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<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

As India’s start-up ecosystem matures, a new trend is emerging: <keyword id="23791918" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="micro-acquisitions" source="Orion">micro-acquisitions</keyword>. This approach – focussed on buying smaller businesses – has become increasingly popular among Indian entrepreneurs looking for cost-effective growth avenues. Platforms like <keyword id="23791917" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="flippa" source="keywords">Flippa</keyword> are at the forefront of this shift, facilitating these transactions by offering a user-friendly, data-rich environment where buyers and sellers can connect seamlessly. In a country that has seen rapid growth in entrepreneurship, micro-acquisitions represent a shift from the traditional emphasis on large scale deals. And this trend is being fuelled by an influx of domestic funds and micro venture capital (VC) firms dedicated to nurturing early-stage startups. <h2>Changing Mindsets: Why Micro-Acquisitions?</h2>Entrepreneurs are turning to micro-acquisitions for the flexibility, speed and cost-efficiency that they offer. By targeting smaller, less capital intensive deals, they are able to side step the complexities of a traditional M&amp;A, making it a viable pathway for expansion and growth. Besides these can also help entrepreneurs diversify their holdings and adapt to market demands without overcommitting resources. Flippa allows Indian entrepreneurs to access a global marketplace where they can identify businesses aligned with their objectives. <h2>The M&amp;A Landscape in India</h2>While the US mergers and acquisitions market has seen slower growth, private capital inflows in India are on the rise, according to <a href="https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/services/deals/trends/private-capital.html">PwC</a>. The second quarter of 2024 proved to be a landmark period for Indian startups, with a 57% year-on-year surge in megadeals driving fundraising to an eight-quarter high of $5.2 billion, as reported by <a href="https://www.dealstreetasia.com/reports/india-deal-review-q2-2024">Deal Street Asia</a>. Flippa has capitalised on this trend. A marketplace founded in 2009 for buying and selling online businesses, it has amassed over 3 million users worldwide. As of <a href="https://flippa.com/data-insights?buy_sell=PR_DataInsights_EmbedGraphs">October 2024</a>, Flippa had 396,000 active buyers on its platform with a combined wallet of $75 billion, an increase of 15,000 active buyers month-on-month. This broad, engaged user base gives Indian entrepreneurs a diverse pool of acquisition targets, from digital properties to app-based ventures. Notably, data-driven app acquisition companies like KalaGato leverage Flippa to identify the right opportunities. “If you’re trying to get into the market, a platform like Flippa is a great place to start,” said Aman Kumar, Founder of KalaGato. <h2>Cutting Edge Technology At Work</h2>Flippa’s technology sets it apart, using a proprietary <a href="https://flippa.com/product/recommender-engine">matching algorithm</a> powered by an AI-driven graph neural network that assesses over 100 factors to match buyers and sellers. This technology streamlines the acquisition process, helping entrepreneurs find suitable opportunities more efficiently, especially in a crowded market like India, where navigating business brokers or directly approaching potential sellers can be time-consuming and fraught with challenges. “Flippa as a platform is continuously evolving. Once you start looking at exits or the potential to exit a business, then a platform like Flippa is super useful,” Kumar adds, emphasising the platform's adaptability to the needs of modern entrepreneurs. Another standout feature is its <a href="https://flippa.com/product/deal-room">multi-user Deal Room</a>. This comprehensive digital sales hub allows users to manage the entire sales process for online businesses and digital assets in one place. Sellers can communicate with buyers in real time, filter messages, and review offers and Letters of Intent (LOIs) within the Deal Room itself. This organisation is particularly helpful for entrepreneurs who may be overwhelmed by the volume of inquiries when trying to sell their business. The Deal Room provides real-time notifications about buyer engagement, ensuring that users can respond promptly and keep negotiations moving forward. Buyers are invited to the Deal Room on a scheduled basis, creating a structured interaction environment. <h2>Prioritising Security and Trust</h2>A secure transaction environment is crucial, especially for entrepreneurs new to acquisitions. Flippa’s <a href="https://flippa.com/product/insurance">insurance</a> policies offer this layer of security for both buyers and sellers. The Buyer Protect policy safeguards buyers against financial losses resulting from seller misrepresentation or breaches of warranty, covering up to 100% of the enterprise value of the business. Meanwhile, the Seller Protect policy shields sellers from potential financial losses, creating a balanced environment for transactions. This dual protection reinforces trust and allows the involved parties to focus on growth without worrying about potential hidden risks. <h2>Market Insights for Informed Decision-Making</h2>To further assist users in making informed decisions, <a href="https://flippa.com/product/market-insights/">Flippa Market Insights</a> provides valuable data on online businesses and digital assets. This tool enables users to compare prices of similar businesses, benchmark performance metrics like average order value and customer lifetime value, and access real-time sales data, including historical performance information. Users can filter this data by time period, business model, and price point, ensuring they have the insights needed to navigate the acquisition landscape effectively. Flippa’s expert vetting team reviews the stated financial performance of every asset priced above USD $50,000, providing an additional layer of credibility to the listings. <h2>A Bright Future for Micro-Acquisitions in India</h2>With the Indian startup ecosystem thriving and the appetite for micro-acquisitions only expected to grow, Flippa stands at the forefront by connecting ambitious entrepreneurs with the resources they need to succeed. Whether you’re an established business owner looking to expand your portfolio or a newcomer eager to dip your toes into entrepreneurship, Flippa offers a wealth of opportunities in this exciting landscape. So, if you are interested in starting your exit journey, get a free valuation for your business here - <a href="https://flippa.com/free-valuation">get a FREE valuation</a>. Disclaimer: This article is generated and published by the Insider Studios team. You can get in touch with them on <a href="mailto:insiderstudios@businessinsider.in">insiderstudios@businessinsider.in</a>

