Tag Archives: capital

Liverpool Emerges as the UK’s Crypto Capital, Survey Reveals

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The city’s renowned musicians may have claimed that love can’t be bought with money, but that was before Bitcoin came onto the scene.

Recently, Liverpool has been recognized as the UK’s cryptocurrency capital, based on a study evaluating online behaviors among citizens nationwide.

A survey by telecommunications provider OpenReach revealed that 13% of participants from Liverpool regularly invest in cryptocurrency and stocks, more frequently than any other region in the UK.

Several cities across the UK have emerged as hotspots for various activities. London is identified as the UK’s online dating hub, with 24% of respondents stating they have engaged with dating apps for at least three days.

In contrast, only 4% of the national respondents indicated that they spend time on dating applications according to this survey.

The survey suggests that the average British citizen dedicates 3.5 hours a day to the internet, but 20% confessed to spending more than five hours daily online.

Although online activity varies, 64% of participants reported being active from 11 PM to 6 AM, with 19% saying it’s time to visit YouTube.

In the North, the analysis highlights the digital habits of three cities. Manchester residents utilize Instagram more than anywhere else, with 27% of the population engaging with the platform regularly.

Meanwhile, Sheffield stands out as the leading city for both TikTok engagement and music streaming, with 32% and 30% of its residents participating, respectively. It also ranks as the city where households spend the most time online, with 32% admitting to exceeding five hours each day on the internet.

In Leeds, residents seem to favor the older social media platforms, with 43% spending a significant portion of their time on Facebook.

This research was commissioned by OpenReach to mark the anniversary of the first broadband installation in a British home, which took place in Basildon, Essex, in April 2000.

The findings revealed that many participants expressed dissatisfaction with their internet usage; 43% reported wasting time online, 37% were concerned about “doom scrolling,” and 33% stated they felt more relaxed when they reduced their online activity.

Katie Milligan, Associate CEO of OpenReach, commented:

“At the same time, we encourage many people to recognize the importance of taking time away from devices and digital connections.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Sustainable Startups Struggle to Fix Broken Food System as Venture Capital Seeks Return on Investment’

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Andrew Carter and Adam DiMartino launched Smallhold in 2017 with a goal of providing mushrooms to more people. Carter believed that mushrooms are highly sustainable in terms of water, waste, plastic use, and emissions. Over the years, Smallhold has successfully introduced specialty mushrooms like shiitake, green oysters, and trumpet mushrooms to grocery stores and households across America.

As mushrooms gained popularity as a symbol of sustainability during the pandemic, Smallhold found success and attention from the media, resulting in a valuation of $90 million. Despite starting in a Brooklyn shipping container, the brand expanded rapidly with farms in New York, Texas, and California, selling in 1,400 stores nationwide.

Smallhold’s co-founders, DeMartino and Carter, believe in promoting sustainability and reducing waste in the food industry. However, the company faced challenges when the founders resigned, leading to Smallhold filing for bankruptcy. Although the brand was acquired and reorganized, it struggled to maintain its original vision, closing farms and reducing staff.

For entrepreneurs, Smallhold’s journey serves as a lesson on finding a niche beyond sustainability and ensuring economic sustainability. While the company focused on unique mushroom varieties and sustainable practices, it also built a strong brand through aesthetics and social media. It’s crucial for startups to deliver quality products, maintain profitability, and avoid excessive reliance on venture capital.

In the evolving landscape of food startups, lessons can be learned from Smallhold’s experience. By combining sustainability with quality, variety, and branding, companies can attract customers and thrive in the market. Innovating in the food industry requires a balance between financial responsibility and sustainability goals, defining success on your own terms.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Apply for Competition: Permissionless Capital Welcomes Web3 Startups

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Tel Aviv, Israel, April 10, 2024, Chainwire

Web3 platform for startups, unauthorized capital invited Web3 startups to apply to the Permissionless Opportunities event. This program provides eligible Web3 startups with access to the resources they need to successfully build their concepts and bring their products to market.

Permissionless Opportunities provides great Web3 startups with the tools, funding, and connections to navigate the blockchain industry and launch their products. Signing up for a Permissionless event takes just 90 seconds and requires no fees or pitches. Dozens of startups are expected to apply for the first Permissionless Opportunities Event, after which the best applicants will be invited to join the program.

The largest event of its kind for Web3 and blockchain startups, Permissionless Opportunities gamifies the funding process and helps great companies realize their potential. The event has secured partnerships with Solana, Polygon, ImmutableX, Chainlink, Arweave, and more.

