Party City, the leading party supply retailer, announced on Friday that it will close all of its stores and initiate immediate corporate layoffs. The decision marks the end of an era for the New Jersey-based chain, which has faced mounting financial challenges in recent years. The closure comes less than
A cultural and economic shift became undeniable in 2024: America has fallen out of love with brands and embraced people. Across politics, media, and business, individuals have overtaken logos, with loneliness serving as the driving force behind this change. The Loneliness Epidemic Let’s start with the problem: loneliness. * 12%
As we close out the year, many business owners are gearing up for growth in 2025. Whether it’s increasing sales, launching new products, or expanding teams, these plans often require growth capital. Yet, many businesses face common obstacles that prevent them from securing the funding they need. Here are
In a world increasingly fragmented by multiple social media platforms and endless RSS feeds, a new app called Tapestry promises to simplify how users consume content online. Created by Iconfactory — the team behind the beloved third-party Twitter client Twitterific — Tapestry aims to bring news, blogs, and social media into a
Oura, the smart ring maker, announced it has secured $200 million in a Series D funding round, bringing its valuation to $5.2 billion. The funding round included participation from Fidelity Management and glucose monitoring device maker Dexcom. Expansion Plans and AI Focus Oura says the new capital will be
A team of leading researchers, including Zhou Xian, Yiling Qiao, Zhenjia Xu, and Tsun-Hsuan Wang, along with contributors from Carnegie Mellon University, Stanford University, MIT (CSAIL), NVIDIA, and Tsinghua University, have unveiled Genesis, a groundbreaking physics platform for robotics and embodied AI. Introducing Genesis Genesis is a generative physics engine
In the business world, some companies stand out as exceptional performers, consistently outpacing competitors. With operating margins 50% to 150% higher than peers and market capitalizations up to six times their revenue, these organizations redefine what sustained success looks like. What sets them apart? It comes down to a unique
Perplexity AI has reportedly closed a $500 million funding round, pushing its valuation to an impressive $9 billion. This marks a remarkable threefold increase in just 6 months, showcasing the rapid momentum within the artificial intelligence sector. The latest funding round was led by Institutional Venture Partners (IVP). Earlier reports
Fourteen years after debuting as a “social magazine,” Flipboard is back with a new app: Surf. Designed for a decentralized social web, Surf enables users to create and share custom content feeds drawn from platforms like Mastodon, Bluesky, Threads, RSS feeds, podcasts, and YouTube videos. A New Kind of Social
Nuclear startup Oklo has struck a significant deal with data center operator Switch to supply up to 12 gigawatts of power by 2044. If successful, Oklo’s small modular reactors (SMRs) could become a game-changer for powering energy-hungry data centers. However, the agreement comes with challenges, including regulatory hurdles and
Microsoft has reportedly acquired nearly twice as many Nvidia AI chips as its closest competitors, underscoring its aggressive push to dominate the AI arena, particularly through its Azure cloud platform. What Happened? According to analysts at Omdia, Microsoft purchased approximately 485,000 Nvidia “Hopper” AI chips in 2024. This figure
Planned obsolescence has long been a pillar of many business models, ensuring recurring sales and predictable revenue. Products are deliberately designed with short lifespans, from light bulbs that burn out after specific hours to smartphones that slow with software updates. While this approach drives profit, it comes at a steep
Media
The open social web, a decentralized vision for digital connection, is getting a major boost with Bridgy Fed becoming the first project incubated under a new nonprofit called A New Social. This initiative, led by CTO and Bridgy Fed creator Ryan Barrett and engineering leader turned CEO Anuj Ahooja, aims
Business Insights
San Francisco-based data analytics company Databricks has raised a record-breaking $10 billion in its Series J funding round, valuing the company at $62 billion. This historic investment—on par with Microsoft’s $10 billion backing of OpenAI in 2023—signals confidence that Databricks will play a pivotal role in the
Branding
What you post on social media matters—especially as a founder. It can strengthen your authority online, attract new opportunities, and connect you with your audience. Social Curator founder and CEO Jasmine Star, who has built a following of over 760,000 across Instagram, X, and TikTok, shares three easy
Cloud Computing
Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced on Monday a $10 billion investment to build new data centers in Ohio by 2030. This move brings Amazon’s total investment in the state to over $23 billion, solidifying Ohio’s status as a growing technology hub in the Midwest. Expansion of Cloud and
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Generative AI (Gen AI) has remarkable capabilities: it’s always on, endlessly scalable, instantly responsive, and equipped with vast knowledge. These attributes have made it an intimidating yet powerful tool, particularly for white-collar work. Yet, as AI continues to reshape industries, there remain critical areas where humans still hold a
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Nvidia has launched the $249 Jetson Orin Nano, a compact, palm-sized computer designed for running artificial intelligence applications locally. This new iteration doubles the speed and efficiency of its predecessor while cutting the price in half, according to Nvidia. The Orin Nano is capable of processing up to 70% more
Energy
Artificial intelligence’s sudden expansion has unleashed enormous potential—but at a steep cost: skyrocketing energy consumption. As AI models grow larger and more complex, they require vast amounts of power, leaving tech companies scrambling to find sustainable solutions. The Energy Crisis Behind AI Data centers, the backbone of AI
Branding
Brands are in a constant race to remain relevant. The ability to adapt — to change with the times, pivot strategies, and evolve offerings — has become the single most powerful competitive advantage a business can possess. Here’s why. 1. Markets Move Fast, and So Must You Technology, consumer preferences, and
Media
Threads, Meta’s social media platform, now boasts over 100 million daily active users, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement on Monday. This marks a significant milestone for Threads and is the first time Meta has publicly shared a daily active user count for the app. View on Threads
Real Estate
U.S. home prices are expected to continue rising in 2025, albeit at a slower rate than this year, according to a recent forecast from Bank of America. The investment bank’s mortgage-backed securities (MBS) research team predicts a 2% increase in national home prices next year. This projection marks
Mobile Apps
Chinese shopping app Temu has reclaimed its spot as the most downloaded free app in the U.S., according to Apple's year-end rankings released Monday. This marks Temu’s continued dominance after taking the top position in 2023, pushing TikTok, which held the crown in 2022, down to
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Google is stepping up its game in AI video and image generation with the release of Veo 2, the newest version of its video generation model. Positioned to compete directly with OpenAI’s Sora, Veo 2 delivers more realistic, high-resolution videos with improved understanding of real-world physics, human movement, and