Startup News: 6th July - 12th July 2020

Happy Monday Morning. I hope you have your morning coffee with you. Before we begin the week, let’s take a look at the startup world related news for the last week.

12th July, Sunday 

• Testing MilkRun: Portland’s farm-to-doorstep grocery delivery service launches in Seattle

Read more at https://www.geekwire.com/2020/testing-milkrun-portlands-farm-doorstep-grocery-delivery-service-launches-seattle/

• Start-up city: Vietnam's young invest ideas in Ho Chi Minh City

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/vietnam-start-up-young-entrepreneur-invest-12925258

• CII sets up centre for startups in Telangana

Read more at https://yourstory.com/2020/07/cii-centre-startups-telangana

• Delhi-NCR sees highest number of new startups during January-June

Read more at https://www.livemint.com/companies/start-ups/delhi-ncr-sees-highest-number-of-new-startups-during-january-june-11594548546899.html

11th July, Saturday

• Startup Helps Reduce Child Labor in Africa & Aspires to Work with Tesla

Read more at https://cointelegraph.com/news/startup-helps-reduce-child-labor-in-africa-aspires-to-work-with-tesla

• Tahoe Startup Junipers Launches Quick-Drying Women’s Swimsuit For Summer Adventure

Read more at https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimwesterman/2020/07/11/tahoe-startup-junipers-launches-quick-drying-womens-swimsuit-for-summer-adventure/#74ce29273ff1

• Vancouver-based Core One Labs plans R&D on psychedelic treatments in recently acquired walk-in medical clinics

Read more at https://www.straight.com/tech/vancouver-based-core-one-labs-plans-rd-on-psychedelic-treatments-in-recently-acquired-walk-in

• South City Pre-Teen Invents Virus-Blocking, ‘Safe Touch’ Utility Device

Read more at https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2020/07/11/coronavirus-south-san-francisco-youth-inventor/

• British technology start-up billed as 'Zoom for medics' mulling a fundraising of up to £100m to help support growth in UK and overseas

Read more at https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-8513299/Start-billed-Zoom-medics-aims-raise-100m.html

10th July, Friday

• Walmart invites U.S. entrepreneurs to pitch products

Read more at https://chainstoreage.com/walmart-invites-us-entrepreneurs-pitch-products

• Haptik Exceeds Q1 Revenue Target With Gaming, Ecommerce Driving Adoption

Read more at https://inc42.com/buzz/haptik-exceeds-q1-revenue-target-with-gaming-ecommerce-driving-adoption/

• Zolo Raises $56 Million for Co-Living: Travel Startup Funding This Week

Read more at https://skift.com/2020/07/10/zolo-raises-56-million-for-co-living-travel-startup-funding-this-week/

• Chelsea Clinton has shown investment interest in at least 2 health care startups, according to Axios

Read more at https://www.foxbusiness.com/money/chelsea-clinton-metrodora-venture-capital

• Amazon tells employees to delete TikTok, then claims directive was sent in error

Read more at https://www.geekwire.com/2020/amazon-bans-tiktok-employees-phones-citing-security-risks/

9th July, Thursday

• Software-as-a-service (SaaS) unicorn, Freshworks acquires Flint to Strengthen Remote Work Offerings

Read more at https://www.livemint.com/companies/start-ups/freshworks-acquires-flint-in-third-buyout-this-year-11594316286085.html

• Fintech Sezzle’s share price went beserk – so the ASX (Australian Securities Exchange) hit the pause button

Read more at https://www.startupdaily.net/2020/07/fintech-sezzles-share-price-has-gone-beserk/

• After TikTok Ban, US-Based Triller Among Top 5 Apps In India By Downloads

Read more at https://inc42.com/buzz/after-tiktok-ban-us-based-triller-among-top-5-apps-in-india-by-downloads/

• Japanese venture capital firms are stepping up their investments in African startups

Read more at https://qz.com/africa/1868894/japanese-venture-capital-investors-bet-on-africa-startups/

• Fisker and Karma raise millions of dollars following wave of Tesla optimism

Read more at https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/9/21319273/fisker-inc-karma-automotive-fundraising-public-evs-tesla-nikola

8th July, Wednesday

• Digital Pharmacy Truepill Raises $25 Million To Expand Telehealth Offerings As Revenue Could Reach $200 Million This Year

Read more at https://www.forbes.com/sites/amyfeldman/2020/07/08/digital-pharmacy-truepill-raises-25-million-to-expand-telehealth-offerings-as-revenue-could-reach-200-million-this-year/#38589ad65f5d

• Serial Entrepreneur, Pratik Gauri is helping Fortune 500 companies to go from for-profit to for-benefit

Read more at https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/352962

7th July, Tuesday 

• Afterpay is raising $1 billion with its founders offering a $250 million slice of their stake

Read more at https://www.startupdaily.net/2020/07/afterpay-is-raising-1-billion-with-its-founders-offering-a-250-million-slice-of-their-stake/

• VOMOS CEO Discusses Uptick In Private Traveling Amid Pandemic

Read more at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestheculture/2020/07/07/vomos-ceo-discusses-uptick-in-private-traveling-amid-pandemic/#5529410d6cf3

• Microsoft exec Peggy Johnson joins troubled augmented reality start-up Magic Leap as CEO

Read more at https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/07/microsoft-exec-peggy-johnson-joins-ar-start-up-magic-leap-as-ceo.html

• The Mom Store, a startup whose revenue in the first quarter of the current financial year grew about 200 percent. 

Read more at https://yourstory.com/herstory/2020/07/bengaluru-maternity-startup-mom-store-lockdown

• Walmart to launch a $98/year Amazon Prime competitor for grocery delivery and other perks

Read more at https://www.geekwire.com/2020/walmart-launch-98-year-amazon-prime-competitor-grocery-deliveries-perks/

6th July, Monday

• AI-based engineering startup VAPAR, founded by two women, just raised $700,000 in seed funding

Read more at https://www.startupdaily.net/2020/07/ai-based-engineering-startup-vapar-founded-by-two-women-just-raised-700000-in-seed-funding/

• About 70% start-ups impacted by COVID-19: Survey

Read more at https://www.livemint.com/companies/start-ups/about-70-start-ups-impacted-by-covid-19-survey-11593993885699.html

• VC diversity programs are shifting online to try to maintain momentum

Read more at https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/06/vc-diversity-programs-shifting-online.html

• Uber and Postmates reportedly agree on a $2.65 billion all-stock deal

Read more at https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/06/uber-and-postmates-reportedly-agree-on-a-2point65-billion-all-stock-deal.html

• Pizza Hut Franchise File for Bankruptcy

Read more at https://www.leavenworthtimes.com/news/20200705/pizza-hut-franchise-files-for-bankruptcy

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.