DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Mark Zuckerberg ignored top executives' calls for improved teen wellbeing and vetoed removal of cosmetic surgery filters, lawsuit claims
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

It claims that Mark Zuckerberg ignored global affairs boss Nick Clegg's calls for more investment in teen wellbeing. It also says he vetoed work to ban cosmetic surgery filters that experts said were harmful to mental health. AdvertisementAdvertisementMark Zuckerberg ignored top Meta executives' requests to tackle child safety concerns, according to a lawsuit filed by the Massachusetts attorney general. AdvertisementAdvertisementClegg added that its current wellbeing work was "both understaffed and fragmented," according to the complaint. But the suit says that Zuckerberg "ignored Clegg's request for months" while Meta's leadership continued to publicly advocate for the need to invest in wellbeing.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Nick Clegg's, —, Meta, Nick Clegg, Clegg, Zuckerberg, DANIEL LEAL, Adam Mosseri, Andrew Bosworth Organizations: Meta, Service, Injury, Getty Locations: Massachusetts

☆ Top strategists at Goldman Sachs' $2.7 trillion asset management arm share why they're optimistic about the economy, all-in on AI, and bullish on these 6 investments in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Investors shouldn't expect too many changes in 2024, according to the top investing minds at Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM). GSAM strategists suggested that investors are overlooking the risk that the conflicts cause a sharp slowdown. Higher bond yields usually reflect higher risk since investors demand better compensation for going out on a limb. But it's not just junk bonds that have enticing yields — Wilson-Elizondo said debt for investment-grade firms pays mid-single-digit rates despite boasting robust fundamentals. Sophisticated investors can enhance their returns further with private credit, which Wilson-Elizondo said can offer lofty yields of 11% to 12%.

Persons: they're, Alexandra Wilson, Elizondo, GSAM's, Ashish Shah, Shah, David Rosenberg, Wilson, Michael Bruun, it's, Goldman Sachs, Bruun, " Bruun, — Wilson Organizations: Investors, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Federal Reserve, Consumers, BSE, Nikkei Locations: GSAM, Israel, Ukraine, India, Japan, China

☆ Nexi CEO: happy to help UniCredit on payments but contract is set
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of Italian payments group Nexi is pictured outside their headquarters in Milan, Italy, March 28, 2019. Italian payments infrastructure group SIA in 2016 signed a 10-year contract with UniCredit to manage cards and shop payments as well as cash withdrawal machines ahead of a being acquired by Nexi, which inherited the contract. Nexi finance chief Bernardo Mingrone told an analyst call on Thursday that the contract did not envisage the possibility of an early break-up. While the contract is "very solid" and runs over the long term, Nexi is "very keen to help UniCredit achieve their ambitions in payments, which are growing," Nexi CEO Paolo Bertoluzzo added. Asked whether UniCredit might dispose of its merchant acquiring business, Bertoluzzo said he would be "very surprised" if UniCredit did anything with it.

Persons: Alessandro Garofalo, Nexi, UniCredit, Andrea Orcel, Bernardo Mingrone, Mingrone, Paolo Bertoluzzo, Orcel, Jean Pierre Mustier, Bertoluzzo Organizations: REUTERS, SIA, Nexi, Thomson Locations: Milan, Italy

☆ US lawmakers to unveil bill requiring private equity firms to reveal China investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Karen Freifeld | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) delivers remarks at the Belmont Water Treatment Center during a visit to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., February 3, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz Acquire Licensing RightsNov 9 (Reuters) - Two U.S. senators plan to introduce a bipartisan bill on Thursday that would require private equity firms to make public how much they invest in China and other countries of concern. The bill, set to be introduced by Democratic Senator Bob Casey and Republican Senator Rick Scott, is the latest effort to track U.S. investments in China. U.S. private investment firms have poured more than $80 billion into China between 2018 and 2022, some via pension plans, according to Casey's office. Casey has also co-sponsored a measure that would require government notification of investments in certain sensitive technology sectors in China.

