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In Case You Missed It: Launch Links - Week of February 28, 2016

  • 3.4.2016

Some interesting links we found across the web this week: 

Has this year's funding slowdown been overblown?
Debate continues over the perceived downturn in the market for venture capital, as a new Mattermark report shows it’s still too early to tell whether the decline will be a yearlong trend. Read this piece for the latest reactions, but click through to the report itself to dig into the data.

France saw 11% increase in VC for 2015 as momentum grows for ‘La French Tech’ ecosystem
France caught our eye this week as a new study (linked in this article) reports a considerable increase in venture funding there last year. Although France is not typically known as a tech hub, its government is under pressure from the European Commission to make its laws friendlier to entrepreneurs and investors. Watch this space for a potential future player in the global ecosystem.

Alaska’s Biotech Sugar Daddy Is Showering Money on
Elsewhere in atypical markets, the state of Alaska has spent the last three years taking advantage of its oil wealth by investing in biotech through the Alaska Permanent Fund. Alaska’s strategy may be aggressive, but it’s hard to argue with the results.

EU and US Release Details on Trans-Atlantic Data Transfer Deal
New details emerged this week as the US-EU “Privacy Shield” agreement moves closer to ratification, following approval on Monday by the European Commission. The agreement sets new standards for overseas data transfers by tech companies but has prompted objection by European privacy experts, who remain concerned that American privacy law does not the same level of protection as its European counterpart. 

Andy Ozment on Information Sharing and Cybersecurity
On the home front, the tech community is preparing for the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, which goes into effect later this year and seeks improved cooperation between government and tech without compromising user privacy. In this brief interview and accompanying videos, a Homeland Security official explains the core ideas behind the law.

IoT security needs scalable solutions
As we embrace the Internet of Things, never lose sight of the security and privacy concerns inherent in internet-enabled devices. Here, TechCrunch breaks down the differences between IoT and traditional computing, highlighting the security protocols vying for prominence in user protection.

Links compiled by Jared Brenner.