Permissionless Opportunities was designed in a game show manner with an audience participation component. Contest winners will be determined equally by a panel of expert judges and community consensus.

Winners of the Permissionless Opportunities Event will have the opportunity to pitch to over 50 leading VCs and partner with an ecosystem that will help advance their concept and provide mentoring and technical support. Other benefits include her one-on-one access to expert advisors, credits, discounts, and extensive media coverage to increase your visibility.

The program targets Web3 startups in the Defi, Infrastructure, Security, Gaming, and RWA categories, covering both B2B and B2C applications. Applications can be registered for Permissionless Opportunities from April 10th to May 1st. The program promises to shine a light on the next generation of his Web3 companies while giving the best applicants everything they need to optimize their prospects for success.

About unauthorized event events

Permissionless Opportunities is the first online event hosted by Permissionless Capital. The startup and investor network believes in equality of opportunity, regardless of a startup's connections, background, or country. Permissionless Opportunities takes the form of an online contest that Web3 startups can apply and participate in for free. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to receive grants, credit, one-on-one mentoring, and maximum media exposure.

Learn more: https://event.permissionlesscapital.io/

Contact

Nil Naamani
nir@permissionlesscapital.io

Source: www.the-blockchain.com

Increase in Stablecoin Supply Indicates Strong Capital Influx into Crypto Market – Blockchain News, Analysis, TV, Employment Opportunities

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Written by Enoch Muthembei

Over the past week, Bitcoin has experienced a bullish rally, topping the coveted $52,000 mark and recouping almost all the losses incurred since the FTX collapse. The milestone is crucial for an industry grappling with a prolonged bear market.

Consistent with Bitcoin’s upward trajectory, there has been a notable increase in the total market capitalization of major stablecoins, including: USDT, USDC, BUSDand Big. The market capitalization of these four stablecoin giants increased from $131.232 billion to $138.993 billion from February 13th to February 20th, indicating growing demand.

Stablecoins play a vital role as a bridge between fiat and crypto markets, making up the majority of crypto trading pairs and, as a result, becoming a major source of funding. market liquidity. The rise in market capitalization highlights the increasing adoption of stablecoins, solidifying their position as the preferred medium for engaging with cryptocurrencies.

Looking at the broader picture, we can see that the supply of the top four stablecoins has surged by 3.475% in the past 30 days. While a variety of factors may be contributing to this increase, it is primarily due to the overall market movement of assets into stablecoins, whether fiat or cryptocurrencies, in anticipation of future trading activity. It shows the trend. This suggests that the market is gearing up for a quick entry or exit from Bitcoin.

Supporting this trend is the notable rise in the stablecoin supply rate (SSR). SSR is a key metric that measures stablecoin supply relative to Bitcoin’s market capitalization, indicating the depth of market liquidity and potential purchasing power. A rise in SSR means a larger proportion of stablecoins compared to Bitcoin, and if these stablecoins are converted to Bitcoin, this could impact Bitcoin price growth.

SSR that exceeds the top bollinger bands This represents an unusual surge in potential purchasing power in February 2024. This suggests that investors may be poised to migrate to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in line with the Bitcoin price increase observed since January 2024.

The soaring price of Bitcoin, combined with the expansion in market capitalization and supply of major stablecoins, signals a significant influx of capital into the crypto market. For stablecoins, these trends highlight their important role in the ecosystem, serving not only as a safe haven during times of volatility, but also as an important means of putting money into Bitcoin. .

The trends observed last week highlight the interconnectedness of the stablecoin market and Bitcoin and highlight how fluctuations in stablecoin supply and market capitalization act as indicators of impending market activity. I am.

Source: the-blockchain.com

Nine new IndieBio companies from New York to pitch to venture capital next month

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It was a complete coincidence that a few months before the pandemic spread across the world. indie bio — A startup accelerator specializing in startups that use biology to solve big problems — expanded Its authority was to add a New York division to operations already conducted outside San Francisco. Of course, thanks to what the world has endured, life sciences startups are in the spotlight now more than ever. So readers thought he might be interested in giving a sneak peek at the latest startups that IndieBio NY is preparing to introduce to investors.almost One month.

If you’re a founder, a venture capitalist, or just an interested industry observer looking for insight into what’s happening in a variety of related fields such as agriculture, diagnostics, carbon and methane upcycling, cancer treatment, etc. If so, check out what the nine teams have been up to so far. I’m working on it.

