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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Tech leaders are betting on nuclear power as a key source of clean energy in the next decade.</li><li>AI tech companies are building small nuclear fission plants to power their data centers.</li></ul>Tech executives are rallying around nuclear energy to fuel the demands of the AI revolution.From Amazon to Google, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-google-microsoft-openai-big-tech-investment-nuclear-ai-race-2024-10">tech giants at the forefront of the AI boom</a> are investing in companies building nuclear reactors and forming partnerships with energy providers to power their data centers.Many of these companies are generating energy through <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-atomic-bombs-nuclear-weapons-work-2023-8">nuclear fission,</a> which involves splitting atoms from elements like uranium and plutonium to release energy. It's cleaner than fossil fuels and more reliable than solar. But fission can release harmful radioactive waste that needs to be disposed of safely and mining uranium can have deleterious effects on the environment.The solution, in the view of a growing number of leaders in the tech industry, is nuclear fusion, which involves fusing the nuclei of two atoms to release energy. It's considered a safer method because it releases less radioactive waste and greenhouse gases.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-bill-gates-spends-fortune">Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates</a> distilled the differences between fission and fusion on a recent episode of the Possible podcast. Fission, he said, is "where you take the big atoms like uranium, and as they split, you get energy." Fusion occurs when "you take the small atoms, primarily hydrogen, and as you put them together, you release energy."Scientists have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-nuclear-fusion-how-does-it-work-green-energy-breakthrough">proven that nuclear fusion</a> is feasible. Experiments at the National Ignition Facility in California over the last year, for instance, hit a milestone when they generated more energy than what was used. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-no-fusion-energy-power-plants-yet-how-2023-10">Fusion plants,</a> in theory, could produce almost 4 million times as much energy as burning coal or oil — without carbon emissions. However, there are still obstacles to it becoming a widespread energy source.Tritium, one of the hydrogen isotopes used in fusion reactions, is rare and expensive. It also has radioactive properties. Another challenge is that fusion requires extremely high temperatures, as high as the "center of the sun, millions of degrees," Gates said.AI tools are now helping to make fusion a reality. Commonwealth Fusion Systems, in which Gates is an investor, is on track to have a system for fusion in 10 years, he said."But at some point, fusion energy will be extremely cheap, and it doesn't have the same waste problems that fission does," he said.Gates, who is also an investor in another nuclear fusion company called Pacific Fusion — which launched in 2023 and announced a more than $900 million Series A funding round this month — believes supporting nuclear will help reduce clean energy costs."We, society as a whole, even though a lot more money is coming into it, we're still under-investing in fission and fusion, given that the value of cheap electricity specifically is so fundamental to society," he said.Venture firm General Catalyst led the funding round for Pacific Fusion, which included participation from Gates's climate solutions investment fund, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, and individual investors like Citadel founder Ken Griffin, Stripe cofounder Patrick Collison, venture capitalist John Doerr, and Mustafa Suleyman, the head of Microsoft AI.Other veterans in the industry are betting on an even shorter timeline for fusion technology to become a reality.At TechCrunch Disrupt this week, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-vinod-khosla-fixing-ai-image-2024-10">venture capitalist Vinod Khosla</a> said, "I'll take a bet with anybody, five years from now, we won't be talking about whether fusion is real or not."He said he hopes that by then fusion will be proven as an economic possibility. "They're engineering all the systems to go directly into production without having to first prove the technology and then do the engineering," he said.

Investment is pouring in as the hype around nuclear fusion grows

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Fast food chains say they're locked in a "value war" to win <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/companies-are-doubling-down-on-loyalty-programs-2024-8">increasingly choosy US customers</a>.</li><li>On earnings calls, brands highlighted ways they're trying to offer more bang for diners' bucks.</li></ul>It's an especially challenging time in the fast food business.As a flurry of summer deals come to an end, quick-serve chains say they're now locked in a "value war" to win increasingly choosy US customers.While almost everything is more expensive now than a few years ago, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=109406">inflation</a> figures show price increases for dining out have outpaced groceries, with the divide widening sharply over the past two years.More recently, some brands have aimed to soften the sticker shock with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-starbucks-costco-fast-food-retail-loyalty-programs-2024-10">temporary discounts to get diners in the door</a>, but rising costs of things like labor and raw ingredients are increasingly squeezing profits."Consumers have become more discerning," Moody's Ratings analyst Michael Zuccaro said in a note Friday. "Value perception is a key driver. This is not just price but also experience related factors such as convenience, speed, consistency, and accuracy."On earnings calls this week, brands such as McDonald's, Starbucks, Wendy's, and others highlighted ways they're trying to offer more bang for their customers' bucks.Chipotle said Tuesday that its ingredient costs have gone up recently due to a recent emphasis on delivering "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-says-ensuring-consistent-portions-has-hit-profitability-2024-10">consistent and generous portions</a>" in its burritos and bowls after customers complained earlier in the year of feeling short-changed.Between higher ingredient usage and other costs on the one hand, and a more competitive consumer economy, interim CEO Scott Boatwright said Chipotle was well-positioned to win the "value war" in fast-casual dining."The chicken burrito, on average, is still under $10, which we believe is still a 15% to 30% discount compared to our peer group. And so, we'll continue to lean into that as we move forward," he said in the company's call.Boatwright's predecessor Brian Niccol, who's now CEO at Starbucks, made <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-ceo-to-lay-out-strategy-to-fix-coffee-chain-2024-10">several critiques of the coffee chain's recent value proposition</a> during the coffee company's Wednesday earnings call, including its "complicated" menu and customization options."What I have found is when you get simplification in place on pricing, people understand, OK, this is what I'm paying, and this is what I'm getting. And right now, I think we're surprising people a little bit on what they're paying through the customization process and we've got to fix that," he said.Even Wingstop CFO Alex Kaleida weighed in."We see consumers prioritizing brands that are going to deliver on quality and value," he said Wednesday. "We think we're right in that sweet spot of those guest expectations."In the world of burgers and fries, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski expressed concern during the company's earnings call Tuesday that "our value leadership gap has shrunk" as other chains bring competitive offers to the marketplace."In response, we have moved with urgency in partnership with our franchisees to improve our value offerings in most of our major markets," Kempczinski said.McDonald's CFO Ian Borden also told analysts on the call that the company is using its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-sales-dropped-second-quarter-in-a-row-sharees-down-2024-10">$5 meal deal to grow its loyalty program</a>."Buyers of the $5 meal are visiting us more frequently," he said on the call, saying that those repeat visitors go on to choose other menu items as well. "That's what you start seeing when you start getting consumers back into the restaurants on a more regular basis."Even premium burger brand Shake Shack said on Wednesday that its customers have had enough with price hikes, pushing the company to invest more in value."Despite the pricing we've taken over the last year, we're one of the few brands to actually improve our value equation over the last year," CEO Robert Lynch said during the company's call. "It does feel like all the initiatives that the team has put in place around service and speed, coupled with the great food that we continue to deliver, is driving a stronger value perception, which is allowing us to continue to grow."Wendy's rounded out the trend on Thursday with a detailed discussion of its approach to value."We're thinking about value," CFO Gunther Plosch said Thursday. "We absolutely believe that value in an environment of value-seeking consumers is not about only executing price-pointed promotions and value deals and value bundles — there's more to that."Plosch added that beyond the burger chain's creative promotions, the core menu remains essential to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wendys-stores-closing-140-locations-2024-11">getting customers to come back</a>."We are working really hard on having that value-seeking consumer having an outstanding experience at the restaurant," he told analysts.In other words, prices aren't likely to come down, but CEOs and CFOs will be anxious to see that you were satisfied with your order.

