business news

Amazon buys Zoox

Amazon Gets a New Lift

Amazon recently announced it is acquiring Zoox, a 6-year-old startup designing self-driving cars. Zoox raised $955 million in venture-backed funding to build progressive mobility options and meet urban transportation needs. Autonomous car company Zoox now owned by Amazon Aicha Evans, Zoox CEO, and Jesse Levinson, co-founder and CTO, will continue to lead the team. Zoox is working on developing zero-emission vehicles that can be autonomously ridden. The company is also devising an end-to-end autonomy software stack, to…


Re-opening post Corona will mean new innovations

Capitalizing on New Market & Tech Opportunities

With most states loosening some restrictions and businesses approved to reopen, many tech and design companies are expanding to new markets: touchless fever scanners, apps to plan socially-distant office spaces, sensors to limit touching in highly frequented areas, and scheduling platforms to prevent crowding in public spaces. Truework, for example, is an income verification start-up, that has launched software to allow employers to track workers’ health status. Gensler, an architecture and planning company, has improved…


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Loans for Small Businesses affected by Corona

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced an assistance program offering monetary relief to small businesses affected by the coronavirus outbreak. NY’s small businesses will be entitled to corona rehab loan Businesses with fewer than 100 employees can apply for an interest-free loan up to $75,000. The loans are intended for businesses in the service industry, like restaurants and caterers, that have kept employees on payroll and seen a decline in revenues. The repayment plan for the loan is…


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A Business Model that Works (and Thrives) During a Pandemic

As Americans are under strict orders to stay home to curb the spread of the Coronavirus, businesses offering virtual experiences, online resources, or delivery services are able to do exceptionally well. Meal delivery services, like Blue Apron and Hello Fresh are seeing significant growth in customers. With cooking being a favorite pastime (and necessity), it is no wonder that consumers are looking for ways to prepare healthful and hearty meals with none of the shopping, hassle, or…


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New Golf Greens in New York

Topgolf Entertainment is opening its first New York location. The new three-level Topgolf venue will open in Suffolk County, New York. It is slated to be a tech-driven place to play through point-scoring games, with 102 bays and a chef-driven menu. The climate-controlled outdoor space will have year-round activities for all age groups. New York is getting its first Topgolf venue Expected to generate some 500 jobs, Topgolf is also slated to offer golf lessons…


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New York’s Wine Industry is 3rd in Nation

New York state’s wine industry — from grape growing to sales – yields an annual economic impact of $6.65 billion. It is the 3rd leading wine-producing state in the U.S. and has created nearly 80,000 jobs, according to a recently released analysis commissioned by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation. New York’s wine industry 3rd largest in the nation Its size notwithstanding, New York’s wine and grape business is controlled mostly by small, family-owned producers, NYW&G…


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New York’s Healthcare and Tech Sectors Grow in 2019-20

New York City continued its employment expansion in 2019, and is well on track to see continued growth in 2020 as well. This trend is a result of ongoing healthcare hiring in start-ups and well-established businesses, business services, and the boom in technology-related jobs. Overall, these jobs compensated for a downturn in employment in other urban industries like construction, real estate, hospitality, and finance. Healthcare and tech jobs grew in New York City in 2019…


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NY’s Newest Transportation Option

Getting to and from New York’s busiest airports is now slightly easier with Uber’s latest offering: Uber Copter. Uber Copter rides will take you from Manhattan to any NY airport. Travelers book a helicopter ride with Uber Copter in the same way they would an Uber. With a price tag of $199.82, the app will reserve a heliport lift from Manhattan to any of New York’s airports. The app will also allow users to tack…


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New Shared Space for Small Shops

Every small business owner knows that maintaining a storefront is a significant expense. For those building an online presence, building a client base can be a challenge as well. Now one company is bringing the models of popular “sharing economy” to retail.  ShopFulfill, a New York City-based startup is setting up Anchor shops across the city to give online retailers places to show their wares. The ShopFulfill model brings the best of both the e-commerce…


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New York Welcomes Start-Up Nation’s Best

New York’s growing tech force has led many Israeli high tech companies to open headquarters in the Big Apple. A report by the New York-Israel Business Alliance, an outfit promoting economic prospects between New York state and Israel, showed that Israeli-founded companies make a significant impact on the state economy: $18.6 billion in revenue in 2018. The study also found that between 2014 and 2016, Israeli start-ups secured $3.5 billion in venture capital funding. Just…