Author: VujaDE

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a lawsuit against Amazon, alleging that the company used deceptive tactics to enroll consumers into its Prime service without their consent and made it difficult for them to cancel their subscriptions. The complaint, filed in federal court in Seattle, accuses Amazon of using manipulative user-interface designs to deceive consumers into signing up for automatically-renewing Prime subscriptions.

FTC Chair Lina M. Khan stated that Amazon’s actions cost consumers money and violated their trust. The FTC aims to protect consumers and businesses from unfair practices in digital markets.

Amazon Prime, priced at $139 per year, offers free two-day shipping and other benefits like Prime Video and music streaming.

The FTC claims that Amazon intentionally complicated the cancellation process for Prime subscribers, with the goal of preventing them from cancelling their memberships. The complaint also alleges that Amazon’s leadership hindered changes that would have made it easier for users to cancel their subscriptions due to financial considerations.

The FTC further reveals that during the checkout process, Amazon presented consumers with multiple opportunities to subscribe to Prime, while making it harder for them to make a purchase without subscribing. Additionally, some buttons did not clearly inform users that choosing that option meant agreeing to a recurring Prime subscription.

The complaint mentions that Amazon internally referred to the cancellation process as “Iliad,” a reference to Homer’s epic poem about the Trojan war.

Amazon has not yet commented on the lawsuit.

This story is developing…

Boston, MA, June 20, 2023 –(PR.com)– PharmStars, the pharma-focused accelerator for digital health startups, is delighted to announce that 13 startups graduated from its Spring 2023 program focused on “Innovations in Women’s Health or Health Equity.” The graduating startups successfully completed PharmaU, PharmStars’ 10-week program. PharmaU culminated with a Showcase Event, held in Boston in May, that brought together the participating startups and PharmStars’ innovation-minded pharma members.

PharmStars focuses on bridging the “pharma-startup gap,” helping pharma and startups overcome partnership barriers. PharmStars’ unique PharmaU program provides education and mentorship to help startups more effectively partner with pharma.

The 13 participating startups were selected in February 2023 following a highly competitive application process that attracted over 60 applicants from 14 countries. The selected startups each offer a unique digital health solution related to Women’s Health or Health Equity. Their diverse digital health solutions include new biomarkers, diagnostics and predictive tools, digital therapeutics, care access and delivery platforms, patient engagement platforms, and patient communication and education tools.

At the Showcase Event, startups presented their solutions to PharmStars’ pharma members and participated in one-on-one meetings with the members. More than 60 meetings took place over a two day period.

Participating startups shared that the PharmStars program was extremely valuable and useful to their business. Marina Rigau, CEO of MiMARK and part of the Spring 2023 Cohort, said, “Thanks to PharmaStars, we now have a strong pharma value proposition and have made the right connections to make engagement possible.”

Chris Wasden, Chief Strategy Officer of Twill and also a Spring 2023 graduate, commented: “We had five very high-quality meetings with different pharma companies that were prepared to engage with us on a serious level and were interested in finding ways to work together.”

The following 13 digital health startups completed the Spring 2023 PharmStars accelerator:
· GPx (Boston, MA): Continuous, Non-invasive Digital Blood and Urine Biomarkers
· Health Care Originals (Rochester, NY): Body-worn, Auscultation-based Continuous Respiratory Biomarker Platform
· Health In Her HUE (New York, NY): Education, Care, and Community Health Platform for Black Women and Women of Color
· Innsightful (Sunnyvale, CA): High Accuracy, Wearable-based AI Algorithm for Continuous Measurement of Anxiety and Depression
· Local Infusion (Nashville, TN): Tech-enabled Physician-administered Infusion Centers
· Manta Cares (San Francisco, CA): Interactive “Maps” and Engagement Platform for Cancer Patients and Caregivers
· MiMARK (Barcelona, Spain): Diagnostic Gynecological Fluid Biomarkers
· My Moves Matter (Dublin, Ireland): Patient-centric, Neuro-friendly Patient Engagement Platform for Women with Parkinson’s Disease
· NalaGenetics (Singapore): Genetic Risk Prediction Tool for Pre-Screening of Cancer, Cardiometabolic and Neurodegenerative Diseases
· Nivi (Sudbury, MA): Insights Engine and WhatsApp Chatbot Promoting Global Health Equity
· Samphire Neuroscience (London, United Kingdom): Neurotechnology-based Therapeutic Headband for Mental and Physical Symptoms of Menstruation
· Twill (New York, NY): Direct-to-Consumer Marketing and Adherence Platform that Delivers ROI
· viO HealthTech (Old Saybrook, CT): Continuous Remote Monitoring of Menstrual Cycles for Drug Efficacy

PharmStars is accepting applications through July 10, 2023 for its upcoming Fall 2023 cohort, around the theme “Digital Innovations in Therapeutic Delivery: Supply Chain to the Patient Interface.” Digital health startups interested in participating can find additional details and the application form on the PharmStars’ website.

