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In a disappointing year for female-founded startups — at least those looking to raise venture capital — The Riveter not only closed its first institutional funding round, but it’s today announcing a $15 million Series A funding, bringing its total backing to $20.5 million.
The Seattle-based co-working startup, led by co-founder and chief executive Amy Nelson (pictured), has raised the capital from lead investor Alpha Edison, with support from Madrona Venture Group, New America president and CEO Anne-Marie Slaughter, fashion designer Liz Lange and TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie .
As of November, startups founded by all-female teams had closed 391 deals worth $2.3 billion, an increase from the $2 billion invested in 2017, though still just 2.2 percent of all VC invested this year.
Nelson, an advocate for female entrepreneurs who’s spoken publicly about women’s struggles in the workplace, the difficulties of launching a business in a man’s world and raising venture dollars as a solo female founder, started The Riveter in 2016 after a decade-long career as a lawyer. Today, the startup operates five locations in the U.S., with ambitious plans to open another 100 female-focused co-working spaces by 2022.
“I want The Riveter to be the place people think of when they think of women and work,” Nelson told TechCrunch.
The Riveter has 2,000 members throughout its locations in Seattle, Bellevue, Wash. and Los Angeles. Its expansion plans include new spots in Texas, Colorado and Portland.
The spaces are built with women in mind but are not exclusive to one gender. Nelson tells us The Riveter’s membership is 25 percent male, setting it apart from spaces like The Wing, which is only available to female-identifying people.
“I don’t think the future is female, I think the future is fluid,” she said. “Gender is becoming an outdated idea but at the same time, it’s important to think of women when we build these spaces … There is a lot of value to women’s only spaces but our take on it is we want to redefine the future of work for women and we want everyone to be part of it.”
The Riveter provides space to work and collaborate; a digital network, currently in beta, for its members to connect; and programming ranging from office hours with venture capitalists to “self-care Saturday.”
Other investors in the startup include Brilliant Ventures, The Helm and X Factor Ventures.
How To Find Reused And Compromised Passwords In Safari
The macOS version requirement to use this feature is Big Sur or Monterey, but it worked fine in Catalina, as well. To get started:
1. Launch Safari on your Mac.
2. Once a new Safari window opens, click on Safari in the menu bar and select Preferences from the dropdown menu.
3. You should see a popup menu of Safari preferences — you’ll be under the General section by default. Select Passwords from the top menu to manage your saved passwords.
4. At this point, you’ll have to enter your system password to access your saved passwords.
5. Once you’re in, you’ll see a list of all your stored passwords. If you see a yellow warning icon next to any of the passwords, that means Safari has a security recommendation for it.
6. Tap the warning icon on the password to know its security status. If a password has been overused, if it is easy to guess, or if it has been compromised in a data breach, Safari will add a short comment. There’ll also be a link to the appropriate page so you can change your password (via Apple Support).
Whenever Safari is auto-filling your passwords in any field, you may also get a Compromised Password alert notifying you to change a password because it is weak, reused, or leaked.
This Electric Car Starts At Only $18,500, But You Only Get Three Wheels
The average commute, according to Electra Meccanica, is 40 miles. The Solo comes with 100 miles of range, which is more than enough to do your commute. Evidently, this car isn’t meant for much more than that, but many people — especially those who live in dense urban areas — don’t drive much further than work on a regular basis. Basic items like a briefcase, a few bags of groceries, and a set of gym clothes fit just fine in the back of the Solo.
Obviously, this ideal situation ends if you are a family with only one car. It also begins to lose its purpose if you enjoy a sporty feel because while you do get Bluetooth, USB charging, a rear-view camera, AC, and keyless entry, it isn’t exactly riveting to drive. It has a top speed of 80 mph, which is made possible by its 82 horsepower engine with 128 lb-ft of torque. All this power is sent to the singular rear wheel. It goes from 0-60 mph in 10 seconds, which is simply sluggish by any standard.
The interior of the Solo isn’t draw-dropping, considering the color variety you get is a few different shades of blacks and dark greys. However, the Solo does feature an LCD gauge cluster, which is a nice touch. What’s even nicer is that it comes with a singular heated seat.
This Tesla-Powered BMW EV Combines Classic Styling With Modern Power
One of the last produced examples of BMW’s E9 coupe was sold on Bring a Trailer for over $200,000, which is well within the BMW EV’s price range. But the Tesla-powered BMW CSI also has some historical significance, especially in terms of proper maintenance. It belonged to the late Saudi Arabian Prince Mashour bin Saud, who had four keepers tending to the car when it was purchased in 1978. Aside from having a taste of royalty, the BMW EV was also a rare right-hand drive model. Its paper trail reveals how its registration was changed from the prince’s original “2 BAT” to “BAT 9K,” including handwritten letters to Michael Gardiner, who was tasked with selling the car for him.
In 2019, the BMW 3.0 CSI was bought from Gardiner’s widow and was eventually brought over to established electric conversion specialists at Electric Classic Cars. The company, which successfully converted classics like a 1979 Porsche 911 and the original Volkswagen Beetle, did a complete overhaul on the iconic BMW both inside and out. Furthermore, this classic BMW EV even includes the original straight-six engine should its driver ever feel like going back to gas. Although electric conversion has kept this classic up to speed, let’s look at its other improvements.
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Andreas Antonopoulos has written the classic “Mastering Bitcoin” – a must read for everyone starting the cryptocurrency journey. Recently, the author was surprised to find the book appeared on China Central Television (CCTV). It is an unexpected move, as China is known to be discreet in general about virtual currencies.
Specifically, the CCTV2 Economic Channel promoted the Chinese version of the book in an advertisement program. It is worth noting, but the name of the Chinese book was changed to “Blockchain: The Road to Digitalization of Assets.”
Presumably, this move from CCTV shows some positive sign for the Bitcoin and crypto communities. It’s well-known that these TV channels are under the severe control of the Chinese government and nothing is presented there without a purpose.
The ideas of cryptocurrencies are not so clear for a regular Internet user. For a huge amount of people, it is shown as a mysterious way to invest and lose money, but not as an opportunity to make financial systems more transparent for everybody. The education about the subject is crucially important for the overall development of the industry as the blockchain is at the low start position and ready to strike for masses.
However, the English title of the cover has not been changed, and the author himself confirmed on Twitter that the content of the book has not been modified too.
How cool is this: “Mastering Bitcoin 1Ed”, on Chinese national TV. Even with a slightly sanitized title (no mention of Bitcoin), the content is the same.
Hoping to visiting China next year. Maybe this brings more opportunities and conference invitations. https://t.co/SHOBoaiF9a
— Andreas M. Antonopoulos (@aantonop) 25 October 2018
In short, the situation clearly shows that China is in the position where it calmly waits for the mass market to get ready to use it and the promotion of “Mastering Bitcoin” book is the big step for it. The government is carefully integrating new things.
Although the domestic crackdown on cryptocurrency is very strict, China seems to be open to blockchain technology projects. Before that, some Chinese banks have begun to use the blockchain to issue securities and loans.
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domain: news


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By Xinghui Kok
SINGAPORE (Reuters) -Singapore’s economy grew faster than initial estimates in the third quarter, helped by a resurgence in tourism and service sector activity, although authorities warned of risks to the outlook from inflation and geopolitics.
Gross domestic product (GDP) rose 1.1% year-on-year, government data showed on Wednesday, higher than the initial estimates of 0.7% released last month.
On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally-adjusted basis, gross domestic product expanded 1.4% in the July to September period, compared with 1% in advanced estimates.
The trade ministry narrowed GDP growth to around 1.0% in 2023 from the lower half of 0.5% to 1.5% range.
It expects GDP growth in 2024 to be from 1.0% to 3.0%.
“Better than expected third quarter GDP growth confirms that the economy is on track for a stronger recovery going into 2024,” said Maybank economist Chua Hak Bin.
Chua added that the upgrade from flash estimates was due to improvements in the services sector with financial services expanding and accommodation and retail trade supported by buoyant tourist arrivals.
Gabriel Lim, permanent secretary of policy at the Ministry of Trade & Industry, said during a press conference that significant downside risks in the global economy remain.
“First, sticky core inflation in advanced economies could induce central banks to maintain current high interest rates for longer,” said Lim. “Second, an escalation or widening of the Israel-Hamas conflict or war in Ukraine could lead to renewed supply disruptions and commodity price shocks.”
The trade-reliant economy narrowly avoided a technical recession – defined as two consecutive quarter-on-quarter contractions – when it posted a slight expansion in second quarter GDP.
While trade data shows exports increasing in recent months, non-domestic oil exports have fallen for 13 consecutive months.
In October, the central bank left monetary policy settings unchanged as inflation in the city-state moderated from a peak of 5.5% in January to 3% in September. It said that reflected economic prospects that were muted in the near term but expected to improve in the second half of 2024.
Edward Robinson, deputy managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, said during the press conference current monetary policy settings are appropriate and that the bank expects domestic interest rates to track global interest rates.
(Reporting by Xinghui Kok; Editing by Martin Petty and Sam Holmes)


