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Founder <keyword id="20198157" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ritesh-Agarwal" source="keywords">Ritesh Agarwal</keyword> has invested Rs 830 crore through his Singapore-based entity Patient Capital in <keyword id="19901637" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="OYO" source="keywords">OYO</keyword>'s latest <keyword id="20080855" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="funding-round" source="keywords">funding round</keyword> -- wherein the <keyword id="21745043" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="travel-tech-platform" source="keywords">travel tech platform</keyword> raised Rs 1,457 crore, sources said. Post the equity dilution in the <keyword id="22756111" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Series-G-funding" source="keywords">Series G funding</keyword>, Agarwal's holdings will increase from 29.97 per cent earlier, to 32.57 per cent post the investment, sources told PTI. According to sources close to the transaction, "Ritesh has invested to protect his ownership dilution in OYO as well as a signal of confidence in the company's prospects. The investment is backed by Singapore-based family offices." <keyword id="20517346" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Oravel-Stays-Ltd" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Oravel Stays Ltd" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Oravel Stays Ltd">Oravel Stays Ltd</keyword>, the parent company of OYO, has raised Rs 1,457 crore from a consortium of investors in the latest funding round. The additional equity issuance was approved by 99.99 per cent shareholders in an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held on August 8. The additional fundraise values the company at USD 2.4 billion, as the first Series G tranche issued to InCred in July. The investment is being made through Compulsory Convertible Cumulative Preference Shares, each priced at Rs 29, consistent with the valuation of the recent raise in Series G. The capital will be used to support OYO's growth and its global expansion plans, sources said.

Founder Ritesh Agarwal invests Rs 830 crore in OYO's latest funding round; Platform raises Rs 1,457 crore

PRNewswire—Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 19: <keyword id="1606194" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Aereo" source="Orion">Aereo</keyword>, India's leading <keyword id="22468617" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="drone-based-business-intelligence" source="Orion">drone-based business intelligence</keyword> provider, has successfully closed a <keyword id="22468616" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="USD-15-million" source="Orion">USD 15 million</keyword> <keyword id="1095983" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Series-B-funding" source="Orion">Series B funding</keyword> round led by 360 ONE Asset. The round saw participation from long-standing investors StartupXseed Ventures and Navam Capital. Aereo delivers <keyword id="20829411" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="business-intelligence" source="keywords">business intelligence</keyword> solutions to help manage large capital assets using proprietary drones and an AI-powered data analytics platform. Their sector-specific solutions cater to mining, infrastructure, urban and rural development, land records, and other industries translating into a 400% revenue growth in the last two years and market dominance. Vipul Singh, co-founder and CEO of Aereo, stated, "This funding milestone enables us to expand our <keyword id="22468614" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aerial-intelligence" source="keywords">aerial intelligence</keyword> solutions for capital asset management. With our proprietary drone tech and 360 ONE Asset's partnership, we aim to revolutionise this $10 billion industry and create a global footprint." <keyword id="22468618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Suhas-Banshiwala" source="Orion">Suhas Banshiwala</keyword>, co-founder and CTO of Aereo, stated, "Our vision is to continuously innovate drone manufacturing and data analytics for the greater good. We are excited about the confidence our customers and shareholders have shown and are gearing up for an orbital shift." Aereo has been recognised by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) as one of the top three infra-tech organisations. As a technology partner for Coal India Limited's Digicoal initiative, Aereo provides critical business intelligence for some of the world's largest coal mines for improving productivity, efficiency, safety, and environmental compliance. It has also been empanelled with Tata Steel since 2019, aiding the digitalisation of over 27 critical mines and stockyards. Over the past three years, Aereo has achieved significant milestones, including mapping over 45,000 villages under the SVAMITVA scheme and covering more than 50,000 sq. km of land area for the Digital India Land Record Modernisation Program (DILRMP). The Series B investment serves as a powerful catalyst for Aereo's growth, with a key focus on automation. Their AI-powered drone data analytics platform is set to revolutionise automation and digitisation. With strategic partnerships, R&amp;D, and new product development, Aereo is ready to lead the global <keyword id="22468613" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="drone-solutions" source="keywords">drone solutions</keyword> sector. Karan Ahuja, Fund Manager at 360 ONE, remarked, "We're thrilled with the momentum in the <keyword id="22468615" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="commercial-drone" source="keywords">commercial drone</keyword> tech sector in India. Our partnership with Aereo reflects our belief in their cutting-edge innovations, and we're excited for their solutions to go global." Ravi Thakur, Co-Founding Partner at StartupXseed, added, "Aereo has been a trailblazer from the start, delivering exceptional solutions and building the drone ecosystem. We're excited to support them in their next major growth phase."

