Thu.Nov 19, 2020

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Investing in the Pandemic and the New Normal

OurCrowd

SALT Talks-OurCrowd Pandemic Venture Investment Series (Part 1). Watch the full episode here. Despite the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, venture capital is well placed to thrive as the world becomes increasingly digital and demands innovative solutions, according to one veteran Silicon Valley investor. Unlike previous economic crises, the pandemic offers a chance for venture capital to respond directly to the world’s most pressing needs, from healthcare to online banking to secu

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Investors including Microsoft’s climate fund back hyperlocal environmental monitoring tech developer Aclima

TechCrunch

Mitigating the effects of climate change and pollution is a global problem, but it’s one that requires local solutions. While that seems like common sense, most communities around the world don’t have tools that can monitor emissions and pollutants at the granular levels they need to develop plans that can address these pollutants. Aclima , a decade-old startup founded by Davida Herzl, is looking to solve that problem and has raised $40 million in new funding from strategic and insti

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Partnering with CodePath and ColorStack to support future technical founders

Y Combinator

YC was founded around the idea that technologists should be at the center of tech innovation. It seems obvious today, but it wasn’t always that way. We believe that technology startups should include a technical founder because it is critical that a CTO have a seat at the table where key decisions regarding the future of the startup are made. When it comes to deciding what to do with technology, technical founders know what the options are and what kinds of problems are hard and which are easy.

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Juni, the banking platform for e-commerce and online marketing companies, raises €2M seed

TechCrunch

Juni , a Swedish pre-launch startup that’s building a banking app and platform for e-commerce and online marketing entrepreneurs, has raised just over €2.1 million in seed funding. Leading the round is Berlin-based Cherry Ventures — the first deal, I believe, from newly recruited partner Sophia Bendz, who herself is based in Sweden. Various angel investors have also backed Juni, including NA-KD founder and CEO Jarno Vanahatapio and iZettle’s former chief strategy and communications o

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From Curiosity to Competitive Edge: How Mid-Market CEOs Are Using AI to Scale Smarter

Speaker: Lee Andrews, Founder at LJA New Media & Tony Karrer, Founder and CTO at Aggregage

This session will walk you through how one CEO used generative AI, workflow automation, and sales personalization to transform an entire security company—then built the Zero to Strategy framework that other mid-market leaders are now using to unlock 3.5x ROI. As a business executive, you’ll learn how to assess AI opportunities in your business, drive adoption across teams, and overcome internal resource constraints—without hiring a single data scientist.

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The Exact Steps I Took to Create a Multiple 6-figure Launch for an Online Course

Entrepreneur's Handbook

Photo by Nicole Krummacher There’s an art to selling online courses, and I’m proud to say that I’ve mastered it. I’ve experienced several multiple six-figure ‘energetic’ online course launches with ease, welcoming many incredible clients along the way. Of course, I haven’t always had such successful launches. It’s taken me plenty of trial and error to achieve results like this, and I perfected the technique over several years.

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[OurCrowd in Jerusalem Post] Israel’s OurCrowd announces Japan’s ORIX $60 million investment

OurCrowd

ORIX and OurCrowd will collaborate in agreed focus areas and will establish financial products and investment opportunities suited for the Japanese and global markets. Read more here. The post [OurCrowd in Jerusalem Post] Israel’s OurCrowd announces Japan’s ORIX $60 million investment appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

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ZenBusiness snags $55M Series B for its incorporation and growth platform for micro businesses

TechCrunch

Starting a small company used to be simple. Get some space on Main Street, put out a shingle, and begin plying your trade. Then the regulatory state came, and so did the internet. Now, entrepreneurs have to apply for licenses — sometimes multiple licenses in multiple states — and also handle all the intricacies of building a fully-online digital presence.

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The Supercharger Boosting Startupland Fundraising and Exits

Tomasz Tunguz

Despite the economic backdrop, startups continue to plow ahead. One of the biggest changes in the last year in the US is the Fed’s stated low interest rate policy for the next three years. What impact are we seeing in the market? Theory says lower interest rates means investors should shift from less risky to more risky assets to find the same level of return.

