Uber merges with Yandex, its rival in Russia and Eastern Europe in latest retreat after China July 13, 2017 Uber has announced a merger with its rival in Russia in the latest bid by the multi-billion dollar valued startup to start turning a profit. It will take a 36.6 per cent stake in the combined business which will also include UberEats worth $1.4bn, ploughing an additional $225m in cash into the business. The new [...]
Taylor review: Six major report recommendations for changing employment law with the rise of the gig economy July 11, 2017 The government should introduce new laws for a new world of work. That’s the recommendation of the Taylor Review, a long-anticipated report into the gig economy and how employment is changing in the modern economy. It’s yet to be seen if and how the government might take on such changes. Here are the main points [...]
Taylor review: Six major report recommendations for changing employment law with the rise of the gig economy July 11, 2017 The government should introduce new laws for a new world of work. That's the recommendation of the Taylor Review, a long-anticipated report into the gig economy and how employment is changing in the modern economy. It's yet to be seen if and how the government might take on such changes. Here are the main points [...]
Meet the three startups joining Pfizer’s healthtech accelerator that could soon help the NHS July 6, 2017 Three tech startups have been selected by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to help tackle pressing health issues facing the National Health Service An app offering social care on demand, Cera, and another offering prescription deliveries, Echo, along with GiveVision, a startup developing a headset to improve sight for the visually impaired, will join its new healthtech [...]
SoftBank could be about to make Deliveroo a unicorn with talks of investment from Apple and Saudi-backed Vision Fund July 2, 2017 One of the UK’s star tech startups, Deliveroo, is on the verge of becoming a so-called unicorn, with SoftBank in talks over a potential investment. SoftBank’s Vision Fund, a huge new tech investment vehicle which has already backed several British tech companies, is in discussions to take a stake in the food delivery firm that [...]
Are we overestimating the benefits and ignoring the pitfalls the iPhone has brought in the past 10 years? June 29, 2017 Q: Are we overestimating the benefits and ignoring the pitfalls the iPhone has brought in the past 10 years? YES – Aral Balkan, cyborg rights activist and co-founder of Ind.ie On 9 January 2007, I was sitting at Moscone West watching Steve Jobs announce “three revolutionary products… a widescreen iPod with touch controls, a revolutionary [...]
Uber wins right to appeal Transport for London’s (TfL) English written tests for private hire drivers as court date is set for 20 February 2018 | City A.M. June 27, 2017 Transport for London (TfL) has announced it will push back the introduction of a written English language test for private hire drivers from September this year to April 2018, after Uber won its right to appeal the matter. The case will be heard from 20 February next year. The ride-hailing app lost a High Court [...]
Uber’s chief executive Travis Kalanick has stepped down from the ride-hailing company June 21, 2017 Travis Kalanick, the controversial chief executive of Uber, has stepped down from his post, the company has confirmed. Kalanick helped set up the ride-hailing behemoth, but faced a shareholder revolt which forced his hand, according to the New York Times. Yesterday five investors called for his resignation, and wrote a letter to Kalanick outlining their [...]
Why crowd-based capitalism has changed the economy June 14, 2017 Technological advances are reshaping our jobs and the nature of work. How will the global economic system evolve? What will the future of work look like? As an observer of digital disruption, Arun Sundararajan, author of The Sharing Economy and Professor of Information, Operations and Management Sciences at the NYU Stern School of Business, noticed [...]
Uber to adopt Holder Report recommendations following sexual harassment investigation June 12, 2017 Uber is to adopt all recommendations of the Holder Report following a Sunday board meeting, a representative said yesterday, although what this entails will remain under wraps until Tuesday. An investigation into the ride-hailing technology business was launched last year, following employee allegations of sexual harassment and a “bro culture” at the company. Uber’s board [...]