Startup News: 3rd - 9th August 2020

Happy Monday Morning. It's time for the weekly round up. Before we begin the new week, let’s take a look at the startup world related news for the last week.

9th August, Sunday

This fitness startup offers interactive social workouts from the comfort of home

https://yourstory.com/2020/08/fitness-startup-oga-fit-interactive-digital-social-workouts

Income verification startup The Closing Docs helps property managers during economic crisis

https://www.geekwire.com/2020/the-closing-docs/

This NY-based video analytics startup uses AI to predict customer engagement

 https://yourstory.com/2020/08/video-analytics-startup-collective-intel-ai

Japanese Startup Creates Smart Mask Capable of Translating Eight Languages

https://www.unite.ai/japanese-startup-creates-smart-mask-capable-of-translating-eight-languages/

Yulu to focus on long-term rentals, add 1 lakh electric bikes by 2021

https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/yulu-to-focus-on-long-term-rentals-add-1-lakh-electric-bikes-by-2021-11596979896600.html

8th August, Saturday

Volvo Joins the Crowd of Automakers Setting Up in Israel

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a33483705/volvo-joins-automakers-setting-up-in-israel/

Indian entrepreneur makes solid fuel from plastic waste

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/ramnad-entrepreneur-makes-solid-fuel-from-plastic-waste-thanks-to-collector-pmo/article32304262.ece

New Age Meats Raises $2 Million For Development Of Cell-Based Pork Sausage

https://watch.thewest.com.au/show/322115

Food ordering startup Eatsy shutters operations

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/garage/food-ordering-startup-eatsy-shutters-operations-0

7th August, Friday

Chingari,  a short video-sharing platform, wins AatmaNirbhar Bharat App Challenge In Social Media Category

https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/technology/chingari-wins-aatmanirbhar-bharat-app-innovation-challenge-in-social-category-5661781.html

ShareChat To Join Unicorn Club With $100 Mn Microsoft Infusion

https://inc42.com/buzz/sharechat-could-be-indias-next-unicorn-as-microsoft-looks-to-invest-100-mn/

Elon Musk’s tunnelling startup, The Boring Company, has received approval to expand its transportation network beneath Las Vegas

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/elon-musk-tesla-tunnel-boring-company-las-vegas-loop-a9659221.html

New NYC app hopes to change the rules of the rental market

https://www.jpost.com/jpost-tech/new-nyc-app-hopes-to-change-the-rules-of-the-rental-market-637848

Facebook extends coronavirus work from home policy until July 2021

https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/07/facebook-extends-coronavirus-work-from-home-policy-until-july-2021/

6th August, Thursday

Special raises $2.26M to build a subscription platform for online creators

https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/06/special-seed-funding/

Byju's acquires WhiteHat Jr in a $300 million all-cash deal

https://tech.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/startups/byjus-acquires-whitehatjr-in-a-300-million-all-cash-deal/77378094

Frisco Startup Developing ‘Mixed Virtual Reality' Tool for Teachers

https://www.newsbreak.com/texas/frisco/news/1612484195767/frisco-startup-developing-mixed-virtual-reality-tool-for-teachers

Seattle startup Xealth lands investment from Cerner as COVID-19 accelerates digital health adoption

https://www.geekwire.com/2020/seattle-startup-xealth-lands-investment-cerner-covid-19-accelerates-digital-health-adoption/

On-demand mental health service provider Ginger raises $50 million

https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/06/on-demand-mental-health-service-provider-ginger-raises-50-million/

Mode raises $33M to supercharge its analytics platform for data scientists

https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/06/mode-raises-33m-to-supercharge-its-analytics-platform-for-data-scientists/

5th August, Wednesday

Springboard raises $31 million to expand its mentor-guided education platform to more geographies

https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/05/springboard-raises-31-million-to-expand-its-mentor-guided-education-platform-to-more-geographies/

Jakarta-based Wahyoo gets $5 million Series A to help small eateries digitize their operations

https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/05/jakarta-based-wahyoo-gets-5-million-series-a-to-help-small-eateries-digitize-their-operations/

Apple sponsors a three-year UCLA study on depression and anxiety

https://www.engadget.com/apple-ucla-depression-study-225118236.html

London-based Weezy raises pre-seed funding for its 15-minute grocery delivery app

https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/05/london-based-weezy-raises-seed/

4th August, Tuesday

Tempo Raises $60 Million as First Home Fitness System to Use 3-D Sensors, Artificial Intelligence

https://cheddar.com/media/tempo-raises-million-as-first-home-fitness-system-to-use-d-sensors-artificial-intelligence

A 13 yr old entrepreneur, who launches his own start up Papers N Parcels, to uberise courier services in the city Mumbai

https://www.oneindia.com/india/new-india-story-of-13-yr-old-entrepreneur-who-launches-his-own-start-up-in-mumbai-3129659.html

The Founder Institute Launches A ‘Joint Pledge’ To Make Innovation Impactful Again

https://www.forbes.com/sites/federicoguerrini/2020/08/04/the-founder-institute-launches-a-joint-pledge-to-make-innovation-impactful-again/#26c40aef62cf

Byju's set to raise nearly $400 million; become second-most valued startup in India

https://www.businesstoday.in/current/corporate/byjus-set-to-raise-nearly-400-million-become-second-most-valued-startup-in-india/story/411948.html

3rd August, Monday

GM-backed electric truck startup Lordstown Motors is going public

https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/3/21352433/gm-lordstown-motors-electric-truck-startup-public-merger-spac

A stretch on the California highway is now paved with plastic

https://www.fastcompany.com/90535918/this-california-highway-is-now-paved-with-plastic

Mobile banking startup Varo is becoming a real bank

https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/03/mobile-banking-startup-varo-is-becoming-a-real-bank/

0% human interaction; MUY opens its first contactless restaurant in Colombia

https://www.contxto.com/en/colombia/foodtech-muy-contactless-restaurant-colombia/

We, at OpenGrowth, are constantly looking for latest news in the startup ecosystem. If you want to share any important news from last week, then do let us know in the comment section below.

News Curated by: Priya Nath

Priya Nath has a keen interest in startups. She is remembered as a geeky student by her classmates. Her passion includes owning innovative gadgets, networking and psychology.