Aereo, India's leading commercial drone solutions startup, secures USD 15 million in Series B funding round

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Elliott Investment Management launched a podcast to influence Southwest Airlines shareholders.</li><li>The activist investor holds 11% of Southwest and is seeking a top-level shake-up.</li></ul>Last week, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/southwest-airlines-call-for-changes-new-leadership-ceo-elliott-management-2024-6">activist firm</a> Elliott Investment Management launched a podcast as part of its efforts to influence <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/southwest-airlines-changes-turnaround-plan-assigned-seats-routes-bags-2024-9">Southwest Airlines shareholders</a>.Elliott, which built an 11% stake in the US airline, has called for a new CEO and board members. The firm also told Southwest to review its operations and develop a plan to improve performance.Southwest's stock has shed nearly half its value in the last five years, and its passenger volumes are below pre-pandemic levels despite strong travel demand. On an earnings call in July, company executives said revenues were hurt because Southwest did not optimize summer demand and faced overstaffing because of Boeing's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-delays-wreak-havoc-with-airline-industrys-plans-2024-10">plane delivery delays</a>.Southwest's CEO, Bob Jordan, has been with the company for three decades and was appointed as chief in 2022. Elliott said Jordan and chairman Gary Kelly are responsible for the company's underperformance.The activist hedge fund started its public campaign against Southwest's leadership in June and called for a December 10 shareholder vote to decide on Elliott's eight board nominees.Southwest's 15-member board consists of 13 independent members, according to a filing. Last month, the company said it intends to appoint four new independent directors, potentially including some of those proposed by Elliott.Elliott said its "Stronger Southwest" podcast will have one-on-one conversations with the firm's nominated directors. The first episode — an interview with former WestJet CEO Gregg Saretsky — was released last week on platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The video version has 3,900 views on YouTube.Well before the first episode dropped, the airline started making changes — and more are likely on the way. Last month, Southwest introduced a dramatic turnaround plan, scrapping its <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/southwest-airlines-history-2021-8">unique playbook of more than 50 years, which included open seating,</a> in favor of becoming an airline that resembles most of its peers.The airline and Elliott are now working on a settlement that would give the hedge fund representation without controlling Southwest's board, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-20/southwest-looks-for-truce-with-elliott-after-major-policy-tweaks">Bloomberg</a> reported on Monday.While it is unclear if new episodes of the podcast will still be released amid settlement talks, communication strategists told Business Insider that Elliott's novel move has benefits, including cost-effectiveness.<h2 id="a8daa6d8-8149-4352-a143-8815af696f72">Cheaper and more direct</h2>Traditionally, activist investors have communicated directly with investors, because most companies have 10 to 20 major shareholders who decide their elections, said Scott Bisang, a founding partner of financial communications firm Collected Strategies.But companies like Southwest and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-heirs-shareholder-letter-nelson-peltz-hostile-takover-bob-iger-2024-3">Disney, which saw similar activist interest last year</a>, have a lot of individual investors."You can't call every retail shareholder, and sending direct mail to every holder multiple times is expensive," Bisang said.A podcast allows the activist to completely control the content, compared to a media outlet shaping an interview. Shareholders may subscribe to the podcast and get notifications directly, which could create a recurring benefit if they watch more than one episode. If lots of people subscribe, the activist could collect data and retarget ads to investors through other channels, Bisang said.Before the podcast, Elliott rolled out a website and accounts on Instagram, X, and YouTube.Cas Sydorowitz, the global CEO of shareholder engagement service Georgeson, said an activist's podcast could go beyond investors, since employees, customers, and suppliers might also listen."Investors understand the need to communicate with shareholders and other stakeholders to garner support for their director candidates," Sydorowitz said. "Hosting a podcast is a new and potentially effective way for an activist to showcase the qualifications of their director candidates."<h2 id="a8a88bd5-62cd-48d8-9b2d-a2d413d0c090">Podcasts are the new activist battleground</h2>Earlier this year, Disney was caught in a proxy war against activist investor Nelson Peltz.At Disney's annual meeting in April, shareholders voted to keep CEO Bob Iger and Disney management's board and rejected the activist's two candidates."While Disney didn't do its own podcast series last year, they actually advertised heavily on entertainment podcasts like 'The Town,'" a podcast about Hollywood, Bisang said.If the Southwest battle continues, he said to expect direct paid ad campaigns from both sides."It's no different than what we see with a presidential election, except in a proxy fight, you can target advertising much more specifically on your investor base versus every voter in a state," Bisang said.Southwest and Elliott did not respond to requests for comment.

Why a hedge fund made a podcast about a shake-up it's pushing for at Southwest Airlines 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Clay supports revenue operations and growth teams to automate outreach to potential customers.</li><li>The company last raised a $46 million Series B at a $500 million valuation led by Meritech in June.</li></ul>Clay, the AI-powered sales startup, is set to be valued at $1.3 billion in a new insider funding round, two sources told Business Insider.Founded in 2017, Clay <a target="_blank" href="https://www.clay.com/blog/clay-raises-62m-to-turn-any-growth-idea-into-reality">last raised</a> a $46 million Series B at a $500 million valuation, which was led by Meritech Capital in June. Sequoia Capital, First Round Capital, Box Group, and Boldstart Ventures participated in that round.Details of the latest funding round are not yet finalized, and the figures involved are subject to change.According to its website, Clay supports revenue operations and aids growth teams to automate outreach to potential customers. The company helps go-to-market teams build a sales lead list with enriched customer data. With over 75 data providers, Clay helps its customers tailor outreach with more detailed information on potential customers such as a company's headcount and its fundraising history.Clay's AI agent also supports research around prospects. The "Claygent" can answer questions about target companies based on company domains, such as details about its competitors. Clay's AI messaging tool can then help sales teams send tailored outbound messages to prospective customers.The company lists <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/here-are-the-executives-running-anthropic-right-now-2024-10">Anthropic</a>, Notion, Vanta, Ramp, and Intercom as customers on its website.In response to a request for comment from Business Insider, Clay CEO Kareem Amin said, "We cannot confirm these details as no term sheet has been issued or signed."Before founding Clay, Amin was the vice president of product at The Wall Street Journal. He also successfully sold his e-commerce optimization startup, Frame, to Sailthru, a marketing personalization startup, and became the latter company's director of engineering. Clay's cofounder, Varun Anand, is the head of operations and previously worked at startups Newfront and Candid.Clay is not the only company building in this category. Apollo, a sales intelligence startup, raised a $100 million Series D led by Bain Capital Ventures at a $1.6 billion valuation last year. Other startups include Thrive-backed Unify, and Lusha, valued at $1.5 billion.