For pharma and biotech companies, PharmStars 2023 membership is now open to a limited number of additional firms.

About PharmStars
PharmStars is the member-based, pharma-focused accelerator for digital health startups. Through our extensive expertise across pharma, startups, digital health, and innovation, we understand the challenges that pharma and startups face when seeking to collaborate. Our PharmaU program supports digital health startups and our pharma members in “bridging the gap,” leading to greater success and faster patient adoption of “beyond the molecule” solutions.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, expressed the company’s interest in investing in India and bringing their electric cars to the country as soon as possible. Musk had a positive conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hopes to announce something in the near future. Discussions about incentives to bring Tesla to India have been revived, and SpaceX representatives have also been in talks with the telecom ministry for the Starlink satellite internet service. Musk has been planning to bring Tesla to India for years but has been waiting for significant incentives from New Delhi. He also expressed admiration for Modi and believes that India has great potential. Musk is also looking forward to bringing Starlink to the country. However, a specific timeline was not provided. Musk’s meeting with Modi comes after Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, revealed that India regularly requests the removal of certain posts and accounts from the platform.

Arlington, VA, June 20, 2023 –(PR.com)– Builders + Backers and Heartland Forward announced the completion of the 2023 Winter Cohort with 92 new entrepreneurs receiving nearly $400,000 in funding to test their ideas, build products and launch their new ventures. 70% of the Cohort successfully launched a new venture. These entrepreneurs join over 300 prior graduates (called Builders) in 19 communities across 12 heartland states who have previously participated in the Idea Accelerator program and launched hundreds of new ventures.

The Idea Accelerator is based on the premise that there are promising ideas everywhere — from solutions that address major social challenges to novel innovations that can become game-changing, high-tech companies of tomorrow. Through a strategic partnership, Builders + Backers and Heartland Forward and an array of local funding partners are making the program freely available to anyone with a novel idea in the heartland, defined as the 20 states in the middle of the country which have historically been overlooked by venture capital investors.

The cohort-based program combines a 45-day virtual Builder Bootcamp to introduce participants to the latest, most effective entrepreneurial approaches to launching a venture, followed by 45 days of actively executing their ideas by running real-world experiments. Each Builder receives Pebble Funds which they use to test their ideas, build products, and launch new ventures.

To date, over 300 new Heartland ventures have launched as a result of the program. The Winter 2023 Heartland Cohort produced many exceptional ideas. For instance:

Second Keys (Marterrious McClain – Memphis, TN), a new approach and tools to make automating real estate appraisals easier, faster and more accurate than traditional analog methods.

Pecus (Juan Finol –Tulsa, OK), a first-of-its-kind online marketplace for cattle breeders and buyers to showcase, shop and purchase high-end cattle without the hassle of travel and in-person events.

Gnargo Bikes (Zach and Elysia Springer – Bentonville, AR), used bikes and recycled materials to build electric cargo bikes designed to carry significant cargo or kids at a lower cost and with less environmental impact.

Verified News Network (Brittany Harlow – Tulsa, OK), a grassroots news organization and recent recipient of a $15,000 Google News grant, that connects alternative narratives from marginalized communities with news outlets across the country.

Active Resume (Nolan Mackey – Mobile, AL), filling the gap for life and safety professionals who want to bolster their careers with a holistic career services platform.

Portico (Brian Nigg – Iowa City, IA), using proprietary models to help parents and students estimate the ROI on various aspects of college selecting and planning, ensuring that the investment is most effective.

“Millions of people across the U.S. are sitting on ideas for potential new products, services and companies,” said Donna Harris, founder and CEO of Builders + Backers. “Our no-cost, no-risk onramp means literally anyone with an idea can get started, and we are thrilled to fund these new entrepreneurs and see them bring their ideas to life. This is how we jump start economic growth across the nation.”

“Aspiring entrepreneurs across the heartland have ideas to solve problems facing their communities and launch new job-creating companies. They just need the resources and support to make those ideas a reality,” said Katie Milligan, Program Director of Workforce and Entrepreneurship for Heartland Forward. “The capital we’re providing at this idea stage enables Builders to put their ideas to the test and sets them on the path to create jobs and grow the economy.”

The Winter 2023 Heartland Cohort was made possible by generous funding from the George Kaiser Family Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, the Iowa City Area Development Group, the Ford Motor Company Fund, Walmart, and the Eastern Shawnee Tribe.

The next Heartland Cohort of the Builders + Backers Idea Accelerator program began on June 15th. With over 1,000 applications received and 155+ participants, it promises to be a very fruitful group of new entrepreneurs.

