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Axios’ Dan Primack on ‘the most polarizing startup that exists’

Hello and welcome back to Equity, TechCrunch’s venture capital-focused podcast, where we unpack the numbers behind the headlines.




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What will Tumblr become under the ownership of tech’s only Goldilocks founder?

This week, Automattic revealed it has signed all the paperwork to acquire Tumblr from Verizon, including its full staff of 200. Tumblr has undergone quite a journey since its headline-grabbing acquisition by Marissa Mayer’s Yahoo in 2013 for $1.1 billion, but after six years of neglect, its latest move is its first real start since […]





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Tumblr’s next step forward with Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg

After months of rumors, Verizon finally sold off Tumblr for a reported $3 million — a fraction of what Yahoo paid for the once mighty blogging service back in 2013. The media conglomerate (which also owns TechCrunch) was clearly never quite sure what to do with the property after gobbling it up as part of […]




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The latest version of Yahoo Mail helps users find attachments and deals

Yahoo Mail is getting a mobile update, with new versions of the iOS and Android app launching today. Many of you probably haven’t tried out Yahoo Mail in years, but Senior Director of Product Management Josh Jacobson noted that it’s one of the top productivity apps in the Apple App Store, where it has been […]




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How you shouldn’t handle your data breach

So you’ve had a data breach. Don’t worry, it’s not just you. These days it happens to everyone, no matter how large or small your company is. It’s almost inevitable, some might say, and not a case of if but when. A lot is already out of your control. Whether a hacker broke in and […]




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Persona raises $17.5M for an identify verification platform that goes beyond user IDs and passwords

The proliferation of data breaches based on leaked passwords, and the rising tide of regulation that puts a hard stop on just how much user information can be collected, stored and used by companies have laid bare the holes in simple password and memorable-information-based verification systems. Today a startup called Persona, which has built a […]




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For alternative meat manufacturer Beyond Meat, fast food chains giveth and taketh away

Beyond Meat, the publicly traded producer of plant-based protein replacements for meat, is currently giving other companies in the alternative meat space an education in just how finicky appealing to consumer tastes can be. On the same day that the Canadian Tim Hortons restaurant chain is dropping Beyond Meat products from its menus, the company […]




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Unicorn fever as One Medical’s IPO pops 40% after conservative pricing

Shares of One Medical are worth $19.50 this morning after the venture-backed unicorn priced its IPO at $14 per share last night. The company opened at $18 before rising further, according to Yahoo Finance data. At its current price, One Medical is worth about 40% more than its IPO price, a strong debut for the […]




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Yahoo Mobile is a $39.99 unlimited phone and data plan

As a cell phone plan, Yahoo Mobile seems pretty straightforward — there’s just one pricing tier, where you pay $39.99 per month for unlimited calls, data and mobile hotspot usage. But you may be wondering why Yahoo is getting into the phone business. It makes more sense when you recall that Yahoo is owned by Verizon, […]




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Extra Crunch Live: Join Mark Cuban for a Q&A on April 30 at 11am ET/8am PT

Billionaire. Entrepreneur. Investor. Shark. Mark Cuban is one of tech’s best-known entrepreneurs, so we are amped to have him join us for an upcoming Extra Crunch Live, our virtual speaker series that connects the brightest minds in tech directly with our Extra Crunch audience. Starting out as a salesman for one of Dallas’s earliest PC […]




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Orca Security raises $20M Series A for its multi-cloud security platform

Orca Security, an Israeli cloud security firm that focuses on giving enterprises better visibility into their multi-cloud deployments on AWS, Azure and GCP, today announced that it has raised a $20 million Series A round led by GGV Capital. YL Ventures and Silicon Valley CISO Investments also participated in this round. Together with its seed […]





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Deep Render raises £1.6M for image compression tech that mimics ‘neural processes of the human eye’

Deep Render, a London startup and spin-out of Imperial College that is applying machine learning to image compression, has raised £1.6 million in seed funding. Leading the round is Pentech, with participation from Speedinvest. Founded in mid-2017 by Arsalan Zafar and Chri Besenbruch, who met while studying Computer Science at Imperial College London, Deep Render […]




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B2B SaaS growth may be on a path to recovery

Hello and welcome back to our regular morning look at private companies, public markets and the gray space in between. As the economy has worsened, the market for many goods and services has slowed. Some SaaS products have found themselves immune, or even boosted by recently changes in consumer and business consumption patterns and travel […]




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Extra Crunch Live: Join Hunter Walk for our live chat right now

Today at 10am PDT, two-thirds of the Equity crew are sitting down with Hunter Walk, a venture capitalist with Homebrew and well-known seed-stage investor. Continuing TechCrunch’s running series of Extra Crunch Live discussions with prominent people in the tech industry, bringing Walk in for a discussion is fitting. Our recent chat with Sequoia Roelof Botha’s […]




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As private investment cools, enterprise startups may try tapping corporate dollars

Founders hunting down capital in the middle of this pandemic may feel like they’re on a fool’s errand, but some investors are still offering financing, even if the terms might not be as good as they once were. One avenue that appears to remain open: corporate venture capital. The corporate route offers its own set […]




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Could WhatsApp Ads Change Our Daily Messaging Habits?

