Welcome to the Tech Weekly, NEO’s regular news monitoring of key developments in the food and mobility tech industries.
This week’s highlights:
- Grab Holdings Ltd, Southeast Asia’s No. 1 food delivery company, on Thursday forecast a recovery in its food rental and delivery business as the economy recovers from a pandemic-induced slump. The announcement sent its U.S.-listed shares up 32%. (Reuters)
- Saudi food delivery firm Jahez has signed a non-binding pact to acquire The Chefz, months after Delivery Hero SE’s attempt to buy the firm was derailed by a local competition watchdog. Jahez is the largest local food delivery group in Saudi Arabia. The company became the first Saudi tech startup to list on a public exchange in January after pricing its initial public offering at the top of its planned range. (Bloomberg)
- New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the state’s Human Rights Division has filed a complaint against Amazon, alleging that it discriminated against pregnant and disabled workers at its facilities. Amazon has been accused of forcing pregnant and disabled workers to take unpaid leave instead of providing them with reasonable accommodations. (CNBC)
- Self-driving vehicle startup Argo AI said it was having its driverless vehicles carry employees around the streets of major U.S. cities, adding that commercial applications of its tech would follow after an unspecified time. The company enables ride-hailing, delivery and logistics companies to integrate its driverless vehicles into their operations. (Reuters)
- Uber has announced a partnership that will allow users to charter private buses through its app, helping the company to expand beyond travel. The feature will roll out across the U.S. in the summer, targeting events such as weddings and wine tours. Vehicles and drivers will be provided by US Coachways, with Uber to receive an undisclosed service fee for each booking. (Financial Times)