Joby Aviation targets parking garages for its aerial ridesharing network

Joby Aviation is partnering with one of the country's largest parking garage operators and a real estate acquisition company to build out its network of vertiports, with an initial focus on Los Angeles, Miami, New York and the San Francisco Bay Area, the company said Wednesday. The partnership

JOKR launches in New York with a different take on on-demand delivery

For years now, the world of retail has been evolving. Whether it’s next-day delivery with Amazon Prime or subscription D2C services or on-demand delivery from Postmates, we’re growing increasingly accustomed to being able to buy something and have it arrive at our door relatively quickl

Stemma launches with $4.8M seed to build managed data catalogue

As companies increasingly rely on data to run their businesses, having accurate sources of data becomes paramount. Stemma, a new early-stage startup, has come up with a solution, a managed data catalogue that acts as an organization’s source of truth. Today the company announced a $4.8 millio

Huawei officially launches HarmonyOS for smartphones

Think you’re living in a hyper-connected world? Huawei’s proprietary HarmonyOS wants to eliminate delays and gaps in user experience when you move from one device onto another by adding interoperability to all devices, regardless of the system that powers them. Two years after Huawei wa

Jeeves emerges from stealth with $131M in debt and equity and a16z as a lead investor

Jeeves, which is building an “all-in-one expense management platform” for global startups, is emerging from stealth today with $131 million in total funding, including $31 million in equity and $100 million in debt financing.  The $31 million in equity consists of a new $26 million Series A an

Taking Lyft's new e-bike for a spin

The bike had none of the usual signage when I took it for a spin around the chaotic and construction-filled streets of Manhattan. It very much looked like a prototype, with visible soldering on the joints and a not-quite-complete AV system. But it handled well, when merging in and out of traffic &#

Synctera raises $33M Series A to pair fintechs with banks

Synctera, which aims to serve as a matchmaker for community banks and fintechs, has raised $33 million in a Series A round of funding led by Fin VC. The raise comes just under six months after the fintech raised $12.4 million in a seed round of funding. New investors Mastercard and

Coatue direct deposits $20M into Pinwheel, a payroll API for neobanks

One of the most strategically important financial relationships for neobanks is becoming the account destination for a user's paycheck. If you're a bank and you own that specific relationship, users will increasingly use that account for everything from daily spending to saving (after all,

Spotify rolls out new personalized experiences and playlists, including a mid-year review and a blended mix with a friend

Spotify today is expanding its investment in personalization features with the launch of a dedicated in-app experience called Only You, which focuses on your favorite music and how you listen. The experience is similar to Spotify’s popular annual review, Spotify Wrapped, as it highlights the

FlixMobility raises $650M+ at a $3B valuation to double down on buses and other transport in the US

As consumers around the world slowly start to get moving again — fingers crossed that new waves of COVID-19 cases do not set that back — one of the big players in on-demand mass transportation services is announcing a growth round to move with them. FlixMobility, the parent company of t

Amazon to stop screening employees for marijuana

Amazon in a brief blog post announced it will no longer include marijuana on its drug screening program. In short, the company is now treating weed like alcohol, which means off-work employees can partake in a beer or a spliff without fear of repercussions. Of course, just like with alcohol, Amazon

Guild Education valued at $3.75 billion with newest round

Guild Education, which pairs employees with employer-sponsored learning opportunities, has raised $150 million in a Series E round. The financing event, funded by Bessemer Venture Partners, Cowboy Ventures, D1, Emerson Collective, General Catalyst, GSV, Harrison Metal, ICONIQ, Redpoint and Salesfor

Celonis snares $1B Series D on $11B valuation

Celonis, the late-stage process mining software startup, announced a $1 billion Series D investment this morning on an eye-popping $11 billion valuation, up from $2.5 billion in its Series C in 2019, quadrupling its value in just two years. Durable Capital Partners LP and T. Rowe Price Associates c

Kabuto releases a larger version of its smart suitcase

Kabuto, the French startup that designs and sells smart suitcases, is releasing a new suitcase today. Called the Kabuto Trunk, this is the company's biggest suitcase to date. Unlike smart suitcases from other brands, this isn't just a suitcase with a battery in it. In particular, there'