<div>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <p>
        Spotify, an online audio streaming platform, announced the acquisition of Podz, a podcast discovery platform, to accelerate its podcast-related efforts and offer listeners a more personalized experience. Spotify aims to &ldquo;accelerate the growth of the category worldwide&rdquo; with the addition of Podz&rsquo;s technology.
      </p>
    </li>
  </ul>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <p>
        Podz automatically generates a smart feed of podcasts, referred to as &ldquo;the first audio newsfeed,&rdquo; powered by machine learning and AI. The feed comprises high-quality 60-second clips from various podcasts, enabling listeners to browse, preview, and choose new podcasts faster. Prior to the acquisition, Podz had raised USD 2.5 million in pre-seed funding. It reported that the average podcast listener subscribes to seven podcasts but follows nearly 30 on Podz, showing promising early results.
      </p>
    </li>
  </ul>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <p>
        Spotify plans to integrate Podz&rsquo;s technology into its platform, which currently offers 2.6 million podcasts, and gradually roll out new features before the end of the year.
      </p>
    </li>
  </ul>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <p>
        The acquisition follows yesterday&rsquo;s launch of Spotify&rsquo;s live audio app, Greenroom, and a new Creator Fund. Spotify is competing head-on with Apple in the podcast subscriptions space, with Apple announcing podcast subscriptions in April. Spotify released its subscription offering the following week, having previewed the product in February. The company will direct 100% of the subscription revenue to the creator until 2023 and take a 5% cut thereafter. On the other hand, Apple will take 30% of podcast subscription revenue in the first year and 15% thereafter.
      </p>
    </li>
  </ul>
  <p>
  </p>
</div>


<div>
  <p>
    <a href="https://newsroom.spotify.com/2021-06-17/spotify-accelerates-podcast-discovery-with-acquisition-of-podz/">
      Company blog
    </a>
  </p>
  <p>
    <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2021/06/17/spotify-acquires-podz-a-podcast-discovery-app/">
      TechCrunch
    </a>
  </p>
  <p>
    <a href="https://9to5mac.com/2021/06/17/spotify-acquires-ai-focused-startup-to-improve-its-podcast-platform/">
      9to5 Mac
    </a>
  </p>
</div>


Creator Economy

Spotify focuses on podcast discovery efforts with the acquisition of Podz

Using AI to automate, enhance and optimize marketing activities

Marketing Automation

ANALYST_QUICK_TAKE

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>
 <p>AdTech company, GumGum, known for its contextual analytics intelligence platform, has incorporated ad media from Playground xyz into its operations in the Asia-Pacific region. This move completes the global rollout of its Mindset Platform, which had previously been launched in North America and Europe. This platform is devised to understand user mindsets and to deliver advertisements that are most likely to resonate with users.&nbsp;</p>
 <p>The Attention Intelligence Platform (AIP) of Playground xyz will continue to operate as a distinct data solution. It will measure attention for GumGum's media business across a variety of different platforms, such as Display, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and OLV.&nbsp;</p>
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake</b> :<br>
 The integration of Playground xyz's media portfolio into GumGum's APAC business is part of the company's strategy to solidify its position as a leader in digital advertising innovation. Building on the successful launch of The Mindset Platform in North America and Europe and the introduction of the <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/24563"> Mindset Index </a> for enhanced audience engagement measurement, this integration allows GumGum to leverage technology to deliver actionable insights and enhanced advertising solutions tailored to the unique needs of the APAC market.</p>

GumGum integrates Playground xyz's media portfolio into APAC business

More important now than ever, telehealth will long outlast the pandemic that drove its growth.

