Welcome, people, to Week in Review (WiR), Ztoog’s common publication masking noteworthy happenings within the tech trade.
This week, Google launched two new open massive language fashions, Gemma 2B and Gemma 7B, in its continued bid for generative AI dominance. The firm, which describes the LLMs as “inspired by Gemini,” its flagship household of GenAI fashions, made every accessible for industrial and analysis utilization.
Elsewhere, embattled database firm MariaDB revealed that it may very well be taken non-public in a $37 million deal. The nonbinding proposal comes 14 months after MariaDB went public by way of SPAC, Paul writes.
Lots else occurred. We recap all of it on this version of WiR — however first, a reminder to enroll to obtain the WiR publication in your inbox each Saturday.
News
Tragedy: Earlier this week, Marco Troper, the 19-year-old son of former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, was discovered lifeless at UC Berkeley of an obvious drug overdose.
Cake sale: The way forward for bankrupt electrical motorcycle startup Cake continues to be unsure, however the majority of its U.S. stock goes to a person in Florida, Sean stories.
Change Healthcare hit: Change Healthcare, one of many largest healthcare tech firms within the U.S., confirmed {that a} cyberattack on its methods occurred just lately.
Rivan layoffs: Rivian is laying off 10% of its salaried workforce in a bid to chop prices in an more and more powerful marketplace for electrical automobiles, placing much more strain on its future, extra reasonably priced EV referred to as the R2.
Dunzo buyout: Indian e-commerce large Flipkart has held discussions in current weeks about probably buying Dunzo, the hyperlocal supply startup backed by Reliance Retail, Manish stories.
More privateness: Signal now helps you to maintain your telephone quantity non-public with the launch of usernames.
YouTube triumphant: YouTube dominates TV streaming within the U.S., per Nielsen’s newest report.
Valuation lower: Byju’s says its just lately launched $200 million rights difficulty has been absolutely subscribed, however the startup’s founder urged a few of its main traders to take part amid a rift between the edtech group and a few of its largest shareholders, Manish writes.
Funding
Lucrative grooming: France-based Planity has raised $48 million to develop its software-as-a-service product for hair salons.
Brick-laying robots: Dutch startup Monumental landed a $25 million tranche for its robotic carts and arms that assist lay bricks for development.
Analysis
Segment underneath menace: Alex and Ron check out the the explanation why Segment, the client knowledge firm, may very well be put up on the market by company father or mother Twilio. Activist strain has rather a lot to do with it.
Podcasts
On Equity, the crew talked about Reddit’s upcoming IPO, together with some spectacular raises for edtech startup Loora, Bioptimus and Dili.
Found dove into the big internet of the marriage trade with Shan-Lyn Ma, the co-founder and CEO of Zola. Ma talked about why she determined to launch the enterprise after making an attempt to purchase a present for a good friend and realizing that marriage ceremony registries have been nonetheless residing up to now.
And Chain Reaction had on Steve Kaczynski, co-author of the e book “The Everything Token” and co-host of the web3 morning present “Coffee with Captain.”
Bonus spherical
New AI chip enterprise: SoftBank Group’s Masayoshi Son is reportedly searching for $100 billion to construct a new enterprise that’d compete with the likes of Nvidia within the space of AI chips.
OnePlus returns to watches: OnePlus’ upcoming Watch 2 — the corporate’s first smartwatch in years — guarantees a jaw-dropping 100 hours “in full Smart Mode.”