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Afresh has a $100 million valuation and a software service that keeps food fresh in grocery stores

TechCrunch

Afresh , a company selling software to track demand and manage orders for fresh produce in grocery stores, is now worth $100 million. That hefty valuation comes on the back of a $13 million extension to the company’s latest round of funding, led by Food Retail Ventures and joined by existing investors Innovation Endeavors, Maersk Growth and Baseline Ventures, the company said.

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State of AI in Sales & Marketing 2025

AI adoption is reshaping sales and marketing. But is it delivering real results? We surveyed 1,000+ GTM professionals to find out. The data is clear: AI users report 47% higher productivity and an average of 12 hours saved per week. But leaders say mainstream AI tools still fall short on accuracy and business impact. Download the full report today to see how AI is being used — and where go-to-market professionals think there are gaps and opportunities.

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Have you heard? Eyeballs aren’t everything.

Berkonomics

Remember when? Back when we were all trying to figure out the real value of traffic on the web, investors – and acquiring companies – got a bit crazy with metrics used to value acquisitions and investments. Since in most cases, there was no revenue in many of these companies, all trying to gain market share at any cost, we had to invent the metric to use.

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Autodesk CEO Andrew Anagnost explains the strategy behind acquiring Spacemaker

TechCrunch

Autodesk, the U.S. publicly listed software and services company that targets engineering and design industries, acquired Norway’s Spacemaker this week. The startup has developed AI-supported software for urban development, something Autodesk CEO Andrew Anagnost broadly calls generative design. The price of the acquisition is $240 million in a mostly all-cash deal.

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Peak Season: How to Remain Mighty on Main Without Holiday Foot Traffic

Smart Hustle Magazine

Foot traffic is a lifeline for brick-and-mortars, especially small businesses. However, leisurely trips down Main Street are dwindling as consumers lean into e-commerce to minimize their trips out during the pandemic. McKinsey & Co found that 25 to 36 percent of small businesses could close permanently as a result of the change in shopping behavior and disruption from just the first four months of the COVID-19 outbreak.

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Steve Case’s Revolution is targeting $500 million for its fourth growth fund

TechCrunch

Revolution , the Washington, D.C.-based investment firm founded by AOL co-founder CEO Steve Case and former AOL senior exec Ted Leonsis, is raising $500 million for its fourth fund, shows a new SEC filing. Asked about the effort earlier today, the firm — one of whose executives leaves for the White House in January — declined to comment.

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15 Modern Use Cases for Enterprise Business Intelligence

Large enterprises face unique challenges in optimizing their Business Intelligence (BI) output due to the sheer scale and complexity of their operations. Unlike smaller organizations, where basic BI features and simple dashboards might suffice, enterprises must manage vast amounts of data from diverse sources. What are the top modern BI use cases for enterprise businesses to help you get a leg up on the competition?

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The Growth Strategy Snowflake Used to Get to a $70 Billion Market Cap

Entrepreneur's Handbook

While having the 3rd highest revenue growth of any software IPO, ever Continue reading on Entrepreneur's Handbook ».

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Roblox files to go public

TechCrunch

Roblox, the child-friendly gaming company, filed to go public today. Its listing comes one day after the lending company Affirm initiated its own public offering and a mere two days after Airbnb’s filing. Roblox filed confidentially to go public in mid-October, but its numbers were unreleased until today when it published its S-1 document. The company is not the first gaming platform company to go public this year, with gaming engine Unity debuting earlier this year.

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Billionaire Spanx CEO, Sara Blakely, Shares The Business-Ending Mistake New Entrepreneurs Often…

Entrepreneur's Handbook

Who you share your business idea with matters Continue reading on Entrepreneur's Handbook ».