About Builders + Backers: Builders + Backers invests in exceptional entrepreneurs who are building global-scale ventures to power an entirely different future – one where technology creates value for many instead of capturing it for a few. Through proprietary programming, Builders + Backers also inspires and equips people to best seize the opportunities of our digital era – from experimentation and solving problems in their local communities to starting new ventures that could scale. By backing the most creative builders across the country, we can shape the digital future to be one in which more people participate and thrive. www.buildersandbackers.com

About Heartland Forward:
Heartland Forward’s mission is to improve economic performance in the center of the United States by advocating for fact-based solutions to foster job creation, knowledge-based and inclusive growth and improved health outcomes. We conduct independent, data-driven research to facilitate action-oriented discussion and impactful policy recommendations. The Idea Accelerator is brought to Oxford as part of Heartland Forward’s Community Growth Program and Toolkit. The CGPT is providing communities with the resources needed to help inspire new ideas, build upon existing programs and connect with resources to achieve success. www.heartlandforward.org/

Nashik, India, June 20, 2023 –(PR.com)– On June 18, 2023, Nashik Vyapari Aghadi organised a session on startup and standup awareness at Raosaheb Thorat Sabhagruha, KTHM college, Gangapur Road, Nashik, MH, India, with the assistance of a mentor from Startup India, MeitY Startup Hub & AYE & founder of PARENTNashik, CE. Shreekant Patil, who is also the chairman of NIMA Startup & Standup Committee.

The following luminaries graced this illuminating session. Prof. Smt. Devyani Farande ji (MLA), Smt. Seema Tai Hire (MLA), Hon. Minister Shri Girish Mahajan, President, Nashik BJP, Mr. Pradipji Peshkar etc.

More than 200 businesspeople (Vyapari) were present for this session to get insight on startups, standup ecosystems, seed funding, startup models, innovation, and how MSMEs and individuals can enter ecosystems. These businessmen came from several kinds of verticals, including pharmaceutical, medical, traders, service sector, agriculture, exporter, small business, etc.

To be competitive in the marketplace, traditional vyapari traders must upgrade their business models by adopting new technologies, adopting digital, leveraging social media for marketing, etc. In his session, Shreekant added.

Shreekant Patil explored the NIMA Startup Hub’s advantages for citizens like Vyapari from Nashik.

The initiative of NIMA Startup Hub provides assistance for MSMEs in the areas of mentoring, ideation, validation, registration, early stage, scaleup, seed finance, entrepreneurship, innovation challenges, government schemes, incubation, international bridge, talks, etc. One-on-one mentoring is a special benefit offered to all Nashikkars at this hub.

CE. Shreekant Patil was honoured by Hon. Minister Shri Girish ji Mahajan (Govt of Maharashtra) at the conclusion of the session. The minister acknowledged that the session was fruitful.

All startups, individuals, MSMEs, students, and women are welcome to access growth support at NIMA Startup Hub.

Shreekant Patil is running successfully his startup & exports 100% of robotic spot welding gun parts to Europe, USA.

Autonomous trucking company TuSimple recently completed a fully autonomous semi-truck run on public roads in China, a first for the country. The run took place on approved roads in Shanghai and covered a 40-mile stretch with various traffic and weather conditions.

This isn’t the first time TuSimple has achieved fully autonomous operations. They previously completed a similar run in the United States, but have not attempted to recreate the test since then. The company has not provided details on the success rate or any issues faced during the recent China run.

The decision to focus on China further indicates TuSimple’s commitment to the Asian market. The company had considered selling its China unit due to scrutiny from US regulators but ultimately decided to keep it after internal reshuffling. TuSimple has also been undergoing layoffs, mainly affecting its US-based staff.

In addition to China, TuSimple has started testing its self-driving truck technology in Japan. However, the company is currently facing the risk of delisting from the Nasdaq for failing to file quarterly results on time.

Parallel Domain has launched an API called Data Lab that allows customers to generate synthetic datasets. This San Francisco-based startup utilizes generative AI technology to give machine-learning engineers control over dynamic virtual worlds, enabling them to simulate any scenario they can imagine.

According to Kevin McNamara, founder and CEO of Parallel Domain, customers can easily install the Data Lab API from GitHub and start generating datasets through Python code. This API allows engineers to create objects that were not previously available in the startup’s asset library. By using 3D simulation, engineers can layer the real world onto the virtual world, creating scenarios like a flipped cab on a highway or a human dressed in an inflatable dinosaur outfit.

The main goal of Data Lab is to provide autonomy, drone, and robotics companies with more control and efficiency in building large datasets, which will help train their models faster and at a deeper level. McNamara explains that the speed of iteration now depends on how fast an ML engineer can translate their ideas into API calls or code.

