $90bn (£69.8bn), the ride-hailing firm revealed in an updated filing today. The technology transport giant will offer 180m shares in its stock market debut as it chases the valuation, with another [...]
The anti-vax movement is a symptom of our expert malaise April 26, 2019 The anti-vaccination movement is deadly. According to the charity Unicef, more than half a million UK children were not vaccinated against measles, a highly dangerous but preventable disease, between 2010 and 2017 – which is part of a terrifying global trend. When less than 95 per cent of a population are vaccinated, herd immunity is weakened, [...]
Business can help Britain lead the green race to a better future April 26, 2019 One of the things that has been keeping me sane over the past three months as the twists and turns of Brexit have taken their toll is working on climate change. I’ve had the privilege of being part of an expert group providing advice to the UK Committee on Climate Change on the move to [...]
DEBATE: Should we be concerned about Chinese telecoms giant Huawei helping to build UK infrastructure? April 26, 2019 Should we be concerned about Chinese telecoms giant Huawei helping to build UK infrastructure? Dr John Hemmings, director of the Asia Studies Centre at the Henry Jackson Society, says YES. Huawei’s ownership structure and state-subsidies make it – in effect – a virtual state-owned enterprise with a credit line of £30bn with the China Development Bank [...]
Protecting the UK’s creative treasures by bringing the digital pirates down a peg leg or two April 26, 2019 The gathering storm of state-backed piracy is high on the agenda, as leaders from creative industries gather for World Intellectual Property Day today. As you read this, a pirate media empire is illegally broadcasting 10 channels of live sport – including one of Britain’s most valuable exports, the English Premier League – to a region [...]