Some say the ads would diminish user privacy, but WhatsApp already collects user data.




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What Surviving a Rocket Explosion Taught This Veteran Entrepreneur About Never Giving Up

The mindset that allows Colin Wayne to push forward in times of crisis.




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Should You Microdose to Treat Depression?

Speaking with a psychopharmacology expert to find out whether psychedelics are ready for their mainstream moment.




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10 Movies All Entrepreneurs Should Watch on Amazon

From original films to Prime movies, here's what you need to watch.




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What Will Franchising Look Like After the Recession?

A franchise resurgence is on its way ... will you be ready?




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Germany’s COVID-19 contacts tracing app to link to labs for test result notification

A German research institute that’s involved in developing a COVID-19 contacts tracing app with the backing of the national government has released some new details about the work, which suggests the app is being designed as more of a “one-stop shop” to manage coronavirus impacts at an individual level, rather than having a sole function […]




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Apple and Google update joint coronavirus tracing tech to improve user privacy and developer flexibility

Apple and Google have provided a number of updates about the technical details of their joint contact tracing system, which they’re now exclusively referring to as an “exposure notification” technology, since the companies say this is a better way to describe what they’re offering. The system is just one part of a contact tracing system, […]




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UK’s coronavirus contacts tracing app could ask users to share location data

More details have emerged about a coronavirus contacts tracing app being developed by UK authorities. NHSX CEO, Matthew Gould, said today that future versions of the app could ask users to share location data to help authorities learn more about how the virus propagates. Gould, who heads up the digital transformation unit of the UK’s […]




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Cliqz pulls the plug on a European anti-tracking alternative to Google search

Cliqz, a Munch-based anti-tracking browser with private search baked in that has sought to offer a local alternative to Google powered by its own search index, is shutting down — claiming this arm of its business has been blindsided by the coronavirus crisis. Today was not great. We closed parts of @cliqz & our dream […]




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Uber Eats exits seven markets, transfers one as part of competitive retooling

Uber Eats is pulling out of a clutch of markets — shuttering its on-demand food offering in the Czech Republic, Egypt, Honduras, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay and Ukraine. It’s also transferring its Uber Eats business operations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Careem, its wholly owned ride-hailing subsidiary that’s mostly focused on the Middle […]




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UK’s coronavirus tracing app strategy faces fresh questions over transparency and interoperability

The UK’s data protection watchdog confirmed today the government still hasn’t given it sight of a key legal document attached to the coronavirus contacts tracing app which is being developed by the NHSX, the digital transformation branch of the country’s National Health Service . Under UK and EU law, a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) […]




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No cookie consent walls — and no, scrolling isn’t consent, says EU data protection body

You can’t make access to your website’s content dependent on a visitor agreeing that you can process their data — aka a ‘consent cookie wall’. Not if you need to be compliant with European data protection law. That’s the unambiguous message from the European Data Protection Board (EDPB), which has published updated guidelines on the […]




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UK’s NHS COVID-19 app lacks robust legal safeguards against data misuse, warns committee

A UK parliamentary committee that focuses on human rights issues has called for primary legislation to be put in place to ensure that legal protections wrap around the national coronavirus contact tracing app. The app, called NHS COVID-19, is being fast tracked for public use — with a test ongoing this week in the Isle […]




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Data For 05/04/20


Summary Excerpt:

Regular Gasoline Retail Price
(Dollars per Gallon)
1.789 .. U.S.
1.794 ... East Coast
1.825 .... New England
1.983 .... Central Atlantic
1.665 .... Lower Atlantic
1.573 ... Midwest
1.488 ... Gulf Coast
1.772 ... Rocky Mountain
2.441 ... West Coast
2.208 ... West Coast less California

States
2.635 .... California
1.650 .... Colorado
1.740 .... Florida
1.844 .... Massachusetts
1.516 .... Minnesota
2.045 .... New York
1.576 .... Ohio
1.429 .... Texas
2.228 .... Washington

Cities
1.888 .... Boston
1.917 .... Chicago
1.589 .... Cleveland
1.613 .... Denver
1.519 .... Houston
2.633 .... Los Angeles
1.818 .... Miami
1.960 .... New York City
2.735 .... San Francisco
2.531 .... Seattle


On-Highway Diesel Fuel Retail Price
(Dollars per Gallon)
2.399 .. U.S.
2.510 ... East Coast
2.652 .... New England
2.688 .... Central Atlantic
2.360 .... Lower Atlantic
2.248 ... Midwest
2.169 ... Gulf Coast
2.370 ... Rocky Mountain
2.899 ... West Coast
2.545 ... West Coast less California
3.191 .... California




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Need Help Telling Your Startup Story? This Illustration Kit Is on Sale for $100 Off.