Persons: Bob Casey, Elizabeth Frantz, Rick Scott, Casey, Rick Scott's, Karen Freifeld, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Treatment, REUTERS, Democratic, United, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Senate's, Thomson Locations: Belmont, Philadelphia , Pennsylvania, U.S, China, United States, Iran, Russia, North Korea

Robo-advisor investment services, such as Wealthfront and Betterment, have exploded in popularity in recent years. Investments are based on high-quality portfoliosMost financial advisors draw on a combination of their own education and experience. Management fees are low and predictableMost financial advisors charge based on a percent of assets under management, or a flat fee. Fee-only advisors are the best human financial advisors for most people, but when a computer handles your investments, you pay a lot less. Robo-advisors shouldn't perform significantly better than a great financial advisor, but not all financial advisors are great.

Persons: —, you'll, Schwab, You'll, Wealthfront, Read, shouldn't Organizations: Service, Vanguard Locations: Washington

☆ Voice cloning AI startup ElevenLabs was worth $100 million five months ago. Now, sources say it's about to hit $1 billion.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Callum Burroughs | Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

ElevenLabs, a generative AI startup focused on voice, is in talks to raise capital in a deal that would catapult its valuation to $1 billion. It is unclear as yet whether Sequoia would invest alongside Andreessen Horowitz or if they are competing with one another. Five months on, the prospective new round will increase that valuation 10 times over to $1 billion, three sources said. ElevenLabs and Andreessen Horowitz did not respond to a request for comment. Bruce Reed, President Biden's AI chief, said that voice cloning "keeps me up at night," in an interview with Politico.

Persons: Andreessen Horowitz, Joe Rogan, Emma Watson, Gizmodo, ElevenLabs, Sequoia, OpenAI's ChatGPT, FOMO, Mati Staniszewski, Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, Eric Adams, Adams, Bruce Reed, Biden's, Meta Organizations: Google, VC, Sequoia, Meta, Britain's Companies, Concept Ventures, New York City, White, Politico Locations: London, New York

[1/5] Stephan Feldgoise, co-head of global M&A for of Goldman Sachs, speaks at the ReutersNEXT Newsmaker event in New York City, New York, U.S., November 8, 2023. This has fueled soul-searching among investment bankers about the prospects for their business. "I'm reasonably bullish that this will return, but obviously it will be in fits and starts." "Our (deal pipelines) are at one of the largest levels that you've seen in five-six years. Reporting by Anirban Sen in New York; Editing by Chizu NomiyamaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Stephan Feldgoise, Goldman Sachs, Brendan McDermid, Goldman, Steven Baronoff, Anu Aiyengar, Aiyengar, Anthony Kim, Kim, Michal Katz, Katz, Anirban Sen, Chizu Organizations: REUTERS, Goldman Sachs Group Inc, Reuters NEXT, Federal Reserve, Bank of America, Chevron Corp, Hess Corp, Exxon Mobil Corp, Natural Resources, JPMorgan Chase &, Microsoft Corp, Illumina Inc, Centerview Partners, Greenhill, Co Inc, Thomson Locations: New York City , New York, U.S, East, Ukraine, Americas, United States, New York

☆ Money market funds are yielding north of 5%. Here's when it may pay to look elsewhere
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Investors can't get enough of money market funds these days due to their attractive yields, which are north of 5%. When money market funds work Those who need easy access to cash could benefit from the money market funds' liquidity, which is one of the asset's biggest advantages, Benz said. However, unlike bank savings accounts, money market funds are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. While money market funds may be yielding more than longer-term Treasurys or investment-grade bonds right now, that isn't necessarily always going to be the case. "Why would someone invest in a 5-year Treasury note when a money market fund is yielding higher?

Persons: Christine Benz, hasn't, Charles Schwab, Hermes, Peter Crane, Benz, Barry Glassman, Glassman, laddering, —, Jesse Pound Organizations: Morningstar, Crane Data, Fidelity, Data, Vanguard, Wealth, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Benz, CNBC

If you have all or most of your money in a single investment account, you're missing opportunities to build wealth. If you're serious about building wealth, there are seven types of accounts you need to have to make it happen. If you're making estimated quarterly tax payments, you'll need to accumulate funds in your tax savings account as you earn them. Note that a "tax savings account" is not a different banking product — it's just a designated use for a savings account, like an emergency fund would be. (Like the tax savings account, this isn't a different product your bank offers — it's a specific use for an account like a high-yield savings account.)

