Russian investment firm RTP Global has announced a $650 million early-stage fund – its biggest to date by far. The Moscow-headquartered company will plough its cash into startups in Europe, North America,…
Mega-Investor Singer “Aims to Oust” Twitter’s Dorsey
An activist investment vehicle led by a billionaire political donor has purchased a stake in Twitter – and plans to “push for changes” including the ouster of Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, according…
US Feels Heat of Coronavirus Spread
The United States is feeling the pressure of the rapidly-spreading Coronavirus, with major events canceled, stocks tumbling and a President that has chosen political battles over practical solutions. Facebook became the latest…
Rajeev Misra, Head of SoftBank Vision Fund, Accused of “Honey Trap” Plot
Rajeev Misra, the head of SoftBank’s Vision Fund, has been accused of a sensational plot to blackmail SoftBank’s then-president in 2015. According to a Wall Street Journal exposé, Misra planned to sabotage…
Can Big Tech Quell Disinformation Ahead of America’s Vote?
The United States’ 2020 Presidential election will come at a pivotal moment for its tech industry. A report released by the Pew Research Study yesterday found that almost three quarters of US…
Speedinvest Raises $206m Fund for “Deep Tech” Investments
European investment firm Speedinvest, which focuses on seed-stage startups, has closed a €190m ($206m) fund, with which it will target a number of “deep tech” outfits working across different verticals. The company,…
Coronavirus Could Push Japan Into Recession
Japan’s economy is on the verge of a recession, and the novel coronavirus threatening to disrupt global economic output may push it over the edge. In the fourth quarter of 2019, Japan’s…
Private Capital Fundraising Increased in 2019
Limited Partners continued to pour money into private markets in 2019, as $888 billion was raised across 1,064 funds, the most ever on an annual basis according to data from Pitchbook. The…
German Court Stifles Tesla’s Gigafactory Roll-out
A German court has ordered that work on Tesla’s planned Gigafactory outside Berlin must halt, amid concerns over its impact on local wildlife. The ruling, handed down by the joint court of…
Airbnb’s Losses Arrive Just in Time for IPO
In the first nine months of 2019, Airbnb posted a loss of $322 million, according to the Wall Street Journal, and the timing could hardly be worse. In the same period in…