Make your web content pop with beautiful illustrations.




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Free Webinar | May 13: How to Create Massive Leads and Sales in an Ever-Changing World

Join author and entrepreneur Kim Walsh Phillips as she discusses best practices for driving leads in today's world.



  • recovery planning series

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Make Your Branding and Marketing Content Pop with This Easy-to-Use $30 Digital Illustrator

You don't have to be an artist to make great digital art.




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5 Ways Brands Can Reinvent Their Digital Marketing Strategy

Surefire methods any business can adopt to help them thrive.




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4 Creative Ideas to Supercharge Your Digital Launch

When every new business is launching digitally, you need these things to stand out.




at

Low transportation fuel demand and low profitability drive refinery run declines

Transportation fuel demand has decreased since early March 2020 as a result of reduced economic activity and stay-at-home orders aimed at slowing the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). U.S. refineries have reduced the amount of crude oil and other inputs that they process (also known as refinery runs). U.S. refinery runs fell for four consecutive weeks, reaching 12.8 million barrels per day (b/d) in the week ending April 17, and increased slightly to 13.2 million b/d for the week ending April 24, or nearly 21% lower than the previous five-year average for this time of year.




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U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide fell by 2.8% in 2019, slightly below 2017 levels

U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions declined by 2.8% in 2019 to 5,130 million metric tons (MMmt), according to data in the U.S. Energy Information Administration's (EIA) Monthly Energy Review. CO2 emissions had increased by 2.9% in 2018, the only annual increase in the past five years. Because of continuing trends in how much energy the U.S economy uses and how much CO2 that energy use generates, energy-related CO2 emissions in 2019 fell more than energy consumption, which declined by 0.9% in 2019, and gross domestic product, which increased by 2.3% in 2019.




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Daily electricity demand in New York falls about 13% after COVID-19 mitigation efforts

Recent business shutdowns and changes to normal routines related to mitigation efforts for the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have caused daily, weekday electricity demand in New York state to decrease by 11%–14% in March and April compared with expected demand, after accounting for seasonal temperature changes. Electricity demand changes in New York state and in New York City, in particular, have been more pronounced than in other parts of the country, which may partly be caused by differences in electricity consumption across regions and the varying effects of COVID-19 mitigation efforts on these sectors.




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Daily electricity demand impacts from COVID-19 mitigation efforts differ by region

Recent business shutdowns and changes to normal routines related to mitigation efforts for the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have caused daily weekday electricity demand in the central region of the United States to decrease by 9%�13% in March and April compared with expected demand, after accounting for seasonal temperature changes. This decrease is similar to declines seen in New York. In contrast, other areas of the country, such as Florida, have not experienced significant changes, which may partly be caused by regional differences in how much electricity each end-use sector consumes and the varying effects of COVID-19 mitigation efforts on the sectors.




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Smart Tips for Successfully Navigating the Initial Franchisor-Franchisee Interview

Once you have a few franchises in mind, you'll be talking to a franchise rep from each company. Here's the skinny on how that phone call should go.



  • Buying a Franchise

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Use These 3 Strategies to Build a Thriving Franchise Organization

Xponential Fitness Founder and CEO Anthony Geisler shares the leadership secrets that have helped him build a boutique fitness empire.




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McDonald's Is Set to Lose $3.4 Billion in Value After the CEO Was Fired Over a Relationship With a Subordinate

McDonald's on Friday fired its CEO, Steve Easterbrook, for violating its policy of having a relationship with an employee.



  • News and Trends

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Papa John's Ex-CEO Says He Ate More Than 40 Pizzas in 30 Days and That 'The Day of Reckoning Will Come'

Papa John's founder and former CEO John Schnatter slammed the pizza chain he founded in an interview with local news.



  • News and Trends

at

Fight for Your Franchise Challenge, Week 4: Evaluate, Adapt and Overcome

Three important steps can save your business for the future.



  • Franchise Crisis Management Series

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Fight for Your Franchise Challenge, Week 5: Implementing the Franchise Equation

When a business is running at its peak in all areas, efficiency and profitability increase exponentially.




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Meet Omaze, the Celebrity-Endorsed Juggernaut That Has Raised Over $100 Million for Charity

Co-founder Matt Pohlson is just getting started.



  • Starting a Business