As Monday morning rolls in, we’re providing TechWire readers with a quick recap of the past week’s news headlines.
Here was the hot news for January 6-10: Several NC companies presented their technology at CES; Wake County approved a $1.4 million incentive deal for Microsoft as it plans to make 500 new hires in Morrisville; Zillow named Raleigh among the “most livable” markets for tech jobs; new data shows rents are rising as available office space declines across the Triangle’s corporate real estate market; Wells Fargo economist Mark Vitner shared his take on the 2020 economy; four years since a motorcycle accident left Whisky Kitchen Owner Michael Thor a quadriplegic, he finally got to test drive his new robotic arm.
We also covered NC Chamber’s Economic Forecast Forum: At the event, a panel of local economists and keynote speaker Truist CEO Kelly King downplayed the possibility of a recession. In another session, NC Economic Development Partnership CEO Chris Chung hinted that attendees can expect more job announcements for NC in the next few weeks.
Several North Carolina companies announced funding rounds last week, including: Durham-based Clutch Inc. ($5 million), Durham-based Boragen Inc. ($2 million), Raleigh-based Revibe ($250,000), Durham-based BioSkryb ($11.5 million), Charlotte-based AvidXchange ($130 million) and Raleigh-based Medicom Technologies ($700,000).
- Check out TechWire’s comprehensive resource package for Triangle startups.
And, in national news: The U.S. economy added 145,000 jobs in December as the unemployment rate remains at a historic low of 3.5%; Facebook is ramping up its policies to remove deepfakes; the Trump administration is proposing new rules to regulate artificial intelligence; over 100 College Humor employees were laid off as owners sold the site.
Keeping with our Monday tradition, here’s a look back at 75 local, state and national headlines as reported by WRAL TechWire last week:
MONDAY January 6 Headlines:
- 4 tech companies are worth about $1 trillion. Can you guess which ones?
- ‘Alexa, pay for the gas:’ Voice command tech coming to ExxonMobile
- Bank of America to help fund possible takeover of HP by Xerox, report says
- Clutch Inc., parent to Durham antiperspirant company Carpe, raises $5M
- Durham startup unveils autonomous vehicle guidance device
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- How watching TV will change in the 2020s
- Looking to network? Here are 139 tech & startup meetups in Triangle
- Molecule development startup Boragen raises $2M in equity
- NC economic forecasts, emerging trends and recaps of 2019 kick off a busy 2020
- NC event headliners preview: Cape Fear Women’s Summit, Outlook for Tech, Seed the South + more
- New media agency hopes to serve Charlotte’s high-tech market
- On the NC event horizon: 50+ workshops, conferences, socials & other events in Feb.
- Tech Today: TransEnterix ‘transformative year;’ Qorvo smarthome; Ironshore, BDSI exec news; AI investing
- TechWire rewind: Recapping 45 headlines to kick off a New Year
- Triangle Jan. event headliners: CET Conference, Startup Summit, Health Innovation + more
- US cracks down on artificial intelligence imagery software exports
- US economy remains a ‘jobs machine,’ but will growth continue in 2020?
TUESDAY January 7 Headlines:
- Cooper witnesses first air taxi demonstration in North America
- Expect more job announcements ‘in next couple of weeks,’ says NC’s Economic Development Partnership CEO
- Facebook banning ‘deepfake’ videos but not parodies or satire
- Fresh from raising $2M, RTP startup Boragen lands R&D deal for animal health
- From giants to startups, 20+ NC firms touting their tech at Consumer Electronics Show
- Melisse Shaban’s Colorkick hair products honored among greatest innovations of 2019
- Plant-based pork? Yes, says Impossible Foods
- Seed-to-sale hemp startup in Roxboro plans to scale with $6M investment
- Security firm: Iranian cyberattack threat should be taken seriously – here’s what to do
- Trump administration proposes new rules to regulate artificial intelligence
- UNC’s Morehead Planetarium lends support to Useful Science podcast
- Wake leaders approve $1.4M deal for Microsoft jobs, investment
- Wearable tech startup Revibe lands $250,000 investment from The Launch Place
WEDNESDAY January 8 Headlines:
- 2020 predictions for tech, business – from an Internet of Things perspective
- Are we heading for a recession in 2020? Economists downplay the possibility
- At ‘Pints and Pitches,’ entrepreneurs share ideas with investors, network over beers
- Automated Insights, InfiniaML CEO Robbie Allen launches new venture – here’s the story in his own words
- Cary-based Altavant Sciences acquires drug firm in first deal as part of new conglomerate
- Durham startup plans to cure baldness with LED light
- From first 5G laptop to foldable, gaming laptop Lenovo makes headlines at CES
- Here’s how Smithfield Foods is turning wastewater at largest pork plant into electricity
- Raleigh Chamber ‘Launch 2020’ previews trends in real estate, talent, economy & more
- Study: Raleigh No. 8, Durham No. 15 among best metros for telecommuters
- Truist CEO Kelly King warns: ‘Let’s not talk ourselves into a recession’
- What to do when no TP? Yell for the RollBot
THURSDAY January 9 Headlines:
- Billionaire giving away $9M on Twitter to see if money makes followers happier
- Companies in a ‘bloodbath’ for talent in 2020, say experts
- Durham firm Alcami sells Netherlands-based drug manufacturing facility
- Durham genetics tech startup BioSkryb lands $11.5M in funding
- East Carolina University’s entrepreneurship program wins national honor
- Entrepreneurs, looking for help? Here are programs of interest from dollars to development
- Facebook won’t put limits on political ads despite pressure to do so
- Microsoft develops tech to detect online predators targeting children
- No joke: CollegeHumor website is sold by Barry Diller, 100 jobs cut
- Paralyzed Raleigh restaurant co-owner prepares to test drive robotic arm
- Report: Rents surge, vacancies decline across Triangle corporate real estate market
- ‘Robot man:’ Restaurant co-owner test drives robotic arm 4 years after paralyzing accident
- Study: Raleigh among ‘most livable’ up-and-coming markets for tech jobs
- Verizon separates cable TV, internet offerings in revamp of service offerings
- Wells Fargo economist touts strong economy in 2020 but sees possible threats
FRIDAY January 10 Headlines:
- Amazon-owned Whole Foods to lay off 102 employees with closing of its gluten-free bakehouse
- Another positive jobs report expected Friday, experts say
- A world first: Triangle’s Locus Biosciences to launch major gene editing trial
- Best-selling author J.D. Vance to target Triangle startups with new VC firm
- Charlotte unicorn AvidXchange raises $130M in new funding
- Cofounders Capital adds founder of Durham startup Shoeboxed to its venture team
- Epic Games, CEO Tim Sweeney, Pendo, Bull City Venture Partners take home WRAL.com Voters’ Choice Awards
- Jess Porta: HQ Raleigh builds for 2020 from milestones in 2019
- Jobless rate remains 3.5% – historic low – as US adds 145,000 jobs
- Machine learning shapes microwaves for a computer’s eyes
- Pest management strategy next step toward increasing sorghum production in NC
- Raleigh medtech firm Medicom looking to raise $1M, closes on $700,000
- RTP ‘biotool’ startup SciKon Innovation files for bankruptcy
- Scooter, bike-sharing startup Lime lays off 100, stops service in 12 cities
- Tech Today: Biogen loses patent fight; Syneos Health deal; ArchiveSocial growth, more
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- Video: How homes are changing via tech – highlights from CES