Here’s startup news making headlines at other news sites and blogs around the Web:
- Toronto became the latest city serviced by on-demand car service Uber yesterday. This San Francisco-based company operates its service in several U.S. cities, Paris, and now in one Canadian city. It allows members to order a car using a smartphone app or via SMS message. Passengers have a credit card on file to be automatically charged, including tip. Uber cars are more expensive than taxis, at $8 per km instead of $4.25 per km. Erin Bury at Betakit.
- Big Viking Games, a London, Ont.-based social games company founded by serial entrepreneur Albert Lai, talks about growing out of the Facebook platform. The firm is trying to learn from challenges Zynga is facing when trying to move its Farmville players from the social network’s platform to one that they own. Most social games are using a ‘freemium’ model to quickly acquire users, then try to monetize a small percentage of them. Herbert Lui at Techvibes.
- Do Canada’s startups need a crowdfunding solution to succeed? Current investing laws in Canada mean that funding can’t be raised by startups using methods like Kickstarter in the U.S. The laws are well-intentioned, meaning to protect investors from risk. But does the modern, capital-scarce, entrepreneurial landscape? Marc Watters on Startup Canada.