As COVID-19 era drags on, VCs look beyond Zoom calls for due diligence and sourcing

While the coronavirus has accelerated the dealmaking pace for many early-stage startups, activity has not come without adaptation.

Remote investment struggles for investors were clear from the get go: it’s challenging to invest millions in someone you have never met, and there’s not a lot to learn from “off-the-cuff” conversations that are calendared days in advance. Some investors said the pandemic was forcing them to stick with people they know in categories where they have experience, limiting the network that one can push money into.

Over six months into a global pandemic, though, new techniques are emerging to address some of these woes. The very art of a deal, from due diligence to sourcing, is changing from a cultural and technological standpoint.

One of the new places that recreates informal bonding and camaraderie is Matchbox.VC, formerly Fortnite.VC.

The service connects founders and investors over video games to network and source deals in a low-stress environment. Matchbox.VC was inspired from a tweet by Founders Fund principal Delian Asparouhov and has garnered interest from investors like Arjun Sethi from Tribe Capital, Ryan Shea, the ex-founder of Blockstack, Jake Chapman from AlphafundVC and Peter Rojas from Betaworks. Its last game night was backed by Yac, Tribe Capital and Shrug Capital.

We’ve invested $14m total in the company and it’s off to the races, and is counter cyclical in a covid world so yeah

pretty pleased with my Fortnite sourcing thus far

— delian (@zebulgar) April 24, 2020

The pitch is simple: founders and investors sign up on the website, answer basic questions about their focus, company and stage before picking three game choices from eight options that include Fortnite, COD: Warzone and Valorant.

from Social – TechCrunch https://ift.tt/eA8V8J As COVID-19 era drags on, VCs look beyond Zoom calls for due diligence and sourcing Natasha Mascarenhas https://ift.tt/2ZvH163
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As COVID-19 era drags on, VCs look beyond Zoom calls for due diligence and sourcing

While the coronavirus has accelerated the dealmaking pace for many early-stage startups, activity has not come without adaptation.

Remote investment struggles for investors were clear from the get go: it’s challenging to invest millions in someone you have never met, and there’s not a lot to learn from “off-the-cuff” conversations that are calendared days in advance. Some investors said the pandemic was forcing them to stick with people they know in categories where they have experience, limiting the network that one can push money into.

Over six months into a global pandemic, though, new techniques are emerging to address some of these woes. The very art of a deal, from due diligence to sourcing, is changing from a cultural and technological standpoint.

One of the new places that recreates informal bonding and camaraderie is Matchbox.VC, formerly Fortnite.VC.

The service connects founders and investors over video games to network and source deals in a low-stress environment. Matchbox.VC was inspired from a tweet by Founders Fund principal Delian Asparouhov and has garnered interest from investors like Arjun Sethi from Tribe Capital, Ryan Shea, the ex-founder of Blockstack, Jake Chapman from AlphafundVC and Peter Rojas from Betaworks. Its last game night was backed by Yac, Tribe Capital and Shrug Capital.

We’ve invested $14m total in the company and it’s off to the races, and is counter cyclical in a covid world so yeah

pretty pleased with my Fortnite sourcing thus far

— delian (@zebulgar) April 24, 2020

The pitch is simple: founders and investors sign up on the website, answer basic questions about their focus, company and stage before picking three game choices from eight options that include Fortnite, COD: Warzone and Valorant.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J As COVID-19 era drags on, VCs look beyond Zoom calls for due diligence and sourcing https://ift.tt/2ZvH163

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Daily Crunch: Apple revises App Store rules

{rss:content:encoded} Daily Crunch: Apple revises App Store rules https://ift.tt/2ZuEs4c https://ift.tt/2CoAoqu September 12, 2020 at 12:07AM

Apple’s making App Store changes, China might stop TikTok’s acquisition and we talk to Polish venture capitalists about the startup scene. This is your Daily Crunch for September 11, 2020.

