US venture capital funds have raised a combined $69.1 billion in 2020, edging past a 2018 record and defying the odds amid a pandemic-rattled economy. The high-water mark was set after Andreessen Horowitz announced a pair of mega-funds with $4.5 billion in commitments Friday.

https://pitchbook.com/news/articles/us-vc-fundraising-hits-record-69b-in-2020-after-a16z-closes-two-mega-funds?sourceType=NEWSLETTER ... See more

US venture capital funds have raised a combined $69.1 billion in 2020, edging past a 2018 record and defying the odds amid a pandemic-rattled economy.

Bitcoin is quickly approaching the record highs that spurred a mania among investors almost three years ago that ended in a violent crash.

The controversial digital asset, which was originally promoted as an alternative to national currencies such as the dollar, surged as much as $1,160, or 7% to $17,864 on Tuesday. It has more than doubled this year, spurring memories of the 1,375% rally in 2017 that preceded a 70% decline the following year. Even so, advocates and even skeptics are saying it may continue to push higher.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-17/bitcoin-tops-17-000-for-first-time-since-december-2017 ... See more

Bitcoin is quickly approaching the record highs that spurred a mania among investors almost three years ago that ended in a violent crash.

Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine proves 90% effective in first results from Phase 3 clinical trial - The COVID-19 vaccine being developed by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech has shown to be effective blocking infection in 90 percent of participants in its Phase 3 clinical trial, the companies announced on Monday. That’s based on data analyzed by an external, independent committee assigned to check the results of the trial, and reflects only early results from the trial, and not the final verified result — but it’s still extremely promising news for progress toward a viable and more broadly available vaccine.

https://techcrunch.com/2020/11/09/pfizers-covid-19-vaccine-proves-90-effective-in-first-results-from-phase-3-clinical-trial/ ... See more

The COVID-19 vaccine being developed by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech has shown to be effective blocking infection in 90 percent of participants in its Phase 3 clinical trial, the companies announced on Monday. That’s based on data analyzed by an external, independent committee assigned to … ... See more

Hyundai reportedly in talks to buy SoftBank-owned Boston Dynamics - Boston Dynamics could be set to change hands once again, according to a new report from Bloomberg that cited “people familiar with the matter.”

https://techcrunch.com/2020/11/09/hyundai-reportedly-in-talks-to-buy-softbank-owned-boston-dynamics/ ... See more

Boston Dynamics could be set to change hands once again, according to a new report from Bloomberg that cited “people familiar with the matter.” The deal would make Korean automaker Hyundai the third company in seven years to own the robotics firm, following sales to Google and SoftBank Group. Bo... ... See more

Weed stocks are hitting new highs after Biden win : Cannabis was a big winner from the results of the United States’ election, and industry stocks are soaring on both the voting results and recent earnings. Companies such as Canopy Growth Corporation, Tilray and Aurora Cannabis are seeing their valuations pop in pre-market trading as good news for the industry adds up.

https://techcrunch.com/2020/11/09/weed-stocks-are-hitting-new-highs-after-biden-win/ ... See more

Cannabis was a big winner from the results of the United States’ election, and industry stocks are soaring on both the voting results and recent earnings. Companies such as Canopy Growth Corporation, Tilray and Aurora Cannabis are seeing their valuations pop in pre-market trading as good news… ... See more

Sony prepares to enter the drone game with Airpeak – Sony has announced that it is entering the drone market with a new brand called Airpeak, though the specifics of the drone itself are left something of a mystery. It plans to launch the project next spring.

https://techcrunch.com/2020/11/09/sony-prepares-to-enter-the-drone-game-with-airpeak/ ... See more

Sony has announced that it is entering the drone market with a new brand called Airpeak, though the specifics of the drone itself are left something of a mystery. It plans to launch the project next spring. The bare-bones announcement says only that Sony has been inspired by the “recent proli… ... See more

3 experts on how COVID-19 changed manufacturing and supply chains around the world - From Pillsbury dough to semiconductors, things suddenly had to be made differently and fast. Leaders at General Mills, Boll & Branch, and Nanotronics explain how, and what they’ve learned.

https://www.fastcompany.com/90553877/3-experts-on-how-covid-19-changed-manufacturing-and-supply-chains-around-the-world ... See more

From Pillsbury dough to semiconductors, things suddenly had to be made differently—and fast. Leaders at General Mills, Boll & Branch, and Nanotronics explain how, and what they’ve learned.

4 experts reveal how COVID-19 has changed the advertising business - Client relationships, production, and hiring may never be the same, according to top executives at McCann Worldgroup, BBDO New York, the Martin Agency, and Johannes Leonardo.

https://www.fastcompany.com/90553887/4-experts-reveal-how-covid-19-has-changed-the-advertising-business ... See more

Client relationships, production, and hiring may never be the same, according to top executives at McCann Worldgroup, BBDO New York, the Martin Agency, and Johannes Leonardo.

