Several firms from Canada, China and Europe among 77 renewable energy firms have submitted bids for solar projects in Australia. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has shortlisted 22 projects, which will have capacity of 766 megawatts at combined project cost of $1.68 billion. The solar energy projects developers will also receive a grant of $30 million for each project from the Australian government.

Like other tech giants, Shape Security Inc., ‘Botnets’ security service provider has been eyeing to enter into Chinese ecommerce market since long. Inclusion of Beijing based investor, Northern Light and raising sufficient funds for spreading elsewhere- appear as two contributing factors. These factors have led Shape to penetrate the world’s largest ecommerce zone.

A group of technology executives in Canada and U.S. launched a Toronto-based $100 million venture fund. The group is focusing to fund enterprise software to establish its investment portfolio.

Venture capital firms raise less capital and face a slowdown in tech funding for 2015. However, the number is still above annual average since 2006.

Venture capital fund in the U.S. dropped by 9% in 2015, but a strong fundraising pace from 2014 continued. Investor become more selective to put the capital in startup companies.

The United Nations (UN) has received funding of $250million and needs additional $500 million for education programs for over one million Syrian children. Gordon Brown, the former UK Prime Minister and UN envoy for global education, is committed to mobilize money in next month. Brown has decided to raise money from the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos and other international conferences.

Former Facebook exec Sean Parker gave $500,000 to a newly formed group that aims to legalize recreational marijuana use in California.

After the cancellation of short-term credit facility from Citigroup, South African Airways is in the process of getting guarantee support from the government. South African Airways has had seven CEOs during the past three years. The National Treasury is exploring ways to restore financial support to the airline and will restructure the board as well.

State-owned Saudi Arabian Oil Co. (ARAMCO) is possibly going for an IPO aiming to raise funds for $1 trillion to $10 trillion. Some shares of the IPO may be awarded among the local banks and investors following ARAMCO’s action plan. However, experience in banking operations in the kingdom is believed to play the key role for selection which put HSBC and JPMorgan well ahead in the IPO grabbing race.

In a major setback, Silicon Valley’s largest startup accelerator reshuffles assignments for top executives. After five years of joining, Gmail and FriendFeed dreamer Paul Buchheit replaces Sam Altman as managing partner of startup accelerator’s core program. Sam Altman is reportedly assigned to advise his successor managing partners while overseeing the entire program.