The rise of micro-acquisitions in India: How Flippa is driving the trend

Google's new report on <keyword id="19904566" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="artificial-intelligence" source="keywords">artificial intelligence</keyword> (AI) emphasizes responsible AI development and suggests recommendations for policymakers, companies, and civil society. The report titled "An AI Opportunity Agenda for India" outlines how artificial intelligence can drive <keyword id="19900794" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="economic-growth" source="keywords">economic growth</keyword>, social progress and global leadership for the nation. The report says India with its rapidly growing economy, outstanding tech talent, young demography and vibrant start-up ecosystem, is poised to reap the immense benefits of artificial intelligence. A comprehensive and responsible approach to AI can unlock significant economic growth and societal progress in India. "The potential economic impact of AI in India is substantial - reports estimate that at least INR 33.8 lakh crore of economic value from <keyword id="20037918" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="AI-adoption" source="keywords">AI adoption</keyword> can be achieved in India in 2030. While these achievements signify a promising beginning, unlocking the full potential of AI hinges on the strategic decisions we make today," says a Google's press release. The report suggests that to maximize the AI opportunity for India collaborative efforts are needed across government, industry, and civil society. They need to prioritise three key areas which include investments in infrastructure and innovation, building human capital and an AI-powered workforce and promoting wide adoption and universal accessibility. AI is already addressing some of the most pressing challenges like revolutionizing farming practices and improving <keyword id="20646060" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="healthcare-access" source="keywords">healthcare access</keyword>. The <keyword id="20214323" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="agriculture-sector" source="keywords">agriculture sector</keyword> is getting the benefits of AI through minimizing climate risks, optimizing productivity and sustainability, and providing access to real-time crop pricing information and early warning of potential crop threats. Many <keyword id="23569666" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI-powered-platforms" source="keywords">AI-powered platforms</keyword> are empowering farmers to boost crop yields and encourage sustainable practices. In the healthcare sector, AI is being used for better diagnosis, bigger access, and personalized care, especially for underserved communities. Google has partnered with <keyword id="23569667" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ARMMAN" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="ARMMAN" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="ARMMAN">ARMMAN</keyword> to use AI to identify women at risk of dropping out of their health information program, allowing for personalized interventions to improve maternal health outcomes. ARMAAN seeks to address the pervasive systemic problems underlying maternal and child mortality and morbidity in India.

AI adoption can unleash Rs 33.8 lakh crore of economic benefit to India in 2030: Google Report

<ul class="summary-list"><li>After a two-year market slowdown, IPOs are rebounding and set to surge in 2025.</li><li>Morgan Stanley has partnered with cap-table firm Carta to reach founders before they get rich.</li></ul>After a two-year dealmaking drought, IPOs are mounting a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wall-street-q3-investment-banking-boom-could-be-upended-2024-10">comeback</a>, enriching their founders and employees in the process. To land these desirable clients before their big windfall, Morgan Stanley has partnered with Carta, a platform for startups and investors to track company ownership, Business Insider has learned.Silicon Valley firms widely use Carta's financial software for tasks like issuing stock options and administering executive compensation. With this new partnership, Carta will refer clients looking to go public to Morgan Stanley at Work, a division that caters to businesses and their employees. Carta told BI it has nearly 2,000 clients that have raised up to a series C and are on the pathway to IPO. "The likelihood of the pipeline materializing is higher than it has been in a very long time," the bank's wealth boss, Jed Finn, said in an exclusive interview. He said investors have been waiting to cash out and favorable conditions are on the horizon, such as the future Trump administration cutting red tape for megamergers.Morgan Stanley uses workplace services like employee financial advice and executive compensation to get clients in the door while they're building wealth and hopefully convert them into fee-paying financial advisory customers. Over the past three years, the $6 trillion wealth business has added $250 billion in assets from individuals who started either as workplace or brokerage clients. This partnership is part of Morgan Stanley's effort to reach $10 trillion in client assets between the wealth arm and its smaller $1.6 trillion investment management unit.Since companies are staying private longer and growing larger before going public, their employees are more likely to need financial advice before and after a mammoth IPO, Finn said. Potential dilemmas include whether to put their shares in a trust or how to diversify their newfound wealth."We're uniquely situated to be able to address that complexity and to provide the advice these employees need as the companies embark on their next wave of growth," he said.<h2 id="acbbb492-dd88-44fa-85c7-3862302f80a4">How it works</h2>The referral deal fills gaps for Morgan Stanley and Carta. It gives the bank access to a broader customer base of private companies than its in-house stock planning administrator, Shareworks, and allows Carta customers to go public with less hassle. Carta stopped <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/startup-unicorn-carta-eliminating-equity-software-public-companies-2023-3">managing employee equity for public companies</a> last year, but now customers can swiftly transport their data from Carta to Shareworks before they go public and stay on the platform after their IPO."This really works for making it easier for Carta clients to get that second part of their existence, the public part, in the hands of somebody who has the experience to deliver it," Finn said. "It takes a lot of the risk, the stress, the data security issues out of the process because we have a seamless and protected mechanism to make that transition."<div type="image" title="Headshot of Morgan Stanley wealth boss Jed Finn" height="744" width="1024" msid="115216958" hostid="261" sizebytes="18792"></div>Carta clients can access Morgan Stanley services before moving to Shareworks. For instance, clients considering going public can meet with a Morgan Stanley investment banker to walk through options.From there, companies can access the same offerings as other Shareworks customers, such as IPO prep and valuation services. After going public, they can tap Morgan Stanley for other services, including 401(k) management and financial reporting.Before and after the IPO, employees can get financial advice from Morgan Stanley. Advisors even visit company campuses to hold webinars and office hours. Ideally, these conversations lead to employees becoming wealth management clients, Finn said.<h2 id="a88b4676-48a0-4139-a4a0-72d1bbdd9d16">It has been a rocky year for Carta</h2>Finn had known Carta CEO Henry Ward since 2019 when the bank was looking to expand its stock management business. That year, Morgan Stanley bought a Carta competitor, Solium, now known as Shareworks. In 2021, the bank also acquired the cap table business of Silicon Valley law firm Wilson Sonsini.The partnership caps off a tough year for Carta, which was accused in January of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/carta-backlash-silicon-valley-startups-2024-1">misusing client information</a> to solicit startup investors to sell their shares without the client's consent. Ward said in a post on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://henrysward.medium.com/how-we-handle-captable-information-c98d85d79277">Medium </a>that it was an isolated incident by a rogue employee, and Carta shuttered its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/carta-gives-up-dream-of-being-nasdaq-for-private-markets-2024-1">secondary trading business</a>.Finn declined to confirm whether Morgan Stanley considered buying Carta. "We regularly evaluate every company in the space we're thinking about," he said. "In this particular instance, we thought the partnership made the most sense since it addresses their needs, addresses our opportunity, and, importantly, it serves the clients most effectively."