The big story: Apple revises App Store rules

Apple announced a bunch of changes to its App Store guidelines today, with details about how it will support new iOS features like App Clips and much more.

For one thing, it sounds like the App Store will now support game-streaming services like Microsoft’s xCloud and Google’s Stadia. The main caveat is that games available through these services must have their own listings in the App Store and be available as a separate download.

In addition, Apple is also offering more flexibility to “reader” apps like Netflix, and said it’s supporting a new category called “free stand-alone” apps, which could include email apps like the disputed Hey.

The tech giants

Facebook launches poll worker recruitment push in the News Feed — With the election looming and a pandemic still raging through the U.S., a shortage of poll workers is one of many threats to voting this November.

Elon Musk says Tesla will ‘one day’ produce ‘super efficient home HVAC’ with HEPA filtering — While primarily an automaker, Tesla is also already in the business of home energy and power generation, thanks to its acquisition of SolarCity.

Startups, funding and venture capital

China may kill TikTok’s U.S. operations rather than see them sold — According to reporting by Reuters, the Chinese government may prefer if TikTok simply shutters its U.S. operations instead of allowing it to be sold to an American company.

Santander spins out its $400M fintech venture capital arm, now called Mouro Capital — Santander, the Spanish multinational banking giant, is announcing that its fintech venture arm is to be spun out and will be managed more autonomously going forward.

Toucan raises $3 million to teach you new languages as you browse the web — The startup has developed a Chrome browser extension designed for anyone who wants to learn a new language but hasn’t found the motivation or the time.

Advice and analysis From Extra Crunch

10 Poland-based investors discuss trends, opportunities and the road ahead — The first in a two-part survey series about the nation’s startup ecosystem.

VCs pour funding into edtech startups as COVID-19 shakes up the market — 2020 should crush 2018’s edtech fundraising record.

(Reminder: Extra Crunch is our subscription membership program, which aims to democratize information about startups. You can sign up here.)

Everything else

England’s long-delayed COVID-19 contact-tracing app to launch on September 24 — Scotland and Northern Ireland already have their own COVID-19 contact-tracing apps.

TechCrunch still brings the fun to Disrupt 2020 — Disrupt may be virtual this year, but we’re still making time for levity, swag and kick-ass entertainment.

The 2019 TechCrunch Include Report — TechCrunch is reporting our 2019 events and staff diversity numbers, the fourth report since we started tracking.

The Daily Crunch is TechCrunch’s roundup of our biggest and most important stories. If you’d like to get this delivered to your inbox every day at around 3pm Pacific, you can subscribe here.

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A user’s guide to Disrupt 2020

We’re coming down to the wire folks. Disrupt 2020 officially opens its virtual doors September 14 for five super-charged days of everything the early-stage startup community needs to build better, faster, stronger. Going virtual translates into a global reach making this our largest Disrupt ever. Yowza!

There’s a lot going on during this Disrupt — talk about a vast understatement — including a jam-packed agenda (with time zone-friendly programming for attendees in Europe and Asia), a virtual venue, new events and a multitude of other moving parts. We put together this user guide to help you navigate Disrupt 2020 with maximum efficiency and minimal frustration.

Buckle up for a logistical look at Disrupt 2020.

First, Disrupt will be hosted on the virtual venue platform, Hopin, where all of the action will happen: the Disrupt Stage featuring the Startup Battlefield competition, the Extra Crunch stage, and network with CrunchMatch, access the Expo featuring hundreds of early stage startups.

For you Disrupt Digital Pro pass holders – make sure to sign into CrunchMatch, hosted on Grip, to access a list of recommended connections with other Disrupt attendees. CrunchMatch is brought to you by All Raise, Bizzabo, Invest in Canada, MongoDB, TTA, TechStars and Western Digital. Your Disrupt ticket number on your Bizzabo registration confirmation email is your key to access the platform.