Fast food chains are locked in a 'value war' for US customers

<keyword id="19913963" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-startups" source="keywords">Indian startups</keyword> have experienced a remarkable surge in funding during the first eight months of 2024, with a significant increase of 53.1% compared to the same period in 2023, according to a report by <keyword id="19910824" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="GlobalData" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="GlobalData" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="GlobalData">GlobalData</keyword>. From January to August 2024, Indian startups secured $7.5 billion in <keyword id="19913965" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="venture-capital" source="keywords">venture capital</keyword> funding, a sharp rise from the $4.9 billion raised during the same timeframe in the previous year. The report highlighted that not only did the total funding amount grow, but the average deal size also increased. A total of 780 venture capital deals were completed between January and August 2024, compared to 742 deals in the same period in 2023. These deals contributed to the $7.5 billion raised this year, marking a 5.1% rise in deal volume alongside the impressive 53.1% growth in funding value. GlobalData's report emphasised India's growing prominence in the Asia-Pacific region as a major hub for venture capital investments, ranking second only to China. Globally, India secured a spot among the top five countries in terms of both the number of venture capital deals and the total funding value. "The marked increase in venture funding value highlights the burgeoning investor confidence in India's <keyword id="19930407" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="startup-ecosystem" source="keywords">startup ecosystem</keyword>,” explains Aurojyoti Bose, lead analyst at GlobalData. "India's performance signals a promising landscape in the <keyword id="20948843" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="VC-funding" source="keywords">VC funding</keyword> market". From a global perspective, India accounted for 7.3% of the total venture capital deals between January and August 2024, with a 4.6% share of the total funding value. Additionally, India saw a notable increase in high-value VC deals, with several investments exceeding $100 million. Some of the standout funding rounds this year included <keyword id="12437554" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zepto" source="Orion">Zepto</keyword>, which raised $665 million and $340 million in two separate rounds, Meesho's $300 million round, <keyword id="20201450" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pharmeasy" source="keywords">PharmEasy</keyword> securing $216 million, OYO raising $173.5 million, and Radiance receiving $150 million. These impressive funding rounds underscore the continued momentum and strength of India’s startup ecosystem in 2024, setting the stage for further growth and innovation in the coming years. (With inputs from ANI)

Indian startup finance ecosystem still going strong, report shows over 50% growth in VC funding over last year

"Every once in a while, a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything," Steve Jobs said when he unveiled the iPhone in 2007. He was right; the world was never the same. But the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/iphone-16-review">iPhone 16</a>? Meh.The newest model, which hit stores in September, is off to a straggling start. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo estimated that first-weekend <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/iphone-16">preorder sales</a> were down by nearly 13% compared with first-weekend sales for last year's iPhone 15. The iPhone 15 also had an underwhelming start to the year: from January to March, Apple reported a 10% year-over-year drop in phone revenue. In the 17 years since the original came out, the release of a new iPhone has gone from the marquee tech event of the year to little more than a software update wrapped in cellophane.Replacing that hype is a new kind of hype: for old iPhones. The global market for refurbished smartphones grew by 5% year over year from 2021 to 2022, according to Counterpoint Research. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/companies-requiring-return-to-office-rto-mandate">Apple</a> made up half of the resold-phone marketplace in 2022. It accounted for about a quarter of new smartphones shipped globally in late 2023, according to market intelligence firm International Data Corporation. (The company also sells its own refurbished products.) In Europe, some 43% of people have already owned a refurbished phone, according to a 2023 survey conducted by Vodafone and Recommerce Group, a tech buyback company. Zion Market Research estimates that in the US, the market for used phones could grow by about 13% a year through 2032.Glen Cardoza, a senior research analyst at Counterpoint, says a few things are driving the used-phone revolution. People are more aware of refurbished phones, thanks to ad campaigns and word of mouth. Learning that your friend has an iPhone 12 and still manages to be the most active member of your group chat may make you more likely to get a used phone yourself. The quality of repairs and guarantees from refurbished-phone sellers have improved, making the phones less risky to buy. Some shoppers care about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-man-refused-leave-hurricane-proof-home-basically-unharmed-milton-2024-10">environmental impact</a>, but high prices are the chief concern. "With incremental improvements between new smartphone versions, a growing share of consumers feel that refurbished options are better," Cardoza tells me in an email. "They do not mind using a cheaper refurbished model that has most of the recent features."Refurbished-tech sellers think this is their moment to seize. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/back-market-raises-510-million-as-valuation-soars-57-billion-2022-1">Back Market</a>, a secondhand-tech marketplace based in France, has raised more than $1 billion and is on track to become profitable in Europe for the first time this year, says CEO Thibaud Hug de Larauze. During a recent press conference, he revealed the company had served 15 million customers and sold 30 million items, indicating that Back Market has had a good number of repeat buyers during the past 10 years. Phones are the majority of Back Market's sales, but the company also sells, among other items, smart watches, headphones, laptops, and video-game consoles. Refurbished tech is now among the five most popular secondhand categories purchased on eBay.Hug de Larauze is extremely bullish on the future of secondhand tech: He predicts that within 10 years, 90% of adults could be buying refurbished products or opting to repair their devices rather than buying new ones. "People start to actually realize there is not that much innovation in the next product," he tells me. Consumers are also uncertain about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-16-apple-intelligence-ai-does-not-matter-to-customers-2024-9">all the AI</a> that companies, Apple included, are baking into their latest devices. "What does it do?" he says. "What does it change in your life?" Hug de Larauze likens the used-phone revolution to the shifts in car sales. Cars are expensive and lose value, and innovation from one model to the next has become negligible. The idea of buying a used car and fixing it as parts break down is normalized. If phones are just as poor of an investment, why not get something more affordable that gets the job done — even if it means sacrificing horsepower and the latest add-ons?Refurbished-phone dealers are also finding creative waves to counter years of marketing that capitalizes on "newphoria," the feeling of elation people get when unboxing a shiny new tech toy. Back Market satirized the idea in an ad last year, showing people eager to grab the new product but mocking the slight changes to buttons and charging ports. The company also recently ran a mystery-phone promotion. For $249 or 299 euros, customers could buy a refurbished iPhone or Android without knowing the model they'd get. The phones sold out in two hours in France and just days in the US, Hug de Larauze says. Back Market didn't provide the total number of phones sold during the promotion, but Hug de Larauze said the sales exceeded the company's expectations. It showed that there are shoppers who care far more about the phone's price than its model.Anmol Aroz, a 23-year-old who works in IT sales in England, says he bought a refurbished iPhone 13 Pro two years ago and saved about £500. He's been impressed with the phone and less impressed by the new features on more-recent models. He feels like he can do enough with ChatGPT on his phone and doesn't need Apple Intelligence yet. Aroz says sustainability was also on his mind, adding that he's not so wooed by new clothes or new tech, both of which lose value quickly. "The second you touch the wrapper, it's £200 down the drain," he says. "I'm pretty much set on sticking to the refurbished route." Amy Marty Conrad, a 34-year-old who lives in the Washington, DC, area says she and her husband have each bought refurbished phones. She's on her second, a Samsung Galaxy S21, which she bought two years ago. She recently replaced the battery, giving it even more life. "I mostly use my phone for calls, email, work, and a camera," she says. "A lot of the other software innovations aren't doing a lot for me." She's also conscious about waste, and she buys clothing and other household items secondhand, too.But perhaps the biggest thing blocking people from buying more secondhand phones is the manufacturers themselves. Through a practice called "parts pairing," in which a replacement part can work only if a company's software recognizes and approves it, tech companies have made it difficult to repair your own phone or to get third-party shops to do so: Replace your cracked iPhone screen at a local repair shop, and your Face ID may never work again. That's changing, albeit slowly. In April, Apple announced it would begin making changes that would allow for some used genuine Apple parts to be put into other iPhones. Apple did not respond to an email asking about updates on the rollout of the change, but the company has long maintained that parts pairing bolsters a phone's security.In March, shortly before Apple's announcement, Oregon passed a law banning parts pairing, becoming the first US state to do so. And while it applies only to devices made after January 1, 2025, it's a major shift for how manufacturers make their future tech fixable. More lawmakers are tackling repair impediments, and the European Union this year adopted laws designed to make it easier for people to get their products fixed by manufacturers or third-party repairers rather than being pushed to replace them.Tim Cook certainly doesn't see the rise of refurbished phones as an existential threat. Even underwhelming sales are underwhelming by Apple's standards. It has already sold an estimated tens of millions of iPhone 16s, and that's before the typical holiday boost and the release of Apple Intelligence. But with consumers' growing AI skepticism and interest in secondhand phones, the company would need to summon the kind of dazzle unseen since Steve Jobs' presentation in 2007 to reverse the trend of dwindling excitement with the iPhones 17, 18, 19, and 20.Two years ago, I bought a refurbished iPhone 11 from Back Market after the display on my iPhone XR suddenly became unusable. It didn't have the upgraded camera or 5G — but the phone let me text, doomscroll on social media, and take decent photos, and it had good battery life. In an age of constant tech changes, sometimes all you need is for a phone to be a phone.<a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/amanda-hoover">Amanda Hoover</a> is a senior correspondent at Business Insider covering the tech industry. She writes about the biggest tech companies and trends.

