Rivian bets on its knowhow

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Tech Across the Globe

Discrimination settlement: Microsoft signed an agreement with a legal advocacy group to put to rest accusations that it denied software discounts to conservative faith-based groups over issues including abortion and LGBTQ rights.

More AI data centers: Google said it would invest $40 billion in three new AI data centers in Texas, which has emerged as a preferred location for infrastructure projects among companies including OpenAI and Anthropic.

Euro penalties: SAP may avoid EU antitrust fines after it proposed to give customers more flexibility over the use of its flagship enterprise resource planning software.

Revalued

Firmus Technologies, an Australian startup that is among scores of rapidly expanding data center operators, raised $327 million to accelerate its push to build out renewable energy-powered projects. The round will boost the Nvidia-backed company’s valuation to more than $3.9 billion, a leap from $1.2 billion in a previous fundraising round in September.

Must Read

Rivian has leaned on its expertise as an electric car maker to spin out, with the help of venture investors, two startups, Edward Ludlow reports in today’s Tech In Depth. The EV maker is betting its expertise will help those companies succeed in new markets and refine Rivian’s own technology, he writes.

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This Week in Soundbite

One of the biggest takeaways from her Podcast Business Summit, Ashley Carman writes in this week’s Soundbite, is that new media figures such as Ben Meiselas, co-founder of MeidasTouch, want nothing to do with legacy distribution of their programming. 

Sign up for the Soundbite newsletter to get exclusive reporting on podcasting, the music industry and audio trends from Ashley Carman.

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