4 fashion insiders reveal how COVID-19 is altering the industry
- Designer Prabal Gurung, Farfetch CEO José Neves, CFDA’s Steven Kolb, and Vestiaire Collective’s Clara Chappaz offer a preview of upcoming seasons.

https://www.fastcompany.com/90553879/4-fashion-insiders-reveal-how-the-industry-is-being-altered-by-covid-19 ... See more

Designer Prabal Gurung, Farfetch CEO José Neves, CFDA’s Steven Kolb, and Vestiaire Collective’s Clara Chappaz offer a preview of upcoming seasons.

US online holiday sales to reach $189B this year, up 33% from 2019 - The accelerated shift to e-commerce due to the pandemic will have a significant impact on U.S. online holiday sales, according to a new forecast from Adobe Analytics. Adobe Analytics predicts that U.S. online sales for the months of November and December 2020 will reach $189 billion, representing a 33% year-over-year increase and setting a new record.

https://techcrunch.com/2020/10/28/us-online-holiday-sales-to-reach-189b-this-year-up-33-from-2019/ ... See more

The accelerated shift to e-commerce due to the pandemic will have a significant impact on U.S. online holiday sales, according to a new forecast from Adobe Analytics. Adobe Analytics predicts that U.S. online sales for the months of November and December 2020 will reach $189 billion, representing a.... ... See more

Brazil’s Black Silicon Valley could be an epicenter of innovation in Latin America – Over the last five years, Brazil has witnessed a startup boom. The main startups hubs in the country have traditionally been São Paulo and Belo Horizonte, but now a new wave of cities are building their own thriving local startup ecosystems, including Recife with Porto Digital hub and Florianópolis with Acate. More recently, a “Black Silicon Valley” is beginning to take shape in Salvador da Bahia.

https://techcrunch.com/2020/10/15/brazils-black-silicon-valley-could-be-an-epicenter-of-innovation-in-latin-america/ ... See more

There is no doubt that the new wave of innovation will come from the emerging markets, and the African Diaspora can play an important role.

Nabis raises $5m Series A to grow its cannabis distribution platform – The cannabis industry is quickly growing up, and companies like Nabis play a critical role. Today, the company is announcing it raised $5 million in Series A funding, which will help it grow and expand its offering.

https://techcrunch.com/2020/10/15/nabis-raises-5m-series-a-to-grow-its-cannabis-distribution-platform/ ... See more

The cannabis industry is quickly growing up, and companies like Nabis play a critical role. Today, the company is announcing it raised $5 million in Series A funding, which will help it grow and expand its offering. Nabis is a business to business distributor, handling logistics, payment, and wareh.... ... See more

It seems Extended Reality or XR is going to be the high tech that will make us feel like we are living in the future. XR encompasses a conglomeration of VR - virtual reality, AR - Augmented Reality and MR - mixed reality.

Qualcomm the tech giant that produces chips powering some popular VR headsets such as the oculus quest, has made a huge announcement. They will start collaborating with at least 15 leading global mobile operators to deliver XR viewers.

There are many mixed reality headsets that exist today, however most of them are meant for developers thus the price is enormous. Such as Hololens 2 with a staggering $3,500. But many companies focusing in the development of AR, VR, MR and now XR are beginning to pay attention to the consumer market.

The nreal light MR glasses are such an example. In the near future we will see more XR devices coming to live that will transform our day to day life and will eventually replace smartphones. The future with these many XR devices in a post-smartphone world does look very bright.

https://youtu.be/E0QLVj9FJ0A ... See more

It seems Extended Reality or XR is going to be the high tech that will make us feel like we are living in the future. XR encompasses a conglomeration of VR -...

Sony reveals Spatial Reality Display, a 4K screen with glasses-free 3D

https://venturebeat.com/2020/10/15/sony-reveals-spatial-reality-display-a-4k-screen-with-glasses-free-3d/

Glasses-free 3D screens are becoming considerably more powerful in resolution and speed, enabling creators to display realistic holographic content.

Sometimes, it’s obvious from the get-go that a moment in tech history is . . . well, historic. Other times, it’s clear only in the fullness of time. Yet another type of historic moment flies largely under the radar, shaping our lives more than most people ever realize.

As Fast Company celebrates our 25th anniversary, we’ve compiled a list of 25 moments that have defined the tech industry since our first issue hit the stands with a cover date of November 1995. (These calls are tough to make, so we also picked 10 runners-up.) For better or worse—and sometimes both at the same time—these events have had lasting impact. If there’s some alternate universe where they never happened, it’s a different place indeed.

https://www.fastcompany.com/90565059/25-moments-in-tech-that-defined-the-past-25-years ... See more

From the obvious (Steve Jobs unveils the iPhone) to the obscure (AT&T stops charging an hourly rate for internet access), these events were landmarks.

