Sustainable hospitality, decarbonized aviation, Google's Paris AI Hub, and many more...
What's Up Tech? #170
Welcome to our 170th newsletter, written with 🖤 by Justine Pelisson.
Fundraisings from last week with Bending Spoons, Finom, Bob W, and Velocys
News from last week with Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros.’ new streaming platform, Google’s Paris AI Hub, and Open AI’s Sora model
Internships & Job offers of the week
Enjoy the read! 🌞
💻 Bending Spoons raised $155M at a $2.55B valuation (🇮🇹)
The Milan-based software developer Bending Spoons, known to develop category-leading apps, just secured $155M in equity financing, reaching a $2.55B post-money valuation.💰
The funds will fuel brand acquisitions, following recent purchases of Meetup and Mosaic, and already serving over half a billion users worldwide. Bending Spoons aims for strategic growth amid a restructuring effort, including team relocation and monetization adjustments. 🚀
Evernote and Meetup owner Bending Spoons raises $155M in Equity Financing
💶 Finom raised €54M for European Expansion (🇳🇱)
Amsterdam-based startup Finom, offering financial solutions for entrepreneurs, secured €54M in Series B funding. Co-led by Northzone and General Catalyst, the round fuels expansion across Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Europe. 🌐
Finom’s mobile-first platform integrates accounting, financial management, and banking for 85,000 SMEs, strengthening its position in diverse markets. ✅
🏨 Bob W secured €40M for European Hospitality Revolution (🇫🇮)
Finnish hospitality disruptor Bob W (standing for the « Best of Both Worlds »), announced a €40M Series B round. The funding propels Bob W's mission to redefine hospitality through smarter and more sustainable alternatives to hotels and short-term rentals. 🌱
Operating in 10 countries, Bob W's tech-enabled aparthotels offer a unique blend of lifestyle hotel quality and local authenticity, marking a significant step in the evolution of European hospitality. 🌍
Bob W Secures €40 Million Series B Funding For Continued Pan-European Expansion
✈️ Velocys goes private with €37M for sustainable aviation fuel (🇬🇧)
Oxford-based sustainable aviation fuel technology firm Velocys completed a €37M take-private transaction. A consortium, including Carbon Direct Capital, Lightrock, GenZero, and Kibo Investments, invested $40M to accelerate technology delivery, enhance leadership, scale production, and expand the team. 💫
Led by CEO Henrik Wareborn, Velocys aims to lead in innovative sustainable aviation fuel solutions, addressing the critical climate challenge of decarbonizing aviation and predicting a surge in Sustainable Aviation Fuel demand.🌿
📺 Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. team up for new sports streaming platform
Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery are set to launch a joint sports streaming service this fall, offering a tailored bundle of live sports. Consumers will be able to subscribe via a new app, with potential bundling options. ✅
The platform aims to become a sports-centric hub, featuring networks like ESPN, TNT, and Fox. While pricing details are yet to be finalized, the long-term goal is to redefine the sports media landscape. Disney CEO Bob Iger calls it a significant moment for sports fans and the media business, emphasizing a differentiated sports-centric service. 🏀
ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery to Launch Joint Sports Streaming Platform this Year
🤖 Google unveils Paris AI Hub, a strategic move amidst tech giants (🇫🇷)
Google's CEO Sundar Pichai inaugurated a new AI hub in Paris, emphasizing the tech giant's commitment to AI innovation. Housing 300 researchers and engineers, the hub isn't an entirely new team but an expansion of existing talent from Google Research, DeepMind, YouTube, and Chrome. 👩💻
The high-profile launch signals Google's determination to attract top AI talent in a city where competitors like Facebook's Meta have established AI research labs. The move reflects Google's strategic positioning in the thriving Parisian AI ecosystem and underlines the company's dedication to AI advancements. 💪
Google’s new AI hub in Paris Proves that Google feels Insecure about AI
✍️ Meet Sora, OpenAI’s latest text-to-video model
OpenAI has introduced Sora, a cutting-edge text-to-video model that empowers users to craft realistic and imaginative scenes through written prompts. Capable of generating photorealistic videos up to a minute long, Sora excels in creating complex scenarios with multiple characters, dynamic motion, and detailed backgrounds. 🎥
Despite some challenges in simulating complex physics, the model showcases impressive results. Currently accessible to "red teamers" and select creators for feedback, Sora represents OpenAI's stride in pushing the boundaries of AI capabilities. 🚀
Internships
VC Analyst - SuperSeed (London)
VC Analyst - Pléiade Venture (Paris)
Jobs
Operations Analyst - 9900 Capital (London)
Associate - JOIN Capital (Berlin or London)
Investment Analyst - ACT Venture Partners (Mostly remote)
👉 If you’d like to discover more offers, you can check our job board just here or fill this form to submit a new one.
You can also read more about baby vc on our website and follow our updates on LinkedIn, or directly reach out to us at hello@baby-vc.co! 🤝
The whole baby vc crew 🖤