We’ve not even scratched the surface of fintech’s true potential – and banks will struggle to keep up May 26, 2016 Fintech innovation has seen rapid growth over the past few years and is producing businesses with scalable products. In turn, senior executives at banks are responding to the challenge these businesses present and have begun to set up their own incubators to capture this rapid innovation. Driving much of this has been the rise of [...]
Ashurst: Oil and gas firms gear up for wave of M&A activity as oil prices stabilise May 25, 2016 Oil and gas firms are gearing up for a wave of mergers and acquisitions activity which will sweep across the world this year. The industry expects deal volumes to swell by 50 per cent year-on-year in 2016, rising substantially on a three to five year horizon, according to a report released today by City law firm [...]
Toyota invests in Uber to launch ride-sharing partnership May 24, 2016 Car giant Toyota is set to invest in taxi app Uber to launch a ride-sharing venture. The Japanese carmaker will offer new buyers leasing options wherein they can lease their vehicles from Toyota Financial Services and cover their payments through earnings generated as Uber drivers. Terms of the partnership haven’t been revealed. However, Toyota said that [...]
Now you can pitch your startup idea to a VC in an Uber May 24, 2016 Anyone with a startup idea can now pitch it to top investors, simply by getting an Uber on the streets of London. The on-demand startup is partnering with some of Europe's top venture capital firms – Atomico and EQT Ventures – for UberPitch, an elevator pitch but in an Uber car. Wannabe Zuckerberg's and Kalanick's will have 10 minutes to woo [...]
Volkswagen invests $300m in Uber rival Gett May 24, 2016 Volkswagen has invested $300m (£205m) in taxi on-demand service Gett, a rival to Uber, handing it a stake in some of Britain's black cab fleet and also indicating the future of the German car brand. Gett bought up Radio Taxis, adding more than 1,000 traditional cabbies to its fleet of 10,000 drivers in the UK earlier this year and [...]
Just Eat founder secures £1.2m funding for hairdresser booking app May 24, 2016 A London-based startup for booking hairdressers from the founder of Just Eat has secured a £1.2m investment from 500 Startups and Seedcamp alongside angel investors, including Tom Singh, the founder of New Look. The app, Rock Pamper Scissors, is targeting millennial consumers and connecting them with salon stylists. The app will help users find where the nearest appointment is available and [...]
Here’s how Uber wants to solve commuting May 24, 2016 Uber has already revolutionised our late night trips after a night out, but now Uber wants to do the same for your daily commute to work. The boss of the billion dollar startup Travis Kalanick has spoken about one of the bigger plans for the company and the future of commuting – carpooling. "Is there a way that someone could pick [...]
We’re fintech investors, but here’s why we’ll never be based in Silicon Valley May 23, 2016 In 1934, Willie Sutton was asked by FBI agents “why do you rob banks, Willie?”. Sutton replied dryly, “because that's where the money is”. We create rather than rob banks, so why did we set up outside of Silicon Valley, where the tech money is? Because that’s where the banks are. Anthemis is in London, New York and Geneva, [...]
With Uber joining the driverless car race, will autonomous vehicles be the end of public transport? May 23, 2016 Tim Worstall, senior fellow of the Adam Smith Institute, says Yes. Whether it’s Uber that perfects the autonomous vehicle is yet to be revealed: but they will be perfected and they will destroy the entire public transport system. Given the sheer number of people that a commuter train system can move, that section of the system [...]
Addison Lee drivers to gridlock Mayfair on Tuesday May 22, 2016 Over 100 Addison Lee drivers are set to gridlock Mayfair’s Berkeley Square tomorrow during a major protest over a fall in pay rates. Members of GMB, the union for private hire drivers, will block the road outside the office of Carlyle Group, that bought Addison Lee for £300m in 2013. The union claims that Addison Lee, [...]