News
Each day, DailyAlts tracks major developments across the alternative investment world. Our content is procured from primary contacts in the industry and secondary sources across the web. Our goal is to give readers the most up-to-date news and engaging experience to open new doors and areas of knowledge. Our stories cover nine separate verticals of the alternative investment industry.
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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: UK-Based Pet Food Startup Butternut Box Lands $351M Funding
Butternut Box, the UK-based fresh dog food company, has successfully secured a £280 million investment in its latest funding round. This funding comes from General Atlantic, a prominent global growth equity firm, as well as existing investor L Catterton, a consumer-focused investment firm. The goal of this investment is to expand Butternut Box’s presence in Europe and continue its mission of providing fresh, delicious, and healthy meals to dogs worldwide. The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2023, pending regulatory approvals.
FinTech: Barclays Mulling Sale Of Stake In Payments Unit To Strategic Partner
Barclays Plc (LON: BARC) is considering selling a stake in its UK payments processing unit, aiming to find a strategic partner to help expand the business and potentially raise capital. The size of the stake to be sold is yet to be determined. This business segment could be valued at around £2 billion ($2.5 billion) based on estimated earnings.
Artificial Intelligence: AI-Powered Sensors Aboard Satellites Help Detect Methane Leaks On Earth
Orbital Sidekick, a California-based Earth-observation startup, has launched a new constellation of microsatellites equipped with hyperspectral sensors. These satellites utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor methane leaks with unparalleled precision from space.
Artificial Intelligence: AI-Generated Avatar To Greet G20 Leaders; Nvidia’s Huang Meets PM Modi
At the upcoming ‘Mother of Democracy’ exhibition hosted at Bharat Mandapam during the G20 Summit, a novel approach is set to welcome Heads of State and prominent leaders. Official sources have disclosed that an artificial intelligence-generated ‘avatar’ will greet attendees, providing a concise overview of the exhibition, which will delve into India’s democratic traditions from the ancient Vedic period to the contemporary era.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Neuberger Berman Unveils Climate Innovation Fund
Neuberger Berman has recently introduced the Neuberger Berman Climate Innovation fund, aiming to invest in cutting-edge climate technologies and solutions. This fund, managed by New York-based portfolio managers Evelyn Chow and Charlie Lim, is designed to maintain a portfolio of 30 to 60 global equity holdings.
FinTech: Swiss Asset Securitization Fintech GenTwo Raises $15M
GenTwo, a Swiss B2B Fintech platform specializing in securitization of bankable and non-bankable assets, has secured a USD 15 million Series A funding round led by Point72 Ventures from the US. Following this investment, Pete Casella, Senior Partner and Co-Head of Fintech investments at Point72 Ventures, joins GenTwo’s board of directors.
Venture Capital: Eutelsat Ties Up With Karista For Spacetech VC Opportunities
Karista and Eutelsat Communications (EPA: ETL) have formed a strategic partnership, with Eutelsat becoming a subscriber to Karista’s Spacetech fund. This partnership enhances Karista’s capacity to capitalize on the growing scope of opportunities building in the space industry. For Eutelsat, it solidifies its close ties with innovative startups and contributes to the development of a dynamic space ecosystem, particularly in France and Europe.
Venture Capital: Growth Warrior Capital Launches Elevo, An AI-Powered Pitch Deck Generator
Growth Warrior Capital is introducing Elevo, an innovative AI-powered pitch deck generator designed to assist founders in the complex world of venture capital. Promise Phelon, the firm’s managing partner (pictured), conceptualized this tool to streamline the process of identifying promising startups that could transform various industries.
Artificial Intelligence: The Allen Institute Launches The Satlas AI Platform For Viewing Satellite Imagery
The Allen Institute for AI has unveiled Satlas, a new platform harnessing AI to analyze global geospatial data derived from satellite imagery. Satlas presently provides three monthly-updated data products:
• Marine Infrastructure: This includes the positions of offshore wind turbines and platforms.
• Renewable Energy Infrastructure: It offers positions of solar farms and onshore wind turbines.
• Tree Cover: This data reveals the tree canopy coverage percentage within 100 m² cells.
FinTech: Trustly Acquires SlimPay To Provide A Pan-European Recurring Payments Service
Trustly, a global payment method, is partnering with SlimPay, a European leader in recurring payments, to enhance the world of recurring payments in Europe and the UK. This collaboration will combine SlimPay’s platform with Trustly’s proprietary technology to create a new and exceptional payment experience in the region.
Digital Assets: SEC Postpones A Decision on Spot Bitcoin ETFs Yet Again
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has postponed its decision on spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications, including those from BlackRock (NYSE: BLK), Fidelity, and others, until October. This delay, outlined in agency filings, has caused a 4.65% drop in the price of bitcoin over the past 24 hours, bringing it down to $25,961.12.
Digital Assets: Nodal Power Raises $13M For Converting Landfill Methane To Green Energy
Nodal Power, based in Utah, has successfully raised $13 million in a seed funding round for its innovative technology that converts landfill gas into energy to power Bitcoin mining centers. The company aims to reduce methane emissions from landfills by utilizing the gas for mining operations.
