Overseas:
1. Uber Aims for Public Valuation of as Much as $100 Billion
3. Japan’s Richest 2019: Rakuten’s Mikitani Bets $5.5 Billion To Shake Up Telecom Industry
4. Google launches new security tools for G Suite users
5. GoDaddy acquires Sellbrite to launch cross-marketplace tools
6. Amazon buys warehouse robotics startup Canvas Technology
7. Pearson is committing $50M to fund next-gen edtech startups
8. KeyMe raises $50 million for AI-powered kiosks that duplicate keys in seconds
9. Online used car startup Shift adds another $40M, snags COO in road to IPO
10. CleverTap lands $26M for its mobile-focused customer marketing service
11. Restaurant website builder BentoBox raises $16.4M in Series B funding
12. Streetwear marketplace Bump raises $7.5M in Series A funding
China:
1. China Mobile, CICT Open Country’s First Smart 5G Production Line
2. JD.com reportedly planning to lay off as many as 12,000 employees
3. Bytedance gets $1.3 billion big bank loan from the Wall Street banks
5. Kunlun Wanwei 昆仑万维 plans to invest $50 million in unmanned technology company Pony
6. Jingdong Digital Branch 京东数科 to take over the P2P platform
Cross-border:
1. Cathay Innovation and AfricInvest to raise $168M Africa VC fund
2. Southeast Asia’s Carousell snags $56M from Naspers-owned OLX
3. ShopBack, a cashback startup in Asia Pacific, raises $45M from Rakuten and others
4. US mobile marketing platform Clevertap bags $26m from Sequoia India, others
5. Sequoia Capital China backs $16m round for US-based biotech company Cullgen
Blockchain:
1. Coinbase launches a debit card in the UK to make it easier to pay with cryptocurrencies
2. Bittrex virtual currency license rejected by New York financial regulator
Mobile:
1. March mobile phone shipments to China fall 6 percent as economy slows
2. Foldable phones to remain a niche product by 2023 – market research firm Gartner
Emerging Market:
2. AirTrunk banks $332 million financing for Singapore data center
4. Indonesian job portal Ekrut raises pre-series A funding from Venturra Discovery, others
Cover picture credits to TechCrunch.