Dear Lion Herald Readers,
It has been a long time since I last published here. Today, I am glad to finally have the opportunity to write this newsletter.
I wish I could say I was busy working on more interesting projects, but the truth is, I was stuck.
After testing all the concepts I had in mind about what a tech news platform should be, I realized that all my assumptions were false.
It became obvious to me that I needed to pause and learn more about how I can contribute and produce valuable content that can make an impact, and it is not easy.
Since my last newsletter in March, I have published a few articles on lionherald.com. The rest of the time, I was exploring the world of SaaS and learning how to build client acquisition systems for internet-based businesses.
I have to say that I am enjoying it; there is a lot of innovation and wisdom to be unpacked, and many inspiring stories to share. That is what I will focus on going forward.
One thing has never changed, though: I still believe that knowing what is happening in digital tech is crucial. So, from time to time, I will share news stories that are interesting and worth your time.
So, let’s get to it.
Fabrice Iranzi, Editor in Chief/ LionHerald.com
IN TODAY’S EDITION
- Flo Achieves Unicorn Status with $200 Million Series C Round. The women’s Health App Joins UK’s 2024 Unicorns After $200M Funding.
- UK’s Luminous XR Wins £1M for US Expansion and New XR Training Tool
- Intel Triumphs Over R2 Semiconductor in London Patent Battle
- Bending Spoons Acquires WeTransfer in Fifth Deal of 2024
- Uber and BYD Partner to Add 100,000 EVs to Ride-Hailing Fleet
- NEWLY LAUNCHED
Newly Launched, is a section dedicated to presenting my picks of interesting SaaS launches worth testing and exploring.
1.ezyClients: Simplify Client Onboarding
Meet ezyClients, the new all-in-one platform designed to streamline client onboarding and document collection.
Launched by CEO Akmyrat, ezyClients eliminates email follow-ups and status checks, allowing clients to securely upload documents with automatic reminders.
Customizable workflows enable file sharing, form creation, e-signatures, and auto-completing PDFs, all in one place.
2. Rome AI: AI-Generated Podcasts on Any Topic
Introducing Rome AI, your new AI-powered podcast creator. Co-founder Daryl’s brainchild, Rome, crafts 15-20 minute podcasts on any topic you choose.
The app’s knowledge agent researches the web, identifies key subtopics, and narrates informative episodes.
Perfect for learning on the go, Rome makes it easy to explore everything from neural networks to historical events.
JULY 31, BRIEFING
Flo Becomes a Unicorn: $200M Boost Propels Women’s Health App to Billion-Dollar Club
This week, women’s health app Flo has achieved unicorn status with a $200 million Series C funding round, valuing the company at over $1 billion.
Flo joins other UK unicorns of 2024, such as ElevenLabs, Quantinuum, and Wayve, in achieving this valuation milestone.
The Series C funding round was led by General Atlantic, a New York-based private equity firm.
Launched in 2016, Flo addresses various stages of women’s health, including menstruation, conception, pregnancy, and menopause. It offers health insights, expert tips, and a digital community.
Flo has been downloaded more than 100 million times, making it one of the most popular health apps.
Flo aims to reach one billion users globally and will offer free access to its premium features in 66 countries, including India, Indonesia, and Nigeria.
Luminous XR Lands £1M to Conquer US Market with Game-Changing XR Training Tool
Luminous XR, a UK-based startup specializing in extended reality (XR) software, has secured £1 million from the North East Venture Fund (NEVF), managed by Mercia Ventures. This brings the company’s total funding to £3.55 million.
The new funds will support Luminous XR’s expansion into the US market and their recent contract with a major oil provider in the Middle East.
CEO Ben Bennett highlighted that the new funding will help the company enhance its sales and marketing efforts, aiming to revolutionize training with XR technology.
The company will soon launch FLOW, a virtual reality content authoring tool designed to simplify and speed up the creation of training content by eliminating coding requirements.
Founded in 2006 and shifting to virtual reality in 2016, Luminous XR develops metaverse-style training programs for health and safety in sectors like energy, manufacturing, and industry.
Luminous XR, headquartered in Newcastle with offices in Bahrain and Texas, USA, employs 30 staff and has received successive funding from Mercia Ventures since 2017.
Intel Wins UK Patent Clash Against R2 Semiconductor
On July 31, 2024, Intel won a legal battle in London against U.S. rival R2 Semiconductor, who had sought an injunction to prevent Intel from selling certain chips.
The High Court, led by Judge Richard Hacon, ruled in favor of Intel, declaring R2’s patent invalid due to a lack of “inventive step” over prior inventions. However, the court noted that Intel would have infringed the patent had it been valid.
This ruling contrasts with a February decision from a German court in Düsseldorf, which found that Intel products did infringe R2’s patent. This German ruling is currently under appeal.
R2 Semiconductor sued Intel in London in 2022, claiming that Intel’s chips with fully integrated voltage regulators infringed on R2’s patent related to on-chip power supplies.
Both companies are also involved in similar legal disputes in France and Italy.
Bending Spoons Makes Waves: Acquires WeTransfer in 2024 Deal Frenzy
On July 31, 2024, Milan-based app developer Bending Spoons acquired file-sharing platform WeTransfer. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
This acquisition is Bending Spoons’ fifth deal in 2024. The company had raised $155 million in February, boosting its valuation to $2.55 billion.
Founded in 2009 in the Netherlands, WeTransfer allows users to transfer large files online. It has 600,000 subscribers and 80 million monthly active users.
WeTransfer had planned an initial public offering (IPO) in Amsterdam in 2022 with a valuation target of up to 716 million euros, but the plan was canceled due to market conditions.
Prior to acquiring WeTransfer, Bending Spoons acquired digital publishing platform Issuu in July, live streaming app StreamYard in May, and also purchased the digital assets of Mosaic Group and Meetup earlier in the year.
Uber and BYD Unite: 100,000 New EVs to Electrify Ride-Hailing Worldwide
On July 31, 2024, Uber and Chinese automaker BYD announced a multi-year partnership to introduce 100,000 new electric vehicles (EVs) to the Uber platform globally.
The partnership will first roll out in Europe and Latin America, with plans to expand to the Middle East, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
The collaboration will provide drivers with accessible pricing, financing options, and discounts on vehicle maintenance, charging, and leasing to encourage EV adoption.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi highlighted that EVs used by Uber drivers can deliver up to four times the emissions benefits compared to regular vehicles due to higher usage.
BYD, which was the world’s largest EV maker last year, is competing with Tesla, which is set to unveil its robotaxi in October. Tesla is also collaborating with Uber in the U.S. to promote EV use among its drivers.
Uber aims to achieve an emission-free ride-hailing service in U.S. and Canadian cities by 2030.
Thank you for reading, see you in the next edition
For more insights or to discuss these stories, reach out to Fabrice Iranzi at 077706122028 or email iranzi@lionherald.com. Connect with us from Lincoln, United Kingdom, and stay updated on SaaS industry and the latest digital tech trends!