All posts tagged: Invests

Match Group invests 0M in Sniffies, a cruising app for gay men

Match Group invests $100M in Sniffies, a cruising app for gay men

Published by skeptic

Match Group, the dating app behemoth that owns Match, Tinder, OkCupid, and Hinge, says that it has invested $100 million in yet another mobile service designed to bring people together: a Grindr competitor known as Sniffies. The website for Sniffies sports various images of men in their underwear. That tells you pretty much all you need to know about the app, which is a self-proclaimed “cruising”— or hookup — matching service for gay men. The app includes what it calls a “real-time, fully interactive map of nearby Cruisers and popular local cruising spots.” “From the first time I met the Sniffies team a year ago, it was clear they had a deep understanding of their users and a strong point of view on how its community actually connects,” said Spencer Rascoff, chief executive officer of Match Group, in a press release Monday. Sniffies, based in Seattle, has an estimated 3 million monthly active users, Match says. The company will continue to operate independently, with Match Group assisting the team’s “vision and growth,” it said. Match …

NYSE-parent Intercontinental Exchange invests 0 million in Polymarket

NYSE-parent Intercontinental Exchange invests $600 million in Polymarket

Published by Sam Flores

March 27 : Intercontinental Exchange said on Friday it had invested $600 million in prediction markets platform Polymarket, as the New York Stock Exchange parent expands into the fast-growing event-based trading segment. The funding is part of the exchange operator’s previously announced plan to invest up to $2 billion in Polymarket, the company said. Prediction markets have shifted from a niche corner of crypto and academic finance into a rapidly growing trading segment in under two years, with volumes and user activity surging. ICE said the investments in Polymarket are not expected to have a material impact on the exchange operator’s financial results or capital return plans. The $600 million investment is part of the prediction markets platform’s latest funding round, and the valuation will be disclosed once completes its fundraising, ICE said. Prediction markets represent a potential new frontier for exchanges ​in derivatives trading. Analysts say the products can draw a wider pool of ​retail traders ⁠and boost trading volumes, offering exchanges a chance to diversify revenue as competition intensifies in traditional futures and …

EU invests €103m in strategic environment and climate projects

EU invests €103m in strategic environment and climate projects

Published by skeptic

The European Commission is investing more than €103m in seven strategic projects across Europe through the LIFE programme. The environment and climate projects will help strengthen the EU’s prosperity, reinforce economic stability, food systems, and environmental ecosystems, and improve public health and quality of life across the continent. The selected projects are located in Finland, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, and Spain. Supporting and accelerating the implementation of EU environmental and climate policies, the projects are focused notably on climate and water resilience, nature restoration, circular economy and sustainable land use. These are expected to mobilise additional national public and private investment. 7 strategic projects awarded in 7 EU Member States Finland In Finland, ACWA LIFE aims to restore and protect streams, lakes, coastal waters, river basins and groundwater to secure water resources and ecosystem health. It will receive €16.5m from the EU. France The LIFE ADAPT EST in France will strengthen climate resilience in the Grand Est region by building expertise in climate, water governance, and infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather events. …

EU invests €225m to deliver next-generation influenza vaccines

EU invests €225m to deliver next-generation influenza vaccines

Published by skeptic

The European Union is committing €225 million to accelerate the development of next-generation influenza vaccines that will offer protection against a wider range of flu variants and can be quickly adapted if a pandemic strain emerges. The funding will support influenza vaccines designed to be easier to administer via the nose, mouth, or skin patches, and to be rapidly scaled up in emergencies. It marks the first time the Commission will use pre-commercial procurement to advance products through clinical trials, ensuring they meet strict safety, quality, and efficacy criteria while supporting innovations that might otherwise stall without public intervention. Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, explained: “With an EU investment of €225m – the largest ever dedicated to accelerating access to innovative medical countermeasures – we are advancing the development of next-generation flu vaccines. “This funding will unlock cutting-edge technologies, including more accessible and diverse vaccine administration methods, ensuring that effective vaccine options reach underserved and vulnerable groups.” Flu vaccines must keep pace with the evolving virus Flu viruses evolve constantly, which …

Bavaria invests €78m in new hub for human spaceflight

Bavaria invests €78m in new hub for human spaceflight

Published by skeptic

Germany is laying the groundwork for the next chapter of human spaceflight with a major investment in a new mission control facility near Munich. The Human Exploration Control Center (HECC) will be built at the German Aerospace Center site in Oberpfaffenhofen, expanding Europe’s capabilities for crewed and robotic missions to the Moon and, eventually, Mars. Backed by €58m from the Free State of Bavaria and an additional €20m from Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) institutional funding, the project signals a long-term commitment to strengthening Europe’s independent role in space exploration. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2028, with operations expected to start by 2030. Commenting on the landmark facility, Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder, commented: “Bavaria’s gateway to the stars is on its way. The Free State, DLR and ESA form a strong alliance. With innovation and pioneering spirit, we promote research, freedom and the future. “Bavaria is investing €58m in a new building, as well as €5m in the development of an orbital gateway and an AI project to support astronauts. The Moon …

