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Chipmaker AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) has unveiled a range of innovative AI solutions spanning from data centers to personal computers. The AMD Instinct MI300 Series features data center AI accelerators, while the ROCm 6 open software stack introduces new features supporting Large Language Models (LLMs). Additionally, the Ryzen 8040 Series processors come equipped with Ryzen AI capabilities.
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Alternative Investments/ESG: New WisdomTree ETF Addresses Decarbonization Innovation In Auto Sector
WisdomTree has launched the WisdomTree Global Automotive Innovators UCITS ETF to provide investors with exposure to the theme of innovation in transportation covering the twin objectives of evolving mobility needs and the decarbonization of a sector that accounts for around 12% of greenhouse gas emissions.
Digital Assets: Uniswap To Raise Between $100M – $200M ; Could Nab Unicorn Status
A report by Tech Crunch said Friday that Uniswap Labs is in preliminary discussions for a fundraising of $100 million – $200 million and could command a valuation of around $1 billion, thus acquiring the hallowed ‘unicorn’ status. The company is the parent of Uniswap, the biggest decentralized exchange in the world that commands 64% of all DEX volumes, according to DeFi Llama. Further, it is significant that the exchange protocol’s token has a market cap of nearly $5 billion despite the bear market in crypto assets.
FinTech: Big Banking Names (Read: BNY Mellon, JPM, Citi, BankAm, Goldman Sachs) Back AccessFintech
AccessFintech raised a $60 million Series C funding round, led by WestCap with investment from BNY Mellon and Bank of America, with repeat participation from existing investors Dawn Capital, J.P. Morgan (NYSE: JPM), Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) and Citi Group (NYSE: C).
Venture Capital: African Fintech Numida Nabs $12.3M Round Led By Serena William’s VC Firm
Numida, a Ugandan fintech which seeks to grow African small businesses through access to digital and unsecured working capital, has raised $12.3 million in a equity-cum-debt funding. Serena Williams’ venture fund Serena Ventures, led a $7.3 million portion of equity funding with participation from Breega, 4Di Capital, Launch Africa, Soma Capital, Y Combinator, and MFS Africa. Lendable Asset Management funded the rest of $5 million as debt.
Artificial Intelligence: Tesla Displays Optimus, A Humanoid Robot, At Its AI Day Event
At its much-anticipated AI Day on Friday, Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) brought on stage a prototype of its Optimus humanoid robot slated for mass production in 3-5 years at a target price of less than $20,000. The humanoid is aimed at solving all kinds of boring and repetitive tasks, especially in the context of labor shortages.
Alternative Investments/DA: BlackRock Debuts Blockchain ETF In Europe
BlackRock (NYSE: BLK), the largest asset manager in the world, launched last week the iShares Blockchain Technology UCITS ETF [BLKC] targeted at European investors looking for exposure to blockchain and crypto technologies.
Venture Capital: LIVIN Farms, A Provider Of Bugs On Subscription, Raises €6M Series A
LIVIN Farms, an industrial technology provider in the alternative protein industry, has developed HIVE PRO, a fully automated process that allows waste management companies and large scale food producers to convert organic waste and by-products into revenue earning proteins, fats, and fertilisers using insect larvae. The company raised a EUR 6 Million Series A round led by venture investor Peter Luersse.
Digital Assets: Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX US Wins Auction For Voyager Digital’s Bankruptcy Assets With $1.4B Bid
West Realm Shires Inc., dba FTX US, has won the bankruptcy auction for the assets of Voyager Digital with a bid of about $1.422 billion. It was held to be the best and highest bid after an auction process that included multiple rounds of bidding over a period of two weeks.
Artificial Intelligence: Clearview Nabs Patent For Technology That Creates Bias-Free Algorithms
Clearview AI announced its win of the “Scalable Training Data Preparation Pipeline And Efficient Distributed Trainer For Deep Neural Networks In Facial Recognition” patent (U.S. Patent No. 11,443,553) issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The patented technology is able to create highly accurate, bias-free facial recognition algorithms from publicly available information.
Alternative Investments/ESG: The Newday Sustainable Development Equity ETF
Newday offers portfolios addressing the world’s most pressing environmental and social issues including climate action, ocean health, clean water, diversity, equity and inclusion, wildlife conservation and animal welfare, and stakeholder capitalism. It manages its portfolios in alignment with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (pictured above) to affect positive change. Earlier this month, it launched the Newday Sustainable Development Equity ETF (SDGS).
Artificial Intelligence: Disperse Raises $16M For AI-Enabled Construction
Disperse, a provider of AI software that streamlines processes and productivity at construction projects, has raised $16 million in a funding round led by 2150 with participation by existing investors including Northzone and Kindred Capital. The company will use the new funds for product advancements and expanding the go-to-market function in the Americas. Disperse systems will support project managers during a recessionary environment, volatility in labor and materials markets, and other typical operational issues.
