Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
The Green New Deal introduced by Democratic lawmakers could be a positive sign for startups working in such areas as transportation, energy and finance, writes Jonathan Shieber. Even if the bill ends up being merely a "conversation starter" for more modest goals, that could be good news "for the investors whose technologies are likely to be called upon to provide solutions," he notes.
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The self-driving vehicle startup Optimus Ride is planning a small-scale test of its technology confined to residents of a specific development in Reston, Va. The move "underscores the need for self-driving car operators to rein in their ambitions before going public," writes Andrew Hawkins.
The rising tide of nationalism around the world poses challenges to the business model of Stripe, the San Francisco-based payments company valued at roughly $23 billion. Its next large target market is India, but Stripe also hopes to expand in small EU nations such as Latvia and Poland.
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In some cases, investors may offer pre-emptive funding offers even before founders have a chance to make a formal pitch, writes Aaron Harris. Consider several factors -- including the money and equity involved -- when deciding whether to accept this kind of offer.
Food startups must have a solid financial model to show potential investors, says Farmer's Fridge founder and CEO Luke Saunders. He also says it's essential to speak to a lot of investors and network to find the right one, since the majority are likely to say no.
Businesses can invest in top-notch cybersecurity, but human error -- made easier to exploit due to widespread use of the vulnerable Active Directory tool -- will render it useless. Ultimately, locking access to company data at various points will make it more difficult for hackers to act as impersonators and access sensitive digital information.
Software startup Maxta told its employees that it was shutting down after being unable to raise new funding, but it is keeping a support team in place for the moment. "The future is very unclear to us," said Yoram Novick, CEO of Maxta.
