Fast money, fast people. Venmo Payouts is now saving businesses time and paper (as in checks, not cash) with an API designed for sending money directly to service providers. Any phone number or email address can be used to pay babysitters, dog walkers or masseuses via a single API call. Venmo acts as the middle man, collecting your top-secret bank information and using it for the transaction.
Buzz-Feed us business. BuzzFeed has a new business editor for its coming-soon business section. Peter Lauria, former editor-in-charge of U.S. technology, media, and telecom coverage for Reuters, will lead Buzzfeed’s expansion into Wall Street later this spring. Look out for “13 Most Daring Corporate Investments Announced Using These Great Photos of Cats.”
Kids Say the Darnedest Things. StoryBots has three new apps launching, including KidQuoter for iPhone. Since your friends already love the adorable Instas depicting your kid holding a cookie, or a baseball, or a tissue full of snot, why not also share every brilliant thing your kid says? Let the world in on Timmy’s latest potty training insights using a custom background and custom costume.
Campfires for adults. No, ITP Camp is not an opportunity to toast marshmallows and sing Kumbaya around the fire. This camp is for adults: For a small fee, non-students and working professionals are invited to participate in a month-long summer program designed to facilitate the sharing of skills, criticisms and passions between members. Who needs formal grad school? Anyone who joins can propose and lead sessions like “Startup Fundraising Basics,” or “3D Printing.” Maybe proposing a “Nature Hike” isn’t completely off the table?
Hacker Roundup. Retouch your headshots and update your resumes because the FinTech Hackathon is swiftly approaching. Beginning on April 6, developers and designers working individually or in teams will have 24 hours to code and demo hacks to a pro panel. While we do love fun-but-pointless hacks (like one that lets you replay your favorite YouTube video over and over with absolutely no effort), this hackathon will focus its energy on financial technology platforms.
Congratulations are in order. IDG’s Computerworld Honors Program has named True Office a 2013 Laureate. The award honors organizations that have utilized technology “to promote and advance public welfare, benefit society or change the world’s business for the better.” True Office, with compliance games made to help companies save money by identifying risk, has probably advanced the public welfare of somebody, somewhere.
Chronicles of Campus Expansion. The City Planning Commission has approved Cornell Tech’s Roosevelt Island Campus Plan; now it’s the City Council’s turn to review the idea. If the City Council agrees to move the plan forward, Cornell Tech will break ground on Roosevelt Island in 2014.
Tee-rific news. Adam Schwartz of Busted Tees and Josh Abramson of CollegeHumor are joining forces to launch TeePublic, a Kickstarter-like platform specifically for t-shirts and newbie (or even professional) designers. Find out how you too can become an Internet-famous t-shirt designer with this nifty video:
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/58654622 w=400&h=300]