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With new cash and a former Apple exec now at the helm, Connect Homes is ready to reconstruct homebuilding

TechCrunch

Greg Leung had worked at Apple for years and was coming off a stint at the smart lock company Otto when he got the call to interview with Connect Homes. The pitch — building a starter home for a much lower cost than other prefabricated houses on the market, and one that could be dropped in to locations in the urban core of most cities — was too good to pass up. “Basically, it’s a beautiful product, but done in a way that disrupts and transforms the way homes are built,

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The GTM Intelligence Era: ZoomInfo 2025 Customer Impact Report

ZoomInfo customers aren’t just selling — they’re winning. Revenue teams using our Go-To-Market Intelligence platform grew pipeline by 32%, increased deal sizes by 40%, and booked 55% more meetings. Download this report to see what 11,000+ customers say about our Go-To-Market Intelligence platform and how it impacts their bottom line. The data speaks for itself!

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Have We Been Selling Enterprise Software All Wrong?

Entrepreneur's Handbook

A marketer’s perspective as an enterprise software buyer Continue reading on Entrepreneur's Handbook ».

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FireEye acquires Respond Software for $186M, announces $400M investment

TechCrunch

The security sector is ever frothy and acquisitive. Just last week Palo Alto Networks grabbed Expanse for $800 million. Today it was FireEye’s turn, snagging Respond Software , a company that helps customers investigate and understand security incidents, while reducing the need for highly trained (and scarce) security analysts. The deal has closed, according to the company.

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[OurCrowd CEO Jon Medved in CNBC] OurCrowd: We are Israel’s ‘most active’ investor in its artificial intelligence space

OurCrowd

OurCrowd’s CEO and co-founder Jonathan Medved outlines investment opportunities within the Gulf Cooperation Council region, especially in its growing tech sector. Read more here. The post [OurCrowd CEO Jon Medved in CNBC] OurCrowd: We are Israel’s ‘most active’ investor in its artificial intelligence space appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

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48 hours left to save $100 on passes to TC Sessions: Space 2020

TechCrunch

T-minus two days and counting. That’s how much time you have left to score early-bird passes to TC Sessions: Space 2020. If you’re part of this global startup community, don’t miss a two-day deep dive focused on the intrepid visionaries pushing the boundaries of technology and forging the future of space. And don’t miss the opportunity to attend at the lowest price point.

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How Top Tech CFOs Solve Annual Planning’s Biggest Challenges

Gearing up for 2025 annual planning? Our latest eBook from the Operators Guild is your ultimate guide. Discover real-world solutions and best practices shared by top CFOs, drawn directly from discussions within OG’s vibrant online community. Learn from senior executives at high-growth tech startups as they outline financial planning strategies, align CEO and board goals, and coordinate budgets across departments.

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5 Key Lessons from Organising a Paid Online Conference

Entrepreneur's Handbook

The good, the bad and the ugly (but mostly the good) Continue reading on Entrepreneur's Handbook ».

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Astra targets December for next orbital launch attempt

TechCrunch

Astra is set to launch it’s next orbital rocket, with a window that opens on December 7 and lasts for 12 days following, until December 18, with an 11 AM to 2:30 PM PT block each day during which the launch could occur, depending on weather and conditions on the ground. This is the startup’s Rocket 3.2, a slightly revised and improved version of the Rocket 3.1 launch vehicle it flew in September.

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[OurCrowd in Nasdaq] Japan’s Orix invests $60 mln in Israeli venture firm OurCrowd

OurCrowd

Israeli venture investment firm OurCrowd said on Thursday that Japanese leasing and financial services group Orix Corp 8591.T has taken an undisclosed stake in the company with a strategic investment of $60 million. Read more here. The post [OurCrowd in Nasdaq] Japan’s Orix invests $60 mln in Israeli venture firm OurCrowd appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

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Medable raises $91 million for its clinical trial management software

TechCrunch

The clinical trial management software developer Medable has raised $91 million in a new round of financing as life sciences companies struggle with how to conduct the necessary validation studies of new drugs and devices in a pandemically challenged environment. Digital and decentralized clinical trials are becoming a necessity, given the health and safety guidelines that have been adopted to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company said.

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5 Ways You Can Win Faster with Gen AI in Sales

Incorporating generative AI (gen AI) into your sales process can speed up your wins through improved efficiency, personalized customer interactions, and better informed decision- making. Gen AI is a game changer for busy salespeople and can reduce time-consuming tasks, such as customer research, note-taking, and writing emails, and provide insightful data analysis and recommendations.