Entrepreneurs mad at Donald Trump should come to France, says Presidential hopeful Emmanuel Macron February 5, 2017 French Presidential hopeful Emmanuel Macron has reached out to entrepreneurs, academics and scientists in the US reeling from President Trump's travel ban and welcomed them with open arms to the country. "I want to make a solemn call to all the researchers, academics, businesses who in the United States are battling obscurantism,” he told a rally [...]
Alibaba ramps up its expansion plans with new office in Australia February 4, 2017 Alibaba has its eyes on more success Down Under, with the opening of a new base in Melbourne. It marks the e-commerce giant's first expansion in the region, as it looks to capitalise on growing global demand for products from both Australia and New Zealand. Founder Jack Ma said at the launch of his firm's new [...]
11 risks that keep Snapchat bosses awake at night February 3, 2017 Snapchat's hotly-anticipated IPO, which it filed for last night, has lifted the lid on the inner workings of the rather mysterious company. Not least the fact it believes it could be worth a stonking $25bn… As with any IPO, its Securities and Exchange Commission filing includes a hefty list of risks investors should take into account before buying [...]
Why the banking sector needs to get serious about putting the fun into finance February 3, 2017 It’s no laughing matter: my generation – millennials – has fallen out of love with banks. It’s a familiar narrative: banks don’t understand us, the relationship’s not going anywhere, we’d rather be on social media. In fact, we’d rather bank via social media which is why smart banks are cosying up to platforms like Facebook. [...]
Uber’s chief executive has quit Trump’s business advisory group February 2, 2017 Uber's chief executive Travis Kalanick has just quit Donald Trump's business advisory group, according to an email to employees. Kalanick's resignation comes after the US President issued an executive order banning entry to people from seven majority-Muslim countries. "Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately [...]
Snap has officially made public its filings for an IPO, and its warning investors about the impact of Brexit February 2, 2017 Snap, owner of messaging platform Snapchat, has finally made public its filing for an initial public offering (IPO). The company made many of its financial details public for the first time tonight as it prepares for a $3bn (£2.4bn) float. With a valuation of between $20bn and $25bn Snap could be going public as soon as [...]
London-based Hot Wheels game maker Hutch raises £4m from Index Ventures and Backed VC February 2, 2017 A Silicon Roundabout star behind a hit Hot Wheels video game has zoomed off with a $5.5m (£4.3m) investment. Hutch, which has studios in London and Brighton, raised the money from Index Ventures and Backed VC. Founded in 2011, Hutch received seed financing in 2014, via a round led by Initial Capital. Hot Wheels: Race Off, [...]
Uber is “pressing pause” on Taiwan business after government pressure February 2, 2017 Things are heating up in Taiwan. Uber has suspended its services there over an ongoing rift with the government, which deems the ride-hailing app illegal. In a blog post on the company's site, Uber said it was "pressing pause in Taiwan" after reaching an "impasse", saying the government sought to move "further and further away from embracing [...]
Podcast: Why virtual reality is about to rock your world February 2, 2017 This week the Unregulated podcast straps a black box to its face and immerses itself in the VR industry. From becoming a part of the Apollo 11 mission to assembling the parts of a human heart, we discover how VR will change the classroom, and office, of the future, how entrepreneurs can tap into opportunities in the field – [...]
Here’s why Vodafone’s share price fell at the open February 2, 2017 Vodafone's share price dropped three per cent at the open after it said earnings would be in the lower end of its previous guidance. The figures In its trading update for the quarter ending 31 December, Vodafone said its organic service revenue had grown 1.7 per cent to €12.3bn (£10.5bn). But it said its full [...]