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Shopify commits $130 million to help create one million new Black-owned businesses in the US (BETAKIT)
The US-focused initiative aims to provide tools for business success such as technology, educational programs, and the opportunity to access capital.
Le Château goes bust, becoming latest retail victim of COVID-19 (CBC)
Retailer Le Château is seeking court protection from its creditors while it winds down its operations and liquidates its assets.
Hot tech market leads to upsized IPO for Toronto e-commerce company Pivotree (THE GLOBE AND MAIL)
Sources familiar with Pivotree say it was overwhelmed by orders for the stock that were more than 14 times the offering size.
Lightspeed launches into subscription space with new recurring payments product (BETAKIT)
Lightspeed has launched a new subscription-based offering that allows retailers to collect recurring revenue through their POS.
WhatsApp to boost investments in business features (ADWEEK)
WhatsApp said it will expand ways for users to see available products from businesses and to complete purchases directly in chats.
Online thrift shop ThredUp files confidentially for U.S. IPO (BLOOMBERG)
ThredUp Inc., an online retailer for second-hand clothing, filed confidentially for a U.S. initial public offering.
This former Tesla CIO just raised $150 million more to pull car dealers into the 21st century (TECHCRUNCH)
It’s also valued at north of $1 billion. (The automakers General Motors, BMW and the Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi Alliance are also investors.)
How startups can build resilience into their business models (BETAKIT)
Wayne Cuervo, General Manager of Cisco’s Toronto Innovation Labs, offers three pillars that startups need to build resilient businesses.
Foursquare enters the audio AR game (AR INSIDER)
Known as Marsbot for AirPods, a new Foursquare Labs project features a lightweight virtual assistant that proactively whispers geographically-activated local recommendations in your ear.
Amazon launches one-hour grocery pickup at all U.S. Whole Foods stores (CNBC)
Curbside pickup has taken off during the coronavirus pandemic amid an overall rise in demand for online grocery services.
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