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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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FinTech: Klarna Acquires PriceRunner To Boost Shoppers’ Searches
Klarna, the BNPL that is valued as a quadradecacorn, announced today its acquisition of price comparison site PriceRunner to enhance the Klarna app via new features including product reviews, rich product discovery and price comparisons.
Alternative Investments/ESG: VanEck’s Lineup Of Moat Investing ETFs Now Has An ESG Version
VanEck launched in October the VanEck Morningstar ESG Moat ETF (CBOE: MOTE), a sustainable addition to its lineup of “moat” investing ETFs. Investors can hope to get exposure to US companies that have the advantages of being attractively priced, have competitive moats, and are screened for ESG risks.
Artificial Intelligence: AI Could Soon Decode Whales’ Talk And Let Us Chat With Them
A massive project is underway to collect recordings of the clicks that sperm whales emanate when they seemingly communicate with each other across vast distances below the surface of the sea. Researchers hope that by applying AI, machine learning and natural language processing to these ‘codas’, they would decode a sperm whale language if it exists. Who knows, what may follow is a two-way conversation!
FinTech: Buffett-Backed Brazilian Fintech Nubank Aiming For $50B Valuation In U.S. IPO
Sao Paulo-based Nubank, a fintech and challenger bank backed by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A), is hoping to raise $3 billion at a valuation of $50 billion in its upcoming U.S. IPO.
FinTech: In South Africa, Nasdaq-Listed Net1 Acquires Connect Group For $242M
Net 1 UEPS Technologies Inc (NASDAQ: UEPS) has agreed to acquire all of South African fintech Connect Group for US$242 million in a bid to expand its market and acquire scale as the biggest fintech platform in the country.
Venture Capital: Low-Profile Digital Currency Group, Which Owns Grayscale, Valued At $10B
Digital Currency Group (DGC), a low-profile, cryptoasset-focused holding company that owns some prize digital businesses, has been valued at $10 billion in a secondary sale of shares. The transaction was led by SoftBank and saw participation by big name investors such as Google’s venture capital arm CapitalG, Ribbit Capital and others.
Artificial Intelligence: K Line And Kawasaki Partner On AI For Operation Of Marine Machinery
Japanese shipping and transportation giant Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (K Line) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (KHI) are collaborating on the development of an AI-based Marine Machinery Operation Support System that will use data analytics for optimum maintenance of onboard machinery.
Fintech: Pawn Store Operator FirstCash Acquires BNPL And POS Fintech American First Finance For $1.17B
FirstCash, Inc (NASDAQ: FCFS) operates more than 2,800 retail pawn stores in the U.S. and Latin America and is a retailer and provider of financial services to underserved customers. It announced Thursday its $1.17 billion acquisition of American First Finance (AFF), a financial technology firm, in a bid to enter the buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) business.
Alternative Investments/Digital: Roundhill Investments Launches Digital Infrastructure ETF
Roundhill Investments and IO Digital Partners have launched a new ETF to provide investors with exposure to the digital infrastructure sector. The Roundhill IO Digital Infrastructure ETF (NYSE: BYTE) will invest in companies that own high-tech assets that support the efficient storage and transmission of data, powering the internet.
Digital Assets: Canadian Fintech Mogo Launches World’s First Net-Green Bitcoin
Canadian fintech Mogo Inc (NASDAQ:MOGO) pioneered MogoCard, the Mogo Visa Platinum Prepaid Card that is climate-friendly because everytime the card is used, a carbon-sucking tree gets planted for free. The company is extending that concept to transforming bitcoin, a cryptocurrency noted for its emission-intensive ‘mining’ process, into “green,” or carbon-positive bitcoin, a world-first.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Bloomberg and Goldman Sachs Create New Clean Energy Index
Bloomberg and Goldman Sachs asset Management have launched a new clean energy index. The Bloomberg Goldman Sachs Global Clean Energy Index was jointly developed by Bloomberg and Goldman Sachs Asset Management and identifies companies that have a significant business exposure to the clean energy sector.
Artificial Intelligence: AI To Tackle “Infodemic” Of Corona Fake News
K.P. Subbalakshmi, AI expert at the Stevens Institute for Artificial Intelligence and a professor of electrical and computer engineering, along with Stevens graduate students Mingxuan Chen and Xingqiao Chu, are developing an AI-powered, scalable tool to detect and flag “fake news” relating to COVID-19.
Venture Capital: Plant-Based Meats Producer Impossible Foods To Raise $500M
Impossible Foods, which makes climate-friendly meats from plants that are nutritious and as good to taste as the real thing, is in discussions for a $500 million raise at a potential valuation of $7 billion, according to Bloomberg.