Morgan Stanley partners with Carta to serve startup employees after lucrative IPOs

New Delhi: <keyword id="20845764" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indias-startup-ecosystem" source="keywords">India's startup ecosystem</keyword> experienced a surge in <keyword id="19913965" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="venture-capital" source="keywords">venture capital</keyword> (VC) funding during the first seven months of 2024, raising a total of USD 6.3 billion through 672 deals. This marks a 42.1 per cent year-on-year (YoY) increase in funding value, despite a modest 1.2 per cent rise in deal volume, 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>. The uptick in funding underscores investor confidence in India's <keyword id="21354516" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="startup-landscape" source="keywords">startup landscape</keyword>, even as global market conditions remain cautious. An analysis of GlobalData's Deals Database reveals that during the same period in 2023, India saw 664 VC deals with a disclosed funding value of USD 4.4 billion. Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, commented on the findings and said, "The massive jump in funding value, despite a modest 1.2 per cent growth in deal volume, can be attributed to some of the big-ticket deals announced during the review period. This also proves that even though VC investors remain cautious there is no dearth of money for promising startups." Some of the most notable <keyword id="20948843" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="VC-funding" source="keywords">VC funding</keyword> deals in India during January-July 2024 include USD 665 million raised by Zepto, USD 300 million by Meesho, USD 216 million by PharmEasy, USD 150 million by Radiance, USD 148 million by Kogta Financial, and USD 120 million by Rapido. India continues to stand out as a key player in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region for VC funding, trailing only China. It is also among the top five global markets in terms of both VC deal volume and value. During the January-July 2024 period, India accounted for 7 per cent of the total VC deals announced worldwide, while its share of the disclosed funding value was 4.3 per cent. Bose concluded, "Despite global economic uncertainties, India remains a pivotal market for VC activity, driven by a robust pipeline of promising startups that continue to attract significant capital. This trend reinforces India's position as a critical player in the global venture ecosystem, demonstrating resilience and growth even amid cautious investment sentiment."

First 7 months of FY25 see significant surge in VC funding to India's startups: GlobalData

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The tech industry is anticipating an upswing thanks to Trump's election this week.</li><li>VCs expect possible deregulation to boost innovation, with Musk potentially influencing government policies.</li></ul>Some venture capitalists <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-trump-return-startups-venture-capital-2024-11">expect US President Donald Trump</a> to dial back regulation, potentially making it easier to develop new technologies and do business in Silicon Valley. Many of these hopes are pinned on Elon Musk's involvement in the new administration."The most exciting thing of all will be putting Elon in charge of government efficiency," Ben Narasin, founder and general partner of Tenacity Venture Capital, told BI of the election outcome. "He's going to take a chainsaw through calcified butter, and it's going to be awesome to attack the bloat and overreach that we've had in the government."Trump is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-could-be-donald-trump-advisor-wsj-reports-2024-5">reportedly considering Musk</a> for White House roles, including ones that would audit various federal programs and organizations.Musk, in turn, has proposed creating a "Department of Government Efficiency" — cheekily nicknamed DOGE, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/history-elon-musk-love-affair-dogecoin-2022-7">a nod to the cryptocurrency Dogecoin</a> — that he said would remove dealmaking regulations that have slowed M&amp;A in the tech sector in recent years.While many in Silicon Valley dislike Trump, many VCs and startup founders crave more freedom to pursue riskier new technologies unburdened by regulation. In short, tech is stoked about this."Trump-Vance ticket is the first unabashedly pro-tech presidency in our Nation's history," said Augustus Doricko, CEO and founder of cloud seeding startup Rainmaker. He expects an onslaught of tech innovation during the Trump administration.In conversations with more than a dozen VCs and Silicon Valley executives following the election, many have echoed this sentiment — including those who supported Kamala Harris in the election."With a major push to remove unnecessary red tape and over-regulation in key areas, we could really have a century of crazy building, innovation, and acceleration," Aaron Levie, the CEO of cloud company Box and a Harris supporter, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://twitter.com/levie/status/1854237056287060266">posted on X Wednesday. </a>"Excited for Elon's efforts here."Mark Pincus, an early Facebook investor and the founder of Zynga, responded on X, "Effective accelerationism! E-acc," referring to the recent Silicon Valley movement that wants <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/effective-accelerationism-humans-replaced-by-ai-2023-12">technological advancements in AI</a> to move as fast as possible, without any guardrails.<h2 id="04af9d99-2642-43c3-875c-92cb63b01ca9">Regulation has held Silicon Valley back in recent years</h2>VCs during Biden's presidency have complained about how tough it's been to get deals done. The outgoing administration was an antitrust enforcer and put many tech mergers and acquisitions on hold that it deemed anti-competitive. This is particularly galling for VCs because they rely on selling startups in M&amp;A deals for many of their exits and returns.Limits on tech M&amp;A have "caused the rate of venture capital return of distributed proceeds to fall drastically, making new capital formation near impossible," said Louis Lehot, a top tech lawyer at law firm Foley &amp; Lardner. Silicon Valley is looking for a relaxation in the government's stance here "to enable exits and new capital formation, which is the cycle of innovation," he added.For example, regulatory pressure had <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-23/google-s-aborted-deals-for-wiz-hubspot-show-antitrust-s-shadow-over-tech">dampened deal-making at Google</a>, with the tech giant abandoning two potential purchases this year, including cybersecurity startup Wiz, which would have been one of the tech giant's biggest-ever acquisitions.The US also opened antitrust investigations into <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-acquihire-deal-inflection-ai-antitrust-probe-us-regulators-competition-2024-6">Microsoft</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elizabeth-warren-backs-justice-department-nvidia-antitrust-investigation-2024-9">Nvidia</a> earlier this year over their dominance in the hot AI space. The Federal Trade Commission is probing Microsoft's aqui-hire of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-hired-inflection-team-amid-board-concerns-about-openai-2024-3">Inflection AI,</a> and the Department of Justice is investigating Nvidia's acquisition of Israeli AI startup Run:ai.While some lawmakers say that allowing a few companies to influence the majority of AI research, development, and monetization poses an economic risk, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-vcs-in-silicon-valley-2024-7">many VCs have cried foul and accused FTC commissioner Lina Khan</a> — who has frequently sued to block mergers — of an anti-business bent and say it's tricked down to closing fewer startups deals, too.Investors were also critical of what they call <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cryptocurrency-bitcoin-influence-election-trump-harris-2024-10">unclear rules for cryptocurrency under the Biden regulation</a>. Many VCs and founders in the space donated to Trump and other Republican candidates, which they consider more favorable toward crypto technologies and markets.VCs are now hopeful that Trump <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-presidency-affect-big-tech-2024-11">could roll back</a> some antitrust and crypto policies that a Harris administration may have continued, although nothing is certain about the new administration's approach.Trump's running mate and former VC JD Vance has <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://thehill.com/policy/technology/4491363-vance-biden-ftc-chief-is-doing-a-pretty-good-job/">publicly said</a> that Khan is "doing a pretty good job," referring to her antitrust enforcement for Big Tech companies. At the end of Trump's first term, regulators under his administration launched antitrust investigations into Big Tech companies, including Amazon; and filed antitrust lawsuits against Google and Meta."At a high level, we expect Trump to cut corporate taxes and regulations, helping startup M&amp;A and investment," said Mason Angel, general partner at Industrious Ventures. "We may see new acquisition efforts by big tech with a new FTC director."Musk's influence could also help slim down the government's involvement in tech deals, these VCs told BI."Elon is a positive force who's had to run multiple companies that are heavily regulated, so he has a realistic view; since he's lived it, he can be influential," Narasin said of Musk's track record of building Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI. "He's pro-startup, pro-business, pro-everything that will help the US population. A good, healthy economy is good for everybody."<h2 id="a31623cb-2e54-4906-802e-37c294e98064">VCs anticipate an innovation boom</h2>America is a country of entrepreneurs, and that's especially true in Silicon Valley. Some VCs and founders say that having an entrepreneur like Musk influencing the Trump administration and potentially wiping away regulations will bring prosperity to the industry.Indeed, <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/trump-trade-us-presidential-election-dollar-treasuries-stocks-crypto-djt-2024-11">the stock market responded exuberantly</a> to Trump's decisive win on Tuesday night, which could eventually be a boon to venture firms seeking investments. Limited partners such as pensions and endowments have been choosier recently thanks to high interest rates and few exit options for startups. But their return to funding venture firms would, in turn, mean that more founders are building and getting funded."I would like to see the President given the power to unilaterally remove, or at least streamline, regulations around major projects or economic areas that will make it possible to actually build new things," tech blogger Ben Thompson <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://stratechery.com/2024/president-trump-take-two-big-tech-little-tech-chips-and-hardware-elon-musks-triumph/">wrote after the election.</a> "There needs to be a way to cut through all of the red tape that has accumulated.""I think the next four years will be imbued with aspirational mega-projects and visionary initiatives without precedent," Rainmaker's Doricko said. "New cities. Lunar and Martian colonization. Free electricity. Weather control."Angel, whose VC firm invests in the space, industrial, and defense sectors, says that those industries will experience strong growth."Trump created the Space Force in 2019, and his close relationship with Elon Musk will bring renewed attention and government investment into the field," Industrious Ventures' Angel said. "Same goes for the US industrial and defense bases."As various sectors within the tech industry ebb and flow, VCs say they're optimistic about the idea of having one of their own helping to call the shots at the federal level."Elon's going to be an enormously positive monster who delivers a cleaned up, slimmed down, pro-business government, and there will be prosperity for everybody," Narasin said.

