Startup Around

Reached by phone, Ozzie confirmed that the startup has raised money from undisclosed investors, as revealed in an SEC filing March 26.

Blues is the newest project from Ozzie, who invented the Lotus Notes group messaging platform in the 1980s.

Ozzie has since launched and sold two startups to Microsoft: Groove Networks in 2005, and Talko in 2015.

That’s when he began putting together concepts for a cellular IoT device that could be embedded into almost any hardware and seamlessly connect to the internet without relying on WiFi.

Blues came out of stealth mode in February 2019, announcing its Notecard “System-on-Module” device that runs on AT&T’s wireless network. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1586206806.196787/Ray-Ozzie’s-latest-project:-Former-Microsoft-exec-raises-$11M-for-IoT-startup-Blues-Wireless?ref=audio_experience

The issue appears to have been resolved, but the Quibi customer support account tweeted this afternoon that “some users may be experiencing problems with the Quibi app,” only to add an hour later that “Users should once again be able to use the Quibi app normally.

The app seems to be working normally as I write this shortly after 4pm Eastern.

If nothing else, it’s a reminder that reliably delivering streaming video is hard, even for a startup that’s raised $1.75 billion.

Heck, even Disney experienced widespread streaming issues when it launched Disney+ in November.

Users should once again be able to use the @Quibi app normally. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1586205006.3570392/Quibi-had-a-launch-day-outage-–-TechCrunch?ref=audio_experience

Toronto-based FinTech startup Borrowell has laid off approximately 20 percent of its staff, as the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to sweep through the Canadian tech sector.

Borrowell has let go of 15 employees of its 75 person team, representing a 20 percent company-wide layoff, across departments.

At a time when Canadian individuals and businesses are facing financial difficulties, even companies like Borrowell do not seem to be immune to the economic impacts of the pandemic.

The CEO originally called for the government to introduce a wage subsidy program and applauded when the expanded 75 percent subsidy was announced.

Borrowell joins a growing list of Canadian tech companies, that like many businesses across the country, are making decisions about reducing their workforce as the financial and economic impacts of COVID-19 grow. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1586203309.4886036/Borrowell-lays-off-20-percent-of-staff-citing-financial-institutions-“pulling-back”-amid-COVID-19?ref=audio_experience

Eighty-two percent of Canadian tech CEOs surveyed are planning layoffs in the coming weeks.

Of the 651 CEOs surveyed by the CCI, 94 percent said that their companies would be ineligible for the subsidy because of the revenue criteria.

“Without being eligible for the wage subsidy, layoffs will happen,” said one unidentified CEO that participated in the survey.

The CCI’s survey also found a staggering forty percent of Canadian tech CEOs surveyed have already laid off employees since the beginning of the pandemic, and 82 percent of Canadian tech CEOs are planning layoffs in the coming weeks.

This wage subsidy can allow us to retain our team, which includes difficult- to- find, specialized talent. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1586201405.2358856/Survey-finds-82-percent-of-tech-CEOs-plan-to-make-layoffs-after-being-left-out-of-federal-wage-subsidy?ref=audio_experience

Startup Buddy, a Gurugram-based startup advisory services venture that serves early-stage businesses, on Monday announced that it has acquired Boudhik Ventures in a cash and stock deal.

Post-acquisition, Boudhik will continue to run as a separate brand under Startup Buddy, the company said.

Boudhik Ventures founders Vivek Dahiya and Saurabh Trivedi will join the Startup Buddy team as part of the deal, it added.

Amit Singal, Co-founder of Startup Buddy said,“This collaboration is really going to create new opportunities for startup companies where they can get everything under one roof”.

We have seen this with Startup Buddy since many years and are glad to become a part of the Startup Buddy team as Advisor." | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1586199605.9497747/Startup-Buddy-acquires-Boudhik-Ventures-to-strengthen-global-patent-services?ref=audio_experience

In fact, many rely on several methods combined into one strategic and innovative marketing approach.

Your pet care business is one of the most competitive industries.

Here are some strategies you can try for your pet care business:Authoritative Blogging with Added Conversion FunnelsWhy would pet companies blog?

Companies are coming out with new ideas for bringing virtual reality to marketing, including for the pet care market.

Photo by Chevanon Photography from PexelsConclusionThe pet care business world is competitive. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1586197806.2027187/Innovative-Marketing-Strategies-for-Your-Pet-Care-Business-–-Marketing?ref=audio_experience

Guest Post: The following post is a sponsored guest post by Nik Adhia, Senior Director of Global Operations, Oracle for Startups.

All views and opinions represented in this post are the views and opinions of Oracle for Startups and do not represent those of 500 Startups or any of its staff or affiliates.

If you would like to join Oracle for Startups, apply and use the code “500 Startups”.

500 STARTUPS MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS AS TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE POST.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD ANY OF THE ABOVE CONTENT BE CONSTRUED AS LEGAL, TAX OR INVESTMENT ADVICE FROM 500 STARTUPS OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1586196005.855424/5-Ways-Startups-Can-Make-it-Through-Periods-of-Uncertainty?ref=audio_experience

Privitar, a London, UK-based data privacy platform provider, completed an $80m Series C funding.

The round was led by Warburg Pincus, with participation from Accel, Partech, IQ Capital, Salesforce Ventures and ABN AMRO Ventures.

Founded in 2014 by Jason du Preez, CEO, Privitar provides a platform that enables organizations to protect their customers’ sensitive personal data and to deliver comprehensive data privacy that frees them to extract maximum value from the data they collect, manage and use.

The company also has regional headquarters in Boston and Singapore, a development center in Warsaw, and sales and services locations throughout the US and Europe.

Privitar is working with leading enterprise customers such as HSBC, Citi, the UK’s National Health Service and AstraZeneca to manage and automate the enforcement of data privacy policies on modern platforms. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1586194207.3695176/Privitar-Raises-$80M-in-Series-C-Funding?ref=audio_experience

Indian edutech unicorn BYJU'S on Monday said it has witnessed a 150 percent increase in the number of new students learning on its app after announcing free access in March 2020.

To support students in their learning journeys further, the Bengaluru-based firm has introduced free 'Live Classes' on its platform.

Our live classes will remain free for students across the country until the current situation persists,” Mrinal added.

BYJU'S launched its flagship product, BYJU’S - The Learning App, for classes 4-12 in 2015.

BYJU'S Early Learn App was launched in June 2019, an offering for students in classes 1-3 featuring Disney’s timeliness characters. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1586192435.4603882/Coronavirus:-Edtech-unicorn-BYJU’S-free-offer-sees-150-pc-jump-in-new-students?ref=audio_experience

Which startup sectors are most affected by coronavirus?

Roger Lee is maintaining Layoffs.fyi, which is a table of all the startups who have unfortunately cut staff.

But starting that week, startups began reducing headcount by about 700 per day.

If we tally the reductions by category, travel, retail, fitness, real estate, transportation, and recruiting constitute the top 6 categories.

Because sales cycles in software are slower, we should expect a higher latency before seeing reductions in force in those categories. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1586190607.0228791/The-Startup-Sectors-Most-Impacted-by-the-Coronavirus?ref=audio_experience