Digital Assets: Do Kwon Not In Singapore; Interpol Issues Red Notice For The Terra Co-Founder
According to a Bloomberg report, South Korean authorities have confirmed in a text message Monday that Interpol had issued a Red Notice for Kwon, requesting law enforcement forces globally to locate and arrest Do Kwon, the co-founder of the ill-fated Terraform Labs. Kwon is accused in South Korea of various crimes, including violations of capital market law, and courts there have already issued a warrant for his arrest.
Venture Capital: ffVC Steps In To Fill Funding Void, Launches Fund For Ukrainian Startups
ff Venture Capital, or ffVC, an early-stage venture firm focused on global opportunities, launched the ff Blue & Yellow Heritage Fund, the first US venture capital fund exclusively for Ukrainian founders and startups. Of the targeted amount of $50 million the new fund has already received commitments for $30mm from institutional, family offices and corporate investors.
Artificial Intelligence: James Earl Jones Agrees To AI Cloning His Voice For Darth Vader
A Ukrainian startup called Respeecher took up the task of using AI to recreate Jone’s voice in Disney Plus’ Obi-Wan Kenobi. According to The Verge, which cited Vanity Fair, Jones had signed off rights to his archival voice work.
FinTech: Finastra To Offer Banks Cross-Border Payments Via Visa Direct
Thousands of banks and financial institutions can now offer cross-border payments for small- and medium-sized businesses, and individuals, in multiple currencies and countries, via a Finastra-Visa Direct tie-up. This BaaS offering is a cost-effective alternative to deploying a custom-built cross-border payment solution that could be both expensive and time-consuming for banks in the current environment.
FinTech: SAP-Owned Taulia And Standard Chartered To Collaborate On Working Capital Finance Solutions
Taulia, a provider of working capital solutions, and Standard Chartered announced a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly advance working capital management solutions and strengthen financial supply chains. Taulia was acquired in January this year by SAP (NYSE: SAP) in a move aimed at giving companies better access to liquidity and improving their cash flows.
FinTech: Klarna Trims Workforce…Again
Klarna’s chief operating officer, Camilla Giesecke, sent a live video message to employees on Monday afternoon, announcing that the company would be implementing additional layoffs. The message went out to about 500 employees in three departments, and justified the action on “the more focused nature of today’s Klarna.”
FinTech: Metoda Finance And Mambu Join To Offer Banking Solutions That Are Regulation Compliant In Italy
Global cloud banking and SaaS platform Mambu and Metoda Finance, an Italian provider of compliance and financial services have teamed to offer a suite of Italian regulation-driven banking technology solutions, integrated with Mambu’s SaaS banking platform.
Venture Capital: Rivus Pharma Lands $132M For Obesity and Cardio-Metabolic Drug
Rivus Pharmaceuticals Inc announced its $132 million Series B financing that would advance obesity drug HU6, its lead candidate, and a first-in-class Controlled Metabolic Accelerator (CMA) for cardio-metabolic disease, as well as obesity, the primary driver of the disease.
Digital Assets: Nasdaq Launches Institutions-Focused Digital Assets Business
With a view to driving broader institutional adoption of digital assets, NASDAQ has launched a new digital assets business titled Nasdaq Digital Assets to provide a proprietary custody solution with liquidity and execution services for financial institutions.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Sprott Files For An Energy Transition Materials ETF
Sprott Funds filed Tuesday to launch the Sprott Energy Transition Materials ETF, an ETF that would invest in securities of companies engaged in activities relating to energy transition materials.
Alternative Investments/ESG: A New ETF From iShares Targets Water Sustainability
The iShares MSCI Water Management Multisector ETF (NASDAQ: IWTR), a new ETF from iShares launched on Thursday, focuses on water sustainability and invests across the globe given that 41% of the world is in areas facing high or very high levels of water shortage.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund Norges Bank Places Nine More Companies on ESG Blacklist
Norges Bank is Norway’s central bank and also manages its $ 1.2 trillion Government Pension Fund Global. As a part of its governance procedures, the pension funds Council on Ethics periodically reviews the portfolio to identify companies that would qualify for exclusion under its strict climate guidelines. Based on recommendations from this council, Norges Bank has placed another nine companies on its exclusion list for investment.
Artificial Intelligence: Indian Engineer Duo Builds AI-Powered ‘Smart’ Jacket Made of Graphene
Khushboo Patel, an engineering graduate from Surat and Neel Panchal, co-founder of graphene manufacturing startup LHP Nanotechnologies have got together to develop a jacket made of graphene for the Indian Armed Forces that would keep soldiers warm and comfortable even in the harshest of climate.