Chinaccelerator Daily Digest 2/27/2019

Overseas:

1. Telecoms industry sees need to tighten network security, regardless of Huawei

2. Facebook expands ad buying options for premium video

3. BMW continues to bet on the (Azure) cloud

4. Blossom Capital raises $85M fund to do ‘high conviction’ Series A investing in Europe

5. YieldStreet raises $62M to democratise alternative investments in shipping, real estate and more

6. Walmart acquires Israel’s Aspectiva, which analyses UGC to recommend products to shoppers

7. On the strength of its Mixer partnership, streaming toolkit developer Lightstream raises $8 million

8. Zone7 raises $2.5 million seed round to predict injury risk for athletes

9. Polis, the door-to-door marketer, raises another $2.5 million

10. Sapling, an employee management and on-boarding platform, lands $4 million in seed funding

11. Search marketing company Botify raises $20M

China:

1. Alibaba challenger Pinduoduo is bringing imported goods to rural homes

2. JD.Com’s HR Strategy Says ‘Yes’ to 15,000 New Frontline Staff, But ‘No’ to Top Execs

3. AI chip unicorn Horizon Robotics raises US$600m in funding as China seeks to reduce dependence on imported semiconductors

4. Chinese retailer Suning has a US$60 insurance policy for foldable phone – as long as you don’t drop it

5. Volkswagen Joins Forces With Didi to Tap Ride-Hailing Trend

6. Chinese police test gait-recognition technology from AI start-up Watrix that identifies people based on how they walk

7. Alibaba-backed start-up Efinix sees big opportunities in China for its programmable AI chips

8. Emerging cell therapy company Gracell Biotechnology 亘喜生物 Rakes In USD85 Million in Series B

Cross-border:

1. Xiaomi to triple European store count as Chinese smartphone makers double down on Europe

2. Spotify launches its streaming service in India

Blockchain:

1. Malta leads on cryptoassets regulation while EU ponders

2. Julius Baer gets into crypto banking with Swiss start-up SEBA Crypto partnership

3. HTC’s blockchain phone can now be purchased with fiat currency

4. Fintech Startup SoFi to Roll Out Crypto Trading Via Partnership With Coinbase

5. Bitmain Co-Founder Wu May Switch Jobs Amid Mass Layoffs for Mining Rig Giant’s Staff

6. Blockchain ticketing startup Ticket2Me secures US$350K seed funding from Citystate Group

Mobile:

1. China’s TCL Unveils a Foldable Phone to Take on Huawei, Samsung

2. Huawei Pens 5G Deals With Global Operators, Ships Over 40,000 Base Stations

Emerging Market:

1. Online learning startup Skill-Lync promises India’s mechanical engineers a job, or their money back

2. Gradient Ventures, Google’s AI fund, leads $7M investment in English learning app Elsa. Existing investors include SOSV MOX and Monk’s Hill Ventures.

3. Meituan-Dianping lays groundwork for Southeast Asia entrance via Singaporean restaurant  platform Chope

4. Go-jek launches expansive insurance scheme for drivers in Singapore

Cover picture credits from TechCrunch