The market for used phones is growing. Apple should be scared.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Generative AI's initial hype in advertising is now tempered with growing skepticism.</li><li>Still, major agencies like Publicis and WPP are planning significant AI investments.</li></ul>Two years after OpenAI's ChatGPT and other chatbots launched, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-has-marketing-problem-people-dont-like-hearing-about-it-2024-8">advertising community's excitement over generative AI</a> has come down to earth.The shift was evident at New York's Advertising Week, a four-day gathering this week that organizers expected 17,000 to attend. On panels and in off-stage conversations, industry insiders seemed to talk as much about the limitations as the promises of AI."I think for the first time I'm starting to hear skepticism around AI," said Ashwin Navin, CEO and cofounder of Samba TV, a TV measurement firm.In an industry that loves to show it's early to adopt new tech, it's been easy for practitioners to claim they're using generative AI to do things that aren't really new, like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-artificial-intelligence-is-used-in-marketing-strategy-2024-5">basic personalizing</a> and targeting ads, he said. "What's the marketing spin versus what's new for marketers to evaluate?"Disciples of generative AI say it can take the pain out of some of the repetitive tasks involved in analyzing data, buying ads, and matching ads to specific groups of people. The major advertising agency groups — including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ad-group-publicis-lays-out-300-million-ai-ambitions-2024-1">Publicis</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.marketingdive.com/news/havas-AI-future-investment-integrated-communications/719569/">Havas</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://adage.com/article/agency-news/wpp-invest-318-million-ai-annually-mark-read-says/2539231">WPP</a> — have all pledged to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in AI over the next few years. Last year, a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.salesforce.com/news/stories/generative-ai-for-marketing-research/">Salesforce</a> survey showed about three-quarters of marketers were or planned to use generative AI.But there's been a growing narrative in the industry that some of the new AI tech isn't much of a leap forward from what was already available."There's a potential for a generative AI solution to just be a solution in search of a problem," said Andrew Lipsman, an independent media, advertising, and commerce analyst. "An ad buying user interface is usually just a few fields of information to toggle through to set up your campaign. I'm not sure that's something that really needs to be further solved."Zaid Al-Qassab, the global CEO of advertising agency M&amp;C Saatchi, said in a recent interview with Business Insider that AI can be a distraction for clients. "The real question is, what's your business challenge?"Al-Qassab said he sees plenty of promise in the tech. After he started in the role in May, he made a set of AI tools used in one part of the company available to everyone. One of the features pulls from a bunch of data sources to evaluate how people feel about a brand. He's also optimistic about AI's ability to generate ideas for ad campaigns, personalize ads beyond just changing the recipient's name, and save time writing client briefs.But other things, like AI project management tools, can't replace the value of a face-to-face client meeting with an agency rep, he said."It can't represent you," he said.Then there's the question of creativity. Some advertisers like Google and Toys "R" Us have been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-has-marketing-problem-people-dont-like-hearing-about-it-2024-8">met with backlash</a> when using or referencing AI in their ads, often because of the fear among audiences that AI could replace jobs and sap human creativity.Generally, in conversations with seven industry insiders around Advertising Week, the areas most frequently mentioned as having promise with AI were improving targeting and ad creative, but their potential was far from being fully realized.<h2 id="446c0bf2-a9d9-45f1-bb85-d25f6b2a1a76">Some uses of AI show some promise, but have limitations</h2>Early on, it was easy to see how AI could cut costs by doing some rote tasks. But people in the field say for it to transform advertising, they expect it to do more, like improve the quality of ad messaging and targeting."Let's not just think about how to cut costs; let's use it to do better storytelling," Samba's Navin said.That's starting to happen. Media companies like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nbcuniversal-using-emotional-targeting-new-gen-ai-driven-ads-2024-3">NBCUniversal</a> use AI to analyze topics in video content so advertisers can run contextual ads around that content. NBCU said ads performed up to 49% better this way.Another area AI is starting to work in is finding new potential customers. Adtech firm DoubleVerify brought a client, Diageo, on stage at Advertising Week to share its success using DoubleVerify's AI tool to help sell its spirits like Ketel One vodka while keeping costs down.Speaking on another panel, Nick Fairbairn, VP of marketing at finance app Chime, said AI helped him find unexpected media outlets to target people for a new product launch.That said, even when AI tools have had positive results, ad insiders often also spoke of their limitations.Joshua Nafman, VP of data and operations at Diageo, said that while DoubleVerify's AI tool helped boost sales, Diageo had to roll out the process one brand, ad campaign, and market at a time."We started joking, it was not test and learn, it's retest and relearn," Nafman said.Fairbairn said he sees an opportunity to use AI to match ads to individuals, but added that it was early days."I want to make sure it doesn't just look like the same ad with a different word," he said.Though enthusiasm about AI was tempered in the industry at this year's Advertising Week, there wasn't a widespread abandonment of the tech. AI-focused panels were as well attended as ever.Some also see opportunity in the friction.Adtech company LiveRamp announced a pair of AI partnerships to help marketers find the right AI company for a given problem.LiveRamp CEO Scott Howe said that while AI is a hot industry topic, many marketers are unsure how to use it."In some respects, they're more scared about it because they think there's downside, because they don't understand what the upside is," Howe said. "We feel there's a gap in the industry that we can help fill."