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PENM Partners, a spinout from Scandinavian financial institution BankInvest, is set to officially join the handful of private equity houses in Vietnam as it completes the formalities to operate independently.
Earlier this year, PENM (Private Equity New Markets) was formed as an independent entity through a management buyout of the private equity arm of Denmark-based asset management firm BankInvest, said Hans Christian Jacobsen, managing partner.
“We were a part of BankInvest and managing private equity money with a 10-year horizon,” he said. “We couldn’t survive inside the bank, where anything above a week was longterm. We couldn’t go to LPs raising longterm funding and not knowing if BankInvest would be behind us that long.”
Of the eight Vietnam investments in PENM I, five have been exited, with three returning 4x after two years.
Hans Christian Jacobsen
PENM has been in Vietnam since 2006 and has raised three funds. Fund III, its latest vehicle, closed on $150 million in April 2012. Nearly all Fund I LPs – mainly Danish, Dutch and German pension funds – have re-upped in the subsequent vehicles, he added.
The firm is led by Jacobsen, who previously worked for 15 years with the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development in London and deputy managing partner Lars Kjaer, former managing director of Carlsberg Denmark.
PENM prefers investments in branded consumer companies such as those specialising in food, drinks or personal care products and gets involved with value creation work at portfolio companies, Jacobsen said.
“Governance is an issue here and you have to stay really close to companies all the time. But we rely on local management. We don’t believe a couple of Danes can run a Vietnamese company because of the complexity of running a business in the context of Vietnam.”
Of the eight Vietnam investments in PENM I, five have been exited. Three of those exits Jacobsen says returned 4x after two years: Cholimex, a chili mix company and Vinh Hao, a mineral water company, which were sold to local buyers, and Asia Fan, an electrical fan manufacturer, which was sold to a French corporation.
“It’s a lot of hard work to get in and to create value, and getting out can be tough. You have to find strategics buyers yourself,” he said.
The firm intends to raise its first fund as an independent shop in 2014, with the target of $150 million, Jacobsen said.
It’s not that we look for smaller deals, it’s just that there aren’t many deals around $20 million
Hans Christian Jacobsen
Vietnam received a record $400 million in disclosed private equity investment in the first half of the year, according to Mergermarket data. A $200 top-up investment by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in Masan Consumer and a $200 million buyout of real estate group Vincom Retail by a Warburg Pincus-led group accounted for the outsized figure.
Nonetheless, Jacobsen said this year the investment climate has tangibly improved. Vietnam’s interest rates have come down from 20-plus percent to below 10 percent and inflation has been reined in to around 6 percent. He expects a pickup in deals.
“There will be many deals coming to market in 2013 and 2014, but we’ll have to be very careful when picking them because they will be dressed up. Owners may be trying to get out or desperately need money to continue the business.”
Vietnam, however, has few deals of the size the global firms have completed. PENM’s average deal size is $10 million – $15 million. “It’s not that we look for smaller deals, it’s just that there aren’t many deals around $20 million.”


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Alibaba's Cainiao to raise more money; current funds good for up to 18 months
- AT&T (T) to Acquire Time Warner (TWX) for $107.50/Share
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An employee works at a Tmall logistic centre in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China, October 28, 2015. Picture taken October 28, 2015. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo
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HANGZHOU, China (Reuters) - Cainiao Network, the logistics arm of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (NYSE: BABA), will hold another round of fundraising but it is hoping that money raised in March will be sufficient for a year to 18 months.
In its first round of funding this year, Cainiao attracted investors such as Singapore's Temasek Holdings and GIC Pte Ltd, Malaysia's Khazanah Nasional Bhd, and China's Primavera Capital.
Business news magazine Caixin reported that the value of the round was close to 50 billion yuan ($7.5 billion).
"In the future we will definitely raise money again," Chief Executive Judy Tong told a news conference but added there was no timetable for the fundraising. "Cainiao is a very young company. It requires a lot of investment."
Alibaba, which owns about 47 percent of Cainiao, wants to take a leading role in developing China's fragmented package delivery industry, as e-commerce spreads beyond urban hubs and requires a more robust logistics network. Cainiao manages a network of warehouses and crunches data to coordinate courier deliveries around China.
Tong also said the company had not come under further pressure from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which is probing Alibaba's accounting, part of which is focused on its accounting for Cainiao.
Alibaba has said it is cooperating with the investigation and has handed information to the SEC.
"Since we handed over materials the SEC has not come to find us," Tong said. "We are not very nervous."
($1 = 6.6689 Chinese yuan)
(Reporting by David Lin in HANGZHOU; Additional reporting and writing by John Ruwitch in SHANGHAI; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
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Fonterra's payout may be at risk after global dairy prices undershoot
By Rebecca Howard
Oct. 4 (BusinessDesk) - Dairy prices undershot expectations in the overnight auction and some economists say it points to weaker demand and stronger supply, threatening Fonterra Cooperative Group's forecast payout.
The NZX Dairy Derivatives market pointed to around a 5 percent lift but instead the GDT price index - which covers a variety of products and contract periods - fell 2.4 percent from the previous auction two weeks ago to US$3,223.
"The fall was a surprise and must be telling us something about demand that the market did not already know," said Westpac Banking Corp chief economist Dominick Stephens. The futures were likely to be a reflection of Fonterra’s September Global Dairy Update suggesting poor weather conditions are hampering milk collections, which on a seasonally adjusted basis are down, he said. However, the result "suggests that global dairy demand may not be a robust as thought."
The weak demand could crimp dairy giant Fonterra's forecast payout for farmer shareholders. Stephens expects Fonterra to pay $6.50 per kilo of milk solids in the current seasons versus Fonterra's forecast of $6.75//kgMS. Fonterra reiterated its forecast at its annual result last week.
ANZ Bank New Zealand rural economist Con Williams also said the result disappointed and "really confirms that the only thing that has been holding WMP (whole milk powder) and butter prices up recently was short New Zealand supplies".
"While Chinese demand has been solid, it hasn't been spectacular," he said. Other Asian and Middle Eastern buyers have stepped in, but have struggled to absorb the higher GDT supply, Williams said.
The market also appears to be banking on a rebound in New Zealand supply - despite the poor weather, he said. While pasture conditions remain "very sodden" in the North Island they are generally better in the South Island, Williams said.
Also "last year’s poor performance through the seasonal peak for milk production would appear difficult to repeat," he said. Softer New Zealand production could still see a milk price of $6.75/kgMS, "but if not, it seems something around the mid-$6/kgMS is more likely."
ASB Bank chief economist Nick Tuffley was more optimistic about prices and said "overall we are expecting production growth to be held back by the bad weather we have been experiencing. We expect to see that eventually translate into the auction prices over time," he said.
ASB has expected production to increase 4 percent versus the prior season and is now tipping a 2 percent increase "with a question mark over that if we don't see weather conditions improve," he said.
Regarding the discrepancy between the futures market and the outcome, Tuffley said it was in line with recent results and "within the volatility we see from one auction to the next." ASB is still expecting Fonterra to pay $6.75/kgMS.


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Amazon’s Transportation Technology division is working on a very confidential project, but a few bits of information have leaked over the past month. Insiders have let freight industry sources know what few details they could.
A Trucking App, Like Uber
This news should be of interest to independent owner-operators in particular. Amazon’s new trucking app is designed to match up drivers with customers within driving distance. Much like Uber, which matched nearby drivers with riders, the Amazon trucking app takes customers with shipments, and notifies participating drivers in case they want to earn extra cash on their own time. Seeing as the freight industry is valued at $800 billion annually, the trucking app could mean independent drivers could rake in a larger share without having to pay the base 15 percent to brokers for finding customers. There is no word yet on how much Amazon will take as a cut for each shipment, but to stay competitive, rumors are flying about everything from a flat rate to an extremely low percentage.
How Are Payments Arranged?
This is perhaps the biggest question, and as of now, there is very little concrete information. As it stands, Amazon is not set to handle large transfers of money, so their trucking app will probably diverge a bit from Uber, because payments will not that instantaneous. Independent drivers hauling a delivery for a few thousand dollars will not have the money immediately deposited in their accounts. However, there is speculation that Amazon will integrate some form of electronic invoicing which could be accessed via smartphone or tablet. If so, integration with various factoring service providers would be easier, especially since freight factoring is at the forefront of trucking as a method of payment while reducing paperwork and tracking customer accounts.
When Is Amazon’s Trucking App Coming Out?
Amazon is certainly ramping up development on their trucking app. With contenders like Uber, Convoy, and Trucker Path entering the race for their share of the independent trucking market, we hope to see a major announcement sometime in 2017. We do not know how Amazon intends to set themselves apart from the competition, but with other facets of their business heavily reliant on the freight industry, Amazon is sure to come out swinging with their new app.


