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Shopify plans to “aggressively pursue” ID of funders in cases against “patent trolls” (BETAKIT)
After battling patent trolls for years, Shopify has announced plans to fight back by seeking to uncover the identity of people and organizations funding patent trolls suing Shopify.
TikTok Seeks $20 Billion E-Commerce Business Despite US Setback (BNN BLOOMBERG)
ByteDance Ltd.’s TikTok aims to more than quadruple the size of its global e-commerce business to as much as $20 billion in merchandise sales this year, banking on rapid growth in Southeast Asia, according to people familiar with the matter.
TikTok is working to expand sales in the US and Europe too, though those markets make up a small portion of the $20 billion goal, the people said.
The Advanced Digital and Professional Training (ADaPT) program is a cost-free digital and professional skills development initiative that bridges the employment gap. It equips students in their final semester and post- secondary graduates with in-demand skills for entry-level tech roles.
ADaPT supports a diverse group of talent from varied educational backgrounds, with 79% of participants identifying as belonging to at least one equity-deserving group. Backed by 70+ hours of intensive training, the program exposes participants to tech career pathways.
The ADaPT program is funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Centre and led by Toronto Metropolitan University’s Diversity Institute in collaboration with TECHNATION Canada.
To support future talent in thriving tech careers within Canada’s changing job market and become an ADaPT employer, find out more here.
Saskatoon startups Rivercity, 7shifts team up to enhance food temperature monitoring for restaurants (BETAKIT)
Rivercity Innovations (RCI) has launched the integration of its cold chain monitoring sensors and software with 7shifts, which provides a restaurant team management platform.
In this partnership, RCI will deliver its temperature monitoring services to 7shifts’ more than 40,000 clients.
India’s open e-commerce network expands to B2B transactions (TECHCRUNCH)
The Indian government-backed open e-commerce network has been expanded to facilitate business-to-business (B2B) transactions — months after enabling transactions between consumers and merchants over the open network protocol and widening its reach to the mobility sector.
The Indian government established ONDC as a nonprofit firm in 2021 to “democratize” digital commerce in the country.
Here’s how Canada’s top 10 cities rank in the global startup ecosystem (BETAKIT)
Though Canada maintains the rank of fourth place among 100 countries in StartupBlink’s global index for 2023, the report found that regions within the country experienced significant changes in the last year.
Tim Hortons to launch credit card through mobile rewards app (TORONTO STAR)
Tim Hortons is launching a Neo Financial powered credit card that can be used through its mobile app, the latest move into an increasingly competitive rewards space.
Tims Financial is a new division of Tim Hortons that will offer a no-annual-fee Mastercard as a result of Neo Financial's bet on embedded finance.
York University partners with OneEleven to launch joint venture studio for new tech MBA degree (BETAKIT)
York University’s Schulich School of Business is partnering with Toronto-based tech hub OneEleven to establish a joint venture studio.
The venture studio will match students with member companies from both OneEleven and Schulich’s startup communities, who will complete pro bono product and fundraising analysis for select startups.
Curri nabs $42M for its construction-focused last-mile logistics platform (TECHCRUNCH)
In 2018, Matt Lafferty and Brian Gonzalez co-founded Curri, a tech platform focused on last-mile logistics for the construction industry to help distributors save on operational costs, convert more sales, and solve inefficiencies in construction along the way.
Investors are evidently drawn to the concept, pouring $42 million into Curri’s Series B round that closed recently.
Shopify facing $130-million lawsuit for alleged attempts to slash post-layoffs severance pay (BETAKIT)
Shopify is facing a $130-million class action lawsuit for allegedly breaching severance pay contracts by tens of thousands of dollars with recently laid-off employees.
Exclusive: Giannis Antetokounmpo and family invest in Candy Funhouse (AXIOS)
Two years ago, NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo posted two TikTok videos of himself unpacking a giant box of candy. On Tuesday, he announced that he's investing in the company that sent it
Blatant tech frauds run amok on the biggest online marketplaces (ARSTECHNICA)
Online retailers like Amazon and Walmart host third-party sellers with extensive, competitively priced electronics selections.
But for years, those marketplaces have served as playgrounds for fraudulent sellers who list products with deceptive performance claims or pose a physical threat to customers.
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