Advertisers are scrutinizing the value of AI tools as some early efforts fall flat

<keyword id="20599258" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-consumers" source="keywords">Indian consumers</keyword> demonstrated a significant increase in their <keyword id="21084888" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="credit-card-spending" source="keywords">credit card spending</keyword> in July this year, marking a 19% increase compared to the same month last year. According to a report released by <keyword id="19945737" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SBI-Securities" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="SBI Securities" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="SBI Securities">SBI Securities</keyword>, the total expenditure by credit card users across the country reached an impressive Rs 1.7 trillion. This substantial uptick highlights the growing reliance on credit cards for transactions, reflecting broader economic trends and <keyword id="20740758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="consumer-confidence" source="keywords">consumer confidence</keyword>. The report also highlighted a considerable increase in <keyword id="21118324" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="transaction-volumes" source="keywords">transaction volumes</keyword>, which surged by 39% year-on-year, reaching a total of 38.4 crore transactions in July 2024. This increase in the number of transactions underscores the widespread adoption and usage of credit cards as a preferred <keyword id="20632158" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="payment-method" source="keywords">payment method</keyword> among Indian consumers. "Credit card spending in India increased 19% YoY to Rs 1.7 trillion in Jul'24. The transaction volume during the month was 38.4 crore, up 39% YoY" said the report. The report also noted that among the banks, <keyword id="19895995" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="HDFC-Bank" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="HDFC Bank" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="HDFC Bank">HDFC Bank</keyword> emerged as the leader in terms of transaction volumes, with its credit cards facilitating 9.9 crore transactions during the month. <keyword id="19900482" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ICICI-Bank" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="ICICI Bank" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="ICICI Bank">ICICI Bank</keyword> followed closely with 7.1 crore transactions, while SBI secured the third position with 6.3 crore transactions. In terms of transaction value, HDFC Bank again led the way, with a total spend of Rs 44,369 crore through its credit cards in July. ICICI Bank and SBI followed with Rs 34,566 crore and Rs 26,878 crore, respectively. The report said "In Jul'24, transaction volumes was led by cards issued by HDFC Bank (9.9 crore) followed by ICICI Bank (7.1 crore) and SBI (6.3 crore)". Additionally, the <keyword id="22988051" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="average-transaction-value" source="keywords">average transaction value</keyword> (ATV) also saw a marginal increase of 1.4% month-on-month in July 2024. This marks the first increase in ATV in ten months, suggesting a shift in consumer behaviour towards higher-value transactions after a period of stagnation. Overall, these figures reflect the growth of credit card usage in India, driven by increased consumer confidence and the convenience offered by credit card transactions.

Indians credit card spending increases 19% YoY to Rs 1.7 trillion in July 2024

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Using a 401(k) can boost investment portfolios by 23%, per Charles Schwab study.</li><li>The study compared 401(k) and taxable accounts over 20 years with an 8% annual return.</li></ul>Nothing is less exciting than thinking about <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/taxes">taxes</a>, especially when the bill is coming due.And once you cross into the first quarter of the year, little can be done to reduce your tax liability, especially if you're a W2 employee.That's why thinking about deferral strategies is a great way to reduce how much you pay in taxes and increase your net worth in the long term. But to maximize your outcome, you have to start with a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/investing/what-is-401k">401(k)</a> or a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/investing/what-is-ira">Traditional IRA</a>, according to a recent simulated study by Charles Schwab. The study showed how a 401(k) could increase an investment portfolio's value by 23%.The study, which was backtested over 20 years, compared two investors, one who used a taxable brokerage account versus one who used a 401(k). At an 8% annual return, it found that the latter finished with a value of $177,116 compared to the taxable account at $144,547. Based on this scenario, it assumed that someone allocating funds after tax in a 24% bracket would have a principal investment of $38,000 compared to $50,000. It also assumed taxable events on a turnover rate every five years and on 2% qualified income dividends and 6% long-term capital gains.<div type="image" title="Chart showing increased portfolio value with tax-deferred account." height="1064" width="1846" msid="114955475" hostid="261" sizebytes="34694"></div>In a scenario where an investor uses a taxable account but doesn't turnover or realize gains every five years, meaning taxable events are only placed on the 2% dividends, the outcome would lead to an ending value of $152,392.One caveat is that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tax-loopholes-to-reduce-or-avoid-capital-gains-taxes-2024-10">tax-deferred accounts</a> don't take into account every phase of where taxation can occur along the investment process, says Rob Williams, managing director of financial planning at Charles Schwab. The first point is when money is earned and before it's invested. The second is when income and dividend payments are earned along the way. The third point is once gains are realized. The first two taxation points are covered. The last phase isn't. For this process, other accounts, such as Roth IRAs for after-tax contributions allow gains to grow tax-free.Roth IRAs could come in handy in retirement during years when you have a higher withdrawal rate and, in turn, fund yourself in a higher tax bracket.<h2 id="bd273b03-5ffe-4b6d-8acc-d2373d85fc37">Other tax tips</h2>Another option people don't think about as much is a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-health-savings-account-retirement-tool-investing-wealth-2024-10">health savings account</a>, which is unique, Williams noted. You have to qualify for those with an employer that provides it through a health insurance policy with a high deductible plan. But they are a nice additional tool that investors can use to contribute from their paycheck, he added.It's contributed pre-tax. And if the money isn't used for healthcare costs, it can be saved and invested in that health savings account and grow tax-free. It's tax deferral and tax avoidance, he noted."For a health savings account, that's powerful," Williams said. "We call that a triple tax exemption. You get no taxes when you put the money in and no taxes on any growth or capital gains in the fund. And then when you take it out, you don't have any taxes as well."Taxable brokerage or investment accounts are still useful because they allow you to withdraw money before retirement. This is especially great in the event you need to make a big purchase. But when using these accounts, investors should consider the assets they're buying. For example, exchange-traded funds have less tax drag than mutual funds that have higher turnover and, in turn, more taxable events, Williams noted."Any investment or mutual fund that generates a fair amount of investment income, whether it's interest or dividends, do not tend to be very tax efficient," Williams said.This also means considering how funds distribute gains, such as whether they are qualified or ordinary dividends. The latter is taxed at an investor's tax rate and depending on what margin that's in, it may not be as advantageous as a qualified dividend.

