Mercedes-Benz Previews In-Car NFT Gallery At CES

Hi NoRamp Community,

Daily News:

1) Mercedes-Benz Previews In-Car NFT Gallery At CES

2) CoinFund Leads $11.5M Series A For Decentralized Car Data Network

3) WalletConnect Launches Subscription-Based Web3Inbox Service

4) Galeries Lafayette UAE Partners With Nuvei to Optimize Payment Flow

5) Specialist Neobank Panacea Financial Bags $24.5M Series B Funding

Mercedes-Benz Previews In-Car NFT Gallery At CES:

• Mercedes-Benz unveiled an updated MBUX Virtual Assistant at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show, featuring an NFT gallery and an AI voice assistant with various "emotional profiles."

• The virtual assistant, running on Mercedes-Benz's in-house developed operating system MB.OS, uses a large language model to interact with drivers in natural, predictive, personal, and empathetic modes.

• Mercedes-Benz is also enhancing its navigation and in-car entertainment systems, including MBUX Sound Drive developed with Will.i.am, and introducing an in-car app for showcasing NFT collections. Additionally, the company is employing blockchain technology for supply chain transparency, particularly in tracking CO2 emissions in cobalt sourcing.

CoinFund Leads $11.5M Series A For Decentralized Car Data Network:

• Digital Infrastructure Inc, a startup focused on decentralized physical infrastructure networks, raised $11.5 million in a Series A funding round, bringing its total funding to $22 million.

• The round was led by CoinFund and included participation from various investors, including Slow Ventures, ConsenSys Mesh, and former GM CEO G. Rick Wagoner Jr. CoinFund's managing partner Alex Felix will join the company's board.

• The company is developing the DIMO network, a decentralized car data protocol, and DIMO Mobile, an app that enables drivers to access their car data and earn rewards through the DIMO token. In 2023, the network experienced significant growth, expanding from 3,000 to over 36,000 connected cars.

WalletConnect Launches Subscription-Based Web3Inbox Service:

• WalletConnect has launched Web3Inbox, a subscription-based notification service for Web3 blockchain wallet users, allowing them to receive custom notifications without relying on traditional Web2 messaging tools.

• The service enables users to receive updates from Web3 projects directly through their wallet accounts, with built-in spam protection and real-time updates for subscribed decentralized applications (dApps).

• WalletConnect is initially supporting messaging services from 10 popular dApps, with plans to expand this list. Additionally, the launch includes a partnership with the Sovereign Nature Initiative and Transient Labs to create the Soundwaves NFT collection, which will be available to Web3Inbox users through an airdrop for those who connect their wallets within a specific timeframe. The collection features bioacoustic NFT art of whale sounds, deployed on the Ethereum layer-2 Arbitrum Network.

Galeries Lafayette UAE Partners With Nuvei to Optimize Payment Flow

• Galeries Lafayette UAE has partnered with Canadian FinTech company Nuvei to improve its eCommerce platform’s payment flow, aiming to enhance transaction authorization rates, enter global markets, and provide seamless customer payment experiences.

• The partnership will utilize Nuvei’s smart routing capabilities and 3D Secure technology integration to increase transaction success rates while maintaining security. Nuvei will also offer detailed analytics to optimize payment processes using its cPanel platform.

• Galeries Lafayette UAE plans to integrate popular digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay for more flexible online payments. The partnership is expected to extend to additional markets and payment methods. Nuvei’s CEO emphasizes the importance of optimizing payment flows in challenging markets like the UAE.

Specialist Neobank Panacea Financial Bags $24.5M Series B Funding:

• Panacea Financial, a provider of digital financial services for medical practitioners in the US, has raised $24.5 million in a Series B funding round, led solely by venture capital fund Valar Ventures.

• The company plans to use the capital to expand its suite of loan, banking, and insurance services, focusing on technology, financial services, and healthcare sectors.

• With the aim of creating a diversified and integrated suite of financial products for the broader healthcare industry, Panacea Financial, operating as a division of Primis Bank, is enhancing its digital initiatives, including adopting Bankjoy's digital banking platform and integrating with Fiserv’s Communicator Open. The announcement follows the recent appointment of Ryan Gorney as CTO.

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