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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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Venture Capital: Crowberry Capital’s Trio Of Women Leaders Raises $90M Nordic Fund
Female-founded, Icelandic venture fund Crowberry Capital announced its raise of a €76 million (US$ 90 million) seed and early-stage fund for investing in startups located in the Nordic region. The fund, Crowberry II, has the distinction of being the largest VC raise ever for Iceland.
Alternative Investments/ESG: VanEck Launches Sustainable Muni ETF
VanEck announced September 10 the launch of its VanEck HIP Sustainable Muni ETF (CBOE: SMI). The ETF invests in investment grade municipal debt securities that have been issued to fund operations or projects that support or advance sustainable development, as well as promote positive social and environmental outcomes. Its objective is to generate current income generally exempt from federal income tax.
FinTech: In This BNPL Roundup, Monzo And Revolut Mulling Entry
Read up on why British challenger banks Monzo and Revolut are plotting moves to enter the BNPL space; Italian fintech Scalapay’s big raise, DivideBuy’s lending facility, Wisetack’s “in-person” BNPL, and US shoppers are falling behind on BNPL payments.
Artificial Intelligence: AI May Improve Brain Stimulation Devices, E.g. For Parkinson’s
Patients suffering a movement disorder like Parkinson’s disease, in many cases, opt for deep brain stimulation (DBS) to improve their motor reflexes and reduce medicines intake. DBS involves implanting electrodes within certain areas of the brain to regulate abnormal impulses. An AI algorithm developed by the Mayo Clinic and the Google Research Brain Team can help to potentially better direct DBS.
Digital Assets: Switzerland’s SIX Digital Exchange Gets FINMA Approval
Swiss stock exchange SIX has received the green signal from FINMA, the country’s regulatory body to launch an exchange and depository for blockchain-based securities. The SIX Digital Exchange, or SDX, can now go live with a fully regulated, integrated trading, settlement, and custody infrastructure for digital securities following the approval, said to be a landmark in the world of cryptoassets.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Janus Henderson Launches Five Sustainable ETFs
Janus Henderson Group (NYSE: JHG) announced Thursday its launch of Sustainable ETF Solutions comprising five actively managed sustainable exchange-traded funds (ETFs) targeted at US investors. The ETFs seek to deliver strong, risk-adjusted returns by identifying companies supportive of positive ESG change.
Venture Capital: Massive $500M+ Rounds From Snyk And Varo Bank
Lately chartered U.S. neobank Varo Bank announced Thursday its raise of a $510 million Series E at a valuation of $2.5 billion. Today, Israeli cloud security startup Snyk said it collected $530 million comprising $300 million in new money and $230 million in secondary funding. Snyk’s valuation was a solid $8.5 billion – up sharply from $4.7 billion in March when it raised $300 million.
FinTech: Eyeing Cryptos, Mastercard Acquires CipherTrace
As Mastercard (NYSE: MA) ventures deeper into the digital assets ecosystem, top of mind are security and fraud detection. It announced Thursday its acquisition of CipherTrace, which obtains cryptocurrency intelligence from its analysis of huge amounts of validated blockchain transaction attribution, for an undisclosed amount.
Artificial Intelligence: The New Roomba Uses AI To Detect Pet Poop
Pet-owners who also own iRobot’s (NASDAQ: IRBT) robot vacuum cleaners have often faced a nightmarish scenario: the robot smeared the house after failing to recognize and circumvent the pet’s poop. Well, the company has now addressed the problem by equipping the gadget with AI.
FinTech: PayPal To Acquire Japanese BNPL Pioneer Paidy For $2.7B
PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL) announced earlier this week its acquisition of Paidy, a Japanese payments platform and BNPL provider for ¥300 billion or approximately US$2.7 billion, principally in cash, as big-ticket deals in the BNPL space gather pace. PayPal also said the deal will expand its reach into Japan, the third largest Ecommerce market in the world.
Digital Assets: Private Equity Firm 10T Closes On $750M For Investing In Crypto Companies
Dan Tapiero led 10T Holdings, the Greenwich, Conn.-based private equity fund which focuses on crypto-asset companies, has closed $750 million in a fundraising round that commenced at the end of last year. 10T’s three funds, the 10T Fund, LP and 10T DAE Expansion Fund mopped up $389 million between them. Co-investment and sub-advised vehicles accounted for the balance.
Alternative Investments: Goldman Sachs To List Petershill Partners, Its Alternative Investing Vehicle
Petershill Partners PLC announced this week it was considering a US$750 million initial public offering on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange of its ordinary shares. It said it would utilize the proceeds for expenses and to acquire further alternative asset manager stakes.
