Wednesday’s business headlines
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Here’s a look at Wednesday’s business headlines.
Netflix
Netflix says it would shift 2% of its cash holdings to African American-owned U.S. financial institutions in order to “directly support Black communities in the U.S.”
The streaming giant is also putting an extra $25 million of its cash toward a fund called the Black Economic Development Initiative, which will “invest the funds into Black financial institutions serving low and moderate-income communities” as well as community development corporations.
Google for Startups has announced an accelerator program designed to provide resources specifically for women-founded technology businesses.
The Accelerator for Women founders, which is open to fledgling female-led tech companies in the United States and Canada, will accept 10 to 12 participants for its initial round.
The program will run virtually from Sept. 28 to Dec. 4, 2020 and will include remote technical training and high-level strategic development opportunities with Google’s Machine Learning, People and Product Growth Labs.
Uber
When hailing an Uber, passengers in certain cities will now get a prompt that tells them disinfectant wipes will be available during their ride.
Through a partnership with Clorox, Uber is distributing hundreds of thousands of canisters of the cleaning supply company’s wipes to drivers. Uber is also telling riders which surfaces in the car it recommends they clean before and after every trip.
Utility
With millions of Americans still at home, about one in three people nationwide are expected to see their utility bills go up by at least 10% this summer.
That’s according to renewable energy company Arcadia, which measured the increase in residential energy use from 10,000 customer households across 13 major U.S. cities.
That’s because the more time people spend at home, the more electricity, water and gas they use during the daytime hours.
About half of the entire U.S. workforce is now working remotely.