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TouchBistro raises $72 million Series D round (BETAKIT)
The round was led by OMERS Ventures and JPMorgan Chase.
DMS Recommends: Small business efficiencies: the need to go digital (DIGITALMAINSTREET)
Automated processes can take your business to the next level and increase revenue.
Shopify’s Satish Kanwar says ‘hybrid’ retail requires brands to be flexible (BETAKIT)
Shopify’s Satish Kanwar and Kinetic Commerce’s Damon Sloane explain what tech is required to take a hybrid approach to retail.
‘The Amazon of farm products’: How a Silicon Valley startup aims to disrupt Canada’s farm industry (FINANCIALPOST)
FBN aims to ‘democratize’ the agriculture industry by providing a digital platform where farmers can buy and sell products, compare prices, and even analyze data.
Google makes $550M strategic investment in Chinese e-commerce firm JD.com (TECHCRUNCH)
The goal here is to merge JD.com’s experience and technology in supply chain and logistics — in China, it has opened warehouses that use robots rather than workers — with Google’s customer reach, data, and marketing to produce new kinds of online retail.
Retail companies trying to catch up to the times are scrambling to buy tech startups (CNBC)
The consumer and retail industry has made the most purchases of tech companies, accounting for 32 percent of cross-sector deals involving tech, according to a new report.
Amazon rolls out Hub delivery lockers to apartment buildings across the country (TECHCRUNCH)
Hub by Amazon wants to save people from having to wait for a delivery from building staff or adjust their hours so they can be home to greet the delivery person.
POTLOC raises $2.5 million to help retailers predict the success of new locations (BETAKIT)
The funding was led by Ecofuel’s seed investment fund, with participation from Desjardins Capital and CapHorn Invest.
Amazon brings Alexa to hotels (RETAILDIVE)
Amazon gradually has been trying to coax consumers to let Alexa into every aspect of their lives, so why not into hotel rooms as well? Many guests are seeking some perfect mix of the comforts of home and the types of services and amenities they can’t get there.
Elastic Path raises $43 million to help large retailers future-proof their ecommerce (BETAKIT)
The company is using the funding to boost its IoT capabilities.