AI sales startup Clay is raising a new funding round at a $1.3 billion valuation, sources say 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Paul Podolsky's Kate Capital is set to start trading on November 1 with roughly $200 million.</li><li>The manager will be a discretionary global macro fund with 50 to 60 positions at a time.</li></ul>Paul Podolsky is putting his 15-plus years of experience at the world's largest hedge fund to work at his new $200 million firm.Kate Capital will launch on November 1, a person close to the manager told Business Insider, with a team of four, including Tom Bachner, the former president of distressed debt investor Mudrick Capital and longtime Bridgewater fundraiser.Bridgewater's DNA will be throughout the firm. Podolsky, who began his career as a foreign correspondent in Russia after the Soviet Union fell, left the massive money manager in May of 2020. His final responsibilities included head of China research, and he visited the country several times during his tenure working under billionaire founder Ray Dalio.The person close to Kate Capital told BI that it will be a discretionary global macro fund, as opposed to Bridgewater, which invests more systematically. Industry insiders say $6 billion multi-strategy firm New Holland Capital is among its backers; New Holland declined to comment.Kate Capital, which is named after Podolsky's mother, will keep its book smaller than larger macro players — between 50 and 60 positions typically, the person close to the new fund said. The fund will invest across the globe, though does not plan on having significant positions in emerging markets, the person close to the firm said.And, like Dalio, Podolsky plans to share his thoughts on the world as he invests.During his yearslong non-compete, Podolsky began blogging about geopolitics and published two books — one a memoir and another a fictional thriller. A third on money management is coming out later this year.He's hosted podcasts with Dalio and former director of the FBI James Comey, among others, and contributed to Bridgewater's Daily Observations series. He plans to continue writing when the firm launches, the person close to the firm said.And his old boss is cheering him on."Paul Podolsky is a quality man and a quality investor. I'm excited for him and I wish him well," Dalio said in a statement to BI.

A longtime Bridgewater investor is launching a hedge fund. Here's a look inside Paul Podolsky's Kate Capital.

EV-as-a-service platform <keyword id="19895200" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zypp-electric" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="zypp electric" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="zypp electric">Zypp Electric</keyword> on Monday said it has raised USD 15-million <keyword id="19913964" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="funding" source="keywords">funding</keyword> from <keyword id="21822063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="japanese-firm" source="keywords">Japanese firm</keyword> ENEOS. The series C funding comprises USD 15-million in <keyword id="21822065" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="equity-closure" source="keywords">equity closure</keyword>, as part of its ongoing USD 50-million round, which comprises USD 40-million in equity and USD 10-million in debt, the company said in a statement. The fresh capital raised under Series C, in which other investors existing investors 9unicorns, IAN fund, venture catalysts, WFC and others also participated, will be utilised to expand Zypp's fleet from 21,000 to 2-lakh electric scooters and extend its services to 15 cities across India by 2026, it added. The fresh investment will help Zypp in the last-mile delivery space with sustainable EV solutions, said Akash Gupta, Co-founder and CEO of Zypp Electric. "We are eager to expand our fleet and enhance our tech platform, driving significant growth across India. These funds will be utilised to drive the company towards the full path of growth along with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) profitability," he added. Further, Zypp Electric said it has forayed into the three-wheeler cargo business and claims of soon crossing 1,000 electric L5 loaders in its EV fleet and added that the company is set to cater to a wider range of business needs while maximising revenue streams, among others. According to Zypp Electric, it clocked Rs 325-crore revenue in FY 2023-24 and launched operations in Mumbai and Hyderabad recently. "In India, the last-mile delivery market is skyrocketing especially within urban areas. Zypp is operating its business as a pioneer in the EV motorcycle delivery market with competitiveness and this is the reason why we made the decision to invest," ENEOS was quoted as saying in the statement. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/poco-f6-vs-realme-gt-6t-which-mid-range-smartphone-should-you-buy/slidelist/110388110.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/poco-f6-vs-realme-gt-6t-which-mid-range-smartphone-should-you-buy/slidelist/110388110.cms" target="_blank">Poco F6 vs Realme GT 6T – which mid-range smartphone should you buy?</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/realme-gt-6t-vs-motorola-edge-50-pro-price-specs-and-features-compared/slidelist/110366047.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/realme-gt-6t-vs-motorola-edge-50-pro-price-specs-and-features-compared/slidelist/110366047.cms" target="_blank">Realme GT 6T vs Motorola Edge 50 Pro – price, specs and features compared</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/indias-wearable-shipments-rise-by-2-1-in-q1-2024-average-price-declines/articleshow/110354913.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/indias-wearable-shipments-rise-by-2-1-in-q1-2024-average-price-declines/articleshow/110354913.cms" target="_blank">India’s wearable shipments rise by 2.1% in Q1 2024, average price declines</a>