Venture Capital: Israeli Generative AI Startup AI21 Labs Rakes In $155M Series C Funding
AI21 Labs, a prominent AI and large language models (LLMs) leader, has secured $155 million in Series C funding to accelerate the expansion of its accurate text-based generative AI services for enterprises. Noteworthy investors, including Walden Catalyst, Pitango, SCB10X, b2venture, Samsung Next, Prof. Amnon Shashua, Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL), and NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA), have participated in this funding round.
Alternative Investments/AI: South Korean Electronics Giant LG Leverages AI For Fund Management Venture
LG Group (KRX: 003550), a South Korean conglomerate renowned for its electronic products, is leveraging its expertise in artificial intelligence to venture into investment management. Collaborating with South Korean fintech Qraft Technologies, LG is introducing the LG Qraft AI-Powered U.S. Large Cap Core ETF, with plans to officially list it in November after filing the application in mid-August.
Artificial Intelligence: Andreessen Horowitz Extends Its Support To Open Source AI Developers With Grants Program
Storied venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz has announced the a16z Open Source Grant Program to support open source AI developers by way of “giving them the opportunity to continue their work without the pressure to generate financial returns.”
Digital Assets: Grayscale’s Stand Upheld; Court Rules Against SEC In Bitcoin ETF Conversion Lawsuit
However, the SEC may prefer an appeal against the ruling in favor of Grayscale. Grayscale, the digital asset management firm, has emerged victorious in its legal battle against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled in favor of Grayscale, directing the SEC to overturn…
FinTech: JPMorgan Chase Hikes Stake In Brazilian Digital Bank C6 To 46%
JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) is set to increase its ownership in C6 Bank, a Brazilian bank, from 40% to 46%, pending regulatory approval. This move follows an initial investment announced in June 2021. No financial details of the latest investments were made available.
Venture Capital: Space Robotics Startup GITAI Loads Up On $15M Funding
Space robotics startup GITAI, comprised of GITAI USA Inc. and GITAI Japan Inc., has successfully raised an additional $15 million in funding for its Series B Extension round. This funding is in addition to the $30 million announced earlier this year, bringing the total for the Series B Extension round to $45 million.
Alternative Investments/Real Estate: AXS Investments Launches Mortgage REIT Focused ETF
AXS Investments has teamed up with Gapstow Capital Partners to introduce a novel ETF named the AXS Real Estate Income ETF (NYSEARCA: RINC). This ETF offers an innovative avenue for higher yields through exposure to liquid real estate investments.
Digital Assets: Visa And Mastercard Wind Down Card Tie-Ups With Crypto Exchange Binance
Mastercard (NYSE: MA) and Visa (NYSE: V) are stepping away from their card partnerships with Binance Holdings, a move that distances them from the cryptocurrency platform due to regulatory pressures globally. Visa has ceased issuing new co-branded cards with Binance in Europe since July, and Mastercard is set to completely end its card partnership with Binance in September.
FinTech: Citi Acquires A Stake In Peruvian FX Fintech Rextie
Citi (NYSE: C), a global leader in foreign exchange (FX) markets, has strategically invested in Rextie, Peru’s leading fintech for FX services, marking a pivotal development in the financial landscape. This significant investment not only enhances Rextie’s prospects but also propels its clients’ experience with quicker services and highly competitive currency exchange rates, all powered by Citi’s cutting-edge FX technology. Rextie aims to expand its reach and services by seamlessly integrating Citi’s advanced FX capabilities.
Venture Capital: SpyCloud Lands $110M For Its Identity Protection Platform
SpyCloud, a leading provider of identity threat protection, has secured a $110 million growth round of funding led by Riverwood Capital. The company specializes in automating the safeguarding of digital identities against sophisticated cyber threats. SpyCloud’s innovative approach involves utilizing a proprietary engine to collect and analyze data from the criminal underground. This data is then used to automate the remediation of exposed authentication and identity information. The funding will be instrumental in driving global expansion, particularly in the realms of enterprise and consumer protection, investigations, and authentication bypass prevention.
Artificial Intelligence: AI Startup Hugging Face Lands $235M From Top Tech Companies
New York-based AI startup Hugging Face has secured a significant investment of $235 million in a funding round, driving its valuation to $4.5 billion. Notable contributions came from major tech players such as Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), Salesforce (NASDAQ: CRM), AMD (NASDAQ: AMD), Intel (NASDAQ: INTC), IBM (NYSE: IBM), and Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM). The company’s focus is on creating tools for AI developers to openly share and test their work, akin to GitHub’s role in the programming realm.
Digital Assets: Solana Pay, A Payment Protocol Based On The Solana Blockchain, Integrates Into Shopify
Solana Pay, a decentralized payments protocol built on Solana by Solana Labs, has integrated with Shopify Inc. (NYSE: SHOP), a global commerce company. This integration enables millions of businesses to use Solana Pay as a payment option. Solana Pay offers real-time access to funds, improved working capital management, and direct payment settlement using USD stablecoins (USDC) compatible with Solana.