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Tulip raises $34.4 million CAD Series C round (BETAKIT)
Tulip’s Series C round comes nearly three years after it raised a larger $50 million CAD Series B led by Kleiner Perkins and supported by Jump Capital and other existing investors.
Instagram and Shopify are poised to join the new affiliate link wars (MODERN RETAIL)
Instagram and Shopify appear to be entering the affiliate commissions race. It’s a sign that the two companies are trying to disrupt Amazon’s dominance over product affiliate links.
SoleSavy secures $15.5 million CAD to help sneakerheads combat sneaker-buying bots (BETAKIT)
Jeff Lewis of Bedrock and Jason Calcanis are set to join the firm’s board of directors as part of the round, which brings SoleSavy’s total funding to date to around $18 million CAD ($14.5 million USD).
Sneaker marketplace GOAT hits $3.7B valuation in Series F raise (TECHCRUNCH)
Like other online marketplaces, GOAT saw major growth last year, expanding its audience of buyers and sellers while seeing 100% year-over-year growth in its sneaker business and 500% year-over-year growth for its newer apparel business.
Amazon, Google probed in U.K. over fake reviews (WALL STREET JOURNAL)
The tech giants have for years been dogged by inauthentic reviews, whereby third-party sellers offer financial rewards for reviewing their products. But the practice is hard for the companies to police, with compensation coordinated out of their reach.
ResQ announces December $9.75 million CAD fundraise to help restaurants meet “pent-up demand” during COVID reopening (BETAKIT)
When the pandemic hit, ResQ also launched a community-led initiative designed to help the service industry deliver meals to frontline workers and COVID-19 patients.
The Teamsters announce coordinated nationwide project to unionize Amazon (VICE)
In an official resolution obtained by Motherboard, one of the country’s most powerful unions has declared an unprecedented effort to unionize Amazon. A recent Motherboard investigation also found that while Amazon says it has a process for blacklisting dangerous and racist customers from its drivers’ delivery routes, it doesn’t always do so.
Rebelstork raises $5 million Series A round to bring baby gear resale platform to new markets (BETAKIT)
The fresh capital brings Rebelstork’s total funding to date to $7 million CAD, following its $2 million seed round from undisclosed investors last September.
Forto raises $240M in funding round led by SoftBank, taking its valuation to $1.2B (TECHCRUNCH)
SoftBank is also hedging its bets after investing in China’s Full Truck Alliance (YMM.N), which plans a $20 billion IPO.
Uber to become the sole owner of grocery delivery startup Cornershop (TECHCRUNCH)
Uber has reached a deal to become the sole owner of Latin American delivery startup Cornershop, just one year after acquiring a majority stake in the company.
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.