Zypp Electric raises $15 million funding in Series C Round

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Kong offers a cloud-based API, the pipes through which much of the internet flows.</li><li>The startup is valued at around $2 billion in a new funding round led by Tiger Global Management, sources say.</li></ul>Kong, which offers cloud-based application programming interfaces, is valued at around $2 billion in a new funding round led by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiger-global-openai-latest-funding-round-2024-10">Tiger Global Management,</a> according to two sources familiar with the matter.The sources asked to remain anonymous because they were sharing confidential information. Kong did not respond to a request for comment. Tiger Global declined to comment.Kong last raised $80 million in Series D funding in 2020, which valued the startup at $1.4 billion. This round was also led by Tiger, according to Pitchbook data. Sapphire Ventures, Lombardstreet Ventures, Index Ventures, CRV, Andreessen Horowitz, and Notable Capital also participated in that round. Other past investors include Goldman Sachs. All told, the company has raised $268 million, excluding this latest round of funding. Founded in 2009 as Mashape in an Italian garage by Augusto "Aghi" Marietti and Marco Palladino, Kong spun out in 2017 and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://konghq.com/company/press-room/press-release/100m-arr">boasted </a>of having over $100 million in annual recurring revenue last year.APIs are the pipes through which much of the modern internet flows, and Kong counts PayPal, Nasdaq, and Volvo among its customers."It's basically become the nervous system of the internet," <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-kong-surpassed-100-million-in-annual-recurring-revenue-2023-12">Marietti told BI last year.</a>Last week, Tiger Global also <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiger-global-openai-latest-funding-round-2024-10">doubled down on OpenAI,</a> investing in the ChatGPT maker's massive <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-investors-latest-funding-round-2024-10">new $6.6 billion funding round.</a>

Cloud API startup Kong valued at around $2 billion in a new funding round led by Tiger Global

<ul class="summary-list"><li>An Intel employee raised concerns about the upcoming US election's impact on CHIPS Act funding.</li><li>Intel invested billions in US factories but hasn't received CHIPS Act grants yet.</li></ul>Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger addressed an employee-submitted question about whether the upcoming US election would affect Intel's CHIPS and Science Act funding at an all-hands meeting on Friday.The US Commerce Department has awarded Intel, the largest recipient of the Act, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/us-chips-act-intel-direct-funding.html">$8.5 billion in grants</a> and $11 billion in loans. The government said it will pay out grants based on how companies meet benchmarks.During the all-hands, Gelsinger responded that the bill was "bipartisan," and the executive team reassured employees that Intel was a key part of the CHIPS Act as the only large-scale chip manufacturer in the US, according to an employee who listened to the meeting. The employee, whose identity Business Insider confirmed, asked to remain anonymous to discuss internal matters.Intel has privately <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/updates-intel-10-largest-construction-projects.html">invested billions </a>in factory expansions in New Mexico, Arizona, Ohio, and Oregon. It has not yet received the CHIPS grants.Gelsinger publicly addressed this topic in a Thursday <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2024-10-31/intel-ceo-pat-gelsinger-on-q4-forecast">interview with Bloomberg</a> after the third quarter earnings call."The CHIPS Act was a bipartisan act, and with that strong support from both sides of the aisle, we believe the importance of that in terms of industrial policy. The semiconductor is well-supported by Congress and both parties," Gelsinger said.He also addressed the delay of CHIPS Act funding distribution."We are disappointed by how long and how slow the dispensing of funds has been and it's well over two years at this point. I've invested 30 billion in capital and we've seen $0 of the grants at this point. So we do believe that that has been too slow, and we're somewhat frustrated by that," Gelsinger said in the Bloomberg interview.Policymakers recently in Washington, DC, have discussed whether Intel needs additional help beyond the CHIPS Act funding as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.semafor.com/article/11/01/2024/concerns-grow-in-washington-over-intel">a precautionary measure</a>, as Intel's success is key to evolving American manufacturing policies, Semafor reported.Government leaders are also monitoring the CHIPS Act funding delays. Ohio governor Mike DeWine said Wednesday that he <a target="_blank" href="https://www.10tv.com/article/news/local/intel-hasnt-any-chips-act-money-why-not/530-021a26ac-81cd-4146-852e-2b2172f2c5f7">contacted the White House</a> to ask it to speed up the distribution of funding from the CHIPS Act for its New Albany factory.The CHIPS Act was passed largely in a bipartisan fashion in 2022. Stephen Ezell, the vice president for global innovation policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation and the director of its Center for Life Sciences Innovation, previously told BI he <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-semiconductor-chip-production-continue-harris-trump-presidency-arizona-jobs-2024-10">expects no "considerable change"</a> in approach whether presidential candidates Kamala Harris or Donald Trump are elected.Besides the delay in receiving CHIPS Act funds, Intel has faced a series of setbacks to its business. The S&amp;P Dow Jones Indices said Friday that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nvidia-replace-intel-dow-jones-industrial-average-2024-11">Nvidia would replace Intel </a>in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. This change indicates that Intel is no longer seen as a stable economic indicator.Intel's recent profitability was "negatively impacted" by cost reduction changes as the company is "maniacally focused on improving fab productivity," Gelsinger said during its third-quarter earnings call.Amid a challenging financial adjustment, Intel is relying upon the success of its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/opinion/continued-momentum-intel-18a.html">18A chip</a>. In the past, the company has faced customer losses and delays in its 14-nanometer and 10-nanometer chips due to yield issues.Intel plans to reduce spending with a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intel-ceo-pat-gelsinger-turnaround-plan-aws-2024-9">cost</a>-<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intel-ceo-pat-gelsinger-turnaround-plan-aws-2024-9">savings plan</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intel-layoffs-cost-cutting-measures-pay-cuts-reduced-perks-2024-10">has cut staff by 15%</a>.Got a tip about Intel? Contact this reporter at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:hli@insider.com">hli@insider.com</a> or use the secure messaging app Signal with the username hliwrites.99.

