Tag: Lyft

Fontinalis Closes New $100M Fund Supporting Mobility Startups

When Fontinalis Partners launched its first venture fund in 2009 to invest in early-stage mobility startups, many in the VC world didn’t quite know what mobility was. Defined by Fontinalis as “the efficient movement of goods, people, and services across all modes of transportation,” mobility has come to encompass ridesharing services like Lyft and Uber, … Continue reading “Fontinalis Closes New $100M Fund Supporting Mobility Startups”

From Drones to Sharing Economy, Don’t Disrupt the Disruptors

Napa Valley met the Silicon Valley at the recent Xconomy Retreat on Technology, Jobs, and Growth (aka the Napa Summit). Experts in cutting-edge technology huddled with business leaders and investors in the California wine country to explore what’s on, and just over, the technological horizon. Over the course of the two-day event, drones and the … Continue reading “From Drones to Sharing Economy, Don’t Disrupt the Disruptors”

Filestack, Owned by Scaleworks, Rides Wave of Interest in API Services

San Antonio—If you build it, will they buy your application programming interface? Increasingly, it seems so. With tech companies such as Uber and Lyft or Facebook and Instagram aiming to provide faster services to more people, a subset of companies has emerged that aims to provide niche software tools that are meant to take at … Continue reading “Filestack, Owned by Scaleworks, Rides Wave of Interest in API Services”

Tour of Texas: Cancer Moonshot, Luminex, Integricote, & Rising Barn

Let’s catch up with the latest innovation news in Texas. Austin: —-Luminex (NASDAQ: [[ticker:LMNX]]) completed its acquisition of Nanosphere, an Illinois maker of diagnostic tests, for $77 million. The Austin-based Luminex, which also makes diagnostic tests, announced the purchase in May for an initial price of $58 million, according to the Austin American-Statesman. Dallas: —Dallas’s Tech … Continue reading “Tour of Texas: Cancer Moonshot, Luminex, Integricote, & Rising Barn”

Boston Tech Watch: HourlyNerd, Uber, Noncompetes, Akamai, & More

We hope everyone enjoyed the long holiday weekend. After all the fireworks last night, it’s time to catch up on some of the hot news in Boston-area tech from the past week: —Boston-based HourlyNerd said Tuesday it raised $22 million in a Series C round led by General Catalyst Partners, with contributions from Highland Capital … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: HourlyNerd, Uber, Noncompetes, Akamai, & More”

San Antonio Buys Time on Regulations to Find Place in Uber Economy

San Antonio—For those engaged in the ongoing saga of Uber and Lyft versus fingerprinting, the next date to mark is in October, at least in the Alamo City. Uber, Lyft, and Get Me will be able to continue offering rides to the people of San Antonio until at least October, after a decision yesterday by … Continue reading “San Antonio Buys Time on Regulations to Find Place in Uber Economy”

With Tech Charter School, San Antonio Groups Aim to Boost Workforce

San Antonio—For many startups, finding the right people is at least as important as developing the right idea. The sooner you build out a talented staff, the sooner you can implement your plan. In San Antonio, city leaders, a local grocery store chain, and an industry-focused nonprofit are taking that concept to a new level … Continue reading “With Tech Charter School, San Antonio Groups Aim to Boost Workforce”

The Evolution of the App Stores

In many ways, Apple and Google are following similar paths. At their annual developer conferences, Google I/O, held last month, and Apple’s WWDC, last week they both announced updates to their development platforms. Google is making major improvements to Android Studio, while Apple is continuing to invest in Swift and announced Playgrounds, an exciting new … Continue reading “The Evolution of the App Stores”

Texas Roundup: Tech Wildcatters, Funds for eyeQ & EquipmentShare, VR

Happy unofficial start to summer! Let’s ease back into the workweek by catching up with the latest innovation headlines from Xconomy Texas. —Dallas’s Tech Wildcatters accelerator held its first pitch day since launching its new “Gauntlet” program earlier this year. Instead of a traditional accelerator model, in which startups get access to tens of thousands … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: Tech Wildcatters, Funds for eyeQ & EquipmentShare, VR”

New Proposed Laws, Collaborations Pave Way for Driverless Future

This has been a banner week for Michigan-centric news pertaining to the development of driverless vehicles. On Wednesday, Google announced in a Google+ post that, after placing a team of employees in the metro Detroit area for “the past few years,” it would open a facility in suburban Novi, MI, to develop self-driving car technology. … Continue reading “New Proposed Laws, Collaborations Pave Way for Driverless Future”

