These days, more startups are looking to cash in on crypto fever by offering customer loyalty rewards through the blockchain—but how many of them also happen to run their own airline? That’s the question posed by Josh Jones, the Los Angeles-based investor and crypto evangelist whose role in resurrecting a regional airline was the impetus for his latest venture, FlyCoin. Reporter Harri Weber looks into how crypto-enabled rewards systems could change customer loyalty programs beyond airlines.
Here’s what else we’re reading in the news:
- Is Wall Street souring on streaming?
- Snapchat launches campaign aimed at promoting Black users' mental health through augmented reality.
- SpaceX launches another round of Starlink satellites.
- L.A.'s fire department will be among the first to test out an electric fire engine.
Frequent Flier Miles, But In Crypto
Billing itself as “the world’s first crypto frequent flier program,” FlyCoin is built around FLY, a crypto token minted on the Ethereum blockchain that travelers will be able to earn by flying—much like traditional frequent flier miles.
Ruling: Art Created By AI Can’t Be Copyrighted
When it comes to the realm of intellectual property law, artwork made by machines can’t receive copyright protection, the U.S. Copyright Office has decided, ruling that “human authorship is a prerequisite to copyright protection.”
WeeCare Raises $17 Million As Childcare Startups Boom Post-Pandemic
L.A.-based WeeCare operates akin to an Airbnb for childcare. The company’s platform connects parents and caregivers to thousands of childcare providers across the country, and helps them find daycare and babysitting options based on criteria such as their schedule, finances, their child’s age and any special needs or language requirements.
Credit Unions Are Getting Into the Crypto Game
No sooner did Torrance-based credit union Unify unveil its new crypto offering than Bitcoin began a precipitous decline in value–but that hasn't fazed its members’ interest in the offering. If anything, Bitcoin’s selloff has only heightened interest among members looking to “buy the dip.”