Persons: —, Ally, Charles Schwab, it's, you'll, Roth, you've, It's, Robinhood, That's, We're, There's, I've, multimillionaires, Read Organizations: Service, Roth IRA, Roth, IRA

Nov 7 (Reuters) - Enable, a startup that sells rebate software to trading partners, has raised $120 million in a latest funding round that valued it at $1 billion, the company said on Tuesday. Its previous capital raise over a year ago had put Enable's value at over $800 million. The fresh private funding in a slowing market for growth stage financing comes as the software firm more than doubled its revenue, according to the company. Founded in the UK in 2016 before relocating its headquarters to San Francisco in 2020, Enable offers cloud-based software to manufacturers, distributors and retailers to manage the rebate program in their supply chain. "Given the gap in the market, they're able to persist and grow despite a lot of the macro (economic conditions).

Persons: We've, Andrew Butt, They're, Arsham Memarzadeh, Krystal Hu, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Lightspeed Venture Partner, Schneider, Lightspeed, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, U.S, Canada, Europe, Australia, The U.S

☆ Workers are missing cog in US manufacturing gears
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Jeffrey Goldfarb | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

NEW YORK, Nov 7 (Reuters Breakingviews) - There’s a spanner in the freshly restarted U.S. manufacturing machine. Based in part on the planned construction spending, Goldman Sachs analysts estimate that Biden’s initiatives could lead to as many as 250,000 new manufacturing jobs over the next two years. Pay growth is also cooling faster for production and manufacturing jobs, at 4.2% year-over-year in August, down from an 11% annual peak in December 2021 and compared to the national average of 4.5%, according to jobs website Indeed. By 2030, technological and cognitive skills in the manufacturing sector will be in far higher demand as the share of physical and manual tasks drops by more than a quarter from 2016, McKinsey says. The U.S. manufacturing engine may be humming along now, but employment-related complications threaten to throw sand in the gears.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Biden, Goldman Sachs, There’s, it’s, Sam, Francesco Guererra, Sharon Lam Organizations: Reuters, Deal, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Samsung Electronics, Intel, Bosch, Linde, Public, Ford, SK Innovation, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Department, Bureau of Labor Statistics, McKinsey, University of Massachusetts, Economy Research, of Labor Statistics, Thomson Locations: Arizona, U.S, United States, China, Europe, Asia, it’s, Germany, Amherst

A smartphone with a displayed Intel logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken March 6, 2023. The source, who declined to be named because the information was confidential, said Intel had made that decision around July. Intel is also expanding its investment in chip packaging in Malaysia, one of Vietnam's main Southeast Asian rivals. "You cannot take for granted that because Intel has already invested here it will invest more," Chung Seck, partner at law firm Baker & McKenzie Vietnam told Reuters. Asked about the possible investment plan at the time, Intel told Reuters: "Vietnam is an important part of our global manufacturing network, but we have not announced any new investments."

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Joe Biden, Biden's, Tran Luu Quang, chipmakers, Chung Seck, Baker, McKenzie, Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio, Max Cherney, Khanh, Miyoung Kim Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Intel, U.S, Reuters, Vietnam's, White House, Marvell, McKenzie Vietnam, Thomson Locations: Rights HANOI, Vietnam, China, Taiwan, United States, U.S, Hanoi, Europe, Malaysia, San Francisco, Khanh Vu

Bottom line: Fidelity Investments and Charles Schwab are two of the best robo-advisors for retirement savings, goal-building, and low-cost trading. Fidelity vs. Charles Schwab: The Biggest DifferencesFidelity and Charles Schwab are featured in a number of our guides, including the best brokerages for beginners. Fidelity Investments reviewAutomated Investing With FidelityFidelity offers two different automated accounts: Fidelity Go and Fidelity Personalized Planning & Advice. Charles Schwab Brokerage Account reviewAutomated Investing With Charles SchwabLike Fidelity, Charles Schwab's automated accounts — Schwab Intelligent Portfolios and Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium — also include an automated-only account and an automated-plus-advice option. Fidelity vs. Charles Schwab — Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)Is Fidelity better than Charles Schwab?