In an all-hands, Intel CEO addresses employee concerns about the US election and CHIPS Act funding

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Eva Longoria stepped in at the last minute with a $6 million investment that saved "John Wick."</li><li>Since then, she's invested in two soccer clubs, a tequila, and a food brand, and has her own production company.</li></ul>Ten years ago, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/eva-longoria-producer-john-wick-2024-10">Eva Longoria became the unlikely savior</a> of "John Wick."About a week before the movie was set for release in 2014, stuntmen-turned-directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch ran out of money when they lost almost $6 million in gap financing.Unbeknownst to them at the time, Longoria, who was then best known for playing Gabrielle on the hit series "Desperate Housewives," stepped in with the cash to complete the movie."CAA, which was putting the financing together, they offered the opportunity to some actors who had some bankroll," <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/john-wick-keanu-reeves-popularity-chad-stahelski-david-leitch-interview-2024-10">Leitch told Business Insider in an interview</a> alongside Stahelski celebrating the movie's 10th anniversary. "'You'll be first out of this waterfall, you'll get your money back then X amount.' Eva was like, 'Cool!'""She came to the rescue," Stahelski added.You know the rest. The movie, which stars Keanu Reeves as the title character, a former assassin who returns to the bloody trade to avenge the death of his dog, became a surprise box office hit, earning over $86 million worldwide and spawning a successful franchise.The movie revitalized Reeves' career, giving him his biggest hit since "The Matrix," and turned Stahelski and Leitch from stunt guys into viable action directors.The last-minute financing save also marked a turning point for Longoria, kick-starting her interest in becoming a major investor in Hollywood.Since then, Longoria has started the production company Hyphenate Media Group, which most recently produced the Apple TV+ series "Land of Women," in which Longoria also starred. She's also invested in two soccer teams, including Natalie Portman's Angel City FC, the most valuable team in women's sports history; the tequila company Casa Del Sol; and Siete Foods, which sold to PepsiCo in October for over $1 billion.Business Insider spoke to Longoria about what led to her investing in "John Wick" — the first time ever she's spoken on the topic publicly — and how she's become a successful investor in the years since.Chad and David told me they had lost $6 million in gap financing and that "John Wick" was literally going to be shut down in a day until you agreed to invest that money to save the movie. Is that accurate?That is accurate. By the way, I was in my infancy. I love David saying, "They went to people with bankroll." [Laughs.] My bankroll was very new, and it was a lot of money, and I was like, "So how does it work?" I had no idea. I would love to say I was an investment genius and I just knew and I calculated my risk. No, none of that. How did it all happen?An agent, and he wasn't even my agent, he called me and said, "You got money, you should put your money here." And I didn't even know how a movie was made. I was like, "What do you mean gap financing?"But something that I've learned, looking back, I love investing in people. You can tell me you're opening a chicken farm, but if you're fucking passionate about it and you've done the work and know the market, I mean, Chad and David did their work. They put in their 10,000 hours as stunt guys and second unit directors; they had seen all the bad movies and knew how to make a good one. It was that. They were undeniably passionate and I knew they were going to make an undeniable product. They have that hunger and scrappiness that I have. I'm very scrappy in my life. I'm like, "Why can't we just do this like this?"<div type="image" title="john wick " height="2756" width="4332" msid="114818649" hostid="261" sizebytes="196522"></div>In the 10 years since "John Wick" came out, have you thought about how significant your investment in this movie was, especially in the action genre?It changed the genre. Took Keanu in a whole new trajectory. I remember last year at one of the Oscar dinners, I'm sitting at my table and across from me is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-fall-guy-david-leitch-kelly-mccormick-relationship-stunts-interview-2024-4">David Leitch with his wife</a>. And I didn't recognize him at first. He goes, "Hello," and I go, "Hi." And he goes, "It's David." And I'm like, "Hi?" And he was like, "You changed my life."Then I realized who it was. We hadn't spoken in 10 years. I never saw them again, and I didn't need to because I was getting the checks. [Laughs.] But it was such a serendipitous moment to sit with him and get the inside story of what happened. My husband was there and was like, "What did you do?" I was like, "John Wick."My husband is friends with the head of Lionsgate and he'll say to him sometimes, "I see we wrote a check to Eva this week." But the geniuses were Chad and David and the star that was Keanu. I just wrote the check. To this day, you still get checks from "John Wick"?Yes. What I'm pissed off about is I wasn't connected to the rest of them. This was a one-time thing. That was the gamble. But that was my only mistake, not being attached to all of the films. What have you made off that $6 million investment?You know, I would have to check. More than double, for sure. Have you run into Keanu since?I have! Again, that was recently, too. We ran into each other because of his <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/keanu-reeves-alexandra-grant-relationship-timeline-photos-2022-6">girlfriend, Alexandra</a>. We know her through some friends, and we met her and Keanu at an art event. Keanu said, "I'd love to take you to dinner; we should celebrate 10 years." So we toasted to "John Wick." What you've done since is very impressive. You've invested in two soccer clubs, a tequila, a food brand, and you own a production