⛔️ North Korean hackers pose as VCs and remote workers to steal billions

North Korean hackers are taking creativity to the next level, pretending to be venture capitalists, recruiters, and remote IT workers to steal billions in cryptocurrency. Using fake identities and AI-generated profiles, they infiltrate companies, earn paychecks, and steal secrets – all while funding North Korea’s weapons program.

One trick? Fake recruiters set up “malfunctioning” meetings to push malware downloads. Another? Remote hires use U.S.-based accomplices to manage work laptops. These schemes have hit hundreds of companies, making vigilance and better vetting a top priority.

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

🔗 Italy joins supercomputer powerhouses

Italy has surged into the global top 3 for supercomputing power, thanks to cutting-edge machines like Leonardo and HPC6. These supercomputers are driving innovation in science and industry. Adding to the momentum, Microsoft recently announced a $5 billion investment in Italian data centers, solidifying the country’s growing tech influence.

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

🚀 Meta plans $10B global subsea cable to bolster AI and connectivity

Meta is embarking on its most ambitious infrastructure project yet: a $10B subsea cable spanning 40,000+ km to support its AI advancements and global data needs. Unlike prior ventures, this cable will be solely owned by Meta, ensuring reliable bandwidth for its platforms and avoiding geopolitical risks. Set to connect key regions like the U.S., India, and South Africa, the cable could also position India as a future hub for AI training.

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

⛔️ Australia sets age limits on social media for under-16s

Starting November 2025, Australia will require social media platforms to verify users’ ages to block access for those under 16. Platforms that fail to take “reasonable steps” could face fines of up to $32M. Lawmakers fast-tracked the decision, despite tech companies like Google and Meta pushing for delays until after an age-verification trial wraps up.

The good news? Age checks won’t require sensitive data like passports. This bold move aims to protect kids' well-being – will the rest of the world follow suit? We don't think so.

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

📌 Meta’s ad empire – Facebook and Instagram rule the digital world

Did you know Meta's Facebook and Instagram are soaking up over two-thirds of the U.S. ad spend? With AI targeting and user data at their disposal, these platforms keep advertisers coming back for more. Meanwhile, TikTok is catching up, and X might need a new ad strategy if it wants to stay relevant.

Who knew ads could be this competitive?

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

📌 Meta’s ad empire – Facebook and Instagram rule the digital world

Did you know Meta's Facebook and Instagram are soaking up over two-thirds of the U.S. ad spend? With AI targeting and user data at their disposal, these platforms keep advertisers coming back for more. Meanwhile, TikTok is catching up, and X might need a new ad strategy if it wants to stay relevant.

Who knew ads could be this competitive?

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

🔍 Elon Musk's xAI gearing up for a consumer app

Elon Musk’s AI venture, xAI, is set to release a stand-alone app for its Grok chatbot, potentially rivaling OpenAI’s ChatGPT. After a major funding round, which could push its valuation to $50 billion, xAI is rapidly growing, with some early investors poised to cash in on the company’s success.

We wonder if they'll make a million alternative apps for GROK too, or if that's just the fate of ChatGPT

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

💊 The weight-loss drug market is booming

Morgan Stanley predicts a surge in the weight-loss drug market with new Ozempic and WeGovy alternatives hitting the shelves. Viral “before and after” posts and U.S. insurance coverage are slimming wallets faster than waistlines.

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

🚨 US new home sales dropped by 128,000 in October to 610,000, the lowest in 2 years.

This was significantly below expectations of 725,000. New home sales declined by a whopping 17.3% month-over-month, marking the largest decline in 13 years.

At the same time, the median new home price jumped 4.7% year-over-year to $437,300, the highest since August 2023.

Meanwhile, the average interest rate on a 30-year mortgage hit 7.03% this month, the highest since July. The US housing market freezing.

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

👨‍💻 Ex-NBA athlete Omri Casspi launches $60M fund targeting cybersecurity, cloud infra and AI

Omri Casppi, a well-known investor, has launched a $60 million fund to invest in cybersecurity, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence (AI) startups. The fund, named after Casppi, will focus on early-stage companies that are developing innovative technologies in these rapidly growing sectors.

As an experienced investor, Casppi has a strong track record of identifying and supporting promising startups, and his new fund aims to capitalize on the increasing demand for advanced solutions in the areas of cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, and AI-driven applications. The fund's launch is seen as a positive development for the startup ecosystem, as it will provide much-needed capital and guidance to entrepreneurs working on cutting-edge technologies that have the potential to transform various industries.

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

🚨 A record number of CEOs are heading for the exits

A report indicates that a record number of chief executive officers have resigned from their positions in 2022. Contributing factors to this trend include the difficult economic climate, the ongoing pandemic, and heightened scrutiny and demands on corporate leaders.

Additionally, some CEOs may be stepping down to explore new opportunities or to spend more time with their families. This wave of executive turnover could significantly impact the companies involved as they adjust to new leadership.

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

🚨 KPay, a financial management platform for SMEs, raises $55M Series A

Kpay is a platform that helps SMEs manage their finances more effectively, including features like invoicing, payments, and cash flow management. The funding will be used to expand Kpay's services and reach, as the company aims to become a comprehensive financial management solution for SMEs.

There is growing demand for such platforms as SMEs seek to streamline their financial operations and gain better visibility into their financial health. The investment from APIS Partners, a leading fintech-focused venture capital firm, is seen as a validation of Kpay's potential to address the financial challenges faced by SMEs.