BYD invests in autonomous, battery-swap mining truck business

BYD invests in autonomous, battery-swap mining truck business

Published by skeptic

Chinese equipment brand Boonray has developed an autonomous, battery-swapping electric mining truck that it hopes will revolutionize the global mining industry – and global EV leader BYD just gave it a multimillion dollar vote of confidence. Led by a team of scientists from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and built with L4-level autonomous driving technology at its core, Boonray has been working to develop key technologies for futuristic mines like AI algorithms and vehicle-by-wire systems – and the company’s tech so far is convincing enough that BYD has chosen to invest RMB 100 million (~14.5 million USD) to help push it along even further. According to Boonray, its self driving solutions currently enable Level 4 autonomous operation for mining trucks leveraging both onboard and stationary assets (think beacons and fixed reference points) to support both unmanned driving and unmanned battery swapping, enabling the mines to operate around the clock with minimal danger to operators. These aren’t just promises, either – Boonray’s tech has been deployed at thirty (30) mining projects across China, each with its own diverse ore types …

The one piece of kit a running coach recommends every woman invests in

The one piece of kit a running coach recommends every woman invests in

Published by Jenni Sidey

When people take up running, they may look at their fellow runners and feel like they, too, need expensive running shoes or smartwatches to glance at every 10 seconds. The truth is, you can enjoy running quite easily without either of those things, especially in the early days. There is one item, though, that PT and running coach Sabrina Pace-Humphreys recommends women invest in right from the beginning—and that’s a well-fitting sports bra. “It’s so important to have a supportive sports bra, we need to take care of our breasts when we’re exercising,” says Pace-Humphreys. You may like “No matter whether you’re flat-chested, full-chested or whether you’ve had a single mastectomy or double mastectomy, it’s really key that you find a style that’s right for you,” adds the coach and author, who has just released her new book Start Where You Are: The Beginner’s 5km Running Guide for Women. When you’re not wearing a sports bra that fits, not only is it uncomfortable and could cause chafing, but it can also stretch the skin, which …

EU invests €307m in AI and digital technologies

EU invests €307m in AI and digital technologies

Published by skeptic

As global competition over digital technologies intensifies, the European Commission is stepping up its investment to ensure Europe remains at the forefront of innovation. The EU has announced a major €307.3m investment to strengthen its leadership in digital technologies, launching two new funding calls under the Digital, Industry and Space cluster of the Horizon Europe programme. The move signals a decisive push to accelerate innovation in AI, data services, and emerging technologies, while reinforcing the EU’s strategic autonomy in an increasingly competitive global digital landscape. Major funding push for AI and data innovation The larger share of funding, €221.8m, targets the development of trustworthy AI and advanced data-driven services. This call focuses on reinforcing Europe’s capacity to design and deploy human-centric, secure, and ethical AI solutions while reducing reliance on non-European technologies. Funded projects will support the Commission’s Apply AI Strategy and span a wide range of digital technologies, including robotics, quantum computing, photonics, and immersive virtual worlds. These areas are seen as critical enablers of industrial transformation and future economic growth across Europe. A …

OpenAI Invests in Sam Altman’s New Brain Tech Startup Merge Labs

OpenAI Invests in Sam Altman’s New Brain Tech Startup Merge Labs

Published by skeptic

On Thursday, OpenAI announced its investment in neurotech startup Merge Labs, cofounded by its CEO, billionaire Sam Altman. OpenAI will collaborate with the new venture to develop technology to link people’s brains to computers. Merge Labs has raised $252 million in funding from OpenAI, private investment firm Bain Capital, video game developer Gabe Newell, and others to use ultrasound to read and modulate the brain. Merge joins a growing number of companies, including Elon Musk’s Neuralink, that are developing brain-computer interface technology. Its name comes from the Silicon Valley concept of “the merge,” the hypothetical point at which humans and machine intelligence combine to form a hybrid consciousness, which Altman has written about. Altman previously invested in Musk’s Neuralink, which has raised $1.3 billion so far. In contrast to Neuralink, Merge says it will not implant its technology in the brain. “We’re developing entirely new technologies that connect with neurons using molecules instead of electrodes, transmit and receive information using deep-reaching modalities like ultrasound, and avoid implants into brain tissue,” the company says on its …