SpotOn, a payments startup focused on SMBs, raises $125M Series D led by a16z, tripling its valuation from last September to $1.875B (Mary Ann Azevedo/TechCrunch)

Mary Ann Azevedo / TechCrunch: SpotOn, a payments startup focused on SMBs, raises $125M Series D led by a16z, tripling its valuation from last September to $1.875B — Certain industries were hit harder by the COVID-19 pandemic than others, especially in its early days. — Small businesses, including retailers and restaurants …
https://bit.ly/3bVRn5z

Google opens its second hardware office in New Taipei City, as VP of Engineering Elmer Peng says "Taiwan is Google's largest hardware R&D hub outside of the US" (Nikkei Asia)

Nikkei Asia: Google opens its second hardware office in New Taipei City, as VP of Engineering Elmer Peng says “Taiwan is Google's largest hardware R&D hub outside of the US” — Search engine giant ‘serious’ about beefing up equipment and software ecosystem http://www.techmeme.com/240427/p1?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger#a240427p1

Researchers: an ex-Florida deputy sheriff who received asylum in Russia has built a network of 160+ fake news sites with the help of ChatGPT and other AI tools (Steven Lee Myers/New York Times)

Steven Lee Myers / New York Times: Researchers: an ex-Florida deputy sheriff who received asylum in Russia has built a network of 160+ fake news sites with the help of ChatGPT and other AI tools — In 2016, Russia used an army of trolls to interfere in the U.S. presidential election. This year, an American given asylum … http://www.techmeme.com/240529/p37?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger#a240529p37

Profile of Vishal Garg, CEO of Better.com, who is fighting lawsuits that accuse him of fraud and misappropriation of funds at previous business ventures (Forbes)

Forbes: Profile of Vishal Garg, CEO of Better.com, who is fighting lawsuits that accuse him of fraud and misappropriation of funds at previous business ventures — The $4 billion fintech startup is hurtling towards an IPO. But its volatile leader is fighting multiple lawsuits that could complicate his ambitions. https://bit.ly/395ykoI

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