Austin Tech Entrepreneurs Develop Non-Profit Ride-Hailing Service

Austin—A group of Austin, TX, tech leaders have announced a new ride-hailing service for the city. RideAustin is pulling up to the curb about two weeks after voters rejected a referendum item that would have nullified the city’s fingerprinting rules for ride-hailing companies’ drivers. Two days after losing that vote, Uber and Lyft—which spent $8 … Continue reading “Austin Tech Entrepreneurs Develop Non-Profit Ride-Hailing Service”

NuTonomy, Optimus Lead Pack of Self-Driving Vehicle Startups

Here comes the blind fury of autonomous vehicle startups. We knew it was coming, since everyone from Google and Uber to GM and Tesla is working on the technology. Boston-area startup NuTonomy, founded by a pair of MIT scientists in 2013, is the latest to make a splash. The company announced on Tuesday a Series … Continue reading “NuTonomy, Optimus Lead Pack of Self-Driving Vehicle Startups”

Tour of Texas: Ride-Hailing, CPRIT, Deep Space, Dean Kamen, START

Let’s get caught up with the latest innovation news in Texas. Austin —BeSomebody, an Austin, TX-based, app that connects people seeking experiences with experts in those experiences, is moving to Boston. Founder Kash Shaikh, a former social media marketing executive at Procter & Gamble and GoPro, has created essentially an online self-improvement network that encourages … Continue reading “Tour of Texas: Ride-Hailing, CPRIT, Deep Space, Dean Kamen, START”

As the Mobility Sector Revs Up, Startups and Dealerships Respond

Mobility, in case you haven’t heard, is the up-and-coming tech buzzword driving the future of transportation. As defined by the auto industry, mobility refers to moving goods and people from point A to point B. This encompasses vehicles for personal use, fleet vehicles, public transit, ridesharing, bicycles, car-sharing, self-driving cars, planes, trains, and essentially any … Continue reading “As the Mobility Sector Revs Up, Startups and Dealerships Respond”

Boston Ride-Hailing Service Fasten Seeks Inroads to Austin Market

Austin—In the wake of Uber and Lyft’s departure from Austin, a Boston-based ride-hailing service said it will launch its service later this month. The company has said it will comply with the city’s regulations regarding background checks of drivers. Uber and Lyft had fought against those rules, saying they were an unnecessary infringement on their … Continue reading “Boston Ride-Hailing Service Fasten Seeks Inroads to Austin Market”

What Now: Austin Looks for Ways to Bring Back Ride-Hailing Services

Austin—Uber and Lyft both suspended service in Austin Monday morning following the defeat their bid to eliminate driver fingerprinting requirements, among other measurements. In a Saturday referendum, Austin voters opted to uphold the city’s rules on the ride-hailing companies’ employees with a 56 percent margin. Immediately after the votes were counted, Uber and Lyft announced … Continue reading “What Now: Austin Looks for Ways to Bring Back Ride-Hailing Services”

Uber, Lyft Say They Will Leave Austin Following Defeat in Election

Austin—Uber and Lyft have said they will pull out of Austin following a Saturday referendum that approved regulations that called for the ride-hailing companies to fingerprint drivers. “Disappointment does not begin to describe how we feel about shutting down operations in Austin,” said Chris Nakutis, Uber’s Austin general manager, in a statement according to the … Continue reading “Uber, Lyft Say They Will Leave Austin Following Defeat in Election”

TX Roundup: Uber Election, OutboundEngine, Joah Spearman, “Windfall”

Let’s end the week with a recap of the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. —Voters in Austin will go to the polls on Saturday to decide whether they want to keep fingerprinting regulations in place that govern drivers for ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft. The companies say—and some leaders in the tech community agree—that … Continue reading “TX Roundup: Uber Election, OutboundEngine, Joah Spearman, “Windfall””

SPLT Competes at Google Demo Day, Gets Steve Case’s Attention

SPLT, the Techstars Mobility alum now based in Detroit, has spent the past few months crisscrossing the globe to take part in startup competitions and other events as it continues to rapidly grow. This week, the enterprise ridesharing startup that connects employees within organizations to share their commute is out in Mountain View, CA, as … Continue reading “SPLT Competes at Google Demo Day, Gets Steve Case’s Attention”

