Maria Deutscher
Latest from Maria Deutscher
OctoML turns AI models into ‘portable software functions’ with new platform release
OctoML Inc. today updated its artificial intelligence development platform with new features designed to ease the work of enterprise software teams. Seattle-based OctoML was founded in 2019 by a group of University of Washington researchers. Since then, the startup has raised more than $130 million in funding from investors. OctoML provides a platform that can ...
Cerebras Systems sets AI training record with its ‘wafer-scale’ chip
Cerebras Systems Inc. today announced that its CS-2 hardware system is now capable of training neural networks with up to 20 billion parameters, which the startup says represents an industry record. The CS-2 is a data center appliance powered by Cerebras’ WSE-2 chip. The WSE-2 (pictured) features a so-called wafer-scale architecture optimized for AI workloads ...
Amazon appoints Doug Herrington CEO of its Worldwide Amazon Stores business
Amazon.com Inc. today announced that Doug Herrington will become chief executive officer of its Worldwide Amazon Stores business, which manages the company’s e-commerce marketplace and other consumer services. The business was until recently known as the Worldwide Consumer group. The group is currently led by Dave Clark, a longtime Amazon executive who recently announced plans ...
LeadSquared raises $153M at $1B valuation to streamline companies’ sales efforts
LeadSquared today said that it has raised $153 million in funding to grow the adoption of its namesake software platform, which helps more than 2,000 companies manage their sales efforts. WestBridge Capital led the round with participation from multiple existing investors. LeadSquared, which is incorporated as MarketXpander Services Pvt Ltd., is now valued at $1 ...
DocuSign CEO Dan Springer resigns amid slower growth
Electronic signature provider DocuSign Inc. today announced that Chief Executive Officer Dan Springer, who led the company through its 2018 initial public offering, has stepped down. DocuSign has appointed board chair Maggie Wilderotter as interim CEO. The company said that Wilderotter, a former CEO of telecommunications provider Frontier Communications Corp., will “help the senior executive ...
Nvidia, Meta and others team up to form Metaverse Standards Forum
More than two dozen tech firms and industry groups are teaming up to launch the Metaverse Standards Forum, a new consortium focused on supporting the development of the metaverse. The launch of the consortium was announced this morning. The metaverse is envisioned as a future version of the internet that would include more augmented reality ...
Platform.sh nabs $140M to help developers build web services more efficiently
Platform.sh SAS, which provides a popular platform for building websites and cloud applications, today announced that it has secured a $140 million investment to support growth initiatives. The investment was co-led by Revaia, Digital Partners and Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital. Platform.sh’s total outside funding now stands at $187 million. Building a website or a cloud application ...
Lightning AI raises $40M in funding to streamline AI development projects
Artificial intelligence startup Lightning AI Inc. today announced that it has secured $40 million in funding from a group of investors led by Coatue. Index Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, First Minute Capital and Mantis VC participated in the round as well. Lightning AI, which was until recently known as Grid.ai, previously raised $18.6 million from ...
EU introduces new code of practice for combating disinformation
The European Commission today detailed a new set of rules designed to combat disinformation on online platforms. There are 34 signatories to the rules, which are known as the Code of Practice on Disinformation. The signatories include Meta Platforms Inc., Google LLC and Twitter Inc. The three tech giants are joined by a number of ...
Real-estate technology unicorn HomeLight raises $115M
Real-estate technology startup HomeLight Inc. today announced that it has raised $60 million in equity funding and $55 million in debt financing at a $1.7 billion valuation. The equity funding was provided by prominent technology investor Oren Zeev. Zeev’s venture capital fund also led HomeLight’s previous funding round, a $100 million raise announced last September. ...