Telehealth

INCUMBENTS_PRESENT

<div>
 
 <p>UnitedHealth has unveiled plans to shut down its Optum Virtual Care Business, a piece of news that has been widely speculated in the media. The termination was communicated to staff on April 18, with a few contracts continuing until July. The company has yet to make the plan public. </p>
 <p>Additionally, an executive reshuffling at Optum Home &amp; Community and the Care Transitions sector will see Harrison Frist depart from his current role this summer, remaining momentarily in an advisory capacity. Heather Jarrett, who currently occupies the role of senior vice president of government clinical programs at UnitedHealth Group, is set to replace him.</p>
 <p>The company's home-based health care division, run under the Landmark Health banner, has also reduced its management ranks across the 37 states where it has operations. Even though precise data is not yet available, over 370 personnel, including health service directors, senior operations managers, ambassadors, and care coordinators, have reportedly lost their jobs at Landmark Health.</p>
 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> Recently, <b> </b> UnitedHealth Group has had several issues that have likely significantly contributed to the downsizing initiative. In an earnings call this week, the Group announced a loss of USD 1.4 billion for <a href="https:<br>
//www.unitedhealthgroup.com/content/dam/UHG/PDF/investors/2024/UNH-Q1-2024-Release.pdf"> Q1 2024 </a> , primarily driven by foreign exchange charges (amounting to <a href="https:<br>
//www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-29/unitedhealth-to-take-7-billion-charge-for-sale-of-brazil-unit"> USD 7 billion </a> ) associated with the sale of the company’s Brazilian operations and the impact of the company’s cyber-attack. While the cyber-attack only targeted UnitedHealth’s Change Healthcare, which provides revenue and payment cycle management solutions, the entire group and providers felt the effects.</p>

UnitedHealth announces closing virtual care business, management changes, and downsizing Landmark Health

<div>
 
 <p>Technology firm Owlet has teamed up with telehealth service Wheel to enable Wheel's medical team to prescribe Owlet's wire-free product, BabySat, a certified infant pulse oximetry sock.</p>
 <p>This collaboration lets Wheel oversee the BabySat virtual telehealth platform. Moreover, caregivers can acquire prescriptions for BabySat and the device itself through Wheel's portal or clinicians. Wheel collaborates with medical equipment suppliers who can invoice insurers for the product, reducing caregivers' burden.</p>
 
</div>

Owlet and Wheel partner to provide medical pulse oximetry sock for infants

Incorporating technology to improve efficiency and success rate of clinical trials

Clinical Trial Technology

<div>
  
  <p>Biopharmaceutical company Parexel has teamed up with Palantir Technologies to enhance clinical trial processes through AI integration. The AI platforms of Palantir, Foundry and AIP, will be used to refine manual process, improve data discoverability, and extract insights. This is expected to augment efficiency, halve data collection time, save expert's time, and speed up the drug marketing process by providing a quicker and more comprehensive insight into trial performance.</p>
  <p>Palantir, a developer of multiple AI tools, offers solutions to streamline and optimize operations in multiple sectors. The company has four AI tools with distinct uses and offers boot camps for customers to comprehend and leverage their selected tool effectively. Among the four tools, AIP is particularly useful in clinical trials for its specific functions related to trial site selection protocols and workflows, thus aiding in efficient site selection, planning, and analysis.</p>
  
</div>

Parexel integrates Palantir's AI systems into clinical trial operations for streamlined insights

Metaverse Experience Platforms

<div>

 <p>Game developer Studio369 has partnered with Mon Protocol, a creator of blockchain-based games such as Pixelmon. The collaboration is aimed at integrating the player communities of Studio369's game MetalCore and Mon Protocol's Pixelmon.</p>
 <p>As part of the partnership, MetalCore will be available to the 1.1 million Pixelmon players. These players can undertake special quests in MetalCore and earn $MON Tokens. These tokens can be utilized for trading digital in-game assets and participating in Mon Protocol's governance system.</p>
 <p>Plans for future include enabling players to exchange their Mission Points for $MON Tokens, which they can use to buy various digital collectibles within the MON universe including those from Pixelmon gaming IP.&nbsp;</p>
 <p>Pixelmon, which launched in early February, already has over 1.1 million users on the Mission Platform with more than 600,000 registered for in-game wallets. However, MetalCore is currently in closed beta.</p>

</div>

Studio369 and Mon Protocol form collaboration to combine player communities

A decentralized version of the web powered by the blockchain

Web3 Ecosystem

<div>

<p>Game development company, Studio369, known for its blockchain-powered multiplayer shooter game, MetalCore, has entered into a partnership with Mon Protocol, a publisher of blockchain-native games such as Pixelmon. The collaboration is aimed at merging their respective communities of players.</p>

<p>As part of this collaboration, MetalCore will be made available to Pixelmon's 1.1 million players. These players will now have the opportunity to complete special quests in MetalCore to earn $MON Tokens. These tokens can then be used for trading digital in-game assets and for participating in Mon Protocol's governance.</p>

