R|T: The Retail Times – Shopify’s investing spree continues

The Retail Times is a weekly newsletter covering retail tech news from Canada and around the globe.

Subscribe to R|T using the form at the bottom of this page to ensure you don’t miss out on the most important retail tech news every week!


Shopify reportedly invests in Stripe, bringing total stake to over $350 million (BETAKIT)

In December, Shopify partnered with Stripe and Evolve Bancorp to power two products within its Shopify Balance small business banking offering, which it first unveiled in May 2020.


RECOMMENDED BY CISCO:

Cisco Designed

Win a $100 Amazon gift card with the BetaKit x Cisco Startup Survey!

Want a chance to win one of 3 $100 Amazon gift cards? Or maybe a cool BetaKit t-shirt? We’ve teamed with Cisco Designed to understand the state of Canadian startups and small businesses on their path to recovery. The survey tracks the ecosystem’s response to the pandemic and priorities for growth in 2021.

Anonymized survey results will be turned into a report and published on BetaKit.com. Complete the 3-minute survey now to ensure your business is included and for your chance to win!

TAKE THE SURVEY


Singapore start-up Carro bags $360 million in funds from SoftBank and others (CNBC)

Carro said it raised $360 million in a Series C funding round led by SoftBank’s Vision Fund 2 and includes several Indonesia-based funds.


Two US startups with Canadian roots, Moonshot and Nylas, secure combined $280 million (BETAKIT)

Nylas provides productivity infrastructure solutions for developers, while Moonshot aims to build a portfolio of profitable e-commerce brands.


Home services platform Thumbtack raises $275M on a $3.2B valuation to double down on home management (TECHCRUNCH)

For some context, this is nearly double the valuation Thumbtack had when it last raised money, a $150 million round led by Sequoia in 2019.


Browze announces $15.2 million CAD Series A round for factory-to-consumer e-commerce platform (BETAKIT)

Since launching its marketplace, Browze claims to have served millions of customers and experienced 100 percent year-over-year revenue growth annually.


PayCargo banks $125M Series B to speed up movement of cargo (CRUNCHBASE)

Insight Partners, which led PayCargo’s $35 million Series A last September, again led this new investment.


Bringg nabs $100M at a $1B valuation for a last-mile delivery platform for retailers (TECHCRUNCH)

The company counts a number of huge companies among its list of current customers. They include Walmart, Albertsons, Co-Op in the U.K., Coca-Cola and Panera.


Lynsey Thornton latest Shopify leader to depart (BETAKIT)

In April, three major executives left, including Forsyth, chief legal officer Joe Frasca, and chief technology officer Jean-Michel Lemieux.


Fake reviews and inflated ratings are still a problem for Amazon (WALL STREET JOURNAL)

Sellers are taking advantage of the online-shopping frenzy, using old and new methods to boost ratings on products.


Fill out the BetaKit x Cisco Startup Survey (BETAKIT)

To better understand the current state of Canadian startups and small businesses, BetaKit has joined forces with Cisco Designed to create a brief survey.


The rise and fall of an American tech giant (THE ATLANTIC)

Kodak changed the way Americans saw themselves and their country. But it struggled to reinvent itself for the digital age.


Shop Pay to be offered to non-Shopify merchants on Facebook, Google (BETAKIT)

Shopify called the extension of its checkout offering “a pivotal step” towards becoming the preferred checkout for all merchants.


Airbnb, Vrbo battle for more vacation cabins as travel rebounds (WALL STREET JOURNAL)

Properties near beaches, lakes and national parks remain in high demand as pandemic restrictions ease and flexible work arrangements stick.


Faire secures $260 million Series F round, claims $7 billion valuation (BETAKIT)

Faire’s Series F raise comes just over seven months after it secured $170 million USD in Series E capital at a valuation of $2.5 billion.


0 replies on “R|T: The Retail Times – Shopify’s investing spree continues”