Uber, Lyft at Center of Innovation Debate in Austin and Houston

Austin—It’s not uncommon for controversy to follow the entrance of ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft into a new market. But right now, in two Texas cities—Austin and Houston—the rhetorical salvos have started again. In Austin, for example, voters will go to the polls Saturday for a referendum to decide whether to overturn that city’s … Continue reading “Uber, Lyft at Center of Innovation Debate in Austin and Houston”

Goldman Sachs Snags Austin Fintech Startup Honest Dollar

Austin — Honest Dollar, an Austin, TX-based fintech company that provides retirement tools for small businesses, has been acquired by Goldman Sachs. The acquisition was made by the investment management arm of Goldman Sachs, which invests $1 trillion for institutions and wealthy individuals Terms of the deal, which was announced Monday and is expected to close … Continue reading “Goldman Sachs Snags Austin Fintech Startup Honest Dollar”

GM Bets Big Bucks on Cruise Automation and a Driverless Future

According to reports in Fortune and other media outlets, GM has forked over more than $1 billion in cash and stock to acquire Bay Area startup Cruise Automation, a producer of “after-market” kits that can turn existing cars into autonomous vehicles. If the figure is correct, that makes company co-founder Kyle Vogt a “two-time unicorn … Continue reading “GM Bets Big Bucks on Cruise Automation and a Driverless Future”

Boston Tech Watch: Uber Bill, Noncompetes, Layoffs, & Expansions

This week in Boston, we’re tracking the latest tech legislation on Beacon Hill, layoffs at startups and big companies, and announcements of new companies, products, and offices. Read on for details. On the hill —Massachusetts lawmakers are once again considering regulations for ride-hailing app companies like Uber and Lyft. Under a new bill backed by … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Uber Bill, Noncompetes, Layoffs, & Expansions”

Roundup: Lucid, Honest Dollar, Hatch, UT Gaming Academy, & Civic Tech

Happy Friday, friends. Before you start your weekend planning, let’s take a look back at the innovation news from Xconomy Texas this past week. Featured innovation: —Austin, TX entrepreneur William Hurley found a surprising niche of customers while launching his fintech startup Honest Dollar last year: the footsoldiers of the gig economy. Now, in addition … Continue reading “Roundup: Lucid, Honest Dollar, Hatch, UT Gaming Academy, & Civic Tech”

Emissions May Rise if Self-Driving Cars Become Too Convenient

If a road trip from Seattle to Portland meant three hours of focused work rather than gripping the wheel and gritting your teeth through traffic, would you be more likely to go by car than take the train, plane, or bus? That’s one scenario that could cause a transition to fully automated self-driving cars to … Continue reading “Emissions May Rise if Self-Driving Cars Become Too Convenient”

The Road to Safe, Secure Driverless Cars

The development of autonomous vehicles promises a future of safe and efficient roads, unimpeded by distracted, impaired, aggressive, or deliberately speeding drivers. But to achieve this, the companies involved in developing driverless cars will have to navigate significant obstacles. The transition from personally controlled to automated vehicles can be likened to the shift that occurred … Continue reading “The Road to Safe, Secure Driverless Cars”

Austin Fintech Startup Honest Dollar Finds Niche in the Gig Economy

Austin — At the helm of his fintech startup Honest Dollar, William Hurley noticed that a significant number of users who created accounts on the site dropped out in the middle of the sign-up process. Honest Dollar is a website that offers small businesses retirement plans for employees. The startup opened for business in earnest … Continue reading “Austin Fintech Startup Honest Dollar Finds Niche in the Gig Economy”

Tech Bloc Aims to Elevate San Antonio’s Role in Tech Innovation

San Antonio—Even if it seems unlikely, there is a common thread in these events: a women’s luncheon, a report on whether a city should annex county land, rallies for workers, startup competitions, a railroad project. Each project is being spearheaded by Tech Bloc, a tech-focused nonprofit in San Antonio that aims to promote the local … Continue reading “Tech Bloc Aims to Elevate San Antonio’s Role in Tech Innovation”

The Hottest Trend at This Year’s Detroit Auto Show? Not Cars

There is never an official theme at the annual North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), held last week in Detroit, but one usually emerges as automakers showcase their latest innovations, hoping to one-up each other while garnering consumer and media interest. One year it was electrification; another year, it was infotainment. This year, the buzzword … Continue reading “The Hottest Trend at This Year’s Detroit Auto Show? Not Cars”

GM Acquires Sidecar’s “Essential” Ridesharing IP, Key Employees

Bay Area ridesharing pioneer Sidecar was back in the news this morning, when it was announced that General Motors has acquired the recently shuttered startup’s technology and assets. The value of the deal was not disclosed, but a source close to the situation told Bloomberg that “it was less than the roughly $39 million that … Continue reading “GM Acquires Sidecar’s “Essential” Ridesharing IP, Key Employees”

Tech Startups Succeed With Top Talent, But Where Will They Park?