Silicon Valley is betting a Musk-inspired Trump could unleash a startup boom

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Ivan Maryasin founded Monite after moving from Silicon Valley to Berlin.</li><li>He said building a business in the US is expensive due to hiring and living costs.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Ivan Maryasin, 31, about moving from the US to Germany and launching his startup, Monite, in Berlin. The following has been edited for length and clarity.In 2014, I left Russia to do my master's in international business at the Hult International Business School in Massachusetts.I had a background in marketing from jobs in Russia and wanted to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/work-visa-moved-usa-canada-immigrants-2024-7">work in America</a>. While studying, I started working in the IT industry, doing marketing. It was a great introduction to innovation and startups.During my course, I transferred to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/san-francisco-new-york-london-tech-where-to-live-2024-8">San Francisco</a> campus and then stuck around working for multiple tech companies, designing and implementing growth strategies.But in 2017, I <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/surprising-things-moving-to-germany-from-us-2024-9">moved to Germany</a> to be closer to my then-fiancée, who I'd met in Moscow. We found it challenging to find a visa pathway that allowed her to move to the US and work as a dependant, so we both moved to Berlin. I got an EU Blue Card, and she was able to come with me as my partner with permission to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/german-vs-american-work-life-differences-according-to-us-mom-2024-4">work in Germany</a>.I already had plans to start my own company. However, as the cost of living in the US was starting to climb, I thought Europe would be a great location for a new business.I planned to continue working for startups in Europe before launching my company. I worked in HR tech and fintech, and in 2020, I cofounded <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/monite/company_financials">Monite</a>, a company that enables SMB platforms like Neobanks to embed automated features for things like invoicing to support their clients.I built the startup from the ground up to a 45-person team and raised over <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/monite-german-fintech-startup-raises-6m-funding-from-valar-ventures-2024-2#:~:text=The%20startup%20has%20raised%20a%20top%2Dup%20to%20its%20seed%20round%2C%20led%20by%20Third%20Prime%2C%20in%20March%202023%2C%20taking%20its%20total%20funding%20to%20%2417.4%20million">$17 million</a> from investors.I like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/things-to-do-in-berlin-germany-best-activities">Berlin</a> because it's a more affordable place to live and build a business, plus it's well connected to the rest of Europe. Here's how its startup ecosystem compares to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dating-silicon-valley-big-tech-hard-want-marriage-kids-2024-7">Silicon Valley</a>.<h2 id="e195bed4-45cb-4bba-ae91-f1e151fc0492">Berlin was a more affordable location to start Monite</h2>When I left the US, I visited multiple places in Europe and spoke to people in several cities, including Zurich, Barcelona, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biggest-surprises-moving-to-london-according-to-american-2024-10">London</a>, to help me decide where to move. Part of the reason I chose Berlin is because its tech scene was really on the rise.There were a lot of founder meetups, pitch events, and accelerators in the city. Local funding was also available. At that time, I felt German funds had strong institutional support and seemed the most forthcoming in Europe. It's very common to speak English in Berlin, and I feel this is an advantage for startups because it attracts talent from the US, UK, and beyond.The cost of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-start-and-grow-a-business-founders-advice-2023-1">building a business</a> in the US is high due to the cost of living and hiring. As long as I could still fundraise in the US, which became easier because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I preferred Europe. My journey in the States made it easier for me to know how the US market worked when it came to fundraising.The cost of living in Berlin is lower. When I lived in San Francisco and the Valley, I paid more in rent and needed a car to get around. In Berlin, I mostly get around by bike. Everything is a few minutes away, and there's less traffic.Berlin is well-connected to Europe. You can get almost anywhere in Europe in a few hours. Having moved from California, it was wonderful to be able to see family members in Europe and go on getaways more easily.<h2 id="42d233d4-0ad7-46eb-b81a-fdfde2cf12fc">There are some downsides to living in Berlin</h2>It's difficult to find US-level talent in Europe. A lot of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/europe-best-cities-work-life-balance-ranking-2023-6">Europeans are focused on work-life balance</a>, but I'm a workaholic.It's hard to find people with the same values or who'll know what you're talking about when you say, "Silicon Valley benchmark." This refers to the strong emphasis on rapid scaling, competitiveness, and continuous self-improvement. In the US, I had friends working for LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and Facebook, so I could see this benchmark in front of me.The European investment ecosystem is much more risk-averse. In America, failure is seen as part of the game, with a strong focus on the potential upside.In Europe, the approach tends to be more cautious and conservative, with more emphasis on mitigating risks. I do think that's now starting to shift, but historically, that's been one of the hardest things to overcome in the market.I feel lucky and grateful to have raised money and for the support I've had. However, it's not easy to be a founder without a background in Germany because having local connections has traditionally been valuable. In the US, it isn't unusual to be a foreign founder.While <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/german-vs-american-parenting-relocation-berlin-kids-independent-helicopter-parenting-2024-10">living in Berlin</a>, I think it's necessary to be strategic about getting the assets I need from other places. Monite is headquartered in Berlin, and I mostly live here, but I also travel a lot to places like the US and London to meet people and get inspiration. We also have a couple of employees in the States.<h2 id="bc7c8b3f-e6df-4494-bc91-d8696a768513">I like living in Europe, but wouldn't rule out returning to America</h2>Most people in Silicon Valley are focused on startups and innovation. If you're all about work and want to focus 24/7, Silicon Valley is the place to be.But that also depends on whether you can be there. It's not accessible to everyone due to the high visa barriers. For example, the H-1B visa has a lottery system, and I know people who went to MIT and Harvard who either didn't want the hassle or didn't win the lottery, so had to leave.Living in the Valley wasn't for me because it meant compromising on family relationships and the ability to see friends in Europe.That said, I won't say I'd never go back to San Francisco. If the business required me to be in the States, I'd find a way to make it work for my family. But my preference is to live in Europe and be in the States often enough to get the benefits.Do you have a relocation story you want to share with Business Insider? Email <a target="_blank" href="mailto:ccheong@businessinsider.com">ccheong@businessinsider.com</a>

