Grab eyes $2bn more funding this year as it looks to create ‘app for everything’ April 8, 2019 Softbank-backed startup Grab is hoping to raise another $2bn (£1.5bn) in funding this year as it embarks on an aggressive expansion plan. The Singapore-based ride-hailing app has already raised $4.5bn in a fundraising round led by Japanese investment giant Softbank. Read more: Lyft takes a wrong turn as shares fall below float price But chief [...]
Pinterest’s valuation slips as it looks to raise $1.3bn in New York float April 8, 2019 Social media platform Pinterest plans to raise as much as $1.3bn (£995m) when it floats on the New York Stock Exchange this year. Pinterest will put 75m shares up for sale at its initial public offering (IPO), with a price tag of between $15 and $17 per share. Read more: Lyft IPO paves way for [...]
Europe must lead the way with digital tax, says EU competition commissioner April 8, 2019 Europe must agree on plans for a new digital tax and should be the trailblazer if there is no global consensus, the EU’s competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager has said. The EU last month scrapped initial plans to roll out a digital tax on tech giants after opposition from several member states. Read more: EU drops [...]
Smartphone sales to fall in 2019 as foldable phones fail to spark interest April 8, 2019 Global smartphone sales are set to fall again this year as consumers shun upgrades and hold on to their devices for longer. Shipments of mobile phones are expected to slip 0.5 per cent to 1.8bn in 2019, according to data published by research firm Gartner. Read more: Samsung warns of 60 per cent drop in [...]
The government must pause for thought before pushing ahead with “online harms” regulations April 8, 2019 A common view of the world goes thus – individuals and businesses do whatever they can to pursue their own self-interest, and must be kept in check by governments. As certain companies get bigger and bigger, greater regulations are required. While not entirely without merit, this dichotomous standpoint is excessively blunt and can result in [...]
Huawei’s ‘shoddy’ cyber security could lead to UK ban, says GCHQ April 8, 2019 Huawei could be banned in parts of the UK because its “shoddy” engineering practices create cyber security issues, a top GCHQ official has said. Dr Ian Levy, technical director of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), said the UK may ban the Chinese firm’s equipment in sensitive areas such as Westminster in a bid to [...]
After Gatwick, how do we prevent future drone chaos? April 8, 2019 Last year’s disruption at Gatwick airport is estimated to have cost over £50m. The incident points to the urgent need for significant action to ensure that drones are used safely and securely in the UK. The government has begun to regulate the sector: it is currently an offence to endanger aircraft, drone pilots are not permitted [...]
Anti-social media: Former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark on social media harm after the Christchurch terror attacks April 8, 2019 I Interrupt the former leader of my native New Zealand, Helen Clark, in the middle of a Twitter and Facebook purge. “Social media management” she says, dictating a response to one of the provocateurs or well-wishers. It’s all part of overseeing a social media following of more than 200,000, I’m sure, but especially fitting since [...]
London tech startup Attest closes $16m from Groupon investor NEA April 8, 2019 Consumer growth platform Attest has secured a $16m (£12.3m) series A funding round from Silicon Valley-based investment firm NEA. Existing investors Oxford Capital and Episode 1 Ventures also participated in the round. London Bridge-based Attest said it would use the fresh funding to expand its technology platform, which is used by businesses to learn, measure [...]
Social media giants face fines in ‘online harms’ crackdown, says government April 8, 2019 Social media sites face financial penalties or blocking if they fail to tackle “online harms”, says a government white paper published today. Under a code of practice set out by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), an independent watchdog would police the sector, possibly funded by the industry. Read more: Social media giants [...]