Pitch-off Breakout Sessions

In addition to the famous Startup Battlefield, we love giving startups the mic to grab the spotlight for their fledgling startups. Tune into these 5 pitch-off breakout sessions.

Monday
12PM – Taiwan Pavilion Pitch-Off pt 1

Tuesday
10AM: Belgium Pavilion Pitch-Off
12PM: Taiwan Pavilion Pitch-Off pt 2

Wednesday
10AM: Japan Pavilion Pitch-Off
11AM: Korean Pavilion Pitch-Off

Breakout Sessions

Break out from the Disrupt stage content with a special breakout session:
Monday 11:am: How to Invest in Infrastructure to Deliver Experience with Adobe
Tuesday 9am: Diversity as Disruption: Create a more diverse ecosystem now, with SVB
Tuesday 9am: Taiwan Reception: Innovations and investment opportunities amid COVID19 Pandemics with Christine Tsai (500 Startups), Allan May (Life Science Angels)
Wednesday 9am: Learn from Canadian founders who will talk about their start-ups and how Canada has helped them grow and succeed globally, with the Consulate of Canada
Wednesday 12pm: Making Data Meaningful for the FinTech Ecosystem, with Yodlee
Thursday 10am: Advertising Disrupted: What User Privacy Means For Marketers with Appsflyer
Thursday 12pm: It Takes An Ecosystem To Innovate: Startups, Corporations and the Connectors that Bring Them Together with KITE

 

Noteworthy events

Startup Legal Advice
Perkins Coie is offering free startup legal advice to Disrupt attendees. Pop by their booth or sign up here to reserve some time with one of their industry-renowned startup lawyers.

Diversity as Disruption: Take action now to create a more diverse ecosystem presented by SVB

Tuesday, September 15th at 9:00-9:50am PST 

Recent events continue to demonstrate that change is not happening fast enough. How can we ensure the current social justice momentum is more than just talk? Guided by SVB’s recent research into the “4th wave of venture capital,” learn how three industry leaders are tackling the problem with real actions. By the close of the session, leave with tangible steps you can take today – whether as an individual or as a firm — to make a meaningful, move-the-needle impact in your organization

Speed of Thought Documentary: The First 5G Visionaries

Tuesday, September 15th at 1:40pm PST

See the premiere of Speed of Thought on the DIsrupt stage, a documentary about the first wave of 5G visionaries, and hear industry leaders discuss how the need for 5G tech and solutions is more urgent than ever.  Stay after the documentary to hear directly from some of the featured innovators talk about how they are using the power of 5G to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing society today

Bahrain: Your gateway to the Middle East and beyond
Wednesday, September 16th from 10:00-11:00 AM PST
With its supportive ecosystem, advanced digital infrastructure, flexible and pioneering regulations; rapid growth in funding opportunities, and a liberal market, Bahrain is the ideal testbed for startups and scaleups to test their products and solutions before growing and expanding across the Middle East.

TC Include Reception – PRIVATE

TC Include kicks off this year’s founder cohort with organizational partners Black Female Founders, Female Founders Alliance, Latinx Startup Alliance and StartOut with remarks by Sootchy Founder and CEO, David Adefeso.

 

Take a break

We’re tapping Wave technology to present Lindsey Stirling, an American violinist, songwriter, and dancer. She’s racked up tens of millions of followers worldwide and more than 3 billion total views on YouTube. Stirling is a performing powerhouse who’s latest album “Artemis” debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Albums Chart. Check out two of her YouTube videos here and here.

TeaTime, makers of Trivia Royale, is giving Disrupt attendees a break from all the serious learnings by hosting TC trivia. Win a TechCrunch swag bag and serious bragging rights.

Close out Disrupt on Friday with a live, virtual Cocktail Party on Run the World. Run the World is the first video events platform built specifically for social interaction. Check agenda for details

 

Transcriptions

TechCrunch Disrupt is using Otter.ai to transcribe all the events occurring on our Disrupt Stage and Extra Crunch Stage. Check it out for real-time transcripts of the show.

