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This week, the 28-year-old venture capital firm debuted a new pair of funds totaling $2.3 billion, a substantial sum during an abysmal time for the industry's fundraising efforts. The European-born firm is structured in a way that investors across continents invest out of the same funds. The new funds include $800 million to invest at the early stage and $1.5 billion to invest in growth. Those figures are slightly down from the firm's last fundraise, when it collected $900 million for an early-stage fund and $2 billion for a growth fund. That year, Index saw seven portfolio companies go public at a market cap of more than $1 billion, including Roblox and Robinhood.

Persons: —, Nina Achadjian, Sofia Dolfe, Ishani Thakur, Vlad Loktev, Erin Price, Wright, Andreessen, Mark Goldberg, He's, Ethan Kurzweil, Kristina Shen, Mike Volpi, Greycroft Organizations: Service, Ventures, Business, San, Labs, Bessemer Venture Partners, Menlo Ventures Locations: San, West Coast, San Francisco, Index's London, New York, London, Europe

☆ AI startup Abnormal Security is set to be valued at $5 billion in new funding round, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-01 | by ( Ben Bergman | Sri Muppidi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Abnormal Security uses AI to guard users from cyber threats across email and apps. It is set to be valued at $5 billion in a fresh funding round, according to two sources. The company was valued at $4 billion in a 2022 funding round led by Greylock Partners. AdvertisementAbnormal Security, a startup that uses artificial intelligence to guard users from cyber threats across email and apps, is set to be valued at $5 billion in a fresh funding round, according to two sources familiar with the deal. The company has raised a total of $374 million in venture funding.

Persons: — Organizations: Security, Greylock Partners, Service, Insight Partners, Menlo Ventures, The Syndicate Group, Business

The investor pitch claimed GM had already committed to an investment, along with the Menlo Park-based VC firm Tribe Capital. "GM agreed to let us collect the ground truth data in their factories," Foundation said in the document. "GM has never invested in Foundation Robotics and has no plans to do so," spokesman Darryll Harrison said in an emailed statement. The contents of the document were confirmed by someone with direct knowledge of Tribe Capital. Tribe Capital and its cofounder Sethi declined to comment, while Pathak didn't respond to messages seeking comment.

Persons: General Motors —, Darryll Harrison, cofounders, Mike LeBlanc, LeBlanc, Sankaet Pathak, Arjun Sethi, Sethi, Pathak Organizations: Synapse, General Motors, Robotics Labs, CNBC, GM, Menlo, Tribe, Foundation, Foundation Robotics, Robotics, New Foundation Foundation, Cobalt Robotics, McKinsey, Tribe Capital Locations: Mexico

☆ A software engineer worked at Tesla, SAP, and Salesforce. Here's how he negotiated his salary, including a $520,000 Meta offer.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Shubhangi Goel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

He was offered $150,000 a year for a base salary, restricted stock units, and an annual bonus. AdvertisementSalesforceHe moved to Salesforce, joining in a slightly more senior software role from his last role at SAP. His base salary was about $150,000, stocks would amount to $17,500 per year, and his annual bonus was $15,000. AdvertisementThe new role moved him from software engineer to senior software engineer. Business Insider has verified his offer letters, employment history, and Meta compensation.

Persons: —, Hemant Pandey, I've, Tesla Pandey, Tesla, Pandey, Salesforce, hadn't, there's, it's Organizations: Service, SAP, Meta, Business, Salesforce, LinkedIn, Menlo Locations: Salesforce

☆ After Meta’s ‘year of efficiency,’ industry leaders root for year of innovation
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Rachel Curry | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

With many companies maintaining the "efficiency" mindset, and hiring for tech jobs remaining low, according to the iCIMS Insights April 2024 Workforce Report, innovation is at risk. Madan says companies tend to act based on fear of missing out, but this behavior can stall technological innovation. This process can be messy, which is why experts say any conversation centered around efficiency must also include innovation. Digital transformation is a core pillar of business strategy for 84% of technology and business leaders, according to the TEKsystems report. On the innovation front, he added, "The best organizations are the ones that synthesize human input with AI collaboration."

