Techmeme
January 25, 2021, 11:55 AM

Top News

Steve Dent / Engadget:
Google pledges $150M in grants to promote COVID-19 vaccine distribution and converts some of its facilities into vaccination sites  —  Google will convert some of its facilities into COVID-19 vaccination sites starting in New York City, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area and Kirkland, Washington.
Zoe Schiffer / The Verge:
Google workers across the world announce Alpha Global, an international union alliance comprising 13 unions representing workers in 10 countries  —  Alpha Global includes workers from 10 countries, including the United States and Germany  —  Google workers across the world are coming together to form a global union alliance.
Clubhouse:
Clubhouse raises Series B led by a16z, says it has 180+ investors, and will test options for paying creators and begin work on an Android app soon  —  Clubhouse is moving quickly today, but in some ways it feels like the journey started a long time ago.  The two of us met back in 2011 through …
Dan Primack / Axios:
Source: Clubhouse raised around $100M from a16z at a $1B post-money valuation  —  Clubhouse, a San Francisco-based audio social network, raised around $100 million led by existing investor Andreessen Horowitz at a $1 billion post-money valuation, Axios has learned.
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Content recommendation company Taboola says it has agreed to go public via a SPAC, valuing the company at $2.6B and raising $545M  —  Taboola, the content recommendation company known best for the chum box ads at the bottom of publishers' websites, has agreed to merge with special purpose …
Chance Miller / 9to5Mac:
Apple launches Time to Walk for Apple Watch and Fitness+, offering 25 to 40 minute episodes of original audio from influential people, available today  —  Apple has officially unveiled its new Time to Walk feature for Apple Watch and Apple Fitness+ subscribers.
Reuters:
Sources: Huawei is in early stage talks to sell its premium smartphone brands P and Mate to a Chinese consortium led by state-backed investment firms  —  (Reuters) - China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd is in early-stage talks to sell its premium smartphone brands P and Mate …
Wall Street Journal:
Research shows that hundreds of SPACs are looking to acquire tech companies in the coming months, heating up competition for startups and inflating deal values  —  ‘Blank check’ firms known as SPACs are in pursuit of America's hottest startups.  Is the invasion a sign of a market euphoria that can't last?
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Google details its work on a privacy-conscious cookie substitute, called Federated Learning of Cohorts, claims ~95% effectiveness compared to cookie-based ads  —  Google on Monday said new test results show promising signs that the technology it's hoping will replace cookie-based ad targeting is working.
Wall Street Journal:
Smart lock maker Latch says it will go public by merging with a SPAC at a $1.56B valuation, expecting to raise ~$450M in cash  —  Deal between startup and SPAC sponsored by property firm values Latch at $1.56 billion  —  Latch Inc., a maker of smart locks and building-management software …

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