Whew…now that you have your logistical guide to all things Disrupt 2020, all that’s left is to roll up your sleeves, dive in, and discover the opportunities that can help take your business to the next level and beyond. Go get ‘em!

Sponsored by

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China may kill TikTok’s U.S. operations rather than see them sold

The controversial push to force Chinese tech unicorn ByteDance to divest part or all of its smash-hit TikTok social media service to a US-based company could be in doubt after a report today indicated that China’s government may oppose the transaction. According to reporting by Reuters, the Chinese government may prefer TikTok to simply shutter its U.S. operations instead of allowing it to be sold to an American company.

The potential divestment of TikTok is not a regular business transaction. Instead, the deal is being demanded by the U.S. government, as President Donald Trump directs foreign and economic policymaking via executive fiat. Leaning on his own fabled business acumen, the American premier has also demanded that his government receive a portion of any final sale price. It is not clear if that concept is legal.

As the U.S. and China spar around the globe for both economic and political supremacy, the deal is a flashpoint between the countries with a muddle of companies stuck in the middle. ByteDance is in the mix, along with Microsoft, Walmart and other companies to a lesser degree, like Oracle. The Trump administration has set a mid-September timeline for a deal being struck, though as the month burns away it is not clear if that timeline could be met.

The United States is not alone in taking steps to curb Chinese influence inside its borders, as the TikTok sale comes after India banned the app, along with dozens of other China-based applications.

The deal is also under pressure from a changing regulatory environment in China, with the country’s autocratic leadership changing its export rules to possibly include elements of TikTok that could limit a transaction, and perhaps scuttle its sale.

For ByteDance, the situation is a nightmare. For lead-suitor Microsoft, the transaction is a shotgun marriage that it might not be entirely enthused about. For the Trump administration, it’s an attempt at a power play. And for China’s increasingly authoritarian government, the deal could feel like submission. So, if the deal does manage to come together it will be more surprise than eventuality.

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Toucan raises $3M to teach you new languages as you browse the web

Toucan has developed a Chrome browser extension designed for anyone who wants to learn a new language but hasn’t found the motivation or the time.

Once installed, the extension scans the text of any (English-language) website you’re visiting and will automatically translate some of the words into the language that you’re trying to learn. If you mouse over the word, you’ll see original English word. Think of it as a browser-based version of language flashcards.

The startup was founded by CEO Taylor Nieman, CTO Shaun Merritt and CPO Brandon Dietz. Today, it’s announcing that it has raised $3 million in seed funding led by GSV Ventures, with participation from Amplifyher Ventures, Wonder Ventures, Golden Ventures, Halogen Ventures, Vitalize Ventures and strategic angel investors.

Nieman’s past roles include business development roles at Headspace (where Dietz was a senior product manager), startup studio Science and car leasing startup Fair.com (where Merritt was an iOS developer). She told me that one thing she learned from across all those experiences is “habit formation — how hard it actually to do anything that steals people’s time.”

Dietz made a similar point, arguing that while language learning software like Rosetta Stone and Duolingo has had their share of success, “It’s just such a high ask to get people to change their behavior and go to this one website,” particularly on a regular basis.

So Toucan is designed to help users learn a new language (it currently supports Spanish, French, Italian, German and Portuguese) while they browse the web as they normally would, without having to change their behavior.

Image Credits: Toucan

Nieman said the extension can be used to solidify and expand your vocabulary as you take digital or in-person classes. Or if you’re not taking classes, you can still use Toucan on its own, and it can help you achieve (as Dietz put it) “that magic moment of realizing you know a few words in other people’s languages.”

To ensure accuracy, the company works with teams of translators, including college professors and students, while also employing natural language processing to understand the context in which words are appearing. Users can also report words that are incorrectly translated.