How tax-deferred investing can increase a portfolio's value by 23% and the account that provides a triple benefit

<keyword id="19895579" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="gold" source="keywords">Gold</keyword> consistently reduces portfolio <keyword id="19908008" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="volatility" source="keywords">volatility</keyword> while improving returns, even with increased <keyword id="20108512" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="allocation" source="keywords">allocation</keyword>. By simulating portfolio performance with varying allocations of gold (2.5% to 10%), it's evident that the yellow metal bolsters return without adding significant risk, according to the <keyword id="20195223" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Gold-Council" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="World Gold Council" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="World Gold Council">World Gold Council</keyword>. On the other hand, <keyword id="19899404" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bitcoin" source="keywords">Bitcoin</keyword> shows diminishing returns as its allocation increases. A 2.5% allocation of bitcoin can enhance risk-adjusted returns, but beyond that, the portfolio's volatility rises, leading to larger drawdowns and lower overall performance. The data underscores that while bitcoin may offer short-term upside, it introduces risk that erodes its effectiveness as a stable <keyword id="22820244" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="store-of-value" source="keywords">store of value</keyword>. Global equities experienced a sharp downturn, with the <keyword id="19919944" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SP-500" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="S&amp;P 500" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="S&amp;P 500">S&amp;P 500</keyword> and <keyword id="19951906" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NASDAQ" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="NASDAQ" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="NASDAQ">NASDAQ</keyword> dropping over 4% and 6%, respectively, at the peak of the selloff. Amid this volatility, the debate over whether bitcoin can be considered "digital gold" resurfaced, as investors re-examined its place as an inflation hedge and a store of value. While bitcoin enthusiasts often label the cryptocurrency as "digital gold," a closer examination of the data, particularly during turbulent market periods, challenges this claim. Gold, a time-tested asset known for its stability, has long been a <keyword id="20466459" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="safe-haven" source="keywords">safe haven</keyword> during <keyword id="22820245" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="market-downturns" source="keywords">market downturns</keyword>. Bitcoin, on the other hand, displays characteristics more akin to high-risk technology stocks, making it an unsuitable substitute for gold in times of market stress. The primary distinction between gold and bitcoin lies in volatility. On a five-year rolling basis, gold has proven to be far less volatile than bitcoin, a trend that underscores its role as a safe haven asset. Gold's stable value is supported by central bank holdings, long-term investment demand, and its status as a global store of wealth. Bitcoin, conversely, is at the extreme end of the volatility spectrum, with its price fluctuations resembling those of tech stocks--closely tied to blockchain adoption and innovation trends. The most recent market correction in early August 2024 further emphasized these differences. While bitcoin experienced sharp losses, gold remained relatively stable, reinforcing its value as a risk mitigator during crises. The comparison of year-to-date returns reveals the stark contrast: bitcoin's wild swings have made it less reliable for investors seeking protection in a turbulent market. Bitcoin and gold also show stark differences in their correlation with broader markets. Gold has historically exhibited a negative correlation during down markets, and a positive correlation during up markets, making it an ideal asset for a diversified portfolio. Bitcoin, on the other hand, behaves more like risk assets, amplifying market stress rather than mitigating it. This was especially evident during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when gold outperformed while bitcoin faltered, aligning with other high-risk equities. Gold's global acceptance as a store of value--unrestricted by geographic or regulatory boundaries--provides further stability. Bitcoin, while growing in prominence, has not demonstrated the same universal acceptance or reliability, particularly during significant market downturns. The critical takeaway from the events of early August 2024 is that bitcoin has yet to demonstrate the same safe haven characteristics as gold. In times of significant market drawdowns, bitcoin has tracked risk assets like tech stocks, offering no meaningful protection for investors seeking stability. This reinforces the notion that bitcoin's most common use case is as an indicator of blockchain adoption rather than a dependable hedge against inflation or market turmoil.

Gold boosts returns and lowers risk, while Bitcoin heightens volatility, says World Gold Council

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Mortgage rates stayed high despite rate cuts, attracting cash-heavy investors to the housing market.</li><li>Despite values dropping in some areas, those selling are still raking in gains.</li></ul>Despite the central bank cutting interest rates, mortgage rates haven't followed suit. The average <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/mortgages/average-mortgage-interest-rate">30-year term remains near 6.21%</a>.Still, there was an uptick in buyers during the second quarter, specifically those who are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/investing/how-to-invest-in-real-estate-make-money">investors</a>, according to the latest data available from Redfin. The share of investors who purchased property rose 3.4% from a year earlier. They were likely attracted by an opportunity to meet the growing demand of renters who face barriers to homeownership that a lack of affordability and elevated mortgage rates have brought on, read the note by Lily Katz.Home prices nationwide, including those that were <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/mortgages/how-to-buy-a-foreclosed-home">distressed sales</a>, increased by 4.3% in July from a year ago, according to CoreLogic. An investor purchased one out of every six properties sold within the second quarter and one of every four low-priced homes for a whopping $43 billion worth of real estate, Katz wrote.Investors, which the real estate data firm defines as buyers whose ownership code on a purchasing deed includes either association, corporate trustee, company, joint venture, or corporate trust, are less reliant on debt and are not as rate-sensitive as the average buyer. Most, or 69%, pay in cash or make bigger down payments. It means they can take advantage of the lack of competition.Some of the cities that have seen a rise in investor interest include San Jose, CA, Portland, OR, and Denver, CO. Meanwhile, there has been a drop in purchases in areas like Oakland, CA, and Providence, RI, where median capital gains have plunged by 20% and 37% respectively.The chart below demonstrates the change in investor purchases over the last two decades. It shows upticks following the housing bubble crash and in the years that followed the pandemic.<div type="image" title="Chart demonstrates eb and flow of real estate investor activity." height="834" width="1626" msid="114377796" hostid="261" sizebytes="34338"></div>But whether they're buying or selling, investors have been doing quite well regarding capital gains, says Elijah de la Campa, a senior economist at Redfin. This was not the case in the years leading up to the housing crisis, where property owners were losing from selling."I still see the opportunity for making money on my investments and making a considerable amount of money with 30%, 40% price increases relative to the prior year," de la Campa said. "While things might be more challenging in certain places, overall it looks like there are still lots of opportunities to make money at buying and selling homes as an investor. "He added that even the cities seeing a retreat in their capital gains from a year ago are still profitable at their sale; they're just not going for as much as they would have last June.Below is a list of the 39 major metro areas in descending order of median capital gains over the past year into June. What stands out most to de la Campa is that many areas with the highest capital gains are affordable, particularly Philadelphia and Warren, MI.<table style="minWidth: 50px"></colgroup></colgroup><tbody><tr><td>Region</td><td>Median % Capital Gain YoY (pps)</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Philadelphia, PA</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">37.70%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Warren, MI</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">36.80%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">San Jose, CA</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">24.50%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Newark, NJ</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">20.80%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">San Francisco, CA</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">15.70%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Detroit, MI</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">15.00%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Baltimore, MD</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">6.60%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Portland, OR</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">6.40%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Anaheim, CA</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">5.60%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Chicago, IL</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">4.70%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Fort Lauderdale, FL</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">4.40%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Los Angeles, CA</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">4.30%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Seattle, WA</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">3.70%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Phoenix, AZ</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-0.30%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Columbus, OH</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-0.40%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Milwaukee, WI</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-1.50%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Las Vegas, NV</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-2.20%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">New Brunswick, NJ</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-3.10%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Tampa, FL</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-4.00%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Cleveland, OH</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-5.50%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Cincinnati, OH</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-6.10%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Minneapolis, MN</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-6.60%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Miami, FL</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-7.70%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Orlando, FL</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-8.60%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">San Diego, CA</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-9.70%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Sacramento, CA</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-11.50%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">West Palm Beach, FL</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-11.50%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Atlanta, GA</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-14.80%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Washington, DC</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-15.00%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Denver, CO</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-15.30%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Charlotte, NC</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-16.00%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Nashville, TN</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-17.90%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Riverside, CA</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-18.20%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Jacksonville, FL</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-18.70%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Oakland, CA</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-20.10%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Montgomery County, PA</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-26.60%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Virginia Beach, VA</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-28.40%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">New York, NY</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-29.10%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Providence, RI</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">-37.30%</td></tr></tbody></table>

