Cityfibre chooses cable manufacturer Prysmian for full-fibre rollout June 13, 2019 British broadband operator Cityfibre has tapped telecoms cable giant Prysmian to supply equipment for its full-fibre network. Read more: Cityfibre secures £112bn debt package to fund UK full-fibre rollout The Milan-headquartered company, which is the world’s largest cable manufacturer by revenue, will supply optical cable for both underground and aerial application in an initial two-year [...]
Surge in demand for UK tech visas as digital sector draws in top talent June 13, 2019 The number of applications for UK tech visas has soared 45 per cent in the last year as the booming tech sector continues to attract global talent. The surge marks the fifth consecutive year of growth in application numbers, according to industry body Tech Nation. Read more: Facebook to create 500 tech jobs in London [...]
Chinese ambassador warns UK ban on Huawei would send ‘very bad signal’ June 13, 2019 China’s ambassador to the UK has warned a ban on tech firm Huawei would send a “very bad signal” and could harm trade relations between the two countries. Liu Xiaoming told BBC’s Newsnight that Chinese companies could be put off doing business in the UK if Huawei is blocked from 5G networks. Read more: UK [...]
Podcast listeners outspend their peers, report finds June 13, 2019 Podcast listeners outspend their peers by as much as 179 per cent, a new study has revealed, in a sign that brands can cash in on avid on-demand audiences. People who listen to podcasts spend significantly more in all areas than those who do not, with the starkest contrast found among millennials, according to figures [...]
Sky puts Netflix in its sights as it doubles investment after Chernobyl success June 12, 2019 Sky has unveiled plans to double its investment in original programming as it looks to build on the success of hit show Chernobyl and take on streaming services such as Netflix. The company said it has secured backing from new owner Comcast to launch Sky Studios, a new Europe-wide development and production division. Read more: [...]
Unilever invests in influencer marketing platform Creator IQ June 12, 2019 Unilever Ventures has partnered with TVC Capital to invest $12m (£9.4m) in influencer marketing platform Creator IQ as it looks to crack down on fraud in the industry. The investment comes a year after Unilever warned that fraud was undermining influencer marketing and vowed to improve integrity, transparency and measurement in the sector. Read more: [...]
Publishing platform Minute Media raises $40m in funding round June 12, 2019 Digital publishing platform Minute Media has raised $40m (£31m) in a funding round as it looks to ramp up its “aggressive” acquisition strategy. Minute Media said it has secured the investment from new investors Hamilton Lane and Maor Investments, alongside its existing backers. The latest round takes the firm’s total funding to $120m. Read more: [...]
Gympass secures $300m in Softbank-led funding round June 12, 2019 Gympass has raised more than $300m (£236m) in a funding round led by Japanese investment giant Softbank. Read more: Softbank earns $11bn for selling some of its huge Alibaba stake The corporate fitness platform, which offers flexible gym memberships, said it has secured the funding from Softbank’s Vision Fund and existing investors. Softbank’s Latin America [...]
Sorrell poaches two media execs with links to WPP for his S4 Capital venture June 12, 2019 Sir Martin Sorrell has hired a former WPP executive for his new venture S4 Capital in the ad veteran’s latest broadside against his old firm. Scott Spirit, who was ousted by WPP just months after Sorrell’s abrupt departure last year, will join S4 Capital as chief growth officer and board member. Read more: S4 Capital [...]
Facebook to create 500 tech jobs in London as it opens new engineering hub June 12, 2019 Facebook has said it will create 500 new tech jobs in London by the end of the year as it launches a new engineering centre in Soho. Roughly 100 of the new roles will be in artificial intelligence, with many of the employees working to detect and remove malicious content, fake accounts and other harmful [...]