I left Silicon Valley for Europe. Here's why I chose to launch my startup in Berlin.

<div type="image" title="Founder Mode is the new buzzword in town" msid="113456356" hostid="261"></div> Silicon Valley is usually buzzing with new catchphrases every now and then. Earlier this year, the phrase “unbossing” captured corporate America’s imagination. The trend seems to be spreading in India as well with a few examples of companies firing middle managers. You can read more about the ‘unbossing’ trend in India here: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/article/whats-with-all-unbossing-talks-are-indian-companies-also-embracing-this-global-trend/articleshow/113395706.cms">What’s with all “Unbossing” talks?</a> Now, lo and behold, we've got a new trend straight from the minds of Silicon Valley's finest: <keyword id="23219793" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="founder-mode" source="Orion">Founder Mode</keyword>. It's like a superhero cape for CEOs but without the spandex. <keyword id="20064348" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Y-Combinator" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Y Combinator" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Y Combinator">Y Combinator</keyword> co-founder <keyword id="20555672" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paul-Graham" source="keywords">Paul Graham</keyword>, inspired by Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky’s talk at an event, penned a blog post about Founder Mode and it got the entire startup world talking. According to Graham, when Chesky scaled Airbnb, he initially followed the widely accepted strategy: hiring skilled professionals and giving them autonomy. However, this approach felt like running a marathon in flip-flops, it simply didn’t yield the desired results. So, he decided to go full-blown "Founder Mode," which is basically being the CEO, the janitor, and the motivational speaker all at once. <div type="image" title="Paul Graham’s blog post went viral" msid="113456577" hostid="261"></div> Graham’s post points out that this experience is not unique to Chesky — many other founders have faced similar challenges and come to similar conclusions. The result is a growing recognition of ‘Founder Mode’. <h2><keyword id="23219794" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="what-is-founder-mode" source="Orion">What is Founder Mode</keyword>?</h2>Founder mode is a mindset that allows entrepreneurs to remain deeply involved in their companies’ day-to-day operations, even as they scale. As we have seen in many Hollywood movies and real-world examples like Jobs, Musks, Zuckerbergs, and Murthys, founders operate (a bit too) differently from trained executives and managers. They're like the kids who built their own fort and refuse to let anyone else touch it. On a serious note, anecdotal evidence does support that founders focus on the vision, processes, and details of the business in ways that managers typically do not. Graham's post suggests that it’s a different way of running a company — one that involves a hands-on approach to leadership, where founders engage with more than just their direct reports. <div type="image" title="Founders are different from managers" msid="113456522" hostid="261"></div> Unlike traditional corporate structures, where the top management is expected to delegate and step back, Founder Mode requires more personal involvement. Basically, when the CEO of a company is in Founder Mode, where founders bypass layers of management to interact directly with lower-level employees, they can just walk over to a junior employee and ask “What’s up?”, something that <keyword id="19903807" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Elon-Musk" source="keywords">Elon Musk</keyword> reportedly has been doing for a while. One of the core aspects of Founder Mode, according to Graham, is that founders can make decisions with a level of intuition and insight that professional managers often lack. This is largely because they’ve built the company from the ground up and have an intimate understanding of its operations, culture, and customers. In contrast, professional managers are typically brought in to optimise and scale systems that are already in place, which might often lead to decisions that feel disconnected from the original vision of the company. <h2>Steve Jobs and Apple: The classic example of Founder Mode</h2> <div type="image" title="Many experts agree that Steve Jobs is a peak example of Founder Mode" msid="113456730" hostid="261"></div> A key example that Graham used is Steve Jobs, who famously ran Apple with an almost obsessive focus on product and design. Jobs didn’t simply delegate these responsibilities to his team; he was known for being involved in the minutiae, often directly challenging decisions and leading initiatives that others might consider too detailed for a CEO. Graham drew a parallel between this approach and what Chesky realised at Airbnb — that stepping back too much can actually harm the company. Founders, Graham wrote, are often “gaslit” into believing that they should adopt a more hands-off style, only to see their businesses suffer as a result. However, many experts also believe that Founder Mode is often disastrous for companies, except for rare examples, and a balance between founder and manager modes is necessary. <h2>Founder Mode VS Manager Mode: Experts weigh in on the debate</h2> <div type="image" title="Debates around Founder Mode have been rampant across social media since the beginning of this month" msid="113456800" hostid="261"></div> Debates around Founder Mode have been rampant across social media since the beginning of this month when Graham’s blog post came out. The philosophical divide between Founder Mode and Manager Mode often compels people to choose sides, while industry veterans and experts say that it’s important to understand both approaches and companies must try to achieve a balance between them. Sonica Aron, Founder of HR advisory firm Marching Sheep, recognises the importance of managers and says that it is important to have good people in the team and empower them. Talking to Business Insider India, she says, “As a founder, I find myself to be very purpose driven and passionate about my firm. As a result, sometimes decisions tend to get driven by the heart rather than the mind. Therefore it is essential to have bright and committed people in your team, empower them, involve them in decision making. Also, as the founder, I am responsible not just for the health of my business but overall well being of my team. If they do well, we all do well.” On