Investors are piling into real estate as values skyrocket by up to 38%. 13 metros with the highest gains, and 25 that are plunging.

<keyword id="20079495" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="HDFC-Life" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="HDFC Life" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="HDFC Life">HDFC Life</keyword> released its Q1FY25 results today, witnessing a 31% year-on-year (YoY) growth in <keyword id="22418232" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="individual-APE" source="keywords">individual APE</keyword> (Annualized Premium Equivalent), while the total assets managed by the insurer crossed Rs 3 lakh crore. Notably, APE is a common indicator of sales undertaken in the life insurance industry and is the sum of regular annualized premiums from new businesses, along with 10% of the first single premium received within a specific period. The company's <keyword id="20019621" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AUM" source="keywords">AUM</keyword> (asset under management) saw a 22% <keyword id="21782807" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="YoY-growth" source="keywords">YoY growth</keyword>, jumping from Rs 2,53,301 crore in Q1FY24 to Rs 3,10,244 crore in Q1FY25. HDFC Life also saw a 15% YoY increase in its <keyword id="20298212" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="profit-after-tax" source="keywords">profit after tax</keyword> (PAT), inching up from Rs 415 crore in Q1FY24 to Rs 478 crore during April-June 2025. The <keyword id="21440628" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="value-of-new-business" source="keywords">value of new business</keyword> (VNB), which is calculated as the present value of the future profits that the firm is expected to earn in the future, thanks to the business that the company earns during the current year, also grew 18% from Rs 6.1 billion in Q1FY24 to Rs 7.2 billion in Q1FY25. The insurer also declared a staggering bonus of Rs 3,722 crore to more than 22 lakh of its shareholders. As per its report, the company covered around 13.9 million lives in Q1 FY25 The company also managed to retain its number 1 ranking in the industry, in terms of overall <keyword id="22418233" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sum-assured" source="keywords">sum assured</keyword>. In Q1FY25, the company's overall sum assured stood at Rs 3,365 billion, up from Rs 3,340 billion in Q1FY24. <h2>Increasing need for life insurance and retirement planning </h2>The scope of insurance penetration in India remains immense, given that India's insurable population is set to burgeon to around 1 billion by 2035, and at 85%, India's sum assured (SA) as a % of its GDP remains the lowest amongst its peers, which include Singapore (332%), Thailand (143%), US (251%). Moreover, India's retirement savings gap is only set to grow annually at 10% to touch $96 trillion by 2050. At 3% of the GDP, India's pension market remains largely under penetrated, as compared to 98.3% of GDP in <keyword id="19916592" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="usa" source="keywords">USA</keyword> and 146.2% of the GDP in Australia.

HDFC Life Q1 results: Profit after tax surges to Rs 478 crore, AUM crosses Rs 3 lakh crore

