Natasha Lomas
TechCrunch
Philippines
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Recent articles by Natasha:
Sylvera grabs seed backing from Index to help close the accountability gap around carbon offsetting –
UK-based startup Sylvera is using satellite, radar and lidar data-fuelled machine learning to bolster transparency around carbon offsetting projects in a bid to boost accountability and credibility — applying independent ratings to carbon offsetting projects. The ratings are based on proprietary data sets it’s developed in conjunction with scientists from research organisations including UCLA,… → Read More
Worksome pulls $13M into its high skill freelancer talent platform –
More money for the now very buzzy business of reshaping how people work: Worksome is announcing it recently closed a $13 million Series A funding round for its “freelance talent platform” — after racking up 10x growth in revenue since January 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic sparked a remote working boom. The 2017 founded […] → Read More
Google hit with $123M antitrust fine in Italy over Android Auto –
Google has been fined just over €100 million (~$123M) by Italy’s antitrust watchdog for abuse of a dominant market position. The case relates to Android Auto, a modified version of Google’s mobile OS intended for in-car use, and specifically to how Google restricted access to the platform to an electric car charging app, called JuicePass, […] → Read More
TikTok removes 500k+ accounts in Italy after DPA order to block underage users –
Video sharing social network TikTok has removed more than 500,000 accounts in Italy following an intervention by the country’s data protection watchdog earlier this year ordering it to recheck the age of all Italian users and block access to any under the age of 13. Between February 9 and April 21 more than 12.5M Italian […] → Read More
UK publishes draft Online Safety Bill –
The UK government has published its long-trailed (child) ‘safety-focused’ plan to regulate online content and speech. The Online Safety Bill has been in the works for years — during which time a prior plan to require age verification for accessing online porn in the UK, also with the goal of protecting kids from being exposed […] → Read More
Holidu books $45M after growing its vacation rentals business ~50% YoY during COVID-19 –
Vacation rental startup Holidu has tucked $45 million in Series D funding into its suitcase — bringing its total raised since being founded back in 2014 to more than $120M. The latest funding round is led by 83North with participation from existing investors Prime Ventures, EQT ventures, Coparion, Senovo, Kees Koolen, Lios Ventures and Chris […] → Read More
Elderly caretech platform Birdie gets $11.5M Series A led by Index –
SaaS-maker Birdie has closed an $11.5 million Series A round of funding led by Index Ventures. Existing investor Kamet Ventures also participated. The UK-based caretech startup has raised a total of $22.9M since being founded back in 2017 (a 2018 raise that was called a Series A at the time is now being classed as […] → Read More
Facebook ordered not to apply controversial WhatsApp T&Cs in Germany –
The Hamburg data protection agency has banned Facebook from processing the additional WhatsApp user data that the tech giant is granting itself access to under a mandatory update to WhatsApp’s terms of service. The controversial WhatsApp privacy policy update has caused widespread confusion around the world since being announced — and already been delayed by […] → Read More
CMU researchers show potential of privacy-preserving activity tracking using radar –
Imagine if you could settle/rekindle domestic arguments by asking your smart speaker when the room last got cleaned or whether the bins already got taken out? Or — for an altogether healthier use-case — what if you could ask your speaker to keep count of reps as you do squats and bench presses? Or switch […] → Read More
Exeger takes $38M to ramp up production of its flexible solar cells for self-powered gadgets –
Sweden’s Exeger, which for over a decade has been developing flexible solar cell technology (called Powerfoyle) that it touts as efficient enough to power gadgets solely with light, has taken in another tranche of funding to expand its manufacturing capabilities by opening a second factory in the country. The $38 million raise is comprised of […] → Read More
Longevity startup Gero AI has a mobile API for quantifying health changes –
Sensor data from smartphones and wearables can meaningfully predict an individual’s ‘biological age’ and resilience to stress, according to Gero AI. The ‘longevity’ startup — which condenses its mission to the pithy goal of “hacking complex diseases and aging with Gero AI” — has developed an AI model to predict morbidity risk using ‘digital biomarkers’ […] → Read More
ifeel, another well-being platform that blends self-care tools with 1-2-1 therapy, scores $6.6M –
If the pandemic has been good for anything it’s been good for the therapy business and for startups targeting mental health, with VCs kept very busy signing checks. To wit, here’s another one: Madrid-based ifeel has bagged €5.5 million (~$6.6M) in Series A funding, led by Nauta Capital. The startup was founded back in 2017 […] → Read More
Facebook’s hand-picked ‘oversight’ panel upholds Trump ban — for now –
Facebook’s content decision review body, a quasi-external panel that’s been likened to a ‘Supreme Court of Facebook’ but isn’t staffed by sitting judges, can’t be truly independent of the tech giant which funds it, has no legal legitimacy or democratic accountability, and goes by the much duller official title ‘Oversight Board’ (aka the FOB) — […] → Read More
Disqus facing $3M fine in Norway for tracking users without consent –
Disqus, a commenting plugin that’s used by a number of news websites and which can share user data for ad targeting purposes, has got into hot water in Norway for tracking users without their consent. The local data protection agency said today it has notified the U.S.-based company of an intent to fine it €2.5 […] → Read More
StudySmarter books $15M for a global ‘personalized learning’ push –
More money for the edtech boom: Munich-based StudySmarter, which makes digital tools to help learners of all ages swat up — styling itself as a ‘lifelong learning platform’ — has closed a $15 million Series A. The round is led by sector-focused VC fund, Owl Ventures. New York-based Left Lane Capital is co-investing, along with […] → Read More
Personalized nutrition startup Zoe closes out Series B at $53M –
Personalized nutrition startup Zoe — named not for a person but after the Greek word for ‘life’ — has topped up its Series B round with $20M, bringing the total raised to $53M. The latest close of the B round was led by Ahren Innovation Capital, which the startup notes counts two Nobel laureates as […] → Read More
Europe charges Apple with antitrust breach, citing Spotify App Store complaint –
The European Commission has announced that it’s issued formal antitrust charges against Apple, saying today that its preliminary view is Apple’s app store rules distort competition in the market for music streaming services by raising the costs of competing music streaming app developers. The Commission begun investigating competition concerns related to iOS App Store (and also […] → Read More
EU adopts rules on one-hour takedowns for terrorist content –
The European Parliament approved a new law on terrorist content takedowns yesterday, paving the way for one-hour removals to become the legal standard across the EU. The regulation “addressing the dissemination of terrorist content online” will come into force shortly after publication in the EU’s Official Journal — and start applying 12 months after that. […] → Read More
TravelPerk raises $160M in equity and debt after a year of derailed business trips –
The pandemic has hammered the travel sector over the past 12 months so you’d be forgiven for feeling a bit of pre-COVID-19 déjà vu at this news: Business trip booking platform TravelPerk is announcing a $160M Series D. The round, which is a mix of equity and debt funding, is led by London-based growth equity […] → Read More
Kaia Health grabs $75M on surging interest in its virtual therapies for chronic pain and COPD –
New York headquartered Kaia Health, which offers AI-assisted digital therapies via a mobile app for chronic pain related to musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders and for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), has raised a $75 million Series C. The round was led by an unnamed leading growth equity fund with support from existing investors, including Optum Ventures, […] → Read More