While companies are in the process of refining prototypes, hiring key employees, and nailing down investment, one overlooked area is where the business will be housed and, more specifically, where everyone will park. In Austin, it’s not just the new companies that are struggling with finding enough parking for their employees downtown. Established firms are … Continue reading “Tech Startups Succeed With Top Talent, But Where Will They Park?”

Mega Deals Push 2015 VC to 15-Year High, But Slowdown Looming?

U.S. venture capitalists poured more money into private companies last year than they had since the height of the dot-com boom, but an investing drop off late in 2015 could signal that the VC gravy train is slowing down. New data out today show that VCs invested $58.8 billion across 4,380 deals in 2015. The … Continue reading “Mega Deals Push 2015 VC to 15-Year High, But Slowdown Looming?”

Car Wars: Mary Barra Talks GM’s Future, Nvidia Takes the Wheel at CES

Make way for autonomous cars on the highways ahead. That was a common theme from the auto industry at the CES technology trade show this week in Las Vegas. In years prior, carmakers tried almost too hard at CES to make their vehicles seem more hip by talking up connectivity and putting apps in cars … Continue reading “Car Wars: Mary Barra Talks GM’s Future, Nvidia Takes the Wheel at CES”

Lyft Lands $500,000,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9371b244-5273-4c6c-8a68-c6b7195eda31 Date 1/4/2016 Company Name Lyft Mailing Address 548 Market St. San Francisco, CA 94104 USA Company Description Lyft is an on-demand ridesharing service. Using the Lyft iPhone app, passengers can instantly request a pickup, and a safe, friendly driver will arrive within minutes. The Lyft staff carefully selects pre-vetted, trustworthy drivers … Continue reading “Lyft Lands $500,000,000 New Funding Round”

Lyft Obtains $247,700,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c71a9a56-8164-4d9c-bd35-7f4fdc724bb0 Date 1/4/2016 Company Name Lyft Mailing Address 548 Market St. San Francisco, CA 94104 USA Company Description Lyft is an on-demand ridesharing service. Using the Lyft iPhone app, passengers can instantly request a pickup, and a safe, friendly driver will arrive within minutes. The Lyft staff carefully selects pre-vetted, trustworthy drivers … Continue reading “Lyft Obtains $247,700,000 New Financing Round”

Surprises in Tech from 2015, and What to Do If A Downturn Hits

Two tech trends gained surprising momentum this year, which positions them to be key drivers in 2016. Both take aim at the heart of the economy. Recently the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) gave crowd finance a shot in the arm. First it passed Regulation A which provides an exemption to the registration requirements mandated … Continue reading “Surprises in Tech from 2015, and What to Do If A Downturn Hits”

Sidecar Puts It in Park Despite Hot Mobility Sector

Yesterday, news came across the transom that San Francisco ride-sharing service Sidecar would shutter its operation, effective tomorrow. The news wasn’t a complete shock—though Sidecar launched at roughly the same time as Uber and Lyft, it failed to inspire the billion-dollar valuations, user adoption rates, and investor backing that those two peer-to-peer ride-sharing startups did. … Continue reading “Sidecar Puts It in Park Despite Hot Mobility Sector”

More Folks Take Sides in Quarrel Over Ridesharing, Taxis, & NY Law

A group called the New Yorkers for Ridesharing coalition announced its presence to the world this week to advocate for companies such as Uber, and help them operate in upstate New York. The coalition spoke Monday on a conference call with the media—just as more opposition to Uber cruising the streets of Manhattan bubbled to the … Continue reading “More Folks Take Sides in Quarrel Over Ridesharing, Taxis, & NY Law”