IndieBio’s previous breakthrough startups include cultured meat company Upside Foods. $400 million Led by two sovereign wealth funds that valued the company at more than $1 billion last year, MycoWorks, a company that makes leather from fungi, closed a $125 million Series C round last year at an undisclosed valuation. did.

Here’s a quick snapshot of each:

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FREZENT Biological Solutions

FREZENT said it is developing a new class of bispecific antibodies that target dormant cancer cells that survive chemotherapy and can cause recurrence. The approach is to block the metabolism of dormant cancer cells, preventing their reactivation and survival. The team is currently focused on monoclonal antibody discovery and proof-of-concept studies. Click here for details.

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Xias Bio Limited

according to Cias Bio, the three most important proteins in skin and hair care products, collagen, keratin, and elastin, are typically derived from cow skin, chicken feathers, and meat processing by-products (breck). In light of growing concerns about greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution and deforestation, a new generation of cosmetics consumers want the industry to replace animal proteins with sustainable alternatives, and Xias Bio We are responding to that request. Specifically, we developed a molecular platform to create and license multifunctional proteins that are free of animal-derived components. L’Oreal buys what it already sells. The startup’s founders have since said that the idea is to go beyond cosmetics to replace animal protein in many other sectors, including the pharmaceutical and food industries.

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serious farming

Earnest Agriculture says it has engineered a microbial consortium that protects crops from disease, pests and drought while improving soil health. The group claims that applying these patented microorganisms as a seed coating will increase yields seven times, reduce the use of synthetic chemicals and make crops more resilient to climate change. Click here for details.

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biometallica

biometallica’s pitch That means tens of millions of tons of electronic equipment are thrown away every year, much of it incinerated, releasing billions of dollars of recoverable material in the smoke. Not to mention the release of toxic gases. This startup’s eco-friendly solution to recovering some of these rare metals (palladium, platinum, rhodium) is a biochemical that separates palladium group metals (PMG) from e-waste, including used catalytic converters. It uses genetically modified bacteria that produce .

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Affinia

Affinia has developed and patented a blood test for early diagnosis of endometriosis. This blood test will provide results within a few days. The company says it will be available starting next year in clinics and through home collection kits. As with many women’s health startups, if all goes to plan, the team’s endometriosis testing will be just the beginning. The idea is to build a digital platform that provides diagnosis, virtual care, and prescription delivery for endometriosis and other conditions. Click here for details (Note that the startup was originally called AIMA and has not updated its site yet).

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carbon bridge

Freight carriers are already ordering methanol-powered ships to meet EU emissions standards, but uptake has been slow because green methanol cannot compete with oil on price. carbon bridgeThe solution to the challenge is described as a low-temperature, low-pressure microbial process that uses a bioreactor to upcycle carbon dioxide and methane into liquid methanol. Furthermore, it is said that gas can be procured cheaply from all over the world. 16,000 Wastewater treatment facilities in the United States typically burn it off.

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Equol

Aequor has discovered a marine microorganism that produces a molecule that removes bacterial slime in minutes, and when applied to water treatment facilities, the concentrate reduces traditional chemical usage by 90% and reduces energy usage. It says that it can reduce the amount of slime by up to 15% and prevent the formation of slime. The filter may become clogged and cause a shutdown. The larger goal is to enable access to safe and affordable drinking water while reducing the cost and environmental impact of water treatment. Click here for details.

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unibio

Almost all farmers$230 billion Herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers designed to increase crop yields are used every year, but the unintended consequences are well documented. not good. unibio They say there are better alternatives. The company says it has developed natural microparticles that can enhance biological crop protection agents by allowing them to penetrate plants more efficiently and reducing the amount of traditional chemicals required by up to 80%. It is said that it was developed.

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Terra Bio Industries

discarded food account 8-10% As the founder of Terra Bioindustries talks about greenhouse gas emissions. That’s why the company has developed a platform to upcycle brewing spent grain, a byproduct of beer that is difficult to sell. It works through a low-energy enzymatic process that separates the grain into edible sugars and proteins, which are then sold to food manufacturers and precision fermentation companies. Installation costs are also low by using commercial equipment found in most food processing facilities. Click here for details.

Source: techcrunch.com

Gozen Secures $3.3 Million Investment from Happiness Capital, SoSV, and More to Expand Production of Lab-Grown Leather

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Like it or not, the leather industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and global waste generation. Current methods being used to meet the increasing demand for leather involve very simple and completely unsustainable solutions. It is simply raising more livestock (this is 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions).

But now there are startups leading the way in developing bio-based alternatives that have properties similar to, or even better than, traditional leather.

