How the Next ‘Unicorn’ Start-Ups Will Be Different

Illustration of a person coming out of a magnifier
Unlike Uber and Airbnb, which were part of an early generation of tech start-ups that quickly reached $1 billion in value, the up-and-coming generation is looking very different, the New York Times reports. Many of the start-ups that may become the next unicorns—firms with names like Benchling and Blend—largely focus on software for specific industries like farms, banks and life sciences companies.

2_BUSINESS

Apple Eyes a 'Netflix for News'

Apple has been in talks with publishers about a subscription news service that would be a new paid tier of its existing Apple News app. However, the company has run into resistance from publishers over monetary details—Apple reportedly wants to keep 50 percent of subscription revenue from the service, Ars Technica reports.

3_SOCIAL MEDIA

Twitter Interview with CEO Dorsey Loses Its Thread

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Recode co-founder Kara Swisher conducted an interview Tuesday on Twitter, and it had all the makings of a great read. Just one problem: No one could follow along. Despite a dedicated hashtag (#karajack) for the event, before long there was no way to properly follow the conversation thread.

4_STRATEGY

Why Amazon Bought a Little-Known Router Firm

On Monday, Amazon announced its acquisition of Eero, a company that makes a router system whose multiple devices can be used to cover hard-to-reach Wi-Fi dead zones. Buying an obscure home network infrastructure company might sound boring, BuzzFeed reports, but it’s a powerful move in Amazon’s quest to own the smart home and to obtain more data about its customers.

5_SECURITY

How Secure Is Your VPN?

Roughly a quarter of internet users use a virtual private network, which creates a secure, encrypted data connection between their own computer and another one elsewhere on the internet. But researchers writing on The Conversation contend their examination of the services provided by 200 VPN companies revealed that many providers mislead customers about key aspects of their user protections.

6_CRYPTO

More Schools Join Blockchain Research Program

Eleven more schools have formally joined the University Blockchain Research Initiative, a $50 million program backed by the cryptocurrency firm Ripple, Fortune reports. The new universities join 17 other schools from around the world that are eligible to receive grants for curriculum development and research by student and faculties.

7_STARTUPS

Selling a Startup to a Larger Company

An acquisition can be the ideal next chapter for a startup, if done correctly. Kyle York, the vice president of product strategy for Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, writes on The Next Web about the six key elements of a successful sale to a larger company.

8_WORK

Chrome Add-ons That Might Alter How You Work

With the right set of add-ons, a browser can become meaningfully more effective—and your work can become infinitely easier as a result. Figuring out which extensions are worth your while is a job in itself. Fast Company tackled the job.

9_PUBLISHING

Is Instagram Changing Book Writing?

Andrea Sarubbi Fereshteh, the author of the new book “In the Company of Trees,” is quick to note that social media has influenced the way she writes about nature. In fact, Fereshteh’s book looks a lot like an arborist’s Instagram account, Quartz observes.

10_SAY WHAT?

Moo Aside, Tinder

Following the example of Tinder, UK farming start-up Hectare has launched its own equivalent for livestock, the BBC reports. Called Tudder, the app features data profiles of animals from 42,000 UK farms in an effort to help farmers find the perfect breeding partner for their cattle.