Merantix Announces EUR 25M Venture Studio Fund In Davos
Berlin-based Merantix, a venture studio building AI companies, has raised a EUR 25M fund. The funds will serve to finance the next batch of AI companies after having already successfully built three companies over the last three years. The now announced fund includes notable anchor investors such as Trusted Insight, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, as well as further family offices from Europe.
GPs Bullish As Spanish Private Equity Comes Of Age
The introduction of new private equity laws in Spain in 2014 and the introduction of government tax measures benefiting private equity funds have given GPs clarity and a solid legal framework to operate in.
Era Of Mega-Funded, Money-Losing Unicorns Is Coming To An End
Last year was a big one for companies valued at $1 billion or more — the so-called "unicorns." There were 36 on the 2019 Disruptor 50 list, and of the 80 companies that went public last year, 28 of them were worth $1 billion or more at the time of their IPO.
Unicorn-Hunting Investors Might Need To Think Again
Over the past decade, the hunt for unicorns has become an obsession of investors, the media, founders and policymakers. One investment strategy has ruled: a growth-at-all-costs mentality that invests heavily in losses with almost no focus on profitability.
Pension Funds In Ex-Con’s $30M Blockchain Fraud Scheme
An Essex County woman was arrested for her alleged role in an online currency fraud scheme that encouraged investors to hand over $30 million, authorities said. She posed as a wealthy investor who provided millions in seed money to CG Blockchain Inc.
Space Companies Including Spacex Raised Record $5.8B In 2019
Private funds are pouring money into space companies, with 2019 marking a record year of investment in extraterrestrial ventures. The largest private companies – such as SpaceX, Blue Origin and OneWeb – made up the lion's share of last year's investments, receiving billions in new funds.
Columbia Investment Management Company CEO To Retire
The Columbia Investment Management Company is a subsidiary of the University that manages the investment of Columbia’s $10.95 billion endowment. The chief executive officer of Columbia Investment Management Company, Peter Holland, is set to retire from his position.
SoftBank-Backed Zume Cuts 360 Jobs, Closes Pizza Delivery Business
This represents another black eye for SoftBank's Vision Fund, which has seen a number of its portfolio companies announce layoffs and executive changes over the last year.
Citadel Securities Sues Rival Over Alleged Trading Strategy Leak
A “highly valuable” trading strategy developed by Citadel Securities at a cost of more than $100 million is at the centre of a High Court lawsuit filed by the Chicago-based market maker against a London rival.
Private Equity Investors See Savings In AI
Funds of funds in private equity have started using intelligent algorithms to narrow down the targets they consider investing in, taking a lead from how some of those funds pick their own investments.