Persons: It's, Mark Zuckerberg, Ricardo Madan, they've, Zuckerberg, Madan, Chris Duffey, Duffey, Duffy Organizations: Meta, IBM, Tech, Adobe, Google, Bureau of Labor Statistics Locations: Menlo Park, Meta, California, TEKsystems, U.S

Steve Bowsher, In-Q-TelSteve Bowsher, president and CEO of In-Q-Tel. He made an early bet on Palantir, blowing the doors open for Silicon Valley techies to go after federal contracts. The son of a federal employee who grew up devouring spy novels, Bowsher has always been interested in the work of the government but actually cut his teeth in Silicon Valley. After graduating from Stanford, he worked for three startups and spent eight years at venture fund InterWest Partners. By combining Silicon Valley's swashbuckling ethos with a government agency's mission-driven mentality, Bowsher has helped shepherd some of the biggest defense tech success stories of the past two decades.

Persons: Steve Bowsher, Bowsher Organizations: Magazine, Stanford, InterWest Partners Locations: Menlo Park , California, Silicon Valley

☆ Big Tech has split into 3 camps: loved, hated and iffy. Here's where our 8 stocks fit
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

META YTD mountain Meta Platforms YTD Meta has the biggest tailwind on Earth being dangled in front of it — the newly signed law that says Chinese company ByteDance must sell TikTok or face a U.S. ban on the short-form video platform. AMZN YTD mountain Amazon YTD Amazon is also in the loved category but reports this coming Tuesday. NVDA YTD mountain Nvidia YTD I have no idea how Nvidia got to be a fence-sitter. AVGO YTD mountain Broadcom YTD Broadcom is iffy. CRM YTD mountain Salesforce YTD Salesforce has become mighty complicated.

Persons: I'm, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, Andy Jassy, It's, Claude AI, Jensen Huang, Nvidia's, hasn't, it's, Hock Tan, Salesforce, Marc Benioff, what's, that's, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Carlos Barria Organizations: Microsoft, Meta, he's, Google, Amazon, Services, Nvidia, Broadcom, Blackwell, VMWare, calvary, PayPal, Informatica, Apple, CNBC, Facebook Locations: U.S, Oregon, Informatica, China, Menlo Park , California

☆ How 9 Gangs and Mafias Actually Work, From the Crips to Hells Angels
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( David Ibekwe | Ju Shardlow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Pellerano discusses gang life in New Orleans, where the gang spread from its home base in Chicago. He speaks with BI about tattooing, rules and codes, media perception, and the political language used to depict the gang. Mike Moy says he was a gang member in New York City's Chinatown, having been recruited in the 1970s. He later founded the YouTube channel Chinatown Gang Stories, where he speaks with former gang members about their lives. He speaks with BI about the ways the yakuza makes money, such as extortion and protection rackets.

Persons: Tyrone White, White, Andy, Pellerano, Alex Sanchez, Omar Sharif, John Pennisi, Gambino, John Gotti Jr, Lucchese, Pennisi, Jay Dobyns, general's, Jimmy Tsui, Mike Moy, Moy, Yuyama Shinya, Andy Pellerano www.oneaccordministries.net, Alex Sanchez www.homiesunidos.org Omar Sharif www.omarinspires.com John Pennisi, Jay Dobyns www.jaydobyns.com Organizations: Menlo, South Central, Bloods, Business, Hells Angels, ATF's National Academy, Dobyns, United, Valor, ATF, National Association of Police, New York City Police Department, YouTube Locations: South, South Central Los Angeles, New Orleans, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, United States, Tung, New York, Chinatown, Hong Kong, Japan

☆ India election: Modi’s Muslim remarks spark ‘hate speech’ accusations as mammoth vote deepens divides
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been accused of delivering Islamophobic remarks during an election rally Sunday, triggering widespread anger from prominent Muslims and members of the opposition. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking during a rally in Sydney, Australia, on May 23, 2023. Kalpit Bhachech/Getty Images Narendra Modi, then BJP secretary is welcomed at Ahmedabad Railway Station by the party's followers on January 31, 1992. Kalpit Bhachech/Dipam Bhachech/Getty Images Narendra Modi pictured in India on January 23, 1998. Brent Lewin/Bloomberg/Getty Images India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2023.