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Level 39, 20th May 2016
Crowdstacker, the Level39 member which lets users invest in British businesses on an FCA-regulated platform, has launched the UK’s first IFISA-eligible loan product.
The IFISA is a new type of ISA that was announced in last year’s budget. Unlike regular ISAs which are based on holding cash, or investing them in stocks, an IFISA lets people invest their money in P2P lending. Read the full article at www.level39.co


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Google had successfully created the illusion that its device projects were mere demonstrators of the full prowess of its Operating Systems. While launching device after device,Larry Page talked up the Google moonshots - Glass (but when was a heads-up display a real moonshot project?), the autonomous car, Loon. By launching Chromecast and soon, according to GigaOm, a Smartwatch, however Google has shown us a comprehensive, and growing, device portfolio. It happened while we were arguing about cars.
The Google Smartwatch comes courtesy of its purchase of WIMM Labs and that really was stealth. Nobody knew Google had made the purchase until GigaOm reported it this week. Google confirmed the purchase this morning. GigaOm points out that the WIMM Smartwatch has been incubated within the Android team rather than Google's labs, meaning it has a short term horizon for its go-to-market journey.
In fact we first got wind of a Google Smartwatch project back in March. It was reported by the Financial Times. Earlier this week we also got official confirmation that Samsung has a Smartwatch ready for launch on September 4th (Wednesday next). From supplier leaks we know Apple has taken more than one delivery of 1.5" AMOLED test displays for a Smartwatch, but is also rumored to have delayed the launch of an iWatch until late in 2014 .
The fact is we're moving quickly way from the smartphone as a solo handheld device to something more pervasive- a device economy where the smartphone acts as a personal server, coordinating devices like Google Glass and Samsung' Smartwatch. But we are also moving towards a new era of competition between the tech majors.
The broader field of wearables is also hotting up. Some projects sound bizarre but nonetheless they point to a very diverse set of ideas for highly functional smartphone peripherals, for example athletics’ socks that identify injury prone running styles; ski goggles with information on speed and incline; compression shirts that monitor the heart rate of athletes, even teeth fillings that monitor eating habits.
But the importance of the Google Smartwatch lies in the clarity if gives to Google's strategy. Google is not just testing the waters or showing off Android's full capability with its devices. It is now a fully fledged hardware company with an impressive range of devices, some of them, like the new Nexus tablet, best-in-class (though see here for reliability problems).
The end result though is that Google is competing with companies like Samsung, the major user of the Android operating system. Samsung is almost completely dependent on Google for Android, it begs serious questions for Samsung, like how quickly can it reduce that dependency or how astute it can be at diverting app revenues from Play to the Samsung App Store (they have been quite successful in China, for example). That explains why the Samsung Smartwatch will more than likely be a peripheral for Samsung Galaxy phones only, and not for the Android family.
The old lines that barely separated supplier from buyer are blurring further, however, bringing Google and Samsung into direct competition, with a face-off against Apple on the horizon. It means that all three will have already reset their strategies for the coming 18 months. It will be fascinating to see how that emerges into the public domain. Judging by previews of the Samsung Smartwatch (no flexible display technology), a significant design and service advantage lies ahead for Apple, even in 2014. However, by then consumers will be asked to choose between heads-up, wrist-based and even apparel-based peripheral devices. It looks like there will be no big market for one device to conquer but one big prize for the company that can take the holistic view. Google, Apple and Samsung are all capable of that.


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Would You Pay More Than $13,000 To Own One Of These Crazy Curved TVs By LG?
Although you might think that you just got your hands on a state-of-the-art TV, the truth is that, unless you shelled out some major coin for it, it’s probably already outdated. It’s not really hard for that to happen nowadays, as TV manufacturers are constantly rolling out a steady stream of TVs every month that are more advanced than anything released just one month prior. But, that being said, the latest update to the modern TV is a real doozy. It’s big, it’s flashy, and it’s curved. Yes, curved.
The curved TV comes courtesy of LG (check out a photo of it above). And, while LG only announced plans for it about two weeks ago, it appears as though they’re not wasting any time putting it out. They just put it the TV—which is officially known as the LG 55AE9800—up for pre-sale in South Korea this week, and it looks pretty amazing. It features a curved shape, is 0.17 inches thin, weighs less than 40 pounds, and features all kinds of cool color technology that’ll make the picture brighter and clearer than anything you’ve ever laid eyes on.
So, what’s the catch? Well, for starters, the 55AE9800 isn’t going to be available in America just yet. For now, South Korea will be the only country getting a crack at it. And then, there’s the price. The 55AE9800 is going to be available for roughly—you ready for this?—$13,500. Yikes. So, while it does have way more features than the TV you just bought, it’s also got a considerably larger price tag. As in, the kind of price tag that’s usually reserved for a car.
But isn’t it cool? We’re definitely not going to pick up this specific TV when it drops (we’re not balling like that!). But we’re excited to see this new technology that LG is introducing incorporated into other TVs in the future. If this is the future of televisions, count us in.


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Aerospace and science editor for GeekWire, creator of Cosmic Log, author of "The Case for Pluto: How a Little Planet Made a Big Difference," president of the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing. Check out "About Alan Boyle" for more fun facts.
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Wirecard AG, a global software and IT specialist for outsourcing and white label solutions for payment processing and issuing products, has announced that it has acquired 100% of MyGate Communications (Pty) Ltd (My Gate), a South African payments service provider (PSP).
The company operates one of Africa’s largest and fastest growing online payment gateways and was recently voted the best online payment gateway in Africa in 2016.
MyGate enables merchants across Africa to accept a wide range of different e-commerce payment options, in particular online card payments, thereby helping them to serve millions of African consumers. MyGate is linked to the leading acquiring banks in Africa. The company currently employs 21 employees.
The acquired PSP business along with its integration into Africa’s leading acquiring banks and the Visa network offers enormous value added for Wirecard’s regional product portfolio and supplements the existing product portfolio offered by our subsidiary Wirecard South Africa.
This merger speeds up Wirecard’s expansion into Africa’s international markets and offers further potential to leverage synergies. In future, African merchants will receive a comprehensive payment solution along the entire value-added chain from a single source. Wirecard’s innovative IP-based payment and risk management technology will greatly benefit the acquired PSP business, which, in turn, is expected to be expanded with additional value-added services.


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This morning, Redmi announced on its official Weibo: Redmi K40 dual flagship, the whole system comes standard with a large battery of 4520mAh.
In addition to the disclosure of battery information, Redmi also displayed a brand new spokesperson poster this morning. The mobile phone in the hands of the spokesperson Wang Yibo is the Redmi K40 series Mo Yu version released soon.
It can be seen from related posters and promotional videos that the Redmi K40 series bag maintains a thin and light body appearance. Redmi officials also stated that the Redmi K40 series also pursues the ultimate light and thin feel under the premise of strong battery life.
In addition, Redmi officially stated that the Snapdragon 888 flagship must have a battery capacity of no less than 4500mAh; it will never be a gimmick selling point and sacrifice battery life experience. It can be seen that in addition to the powerful performance configuration, the Redmi K40 series will also have a strong battery life and a thin and light body, which can be described as “all-round”.
As for the charging speed, Redmi officially stated that “K40 results are not bad, see the live test”, I believe that there will be a corresponding fast charging display at the new product launch event on the evening of February 25.


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VLTA Stock Bullish on Record Q2 Results & Strong Guidance
When it comes to investing catchphrases, “follow the money” is about as good as it gets. And when it comes to President Joe Biden’s $1.0-trillion infrastructure bill, one of the biggest spending categories is electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
Recently, all 50 states submitted EV infrastructure deployment plans, which are required under the federal $5.0-billion EV charger program. The infrastructure plan also includes a $2.5-billion competitive grant program for meeting administration priorities.
The money will start to flow soon, so we’ll start to see a major deployment of EV charging stations over the next year or so.
One under-the-radar stock that could benefit from the rising demand for EV charging stations is Volta Inc (NASDAQ:VLTA). The company only listed its shares on the New York Stock Exchange in August 2021 and frankly, Volta stock hasn’t done all that well since then.
As of this writing, VLTA stock is down by:
- 21% over the last month
- 71% year-to-date
- 80% year-over-year
To be fair, this sell-off has had more to do with factors like rising interest rates, traders pivoting away from growth stocks, runaway inflation, the war in Ukraine, and fears of a recession than anything going on at Volta Inc.
The company recently reported record second-quarter results and provided strong third-quarter and full-year guidance.
Record financial results, new installation agreements, new collaborations, and new advertising clients have helped Wall Street wake up and see Volta Inc’s near-term potential. Analysts have provided a 12-month share-price target of $4.00 to $7.00. This represents upside potential for Volta stock in the range of 92% to 236%.
About Volta Inc
Volta owns, installs, operates, and maintains EV charging stations in the U.S. It currently operates 2,920 stalls at 927 sites in 28 states and territories, including the West Coast, Texas, Florida, and the eastern seaboard. It also has charging stations in France, Switzerland, and Germany. (Source: “Q2 2022 Earnings Call,” Volta Inc, August 11, 2022.)
The company’s stalls sport 5,425 massive screens, which are used to display advertising (which can generate serious revenues).
Volta Inc’s charging stalls can be configured to charge more than one vehicle at a time. Moreover, the company uses its “PredictEV” software to forecast grid capacity, EV charging penetration, and charger utilization.
Volta has a deployment pipeline of 3,942 stalls and 7,285 screens at 1,468 sites.
The company works with real estate and retail partners that have national and regional multi-site portfolios—as well as municipalities and local businesses—to deploy EV charging stations in locations including retail centers, grocery stores, pharmacies, parking lots, restaurants, schools, and universities.
“By building not just a network of chargers, but a dual energy and digital advertising platform, we believe Volta can scale revenue even faster than the EV adoption curve – offering the quickest path to profitability and the highest revenue per station,” said Vince Cubbage, the company’s interim CEO. (Source: “Volta Inc. Reports Second Quarter Financial Results,” Volta Inc, August 11, 2022.)
The company’s advertising customers include Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL), Kia Corp (KRX:000270, OTCMKTS:KIMTF), Six Flags Entertainment Corp (NYSE:SIX), and General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS).
Coca-Cola Co (NYSE:KO), another customer of Volta Inc, completed a case study which found that the brands featured in ads on Volta screens saw $2.5 million in attributable sales and a return on ad spending that was 56% higher than the average digital out-of-home ADUSA Supply Chain food and beverage ad campaign.
Record Second-Quarter Results
For the second quarter ended June 30, Volta Inc announced that its revenue increased by 121% year-over-year and 83% sequentially to a record $15.3 million. (Source: Ibid.)
The company’s advertising revenue in the second quarter went up by 73% year-over-year and 83% sequentially to $11.2 million. Volta Inc’s installed base of charging stalls went up by 48% year-over-year and 15% sequentially to 2,920.
The company reported a second-quarter 2022 net loss of $37.4 million, or $0.22 per share, compared to a second-quarter 2021 net loss of $20.5 million, or $1.09 per share.
Volta Inc ended the second quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $105.3 million.
“Volta had a record quarter, and these results demonstrate the power of our differentiated business model,” said Cubbage. (Source: Ibid.)
In the second quarter, Volta’s new advertising brand partners included United Airlines Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:UAL), Lyft Inc (NASDAQ:LYFT), Bank of America Corp (NYSE:BAC), and HP Inc (NYSE:HPQ).
Also during the second quarter, Volta Inc announced a collaboration with Kroger Co (NYSE:KR), the largest grocer in the U.S., to bring more EV charging stations to its locations. Kroger will install charging stations at 16 locations in the Atlanta and Indianapolis areas, and it has plans to expand that to Columbus, Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville, Michigan, and Southern California this year.
During the second quarter, Volta Inc also announced that the city of Hoboken, NJ plans to install 25 of the company’s EV charging stations—with 46 advertising screens—over the next 18 months.
For the third quarter of 2022, Volta Inc expects to report revenue in the range of $17.0 to $18.0 million, more than double the $8.5 million it reported for the third quarter of 2021.
For the full year, Volta Inc expects to report:
- Revenue in the range of $70.0 to $80.0 million, more than double the $32.3 million recorded last year
- Total incremental connected stalls in the range of 1,700 to 2,000
- Total incremental connected sites in the range of 650 to 750
Volta Inc is a great, under-the-radar EV charging company that has been adding new charging stalls across the U.S. and making moves into Europe. The company has also been securing agreements with blue-chip companies to advertise on the screens of its charging stations.
This has allowed Volta to report record financial results and provide impressive guidance. VLTA stock is currently a penny stock, but it might not be for long.


