Daily Tech Roundup: April 29, 2021

Potential shifts in the gig economy are being considered by the Biden administration, Blue Origin is preparing for passenger flights, and an interview with Jim Belushi regarding cannabis cultivation is featured. This summarizes the key updates from today’s TechCrunch Daily Crunch.

Labor & Regulation

Biden Administration Considers Gig Worker Reclassification

Marty Walsh, the U.S. Secretary of Labor, recently indicated a review of the gig economy is underway. He stated that many gig workers ought to be categorized as employees.

Walsh emphasized the need for consistent treatment of gig workers, noting disparities in respect and working conditions. While currently preliminary, this suggests potential regulatory changes and reclassification efforts may be prioritized.

Tech Industry News

Google Pay Enhancements

The Google Pay platform has been updated to include grocery offers, expanded transit support, and detailed spending insights. Users can now access weekly circulars from Safeway and Target through the app.

Acquisitions in the Gaming Sector

Zynga and Rollic have jointly acquired the hyper-casual game studio responsible for “High Heels.” The game has surpassed 60 million downloads since its January launch.

IBM’s Cloud Infrastructure Investment

IBM is set to acquire Turbonomic, a firm specializing in cloud application and network management, in a deal valued at up to $2 billion. Turbonomic’s tools optimize application, Kubernetes, and network performance.

Startups & Funding

Blue Origin’s Space Tourism Tickets

Blue Origin will commence sales of tickets for New Shepard space tourism flights on May 5th. The pricing and specific launch schedule remain to be announced.

TravelPerk Secures Funding

TravelPerk, a travel management platform, has raised $160 million in combined equity and debt financing following a challenging year for the travel industry. The platform consolidates booking and invoicing for trains, cars, flights, hotels, and apartments.

PreShow Interactive Expands into Gaming

PreShow Interactive, founded by a MoviePass co-founder, has secured $3 million to expand its advertising-based rewards system into the gaming market. Gamers can earn in-game currency by viewing advertisements.

Analysis & Insights

Healthcare Data Transformation

David Jegen and Carl Byers of F-Prime Capital posit that the companies succeeding in healthcare data liberation will differ from those that dominated financial data transformation.

Fintech Funding Records

Fintech startups achieved record venture capital funding in the first quarter of 2021, continuing a strong fundraising trend.

Effective Virtual Fundraising

Strategies for successful fundraising via Zoom have emerged, defying initial skepticism about the viability of virtual fundraising.

Additional News

Jim Belushi and the Cannabis Industry

An interview with Jim Belushi explores his involvement in cannabis cultivation, including his greenhouses supplied by GrowGeneration.

Growth in Video Game Spending

U.S. video game spending increased by 30% in the first quarter, with significant gains in content (25%), accessories (42%), and hardware (82%) according to NPD data.

Extra Crunch Live Event

Sequoia’s Shaun Maguire and Vise’s Samir Vasavada will discuss fintech success on Extra Crunch Live on May 19th, covering fundraising and industry best practices.

The Daily Crunch provides a concise overview of TechCrunch’s most significant stories. Subscribe here to receive this daily roundup in your inbox around 3pm Pacific time.