Persons: CNN —, Narendra Modi, Islamophobic, Modi’s, Modi, ”, ” Modi, Matthew Abbott, Hiraben, Damodardas, Dipam Bhachech, Lal Krishna Advani, Subhas Chandra Bose, Kalpit Bhachech, Kalpit, Negi Yasbant, Amit Dave, Ajit Solanki, Kevin Frayer, Saurabh Das, AP Modi, Manish Swarup, Lucas Jackson, Barack Obama, Adrien Helou, Reuters Modi, Adnan Abidi, Stringer, Mark Zuckerberg, David Paul Morris, Marco Longari, Angela Merkel, Tobias Schwarz, Emmanuel Macron, Charles Platiau, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, India's, Jair Bolsonaro, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Amit Shah, Money Sharma, Boris Johnson, Phil Noble, Anthony Albanese, Brent Lewin, Pedro Ugarte, Joe Biden, Doug Mills, Paul Mashatile, Jacoline, Imtiyaz Khan, Amr Alfiky, Rana Ayyub, Asaduddin Owaisi, “ Modi, Mallikarjun Kharge Organizations: CNN, CNN — India’s, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Indian National Congress, of India, India's, New York Times, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Getty, Modi, Hospital, Narendra, India Today, AP, Madison, Garden, Reuters, Washington , D.C, French National Space Agency, of Yoga, Meta, Facebook, Bloomberg, European, Saudi Arabia's Crown, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Kyodo, British, Summit, Qudos Bank, White, Anadolu Agency, Anadolu, United, United Arab Emirates, Sangh, Hindu, “, Hate Locations: Rajasthan, Sydney, Australia, Gujarat, India, Ahmedabad, Ahmadabad, Varanasi, New Delhi, United States, Washington, Washington ,, Toulouse, France, Xian, AFP, Menlo Park , California, U.S, Pretoria, South Africa, China, Berlin, Paris, Rashtrapati, Russian, Brasilia, Glasgow, Red, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, Abu Dhabi, United Arab, BJP, “

☆ In India’s 2024 election, BJP’s main opposition appears increasingly weak in face of Modi juggernaut
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Helen Regan | Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

Supporters of India's opposition party, Indian National Congress, during an election rally in Puducherry on April 15, 2024 R. Satish Babu/AFP/Getty ImagesDemocracy under threat? Dipam Bhachech/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Modi worked his way through the ranks of the BJP, establishing himself as a respected politician. Tobias Schwarz/AFP/Getty Images Modi hugs French President Emmanuel Macron after a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, on June 3, 2017. Brent Lewin/Bloomberg/Getty Images India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2023. Pedro Ugarte/AFP/Getty Images Modi offers a toast during a State Dinner with President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington, on June 22, 2023.

Persons: ”, Narendra Modi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Indira Gandhi, Gandhi, ” Hazari Lal Rajput, Satish Babu, Modi, Modi’s, Matthew Abbott, Hiraben, Damodardas, Dipam Bhachech, Lal Krishna Advani, Subhas Chandra Bose, Kalpit Bhachech, Kalpit, Negi Yasbant, Amit Dave, Ajit Solanki, Kevin Frayer, Saurabh Das, AP Modi, Manish Swarup, Lucas Jackson, Barack Obama, Adrien Helou, Reuters Modi, Adnan Abidi, Stringer, Mark Zuckerberg, David Paul Morris, Marco Longari, Angela Merkel, Tobias Schwarz, Emmanuel Macron, Charles Platiau, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, India's, Jair Bolsonaro, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Amit Shah, Money Sharma, Boris Johnson, Phil Noble, Anthony Albanese, Brent Lewin, Pedro Ugarte, Joe Biden, Doug Mills, Paul Mashatile, Jacoline, Imtiyaz Khan, Amr Alfiky, Arati Jerath, “, it’s, Rahul Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Indira, India’s, Jawaharlal Nehru, gunning, ” Modi, shouldn’t, Mohammad Irfan, —, Arvind Kejriwal, Altaf Qadri, Kejriwal, Atishi, you’re, Jerath, Gandhi ‘, ’ Modi, Christophe Jaffrelot, CNN Modi, Rasheed Kidwai, Rahul, Diptendu Dutta, Mamata Banerjee, Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin, ” Kidwai, ” Jerath Organizations: CNN, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Indian National Congress, Getty, Democracy, Modi’s BJP, Pew, New York Times, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Modi, Hospital, Narendra, India Today, AP, India's, Madison, Garden, Reuters, Washington , D.C, French National Space Agency, of Yoga, Meta, Facebook, Bloomberg, European, Saudi Arabia's Crown, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Kyodo, British, Summit, Qudos Bank, White, Anadolu Agency, Anadolu, United, United Arab Emirates, Developmental Inclusive Alliance, Indian, Aadmi Party, Delhi, AAP, Aam Aadmi Party, All, Trinamool, West, All India, Congress, “, “ Democracy Locations: India, Uttar Pradesh, Ramlila, Puducherry, Modi’s, Sydney, Australia, Gujarat, Ahmedabad, Ahmadabad, Varanasi, New Delhi, United States, Washington, Washington ,, Toulouse, France, Xian, AFP, Menlo Park , California, U.S, Pretoria, South Africa, China, Berlin, Paris, Rashtrapati, Russian, Brasilia, Glasgow, Red, Ayodhya, Abu Dhabi, United Arab, INDIA, Delhi, India’s, Lok Sabha, Atishi, ”, Manipur, Siliguri, West Bengal, Tamil