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Lithuania's startup scene is booming, with over 900 startups, and it's transforming Vilnius.</li><li>Unicorns Vinted and Nord Security are based around Vilnius' Cyber City, a former factory site.</li></ul>In a cluster of industrial buildings on the outskirts of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/brazil-lithuania-move-career-safety-progression-make-friends-2024-1">Vilnius</a> Old Town, a series of grey-brown brick buildings tower over their surroundings.A tall chimney stack is a lone relic from the site's time as a Soviet sock factory. (The bricks hark back to this history — laid out to mimic the pattern of the socks .)Now it's known as Cyber City — a symbol of a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lithuania-world-happy-genz-also-europe-suicide-capital-vilnius-health-2024-9">changed Lithuania.</a><div type="image" title="The chimney in Cyber City" height="4284" width="5712" msid="113664019" hostid="261" sizebytes="657316"></div>A bus stop just outside is called <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-startups-most-likely-to-be-the-next-unicorns-2023-8">"Unicorn,"</a> celebrating the tech giants <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/milda-mitkute-vinted-cofounder-lithuania-success-2024-2">Vinted</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nord-cybersecurity-startup-raises-100m-in-first-external-round-2022-4">Nord Security,</a> whose headquarters are meters away.Marijus Briedis, Nord Security's chief technology officer, says the area used to be a "no-go zone.""It was a dangerous area to be," he said, speaking from an office in his company's brand-new headquarters there.Nord Security became Lithuania's second billion-dollar tech unicorn in 2022, three years after Vinted joined the club.<div type="image" title="Nord Security's headquarters" height="4284" width="5712" msid="113664021" hostid="261" sizebytes="2574968"></div>Briedis described a sea of Soviet-era factories, ramshackle buildings, and unsavory characters that once populated the area.Now, he said, it's changing fast, driven by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biotech-scientist-moved-from-us-to-europe-happier-less-stressed-2024-8">Lithuania's burgeoning tech startup scene</a>. Nord's building takes its inspiration from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dating-silicon-valley-big-tech-hard-want-marriage-kids-2024-7">Silicon Valley</a> tech campuses."I would say the last five years was a really booming period for all the startups and startup community," Briedis said. "Because we just exploded."<div type="image" title="Inside Nord Security's new Vilnius HQ." height="4284" width="5712" msid="113664029" hostid="261" sizebytes="743920"></div>After World War II, Lithuania was forcibly absorbed into the Soviet Union, only gaining its independence in 1990. For years, the country was mainly known as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cheap-european-city-breaks-2016-3">a destination for cheap city breaks</a>, but that's changed in recent years.Between 2018 and 2023, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://inovacijuagentura.lt/site/binaries/content/assets/naujienos/dealroom_lithuania-2024-report.pdf">Lithuania's startup ecosystem grew</a> significantly, with the combined enterprise value of the country's startups increasing more than sevenfold.Lithuania now has more than 900 startups. It <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1911785/lithuania-has-its-third-unicorn-minister-says">claims to have at least three unicorns</a>, as well as the <a target="_blank" href="https://dealroom.co/reports/the-lithuanian-startup-ecosystem-2023-review">fastest-growing startup ecosystem</a> in the Baltics and the second-largest in terms of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/investing/venture-capital">VC investment</a> in Central and Eastern Europe.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lithuania-happiest-country-young-people-2024-3">Lithuania,</a> with a population of less than 3 million, has a much smaller market than neighboring larger countries, Briedis noted. "So, you have to think globally."<h2 id="0fb904d2-ddec-4cea-8ea3-d071585528a7">Europe's biggest tech campus</h2><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vilnius-lithuania-happiest-gen-z-cheap-safe-fun-tech-hub-2024-9">Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital</a>, sits at the center of this startup scene — the city is responsible for about <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://dealroom.co/reports/the-lithuanian-startup-ecosystem-2023-review">90% of all Lithuanian startup enterprise value</a>.Valdas Benkuskas, the city's mayor, said it <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.govilnius.lt/do-business-and-invest/economic-overview">contributes almost half of the country's GDP.</a>As a startup powerhouse, Vilnius is now vying to become <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/these-are-the-32-most-exciting-fintech-startups-europe-2024-2024-2">a tech hub</a> to rival European giants like Berlin, London, and Amsterdam — though it's still some way off.Yet its transformation is best exemplified by projects like Cyber City, and another even more ambitious project now underway, the mayor told BI.Tech Zity, an ambitious project a short walk from Cyber City, could help to turbocharge Lithuania's tech scene.<div type="image" title="The plans for Tech Zity" height="4284" width="5712" msid="113664014" hostid="261" sizebytes="664816"></div>"Lithuania moved on from the 90s when we gained independence and it was mainly factories, sewing factories, metallurgy," says Kipras Krasauskas, the COO of Tech Zity, now a sprawling construction site."The next stage was we started creating retail companies and transportation companies," he said, "and now the next generations come and they are creating global products — <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/nordvpn-review">NordVPN,</a> Vinted, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/kilo-health-unveils-key-tips-for-predicting-product-success-1033545074">Kilo Health</a>."Several companies have already secured space in what is poised to become Europe's largest tech campus, spanning 592,015 square feet and accommodating up to 5,000 workers.At the moment, it's just dusty floors, steel supports, and exposed wooden beams.<div type="image" title="Tech Zity's renovation, internal" height="4284" width="5712" msid="113664033" hostid="261" sizebytes="2641190"></div>But Krasauskas envisions the tech campus as a vibrant community where entrepreneurs can build startups, connect with venture capitalists, secure funding, and close deals.He hopes it will become a European center for innovation and a breeding ground for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-startups-most-likely-to-be-the-next-unicorns-2023-8">future unicorns</a>, which will help the Lithuanian economy go from strength to strength."I believe more and more parts of our GDP will be created within this area," he said.Like Cyber City, Tech Zity is being developed on the site of a Soviet-era factory.<div type="image" title="Piles of bricks as construction is underway on a former Soviet sewing factory." height="4284" width="5712" msid="113664024" hostid="261" sizebytes="2267022"></div>While the old sewing factory still operates from a smaller building nearby, the larger structure is being transformed into the campus hub, which will feature restaurants, a sports center, and a conference center."Our idea for Tech Zity is not to demolish and build new buildings, but try to renovate the old ones and give them new life and new function," Krasauskas says, gesturing to a display of repurposed items.Old window frames will be converted into meeting boxes, he says, while wooden beams are now coworking tables and halogen lights have been upcycled into an art display.<div type="image" title="Items from the Soviet-era factory on display, including window frames and floor tiles" height="4284" width="5712" msid="113664007" hostid="261" sizebytes="778334"></div><h2 id="69e89767-5ef9-4066-b6fb-88a81b25b133">A changing city</h2>While the city is embracing its ambitions as a tech hub, it is determined to preserve traces of its darker Soviet past.Back in his office, Benkuskas, the mayor, explains that while the tech companies are new, they purposefully "bought old territories, which were old factories built in the Soviet Union and abandoned for many years.""That illustrates how Lithuania and Vilnius have changed from Soviet times, with old technologies and neglected buildings, to new technologies, a new economy, and newfound strength," he says."I'm proud that we are transforming the city in this way."

