Austin tech leaders speak out against “Bathroom Bills”
Texas tech leaders believe the legislature’s proposed “bathroom bill,” which bans transgender individuals from using bathrooms that align with their gender identities, will hurt the state’s ability to attract top tech talent. That’s the main takeaway from an open letter signed by 38 executives and published by Capital Factory founder and executive director Joshua Baer last Friday. More than 400 members of the Austin tech community signed a similar letter two weeks ago. [Medium]
New Austin data partnership will study premature infant health
Premature babies are more likely than other infants to have trouble regulating automated body functions like breathing, swallowing and heart beats, but scientists do not have a good understanding of why that is, or how these problems typically manifest. A new data partnership between The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School and Seton Healthcare Family will study these phenomena, leveraging upgraded monitoring systems and the computational power of the Texas Advanced Computing Center. The goal is to find out what causes these vulnerabilities, as well as how they impact the infant’s future health. [Statesman]
Austin tech companies raise $38M in July
Eleven Austin tech companies raised a total of $38 million in funding in July. That’s a dip from June’s massive $100 million, which saw three companies haul in more than $70 million combined. But with six companies raising more than $3 million each, this month’s funding should still provide a healthy boost to Austin’s thriving tech ecosystem. [Built In Austin]
Fasten holds steady after Uber and Lyft return
When Uber and Lyft left Austin in early 2016, they left a void in which smaller ride hailing companies could compete for market share. One of those companies, Fasten, recently told Austin Inno that Uber and Lyft’s return a year later has not significantly impacted its ridership. Doubling down on the Austin market, the Boston startup recently launched a new rewards program that gives riders $5 off per 10 rides taken. [Austin Inno]
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