Iflix, the emerging market Netflix competitor that’s backed by Sky, is leaving Africa to double down on its business in Asia. The Malaysia-based company announced today it has sold the remaining shares in its Africa business — Kwesé Iflix — to Econet Group, the telecom firm that is already an investor in the business. The deal size […]
View More Netflix rival Iflix offloads its Africa business to focus on AsiaCategory: world wide web
At Blind, a security lapse revealed private complaints from Silicon Valley employees
Thousands of people trusted Blind, an app-based “anonymous social network,” as a safe way to reveal malfeasance, wrongdoing and improper conduct at their companies. But Blind left one of its database servers exposed without a password, making it possible for anyone who knew where to look to access each user’s account information and identify would-be […]
View More At Blind, a security lapse revealed private complaints from Silicon Valley employeesFood delivery startup Swiggy raises $1 billion more from Naspers, Tencent and others
Naspers, the South African investment giant, is back at it again in India! Days after backing educational startup Byju’s by leading a $540 million investment, it has led a $1 billion investment in food delivery company Swiggy. The new round sees Chinese internet and Naspers ally Tencent join the party, alongside fellow new investors Hillhouse Capital […]
View More Food delivery startup Swiggy raises $1 billion more from Naspers, Tencent and othersByju’s targets global expansion for its digital education service after raising $540M
India-based educational startup Byju’s was widely reported to have raised a massive $400 million round and now the company is making things official. The ten-year-old company revealed today it has pulled in a total of $540 million from investors to go after international opportunities. The round is led by Naspers, the investment firm famous for […]
View More Byju’s targets global expansion for its digital education service after raising $540MThe annual PornHub year in review tells us what we’re really looking at online
PornHub, a popular site that features people in various stages of undress, saw 33.5 billion visits in 2018. There are currently 7.53 billion people on Earth. Y’all have been busy. The company, which owns most of the major porn sites online, produces a yearly report that aggregates user behavior on the site. Of particular interest, […]
View More The annual PornHub year in review tells us what we’re really looking at onlineTwitter says governments are ramping up their demands for user data
Twitter says the number of government demands for data on its users has shot up in the past year. In its latest transparency report out Thursday, the social media giant said it received 10 percent more requests between January and June than on its previous reporting period — the largest percentage increase in three years. […]
View More Twitter says governments are ramping up their demands for user dataGoogle has acquired one of India’s most popular train tracking apps
Google is increasing its efforts in India after it snapped up the team behind popular transportation app ‘Where is my Train.’ The app claims 10 million registered users and, as the name suggests, it helps commuters track arrivals and departures as well as buying seats. That’s no small job given that India is estimated to operate […]
View More Google has acquired one of India’s most popular train tracking appsEx-Facebook exec Kirthiga Reddy becomes first female investor at SoftBank’s Vision Fund
Following speculation that SoftBank is hiring a China-based team, so the Japanese investment giant has brought on a first venture partner (and first female) for its $100 billion Vision Fund. Kirthiga Reddy, a former executive with Facebook, has taken the role and, in doing so, she becomes the first female member of SoftBank’s Vision Fund […]
View More Ex-Facebook exec Kirthiga Reddy becomes first female investor at SoftBank’s Vision FundNetflix rival Iflix launches $5M search for up-and-coming filmmakers in Asia
Netflix is increasing its efforts in Asia after it commissioned more local content and began testing more aggressive price points, but one local rival is hitting back with a program to spotlight promising creators in the region. Malaysia-headquartered Iflix, which operates in 26 countries across Africa, the Middle East and Asia, today announced a $5 million program […]
View More Netflix rival Iflix launches $5M search for up-and-coming filmmakers in AsiaJapan’s Sansan raises $26.5M to help Southeast Asia get more from business cards
The humble business card is a target for disruption in Southeast Asia after Japanese contacts management startup Sansan raised JPY 3 billion ($26.5 million) to expand its business into the region. Founded way back in 2007, Sansan helps bring business intelligence to companies through a system that helps build connections between users and both internal employees […]
View More Japan’s Sansan raises $26.5M to help Southeast Asia get more from business cardsRudy Giuliani, a Trump cybersecurity adviser, doesn’t understand the internet
Welcome back to the latest edition of politicians don’t get technology! Our latest guest is Rudy Giuliani, former New York mayor and current cybersecurity adviser to President Trump. Rudy Giuliani doesn’t understand Twitter or the internet. It’s embarrassing enough that Giuliani inadvertently tweeted a link to a website criticizing Trump, but now he is doubling down on […]
View More Rudy Giuliani, a Trump cybersecurity adviser, doesn’t understand the internetLet’s meet in Poland this month
I’ll be heading back to Europe on December 18th to run a pitch-off in Wroclaw, Poland. It’s a bit out of the way but well worth a visit if only for the sausages. The event called In-Ference is happening on December 17 and you can submit to pitch here. The team will notify you if […]
View More Let’s meet in Poland this month