Alternative leather startup gelatex To date, we have raised $1.3 million from Estonia. Based in Copenhagen, Beyond leather We produce plant-based, eco-friendly alternatives to animal leather. It has raised 1.2 million euros so far.

Vitro Lab The San Jose-based company has raised $54.4 million and is developing a platform to make leather using stem cell-based technology. Meanwhile, modern meadow is working on lab-grown leather (among other materials) and has raised $183.6 million.

As you can see, there is a lot of interest in this area.

Now, a startup originally from Turkey and now based in San Francisco thinks it has come up with a game-changing product.

Gozen has now raised $3.3 million in a seed funding round led by Happiness Capital (lead investor) with participation from Accelr8, Astor Management, and Valley-based SOSV. The company is currently planning a facility in Turkey with a production capacity of up to 1 million square feet.

The startup’s biomaterial Lunaform is vegan, plastic-free, and produced by microorganisms during the fermentation process. The material is intended for use in the fashion and automotive industries, and the company has patented the technology in Turkey and is applying for patents in other countries.

The material was unveiled at the Balenciaga Summer 24 show during Paris Fashion Week earlier last month.
Gozen said Lunaform is a unique, fully formed material that ultimately provides increased strength and flexibility. (Using multiple layers of plant-based composite leather makes it more susceptible to damage). With customizable thickness and texture, he can be produced in 13 square foot sheets.

Ese Gozen, founder and CEO of GOZEN, told me over the phone: We use a fermentation transplantation system that creates the material in just 10 days. Now that the formulation is solid, it’s time to harvest it. This is microbial cellulose, which is another type of cellulose. ”

She said the resulting material was “very strong and very thin.” The current material is 0.2mm, giving it a unique texture. Contains no plastic or toxic chemicals. ”

He added that he has a startup plan that aims not only for fashion but also for the automobile industry.

Poe Bronson, managing director of SOSV IndieBio, Gozen’s first investor, added in a statement: However, I believed that your approach could outperform other approaches in both performance and economy. ”

No matter what happens, the market is growing.

The global leather products market size is projected It is expected to grow from $468.49 billion in 2023 to $738.61 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 6.7%.

Source: techcrunch.com

Franks secures more capital to enhance automation of wealth services in Europe

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side has secured $8 million in Series A capital to build an API for automated wealth management services and democratize access to wealth management across Europe.

Earlybird Venture Capital led the round, with participation from existing investors JME Ventures and 4Founders Capital. Scalapay co-founder Raffaele Terrone and Upvest co-founder and CEO Martin Kassing supported the round as angel investors.

The Barcelona-based company was founded in 2019 by software engineers Joaquín de la Cruz and Sergi Rao, and private banking executive Alvaro Morales. Their vision is to digitize global asset data across custodians and bring it under one API so that customers can get a complete picture of their investment portfolios in real time and make more intelligent investment decisions. was to be collected.

Franks, whose clients range from major financial institutions to family offices and independent financial advisors, is taking advantage of ongoing regulatory changes in Europe, especially around open banking. Additionally, recently proposed legislation includes Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID III) focuses on open finance, establishing rights and obligations governing access to financial data beyond payment accounts.

Dela Cruz explained that with open banking, there was previously no way to share financial data with third parties or for financial advisors to understand their clients’ global asset allocation. That’s why the company created its “Open Wealth” software.

“Open wealth refers to a movement in the industry that allows customers to share their data with third parties,” Delacruz told TechCrunch. “Financial advisors can connect their clients’ information with just two clicks on the platform, allowing them to get all their client’s financial information (360-degree view) in a single source of truth. It will be.”

Flanks operates in Spain, France and eight other countries. We connect with over 300 banks around the world and aggregate over 500,000 investment portfolios every month. Over the past year he has doubled the number of clients to 100, focusing on large clients that could potentially bring his Flanks to millions of end users.

Meanwhile, the company has grown its revenue more than 4x over the past 12 months.

The Series A funding will help the team continue to expand its footprint internationally and strengthen its product pipeline. Last year, Flanks created a product based on data. For example, a no-code process that allows financial advisors to use and analyze data. Another is that if a customer moves to a new bank, her financial advisor can change banks with her two clicks.

“This is the best opportunity for data in years because data can be combined with AI to create many vertical products,” Dela Cruz said. “We now want to continue building end-to-end use cases, using OpenAI to connect data so that financial advisors can actually manipulate the data and help their clients grow their portfolios. We are currently developing a use case for this.”

Source: techcrunch.com