Artificial Intelligence: World’s Largest Miner To Deploy KoBold’s AI Technology For Exploration
KoBold Metals, a startup specializing in exploration for the minerals essential for EVs and green energy transition, has inked an agreement with BHP (ASX: BHP), the world’s largest mining company, to explore for metals such as cobalt, nickel and copper, starting in Western Australia.
Venture Capital: Bill Gates And Bezos-Backed MIT Startup Edges Closer To Energy’s Holy Grail
CFS and MIT’s PSFC announced Wednesday their successful test of a powerful magnet constructed from high temperature superconductors (HTS); the magnet can later be used in a “tokamak,” a fusion machine that could be scientists’ Holy Grail because it produces more energy than it consumes.
Artificial Intelligence: The ARCAS AI System Packs Info Into Assault Rifle Sights
Israeli defense company Elbit Systems has developed ARCAS, an AI system that displays layers of data inside the sight of an assault rifle such as the M4 (pictured above). ARCAS is an acronym for Assault Rifle Combat Application, which runs on a computer residing on the weapon and presents the information in the rifle’s electro-optical (EO) sight and through an optional helmet-mounted eyepiece.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Fidelity Launches Sustainable Climate Solutions Fund
The Fidelity Funds Sustainable Climate Solutions Fund will give investors exposure to companies engaged in the design, manufacture or sale of products such as electric vehicles, green hydrogen and renewable energy. To be managed by Velislava Dimitrova and Cornelia Furse, the new fund is classified Article 8 under the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation.
Digital Assets: Bitcoin Makes Bumpy Debut As Legal Tender In El Salvador
Bitcoin’s baptism as a country’s adopted currency was marred by glitches. September 7 marked El Salvador’s date with destiny when the country’s citizens got to legally and freely use bitcoin as a currency alongside the US dollar. The rollout, a pet project of President Nayib Bukele, was marred, however, by technical problems and a citizens’…
FinTech: Funding Circle Launches BNPL Solution For Small Businesses
Funding Circle (LON: FCH), the fintech and lending platform focused on small businesses, has launched FlexiPay, a new product that allows a small business to spread any UK invoice or supplier payment over three months. Funding Circle would make the initial payment on behalf of the business. The business mode “buy-now-pay-later” facility could be approved in a matter of minutes.
Venture Capital: Quantum Machines Nabs $50M Series B
Quantum Machines, a startup based in Israel, has developed a Quantum Orchestration Platform (QOP) that allows users to implement computing via the revolutionary quantum processors. The platform makes it easier to build and operate quantum computers using the company’s standard universal language developed for the purpose. The company announced Monday its raise of $50 million in a Series B funding round led by Red Dot Capital Partners.
FinTech: African Fintech Wave Scores $200M Series A Raise At $1.7B
African fintech Wave, which aims to make Africa the first cashless continent, has raised $200 million from Sequoia Heritage, Founders Fund, pStripe and Ribbit Capital, who jointly led the company’s Series A round. The amount was a record for a Series A raising in Africa, and propelled Wave into the unicorn club with a valuation of $1.7 billion.
Venture Capital: OLIO, Which Enables Food To Be Shared, Raises $43M
OLIO, the food sharing app which encourages community sustainability, announced its Series B raise of $43 million led by Swedish investment firm VNV Global and New York-based hedge fund Lugard Road Capital. Existing investors Accel, Octopus Ventures, Rubio, tech entrepreneur Jason Stockwood, and politician and media businessman Lord Waheed Alli also participated.
Alternative Investments/Real Estate: Horizons Launches Long And Short, Leveraged, Real Estate ETFs
The ETFs offer leveraged bets on Canadian REITs, both long and short. Horizons ETF Management Canada Inc launched last week the BetaPro Equal Weight Canadian REIT 2x Daily Bull ETF (TSE: HREU) and the BetaPro Equal Weight Canadian REIT -2x Daily Bear ETF (TSE: HRED), which offer two times (200%) the daily move on a…
Artificial Intelligence: US Judge Rules DABUS, An AI Machine, Cannot Be An Inventor On A Patent
U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled last week that an AI machine cannot be listed as an inventor on a patent. The landmark decision, the first in the US, was issued in a suit filed by Stephen Thaler against the United States Patent and Trademark Office for failing to recognize DABUS, an AI machine as the inventor of two devices in their patents.
Digital Assets: Oil Drillers And Bitcoin Miners Hold Hush-Hush Confab In Texas
Nearly 200 people from the oil and gas and bitcoin mining industries met in Houston, Texas, last week to join forces on the long-standing problem of natural gas flaring. Excess and wasted gas from drilling sites in Texas has to be flared if the site is not within reach of a gas pipeline – this is so-called ‘stranded gas.’ The process of flaring is a waste of energy and has climate activists in arms for the harm it does to the environment. Instead, capturing the gas and using it to mine bitcoin is climate friendlier, curbs energy waste, and earns dollars for both driller and miner.