company. How did your ambition as an investor evolve after "John Wick"? I like to say, "Yes, I'm a genius." No, everything comes up in different ways. I get asked a lot to invest and the things I invest in have to have purpose, they have to have a point of view, they have to fix a market problem or improve upon a market problem. For instance, with the tequila, Casa Del Sol, I was blown away by the brand story in that our tequila is the number one spirit drank by women and we have a lot of women in key positions. Even our master distiller is a woman, which is rare in the tequila industry. So I wanted to support her. <div type="image" title="Angel City players celebrating on the soccer field" height="3517" width="5275" msid="114818654" hostid="261" sizebytes="1176010"></div>And with Angel City, Natalie Portman came to me and said she wanted to do an experiment to see if we can run a football team with a different business model where everyone benefits, especially the female soccer players. She wanted to change the business model for female soccer. So I was like, "Okay great!" I thought it was a donation. I thought I was helping a cause. So <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/article/2024/sep/05/nwsls-angel-city-sold-for-record-breaking-250m-to-disney-ceo-bob-iger">when we sold</a>, I was like, "Oh, my god." That was 14 times what I put in. It was crazy. And the other soccer team, Club Necaxa, you're <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/club-necaxa-eva-longoria-fx-disney-1236064184/">shooting a docuseries</a> for that?Yeah. We're currently shooting season 1. Actually, more people in the United States watch Liga MX than the Premier League. So my partners in that, Al Tylis and Sam Porter, they came to me because they wanted an authentic Mexican connection and though I was already with Angel City I wanted to expand my sports portfolio and uplift Mexican soccer. It's one of the great leagues in the world. And this team is one of the oldest teams, like Wrexham. But we're in a bigger division. Speaking of Wrexham AFC, how are you and Club Necaxa connected with that club's owners, Ryan Reynolds and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rob-mcelhenney-always-sunny-philadelphia-wrexham-wife-learning-disability-2024-6">Rob McElhenney</a>? They invested in us and we invested in them, so that's how we're connected. Once you invest in a soccer team you realize very quickly you need more investment. [Laughs.] Will we see you on "Welcome to Wrexham"?Yeah. I shot some stuff for "Wrexham," in Wrexham. And Rob and Ryan are coming out to Aguascalientes [the home of Club Necaxa] next weekend. And Siete Foods recently was <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.pepsico.com/our-stories/press-release/pepsico-to-acquire-siete-foods-for-12-billion10012024">acquired by Pepsi for $1.2 billion. </a>That's another crazy investment. I had been a fan of the product and had used it since its infancy when it was in Ziploc bags, because they are from Texas like me. I love the Garza family and tried to invest many times early on. They are family owned; they did everything themselves.When I came in they were already a $400 million company, and it was time to take them to the next step to become a billion-dollar food brand and also one of the only Hispanic food brands to reach $1 billion. I just believed in the product and their mission. We came from the same culture and same values. So about a year ago, I invested in them and we just sold to Pepsi. <div type="image" title="Eva Longoria next to bottles of Casa Del Sol" height="2401" width="3600" msid="114818645" hostid="261" sizebytes="222612"></div>You really have a magic touch in investing. What is the secret to being successful at this?It's a lot of work. This is my day job. The amount of days I dedicate to going to distributors and shaking hands with retailers for my tequila is the majority of my year. Going to the restaurants and bartending at events to bring brand awareness. And the same thing with Siete. Doing the social media, going into the research kitchen, looking at the market and seeing what we want to represent in our culture in a mainstream market, is it the healthy choice? It's a lot of work. I'm not just writing checks. It's my sweat. Looking back, how significant was the "John Wick" investment in your investing career today? If it crashed and burned, would you still have been willing to invest again?That's a good question. I don't know if that would have put a bad taste in my mouth. I'm really lucky to have had amazing investors around me and I'm intensely curious. I always ask, "How does my money make money?" I've been obsessed with that. I want to be making money while I'm sleeping. So surrounding myself with people who can tell me what is risky and what isn't is good. "How much are you willing to lose?" is always a big question. [Laughs.] I'm like, "How much am I willing to lose?" Nothing! Zero. How much is acting a priority in your life now?I've been behind the camera for the last 12 years and I finally went back in front of the camera with a show for Apple ["Land of Women"]. I also did "Searching for Mexico" and "Searching for Spain" on CNN. But that's a bit of an extension of my food brand. I have a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/739587/my-mexican-kitchen-by-eva-longoria/">cook book coming out</a>. I really want to do stuff that I love with people that I love. That's the blueprint. Are you still on the grind of looking through scripts to find projects?Yes, but for my media company, Hyphenate Media. Producing and directing is still my core. That's the tentpole of the circus. That's what holds everything up. So I'm now reading scripts and developing shows for other people.I want to make 40-50 more Eva Longorias. I don't want to star in everything, I want to build up the next generation of actors and writers and producers from the Latino community and also women. So that's, again, that purpose-driven aspect of everything that I do. What am I doing? What am I saying? Is it going to make a difference? This interview has been condensed and edited for length and clarity.

