Amazon-backed Rivian is very cool with Jeff Bezos also investing in Slate Auto

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has invested big in Slate Auto, the startup that recently unveiled an electric truck in the mid-$20,000 price range. Just in case you were wondering, Rivian, a company that also makes electric trucks and calls Amazon its largest shareholder, is totally cool with that.

Speaking at the Bloomberg Tech conference on Thursday, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe called Amazon a “really deep partner” and Bezos a “great adviser and a great friend.” Asked directly if he thought Bezos’ investment in Slate was a hedge against his company’s investment in Rivian, Scaringe said he didn’t think so.

“We think there needs to be a handful of highly successful companies... I think it’s great that there’s more choices coming,” Scaringe said.

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Washington D.C. looks set to get America’s second Sphere

Revenue for the Las Vegas version of the big orb has soared, but the sphere is still a money pit.

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Opponents of the Netflix-Warner Bros. deal take fight to Europe

Europe is the latest frontier of the ongoing tug-of-war for the “Friends” back catalog.

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Ford reportedly in talks to buy hybrid vehicle batteries from Chinese auto giant BYD

Detroit’s Ford and China’s BYD are said to be in ongoing talks to partner on an agreement that would see Ford buy hybrid vehicle batteries from BYD, according to reporting from The Wall Street Journal.

The report comes just days after President Trump toured a Ford factory in Michigan and implied openness to Chinese automakers coming to the US.

“If they want to come in and build a plant... that’s great, I love that,” Trump said on January 13. “Let China come in, let Japan come in.”

Last week, China’s Geely Automobile Holdings said it expects to make an announcement about expanding into the US within the next three years. Chinese carmakers currently face huge tariffs and software restrictions, effectively barring their vehicles from the US.

Ford has doubled down on hybrid vehicles amid high EV costs and the end of federal EV tax credits. The automaker is currently building a battery plant in Michigan where it plans to use tech from Chinese battery maker CATL.

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“If they want to come in and build a plant... that’s great, I love that,” Trump said on January 13. “Let China come in, let Japan come in.”

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Lawsuit alleges Lilly, Novo locked up telehealth to kill compounded GLP-1s

Novo Nordisk CEO Mike Doustdar estimated that around 1.5 million US patients are using compounded versions of the company’s drugs.

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Big Pharma enters 2026 with an appetite for deals

At the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference, biotechs and Big Pharma signaled they’re primed for M&A this year, after a big year for deals in 2025.

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