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SAN JOSE, Calif. – PLX Technology is developing a variant of its PCI Express switches to act as a fabric for a variety of servers and network appliances. The effort is one of several proposals to expand the reach and role of PCIe, now the subject of a lively debate.
Server designers at Facebook want to use a PCIe fabric as the basis for future processor cards that ease the task of upgrading CPUs in the thousands of racks in its large data centers. Currently the company uses server cards that include relatively expensive 10 Gbit/second Ethernet links.
“Our goal is to use only PCIe in the rack so we can refresh every component on its own natural life cycle,” said Amir Michael, a senior hardware designer at Facebook which leads the Open Compute Project, trying to set standards in server design.
[ARM TechCon 2012, the largest ARM design ecosystem under one roof, is Oct. 30 - Nov. 1 in Santa Clara. Click here to check out agenda.]
“I believe [a PCIe fabric] is one of the next big frontiers for servers,” Michael said. “It has a lot of benefits, but also some technology challenges because PCIe was not designed for that and there are no long distance, cost-effective PCIe components now,” he added.
PLX (San Jose) hopes to fill the gap with a chip and software it currently has in development with unnamed partners. It includes “standards-compliant extensions to its switches” and is aimed at data-center and high-performance computing servers as well as network appliances such as dedicated storage systems, said a PLX representative.
The PLX approach will offer twice the throughput of 10G Ethernet with slightly lower CPU utilization. PLX is working with standards groups to get its approach adopted.
Sources at two server makers said the PLX effort is one of several similar proposals in the industry. However, none are actively under consideration at the PCI Special Interest Group, said one senior I/O engineer who asked not to be named.
“Perhaps for some purpose-built applications, [PLX] will find an interesting market, but for the volume space of cloud and enterprise data centers, the world is dominated by Ethernet,” the engineer said. “With the rise of processors with integrated Ethernet NICs across multiple design points, the technical challenges may be the least to overcome,” he said.
“Convincing customers to implement two fabrics, two management domains, and etc., will be a challenge,” the engineer said.
He noted Infiniband has faced similar challenges and thus “still remains a niche for purpose-built environments.” In addition, Intel scrapped several years ago its Advanced Switching initiative that tried to create a version of PCIe acting as a broad clustering and network fabric, he added.
Intel recently said it is developing a clustering interconnect it will put on its future server processors, borrowing techniques from many technologies including Ethernet, it said. Separately, archrival Advanced Micro Devices is promoting the Freedom Fabric acquired with startup SeaMicro.
Intel preps interconnect for server CPUs
AMD fabric takes first step to broader market
Intel pulls plug on Advanced Switching


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Elon Musk has said he has a “super bad feeling” about the economy and is now looking to axe 10% of jobs at Tesla. He made the decision known to employees through e-mail that Reuters has seen. As food and energy prices lower people’s disposable income, they’re not spending as much on luxuries like Netflix… and Tesla cars.
The e-mail that went out was titled “pause all hiring worldwide” and was sent out on Thursday. This gives us an idea of what has been running through the billionaire’s mind as of late. In recent days, Musk told employees to get back to work for at least 40 hours a week before attempting to work from home. Those at odds with this position may voluntarily leave and make the company’s cuts a bit easier.
According to an SEC filing at the end of 2021, Tesla and its subsidiaries hire around 100,000 people – if 10% are cut, that means 10,000 people can expect to lose their jobs in the near future which will compound their problems given the rise in the cost of living.
While the proposed Tesla cuts are big, it’s not the only firm to cut back on its workforce in the tech sector. Netflix has let go of 150 people and other firms such as Meta and Uber have cut back on the number of new hires they’re making. Tech firms are in a unique position because they were depended upon heavily during the pandemic but now that people are going back to work, their stock prices are readjusting.


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We have great news to kick off 2018! Shortly before the holiday, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed legislation sponsored by Rep. Andy Schor, to incentivize grocery stores in underserved areas.
Despite being the second most agriculturally diverse state in the nation, nearly 2 million people have limited, or even no access to healthier food options. House Bill 4207—The Michigan Strategic Fund Act, more commonly referred to as the Grocery Store Bill, and now the Public Act 239 of 2017, aims to change that.
PA 239 requires that for the next five years, 5 percent of annually appropriated funds from the state’s Community Revitalization Program (CRP) go to programs aimed at increasing access to healthy food. Specifically, the funds must go toward properties that will be used primarily as a retail supermarket, grocery store, or produce market. These businesses must offer fresh fruits and vegetables, unprocessed USDA-inspected meat and poultry products, and dairy products for sale to the public. The sum of money allocated toward increasing healthier food options for all Michiganders by the end of that five-year period will be approximately $12-$15 million.
“A healthier Michigan is a stronger Michigan, and this bill helps promote the development of grocery stores to provide more Michiganders with access to healthier food options," Gov. Snyder said in a statement. “We have the second most agriculturally diverse state in the nation, and it's important that we expand the accessibility of Michigan's world-class food products to all Michiganders."
The legislation expands the definition of “eligible property" for community revitalization incentives to include property utilized for a neighborhood and commercial corridor food initiative. The bill also requires at least 5 percent of community revitalization incentives be awarded by the Michigan Economic Development Commission to these food initiatives.
“Grocery stores are key to a vibrant community because people want to be close to a store to buy bread, milk and whatever they need for dinner that day," Rep. Schor said in a statement when the bill was given final approval from the Senate. “Easy access to grocery stores will help residents while making our downtowns and neighborhoods more attractive to new people and businesses."
Congratulations to the advocates in Michigan, including Healthy Kids, Healthy Michigan and the American Heart Association, for this huge progress in helping all communities in the state access affordable, healthy foods!


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Social enterprise Hey Girls and The Big Issue have teamed up to raise awareness of how poverty-stricken girls and young women are being forced into using unhygienic and unsafe alternatives to sanitary products.
Proceeds from sales of many of Hey Girls' sanitary products are donated to help girls and young women in need. The "UNsanitary" marketing drive highlights the finding that one in 10 girls and young women are suffering from "period poverty".
Moreover, a range of branded products were on display at pop-ups in selected Asda stores on 15 February. The items appeared to resemble genuine sanitary products, but on closer inspection were revealed to be unsanitary alternatives used by some women, such as socks, newspaper and loo roll.
The Big Issue has created a 24-page special magazine about periods, menstrual products, poverty, activism and the environment. It will be included with copies of the main title sold by vendors across the UK. Hey Girls' own community of supporters will also be distributing copies of the mini-magazine.
This is Hey Girls’ biggest campaign to date and is being supported by digital out-of-home company Clear Channel, which will carry advertising on its screens in shopping centres nationwide and at its Storm site in London.
The work was created by Zoe Nash and Sali Horsey.