Funding 'John Wick' kick-started Eva Longoria's investing career. Now, it's her day job.

<ul><li>Apple is all set to launch the <keyword id="13667472" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="iPhone-16" source="Orion">iPhone 16</keyword> series today at its <keyword id="23024044" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Glowtime-event" source="keywords">Glowtime event</keyword>.</li><li>Apple is also expected to launch the the <keyword id="21259781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Apple-Watch-Series-10" source="keywords">Apple Watch Series 10</keyword> and fourth-gen AirPods at the event.</li><li>Here’s everything you need to know about the event, and where to watch it.</li></ul>Cupertino tech giant Apple is all set to launch the iPhone 16 series, the company’s latest iPhone series today at its Glowtime event. The company is expected to unveil the iPhone 16 series, Apple Watch Series 10, fourth-gen AirPods and more. Apple is expected to launch four iPhones in its iPhone 16 series, including the vanilla iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, <keyword id="16032878" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="iPhone-16-pro" source="Orion">iPhone 16 Pro</keyword> and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Apple is also expected to focus heavily on <keyword id="21976092" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Apple-Intelligence" source="keywords">Apple Intelligence</keyword>, unveiling new artificial intelligence (AI) powered features for its devices. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113111945" title="FADA urges banks to tighten funding to dealers as rains play spoilsport in August" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2>iPhone 16 series launch date and time</h2>The <keyword id="13674434" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="iPhone-16-launch" source="Orion">iPhone 16 launch</keyword> is scheduled for September 9 at 10:30 PM IST. <h2>How to watch the <keyword id="21394212" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Apple-iPhone-16" source="keywords">Apple iPhone 16</keyword> launch</h2>The Apple event will be streamed from the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park. The event will be streamed on the company’s website, Apple TV and YouTube channel. <div type="Youtube" id="uarNiSl_uh4" title="Apple Event - September 9" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/uarNiSl_uh4/mqdefault_live.jpg"><url><![CDATA[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uarNiSl_uh4]]></url></div> <h2>iPhone 16 expected price in India</h2>While there is no confirmation yet, the prices of the iPhone 16 series are expected to remain the same as the iPhone 15 series. This means that the iPhone 16 will start at ₹79,900 and the iPhone 16 Plus will start at ₹89,900. Coming to the Pro models, the iPhone 16 Pro is expected to be priced starting at ₹1,34,900, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max is expected to be priced starting at ₹1,59,900. The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will reportedly be assembled by Apple’s partner Foxconn at its facility in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu as part of the company’s plan to diversify production from China. <h2>iPhone 16 series expectations</h2>The Pro models are expected to feature larger displays this time, with the iPhone 16 Pro expected to feature a 6.3-inch display and the iPhone 16 Pro Max expected to feature a 6.9-inch display. The iPhone 16 series is expected to feature a new physical capacitive capture button that will allow users to shoot images or record videos with just a tap. The button will reportedly support force-sensitive half-press actions for locking exposure, zooming in or out and more. The action button, which was earlier limited to the Pro models is expected to be added to the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models. The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are expected to be equipped with the A18 Pro chipset, a new chipset built on the latest N3E 3-nanometer node. The iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to feature an improved camera setup. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro Max are expected to be equipped with a triple camera setup consisting of a 48MP primary camera, a 48MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens. While the iPhone 16 Pro is expected to feature a 3,355mAh battery, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is expected to feature a 4,676mAh battery. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/here-are-the-benefits-you-get-with-indias-most-expensive-credit-card-with-a-3-54-lakh-annual-fee/articleshow/113123752.cms">Here are the benefits you get with India’s most expensive credit card with a ₹3.54 lakh annual fee</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/fada-urges-banks-to-tighten-funding-to-dealers-as-rains-play-spoilsport-in-august/articleshow/113111945.cms">FADA urges banks to tighten funding to dealers as rains play spoilsport in August</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/bajaj-housing-finance-ipo-price-band-to-risk-factors-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/113131102.cms">Bajaj Housing Finance IPO – Price band to risk factors, all you need to know</a>