the other hand, Mr. Srinivasa Addepalli, founder and CEO of GlobalGyan Leadership Academy, feels that the debate of Founder Mode vs Manager mode shouldn’t exist in the first place. He told Business Insider India that according to him, “all good leaders, whether startup founders or corporate executives, must be capable of both modes and switch between them depending on the context.” He added, “The Founder Mode leader tackles problems with passion and ownership, without concern for hierarchy, precedents, or due process. However, founders must remain humble about their fragility. To ensure sustainability, the Manager Mode—focused on developing others, building structures, and codifying knowledge—becomes essential, even as it requires them to relinquish some control and accept inefficiency. For instance, Steve Jobs’ decision to set up Apple University was a classic Manager Mode action by one of the best-known founders.” Ayush Singh, Founder of MaplePods, a smart-technology business, says, “Founder Mode may inspire new entrepreneurs, but seasoned founders know building something meaningful and scalable requires more than motivation—it's about solving problems, staying resilient, and seeking real support along the journey.” <h2>The downsides of Founder Mode</h2>While there are many people who believe that entering Founder Mode is healthy, some experts argue otherwise. They say that since founders are deeply connected to their vision, staying too hands-on can lead to micromanagement and hinder the growth of a leadership team. This creates a culture of dependency and can cause chaos when a founder steps into too many areas, leading to inefficiency and fear among employees. Mr. Ankit Aggarwal, founder and CEO of Unstop, told Business Insider India, “While Founder Mode can foster an entrepreneurial culture and drive rapid growth, it comes with significant challenges related to scalability, accountability, and founder burnout. As companies scale, Founder Mode can lead to bottlenecks, as founders may find it difficult to delegate. This limits the development of a strong leadership team and may stifle creativity from other employees.” Further, he adds that intense involvement can lead to founder burnout, negatively affecting both the individual and the company. “In the long run, while Founder Mode may work for early-stage <keyword id="6362513" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="startups" source="Orion">startups</keyword>, founders must recognise when to step back and 'devolve'. Devolving to allow the company to grow through more traditional structures, without succumbing to excess hierarchy. Balancing innovation with scalability is key to long-term success, allowing founders to focus on strategy while empowering their teams.” Meanwhile, Aleksandr Yampolskiy, cofounder and CEO of SecurityScorecard, said in a LinkedIn article that the Founder Mode has both pros and cons. He highlighted the value of founder mode in providing visionary leadership and empowering CEOs to challenge their teams and boards when necessary. However, Yampolskiy also wrote that overstepping and micromanaging can create chaos and a culture of fear. He said that founders must learn to evolve with the company’s growth, delegating and making themselves dispensable over time. <h2> Why are people talking about Founder Mode now?</h2> <div type="image" title="Why are people talking about Founder Mode?" msid="113456851" hostid="261"></div> So, why did Graham’s blog post go viral and why are people talking about Founder mode? Discussions around Founder Mode vs Manager Mode might have been around for a long time, but Graham’s post helped a great deal in popularising the confusion that millions of founders go through. Risa Mish, a management professor at Cornell University’s Johnson College of Business, told Observer that it is “no surprise that Graham’s message has resonated with founders for whom the conventional wisdom hasn’t worked.” “It comes down to something very basic, which is that one size never fits all.” Do you have insights or personal experience to share on start-ups or latest corporate buzzwords? Contact us at businessinsider@timesinternet.in.

SIMPLY PUT: Founder Mode — the secret sauce to startup success or fancy term for hustle and micromanagement?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Elon Musk's xAI is raising fresh funding at a $40 billion valuation, the WSJ reported.</li><li>Social media network X, meanwhile, is currently valued at $9.4 billion, according to Fidelity filings.</li></ul>A new funding round in the works for xAI could value Elon Musk's startup at more than four times what his social media network, X, is currently worth, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fidelity-openai-stock-valuation-filing-2024-10">according to recent Fidelity filings</a>.The AI startup is reportedly in talks to raise funding at a $40 billion valuation, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/elon-musks-xai-talks-raise-funding-valuing-it-40-bln-wsj-reports-2024-10-29/">the Wall Street Journal</a>. xAI, which Musk founded in 2023 and has billed as an alternative to OpenAI's ChatGPT, previously raised a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-xai-raised-6-billion-funding-vc-saudi-arabia-2024-5">$6 billion Series B</a> from a16z and Sequoia Capital at a $24 billion post-money valuation.Talks with investors are still in the early stages, sources told the Wall Street Journal. But if the funding round goes through at a $40 billion valuation, that would make xAI worth more than four times the value of X, according to Fidelity's estimates, which held steady from August to September.Fidelity, which invests in startups through multiple mutual funds, including its Blue Chip Growth Fund, valued shares of X at $4,185,614 at the end of September, according to its monthly filing released at the end of October. The fund had 196,600 Class A shares at the end of July, according to an annual filing from August.At $21.29 a pop, this price is unchanged from the Blue Chip Growth Fund's August estimation of X's value. It is, however, a 78.7% drop compared to two years ago: Musk in October 2022 purchased X for $44 billion. The Fidelity fund at the time invested $19.66 million, according to filings.Assuming the investment was made at X's $44 billion valuation, the fund now estimates X's value to be around $9.4 billion.Fidelity's Blue Chip Growth Fund also has a stake in xAI, valuing its investment at $44,152,362, according to the October filing. The fund had 3,688,585 shares at the end of July, according to an annual filing from August. That's $11.96 per share.