<p>Looking ahead, players will be able to exchange Mission Points for $MON Tokens, which can be used to buy a range of digital collectibles in the MON universe, including those related to the Pixelmon gaming IP.</p>

<p>Since its launch in early February, Pixelmon has drawn in over 1.1 million users to the Mission Platform, with over 600,000 registering for in-game wallets. However, MetalCore is still in the closed beta phase.</p>

</div>

<div>

 <p>Movement Labs, a company developing a network of modular Move-based blockchains, has raised a significant USD 38 million in a Series A round. Leading this round is Polychain Capital, with other notable participants being Hack VC, Placeholder, Archetype, Maven 11, and Robot Ventures. The total funds gathered by Movement Labs now amount to USD 41.4 million.</p>
 <p>The primary aim of this funding round is to strengthen the company's goal of integrating Facebook's Move Virtual Machine (MVM) into Ethereum. This integration has the potential to address smart contract vulnerabilities and enhance the throughput of transactions.</p>
 <p>Movement Labs, established in 2023, is actively working on constructing a network comprising Move-based blockchains. Through the Movement SDK, the company is promoting horizontal interoperability. This is accomplished by deploying a high-throughput, modular MVM which can be smoothly integrated into any existing blockchain network.&nbsp;</p>
 
</div>

Movement Labs raises USD 38 million in Series A funding

Making banking work, without the paperwork

Neobanks

<div>
 
 <p>OakNorth, a neobank from the UK that serves SMEs, is collaborating with financial services platform, Marqeta, to provide a commercial card service to its business clientele.</p>
 <p>This collaboration allows OakNorth’s SME clients to enjoy services often only accessible to commercial banking clients, like deposit accounts and automated bill payment tools.</p>
 <p>Leveraging Marqeta's platform, these SMEs will have better expenditure tracking and cash flow management capabilities, which is a significant challenge for many UK SMEs.</p>
 
</div>

OakNorth partners with Marqeta to offer commercial card for SMEs

Platforms to make the most of cloud infrastructure

Cloud Optimization Tools

<div>
 <p>CloudBolt Software, a leader in cloud automation and orchestration, has announced a partnership with StormForge, a platform specializing in managing Kubernetes resources. The collaboration aims to enhance IT teams' ability to cut Kubernetes costs by leveraging top-tier FInOps tactics.</p>
 <p>As part of this partnership, StormForge's machine-learning algorithms will be incorporated into CloudBolt's FinOps solutions. This integration will help in optimizing Kubernetes clusters and provide real-time cost allocations. The end goal of this collaboration is to simplify the process for IT teams to monitor Kubernetes costs along with other IT platforms expenses, with the use of tools that promote proactive issue management.</p></div>

CloudBolt partners with StormForge to optimize Kubernetes costs

New technologies are opening up mental health services to previously overbooked and underserved populations.

Mental Health Tech

<div>
 <p>Online therapy organization, Talkspace, is partnering with specialty telemedicine company, Thirty Madison. This partnership is intended to improve mental health treatment for women.</p>
 <p>The collaboration will extend the mental health treatments provided by Nurx and Cove, which are brands under Thirty Madison, by including Talkspace as a suggested therapy partner. The new offerings will include online therapy sessions and a self-guided app offered by Talkspace. In addition to this, patients of Talkspace will be able to use Nurx's in-depth women's health services and Cove's migraine care. This partnership comes as a response to the growing demand for mental health services whilst also trying to overcome the limitations of traditional in-person sessions.</p>
</div>

All Updates

GumGum integrates Playground xyz's media portfolio into APAC business

UnitedHealth announces closing virtual care business, management changes, and downsizing Landmark Health

Owlet and Wheel partner to provide medical pulse oximetry sock for infants

Parexel integrates Palantir's AI systems into clinical trial operations for streamlined insights

Studio369 and Mon Protocol form collaboration to combine player communities

Studio369 and Mon Protocol form collaboration to combine player communities

Movement Labs raises USD 38 million in Series A funding

OakNorth partners with Marqeta to offer commercial card for SMEs

CloudBolt partners with StormForge to optimize Kubernetes costs

Talkspace and Thirty Madison partner to expand mental health services for women