Google searches are showing rival business directories in Europe

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Created to help employees figure out health benefits, HealthJoy raises $30 million

HealthJoy, a platform designed to make it easier for employees to use their healthcare benefits, has raised $30 million in Series C funding led by Health Velocity Capital. Returning investors also participated, including U.S. Venture Partners, Chicago Ventures, Epic Ventures, Brandon Cruz and Clint Jones. This brings HealthJoy’s total funding so far to $53 million.

By integrating with healthcare service providers and partnering with benefit consultant agencies, HealthJoy simplifies the process of finding and using benefits. Its features include an AI-based virtual assistant and healthcare concierges. The startup says it has a monthly login rate of 33% and that its clients, which now includes 500 employers, see a tenfold increase in the employee use of benefits, including telemedicine.

Since TechCrunch covered HealthJoy’s Series B round last year, the company has launched two new services. One is a price transparency tool called HealthJoy Rewards that allows companies to provide incentives for employees to use more cost-efficient services.

“For example, an MRI in Chicago can vary in price from around $500 for an independent clinic to around $3,500 in a hospital system,” HealthJoy founder and CEO Justin Holland told TechCrunch. “Our rewards platform allows companies to customize the incentive, but we provide nearly 100 recommendations. We’re showing an amazing ROI for companies that have adopted the program since we’re targeting high-cost procedures.”

The second new service is called HealthJoy EAP, an employee assistance program that Holland says is a priority for further development. It gives 24/7 access to short-term counseling, with several sessions available for free.

“Addressing mental heath is of extreme importance for companies in today’s world. Access to traditional counseling is on decline in many rural areas due to lack of access. In cities, costs have risen so many users are priced out of the market,” he says.

The funding will also be used to improve HealthJoy’s virtual assistant, develop new services, integrate with more partners and aggregate data. HealthJoy plans to add 200 employees in its Chicago office during 2021, with the goal of doubling its engineering team. Future plans include working with more small- to medium-sized businesses and a potential partnership to serve Medicare recipients.

Other startups focused on employee benefits include League, Catch and Collective Health. Holland says HealthJoy integrates with, instead of competing with, benefits administration platforms and differentiates by being able to work with any benefits package.

Health Velocity Capital partner Saurabh Bhansali will join HealthJoy’s board of directors. In a press statement, Bhansali said “HealthJoy offers proven technology solutions to help navigate employees through our nation’s complex and costly healthcare system, one that costs US employees over $1.2 trillion each year. Healthjoy has shown that it can deliver substantial cost savings to employers while simplifying the employee healthcare experience.”

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Transport for NSW backup procedures still include floppy disks in 2020

In response to a ZDNet enquiry, the NSW government entity has removed, and later reinstated, the document that detailed the backup requirements for CADD data which asked its staff and contractors to use tape or floppy disks.

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Samsung reopens smartphone factory after coronavirus scare

Samsung resumed operations of one of its factories which had been temporarily shut down over the weekend due to the coronavirus.

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This self-driving car looks under the road for a safety boost in rain and snow

Researchers explore whether ground-penetrating radars can do what cameras can’t in poor weather conditions.

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Drug dealer loses $58M in Bitcoin after landlord accidentally throws codes out - CNET

The codes were printed onto a piece of A4 paper and stuffed into a fishing rod case.

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Microsoft launches 100X100X100 program to help Indian B2B SaaS startups

As Indian startups begin to make inroads in the world of SaaS, Microsoft has taken notice. The American tech giant today launched 100X100X100, a program aimed at business-to-business SaaS startups.

Microsoft said Monday that 100X100X100 will bring together 100 companies and 100 early and growth startups. Each committed company will spend $100,000 over a course of 18 months.

“This initiative will help build scale and create amazing opportunities for startups. Businesses can now fast-track their digital journeys through easy adoption of enterprise-grade solutions,” said Anant Maheshwari, President of Microsoft India, in a statement.

Each startup participating in the program will also have access to prospective customers at Microsoft industry and customer events. Participants also get access to Microsoft’s technology platform, and guidance in fine tuning their business and expansion models.

Microsoft is not a new face in India’s startup ecosystem. The company runs Microsoft for Startups that allows early stage B2B startups to use the company’s Azure marketplace and enterprise sales team. Early last year, the company also expanded M12, its corporate venture fund, to India.

The company’s global rivals Google and Amazon are also actively helping startups in India, sponsoring countless events and bandying out a range of goodies including thousands of dollars of credit to use their cloud platforms.

India’s Reliance Jio inks deal with Microsoft to expand Office 365, Azure to more businesses; unveils broadband, blockchain and IoT platforms

The idea is simple: If the bets work, these startups are already a customer and their solutions could be beneficial to several tens of thousands of other customers. And it’s a safe time to make these bets.

In recent years, scores of startups have emerged in India to build SaaS software following the success of firms such as Freshworks, valued at $3.5 billion, and CleverTap. Since SaaS startups are not building hardware, or disbursing loans, they often have the best profit margin.

Shekhar Kirani, a partner at Accel, told TechCrunch in a recent interview that his biggest frustration was not seeing many more entrepreneurs build SaaS services. “Anyone with some coding skills and a cheap laptop can build a service and sell to the world,” he said.

At a recent SaaS focused event, Godard Abel, chief executive of business marketplace G2, said that India was already among the top five nations for active participations for development of new business services.

As for Microsoft, expect several more announcements this week as its chief executive, Satya Nadella, appears at company’s flagship conference in the country today and tomorrow.

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MIT helps self-driving cars ‘see’ through snow and fog

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Flat-Earther 'Mad' Mike Hughes dies during rocket launch attempt - CNET

He'd planned to launch himself 5,000 feet into the air.

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'Harley Quinn' season 2 gets a quick April 3rd debut

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NSW government's Spatial Digital Twin to help with future city mapping

NSW Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello said the digital twin can be used to 'model and precisely shape the cities of tomorrow'.

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HTC plans to release its first 5G phone in 2020

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HBO hides secret Westworld trailers on fake tech company's website - CNET

A Westworld-like maze leads to arguably the best trailer yet.

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Sony's first 5G phone may be a souped-up Xperia 1

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Amaysim sees mobile EBITDA more than halve for 2020 first half

Lack of excess data charges sees revenue drop by 15% and ARPU dragged down with it.

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Mayonnaise by the slice: Innovation or curse from the gods? - CNET

Mayo lovers and haters take to social media with equal parts excitement and disgust.

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Chorus concerned users switching away to wireless due to fake copper shutdown

New Zealand broadband wholesaler worried people are shifting to fixed wireless due a copper network shutdown that isn't pencilled in yet.

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Coronavirus to test supply chain analytics, business demand visibility

Prescriptive analytics and models for the supply chain only go so far when there's the uncertainty of the coronavirus hampering operations.

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'Baldur's Gate 3' comes to Steam in 2020 as an Early Access game

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Q by Aston Martin's DBX has wild carbon fiber trim - Roadshow

The British automaker is revealing bespoke commission options for its new SUV at the Geneva Motor Show.

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Aston Martin DBX gets fancier 'Q by Aston Martin' bespoke options - Roadshow

If the DBX's standard options list isn't enough, you can commission custom colors, trims and options for your new SUV.

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Google explains why its apps won't be on Huawei's P40 phones - CNET

And don't even think about sideloading apps, Google says.

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Avengers: Endgame contains a minor Thanos error, according to VFX artist - CNET

Is this why Endgame missed out on best visual effects at the Oscars?

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