How Europe's biggest tech campus is growing out of a Soviet-era sock factory

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Baiju Bhatt, the cofounder of trading app Robinhood, has a new space startup.</li><li>Aetherflux aims to launch a constellation of satellites to transmit solar power to Earth using infrared lasers.</li></ul>When Baiju Bhatt co-founded the stock trading app <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/robinhood-collapse-what-happened-retail-investing-meme-stocks-future-finance-2022-2">Robinhood</a> in 2013 with his college best friend, Vlad Tenev, the aim was to "democratize finance for all."Robinhood's no-fee, gamified approach to investing made capital markets more accessible than ever before, leading to an IPO in 2021.After over a decade at the company, Bhatt stood down as Robinhood's chief creative officer in March to pursue what was described at the time as "other entrepreneurial interests."In October, Bhatt announced he was launching Aetherflux, a Silicon Valley-based space startup.Aetherflux aims to create a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) that will collect solar power and beam it down to receptors on Earth using infrared lasers.Just as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-starlink-spacex-satellite-internet-business-constellation-fleet-elon-musk-mars">Elon Musk's Starlink</a> constellation has transformed communications, Bhatt hopes Aetherflux will revolutionize energy, he told Business Insider in an interview.The receptors will be just 10 meters in diameter, Bhatt said, meaning they can be placed virtually anywhere and theoretically provide power to remote locations that would otherwise be too expensive or dangerous to reach."If we succeed, we unlock a renewable energy source for humanity that can be delivered virtually anywhere," he wrote in a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/allow-me-re-introduce-myself-baiju-bhatt-nu1ic/?trackingId=xecx1MNjQxGa6fapJvT2fA%3D%3D">LinkedIn post</a> announcing Aetherflux.If it works, far more solar power can be captured in orbit than through the atmosphere at ground level, and there would be no nighttime or weather disruptions to the power source. It would also free up land used for solar farms on Earth.Aetherflux plans to start by powering military operations in remote locations or remote mining operations, Bhatt said.<div type="image" title="A profile of Baiju Bhatt smiling in a black t-shirt in front of a beige background." height="3553" width="5324" msid="114432481" hostid="261" sizebytes="611312"></div>Bhatt hopes that a single receptor will one day be able to capture enough power for a small neighborhood of homes. He added that they'd need around 100 satellites to provide continuous power to one location.The idea of space-based solar power has existed for decades, but theories have generally rested on large constructions being sent into orbit and using microwaves to transmit energy.In January 2023, the California Institute of Technology launched a solar space-power demonstrator satellite into orbit for a yearlong mission to test out a range of potential approaches.Caltech's president, Thomas F. Rosenbaum, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/space-solar-power-project-ends-first-in-space-mission-with-successes-and-lessons">said the project</a> had shown them that solar power beamed from space "is still a future prospect" but that it "should be an achievable future."Aetherflux wants to do things differently by using infrared lasers and a modular approach.The science has already been demonstrated; it's just going to be an engineering and economic feat to prove it can be done from space, Bhatt said.To begin with, Aetherflux plans to send a single satellite into orbit by the first quarter of 2026 to demonstrate that solar energy transmission is possible.<h2 id="f76e6857-d783-49d8-94bf-ab950b9759df">The right time to be in space</h2>Though the career jump from finance to the space industry may seem unusual, Bhatt said space has been his "lifelong calling."NASA was a part of Bhatt's childhood. His father moved to the US from India to pursue physics and got a job at NASA's Langley Research Center in the 1990s studying atmospheric sciences.With a bachelor's in physics and a master's in mathematics, both from Stanford, Bhatt thought he'd be a physicist too. So, Robinhood was a "bit of a detour," he told BI.He is still a board member but has stepped back from day-to-day operations.One lesson Bhatt said he learned from running the trading app was how powerful capitalism could be in accelerating innovation."If you can take a problem that's been stagnating and you can create a capitalist system around it where people can make money doing something, you'll see the rate of progress really speed up," he said.<div type="image" title="Baiju Bhatt (right) and Vlad Tenev, founders of the online brokerage Robinhood." height="4160" width="6240" msid="114432476" hostid="261" sizebytes="601100"></div>After meeting with people working on power for DARPA at the beginning of this year and seeing the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-spacex-starship-launch-five-huge-deal-space-travel-2024-10">timeline Starship is on</a>, Bhatt decided that the best opportunities were now in space.Since 2009, the sum of private investments in space startups has soared from essentially nothing to $327.3 billion, according to the latest "<a target="_blank" href="https://spacecapital.docsend.com/view/9d69zpfz4ddms3ry">Space Investment Quarterly</a>" report published by venture capital and angel-investment firm Space Angels.The industry's value is expected to continue booming. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/aerospace-and-defense/our-insights/space-the-1-point-8-trillion-dollar-opportunity-for-global-economic-growth">McKinsey</a> estimates that the global space economy will be worth $1.8 trillion by 2035, accounting for inflation, up from $630 billion in 2023."It's hard to find something more exciting and impactful than space," said Matthew Weinzierl, a professor of the economics of space at Harvard Business School and coauthor of the upcoming book "Space to Grow.""This really is a new frontier, one where technological innovation can create new markets and solve real problems, often in ways we haven't thought of before," he said.Weinzierl said that in the past two decades, the US government has created pathways for commercial players, enabling market forces to take hold."Prices to orbit have dropped, launch availability has soared, and a wave of entrepreneurs are finding new ways to create value," he said.<div type="image" title="SpaceX's Super Heavy booster as it returned to its launch site, with the sun rising in the background." height="1031" width="1920" msid="114432482" hostid="261" sizebytes="52022"></div>With so many more commercially available products, space has <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starship-launch-success-elon-musk-vision-cheap-space-travel-closer-2024-3#:~:text=%22With%20Starship%2C%20SpaceX%20is%20poised,in%20an%20email%20on%20Thursday.">never been cheaper</a>.Aetherflux is an example of how companies are using off-the-shelf solutions to speed up development. Its satellites are purchased readymade from satellite bus provider <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/palmer-luckey-anduril-apex-defense-tech-space-satellite-surveillance-2024-10">Apex</a>, the high-powered lasers it plans to use are commercially available, and it'll be using <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-launch">SpaceX</a> as a launch partner for its 2026 mission."The part that we're building is the actual optical design, the control systems, and the power transmission link, as well as the ground station," said Bhatt.<h2 id="5dda5318-030a-431a-91ff-f205b537a068">The future of Aetherflux</h2>When he spoke with BI, Bhatt had just moved into a lab facility in the Bay Area. With a team of 10 employees, he will begin iterating ground tests, developing the system design, and working with regulators.He's self-funding the project "completely," he told BI. As one of Robinhood's cofounders, Bhatt's net worth spiked after its IPO in 2021. He is worth around $1.7 billion, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/baiju-bhatt/">Forbes reports.</a>Although access to space has become more routine and affordable, Weinzierl said there is still a lot of uncertainty around the industry. Some of the ideas and businesses being developed today won't survive, but they'll be "the foundation that tomorrow's entrepreneurs will learn from and build on," he said.A self-proclaimed science nerd, Bhatt named his startup after a 19th-century theory about a pervasive medium called the aether, which physicists believed light traveled through."Einstein came along in 1905 and was basically like, nah, that stuff's all wrong. Light is the same in every reference frame," said Bhatt.So Aetherflux is named after a disproven scientific theory? Yes, Bhatt agreed with amusement. But he's "laser-focused" on the first mission and adamant that Aetherflux won't fall into the same bracket as its namesake."Space is hard," he admitted, "but we're committed to demonstrating this and making it happen."

Robinhood's cofounder has joined the rapidly growing commercial space race, and wants to beam solar power from satellites to earth

Quick commerce company <keyword id="19939134" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Zepto" source="keywords">Zepto</keyword> on Friday said it has raised <keyword id="22130274" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="USD-665-million" source="keywords">USD 665 million</keyword> (about Rs 5,560 crore) in the latest funding round that valued the firm at USD 3.6 billion, almost triple than its worth a year back. The massive fundraise comes less than a year after the Mumbai-based startup raised USD 235 million at a valuation of USD 1.4 billion. The funding round saw participation from new investors like Avenir, Lightspeed, and Avra, alongside existing investors Glade Brook, Nexus, and StepStone, Goodwater, and Lachy Groom. "We've gone from 0 to 1 billion-plus in sales, or GMV, in 29 months, that is faster than any other internet company before us... Even on a base of over a billion dollars at this point, we are growing 100 per cent-plus year on year. And that for us is one of the big drivers of this fundraise," Zepto co-founder and CEO Aadit Palicha told PTI. Attributing the growth to the performance of the quick commerce firm, the young entrepreneur said, "This is largely because of the input excellence we've built across the supply chain. "Whether it is sourcing excellence, mother hub efficiency, line haul utilisation, or our last mile, the innovation that we've done, or forecasting, we're in this place where even as we've been able to grow, we've been able to drive efficiency to get the business to pretty much close to full operating cash flow positive today." He said the overall business is close to operating at break-even cash flow. Nearly 75 per cent of the company's stores are fully EBITDA positive as of May 2024, he said. "Over the next 12-18 months, although it might fluctuate, but we'll still be pretty close to operating cash flow positive, and the idea is to keep in that direction, get the business to a place where we can list next 9-12 months," he said. Zepto co-founder and CTO <keyword id="12442402" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kaivalya-Vohra" source="Orion">Kaivalya Vohra</keyword> said the firm plans to hire top talent across engineering, product, growth, finance, operations, and category management. "If you are looking for a high growth, high meritocracy and high intensity culture where you can convert hard work and ambition into disproportionate career growth, Zepto is the place for you," he said.

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