With An Influx of Startups, CES Trying to Not Be the Same Old Show

Change is underway in the consumer gadget scene, thanks to new blood—and a rallying cry for support—from startups, as the organization that stumps for this industry gets a bit of a makeover. At last week’s CES Unveiled in New York, a preview hosted for the press of things to come at the January conference, Gary … Continue reading “With An Influx of Startups, CES Trying to Not Be the Same Old Show”

Lyft Garners New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6c70dd7d-827a-439b-8888-9dda819e6773 Date 9/14/2015 Company Name Lyft Mailing Address 548 Market St. San Francisco, CA 94104 USA Company Description Lyft is an on-demand ridesharing service. Using the Lyft iPhone app, passengers can instantly request a pickup, and a safe, friendly driver will arrive within minutes. The Lyft staff carefully selects pre-vetted, trustworthy drivers … Continue reading “Lyft Garners New Funding”

How to Succeed in the Second Digital Era

Blockbuster. Borders. The U.S. Postal Service. These once-dominant entities, and many more, have all been victims of disruptive tech. Although it’s too early to sound the death knell for taxis, it’s also too late to say that ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft are a flash in the pan. The disruptive change they represent is … Continue reading “How to Succeed in the Second Digital Era”

Battle to Regulate Uber, Lyft Moves From City Halls to State Capitols

[Updated 5/19/15, 10:40 a.m. See below.] The push to regulate increasingly popular ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft has shifted from city halls to state capitol buildings—with implications for the companies’ reputations and expansion plans, as well as the future of transportation systems worldwide. Last year saw passage of the first rules for ridesharing companies—or … Continue reading “Battle to Regulate Uber, Lyft Moves From City Halls to State Capitols”

Lyft Lands $150,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e8f12ef7-1c02-414a-9357-2f6d6c6faf3d Date 5/18/2015 Company Name Lyft Mailing Address 548 Market St. San Francisco, CA 94104 USA Company Description Lyft is an on-demand ridesharing service. Using the Lyft iPhone app, passengers can instantly request a pickup, and a safe, friendly driver will arrive within minutes. The Lyft staff carefully selects pre-vetted, trustworthy drivers … Continue reading “Lyft Lands $150,000,000 New Financing”

Wisconsin Roundup: Uber Bill, Angel Deals, Exact Sciences, & More

Here are some of the latest headlines from Wisconsin’s tech and innovation community: —Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill late Friday night that enacts statewide regulation of ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft. The bill had bipartisan support in the Legislature, but has drawn opposition by some Democratic legislators and city officials in Milwaukee and … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Uber Bill, Angel Deals, Exact Sciences, & More”

VC Funding Slows as Big Funds Crowd into Late-Stage Venture Deals

Following a December surge, when U.S. venture firms invested $7.2 billion in 342 deals nationwide, VC activity reset at a lower pace during the first quarter of 2015, according to data being released today by CB Insights. The New York venture capital tracker says VCs invested $11.3 billion in 805 startups over the three months … Continue reading “VC Funding Slows as Big Funds Crowd into Late-Stage Venture Deals”

Wisconsin Roundup: Ebola, Kiio, The Water Council, Uber, & More

Here’s a collection of the latest updates from Wisconsin’s technology and innovation community: —A new experimental vaccine to battle Ebola has shown early but promising results in protecting monkeys exposed to the virus. The vaccine, which is being co-developed by virus expert and University of Wisconsin-Madison scientist Yoshihiro Kawaoka, takes a different approach than some … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Ebola, Kiio, The Water Council, Uber, & More”

Alibaba, Rakuten Push Into U.S. Startups With Snapchat and Lyft

Major competitors from Asia are vying for a large stake in online car-booking and other tech markets. Japanese e-commerce company Rakuten announced today it is piling $300 million into San Francisco-based Lyft, the mobile-app car service that competes with Uber. Chinese retail giant Alibaba Group has had a stake in Lyft since April of last year, … Continue reading “Alibaba, Rakuten Push Into U.S. Startups With Snapchat and Lyft”

As Uber Becomes a Publisher, Boston Taxi Trade Paper Stops Printing

Uber isn’t just changing the way taxi and black-car companies operate. As the multibillion-dollar car-for-hire juggernaut expands across the country, businesses that serve the old-school, heavily regulated taxi industry are suddenly feeling the effects of new competition. A prime example is Carriage News, a 45-year-old trade paper focusing on the taxi industry around Boston. Late last month, publisher Bob Keeley … Continue reading “As Uber Becomes a Publisher, Boston Taxi Trade Paper Stops Printing”