Explore business insights, trends, and tips to boost success and stay competitive.
Food
Hooters of America, the iconic restaurant chain known for its wings and distinctive uniforms, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Texas in a move to address its mounting $376 million debt. But the company isn't closing up shop—instead, it’s restructuring and selling all 151 of
Funding
OpenAI just made history. On Monday, the company announced it had closed a staggering $40 billion funding round—one of the largest private raises ever—pushing its post-money valuation to an eye-popping $300 billion. According to a blog post on OpenAI’s website, the round was led by SoftBank, with
Media
Substack is no longer just a home for long-form newsletters. The platform is taking another deliberate step into social media territory with the launch of a vertical video feed inside its mobile app. The new TikTok-style interface is technically a redesign of its existing Media tab, introduced in 2024—but
Real Estate
Rocket Companies is continuing its aggressive expansion in the real estate space with the announcement of a $9.4 billion all-stock acquisition of Mr. Cooper Group Inc., one of its largest rivals in the mortgage industry. The move comes just weeks after Rocket revealed a $1.75 billion all-stock deal
Biotechnology
Isomorphic Labs, the artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery startup spun out of DeepMind, has secured $600 million in its first-ever external funding round. The financing, led by Thrive Capital with participation from Alphabet and its venture arm GV, marks a significant milestone for the Alphabet-owned company as it scales its efforts
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Amazon has just thrown its hat into the rapidly evolving ring of AI agents with the unveiling of Nova Act, a general-purpose AI system capable of navigating the web and performing basic online tasks autonomously. Announced Monday, Nova Act is more than just a research preview — it's a
Retail
In a significant strategic shift, Dollar Tree announced on Wednesday that it will sell its Family Dollar business to a group of private equity investors for approximately $1 billion. The deal concludes a nearly year-long search for a buyer for the underperforming discount retail chain, and marks a sharp pivot
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Amazon is doubling down on its push to personalize the shopping experience through artificial intelligence. The tech giant announced a new feature on Wednesday called “Interests”, designed to transform the way users search for and discover products. By leveraging large language models (LLMs), the tool turns natural language prompts into
Media
In a headline that feels equal parts surreal and nostalgic, Napster — the once-infamous music-sharing renegade of the early 2000s — just sold for a staggering $207 million. The buyer? Infinite Reality, a company betting that the future of music lies somewhere between nostalgia and virtual reality. It’s a bold play:
Transportation
Waymo, the self-driving arm of Alphabet, has announced its plans to launch a commercial robotaxi service in Washington D.C. by 2026. The rides will be available through the Waymo One app, adding the nation’s capital to a growing list of U.S. cities where the company is deploying
Automotive
Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD has officially surpassed Tesla in annual sales and vehicle deliveries, marking a major milestone in the global EV race. In a Monday earnings release, BYD reported an impressive $107 billion in 2024 revenue, outpacing Tesla’s $97.7 billion. The Shenzhen-based automaker also delivered a
Healthcare
Once heralded as a trailblazer in consumer genetics, 23andMe has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, marking a dramatic fall from its former $6 billion valuation. The filing was made Sunday night in Missouri federal court, capping off a tumultuous period for the company marked by financial struggles, failed business