☆ Meta's new AI assistant is rolling out across WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and Messenger
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Ashley Capoot | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks during Meta Connect event at Meta headquarters in Menlo Park, California on September 27, 2023. Meta on Thursday announced its free artificial intelligence assistant, Meta AI, is rolling out across its social media platforms WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and Messenger. The assistant can answer questions, create animations and generate images, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a video. Meta AI was built on the company's latest large language model called Meta Llama 3, which was also announced Thursday. "We believe that Meta AI is now the most intelligent AI assistant that you can freely use," Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in the video.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI's ChatGPT Organizations: Meta, Facebook, Google, Microsoft Locations: Menlo Park , California

☆ Narendra Modi: India’s popular but controversial leader seeking a transformative third term
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +26 min

Varanasi and New Delhi CNN —Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi once famously made a simple election promise: “good days are coming”. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses his supporters during an election campaign rally in Pushkar on April 6, 2024. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking during a rally in Sydney, Australia, on May 23, 2023. Kalpit Bhachech/Getty Images Narendra Modi, then BJP secretary is welcomed at Ahmedabad Railway Station by the party's followers on January 31, 1992. Brent Lewin/Bloomberg/Getty Images India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2023.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Modi, Himanshu Sharma, Getty Images Modi, –, ”, Saba Naqvi, “, Vajpayee, Naqvi, Dileep Patel, John Mees, Akash Jaiswal, “ We’ve, ” Jaiswal, isn’t, Matthew Abbott, Hiraben, Damodardas, Dipam Bhachech, Lal Krishna Advani, Subhas Chandra Bose, Kalpit Bhachech, Kalpit, Negi Yasbant, Amit Dave, Ajit Solanki, Kevin Frayer, Saurabh Das, AP Modi, Manish Swarup, Lucas Jackson, Barack Obama, Adrien Helou, Reuters Modi, Adnan Abidi, Stringer, Mark Zuckerberg, David Paul Morris, Marco Longari, Angela Merkel, Tobias Schwarz, Emmanuel Macron, Charles Platiau, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, India's, Jair Bolsonaro, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Amit Shah, Money Sharma, Boris Johnson, Phil Noble, Anthony Albanese, Brent Lewin, Pedro Ugarte, Joe Biden, Doug Mills, Paul Mashatile, Jacoline, Imtiyaz Khan, Amr Alfiky, Patel, India’s, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv, Rahul Gandhi, Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, “ Narendra Modi, ” Mukhopadhyay, Mukhopadhyay, ” Modi, Keshav Baliram, “ Modi, BJP Modi, Lord Ram, ” Naqvi, Critics, Christophe Jaffrelot, Karan Thapar, ” Jaffrelot, Modi’s, it’s, —, Raj, India Narendra Modi, Kenny Hoston, Ram, ” Raniva, That’s Organizations: New Delhi CNN, Indian, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, India's, Getty Images, Pew, CNN, World Health Organization, New York Times, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Getty, Modi, Hospital, Narendra, India Today, Indian National Congress, AP, Madison, Garden, Reuters, Washington , D.C, French National Space Agency, of Yoga, Meta, Facebook, Bloomberg, European, Saudi Arabia's Crown, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Kyodo, British, Summit, Qudos Bank, White, Anadolu Agency, Anadolu, United, United Arab Emirates, Cambridge, today’s Congress Party, Harvard, The Times, Muslim, Australia Locations: Varanasi, New Delhi, Gujarat, Pushkar, India, “ India, United States, Brazil, “, Sydney, Australia, Ahmedabad, Ahmadabad, Washington, Washington ,, Toulouse, France, Xian, AFP, Menlo Park , California, U.S, Pretoria, South Africa, China, Berlin, Paris, Rashtrapati, Russian, Brasilia, Glasgow, Red, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, Abu Dhabi, United Arab, Oxford, Vadnagar, Babri, Kadi, Kashmir, United Kingdom, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Jama