And Toucan is experimenting with fun ways to promote itself, including the ability to “own” a word, so that for a week, your name appears anytime a word is translated by Toucan. In fact, the Toucan team has gifted me the word “writer,” — but since ownership is currently free, I guess it’s not a bribe?

Eventually, the company could charge people and businesses to own (a.k.a. sponsor) certain words. In addition, users can sign up for a premium subscription that gives them access to additional vocabulary. Dietz suggested that Toucan will continue exploring different business models, but he said the team is committed to “accessible” education and will keep “a large chunk” of the offering free.

Looking ahead, Toucan is planning to add new languages and to launch browser extensions for Firefox and Safari. And eventually, Nieman said the startup could apply the same approach to other subjects, “history or science or math or general knowledge.”

Edtech startups find demand from an unlikely customer: Public schools

https://ift.tt/3ipp5Br Toucan raises $3M to teach you new languages as you browse the web https://ift.tt/2DUMKe8

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Five more reasons you should attend Disrupt 2020

There are just a few days until we kick off five days of Disrupt 2020. (September 14-18). It’s time to dig in, dig deep and do whatever it takes to discover hidden opportunities. Disrupt is a vehicle for success for all who are playing the startup game. Buy your pass and drive it like you stole it.

If it’s reassurance you need, we’ve got you covered. Here are five more reasons to attend Disrupt 2020.

 

1. Hone essential founder skills at the Extra Crunch stage

Every early-stage startup founder needs to master a daunting slate of business skills. Truth be told, building a successful startup is a never-ending learning curve. Head to the Extra Crunch Stage for real-world tips from experts in marketing, business development and investing. They’ll cover topics like how to craft a pitch deck, how to raise your first dollars or how to iterate your product.

“I like Disrupt’s approach. It combines demos with educational components that help you learn new trends and tactics. It’s more like a tech summit.” — Daniel Lloreda, general partner at H20 Capital Innovation.

2. Insight from world-class speakers on the Disrupt stage

Disrupt features the best and brightest minds and makers. They span the tech, investment and entertainment industries to deliver their experience, advice and inspiration in one-on-one interviews and moderated panels discussions.

• CRISPR in the post-COVID Era: What has the global COVID-19 pandemic changed about the biotech industry in general, and CRISPR in particular? Dr. Jennifer Doudna, who co-discovered the revolutionary CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology, joins us to discuss the immediate and lasting implications of the novel coronavirus and transformations in genetic science.
• Cuckoo for CoCo: Conan O’Brien is one of the most recognizable faces on television. But his company, Team CoCo Digital, is hoping you recognize his voice just as much. With podcasting on the rise over the past few years, hear from O’Brien on what it takes to dominate the audio landscape.
• Startup Battlefield Pitch Competition: The OG of startup pitch competitions. Seen in HBO’s show, Silicon Valley. Launchpad for more than 900 companies including Vurb, Dropbox, GetAround, Mint, Yammer, Fitbit. Here are our international startup champions hitting the stage next week – which one do you think will go home with the ultimate bragging rights and $100k in cool equity-free cash?

3. Global coverage with programming convenient to your time zone

The virtual nature of Disrupt 2020 equals a global scope — and our biggest Disrupt ever. Anyone from anywhere can participate, and the event agenda includes time zone-friendly programming for attendees in Europe and Asia.

• Here’s what’s going on during European hours
• Here’s what you can expect during Asian time zones

4. Multiple ways to expand your social graph

Don’t underestimate the benefits that come from meeting people outside of your social graph. Inspiration and ideas cut across industries, and you never know who you’ll meet at Disrupt — and where those connections might lead. There will be plenty of ways to make those connections at Disrupt 2020. With curated meetings on CrunchMatch and randomized virtual meetings and chat functionality on Hopin you will not run out of opportunities to promote your business and meet your networking goals.

