Snapchat introduces a TikTok-style feed, Amazon Echo Buds add fitness tracking and Vettery acquires Hired. This is your Daily Crunch for November 23, 2020.
\nThe big story: Snapchat adds Spotlight
\nSnapchat has introduced a dedicated feed where users can watch short, entertaining videos \u2014 pretty similar to TikTok. This comes after the app also added TikTok-like music features last month.<\/p>\n
Starting today, users will be able to send their Snaps to the new Spotlight feed. Viewers will be able to send direct messages to creators with public profiles (Spotlight will also include anonymous content from private accounts), but there will be no public commentary on these videos.
\nTo encourage creators to post to Spotlight, Snapchat says it will be distributing more than $1 million every day who create the top videos on Spotlight.
\nThe tech giants
\nAmazon\u2019s Echo Buds get new fitness tracking features \u2014\u00a0Say \u201cAlexa, start my workout\u201d with the buds in, and they\u2019ll begin logging steps, calories, distance, pace and duration of runs.
\nUber refused permission to dismiss 11 staff at its EMEA HQ \u2014The Dutch Employee Insurance Agency has refused to give Uber permission to dismiss 11 people at the company\u2019s EMEA headquarters.
\nFacebook launches \u2018Drives,\u2019 a US-only feature for collecting food, clothing and other necessities for people in need \u2014\u00a0The feature is being made available through Facebook\u2019s existing Community Help hub.
\nStartups, funding and venture capital
\nRelativity Space raises $500M as it sets sights on the industrialization of Mars \u2014\u00a0LA-based rocket startup Relativity had a big 2020, completing work on a new 120,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Long Beach.
\nResilience raises over $800M to transform pharmaceutical manufacturing in response to COVID-19 \u2014 The company will invest heavily in developing new manufacturing technologies across cell and gene therapies, viral vectors, vaccines and proteins.
\nVideo mentoring platform Superpeer raises $8M and launches paid channels \u2014\u00a0The Superpeer platform allows experts to promote, schedule and charge for one-on-one video calls with anyone who might want to ask for their advice.
\nAdvice and analysis from Extra Crunch
\nSeven things we just learned about Sequoia\u2019s European expansion plans \u2014 Steve O\u2019Hear interviews Luciana Lixandru and Matt Miller about the firm\u2019s plans.
\nFounders seeking their first check need a fundraising sales funnel \u2014 Start digging the well before you\u2019re thirsty.
\nWill Brazil\u2019s Roaring 20s see the rise of early-stage startups? \u2014\u00a0In September, homegrown startups raised a record $843 million.
\n(Extra Crunch is our membership program, which aims to democratize information about startups. And until November 30, you can get 25% off an annual membership.)
\nEverything else
\nVettery acquires Hired to create a \u2018unified\u2019 job search platform \u2014\u00a0Vettery CEO Josh Brenner said the two platforms are largely complementary.
\nGift Guide: Which next-gen console is the one your kid wants? \u2014\u00a0This holiday season, the next generation of gamers will be hoping to receive the next generation of gaming consoles.
\nOriginal Content podcast: \u2018The Crown\u2019 introduces its Princess Diana \u2014\u00a0The new season focuses on Queen Elizabeth\u2019s relationship with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and on Prince Charles\u2019 troubled marriage to Diana, Princess of Wales.
\nThe Daily Crunch is TechCrunch\u2019s roundup of our biggest and most important stories. If you\u2019d like to get this delivered to your inbox every day at around 3pm Pacific, you can subscribe here.<\/p>\n