☆ I went from making $15K to nearly $700K over my career at Oracle, Apple, and Meta. Here's how I increased my total compensation.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

My salary journey in Big Tech has seen my total compensation — which includes base salary, bonuses, and stocks — increase from $15,000 in 2012 to $685,000 in 2024. I'm a staff software engineer and have worked at three different tech companies, moving from Oracle to Apple to Meta. In California, labor laws make it illegal for employers to ask you about your current salary and salary history. That could involve switching from a non-tech job to a tech job or taking a short-term hit for long-term gain. Unless the employer offers a significant pay bump along the way, total compensation usually takes a drop after this vesting period.

Persons: Sandeep Rao, —, I'm, I've, it's, Glassdoor, haven't, Jane Zhang Organizations: Meta, Apple, Oracle, Service, Business, Big Tech, Microsoft, Carnegie Mellon University, Grad, Employers, Carnegie Mellon Locations: San Jose , California, India, Pittsburgh, Cupertino , California, Menlo Park , California, California, janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ Meta shares hit intraday record after analyst says company 'has too many advantages to count'
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Ashley Capoot | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks during the Meta Connect event at Meta headquarters in Menlo Park, California, on Sept. 27, 2023. Meta shares jumped to an intraday record on Thursday after analysts at two firms raised their price targets on the stock, citing optimism over the company's growing market share in digital advertising. Analysts at Jefferies lifted their price target on Meta to $585 from $550 and said the company's gain in the ad market will increase this year. Among the roughly 50 price targets tracked by FactSet, RBC's estimate is tied for the highest along with that of both Wells Fargo and First Shanghai. The decision to invest $27 billion in capital expenditures last year "has helped the company develop several strategic advantages over its peers."

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Wells, Zuckerberg, Meta, they've Organizations: Meta, Nasdaq, Federal Reserve, Jefferies, RBC Capital Markets, Amazon, Google, RBC Locations: Menlo Park , California, First Shanghai, TikTok, U.S

☆ Lirvana Labs developed an AI companion that it thinks will revolutionize the classroom. Here's the pitch deck the startup used to land $5.3 million.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Samantha Stokes | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewAI has been a boom for the education space, and one startup just raised millions by convincing investors that large language models and generative AI will supercharge kids' learning. The startup, Lirvana Labs, just raised $5.3 million in seed funding from Kapor Capital, Transcend Capital Partners, and Chingona Ventures, Business Insider has learned. Lirvana Labs is betting that AI can counteract these trends. The startup's tech is available via a mobile app, which costs $9.99 monthly or $69.99 annually. Check out the 13-slide pitch deck Lirvana Labs used to raise its seed-funding round.

Persons: —, Christie, Clement Pang, Pang, Christie Pang Organizations: Service, Lirvana Labs, Kapor, Partners, Chingona Ventures, Business, National Center for Education Studies, Nations Locations: Menlo Park , California, Lebanon

☆ The investment case for Meta Platforms gets stronger — and our price target is changing, too
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

"In fact, we now estimate that in 2024 Meta's ad business could outgrow Amazon's for the first time since 2015," the firm added. META 1Y mountain Shares of Meta Platforms over the past 12 months. Jefferies' bullish outlook goes straight to the heart of our investment case, which Jim Cramer reiterated last week during the March Monthly Meeting. All of this also jives with our view on Meta, as Jim laid out during the Monthly Meeting. Put it all together, and we're aligned with Jefferies on where Meta's stock can go from here.

Persons: Jefferies, outgrow Amazon's, Jim Cramer, that's, Jim, Meta, —, TikTok, Mark Zuckerberg, there's, Zuckerberg, Jim Cramer's, David Paul Morris Organizations: Google, Meta, Facebook, Jefferies, CNBC, Bloomberg, Getty Locations: U.S, Menlo Park , California

☆ Can Xerox’s PARC, a Silicon Valley Icon, Find New Life with SRI?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( John Markoff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +12 min

Can Xerox’s PARC, a Silicon Valley Icon, Find New Life with SRI? 1974 A key part of PARC office of the future vision is a network to tie office systems together. The PARC laboratory, set in the foothills just south of Stanford, is now largely empty, hosting less than 100 researchers, far from a peak of almost 400. Mr. Parekh said that the stage was now set for a second leap forward in the way humans interacted with computers. “This is our annuity for the future for investing in research,” Mr. Parekh said.