This Bluetooth stethoscope could end unnecessary doctors visits

StethoMe can detect respiratory problems in young children – and then recommend medical intervention

StethoMe can detect respiratory problems in young children – and then recommend medical intervention

7 tips for raising capital in the pandemic

The CEO of Copado, a DevOps solution for Salesforce, survived colon cancer and the disruption of COVID-19 to fortify his company. Here’s how he did it.

The CEO of Copado, a DevOps solution for Salesforce, survived colon cancer and the disruption of COVID-19 to fortify his company. Here’s how he did it.

Real estate prices are about to drop 10%

COVID-19 is wreaking havoc on the real estate market, with hospitality and retail taking the biggest hit, but the news isn’t universally negative, according to a new forecast from the Urban Land Institute and PwC. ... See more

COVID-19 is wreaking havoc on the real estate market, with hospitality and retail taking the biggest hit, but the news isn’t universally negative, according to a new forecast from the Urban Land Institute and PwC. ... See more

DroneDeploy, a cloud software company that uses drone footage to help industries like agriculture, oil and gas and construction get a bird’s-eye view of a site to build a 3D picture, announced a new initiative today that combines drone photos with cameras on the ground or even ground robots from a company like Boston Dynamics for what it is calling a 360 Walkthrough. ... See more

DroneDeploy, a cloud software company that uses drone footage to help industries like agriculture, oil and gas and construction get a bird’s-eye view of a site to build a 3D picture, announced a new initiative today that combines drone photos with cameras on the ground or even ground robots f… ... See more

Businesses reducing trash and plastic consumption are beginning to look like treasure to some VCs

Zuleyka Strasner didn’t set out to become an advocate for zero-waste consumption. The former manager of partner operations at Felicis Ventures had initially pursued a career in politics in the U.K. before a move to San Francisco with her husband. It was on their honeymoon on a small island in… ... See more

WHEN AMAZON RELEASED the Echo smart speaker in 2014, people marveled at the convenience of voice-controlled computing. But the novelty has worn off, and today they are more likely to grumble about how often Alexa gets confused.

Now, Amazon has a plan to make Alexa smarter—with you as the teacher. ... See more

A new feature from Amazon allows the intelligent assistant to ask for clarification on your requests.

French startup Exotec has raised a $90 million Series C round led by 83North, with existing investors Iris Capital and Breega also participating. Other existing investors include 360 Capital. The company has been working on semi-automated warehouses for e-commerce clients. ... See more

French startup Exotec has raised a $90 million Series C round led by 83North, with existing investors Iris Capital and Breega also participating. Other existing investors include 360 Capital. The company has been working on semi-automated warehouses for e-commerce clients. The system is based on ti.... ... See more

New report finds VC investment into climate tech growing five times faster than overall VC.

VC and corporate investment into climate tech grew at a faster rate than overall VC investment as a whole between 2013-2019, according to a major new report — to the tune of $60 billion of early-stage capital.

The new research by PwC (“The State of Climate Tech 2020“) found that although it’s still early days for climate tech in terms of the overall VC market (approximately 6% of total capital invested in 2019), VC investment into the space is growing at a clip: it increased from $418 million per annum in 2013 to $16.3 billion in 2019. According to the report, that is approximately three times the growth rate of VC investment into AI over the same period, and five times the average growth in VC. ... See more

VC and corporate investment into climate tech grew at a faster rate than overall VC investment as a whole between 2013-2019, according to a major new report — to the tune of $60 billion of early-stage capital. The new research by PwC (“The State of Climate Tech 2020“) found that althoug… ... See more

Sree Kolli is co-founder of Conduit, a premium investment platform that connects founders with successful operators, family offices and select VCs worldwide.

2020 has been a year of social upheaval. Around the world, society is identifying different problems in our culture and pushing for widespread change. While there are notable steps we can all take, from altering exclusionary company policies to signing action-oriented petitions, the VC and investment world has another, often overlooked option: Investing in change-the-world startups. ... See more

Democratized access to startups yields more opportunity for investors to find ventures that align with their values while diversifying their profiles can provide tremendous results.

Amazon's new Ring camera is actually a flying drone -- for inside your house.

Ring on Thursday introduced a new product to its growing lineup of smart home devices -- the Ring Always Home Cam. Unlike the Amazon company's other home security cameras, the Always Home Cam is a flying camera drone that docks when it isn't in use. The Ring Always Home Cam will be available in 2021 and will cost $250. ... See more

Ring announces the $250 Always Home Cam and plans for end-to-end encryption.

Why this drive-through restaurant could be the future of fine dining

Ten Los Angeles chefs are serving up a 10-course meal—in your car

Steven Yang and Sonny Vu discuss COVID-19’s impact on tech manufacturing

Like most of the rest of the world, COVID-19 hit the manufacturing sector by surprise. That China — which continues to comprise the vast majority of electronics manufacturing — was the first global epicenter of the virus certainly didn’t help the industry sufficiently brace for the impact of a... ... See more