Tech
Amazon to build $4bn data centres and cloud infrastructure in Chile
Amazon's cloud computing division has announced plans to invest $4bn in Chile to build its first data centres and cloud infrastructure in the country.
X blocks jailed Imamoglu’s account in Turkey
Opposition leader says move is "digital pillar" of coup mounted by regime to stop Turks electing president they want.
MercadoLibre records profit surge amid bustling Argentine market activity
Latin American e-commerce giant MercadoLibre posted a 44% net profit increase in the first quarter, reaching $494mn and surpassing analysts' expectations.
Bulgaria’s Shelly Group expands to Poland
IoT company picks Warsaw for regional expansion after announcing decision to exit the US.
CZ visits KGZ to talk BTC and BNB
Bishkek takes step to introduce blockchain technology on national level.
Uber to pay $700mn for 85% stake in Turkey delivery unit of Alibaba’s Trendyol
Trendyol GO delivered 200mn+ orders in 2024 and generated $2bn in gross bookings.
InDrive pioneering a sustainable "fair" ride-hailing business
The Siberia-born InDrive ride-hailing service is doing something special. It cut margins, offers the cheapest prices possible and is generous to its largely freelance staff. IIt is pioneering a new "fair" business model that works.
UN agencies launch programme to strengthen youth resilience in Uzbekistan to cybercrime, digital violence
Growing concerns over risks posed by rapid digitalisation of society.
First-ever Uzbek-language startup guidebook series launched to support aspiring entrepreneurs
“In every region I’ve visited, I’ve seen talented young people full of ideas — but they struggle to find resources they can actually use," says Startup Garage founder Mukhammad Khalil.
Turkish unicorn Dream Games raises $2.5bn in private equity round at $5bn valuation
Games developer's Royal Match ranked third in the world for the most in-app purchases in 2024, generating $1.4bn in revenues.
Fund III of Turkey’s largest tech venture capital outfit Revo raises $86mn
Focus on fintech maintained. Bigger roles for B2B SaaS, cybersecurity and health technology, and energy and gaming introduced as dedicated verticals.
Sanctions have spurred innovation from Russian cheese to turbines
Extreme sanctions placed on Russia hit industrial sectors the hardest, which have been almost entirely dependent on imports of high quality foreign made machinery for almost all of the last three decades since the fall of the Soviet Union.
Poland’s e-commerce turnover rises 15.2% m/m in March to PLN7.40bn
Poland’s e-commerce sector recorded a 15.2% month-on-month increase in turnover in March, reaching $1.80bn, according to data from the Central Statistical Office.
COMMENT: Europe could benefit from partnering with Armenian tech innovation
Armenia is a democracy with a young, tech-savvy population and a hunger to scale, writes Samson Avetian of Armenia-based investment platform eqwefy.
Western Balkan states increase use of surveillance, censorship to suppress opponents
Use of biometric surveillance and facial recognition technologies is expanding rapidly across the Balkans, according to a new BIRN report.
Serbia’s gaming sector sees 22% revenue surge in 2024
Serbian Games Association report shows a maturing sector with robust output, increased gender diversity and sustained innovation, despite signs of slowing job growth.
Bulgaria-based crypto lender Nexo to return to US market
"America is back — and so is Nexo," says company's co-founder after meeting with Donald Trump Jr.
Russian state takes over yet another e-commerce leader, online marketplace Avito
Russia’s state-owned Rosselkhozbank agricultural bank has acquired a 50% stake in Avito, the country’s largest classifieds platform, as part of a broader trend of strategic e-commerce acquisitions by the state.
China creates world's thinnest chip with 5931 transistors
Researchers in China have created the most advanced microprocessor yet made from a two-dimensional material, boasting 5931 transistors crafted from molybdenum disulfide—just three atoms thick.
Bulgaria's fastest-growing startup Lace AI raises $19mn in seed funding
Lace AI, which has developed AI-powered call centre technology for home services companies, posted 1,000% growth in 2024.