“Disrupt was a great place to look for potential partners beyond our blockchain world. We got to meet and collaborate with founders in complimentary technologies like IoT and AI. Building those relationships will help all of us provide customers with better solutions. It’s a win-win.” — Joel Neidig, founder of SIMBA Chain.

5. Different access levels, more affordable prices

We recently re-launched the Disrupt Digital Pass that gives you an entry-level look into Disrupt 2020. Just want to peruse Startup Alley or pop into some Breakout Sessions? This pass is for you and at $45 for a limited time it’s a steal. Or if you are looking for the full Disrupt 2020 experience, grab a Disrupt Digital Pro Pass where you’ll be able to get live and video-on-demand access to both stages, curated matchmaking with CrunchMatch plus a complementary Extra Crunch subscription (a $99 value).

Disrupt 2020 takes place September 14-18. Buy your pass today, dig deep and discover the people, tools and advice that can help your business thrive.

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Facebook launches poll worker recruitment push in the News Feed

With the election looming and a pandemic still raging through the U.S., a shortage of poll workers is just one of many threats to voting this November — but it’s a big one.

In a Facebook post Friday, Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company will launch a poll worker recruitment drive on the platform. Beginning this weekend, U.S. Facebook users over the age of 18 will see a message on their News Feeds linking them to state poll worker registration pages. The company also includes that information in its voting information center, a hub of U.S. election resources that the company launched last month.

Bracing for election day, Facebook rolls out voting resources to US users

Facebook will join a number of other large employers, including Microsoft, Starbucks, Old Navy and Target, in offering paid time off to employees who want to volunteer at the polls. The company has also offered free advertising to state election authorities for the poll worker recruitment push and expects several states to be joining California in running those campaigns soon.

While poll worker shortages were already an issue, a dearth of poll workers is a much bigger concern in 2020. Poll workers skew older, making them generally more vulnerable to the threat of COVID-19 and making poll worker recruitment even more essential than it would be in a normal year.

As a Pew state policy report observed in 2018, poll workers are critical to elections running smoothly. A shortage of poll workers could mean “long lines, mass confusion and miscounted ballots.” And that’s without even taking the pandemic into account.

“They greet you at the plastic folding table set up in your neighborhood’s library, church or fire station, asking you for your name, address and, depending on your state, photo ID before handing you a ballot or directing you to a voting machine,” the Pew report reads.

“More than just glorified receptionists, these underpaid few are really the gatekeepers to democracy.”

Facebook adds option for US users to turn off political ads, launches voting info hub

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TechCrunch still brings the fun to Disrupt 2020

We all know times are incredibly tough, and everyone’s working overtime on steroids to keep their startup dreams alive. Disrupt events have a reputation for serving up a tasty helping of fun along with the main dish: opportunity. We refuse to host virtual conference without providing time for levity, swag and kick-ass entertainment.

 

TechCrunch Trivia on Trivia Royale

It’s time to get your trivia on, startup fans. Download the Trivia Royale app (Google Play) (App Store) and start playing TechCrunch Trivia. It’s live right now and runs throughout Disrupt 2020. What’s a trivia battle without a prize? Boring, that’s what. Whoever ranks number one on the leaderboard at 1 p.m. (PT) on September 18 receives a TC Swag Bag mailed to their location. Nobody swags like TechCrunch.

 

Wave XR Concert with Lindsey Stirling

Did someone say kick-ass entertainment? Why, yes — yes, we did. Get ready for a live, virtual concert on Wednesday, September 16 at 1:30-2:30 p.m. (PT).

We’re tapping Wave technology to present Lindsey Stirling, an American violinist, songwriter and dancer.  She’s racked up tens of millions of followers worldwide and more than 3 billion total views on YouTube. Stirling is a performing powerhouse who’s latest album “Artemis” debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Albums Chart. 

Wave specializes in creating live, immersive virtual concerts. The company combines “cutting-edge gaming and broadcast technology with an interactive concert experience to help fans and artists more deeply connect with each other and express themselves in innovative ways.”