Elon Musk's xAI startup could soon be worth many times more than X

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Stocks for the parent companies of Tinder and Bumble wavered this week after the companies reported earnings.</li><li>Tinder cautioned investors it expected another drop in paying users in the fourth quarter.</li></ul>Singles aren't the only ones feeling the ache from<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dating-apps-find-love-romance-online-tinder-match-total-scam-2024-10"> dating app fatigue</a> — Wall Street is too.Match Group shares dropped more than 18% on Thursday after the company said paying users on its largest app, Tinder, fell 4% to 9.9 million in the third quarter, compared to the same period a year ago. The company projected another year-over-year decline in paying users in the fourth quarter, as well. Hinge was a highlight, with third-quarter revenue growing 36% year-over-year — although the app has not yet reached the scale of sibling app Tinder.Bumble Inc., meanwhile, said Wednesday it saw 10% growth in paying users on its signature app in the most recent quarter, to 2.9 million. But average spending per user dropped 10%. Bumble users can pay for different subscription tiers ranging from $59.99 to $79.99 per month, which allows them to extend time on matches and filter through their swipes.Bumble, Inc. revenue overall was relatively flat — dropping 0.7% to $274 million year-over-year. Its shares are down 45% year-to-date. Match shares are down more than 16% in the same period.Deflating investor energy around dating apps mirrors a national outcry of "swipe fatigue," following a decade of the apps' meteoric rise. A national survey by Forbes Health in July reported that 78% of respondents, across all generations, sometimes felt "emotionally, mentally, or physically exhausted" by dating apps like Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble.The major dating apps are fighting to prove their continuing relevance, especially with hungry startup founders waiting in the wings to disrupt the $5 billion industry, according to research firm Business of Apps."I want to scare the shit out of Hinge and Bumble — all of them," influencer Serena Kerrigan, who started her own <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-dating-app-dm-era-of-swipe-fatigue-2024-9">dating service on Instagram</a>, told Business Insider in August. "I want to really disrupt the space."<h2 id="90a2f6a2-b0eb-433e-ac67-c1b6ccfa0e5e">Dating apps scramble to stay on top</h2>Dating app leaders are pivoting to tackle swipe fatigue and encourage more meaningful user experiences through limits on matches and changes to who can start conversations.Bumble, for example, was built on the premise of letting women make the first move in a match. Only women could send the first message in a conversation. In April, the company announced a new feature called "Opening Moves" that lets men message first in response to a pre-selected question from the woman in the match.Similarly, Hinge announced in September that it would limit users' simultaneous match conversations to reduce unanswered messages. The company said it helped "daters shift their mindset from quantity to quality of matches" and encouraged users to follow through with their matches. On Match Group's earnings call, the company signaled that this new feature was already helping increase response rates on the app.The apps are also trying to expand beyond dating.Earlier this year, Bumble acquired Geneva, a group chat app for niche communities like book clubs, for $17 million. Bumble founder and chair Whitney Wolfe Herd said during Bloomberg's Technology Summit in May that the platform "will not be a dating app in a few years" and instead one for broader "human connection."<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-bumble-ceo-lidiane-jones-underdog-work-to-her-advantage-2023-11">Bumble CEO Lidiane Jones</a> said in an earnings release that the company is executing "plans to reimagine Bumble App to enable the next generation of online-to-real-world connections."To that end, the company has a lineup of product releases prepared for 2025, a Bumble spokesperson said.As users grow frustrated with dating app fees and algorithms, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-dating-startups-and-apps-disrupting-the-industry-2024-8">new startup founders are entering the space</a>. Some are building new styles of finding love like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-friends-quit-healthcare-jobs-built-dating-app-together-2024-9">Fourplay's double date</a> experience, prioritizing date-planning in the app like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pitch-deck-first-rounds-on-me-dating-app-raises-seed-2024-8">First Round's on Me</a>, or testing ways to turn an AI chatbot into a matchmaker like Sitch. Others are ditching the app experience altogether too with businesses focused on IRL events that get people off their phones and meeting people face-to-face.If dating giants like Match and Bumble continue to report slow growth and see shaky stocks for quarters to come, some of these smaller startups might stand a chance to break through and compete.

Wall Street feels swipe fatigue as Match Group shares tumble, signaling an opening for new dating startups

