Start-up
I joined a 24-hour ‘vibe coding’ hackathon and helped build an app – here are my biggest takeaways
CNBC correspondent Ernestine Siu attended an AI hackathon. Courtesy of Ernestine Siu I like to spend most of my weekends taking workout classes with friends, exploring new restaurants or vegging out on the couch with a movie on. The past weekend, however, was unique. Instead of the usual routine, I chose to immerse myself in […]
Read More38-year-old quit his job, spent $50,000 to launch a company from his Bronx apartment—now billionaires wear his luxury coats
It was 95 degrees when the first prototype of a Norwegian Wool jacket arrived at Michael Berkowitz’s apartment in The Bronx, New York, in August 2014. Needing to test the waterproof knee-length wool coat without getting heat stroke, the founder and CEO of the then-fledgling apparel brand took it to a supermarket in West Harlem. […]
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Fintech startup Upgrade valued at $7.3 billion in new funding round
Key Points Upgrade, a provider of online loans and other financial services, said it raised $165 million in its first funding round since 2021. The startup is now valued at $7.3 billion, according to CEO Renaud Laplanche. Neuberger Berman led the round, with participation from LuminArx Capital Management. Source
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Risk-averse parents are fueling Britain’s ambition crisis, VCs say
Mother and daughter using the laptop at home Fg Trade | E+ | Getty Images Concerns of an entrepreneurial ambition deficit in the U.K. have led some venture capitalists to question the role of risk-averse parents and a costly education system in disenfranchising young British people from becoming founders. Last month, U.K. Business Secretary Peter […]
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U.S. founders are ‘shameless’ with feedback and Europe’s should do the same: OpenAI’s startup boss
OpenAI’s EMEA startups head Laura Modiano spoke at the Sifted Summit on Wednesday, 8 October. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images In the latest comparison between American and European founders, OpenAI’s startup boss admitted that the Americans are “almost shameless” when it comes to making demands and giving feedback to the AI giant. Laura Modiano, […]
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OpenAI expands budget-friendly ChatGPT Go to 16 more countries in Asia
OpenAI’s ChatGPT Go has expanded to a total of 18 countries across Asia, according to an announcement made yesterday. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images OpenAI has expanded its lower-cost subscription plan, ChatGPT Go, to 16 more countries across Asia, company head Nick Turley announced Thursday. “Making ChatGPT more affordable has been a key ask […]
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‘The system is rigged’: Founders and VCs weigh in on the UK’s ambition deficit
Almost 60% of young people in the U.K. are interested in starting their own businesses, per the Generation Entrepreneur Report. Connect Images/ci-start | Connect Images | Getty Images Young Brits are catching flak for their apparent lack of entrepreneurial drive, sparking a broader debate on whether the U.K. startup scene is facing an ambition deficit. […]
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