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Following Ubisoft and Square Enix, GameStop is apparently the latest player in the video game industry that sees NFTs as a way to increase its profitability. According , the company hired nearly two dozen people as part of a newly formed cryptocurrency division. The unit is building an online marketplace to buy, sell and trade NFTs for in-game items such as cosmetics. The hub could be launched later this year. In addition, the division is close to partnering with two companies to co-invest in games that make use of blockchain and NFT technologies. GameStop is said to be planning to partner with a dozen companies in the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
Development news sent the value of GameStop , above US$ 131.01, in after-sales negotiation. According The newspaper, GameStop executives see NFTs as a way for the company to return to profitability, but it’s not clear whether the nascent technology has a place in video games.
Many of the recent attempts by some developers and publishers to include digital tokens in their titles have been met with outright hostility. Ubisoft, for example, became a when it announced its Quartz NFT platform. It also seems that the negative attention wasn’t worth it for Ubisoft, with a recent Eurogamer report claiming that the company had on December 21st. But despite all the backlash, Ubisoft and others seem unfazed. On a , Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot allegedly linked the NFTs’ initial reaction to earlier outrage over trends like microtransactions and cashboxes. It seems the implication here was that people would eventually accept the technology.
All products recommended by Ploonge are selected by our editorial team, regardless of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we can earn an affiliate commission.


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Politically Direct: State Tax-Obsessed Politicians Propose Internet Tax That Would Stifle Innovation, Says Internet Alliance
By Emily Hackett
Executive Director, Internet Alliance
April 1, 2009 — State lawmakers seemingly cannot resist targeting the Internet for more revenue. So far this year, seven states are considering a controversial tax that would require many online retailers to begin collecting sales taxes on purchases shipped to the state, even if they have no operations or employees working there.
The Internet Alliance opposes this type of tax, as it would inhibit commerce and communications with out-of-state businesses and consumers. The Internet Alliance and its member companies have worked with state officials across the country to break down artificial, unnecessary, and counterproductive barriers like these types of taxes.
California, Connecticut, Hawaii, and Minnesota have legislation pending, while Illinois and North Carolina are expected to introduce measures in the next few weeks.
The US Supreme Court (see Quill Corp. v. North Dakota, 504 US 298 (1992)) has made plain that physical presence, or nexus, is necessary for states to compel companies to serve as tax collectors. Therefore, these attempts to redefine nexus are not only poor tax policy, but they are also clearly unconstitutional. This type of legislation would impermissibly attempt to require remote sellers with no physical presence in these states to collect and remit tax based on advertising dollars spent there. A mere advertising relationship – the basis of these proposals – would not constitute physical presence.
This type of tax strikes at the very heart of e-commerce. While it may not be intended, these nexus provisions only discourage remote sellers from compensating a range of organizations, businesses, and individuals from hosting advertisements in these states. Ultimately, it will be these entities that lose out, as remote sellers move their marketing dollars elsewhere leaving the states without any additional revenue. Additionally, the technology sector in these states would be negatively affected, as remote sellers would be likely to reconsider using websites hosting services in those states.
If these measures are enacted, taxpayers will inevitably be the ones to incur the cost of defending these unconstitutional laws. Determining whether a remote seller “directly or indirectly” was able to obtain sales through a resident of a state that assists in soliciting Internet sales is hardly a precise standard, and will most likely result in protracted litigation.
Moreover, state resources spent by state agencies in pursuing those subject to the tax under these new provisions would be better spent seeking the collection of taxes from those it can permissibly tax.
The Internet Alliance realizes that states are facing an unprecedented fiscal crisis. However, creating this type of tax instead of cutting state spending would harm the economy at the worst possible time. Instead of targeting the Internet for more revenue, states should tighten their spending.
The economic growth created by the Internet is already a rich source of income tax revenue for the states, not to mention “real world” sales taxes collected from Web-based employees who spread their wealth around. Internet taxes would discourage online firms from hiring and expanding, and thus create an entirely unnecessary long-term drag on the economy, killing jobs.
Legislators should be working on measures to strengthen Internet commerce, rather than placing undue burdens that would weigh it down in return for the theoretical gain of a projected retail taxation opportunity.
About Emily Hackett and the Internet Alliance:
Emily Hackett is executive director of the Internet Alliance (IA), which is a leading advocacy organization of policy professionals representing the Internet industry in all 50 states. The IA’s mission is to promote confidence and trust in the Internet so it can reach its potential as the most dynamic market medium of this century.
The IA advocates for the Internet industry and e-commerce on issues important to consumers and businesses. The IA takes a positive and proactive approach to the policy dialogue by developing consistent and strategic core messages in several policy areas affecting consumers and businesses’ bottom line.
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♥ Exciting news in the beauty department: Drew Barrymore is launching a cosmetics line (181 products strong!) exclusively for Wal-Mart. I am pumped.
♥ Wholeheartedly in agreement with these five reasons to love Dolly Parton.
♥ Is sick the new black? Yikes, I hope not.
♥ This lovely round-up of recipes for Christmas morning came at the perfect time. Do y’all know what your making?
♥ And lastly, the best movie news I’ve heard all year.
P.S. The beautiful Edward Runci pin-up was found here.


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The e-commerce industry is booming, made possible by the emergence of new business models based on digital technologies. Traders study the world in which they operate in detail. From the digital wallets that lead the mobile e-commerce revolution to the digital currencies used in the metaverse, how consumers can pay greatly influences the experience offered by merchants. More and more brands are waking up to this fact and developing new and innovative revenue streams and models, leveraging a strategic understanding of online payments.
The beginning of the year heralds many other changes for this sector, characterized by intense competition where innovation is fundamental and potential gains are significant. Decryption of five developmental positions to watch out for to thrive in this context.
The tech sector in the grip of many layoffs
At the UN climate conference COP26 in November 2021, 130 retailers, including Burberry, H&M and Nike, committed to reducing their emissions to half of 2019 levels by the next decade, a 30-year commitment. % higher than your previous commitment. You can see a number of retailers including eco-sustainability and ethical supply chains at the top of their 2022 priority list. Millennials prefer sustainable brands, so retailers are acting in everyone’s interest by prioritizing the concept of sustainability at the start of this era. New Year.
So what would that progress look like for traders? While many are investing in carbon offsets and other large-scale projects, there are also other policy changes with significant effect. Retailers are increasingly looking for ways to combine the resale and rental sectors to ensure their products are in circulation longer. Payment also plays a role in this approach, for example the “Buy now, pay later” (BNPL) deferred payment options that make it possible to make ethical and sustainable products – often offered at a higher price – more accessible to consumers. all.
The successful adoption of social commerce
As more consumers are able to discover the services offered by merchants through social media, whether through advertisements or content creation, the way people interact with their products is changing. European investors and traders continue to increase their adoption of social commerce, especially as European consumers seem very likely to adopt this trend en masse once it adapts to them.
The human dimension of e-commerce is essential, as is the seamless experience that social media platforms seek to ensure. It is for this reason that the integration of shopping methods and payment links is increasingly being used by brands to convert potential shoppers into purchasing customers, through an in-app, in-app, fluid and secure experience.
However, where there are opportunities, there are also opportunists. And with the rise of social commerce, environmental skepticism has also emerged among consumers, who sometimes doubt the veracity of the facts presented about brands on social media. To earn the trust of skeptics, brands will need to collaborate with trusted partners and invest in robust technical solutions to ensure all parts of the transaction process are secure.
Payment optimization and diversification
Rather than remaining passive, brands are better off actively investing in innovative or improved payment technologies that drive more sales through the digital checkout process, preventing fraud and chargebacks.
Indeed, payments are essential to support merchants’ growth ambitions in new markets. Since most consumers will abandon their cart if they cannot pay with their preferred payment method, payment diversification strategies will be vital for brands to generate more sales. In addition to local payment methods, merchants can also favor the integration of BNPL options, digital wallets – including compatible with cryptocurrencies – and QR codes. Payments via digital currencies or even the sale of digital assets like NFTs can be offered as a payment option.
The fight against fraud and cyber risks
As criminals become increasingly adept at fraud methods, brands will need to reduce the risk of fraud and cybersecurity breaches through optimized data analytics technologies and solutions. In 2020, card fraud cost e-commerce professionals an estimated $35.54 billion worldwide. This type of fraud was already increasingly common before the pandemic, but its rise since then has been considerable.
With the increase in the number of frauds during 2021, e-commerce professionals are looking for several solutions to combat this scourge. Small changes like site encryption, regular software updates, and stepping up the authentication process can make a big difference. As competition in the industry evolves in the future, the strategy adopted by brands against fraud will crucially determine their place in the global e-commerce market.
The potential of marketplaces
According to McKinsey data, 50-70% of online commerce is expected to take place on marketplace platforms by 2025.
In fact, marketplaces that bundle special offers or unique items sold second-hand can see the benefits of high demand tied to certain specific situations. And e-commerce professionals are feeling these pressures, as the potential loss of market share for these platforms is a major threat. But perhaps this challenge is actually yet another opportunity for brands that plan to sell more of their products on third-party marketplace platforms in 2022.
As competition between independent sellers targeting the same customers in these markets intensifies, brands may look to expand their digital presence to other platforms to maximize their scale.