FinTech: Visa Under The DoJ’s Anti-Trust Lens (WSJ)
The US Department of Justice is conducting an anti-trust inquiry of Visa, the largest card network in the US. According to the Wall Street Journal, the US Department of Justice is probing the allegedly cosy relationships Visa (NYSE: V) had with certain large fintechs as part of its anti-trust investigation against the card giant. (FINANCE…
Venture Capital: “Digital Musculosketal Clinic” Hinge Health Raises $400M Series E
Hinge Health, which relieves back and joint pain through its virtual “Digital Musculoskeletal Clinic,” announced today its raise of $400 million in a Series E round that valued it at $6.2 billion. That valuation is double that of the $3 billion valuation in January’s D round, and about 15 times that of the $420 million valuation in Series C in February 2020. (
Digital Assets: Bukele Snaps Up 420 More Bitcoin For El Salvador
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele is becoming quite the accomplished bitcoin (BTC) trader. Earlier today he embellished the country’s BTC holdings with an opportunistic purchase of 420 BTC. He exulted in a tweet: “It was a long wait, but worth it. We just bought the dip! 420 new #Bitcoin.” According to media outlet La Prensa Gráfica, BTC was trading at US$58,999 at the time of Bukele’s tweet, translating the value of the transaction to approximately $25 million.
Alternative Investments/ESG: On The Eve Of COP26, Hedge Funds Ambivalent On ESG (Survey)
The results of a poll of hedge fund managers conducted by Hedge Fund Research showed that 53% of them (687 managers) incorporated ESG factors and sustainability metrics into their investment processes. However, 47% (609 managers) said they did not do so. The results are significant, coming as they do ahead of the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow this weekend.
Artificial Intelligence: TOCABI, The Humanoid Robot, Debuts After Eight Years In Development
TOCABI, or short for Torque Controlled compliAnt BIped, a humanoid robot, made its debut recently at the ANA Avatar XPRIZE competition. The robot was eight years in the making, with major inputs from New Jersey Institute of Technology Assistant Professor Mathew Schwartz.
Digital Assets: Ripple Deploys ‘On-Demand Liquidity’ In The Middle East For Instant, Low-Cost Remittances
Financial institutions and small and medium-sized enterprises in the Middle East can now look forward to making instant, low-cost cross-border remittances using Ripplenet’s first-ever On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) deployment in partnership with Pyypl, an international blockchain company.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Invesco Launches Two New Nasdaq-100 ESG ETFs
Global asset management firm Invesco Ltd (NYSE: IVZ) announced today the launch of trading of Invesco ESG NASDAQ 100 ETF (NASDAQ: QQMG) and Invesco ESG NASDAQ Next Gen 100 ETF (NASDAQ: QQJG). The new ESG ETF offerings expand the number of investment structures in the Invesco QQQ Innovation Suite to six.
FinTech: Amount And Marqeta Collaborate To Help Banks Launch A BNPL Product
Amount offers banks saddled with legacy technologies a wide range of digital, white label products such as for omnichannel digital account opening, fraud prevention, identity verification, loans, deposits, and credit cards. The firm announced a partnership with card issuing platform Marqeta (NASDAQ: MQ) to help banks compete in the buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) sector, which has been taken over worldwide by fintechs such as Klarna, Afterpay (ASX: APT) and PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL).
Venture Capital: Clinical Trials Platform Medable Lands $304M Funding
Medable Inc, a cloud-based platform that facilitates rapid, decentralized clinical trials, announced its $304 million Series D raise at a valuation of $2.1 billion. The round was co-led by new investors Blackstone Growth and Tiger Global and existing investor GSR Ventures and included follow-on investment from existing investors Sapphire Ventures and WTI.
Artificial Intelligence: Pepsico Establishes Digital Hubs On Both Sides Of The Atlantic
PepsiCo’s (NASDAQ: PEP) new digital hubs to be located in Dallas and Barcelona will create as many as 500 jobs in the data-related and digital fields over the coming three years, and boost the company’s drive to digitalize its global network.
Venture Capital: Search Engine Ecosia Floats €350M ‘World Fund’ For Climate Tech Ventures
World Fund, a new climate tech venture capital fund intitiated by search engine Ecosia, announced the launch of a €350 million ($405 million) fund that will invest in climate tech startups targeting decarbonization in sectors such as energy, transport, food and agriculture, manufacturing and buildings. (EU-Startups)