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Google Stops DEI Program

Google Stops DEI Program

Christopher Webster
February 06, 2025

Startups:

Superlogic’s $200M valuation:

Superlogic is a Miami-based startup that helps give consumers a way to apply rewards points towards experiences. The company just raised $13.7 million at a $200 million valuation. Instead of consumers using their points on hotel-stays or commercials flights, Superlogic gives consumers the ability to use their points for NBA Finals tickets, music festival tickets, or private dining. Because its offering is white-label, you won’t necessarily know you’re using Superlogic’s technology when you redeem the rewards through companies such as American Express, Mastercard, Visa, and Warner Music. The platform also manages the inventory of experiences, negotiates with providers, and handles payments on behalf of the brands it works with. Would you like to use your credit card points towards sports or music tickets?

Dietitians gets you $50M:

As we know more and more people are becoming health conscious in America. Especially with RFK Jr’s MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movement. For decades there has been a lot of struggles to addressing the diet related chronic illnesses affecting half of American adults. That seems to be changing now with Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs hitting the market. Although these drugs are helping people, doctors still require patients to see nutritionists. That is the wave that Berry Street is riding. Berry Street provides registered dietitians with tools for managing an independent practice. They just recently raised a $50 million funding round from investors Northzone, Sofina, and FJ Labs. There is still a lot of competition in this industry with other startups raising similar funding rounds. Will Berry Street be able to use this new capital to pull ahead?

Venture:

$400M for Hitachi Ventures:

Hitachi Ventures has secured $400 million for a fourth fund. This shows the confidence investors have in the range of deep tech verticals that Hitachi invests in, which is energy, manufacturing, biotech, and AI. The firm specializes in Series A investments and plans to keep investing in that “sweet spot”. Hitachi Ventures’ previous investments span a range of verticals. On the energy side, it has invested in battery recycler Ascend Elements, fusion startup Thea Energy, and Wase, a wastewater-to-energy company. Its AI investments have tended to workplace applications, including Ema, which focuses on enterprise workflows; StrikeReady, which covers cybersecurity; and Makersite, which uses AI to improve supply chains. What will be the next round of investments for the company?

Big Tech:

No more DEI for Google:

Google will no longer have diversity hiring targets and will review its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. This was emailed to employees. Google now joins other tech companies rolling back DEI practices, especially as DEI practices come under fire from conservative groups. Amazon and Meta have also rolled back DEI measures in the past few months. How many more companies will follow suit and stop their DEI practices?