Arrival's rocky road, a Starlink IPO, and Elon Musk and Jimmy Wales - SVC 11/15/23

Meta to Allow Questioning 2020 Election Results in Political Ads

Meta has decided to allow political advertisers on Facebook and Instagram to dispute the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election. This controversial policy change could open the door to false claims about voter fraud. Critics argue it undermines democracy.

SpaceX Cleared for Starship Launch

Elon Musk's SpaceX has gotten approval for the first orbital launch of its giant Starship rocket. The 400-foot-tall spacecraft is designed to carry crew and cargo to the moon and Mars. A successful test flight would be a major milestone for SpaceX's ambitions for deep space exploration.

Google Allows Teens to Use AI Chatbot Bard

Google is now letting teenagers access its new Bard chatbot. Bard is meant to compete with ChatGPT and other AI assistants. However, it made an inaccurate statement in a promotional video, raising concerns about reliability. Allowing young users onto Bard is a risky move for Google.

Major Fundings: Blockchain.com, Petvisor, Urbanic, Vulcan Cyber

Several large funding rounds were announced this week:

Blockchain.com raised $110M led by Kingsway Capital
Pet care startup Petvisor raised $100M led by Apax Digital
Fashion AI firm Urbanic raised $150M in a Series C round
Cybersecurity startup Vulcan Cyber raised $55M led by Maor Investments
Notable Smaller Fundings: AllCity Network, Apiture, BeMe Health

Among smaller rounds, sports video startup AllCity Network raised $9.4M, banking tech provider Apiture raised $10M, and teen mental health app BeMe Health raised $1.5M.

New Funds for Coatue Management, Female Founders Fund

Investment firm Coatue Management secured $1.4B for a growth fund. Female Founders Fund is raising a $75M seed-stage fund.

Arrival Nears Shutdown with Bridge Loan

Once high-flying EV maker Arrival is on the brink of failure. It secured a $50M emergency loan to stay alive while it explores a possible sale.

Starlink Eyes $10B Revenue, IPO Next Year

Elon Musk's satellite internet venture Starlink may go public in 2023 with an estimated $10B in revenue, according to a report.

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Meta policy allows questioning 2020 election; SpaceX Starship cleared for launch; Google opens Bard to teens; Major fundings for Blockchain.com, Petvisor, Urbanic, Vulcan Cyber; Arrival nears shutdown with $50M loan; Starlink eyes $10B revenue, IPO in 2023.