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The IPA data bank online (IDOL) reveals analyses of more than 900 case histories in the IPA data bank.
Features include a data search on categories including marketing objectives, creative strategy and communications channels and instant charting to inform PowerPoint presentations. It is free for members to use, and non-members for a limited trial period.
Neil Simpson, chief executive of Publicis and chairman of the IPA's Value of Advertising Group, said: "The IPA data bank is one of the best sources of advertising effectiveness there is and this new online facility will enable all to uncover winning strategies in every brand, category, and communications channel.
"So it is fitting to launch IDOL in what is the 30th Anniversary of the Effectiveness Awards - allowing the learnings of past papers to be more easily accessible to all, in their demonstration that advertising is still working."
Last year, the IPA Effectiveness crown was awarded to WPP's Mediaedge:cia, the first time a media agency had won the top accolade.


text: Omar Bailey, the former head of adidas YEEZY Innovations Lab and his partner Abhishek Som, a former Wall Street and private equity executive, have created their own sneaker production company. The company titled FCTRY LAb, founded eight months ago, is situated in Los Angeles and will support both emerging and established designers. One of the main advantages of the company will be the shortened time of production due to its location, and avoiding the delays tied to overseas supply chains. It is reported that the production time will last from one to three months, where other production companies produce their footwear from eight to twelve months. Given that Bailey has been in the business of a designer engineer for 20 years, there is no doubt that the company will rise quickly, as they already proved with fundings from major companies such as PayPal-backed Slauson & Co, with additional investment from Relay Ventures, Elysian Park Ventures, Level One Fund, and Fog City Capital. The company is set to become fully operational in January and will offer the latest innovations of 3D printing, pattern making, injection molding and more.


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1 min read.Updated: 15 Jan 2022, 12:16 PM IST Edited By Livemint
Flipkart Big Savings Days will see smartphone brands like Apple, Realme, Poco, Xiaomi, Samsung, Oppo and Infinix
Listen to this article
Flipkart, the homegrown e-commerce major, will start its Big Saving Days starting January 17 which will be live till January 22. The early access program for the Plus users will start on January 16 at 12:00 am. This will coincides with Amazon’s Great Republic Day sale which will go live on the same date but only till January 20. These two e-commerce portals will offer discounts on smartphones, accessories, home appliances, laptops, smart TVs, smartwatches, groceries and other household items of daily use.
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Facebook Inc. is digging deeper than ever before into its Canadian user data to sell itself as a premiere advertising venue for marketers in this country.
With its user base in Canada topping 21 million people – about 60 per cent of our total adult population – Facebook has succeeded in becoming the most popular social media site in the nation.
According to one of Facebook’s top Canadian executives, however, “what we haven’t done a good job of is sharing our information about consumer behaviour with marketers.”
Josh Bloom made that declaration during his presentation at ICA’s FFWD Advertising and Marketing conference in Toronto. Eight years ago he was the first employee Facebook ever hired in Canada; today he’s the vertical strategy lead for retail at Facebook Canada.
Bloom broke down the Canadian results from Facebook IQ, an eight-nation study of how people – especially parents and millennials – use Facebook and its sister site, Instagram. Here, five of the key data points, plus Bloom’s advice on how Canadian marketers can use the insights to their advantage.
1. ‘Mommy marketing’ is all grown up.
Remember about 10 years ago when it was all about moms? Suddenly there were mom bloggers everywhere and TV shows like In The Motherhood and The Mom Show and Crash Test Mommy. Marketers woke up to the fact that moms comprise a massive consumer group that buys more than just laundry detergent.
Based on Facebook’s study, that approach won’t cut it anymore. That’s because “dads are taking more active roles in parenting” and other family responsibilities, Bloom said. Dads who use Facebook say they contribute to 69 per cent of all household duties. So aiming your marketing mostly at Mom means companies are missing a huge opportunity.
2. ‘Fakebook’ marketing doesn’t work.
We’ve all been barraged by status updates from parents constantly gushing on Facebook about how awesome it is to have kids. But Facebook’s data show the reality of parenting is a bit darker – and that parents actually respond better to marketing that doesn’t present a fake ideal of family life.
For example, Facebook data indicates moms are more likely than dads to post about the negative aspects of parenthood like tiredness, health concerns or getting up super early. What’s the takeaway for marketers?
“Not everything is shiny. So don’t be afraid to address this. Be real. Be empathetic. Help provide support,” Bloom suggested. “Try to offer things that are valuable. Tips and tricks go a long way to (helping) solve particular, relevant parenting challenges.”
3. Not all millennials are the same.
Facebook researchers broke millennials down into two main groups: those they dubbed “young millennials” aged 15 to 24 and so-called “mature millennials” aged 25 to 34.
After poring over Instagram data such as photo contents, hashtags and captions, the study concluded that mature millennials on the site are “looking for something to inspire them,” Bloom said. Young millennials, on the other hand, “just want to be entertained” on Instagram, he said.
4. Men and women really are #different.
Continuing with insights from Instagram, Bloom said female users favour hashtags featuring “more human elements” like #bestfriend. Male Instagram users tend to use hashtags about traveling somewhere or showing pride in their own city, like #Toronto.
Catering to those findings can help advertisers reach their targets more effectively, Bloom said. Case in point: when Heineken invited Canadian beer drinkers (80 per cent of whom are male) to post Instagram photos showing why they love their cities, it drove a 38 point lift in ad recall for the campaign.
5. Small mobile screens have big impact.
Research done for the Facebook study by SalesBrain found that viewers who watched video content on smartphones retained 82 per cent more information than those who consumed video on a TV.
Aside from retention, mobile makes sense for marketing because that’s where everyone is consuming and posting content, Bloom said. He noted that 56 per cent of parents have visited Facebook on their mobile device by 7 a.m., parents spend 1.3 times more time on Facebook mobile than non-parents and Canadians overall will spend almost 2.5 hours per day on mobile devices in 2016.
“Mobile is the centre of discovery today, so build your creative (campaigns) with mobile in mind,” Bloom advised.


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NEW YORK — Based on a strong reception for a group of four New York eveningwear and special occasion firms at Igedo last month, Fashion Exports/New York will take another group to the next edition of the big Dusseldorf trade show, Sept. 11-13.
“It was a big success,” said Leah Kaplan, director of Fashion Exports/New York, which was founded by the Garment Industry Development Corp. and the Council for American Fashion to introduce more New York fashion around the world.
Kaplan said FENY has received another $50,000 grant from New York State’s Global Export Market Service to help pay for participation at the show.
Cattiva and Joelle Bridals — two of the four participating firms — each did about $100,000 at the show. The other two, Bari Jay and Scarlett Nite, combined for more than $20,000 in sales.
While all four had done some business in Germany prior to Igedo, all reported they boosted their visibility abroad by showing in Dusseldorf. Cattiva, for example, signed with a representative in Germany who will be selling its products in northern Europe.
Holly Thorner, vice president of Scarlett Nite, said, “This was definitely an education for us. And we picked up nine more accounts.” She added that there is a potential for picking up about $200,000 from the show.
“The amount of sales that we did was really incidental to the ties that we developed,” said Arnold Shapiro, part owner of Joelle Bridals. “We are now in negotiations with a representative to help sell our product in Germany. There is definitely a lot of potential over there.”
Kaplan noted Fashion Exports/New York plans to take the same four firms to Mexico in March 1995.
“We want to target other areas of opportunities,” she noted.


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Australia’s fiercely independent farm services business group, AgLink, looks set to team up with a similar network of family-run agricultural input suppliers in Canada.
The proposed alliance follows a move by AgLink members to seek out international “strategic growth” opportunities.
Details of the commercial arrangement with the newly formed Canadian group are still being finalised, but current maneuvring involves AgLink’s chief executive officer, Bill Dowdle, taking a new job in North America.
AgLink has agreed in principle to develop a commercial and strategic alliance with 12 to 14 independent agricultural retailers in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta, whose collective sales were worth more than $1 billion – roughly the same turnover as the 31-year-old Australian group.
AgLink’s membership covers 16 independent family-owned farm supply retail groups, with a combined 230 branches nation-wide.
The collective includes the big Victorian-based E.E. Muir and Sons’ multi-state businesses and NSW’s Ag’nVet, Pursehouse Rural and McGregor Gourlay networks.
It retails 25 per cent share of Australia’s farm chemicals, and 15pc of all fertiliser products.
While the network has lost some members to corporate agribusinesses Elders, Landmark and Ruralco in recent years, AgLink remains a solid collegiate of independents with shared business values, and a footprint in all states and the Northern Territory.
The umbrella body provides some negotiation interaction with product suppliers, but is most notable with its commercial and technical capability support and training services to members’ employees.
Melbourne-based investment manager and board chairman, Andrew Maughan, said AgLink would be helping the Canadians build their business structure, too.
“The Canadian agricultural marketplace and style of business is quite similar to Australia and these retailers have grown their operations in a similar way to our members – there’s a lot in common,” Mr Maughan said.
“They’d looked around the world before talking to to us.”
The proposed alliance would be a “meaningful commercial connection”, but was still subject to due diligence inquiries and the completion of a detailed business plan.
He said Australian members would be visiting Canada in the next two months and a reciprocal visit was expected here before a final agreement was anticipated by October or November.
Global supply pressure
The new North American connection was in response to the “growing global consolidation of agricultural input suppliers”.
“We aim to build on AgLink’s positioning as a meaningful partner for those suppliers and to support our members’ aim to deliver further value to Australian farmers,” Mr Maughan said.
AgLink’s Mr Dowdle will become chief executive officer with the new Canadian group.
He moves to Canada in September after an 11-year stint as AgLink’s CEO.
Mr Dowdle said he saw significant potential to take AgLink’s level of engagement with global suppliers to a higher level, adding value to all in the independent space.
Mr Maughan said it was a great opportunity for Mr Dowdle to “accelerate the Canadian group’s success”.
“Bill has been a thoughtful and experienced leader whose approach provided AgLink with stability and clear direction and led to significant growth,” he said.
“The Canadian opportunity presents him with a new and exciting challenge we expect will benefit us all.”
AgLink is now looking for a new CEO to fill his shoes.
The group began in 1986 when horticultural rural retailers including Muir and Sons and Tasmania’s Serve-Ag, formed a distributors network to be an independent voice in discussions with farm chemical suppliers.
It expanded with a focus on harnessing the technical expertise within its membership and from research and development providers.


