Investors back Calm meditation app. It's The Daily Crunch.

Wednesday, June 20, 2018 Posted by bloggerdaddy
THE DAILY CRUNCH
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20 2018 By Anthony Ha

A big valuation for a meditation app, tech companies join the outcry against U.S. border policy and Facebook announces a platform for game shows. Here's your Daily Crunch for June 20, 2018.

1. Meditation app Calm hits a $250M valuation amid an explosion of interest in mindfulness apps

Just a few years ago, it would have seemed like a tall order to convince investors that a meditation app could become a big business. And before this, Calm had only raised $1.5 million in funding.

Co-founder Michael Acton Smith suggested that this funding shows how we're starting to borrow from eastern philosophy and take mental health as seriously as physical fitness: "This crossover is just beginning to happen in a big way."

2. Tech leaders condemn policy leading to family separations at the border

I know some of you don't like it when the newsletter gets political, but this is an issue that Apple, Microsoft, Google and Facebook have all felt compelled to speak out on.

3. Atul Gawande, the doctor and writer, named CEO of Amazon's employee healthcare JV

Just another reason to finally make time to read Gawande's book Being Mortal.

4. Amazon Prime Wardrobe officially launches to all U.S. Prime members

Prime Wardrobe, Amazon's "try before you buy" shopping service first announced last summer, is officially out of beta and open to all Prime members in the U.S.

5. Facebook launches gameshows platform with interactive video

Instead of just building a competitor to the HQ trivia app, Facebook is announcing its own platform for HQ competitors, with Fresno's What's In The Box and BuzzFeed News' Outside Your Bubble as launch partners.

6. Aaptiv raises $22M from Amazon, Disney and more for its "Netflix for fitness", now valued over $200M

The round includes a bunch of strategic investors — the aforementioned Amazon (through its Alexa Fund) and Disney, as well as Warner Music Group.

7. Keepsafe launches a privacy-focused mobile browser

Keepsafe CEO Zouhair Belkoura said that when it comes to your online activity, there are different levels of privacy. There's the question of the government and large tech companies accessing our personal data, but also "the nosy neighbor problem." Keepsafe Browser addresses both.

Get more stories at techcrunch.com 

Newest Jobs From CrunchBoard:

SEE MORE JOBS ON CRUNCHBOARD
Post your tech jobs and reach millions of TechCrunch readers for only $200 per month
Facebook   Twitter   Youtube   Instagram   Flipboard
View this email online in your browser
If you do not want to receive this email or you would like to update your preferences click here.
410 Townsend Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
© 2018 Oath Tech Network. All rights reserved.   TechCrunch is now a part of Oath and a part of Verizon. On May 25th 2018 we will be introducing a new unified Oath Terms of Service and Privacy Policy which will explain how your data is used and shared. Learn More.
                                                           
Labels:

Post a Comment