Persons: Morningstar, Charles Schwab, Schwab, Charles Schwab's, It's, Fidelity's, you'll, Charles Schwab Charles Schwab, Roth, IRAs, Charles, Charles Schwab —, you've Organizations: Fidelity Investments, Fidelity, Business Daily, screeners, Fidelity Fidelity Investments, Fidelity Fidelity, Fidelity Go, Schwab, Better Business Bureau, & $ Locations: cryptocurrencies, Chevron

☆ Polimorphic uses AI to cut down on admin faced by local governments. Check out the 16-slide deck it used to raise $5.6 million.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Polimorphic, a startup using AI to help improve governmental workflows, has raised $5.6 million from early-stage fund M13. "A lot of services require you to either come in person or mail in PDFs or checks. "We're really focused on helping make that customer service easier, more efficient, but then also magical for constituents," he said. "So when you think about the opportunities AI provides, is the opportunity for governments to be able to provide critical services," he said. Check out the 16-slide pitch deck used to secure the fresh funding.

Persons: it's, Parth Shah, Shah, Latif Peracha, Polimorphic Organizations: Shine Locations: New York

☆ Gen Z is the most financially savvy generation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Eve Upton-Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementIn a May survey from the CFA Institute, a global trade association for investment advisors, more than half of Gen Z respondents said they were already investing, and 82% of American Gen Z investors said they began investing before they turned 21. And while there are plenty of pitfalls and missteps that could plague young people along the way, Gen Z is shaping up to be the most financially savvy generation yet. The estimated $60 billion wipeout caused many Gen Z investors to lose big. AdvertisementAdvertisementWhile Gen Z may not always be drawn to the safest investment choices, it's certainly getting some hands-on learning. In many respects, Gen Z is coming of age at a good time, graduating into a booming job market with strong wage growth.

Persons: Gen, Gen Zers, Gen Xers, Zers, It's, —, they'd, stashing, Gen Z, Erin Lowry, Z, there's Venmo, Lowry, Charlie Pastor, finfluencers, Pastor, Taylor Price, Price, it's, I'm, Eve Upton, Clark Organizations: CFA Institute, Federal Reserve's Survey, Consumer Finances, Transamerica Center, Retirement Studies, PayPal, YouTube, CFA, IRA, Interactive, UK Royal Mint, Barclays Smart Investor Locations: Canada, Chipotle, BlackRock

☆ Bosch, SAP and others back Europe's answer to OpenAI with $500 million of fresh funds
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

GPT-4 sign on website displayed on a laptop screen and OpenAI logo displayed on a phone screen are seen in this illustration photo taken in Poland on March 14, 2023. Aleph Alpha, a German startup taking on Microsoft-backed artificial intelligence firm OpenAI, said Monday it had raised $500 million in a funding round backed by the likes of Bosch, SAP and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. The company, which has built its own large language models, raised the fresh cash in a series B round, the company's second major funding round. It is an unusually large sum of cash for a series B investment round. Aleph Alpha will use the fresh funds to invest in research on foundation models, advanced product capabilities and commercialization of its software, the company said in a statement Monday.

Persons: Alpha, Jonas Andrulis Organizations: Microsoft, Bosch, SAP, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Schwarz Group, Christ & Company Consulting, Artificial Intelligence, Investments, Aleph, Alpha Locations: Poland

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Sunday pledged to continue deepening reforms, expand free trade zones and relax market access for foreign investment while seeking to generate excitement around a largely lackluster economy. China's economy expanded at a 4.9% annual pace between July-September, beating analysts’ forecasts of about 4.5%, official data show. The expo being held through Friday is an annual event launched by President Xi Jinping in 2018 with the theme of promoting China’s image as being in favor of free trade. This year’s expo brought Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, currently paying an official visit to China which is largely focused on restoring trade links blocked for years due to economic and political tensions. Despite that, Li said China would continue to “actively pursue the accession to the CPTPP and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement and negotiate for the conclusion of more high standard free trade agreements.”