Persons: Steve Jobs, Jobs, Apple’s Lisa, IBM’s Thomas J, “, ”, Eric Schmidt, Google’s, Bernardo Huberman, Mr, Huberman, Douglas Engelbart, Siri, Bill Duvall, Charley Kline, CALO, David Parekh, Parekh, SIRI, Curtis Carlson, Charles Simonyi, Jan Vandenbrande, Research Jan Vandenbrande, Johan De Kleer, San Organizations: Xerox’s PARC, SRI, Palo, Palo Alto Research, PARC, Mr, Xerox, SRI International, Stanford Research Institute, Xerox Dover, Xerox Corporation, T’s Bell Laboratories, Watson Research Center, Bay, “ PARC, of America, Machine, UCLA, Pentagon, Apple, Macintosh, Research Projects Agency, Microsoft, Windows, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Research Locations: Palo Alto, Stanford’sy, Stanford, Silicon, Menlo Park, Los Angeles, Calif, San Francisco, San Jose

☆ Anthropic-backer Menlo Ventures is preparing for a 'gold rush' of AI infrastructure startups. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Samantha Stokes | Darius Rafieyan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Menlo Ventures has been an early backer of AI powerhouses including security startup Abnormal, LLM developer Anthropic, and vector database Pinecone. "AI itself is not new, I think it's just how mainstream it's become," Matt Murphy, a Menlo Ventures partner who invests in SaaS and robotics startups, told Business Insider in an interview. AI's "picks and shovels"Murphy and fellow Menlo Ventures partner Tim Tully say that 2024 will be a big year for the "picks and shovels" of AI. There's room in the game for more LLMsSam Altman's OpenAI has been at the forefront of the generative AI revolution. Other vector database startups including Chorma and Weaviate have also raised millions from VCs.

Persons: —, Siri, Warby Parker, Matt Murphy, OpenAI, AI's, Murphy, Tim Tully, Tully —, Sana, Lindy, we've, Tully, Sam Altman's OpenAI, it's Organizations: Service, Valley's, Menlo Ventures, Business, Menlo, Cisco, Oracle, Meta, Google Locations: Snowflake, Anthropic

☆ Congress may be going after the wrong social network
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Chew, meanwhile, clapped back, “American social companies don’t have a good track record with data privacy and user security. But if lawmakers were serious about protecting the digital data of millions of American social media users, targeting TikTok alone is a limited way to achieve this goal. Separately, US intelligence authorities have said that Russian operatives were able to exploit US-based social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter as part of an election meddling campaign in the lead-up to the 2016 US presidential vote. Sherman said he thinks some lawmakers are raising important national security concerns regarding TikTok. Ultimately, Jameel Jaffer, the executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, called the bill a “missed opportunity” for Congress to take real action regarding their concerns about US user data.

☆ How Crips Gang Actually Works Inside Prison and on the Streets
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Nazar Risafi | Kyle Desiderio | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Tyrone White was a member of the 65 Menlo Gangster faction of the Crips gang in South Central Los Angeles during the late '80s and '90s, witnessing police brutality and the LA riots. White held the position of a street soldier and participated in drug dealing, gangbanging, and neighborhood drive-bys. White speaks with Business Insider about his experience as a gang member, the culture of the Crips, and the rivalry with the Bloods. He also covers the role of celebrity Crips, such as Snoop Dogg and Big U, in gang prevention within California. After he was released from jail, he pursued a career in acting and worked with the Eagle Ridge Institute.

Persons: Tyrone White, White, Snoop Dogg Organizations: Menlo, South Central, Bloods, Eagle Ridge Institute Locations: South, South Central Los Angeles, Oklahoma, California

Shop at Amazon Shop at Walmart What we like Check mark icon A check mark. Shop at Amazon Shop at Hatch What we like Check mark icon A check mark. Shop at Amazon Shop at Best Buy Shop at Casper What we like Check mark icon A check mark. What to look for in sunrise alarm clocksSunrise alarm clocks are a bit different from traditional alarm clocks, so there are certain features you want to consider before purchasing one. How we tested sunrise alarm clocksWe used each alarm for at least three days to test their features and performance.

