NYC tech will soon get its own exclusive clubhouse
Coming this spring to Manhattan: a members-only social club exclusively for members of the NYC tech scene. “Betaworks Studios” as it has been dubbed, will serve as a networking hub for engineers, VCs, entrepreneurs and anyone else who might fall under the tech umbrella. Betaworks Studios points to the continued rise of membership-only spaces, such as The Wing and SoHo House, that emphasize career. Reportedly, one year of membership at Betaworks Studios will set you back $2,400 — so start saving now. [Business Insider]
Job listings hint that Spotify may soon break into the devices market
Just when you were almost done debating whether you needed the Alexa, the Echo or the HomePod — there may soon be an even fresher contender on the market. Keen-eyed job hunters noticed that Spotify is current seeking individuals with “hardware product” development experience to help create the streaming giant’s “first physical products.” While the specifics of the products aren’t yet publicly known, maybe someone reading this could apply for the job and let us all in on the dish? [TechCrunch]
LiveLike VR raises biggest funding to date to bring sports to your virtual world
After being founded in 2015, LiveLike has hit the ground running and hasn’t stopped since. The company, who focuses on delivering mind-blowing sports experiences through virtual reality, just raked in a cool $9.6 million in its Series B round. The company plans on using this latest round in order to scale the business to meet ever-increasing demand. Last year alone, LiveLike crafted more than 300 unique hours of original material. [Crunchbase]
Swiss Pharmacy Giant Roche to acquire NYC’s Flatiron Health in $1.9B deal
Flatiron Health, the cancer-focused health startup based in NYC, is reportedly in the process of being acquired by Roche Group, a Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company. Roche previously invested in Flatiron Health during the company’s $175 million Series C round back in 2016. Now, Roche will fork over another $1.9 billion in order to bring the company under its umbrella. Despite the acquisition, Flatiron Health will maintain both its name and its employees. [CNBC]
Hyperrealistic vegan sausage, a Silicon Valley favorite, now available in NYC
If you aren’t hip to the latest in faux meat news, let me get you up to speed: Beyond Meat is an LA-based producer of vegan meat products whose investors include Bill Gates and Tyson Foods. Their products are reported to be so realistic, the burger even “bleeds” (the blood is just beet juice, but still). Now, those eager to see what the hype is about can try the brand’s equally-popular Beyond Sausage Schaller’s Stube Sausage Bar on the Upper East Side. Has technology gone too far...or just far enough? [LiveKindly]