Persons: Li Qiang, Li, Xi Jinping, ” Li, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, ” Albanese, Yang Hengjun, “ Organizations: 6th China, Sunday, Trans, Pacific Partnership, Digital Locations: TAIPEI, Taiwan, Shanghai, China, Beijing, Australia, Australian

[1/2] The logo for Goldman Sachs is seen on the trading floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, New York, U.S., November 17, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs (GS.N) will promote 608 executives to managing directors next year, fewer than the 643 senior bankers it elevated two years ago, according to a company memo. But progress on racial representation slowed, as Black employees accounted for only 2% of managing directors, down from 5% in 2021. About 3% of the managing directors were from the LGBT+ community, unchanged from 2021. On the deals front, Goldman Sachs was among the advisors to Pioneer Natural Resources, which agreed to sell itself to ExxonMobil in a $60 billion deal.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Andrew Kelly, Goldman, Julian Salisbury, we've, David Solomon, John Waldron, Saeed Azhar, Lananh Nguyen, Chris Reese, David Evans Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Sixth, Arm Holdings, Natural Resources, ExxonMobil, Thomson Locations: New York City , New York, U.S, United States, Ukraine

☆ Ratcliffe to invest extra $300 mln on top of 25% stake in Manchester United -source
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Anirban Sen | Thomson Reuters | Anirban Sen Is The Editor In Charge For U.S. M A At Reuters In New York | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Shares in United rose 4% to $18.85 on the news, which was first reported by Sky News. Manchester United declined to respond to a Reuters request for comment. Ratcliffe founded Ineos in 1998 and is the chemical group's chairman and chief executive officer, with a two-thirds stake. Record 20-time English champions, United have more than 650 million fans worldwide, according to market research firm Kantar. ($1 = 0.8110 pound)Reporting by Prerna Bedi in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli, Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jim Ratcliffe, Ratcliffe, Glazer, Qatar's Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al, Ineos, Erik ten Hag, Prerna Bedi, Shinjini Ganguli, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Premier, Sky News, Manchester United, Reuters, Forbes, Ligue, Nice, Swiss Super League, FC Lausanne, Racing Club Abidjan, Ivory Coast Ligue, Grenadiers, United, League, Premier League, Manchester City, Thomson Locations: Manchester, United, Qatar's Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani, Ineos, British, Bengaluru

Global fundraising for alternative investments, which include private equity, dropped 21% to $972 billion in the year to Nov. 1 from the same period a year earlier, according to research firm Preqin. As their money becomes more vital, Gulf funds are encouraging private equity firms to invest locally in plans for a post-oil future. "Building a partnership based on reciprocity is nowadays necessary to succeed in the Gulf," said Francois Aissa-Touazi, co-global head of investor relations at private equity fund Ardian. Private equity funds are getting the message. In turn private equity funds can use these pools of capital to fund large private debt or equity transactions, according to Tikehau Capital's Deputy CEO, Frédéric Giovansili.

Persons: Amr Alfiky, Francois Aissa, Ardian, Touazi, Brookfield, Bruce Flatt, thronged, Flatt, Mohammed Al Jadaan, Anthony Diamandakis, Rishi Kapoor, Investcorp, Tikehau, Frédéric Organizations: United, United Arab Emirates, REUTERS, Rights, Global, Investment Initiative, Public Investment Fund, Brookfield, Tikehau, CVC, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Abu Dhabi, United Arab, Rights RIYADH, LONDON, Davos, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Dubai, Brookfield, Bahrain

☆ Bill Gross says it's time to buy these regional bank stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Jesse Pound | In Jesse-Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Billionaire investor Bill Gross said Thursday that he is buying beaten-down regional bank stocks. "Regional bank falling knife has hit bottom. I'm buying TFC, CFG, KEY, FHN," Gross said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Gross, whose long investing career has included co-founding PIMCO and earning the moniker "The Bond King," has said recently that he was watching regional banks for a potential buying opportunity. The sector has struggled to recover from a March flare-up that saw several midsize lenders fail, including Silicon Valley Bank.

