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WeCommerce closes $33.7 million bought deal financing to acquire more Shopify ecosystem companies (BETAKIT)
The holding company, which went public on TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV) in December through reverse takeover, focuses mainly on SaaS, digital goods and services businesses that build apps, themes, and run agencies that support Shopify merchants.
French e-commerce startup ManoMano tops $2 bln valuation after new fundraising (REUTERS)
ManoMano had already reached so-called “unicorn” status — for companies valued over $1 billion — last year via a previous $125 million fundraising, its co-founder Christian Raisson said in a call.
BBTV CEO Shahrzad Rafati on why ethical business decisions are good business decisions (BETAKIT)
Shahrzad Rafati explains how operating ethically is a smart financial decision, and shares how other founders can create broader impact through business.
Kurly, the Korean grocery startup, raises $200M on a $2.2B valuation after shifting IPO plans away from the NYSE (TECHCRUNCH)
This latest funding comes right on the heels of a significant U-turn for the business in recent days.
Ritual acquires contact tracing platform AllChecked.in (BETAKIT)
The acquisition follows a reported $29.8 million CAD that Ritual raised last year from existing investors. Ritual quietly raised the capital after cutting its workforce in half at the onset of COVID-19, in April 2020.
Ant-backed food app boosts India IPO target to $1.3 billion (BNN BLOOMBERG)
Zomato Ltd., the Indian food delivery startup backed by Jack Ma’s Ant Group Co., plans to raise 93.75 billion rupees ($1.3 billion) in an initial public offering, boosting its target by about 14% as demand in its home market rises.
Michelle McBane on shrinking the gender investing gap in VC (BETAKIT)
On the #CIBCInnovationEconomy Podcast, Michelle McBane talked about the gender investing gap in VC, and what it means for women founders in Canada.
Instacart hires a top Facebook executive as its new chief (NEW YORK TIMES)
Fidji Simo, the leader of Facebook’s namesake app, said on Thursday that she was leaving the social network to become the chief executive of Instacart, the on-demand grocery startup that is preparing to become a public company.
Lightspeed filings signalling potential name change show company thinking beyond POS (BETAKIT)
Earlier this month, Lightspeed signed agreements to acquire two California-based e-commerce firms for a combined total of $925 million.
Hackers run startups now, too: what businesses need to know (BETAKIT)
Microsoft Canada Chief Security Officer Kevin Magee says startup leaders need to be more vigilant than ever in their security approach.
The empires Jeff Bezos built (WALL STREET JOURNAL)
As the Amazon founder steps aside as CEO, the company is expanding faster than ever.
Loren Padelford, driving force behind Shopify Plus, latest exec to depart company (BETAKIT)
Padelford is the latest in a line of senior leadership departures at Shopify. Most recently Shopify’s managing director of United States West, Lynsey Thornton, left after an eight-year tenure at the company. In April, three major executives left.