Wave has clearly tapped into something big, as indicated by Lindsey Stirling most recent concert. More than 400,000 people, across YouTube, Twitch and Lindsey’s own Facebook page, tuned in to her performance.

Don’t miss your chance to have some fun while you increase your startup skills, learn the latest tech trends, expand your network, meet with investors and drive your business forward.  Buy your pass today and get ready for five days of Disruption.

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Facebook seeks fresh legal delay to block order to suspend its transatlantic data transfers

Facebook is firing up its lawyers to try to block EU regulators from forcing it to suspend transatlantic data transfers in the wake of a landmark ruling by Europe’s top court this summer.

The tech giant has applied to judges in Ireland to seek a judicial review of a preliminary suspension order, it has emerged.

Earlier this week Facebook confirmed it had received a preliminary order from its lead EU data regulator — Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) — ordering it to suspend transfers.

That’s the logical conclusion after the so-called Schrems II ruling which struck down a flagship EU-US data transfer arrangement on the grounds of US surveillance overreach — simultaneously casting doubt on the legality of alternative mechanisms for EU to US data transfers in cases where the data controller is subject to FISA 702 (as Facebook is).

Today The Currency reported that Dublin commercial law firm, Mason Hayes + Curran, filed papers with the Irish High Court yesterday, naming Ireland’s data protection commissioners as defendant in the judicial review action.

Facebook confirmed the application — sending us this statement: “A lack of safe, secure and legal international data transfers would have damaging consequences for the European economy. We urge regulators to adopt a pragmatic and proportionate approach until a sustainable long-term solution can be reached.”

In further remarks the company did not want directly quoted it told us it believes the preliminary order is premature as it said it expects further regulator guidance in the wake of the Schrems II ruling.

It’s not clear what further guidance Facebook is hankering for, nor what grounds it is claiming for seeking a judicial review of the DPC’s process. We asked it about this but it declined to offer any details. However the tech giant’s intent to (further) delay regulatory action which threats its business interests is crystal clear.

The original complaint against Facebook’s transatlantic data transfers dates all the way back to 2013.

This kinda shows (a) how they will use every opportunity to block a case, even before there is a decision and (b) how it is wholly illusionary to get such a case through in a couple of weeks/months in the Irish legal system…

— Max Schrems (@maxschrems) September 11, 2020

 

Ireland’s legal system allows for ex parte applications for judicial review. So all Facebook had to do to file an application to the High Court to challenge the DPC’s preliminary order is a statement of grounds, a verifying affidavit and an ex parte docket (plus any relevant court fee). Oh and it had to be sure this paperwork was submitted on A4.

The DPC’s deputy commissioner, Graham Doyle, declined to comment on the latest twist in the neverending saga.

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Podcast analytics and attribution startup Chartable raises $2.25M

Chartable, a startup known for its authoritative podcast download charts, is announcing that it has raised $2.25 million in seed funding.

Founders Dave Zohrob and Harish Agarwal previously worked together at AngelList, and they also created Hacker Daily, a podcast recapping the headlines from Hacker News. Zohrob (Chartable’s CEO) told me that their experience hosting a podcast convinced the pair to create an analytics product.

“Podcasting is a weird market,” he said. “One day, our downloads went from 4,000 a day to 5,000 a day. Why did that happen? We had no idea.”

So they built Chartable to give publishers and advertisers the insights they need to understand their audience and their business.

That means creating industry-wide charts, but also helping publishers aggregate their listening data across different podcast apps and launching products like SmartAds (to measure the effectiveness of podcast advertising), SmartLinks (to track the effectiveness of digital marketing campaigns at driving podcast downloads) and SmartPromos (an attribution product for cross-podcast promotional campaigns).