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At The Tokyo Game Show this year, Hajime Tabata, director of Final Fantasy XV announced that development of the game will continue on into 2018.
Episode Ignis, the upcoming DLC was intended to be the last content addition but the team have decided to keep adding to it. Given the popularity of Final Fantasy XV (it’s sold over 6.5 million units so far) Square Enix wants to give its fans the best experience they can by improving and adding to it. Tabata himself said “Not only are we further investigating characters through additional episodes, if we don’t convey the setting that is the foundation of the world, we won’t be able to convey the characters’ way of life”.
Final Fantasy XV will likely continue to sell like hot cakes, especially given the fact it’s coming to PC some time soon so everyone can play it. This is great news for fans who want to see the world and story expanded but does bring up an important issue.When should the developers release a game?
Should they finish a game before they release it? I bought it at full price on release and was disappointed by it and the fact lots of it was clearly cut or implemented so hurriedly they weren’t done well. I’m intrigued to see it when it’s finished in 2018 and has all the features it was meant to. Let me know what you think about it down in the comments below.
Final Fantasy XV is currently available on PS4 and Xbox One and will be released on Steam in early 2018. There will also be a mobile version available on Android, iOS and Windows devices later this year.


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French carmaker Renault on Thursday posted a net loss of 2.7 billion euro for the six months ended June 30 as all its major markets shrank due to the global economic meltdown.
The auto major had a net profit of Euro 1.58 billion during the first six months in the previous year.
The total income for the first half dipped by 23.71 per cent to Euro 15.99 billion from Euro 20.96 billion in the corresponding period last year, the company said in a statement.
"We anticipated the crisis from July 2008 and made the first decisions necessary to weather it. Today, Renault is showing resilience, as illustrated by our significant positive free cash flow," Renault chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn said. During this period, the company sold 1.107 million vehicles as against 1.326 million units in the year-ago period, down 16.53 per cent.
The company has generated a positive cash flow of Euro 848 million in H1 on account of various cost-cutting measures, power investment and lower working capital requirements.
"R&D spend fell by 25 per cent in the first-half of 2007, ahead of the 15 per cent reduction target initially set for the period 2007-2009. In light of this performance, the objective has been revised to a 20 per cent reduction," the company said.


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IFT's 2014 Wellness Conference reminds food processors to keep conveying the message that processed food does not always equal unhealthy.
Aside from a few batting lineup changes, some cities (or rather, their stadiums) are introducing a few new beverage items to their menus.
Food Processing is participating in two webinars in April that we think you, our readers, will find extremely educational.
Larry Hoing, reliability systems manager at Wells Enterprises, talks about EAM software and how more than 200 maintenance technicians keep more than 10,000 assets for 50+ production lines running as smooth as Blue Bunny’s signature vanilla ice cream.
Hold on to your quesos, Kraft is warning consumers of a possible Velveeta shortage.
The new commenting capability enables you to comment on articles, news, blogs and products.
Every year, the team at Food Processing takes a look at what articles did really well on our website. Some articles don't surprise us, while others leave us satisfyingly content that we delivered such popular information.
Archer Daniels Midland brought on Thomas Mort, CEM, as its corporate energy director in 2011. This year, the firm has completed $50 million of savings.
On July 1, 2013 your online-reading life may feel a little jolt. That is the day that Google plans to retire its Google Reader app. If you're anything like me, this is the digital equivalent to having your pacifier taken away as a toddler.
Mintel research reveals 51% of all adult consumers favor milk chocolate while 35% favor dark chocolate and 8% prefering white chocolate. This is in contrast to Mintel's 2011 report, which found that 57% of consumers favored milk chocolate and 33% of consumers preferred dark chocolate.


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City revival brings buy-to-let fillip
LONDON'S ailing buy-to-let market is on the road back to health thanks to a wave of corporate tenants and Americans moving back into town because of the recovery in the City.
After a year of dismal returns, buy-to-let investors are cautiously optimistic that 2004 will be more lucrative.
New lettings from corporate tenants have surged from 13% to 25% over the past year, while American tenancies have risen from 18% to 28% in the past six months.
Fiona Sadek, head of residential research for Knight Frank, which published the findings, said: 'We are seeing a recovery in the corporate rental market, linked to the pick-up in the stock market.'
Knight Frank forecast rent levels will rise 2% this year, after falling 10.4% in 2002 and 3.9% in 2003.
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China reported 6.9 percent GDP growth in the second quarter (Q2) of 2017, exceeding consensus estimates of 6.8 percent growth and delivering on Li Keqiang’s claim that the economy is on track to meet the government’s 6.5 percent GDP growth target for 2017.
Looking closer at the data, four main themes stand out:
Major pick-up in pace in June: All major indicators, including manufacturing activity, trade, and investment picked up the pace of growth in June, propelling the economy to faster growth overall in Q2 2017.
Industrial rebound: Industrial output jumped to 7.6 percent year-on-year (YoY) in June, compared with 6.7 percent average YoY growth between January and May 2017. China’s ongoing infrastructure boom, plus increased overseas demand, helped drive record steel production, as well as strong growth in auto manufacturing.
Retail acceleration: State-owned enterprise restructuring-induced job losses haven’t dampened consumer demand, with retail sales accelerating from 10.0 percent yoy in Q1 2017 to 10.8 percent YoY in Q2 2017. Sales grew 11 percent YoY in June 2017 alone. Online sales again outstripped other categories, growing 33.4 percent YoY in H1 2017 and accounting for around 18 percent of total retail sales.
China’s growth may have peaked for 2017: Despite the GDP numbers, Chinese markets were more focused on the outcome of a government work meeting that stressed the importance of containing financial risks. The Shanghai index saw its largest drop in 7 months because the meeting indicated continued monetary policy pressure on China’s debt-fueled economy.
Ultimately, the strong economic numbers paint a picture of growth and stability, which is exactly the kind of outlook that the Chinese government wants before the upcoming 19th National Party Congress in autumn 2017.
But markets are now pricing in expectations of slower growth in H2 2017, with FY2017 estimates of 6.6 percent to 6.7 percent increasingly common.
Much will depend on how the property market fares, and whether the government can continue the growth spurt in infrastructure spending that has underpinned recent growth, and I’ll be looking at both of these areas in more detail in the coming weeks.


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Ford’s Aussie presence goes into freefallPOSTED BY Nigel Andretti ON 27 May 2015
SLIPPING sales and mounting exit costs continue to hit Ford Australia’s finances hard.
The company has just posted a A$190.7 million (RM555 mn) loss for the 2014 financial year.
Having sold 79,703 vehicles last year, Ford’s annual total slumped to a 48-year low with the latest figure taking its total loss in the last decade to A$1.3 billion.
The company says, though, that the 2014 result is a step in the right direction and A$76m better off than the previous year’s loss of nearly A$267m.
Ford Motor Company of Australia communications and public affairs director Wes Sherwood told GoAuto the most recent figures mark a reduction in operating losses, adding that better times were ahead for the American car-maker.
“We think a key is that these results show our long-term business is strengthening as our operating results improved nearly A$3 million (the loss was reduced from A$26 to about A$23 million) based on a better mix of sales,” he said.
Whether the smaller loss indicates a turnaround in profits remains to be seen, but the company will be planning to reverse trends in October 2016 when it becomes a full-line importer.
The date will mark the end of its iconic Falcon large sedan, sales of which have slipped dramatically in recent years, despite a recent facelift and better sales performance from its XR8 flagship (above).
Earlier this year, the vehicle that was once Australia’s favourite car had slumped to 53rd place in the new car sales rankings and continues to slide into obscurity.


