Pitt, French company reach agreement to help make leap in AI-fueled health research

Pitt received more than $508 million from federal agencies, including $432 million from the Department of Health and Human Services, $47 million from the Department of Defense and $20 million from the National Science Foundation. The collaboration will allow Owkin’s machine learning to safely and securely access a database of mesothelioma blood and tissue specimens of patients.


DocSend’s new pre-seed data shows how many founders you should have and how many investors you should meet

DocSend has become one of the most popular tools for sharing venture fundraise decks, not only because of the control it offers, but also because of the analytics it can provide founders on how VCs read decks and where they might get stuck as they are perusing from slide to slide.


Op-Ed: The coronavirus outbreak is already changing the world

Coronavirus will change the world. The “how” is growing clearer with each day of its global spread. Unpredictable events produce unforeseen outcomes. Yet sift carefully through the deluge of reporting, and one can discern the first outlines of how this entrepreneurial pathogen will leave its mark.


Citing concern over COVID-19, Y Combinator moves demo day online – TechCrunch

Startup accelerator Y Combinator announced today that it has moved its demo day online, citing a “growing concern over COVID-19,” or coronavirus. The demo day has historically drawn crowds of Silicon Valley elite, journalists and both national and international venture capitalists to watch more than 100 startups come out to the world. 


1871 business incubator acquires Illinois Technology Association

The operator of the 1871 technology hub said Tuesday it has taken over most assets and programs of the Illinois Technology Association, a move that unites two nonprofits that nurture economic growth in Chicago. Betsy Ziegler, CEO of 1871, said the acquisition will result in one organization that serves both as an incubator for startups and as a resource for more established companies.


Soledad O’Brien Isn’t Holding Back Anymore

Soledad O’Brien likes to tell a story: Eleven years ago, a senior employee at CNN — “my boss’s boss’s boss” — called her into his office to upbraid her about a comment she had made while promoting her multipart series Black in America. At a panel, O’Brien had said she had interviewed black parents from various socioeconomic backgrounds, all of whom said they had conversations with their sons about how to navigate interactions with police. The superior, who was white, told her this experience was not specific to people of color, and that white parents had this discussion with their sons too.


‘Not Worth The Risk’: Startups, VCs Backing Out Of SXSW Due To Coronavirus Concerns

Yesterday, Twitter and Facebook announced they would back out of the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival being held in Austin, Texas, this month due to fears over coronavirus (COVID-19). Today, Intel followed suit. A petition is being circulated by mostly Austin residents asking organizers to cancel the annual event (as of this morning, it had more than 31,000 signatures). Now it appears that startup founders and venture capitalists, too, are nixing plans to attend SXSW due to coronavirus concerns.


Meet Public.com, The Social Investing App That Will Smith and J.J. Watt Just Put Money In

One startup that’s out to make the whole investing process simpler and easier, Public.com, has just raised $15 million in Series B funding. Public.com is a self-described social investing app that aims to give people the ability to invest in companies using any amount of money — commission-free. With this round, New York-based Public.com has raised a total of nearly $24 million since its 2017 inception, according to Crunchbase.


London-Based Digital Bank Revolut Raises $500M To Reach $5.5B Valuation

British fintech startup Revolut reportedly raised $500 million in a new round of funding, lifting its valuation to $5.5 billion. The company, which was founded in 2015, is something like a new-age bank: Users can create accounts in the Revolut app and deposit and send money with it. Revolut wants to bring in 100 million customers in the next five years and expand outside of Europe, CEO Nik Storonsky told Bloomberg TV on Tuesday.


GSVlabs to Ignite Pittsburgh’s Innovation Economy

SILICON VALLEY and PITTSBURGH, February 25, 2020 — GSVlabs (Global Silicon Valley) mission is to support entrepreneurs and foster innovation around the world. With its digital innovation platform Passport™, home to over 20,000 community members, its 100+ ecosystem of global corporations, and flagship Innovation Centers located in Silicon Valley and Boston, GSVlabs continues its global expansion plans, rooting itself within strategic growth markets. And in February 2020, GSVlabs made its official commitment to making Pittsburgh its next Innovation Hub, having signed a long-term lease in the Roundhouse, located in Almono’s stunning new Hazelwood Green development.