Apple Glowtime event – how to watch iPhone 16 launch, event time, expected price and more

A unit of <keyword id="6437412" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Qatar-Investment-Authority" source="Orion">Qatar Investment Authority</keyword>, <keyword id="119583" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SBI-Mutual-Fund" source="Orion">SBI Mutual Fund</keyword>, and foreign investment funds <keyword id="6354527" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nomura" source="Orion">Nomura</keyword> and <keyword id="44473" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Citigroup" source="Orion">Citigroup</keyword> were the biggest buyers of shares in <keyword id="19955648" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Adani-Group" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Adani Group" meta.hostid="267" meta.entityid="Adani Group">Adani group</keyword>'s <keyword id="22661797" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="power-transmission-unit" source="Orion">power transmission unit</keyword>'s USD <keyword id="22661798" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="1-billion-QIP" source="Orion">1 billion QIP</keyword>, according to a stock exchange filing by the company. The Rs 8,373.10 crore (USD 1 billion) qualified institutional placement (QIP) of <keyword id="19964750" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Adani-Energy-Solutions" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Adani Energy Solutions" meta.hostid="267" meta.entityid="Adani Energy Solutions">Adani Energy Solutions</keyword> Ltd (AESL), which closed last week, saw over 120 investors seek shares in the firm that is into power transmission, distribution and smart metering business. Billionaire <keyword id="22623487" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Stanley-Druckenmiller" source="keywords">Stanley Druckenmiller</keyword>'s family office-led investment firms were among the companies that sought shares of AESL in the QIP. AESL in the filing said its board has approved allocation of over 8.57 crore shares to eligible qualified institutional buyers at the issue price of Rs 976 per share, reflecting a discount of Rs 51.11 (4.98 per cent) to the floor price of Rs 1,027. Giving details of allottees who got more than 5 per cent of shares, it said INQ Holdings LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of QIA, cornered 15 per cent of the shares sold. Two Mauritius funds of Citigroup bought 8.88 per cent of the shares sold while four SBI funds - SBI Infrastructure Fund, SBI Large &amp; Midcap Fund, SBI Long term Advantage Fund Series IV and SBI Magnum Children's Benefit Fund - together took home 7.93 per cent of the shares. Nomura Singapore Ltd ODI cornered 7.5 per cent of the shares, the filing showed. INQ had in August last year acquired nearly 2.7 per cent in Adani Green Energy Ltd - the renewable energy firm of the conglomerate run by billionaire Gautam Adani. In 2020, it had acquired a stake in Adani Electricity Mumbai Ltd, a subsidiary of AESL. The AESL QIP last week was oversubscribed six times and fetched demand of over Rs 50,000 crore against an issue size of USD 1 billion. <keyword id="22636516" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Duquesne-Family-Office" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Duquesne Family Office" meta.hostid="267" meta.entityid="Duquesne Family Office">Duquesne Family Office</keyword> and two other US-based long-only funds - Driehaus Capital Management and Jennison Associates - bought shares but AESL did not disclose the exact number of shares they bought since these were less than 5 per cent of the issue size, sources said. The QIP issue marked the debut of highly prestigious long-only investors Duquesne Family Office, Driehaus Capital Management and Jennison Associates which are known for their strong performance. These investors are known for investing only in companies with high governance and are known for staying invested for decades. The QIP was the first public equity raise by the conglomerate since a damning Hindenburg report last year wiped away billions in shareholder value. The demand generated made the AESL QIP the largest in the energy space. Duquesne was founded by billionaire Stanley Druckenmiller, who along with George Soros in 1992 broke the Bank of England by shorting the British pound, leading to its crash and earnings over a billion dollars. Adani Group has a history of introducing several long-only investors in the market. In the past years, it has brought large investors including GQG Partners and International Holding Company (IHC) besides QIA. Other major global names that participated in the QIP include Blackrock, Jupiter Asset Management, and Eastspring. Domestic mutual funds that have participated included HDFC Mutual Fund, Axis Mutual Fund, Bandhan Mutual Fund, LIC, WhiteOak, 360One among others. Insurance companies including SBI Insurance, SBI Pension and ASK Asset Management have also participated, according to sources. QIP is an instrument used by listed companies to raise funds from large institutions. The fundraise is the first after Adani group's flagship firm scrapped a Rs 20,000 crore issue in February last year, following the Hindenburg report alleging accounting fraud and stock manipulation. Though the group vehemently and repeatedly denied all allegations, listed companies of the conglomerate at one point saw over USD 150 billion of their market value being wiped out. While the group has largely recovered, a successful QIP is being seen as a powerful vote of investor confidence in the tycoon. Separately, Adani Enterprises Ltd, the flagship firm of the group, is looking to revive its first-ever public sale of bonds. It plans to raise as much as Rs 600 crore. The company has hired Trust Investment Advisors, AK Capital Services and Nuvama Wealth Management as lead managers for the issuances. The group had tapped the dollar bond market in March this year - the first time since the Hindenburg report - when its solar energy unit Adani Green Energy Ltd and associated firms got bids of about USD 2.9 billion.

You Searched For "series a funding" and got 11 results

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