Data Lab has already attracted major OEMs and autonomous driving companies as customers. Previously, it would have taken weeks or months for Parallel Domain to generate datasets based on customer parameters. With the self-serve API, customers can create new datasets in near real time.

In testing, Parallel Domain found that autonomous vehicle models trained on synthetic datasets performed better than those trained on real-world datasets. While the startup is not using popular open AI APIs like ChatGPT, they are building components using open-source foundation models from the past couple of years.

Parallel Domain’s synthetic data generation engine, called Reactor, was initially launched for internal use and beta testing. Now, with the Data Lab API, the startup’s business model is shifting towards a software-as-a-service model, where customers can subscribe based on their usage.

The potential applications of the Data Lab API go beyond autonomous driving, extending to industries like agriculture, retail, and manufacturing, where computer vision-enabled technology can improve efficiency. McNamara envisions Parallel Domain becoming the go-to platform for training AI models in any domain that requires sensor-based perception.

The European company FlixBus specializes in intercity and international buses powered by electricity and biogas. They will be launching their services in Chile with a team led by Santiago Echeverría, managing director of FlixBus Chile.

The European company FlixBus, renowned for its electric and biogas-powered intercity and international buses, will expand its operations to Chile in the second half of the year. Santiago Echeverría, managing director of FlixBus Chile and a mentor at Start-Up Chile, will lead the team. He previously served as the CEO of the start-up TRAINFES.

Founded as a start-up in Germany in 2013, FlixBus has now become a global mobility platform with a strong focus on sustainability and technology. It operates in Europe, the United States, Asia, and Brazil. Chile will mark FlixBus’s second market in South America and its presence in the 41st country worldwide.

Echeverría explained, “FlixBus aims to offer comfortable, sustainable, and affordable bus travel for everyone, ensuring high safety and quality. We aspire to provide this level of service to the people of Chile.”

Business Model

FlixBus’s business model involves establishing commercial partnerships with local bus companies, mostly small and medium-sized enterprises. While FlixBus takes responsibility for technology development, network planning, operations control, marketing and sales, quality management, and product expansion, its partners handle day-to-day operations.

Echeverría mentioned that in Chile, they are already collaborating with “some of the largest companies in the market” and are open to discussions with other Chilean and international operators regarding potential cooperation.

As part of their global plans, FlixBus aims to introduce the world’s first long-distance buses powered by green hydrogen by 2024, through a partnership with German technology company Freudenberg Sealing Technologies. They are also working on developing a long-distance electric bus with German vehicle manufacturer Daimler Truck, expected to join their fleet in 2026.

To explore more investment opportunities in Chile, read the following article.

Source: Diario Financiero.

According to a new paper from researchers at EPFL, a Swiss university, a significant percentage of crowd workers on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk service have been found to cheat by using tools like ChatGPT to complete assigned tasks. This discovery raises concerns about the integrity of the platform.

Amazon’s Mechanical Turk has been a popular choice for developers seeking human assistance with various tasks. It is an API that connects humans with tasks that computers may struggle with. Examples of such tasks include drawing bounding boxes for computer vision models and creating high-quality datasets. However, the recent revelation of cheating poses risks to data reliability.

It is challenging to differentiate between text generated by humans and by language models. To investigate this issue, the researchers developed a methodology to identify whether content was created by a human or a machine.

The study involved asking workers to summarize research abstracts into 100-word summaries. This particular task aligns with the capabilities of generative AI technologies like ChatGPT.

ClaroVTR, a telecommunications company, has invested a multi-million-dollar amount in expanding its data center in Colina, Chile. This investment aims to meet the increasing demand for data storage and analysis and to solidify Chile’s position as a regional technological hub.

Data centers play a crucial role in securely storing and managing massive amounts of data, supporting the growth of the digital economy. ClaroVTR’s expansion project will add 3,000m2 of space to its existing 2,000m2 data center, with an investment exceeding $320 million. The goal is to provide corporations and companies in Chile and the region with better access to competitive digital services.

The expansion aims to meet the demand for robust and secure data storage and processing. “This data center is world class. It has the highest safety and sustainability standards and certifications in terms of energy efficiency, waste management and environmentally-friendly construction, in line with our vision of sustainable development,” said Alfredo Parot, general manager of ClaroVTR.

ClaroVTR’s investment contributes to Chile’s goal of becoming a regional digital hub and consolidating its position in the technology industry. The expansion includes three specially designed and controlled clean rooms, B5, B6 and B7, which meet world-class standards and certifications related to efficiency and environmental impact reduction.

With 40% occupancy even before its inauguration, the new infrastructure showcases the trust and confidence that corporations, public institutions, and businesses have in ClaroVTR’s quality and security standards.

Source: América Economía.

If you want to know more about investment opportunities in technological infrastructure in Chile, check out the following article.