Startup News roundup for Week ending 8th October
News you can use
- Book Review ‘Angel: How to Invest in Technology Startups –Timeless Advice from an Angel Investor’
- Launch of startups in India slows down – Here is a bit of sobering news for entrepreneurs, founders and startups: There are reports that the number of startups launched in India has dropped this year.
- Google’s gadget Vision: SAME STUFF, DIFFERENT SCREENS – FIRST THING IN the morning, the second your head pops off the pillow, you reach over and grab your Pixel off the nightstand. You check Twitter, thumb through email, poke at the New York Times app to make sure we’re not at nuclear war. You stand, stretch, and say, “Hey Google, good morning.” Your Google Home Max (because you wanted the best-sounding one, price be damned) reads out the weather and traffic conditions, lists off the day’s events, and starts playing your Discover Weekly playlist as you turn on the shower. While you’re toweling off, you remember your kid’s soccer game tonight. “Hey Google, remind me to get orange slices.” This time your Pixel perks up, taking the memo.
Corporate Startup Ventures and M&A
ANZ teams up with Fitbit and buys property startup in new digital push – Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) has announced an acquisition and partnership with Fitbit as it looks to drive its digital transformation. ANZ has bought property startup REALas, a technology firm that aims to provide homebuyers more accurate information on properties, including price estimates.The bank has also announced a partnership with wearable tech giant Fitbit, a move which will allow ANZ customers to pay for goods using a Fitbit Ionic.
Microsoft Acquires Comcast-Backed Social Virtual Reality Startup AltspaceVR – The Altspace team joined the software giant a few days ago, and is now being tasked with “building the world’s preeminent mixed reality community,” according to Microsoft’s mixed reality lead Alex Kipman, who called Altspace “a pioneer in social mixed reality” Tuesday.
Snapchat is cozying up to startups with a dedicated benefits and discounts program for their advertising needs – Snapchat is launching a dedicated benefits program called “Snap Accelerate” to incentivize startups to advertise on the platform.The benefits include media coupons, creative services credits , free branded filters and early access to new ad products among other things up to $100,000.
BOSCH acquires smart bike startup COBI to deliver better eBike Screen – Electric drive manufacturer Bosch announced plans to acquire tech startup Cobi in an effort to bolster its portfolio and bring something new to the ebike scene. In this case, that involves technology that would allow cyclists to pair their smartphones with their bikes to unlock an array of new functionality that a standard ebike LCD screen doesn’t currently deliver.
IKEA Buys Chore Help Startup TaskRabbit – the Silicon Valley startup that saves you from doing-it-yourself is being bought up by IKEA!
Startups that failed this week
Venture based startup Yumist fails: It’s been a FABULOUS journey, but… In early October, Venture capital-backed meals ordering startup Yumist announced it was shutting shop with a blog post on its main page