Musk’s pot podcast draws Air Force scrutiny; WorldStar joins Snapchat’s story platform; Momentum IoT raises $3.1M
After smoking pot on a podcast also broadcasted on YouTube Inc., Space Exploration Technologies Corp.’s chief executive Elon Musk could face backlash. CNBC Technology reports Musk could be under fire since cannabis use is prohibited for anyone with government security clearance and SpaceX holds multiple military contracts. That said, an Air Force spokesperson told CNBC that it is unsure of Musk actually has security clearance, and “will need time to determine the facts and the appropriate process to handle the situation.” Despite being recreationally and medically legal in California, where Musk toked up, marijuana is still classified as federally illegal.
WorldStar Co., which operates popular viral video site WorldStarHipHop, announced Sept. 10 it will operate a Snapchat Discover channel on the publisher story platform run by Venice-based Snap Inc. A push towards original content is new for WorldStar, which began as a content aggregation site in 2005. Digiday reports that WorldStar received 4.7 million unique visitors in July 2018, a 66 percent year-over-year increase.
Momentum IoT Raises $3.1 Million
The Business Journal reports that Long Beach-based fleet management and tracking service provider Momentum IoT raised $3.1 million in a strategic funding round announced Sept. 10. In addition to the funding, the company hired a new chief marketing officer, Dev Bhatia, formerly of CalAmp Corp. The round was led by Howard Edmund Capital, a private investment fund.
