Archive for June 2015
Backed by FoxConn, PIQ partners with Mobitee to launch first connected Golf experience
This connected startup seemingly came out of nowhere last month when they announced they’d raised $5.5 Million led by FoxConn. At the time, their platform and sensors left much to the imagination, but this latest product launch announcements gives insight into where PIQ may be headed. PIQ is partnering with Mobitee, who makes the most […]
LINE Stickers still are a thing
Although there are not many of us in Western Europe who use LINE as their primary messaging app (outside of Spain, where LINE penetration is remarkable), the multi-purpose platform that is LINE continues to entertain and stimulate creative new use cases around the world, like being coupled with Instagram to drive e-commerce in Thailand. I […]
Recessions & Revolutions: France's Balancing Act.
Photo: Uber protests earlier this year in Madrid. Once again I find myself face-to-face with a digital culture clash. It’s nearly impossible to imagine that Rude Baguette readers haven’t been following as images, videos, news reports, and responses concerning the taxi protest against Uber have reached a new peak. 18 months ago, I wrote about […]
Snips raises €3 Million to make your day more artificially intelligent
While Snips was founded in January of 2013, their first product, Tranquilien – an app which optimizes your public transportation experience – was born out of an open data hackathon organized in June 2012. The 6,000€ prize money resulted in the product being launched one year later – SNCF has since come under fire around […]
TextMaster raises €4 million to take their translation marketplace global
‘Qualified’ crowdsourced translation marketplace TextMaster (and also part of the eFounders universe) has raised a new round of €4 million. New investor Serena Capital led the round, while previous investor Alven Capital joined as well. This brings the total amount Textmaster has raised thus far to €6.5 million. When they raised €1 million roughly 1 […]
Sierra Wireless acquire Mobiquithings to scale up their IoT Network
Sierra Wireless has acquired French IoT startup Mobiquithings, the two companies announced this week. The acquisition, which will accelerate growth for Sierra Wireless as an IoT network provider, is yet another exit for the French IoT space, after Alcatel-Lucent sold to Nokia earlier this year. Notably, Mobiquithings, which provides similar network services to that of […]
Does France need Axelle Lemaire?
This week, France learned that Axelle Lemaire, State Secretary in charge of the Digital Economy, was nearly given the boot by her superior, Emmanuel Macron, Minister of the Economy. Reported by Mediapart[fr], Macron was apparently blocked by Prime Minister Manuel Valls, stirring up questions about who is on whose side. I could care less about those […]
Introducing ILY – Slack for families
Are families ready for their own platform? Insensi thinks so. Founder Ilan Abehassera (previously founder of Producteev, which sold to Jive Software in 2012) revealed what Insensi has been so quietly working on for the past year: ILY. ILY is a device, but it’s also a platform for families. It’s part Path, part Skype, part […]
Is corporate VC a KPI for a bubble ?
It feels like there are an awful lot of corporations setting up venture capital departments these days. I say ‘feels’, because my evidence was purely intuitive and anecdotal… until now. Compiling the data for global corporate venture deals all the way back to 1995 proved challenging. In fact, there were so many conflicting sources that […]
Augure acquires #ParisFounders alumnus Wisemetrics for their social media analytics software
Three months after raising €15 Million, Augure has acquired social analytics startup Wisemetrics, a #ParisFounders demo alumni who attended Warner’s media incubator in Los Angeles last year. Augure, most well known for its Influencer Engagement software, is in the process of pushing in the US market, and the reach and network, as well as the […]