Persons: Chris Winter, Hatch, Suzy Hernandez, I've, Philips, Jenny McGrath, It's, it's, Alex Dimitriu, William Winter, Dimitriu, Kelly Waters Organizations: Business, Charlottesville Neurology, Sleep, Philips, Amazon, Shop, Bluetooth, Walmart, Smart, Menlo Park Psychiatry, Eastern Psychological Association, SleepScore Labs, Spectrum Health Locations: Charlottesville, Nepal, Casper

☆ Meet Boston's new power venture capitalist
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Melia Russell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

A changing of the guard is underway at Boston-based venture capital firm Underscore VC. The venture capitalist, wearing a cherry red cardigan and Apple Watch, cracked open a notebook and set it beside an iced coffee. Underscore VCLyman's Facebook credentials could have given her a ticket to many venture firms located down the road in Menlo Park. "The thesis is that if you get the right people around the business at the right time, it'll change the trajectory of the business," Lyman said. As Lyman steps up, so does UnderscoreUnderscore is moving into its next phase during a reckoning for venture capital.

Persons: Lily Lyman, —, Mike Greene, Marley, Lyman, Greene, she's, Michael Skok, John Pearce, Lyman —, Lily, they're, Skok, Alessandra Henderson, Pamela Aldsworth, Jeff Bussgang, Hi Marley, Gordon Ritter, Kevin Bacon, There's, Ritter Organizations: Service, Harvard University, Facebook, House, Apple Watch, Elektra Health, JPMorgan, New England Venture Capital Association, MIT, Allston Venture Fund, Harvard, Boston's, Capital Partners, OpenView Venture Partners, SEC, Old, Capital Locations: Boston, Old, Menlo Park

☆ Google's mission is organizing the world's information. Its 'woke' AI debacle prompted critics to say it's failing.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewSince its inception, Google has had a mission statement that is now practically enshrined as lore: "To organize the world's information and make it accessible and useful." Its AI, critics say, risks suppressing information instead by being too "woke." AdvertisementGoogle's AI troublesGoogle has more than 90% of the search market, giving it dominant control over the world's information flow online. Advertisement"The original mission was to index all the world's information. In a blog published Friday, Google vice-president Prabhakar Raghavan acknowledged some of the images Gemini generated turned out to be "inaccurate or even offensive."

Persons: —, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Gemini, Peter Kafka, Adolf Hitler, Elon, David Sacks, Critics, Sam Altman, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, Bilal Zuberi, Brad Gerstner, Microsoft —, Elon Musk, OB1CCZHan3, Prabhakar Raghavan, overcorrected, Raghavan Organizations: Service, Google, Business, Craft Ventures, Lux Capital, Microsoft, Elon Locations: Menlo Park, AFP

☆ EV boat maker Arc debuts a premium wake sport model for $258,000
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Lora Kolodny | In Lorakolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Arc Boat Company's fully electric Arc Sport model gets four to six hours of typical use on a single charge. Arc Boat Company began sales of its second electric boat model in just three years this week. The new $258,000 Arc Sport was designed for wake sports enthusiasts and follows the company's earlier Arc One, a limited-edition luxury cruiser. The 23-foot Arc Sport can carry up to 15 people at a time. Arc plans to begin deliveries of its new battery electric Arc Sport to customers this year.

Persons: Mitch Lee, Ryan Cook, Arc, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Will Smith, Andreessen Horowitz, Lee, Rivian Organizations: Boat Company, GM, Sacramento –, SpaceX, EV, Eclipse Ventures, Menlo Ventures Locations: Malibu, Stockholm, Sacramento – San Joaquin, Stockton , California, Lyft, Brunswick, MarineMax

☆ Inside the Funding Frenzy at Anthropic, One of A.I.’s Hottest Start-Ups
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Erin Griffith | Cade Metz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Last May, Anthropic, one of the world’s hottest artificial intelligence start-ups, raised $450 million from investors including Google and Salesforce. By August, Anthropic had landed $100 million from two Asian telecoms. Then Amazon committed $4 billion to it, followed by $2 billion more from Google. This month, the venture capital firm Menlo Ventures closed a deal to invest $750 million in Anthropic. Its five funding deals stood out not just for their speed and size, but for their unusual structures.

Persons: Anthropic Organizations: Google, Menlo Ventures Locations: Anthropic

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