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Samsung has released three ‘Galaxy A’ devices recently, the 2nd-gen Galaxy A3, A5 and A7. These three phones are made out of metal, and they definitely resemble the Galaxy S6 flagship which was announced back in March, which is actually a good thing. Now, in addition to these three devices, Samsung has also released another variant of their Galaxy A8 handset, though the device has been announced in Japan and we don’t know if it will reach any additional markets.
That being said, another one of Samsung’s ‘Galaxy A’ devices has been surfacing lately, the Galaxy A9. This handset has not only popped up on AnTuTu benchmark, but its listing has also surfaced on Samsung’s official website recently. This handset is expected to be announced really soon, and until that happens, we have yet another leak to share with you. Official Galaxy A9 press content has surfaced, not only confirming the design of the device, but its specifications as well. If you take a look at the gallery down below, you’ll get to see the leaked images for yourself. The Galaxy A9 will resemble its siblings quite a bit, and as far as specs go, we’re looking at a 6-inch phablet here. The device will feature a 6-inch fullHD (1920 x 1080) Super AMOLED display along with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of native storage (expandable up to 128GB via a microSD card). The device will be powered by the Snapdragon 620 64-bit octa-core SoC clocked at 1.8GHz along with an Adreno 510 GPU for graphics. The 13-megapixel shooter will be located on the back of this phablet, and an 8-megapixel camera will be available on its front side. The 4,000mAh battery will also be a part of this package, and the device will offer quick charging function as well (quite probably Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0). You can expect to see glass panels both on the front and back of this smartphone, and Android 5.1.1 Lollipop will come pre-installed here with Samsung’s TouchWiz UI on top of it.
The Galaxy A9 will almost certainly going to be announced before the end of the year, though we don’t know if it will be available for sale before 2016. The phone will be available in Black, White and Gold color options, while additional variants are also possible.


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The Oregon Marijuana Business Conference (OMBC) starts this Saturday, November 19th, with an information-filled program that will have the latest on Oregon’s medical and recreational cannabis systems. Ed Rosenthal, the Guru of Ganja, a long-time cultivation expert and activist will kick off the conference. Rosenthal, a no-holds barred advocate once made news in the Rogue Valley by successfully retrieving cannabis confiscated from him at the Medford airport, without an Oregon medical marijuana card and before legalization had passed. In full disclosure, I help organize the content for the OMBC and am proud of the curriculum that the event provides attendees.
For those able to spend Friday evening in beautiful Ashland, the OMBC is also hosting a VIP event at the Ashland Hills Hotel & Suites’ Stardust Lounge, from 6pm to 8pm. Conference speakers, including Rosenthal, and local entrepreneurs, will be in attendance, making the VIP event a premier networking opportunity for those in the cannabis industry or thinking of joining.
The Organic Alcohol Company is sponsoring the VIP event that will feature hors d’oeuvres and an open bar. The Organic Alcohol Company, a local distillery committed to the environmental and economic health of the Rogue Valley, is a great partner for the OMBC and the entire Oregon cannabis community.
The OMBC returns to Ashland at a crucial time for the Oregon cannabis industry as medical and recreational growers, processors and retailers adjust to new regulations. Medical dispensaries won’t be allowed to sell to the general population on January 1st, so many in the industry are transitioning to the recreational system regulated by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC). The OMBC will have the latest information for those that want to get an OLCC license or want to remain strictly medical providers. Rob Patridge, Chair of the OLCC, will be speaking and answering questions, and a few other OLCC staffers will be on hand as well, giving attendees plenty of opportunities to have their concerns addressed by state regulators.
The OMBC will also feature panels with business people that have succeeded in both the medical and recreational systems, as they share tips of the trade. The one-and-only Tommy Chong will close the conference program with and illuminating celebrity interview by Celebstoner’s Steve Bloom. Tommy will dish on his life and career, from his early musical career to his time with Cheech Marin to serving prison time to launching his own line of cannabis. Following the conference, attendees will be treated to an exclusive concert with hip-hop legend Del the Funky Homosapien at the Brickroom.
Information about the Friday VIP event, Saturday’s conference and the Saturday-night after-party is available at the OMBC website. Tickets can be purchased online, at several local businesses or by phone at 541-864-0090. Tickets secured before Friday are $199, $299 if including the Friday VIP event. Starting Friday, prices go up to $249 and $349, so get your tickets now!


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Close Brothers’ research suggests small businesses remain optimistic despite some difficult headwinds – so how do they balance risk and reward?
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) could be forgiven for feeling anxious given the difficult start to 2016 with the combination of global stock market turbulence, mounting concern about the state of the world economy, and the Brexit debate. But SMEs are resilient – and Close Brothers’ research reveals that while businesses are conscious of the risks ahead, they’re also ready to capitalise on new growth opportunities.
The latest Close Brothers Business Barometer reveals that almost one in five say their business is prospering in the current economy, while close to half say they’re doing just as well as a year ago. The Barometer also shows that almost a quarter of SMEs expect their business to expand over the next 12 months, while more than half expect to maintain their current levels of growth. These figures reflect business leaders’ experience of trading conditions on the ground, rather than the ‘doom-mongering’ headlines.
Amid the gloom, there is more light ahead than one might think. The International Monetary Fund, for example, is still anticipating economic growth in the UK of 2.2% in 2016 and 2017, despite having cut its forecasts for other leading economies. At the same time, the Federation of Small Businesses has pointed out that confidence amongst SMEs remains higher than a year ago – and that businesses are continuing to create more jobs.
Finding the balance
This is not to suggest that the year ahead will be plain sailing; as well as economic headwinds, SMEs in the UK face other challenges. New costs such as the national living wage and the auto-enrolment pensions system will hit many firms, while others worry about increased regulation.
How, then, do SMEs balance their natural optimism and their determination to exploit growth opportunities with the risks that lie ahead? The answer lies in cautious ambition.
In practice, this means focusing on downside risk as well as upside potential. One striking feature of the FSB’s latest research, for example, is that many SMEs report having substantially improved their productivity in recent months – in other words, they have been able to grow their revenues without a corresponding increase in costs.
Indeed, SMEs have remained cost conscious, despite the widely-held view that the UK is now heading away from economic decline. The FSB research shows that while businesses are prepared to offer wage increases, for example, they’re finding ways to be more efficient in other areas.
It is also important that small businesses ensure they have strong financial foundations on which to build towards their ambitions – that may mean taking on new funding, or rearranging existing facilities.
In fact, the Bank of England’s latest data shows lending to small businesses was flat last year, but against that, there is now evidence that SMEs are considering a much broader range of funding options. A study from the innovation group Nesta and Cambridge University found that the alternative finance sector grew by 84% last year, while the Asset Based Finance Association has also reported strong growth.
In the end, SMEs know that risk and reward go hand in hand – the judgement call is how to balance the two. The optimism and resilience revealed in the latest Close Brothers Business Barometer is encouraging - now businesses must decide how to realise their ambitions without over-exposing themselves.
Take a look at our latest infographic: Why SMEs can't afford to ignore alternative finance


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Pulled from an article about Peter Gabriel “An Old Rocker Gets Digital” by Fred Goodman (New York Times, 10 August 2008):
“More recently, outside services like Apple’s iTunes, Amazon.com, eMusic and Rhapsody have succeeded to the point that paid digital downloads — which also include ring tones — now account for nearly 25 percent of record industry revenue, according to the RIAA. That’s hardly enough to make up for the drop in CD sales. Moreover, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, a trade group, says that freely traded music downloads still outnumber paid tracks by 20 to 1.”
Do the math, something doesn’t quite jive here:
- 25% of the music industry’s revenue comes from music downloads and ring tones.
- The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry says illegal downloads/trades outnumbers legal 20 to 1.
Even if one where to presume downloads and ring tones is a 50/50 split. And that the International Federation’s estimate in the USA is reduced to 10 to 1. That still means that the illegal industry is larger than the legal one, no? Or put yet another way, in less than 10 years the internet has at least doubled the size of the music business. True, not all that growth is bringing in money but most other industries would kill for that level of growth. The issue then isn’t loss due to downloads but the music industries ability to capitalize on the growth.
Some would say, the music industry’s issues are do to a drastic loss in margin. They went from selling albums with just one or two good songs for $15-20, to selling just those one or two good songs for $1-$2. Add in all the guest “anger” for having overpaid for so much crap for so long and it’s no wonder that industry struggles. What’s most surprising is that they’re surprised their gravy train has been smashed with a digital hammer. It’s not rocket science to figure out that if you treat your guests that badly for that long that eventually those same guests will figure out a way to get revenge.


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Residents line up at the mail counter in Iqaluit, one of the busiest post offices in Canada. (Vincent Robinet/CBC) The consensus in Iqaluit seems to be that everyone with a credit card has an Amazon Prime membership. That’s because people can often find groceries cheaper online than in local stores, despite government food subsidy programs.
"Amazon Prime has done more toward elevating the standard of living of my family than any territorial or federal program. Full stop. Period," a local principal, who declined to speak further, said on Facebook. Pampers on the shelf at Northmart in Iqaluit. On Amazon, similar size boxes are around $35. (Sara Frizzell/CBC) With an annual fee of about $80, Amazon Prime members can get free and faster shipping.
In 2015, Amazon re-evaluated its shipping to remote locations and dropped many Nunavut communities , but kept Iqaluit. Now, Iqalummiut live in perpetual fear that they will be next to get cut off by Amazon.
"We’d be limping," said Rhoda Cunningham outside the post office in June.
"It would be very, very bad, I don’t want to say pandemonium, but maybe something akin to that," said David Marineau-Plante, after picking up his mail.
Many in town rely on the service for everything from deodorant to hardware supplies to non-perishable food.
Alookie Itorcheak said she’s been using Amazon for four years, to make being a mom more affordable.
A box of 180 Pampers costs about $70 off the shelf in Iqaluit; on Amazon, similar size boxes are around $35.Diapers are not covered by Nutrition North, the federal program that gives subsidies to northern retailers. It was one of many items dropped from the eligibility list when the government replaced the former Food Mail program with Nutrition North in 2011. Post office sees spike in orders Many hold out hope that the sheer number of […]
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