Amazon files an objection to Saks Global's bankruptcy financing plan, and says its $475M investment in the department store is now effectively "worthless" (CNBC)
CNBC
Amazon threatens 'drastic' action after Saks bankruptcy, says $475M stake is now worthless
Amazon invested $475 million into Saks' acquisition of Neiman Marcus. It wants a federal judge to reject Saks' bankruptcy plan because it harms cre...
Techmeme
Amazon files an objection to Saks Global
From CNBC. View the full context on Techmeme.
Sam Altman's brain-computer interface startup Merge Labs raised $252M from OpenAI, Bain Capital, and others (Ike Swetlitz/Bloomberg)
Bloomberg.com
Altman’s Merge Raises $252 Million to Link Brains and Computers
Merge Labs, a company co-founded by AI billionaire Sam Altman that is building devices to connect human brains to computers, raised $252 million.
Techmeme
Brain-computer interface startup Merge Labs, which Sam Altman co-founded, raised a $252M seed from OpenAI, Bain Capital, Gabe Newell, and others
By Ike Swetlitz / Bloomberg. View the full context on Techmeme.
AI video startup Higgsfield raised an $80M Series A extension from Accel and others at a $1.3B+ valuation, and reports a $200M annualized revenue run rate (Krystal Hu/Reuters) https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/ai-video-startup-higgsfield-hits-13-billion-valuation-with-latest-funding-2026-01-15/
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AI video startup Higgsfield raised an $80M Series A extension from Accel and others at a $1.3B+ valuation, and says it hit a $200M annualized revenue run rate
By Krystal Hu / Reuters. View the full context on Techmeme.
Boston-based Tulip, which offers an AI-powered frontline operations platform used by 60K workers, raised a $120M Series D led by Mitsubishi at a $1.3B valuation (Gil Press/Forbes)
Forbes
Tulip Raises $120 Million Toward Human-Centric AI Factory
Tulip's human-centric approach to AI led it to focus on developing and deploying a new category of software that embeds AI in frontline operations.
Techmeme
Boston-based Tulip, which offers an AI-powered frontline operations platform used by 60K workers, raised a $120M Series D led by Mitsubishi at a $1.3B valuation
From Forbes. View the full context on Techmeme.
BlackRock raises $12.5B as part of its Microsoft partnership to bankroll data centers and energy infrastructure, bringing it closer to its $30B goal from 2024 (Silla Brush/Bloomberg)
Bloomberg.com
BlackRock, Microsoft AI Partnership Raises $12.5 Billion So Far
BlackRock Inc. has raised $12.5 billion as part of a partnership with Microsoft Corp. to bankroll data centers and energy infrastructure, advancing...
Techmeme
BlackRock raises $12.5B as part of its Microsoft partnership to bankroll data centers and energy infrastructure, bringing it closer to its $30B goal from 2024
By Silla Brush / Bloomberg. View the full context on Techmeme.
Bitmine, the largest corporate holder of ether, invests $200M in MrBeast's Beast Industries, set to close on January 19; Bitmine holds ~4M ETH valued at ~$13.6B (Francisco Rodrigues/CoinDesk) https://www.coindesk.com/business/2026/01/15/tom-lee-s-bitmine-invests-usd200-million-in-billionaire-youtube-star-mrbeast-s-company
Techmeme
Bitmine, the largest corporate holder of ether, invests $200M in MrBeast
By Francisco Rodrigues / CoinDesk. View the full context on Techmeme.
India's Supreme Court rules Tiger Global's $1.6B Flipkart stake sale to Walmart in 2018 is subject to taxes, a ruling that may shape future cross-border deals (Reuters) https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/india-court-rule-tiger-globals-2018-deal-with-walmart-landmark-tax-case-2026-01-15/
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India
From Reuters. View the full context on Techmeme.
Anthropic researchers say rich countries' higher AI use risks deepening economic disparities and widening living standard gaps, driven by productivity gains (Financial Times)
Rich countries’ greater use of AI risks deepening inequality, Anthropic warns
Research by AI start-up suggests productivity gains from the technology unevenly spread around world
Techmeme
Anthropic researchers say rich countries
From Financial Times. View the full context on Techmeme.
AWS signs a two-year supply deal with Rio Tinto to access its Arizona copper mine, the US' first new source in 10+ years, as AI data centers create huge demand (Ryan Dezember/Wall Street Journal) https://www.wsj.com/finance/commodities-futures/amazon-is-buying-americas-first-new-copper-output-in-more-than-a-decade-516a0a1f?st=S9nUcw&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
Techmeme
AWS signs a two-year supply deal with Rio Tinto to access its Arizona copper mine, the US
By Ryan Dezember / Wall Street Journal. View the full context on Techmeme.
Spotify plans to raise its Premium subscription by $1 to $12.99/month for subscribers in the US, Estonia, and Latvia, in its first US hike since July 2024 (Molly Schuetz/Bloomberg)
Bloomberg.com
Spotify Raises Premium Subscription Prices in US to $13 Month
Spotify Technology SA is raising the price of its premium subscription service by 8% in an effort to achieve sustained profitability.
Techmeme
Spotify plans to raise its Premium subscription by $1 to $12.99/month in the US, its first US price hike since July 2024, and increase it in Estonia and Latvia
By Molly Schuetz / Bloomberg. View the full context on Techmeme.