Persons: Bill Gross, Gross Organizations: Twitter, Financial, Citizens, Treasury, Silicon Valley Bank Locations: Silicon

The Biden Administration proposes a crackdown on "junk fees" in retirement savings plans. However, high expense ratios in your account may be cutting into your future retirement savings. But there are still some preventive steps you can take to minimize any potential "junk fees" in your retirement savings plan. 4 ways to lower 'junk fees' in your retirement planThe Biden Administration wants to crack down on "junk fees" in 401(k)s and other investment accounts. Until then, here are four steps you can take to lower fees in your retirement savings plan.

Persons: Biden, —, Charles Schwab, Robinhood, Judy Diamond's, Roth, it's, Teresa Bailey, Chloe Wohlforth Organizations: Service, US Department of Labor, Biden Administration, Employers, Mutual, Roth IRA, Waddell & Associates, Robinhood, Department of Labor, CFP, Angeles Wealth Management

☆ Verdict reached in Sam Bankman-Fried fraud trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Sam Bankman-Fried was found guilty on Thursday for his role in the collapse of crypto exchange FTX. Bankman-Fried looked sunken as the verdict was read out. Bankman-Fried was found guilty of stealing billions of dollars from accounts belonging to customers of his once-high-flying crypto exchange FTX. During his trial, Bankman-Fried said he learned in 2020 that FTX customer funds were held by Alameda but he did not take action to safeguard them. But, unlike bank customers, FTX depositors had no federal insurance fund to compensate them when the cash dried up.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, Joe Bankman, Barbara Fried, Bernie Madoff’s, FTX, Tom Brady, Gisele Bundchen, Gary Wang, Nishad Singh, Wang, Singh Organizations: New, New York CNN, Alameda Research, Bankman, Miami, Chief Locations: New York, Alameda, FTX, Bahamas

Mistral, a tiny AI startup that aims to be Europe's answer to OpenAI, is in discussions to raise a major round of funding that could push its valuation above $2 billion. Its cofounders are in talks with venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz to raise further funds, seven sources familiar with proceedings told Insider. Mistral is set to raise around $400 million at a valuation of at least $2 billion, which could rise to as high as $2.5 billion, three sources said. The deal is not yet finalized and the round size, valuation figures, and participants could still change. Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst, Mistral, Abstract Ventures, and Bezos Expeditions did not respond to Insider's request for comment.

Persons: Andreessen Horowitz, Catalyst, Arthur Mensch, Guillaume Lample, Timothée Lacroix, Jeff Bezos, Xavier Niel Organizations: Mistral, Meta, DeepMind, Bezos Expeditions, Amazon, Catalyst, Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners Locations: Paris

Mining companies in the West are facing two overarching challenges in trying to produce enough metals to enable the energy transition, and at the same time build alternative supply chains to lessen their dependence on China. There is little doubt that Australia is a country well-placed to play a major role in supplying many of the metals vital to the energy transition. The previous models for developing mines appear no longer effective, and even if some projects do progress, they are nowhere near enough to provide enough material for the energy transition. Michael Willoughby, global head of metals, mining and transition materials at HSBC, told a forum at IMARC that there is capital available for mining, but it's located in developing countries such as China, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. What's not being talked about is how all the new mines, mineral processing and renewable energy equipment is going to be funded.

Persons: Washington Alves, Michael Willoughby, Willoughby, Miral Organizations: Sigma Lithium Corp, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters . Mining, Mining, Resources Conference, HSBC, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Itinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil, China, Sydney, Asia, Australia, CHINA, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, New South Wales, U.S

Search resuls for: "NG Invest"

25 mentions found