Founded in 2018, Chartable says it’s now tracking 1 billion podcast downloads and ad impressions every month, compared to 100 million downloads a year ago. While the startup offers a free version for independent podcasters, Zohrob noted that it’s currently working with eight of the 10 biggest podcast publishers globally.

Chartable founders Harish Agarwal and Dave Zohrob

He argued that in some ways, history is repeating itself, and that Chartable serves a similar function for podcasts as analytics companies like App Annie do for the App Store. At the same time, he suggested that podcasting is a very different market.

“It’s more fragmented, it’s not just Apple and Android, and there’s a billion different business models,” Zohrob said. “There’s a lot more complexity.”

As for whether upcoming privacy changes in iOS could affect Chartable’s attribution tools, Zohrob said it shouldn’t make “a huge difference,” because the data for podcast attribution is so limited already.

“Ultimately what’s happening with the rest of digital advertising is that it’s going to start to look like podcast advertising, which is kind of funny,” he said. “Maybe they’ll end up meeting somewhere in the middle.”

The funding was led by Initialized Capital, who also contributed to Chartable’s $1.5 million round last year. Other investors include Naval Ravikant, Greycroft Partners, The Fund, Weekend Fund, Jim Young and Lukas Biewald.

“Chartable is the authority on podcast analytics and attribution,” said Initialized co-founder Alexis Ohanian in a statement. (He led the Chartable investment before leaving Initialized.) “We couldn’t be happier to support them as they build the tools that brands and publishers need to advance the podcast industry.”

Will podcast ad revenue bounce back after COVID-19?

https://ift.tt/3bOGvF0 Podcast analytics and attribution startup Chartable raises $2.25M https://ift.tt/3bPFkoV

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FaZe Clan’s Lee Trink, Troy Carter and Nick “Nickmercs” Kolcheff are coming to Disrupt 2020

Esports, an already booming industry, have taken on an even greater significance in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. With traditional sports stalled or… er, different, esports and gaming in general have given folks a fresh way to enjoy competition.

Perhaps no esports organization has more clout or recognition than FaZe Clan. That’s why we’re so pleased to have FaZe Clan CEO Lee Trink, investor Troy Carter, and world-famous streamer Nick “Nickmercs” Kolcheff join us on the Disrupt 2020 stage next week (September 14-18) to talk all things esports.

Trink, cofounder and CEO of FaZe Clan, has a rich history in the media and entertainment industries, serving as General Manager and COO of virgin Records before being promoted to President of EMI’s Capitol Music Group. At the helm of FaZe Clan, he’s helped build out one of the most followed esports organizations in the world.

Troy Carter has had an equally impressive career in media and entertainment. He was instrumental in building the career of Lady Gaga, among other artists, and also served as head of global creator services at Spotify. He’s now the CEO and founder of Atom Factory and an investor in FaZe Clan.

Nick “Nickmercs” Kolcheff is a professional gamer and streamer who rose to fame as a competitive Fortnite streamer. Uniquely, Nickmercs uses a controller instead of a mouse and keyboard, which has further popularized him among other controller players who crowd to his stream each day. He is currently the most-watched Call of Duty streamer across any platform and is consistently among the top five watched channels on all of Twitch.

We’re excited to chat with this illustrious panel of experts about the evolution of esports, what sets FaZe Clan apart, and what entrepreneurs can learn from the viral growth of the organization over the years.

Pick up your pass to join us at Disrupt 2020 happening from September 14-18. You can get access to this session, founder how-to content on the Extra Crunch stage, tons of networking opportunities and access to hundreds of startups in Digital Startup Alley with a Disrupt Digital Pro Pass for just $345 for a limited time. Or for those on tighter purse-strings, you can get access to the Disrupt stage, breakout sessions and the expo for just $45. Join us today!

 

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J FaZe Clan’s Lee Trink, Troy Carter and Nick “Nickmercs” Kolcheff are coming to Disrupt 2020 https://ift.tt/2FvUnIw

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