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Omada Health's booming weight loss program could push the startup closer to a public market debut.</li><li>The startup says care for GLP-1 patients has become its most popular front door for new customers.</li></ul>Last spring, diabetes startup Omada Health said it wanted to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/omada-strategy-weight-loss-drugs-semaglutide-ozempic-2023-5">help employers manage patients taking a blockbuster new class of weight-loss drugs</a>.A year later, that business has taken off.Omada Health's metabolic health program has now become the entry point for most new employers considering contracts with Omada Health, Duffy said."The inbound that we get from benefits buyers, the first question is, tell me more about the GLP-1 care track. And that's the thing that turns into the other conversations," Duffy said.Weight loss is now at the forefront of their pitches to employers "even if we don't necessarily want it to be," Duffy said, "because it's the thing. There's such a focus on metabolic care for obesity, and then they're like, oh cool, you guys also do diabetes and hypertension."Launched in 2011, Omada provides virtual care for diabetes, hypertension, musculoskeletal care, and diabetes prevention, alongside obesity, to employers, health plans, and even health systems. The startup is now looking ahead to an IPO, having <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/exclusive-omada-health-confidentially-filed-s1-ipo-public-2024-10">filed its S-1 this summer</a>, Business Insider first reported in October. Omada previously declined to comment on its IPO plans.But as weight loss pushes Omada closer to a public market debut, Duffy said those contracts with employers haven't looked like what he expected.The startup had initially envisioned that employers would use Omada as a gatekeeper, choosing to pay for buzzy GLP-1 drugs only after a patient had already tried Omada's program, or cutting off the drug coverage after a year and using Omada to help patients maintain their weight loss.But most employers haven't chosen those routes, Duffy said."That's not a common voice. The majority of [our customers] — I actually don't know the reason, but I think it's much simpler — they're choosing to cover the drugs with lifestyle support alongside," Duffy said.<h2 id="d2408f5d-2923-4e91-b037-e2b5136c8d9c">The fraught market for Ozempic</h2>While dozens of healthtech companies, from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/weightwatchers-ceo-out-ozempic-weight-loss-drugs-2024-9">WeightWatchers</a> to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ro-weight-loss-program-insurance-delays-wegovy-shortage-2023-6">Ro,</a> have rushed to build online programs to prescribe Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hims-and-hers-cheap-weight-loss-drugs-stock-soaring-2024-5">compounded versions of the weight-loss drugs</a>, Omada doesn't prescribe GLP-1s itself. Instead, the startup set out to help patients taking GLP-1s — which began as a class of diabetes drugs — make changes to their diet and exercise.When Duffy <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/omada-strategy-weight-loss-drugs-semaglutide-ozempic-2023-5">told Business Insider about these plans in May 2023</a>, the startup was confronting a rising tide of employers panicking about the costs of the expensive drugs. The prescriptions typically cost between $8,000 and $10,000 per patient per year, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wtwco.com/en-us/insights/2024/07/8-employer-considerations-about-glp-1-drugs">according to WTW</a>, formerly Willis Towers Watson. The firm said GLP-1 drugs for obesity account for about 10% of all pharmacy spending.Those cost concerns haven't abated. Most companies still don't cover GLP-1 prescriptions for weight loss, though <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/09/business/weight-loss-drugs-glp-1-wegovy-employer/index.html#:~:text=More%20employers%20may%20start%20covering,obesity%20drugs%2C%20such%20as%20Wegovy.&amp;text=Still%2C%20more%20than%20a%20quarter,a%20human%20resources%20consulting%20firm.">more pay for the drugs now</a> than in previous years. Employers expect their healthcare costs <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hrdive.com/news/weight-loss-drugs-fuel-large-employer-healthcare-cost-concerns-2025/724977/">to increase by about 8%</a> in 2025, largely due to the explosion of GLP-1s.But Duffy said only a small fraction of Omada's total contracts have imposed strict limits on GLP-1 coverage with Omada as a gatekeeper."In the narrow network world, there's a subcategory of enterprise GLP companies who just make it so that their employees can only get GLP with our conditions. You typically get less GLP usage there because you're introducing a friction point," he said.<div type="image" title="Two boxes of semaglutide under the trade names of Ozempic and Wegovy." height="3533" width="5300" msid="114728141" hostid="261" sizebytes="423802"></div>GLP-1s already come with plenty of friction points for patients. For the past two years, the drugs were in short supply, making it difficult for any patients to get their hands on the drugs, especially without a diabetes diagnosis. Those shortages are reportedly easing, with the FDA removing GLP-1 ingredient tirzepatide from <a target="_blank" href="https://dps.fda.gov/drugshortages/resolved/tirzepatide-injection">its shortage list</a> earlier this month, but many pharmacies are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/09/06/g-s1-21139/ozempic-wegovy-shortages">still dealing with empty shelves</a>.And GLP-1s can also produce plenty of side effects, which, in combination with their high costs and shortages, prompts most patients to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/long-people-stay-ozempic-stop-2-years-analysis-shows-rcna161216">stop taking the drugs</a> within the same year. That's a problem, since clinical data has shown that the majority of patients <a target="_blank" href="https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/exclusives/112138">regain most of the weight</a> they lost on a GLP-1 after they stop taking it.Omada previously said it wanted to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/omada-strategy-weight-loss-drugs-semaglutide-ozempic-2023-5">help patients keep the weight off after stopping their GLP-1 usage</a>. The company said it isn't yet ready to share any findings on how effective those efforts have been.Going forward, Duffy said Omada is continuing to refine its metabolic health strategy as the business grows. He said the startup is also looking to partner with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://resourcecenter.omadahealth.com/omada-resources/omada-health-partners-with-intermountain-healthcare-and-castell-to-establish-integrated-virtual-care-option-for-diabetes-management-and-prevention">more health systems</a> to provide Omada's virtual solutions for conditions like diabetes and obesity to health systems' patients.

Weight loss care is leading IPO-hopeful Omada Health's latest growth surge as Ozempic boom continues

Artificial intelligence is the buzzword in today's times and more and more companies are investing in the AI space. While there are big players like Nvidia, OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Meta and Apple, other companies are also hopping on the bandwagon. <keyword id="20128940" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Salesforce" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Salesforce" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Salesforce">Salesforce</keyword>, the cloud-based software giant, is also a part of the <keyword id="21041186" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI-race" source="keywords">AI race</keyword>. According to a report in Reuters, the company recently announced its plans to <keyword id="20312439" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="acquire" source="keywords">acquire</keyword> <keyword id="23031429" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tenyx" source="keywords">Tenyx</keyword>, a <keyword id="19913824" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="startup" source="keywords">startup</keyword> that specialises in artificial intelligence-powered voice agents. The acquisition, for which the financial terms have not been disclosed, is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year. Upon completion, Tenyx’s co-founders, Chief Executive Officer Itamar Arel and Chief Technology Officer Adam Earle, along with their team, will be integrated into Salesforce. Founded in 2022 and based in California, Tenyx has carved a niche for itself by providing AI voice solutions across various industries, including e-commerce, healthcare, hospitality, and travel. The startup’s innovative approach has made it a valuable asset for Salesforce as the company seeks to strengthen its AI-driven offerings. This acquisition represents a significant step in Salesforce’s broader strategy to enhance its technological capabilities and reignite revenue growth. The move comes after a period of scrutiny from activist investors, which led Salesforce to announce last year its intention to double share buybacks and step back from its aggressive acquisition strategy. At that time, Salesforce had even disbanded its mergers and acquisitions committee, signalling a shift in focus. However, the acquisition of Tenyx indicates that Salesforce is now revisiting strategic acquisitions as a means to accelerate growth. The acquisition also mirrors recent moves by other major technology companies as they compete for AI talent and tools. Earlier this year, Microsoft acquired the AI startup Inflection for $650 million, while <keyword id="19904608" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amazon" source="keywords">Amazon</keyword> bolstered its AI capabilities by hiring co-founders and key employees from another AI startup, Adept, in June. These deals underscore the intensifying competition within the tech industry to secure a foothold in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence. Salesforce’s decision to pursue this acquisition comes on the heels of a strong financial performance in the second quarter, where the company surpassed Wall Street’s expectations for both revenue and profit. The growth was primarily driven by increased expenditure on Salesforce’s enterprise cloud products, highlighting the ongoing demand for robust cloud solutions. As Salesforce integrates Tenyx into its operations, the company is likely to leverage Tenyx’s expertise to further refine its AI-driven services, potentially leading to new product developments and enhanced customer experiences. The acquisition also signals Salesforce’s recognition of the growing importance of AI in the future of enterprise technology. With AI increasingly becoming a cornerstone of business operations across industries, Salesforce’s investment in Tenyx positions it well to remain competitive in a market where innovation and advanced technological capabilities are key to long-term success.

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