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

🚨 BlackRock agrees to buy investment firm HPS in $12bn deal

BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, has agreed to acquire HPS Investment Partners, a leading private credit firm, in a $12 billion deal. This acquisition is part of BlackRock's strategy to expand its presence in the fast-growing and lucrative alternative assets market, which includes private credit, infrastructure, and private markets.

The deal will significantly boost BlackRock's alternative assets under management, which are expected to reach nearly $600 billion. This move puts BlackRock in direct competition with other major alternative asset managers, such as KKR, Blackstone, and Apollo. The acquisition is seen as a strategic move by BlackRock CEO Larry Fink to diversify the company's business beyond traditional equities and bonds and capitalize on the growing demand for higher-yielding alternative investments from institutional investors like insurers and pension funds.

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

🚨 Walmart completes $2.3B acquisition of Vizio to help grow its ad business

Walmart has acquired the popular television maker Vizio for $2.3 billion in an all-cash deal. This strategic move aims to boost Walmart's advertising business and allow it to better compete with industry leaders like Amazon, Google, and Roku in the connected TV advertising market. By integrating Vizio into its advertising platform, Walmart Connect, the retail giant will gain access to customer data on viewing habits and shopping preferences.

This information can then be used to tailor ads, enhance product offerings, and create a more personalized shopping experience. Vizio TVs are likely to feature a significant number of ads for Walmart products, and Walmart will also gain control of Vizio's WatchFree+ streaming service.

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

⚡️ SpinLaunch raises $11M but hoped to raise much more, source says

SpinLaunch, a space startup, is currently fundraising again after closing an $11.5 million round out of a planned $25 million. Previously, the company had discussed raising a much larger $350 million round at a $2 billion valuation, though SpinLaunch's CEO denies these figures. SpinLaunch is developing a kinetic launch system that could launch satellites to orbit for a fraction of the cost of traditional rockets.

The company has made progress with suborbital tests and was considering the ambitious fundraising to compete with Starlink by launching a satellite constellation. However, SpinLaunch is going through a period of flux, with leadership changes and plans to build an orbital accelerator in Alaska that are currently unclear.

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

🔵 Meta Seeks New Nuclear Reactors to Run US Data Centers

Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, is seeking to acquire up to 4 gigawatts of new nuclear energy to power its data centers. The company is requesting proposals from developers to deliver 1 to 4 gigawatts of reactor capacity, starting in the early 2030s. This is part of Meta's efforts to meet the substantial electricity needs of its artificial intelligence initiatives, similar to other tech giants like Amazon and Alphabet.

The announcement follows recent investments by these companies in advanced reactor technologies, as they aim to accelerate the development of the next wave of nuclear plants. While there is currently little nuclear construction activity in the U.S., experts believe Meta's goal of having power in the next decade is feasible, provided they get started soon. The company is considering both traditional, large-scale reactors and smaller, modular designs, which may be faster and cheaper to deploy but remain untested.

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

⚡ Google’s Gradient backs Cake, a managed open-source AI infrastructure platform

A new company called Cake has emerged with backing from Google's AI-focused venture fund to help businesses integrate and secure their open-source AI infrastructure, reducing engineering overheads. Cake integrates over 100 components for enterprises, including data sources, ingestion, labeling, databases, and generative AI APIs. The company was founded in 2022 by Misha Herscu and Skyler Thomas, who recognized the "big picture problem" of integrating the various components of the modern AI stack.

Cake aims to provide bundled, managed, open-source AI infrastructure for small teams, enabling them to quickly deploy AI capabilities without the time-consuming effort of building their own systems from scratch. The company has already raised $13 million in funding and is working with customers in bioscience, insurance, and other industries.

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

🗺 Key leaders behind Google’s viral NotebookLM are leaving to create their own startup

Three members of Google's NotebookLM team, including the team lead and designer, have left the company to start a new stealth startup. The startup is in its early stages and not much is known about its purpose or focus, but the team has hinted that it will be consumer-facing and leverage the latest AI models to create useful products for everyday people.

The team has received tremendous support from fellow founders, investors, and academics, and they are excited about the opportunity to build something transformative in this space.

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

🔻 Khloé Kardashian and Kris Jenner are raising money for a new consumer startup

Khloé Kardashian and Kris Jenner are looking to raise $10 million for a new business called Khloud. The company has already raised $4.49 million and has filed trademarks for popcorn, granola, and other snacks, as well as protein supplements. The CEO of Khloud is serial entrepreneur Bryan Baum, and Michael Kives, co-founder of the venture firm K5 Global, is also affiliated with the company.

Kives has close ties to the Kardashian-Jenner family and previously helped Kendall Jenner launch her 818 Tequila line. There is speculation that Khloud will be a protein popcorn brand, but the exact details of the business are still unclear.

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures

🚨 Heirloom Carbon raises $150M to remove CO2 from the air using rocks

There is a growing threat of climate change and Heirloom Carbon plans to develop a more affordable carbon capture technology. The globe has likely passed the 1.5°C warming target set by the Paris Agreement, increasing the risks of severe weather events, infectious diseases, and ecosystem degradation. Heirloom Carbon has raised $150 million in funding to scale up its carbon removal technology, which uses crushed limestone to absorb and store carbon dioxide.

The company aims to bring down the cost of carbon capture from the current range of $600 to $1,000 per metric ton to $200 to $300 per metric ton by the early 2030s, making the technology more viable for wider deployment. Companies like Microsoft, Stripe, and Japan Airlines are involved in the carbon capture industry, as they seek ways to offset their emissions.

💬 Source

📌 Powered by V3V Ventures