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☆ New dating apps and social-networking startups are gaining steam. Read pitch decks 6 used to raise millions of dollars.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-15 | by ( Sydney Bradley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

New social-networking and dating startups are coming onto the scene. Here are the pitch decks six startups used while raising Series A and seed rounds. Founders of these startups are tackling problems like loneliness, dating app fatigue, and general dissatisfaction with the current social-media incumbents. Meet 7 VC investors eyeing new social startupsBI spoke with several social-media and dating app founders about how they are raising capital — including the pitch decks they used to raise millions of dollars. Read the pitch decks that helped 6 social-networking and dating startups fundraise millions of dollars:Note: Pitch decks are sorted by investment stage and size of round.

Persons: —, Isabella Epstein's, Tiffany, Daybreak Ventures Rex Woodbury, Catalyst, Mervana Parekh, It's, Marlon Nichols Organizations: Service, IRL, Big Tech, Daybreak Ventures, Business, Tinder, Acrew, Mac Venture

☆ Noplace is the hottest new app on the charts. Its founder spills on how it went viral and plans to skirt becoming a 'fad.'
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-04 | by ( Sydney Bradley | Alexandra Bacon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The social media app is the brainchild of 27-year-old serial founder and investor Tiffany "TZ" Zhong, whose tech career took off in her late-teens. Instead of stressing over carefully curated posts, the app encourages users to share their stream-of-consciousness thoughts directly to the feed. According to its App Store description, it aims to harken back to the social media era before "algos and ads" took over. She particularly follows the behavior of Noplace's "power users," some of whom even spend between eight and 10 hours on the app, Zhong said. And at a time when social media platforms are prioritizing entertainment over social interactions, Noplace feels timely.

Persons: —, Tiffany, Zhong, you've, It's, Noplace, Nospace, …, Alexis Ohanian, it's, There's Organizations: Service, Twitter, Apple, Business, Noplace's, Big Locations: Noplace, Reddit

☆ Elon Musk really wants advertisers' money. But he also wants to keep tweeting. He can't have both.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Peter Kafka | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

His anti-revenue campaign reached its peak/nadir last fall, when he literally told advertisers to "go fuck yourself." And that's where Musk explained that when he told advertisers to go fuck themselves last year, he didn't mean all advertisers. "It was with respect to freedom of speech," he told Read. AdvertisementMeanwhile, the exodus of big brand advertisers has pushed Twitter ad rates way, way down. And I do shoot myself in the foot from time to time," he told Read.

Persons: —, Elon Musk, Mark Read, Musk, Read, Oliver Darcy, Joe Biden's, Donald Trump, Barack Obama, Joe, Puck, there's, It's Organizations: Service, Elon, Business, Cannes, WPP, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, CNN, Associated Press, Washington Post, Democratic Party, Republicans, Google, Media Locations: France, Mexico, Washington

☆ A controversial study says intermittent fasting may shorten your lifespan. It shows how little we really know about the long-term effects.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A new study links intermittent fasting to a higher risk of early death instead of longevity. While there's not yet enough evidence to say intermittent fasting is risky, the findings suggest we may have a lot more to learn about whether it's good for our health in the long run. However, some rigorous studies on intermittent fasting have found mixed results: some suggest it's no better for you than other diets, and isn't worth the side effects like hunger. people who follow the 16:8 diet — would have a lower risk of dying during the study, and better heart health. Advertisement"Overall, this study suggests that time-restricted eating may have short-term benefits but long-term adverse effects," Gardner said in a press release.

Persons: —, there's, Victor Wenze Zhong, Krista Varady, Varady, David Spiegelhalter, Christopher D, Gardner, Zhong Organizations: Service, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, American Heart Association, University of Illinois Chicago, University of Cambridge Locations: Shanghai, China, Chicago, Stanford

☆ China's richest man is under fire over conspiracy theories that say he's secretly promoting Japan
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

China's richest man is being targeted by nationalists who say he's not patriotic enough. AdvertisementZhong Shanshan, the richest man in China, has been beset this month by accusations from an online nationalist crowd that he isn't loyal enough to his country. Some think Nongfu Spring loves JapanThe hostility escalated this week into claims that Nongfu Spring was intentionally planting elements of Japanese culture into its product marketing. CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images and Jinhee Lee/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesAnother complaint accused Nongfu Spring of using a red bottle cap that resembles the Japanese flag. China's nationalist groups have been notorious for turning on typically celebrated figures and businessmen.

Persons: Zhong Shanshan, Zong Qinghou, —, Zhong, he's, Zong, Zhong Shuzi, Jinhee Lee, NurPhoto, Mr Zong, Hu Xijin, shouldn't, Hu, Li Guoqing, Li, Zong Fuli, Mo Yan Organizations: Service, Nongfu, Hong, Hangzhou Wahaha, Hangzhou Wahaha Group, Getty Images, Weibo, Mount, Publishing, Getty, Global Times, The Global Times, Rongsheng Petrochemical, China Newsweek, China News Service, Business Locations: Japan, China, Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, American, Tokyo, Mount Fuji

On the phone was 28-year-old Jimmy Zhong, a local party boy and Georgia alum who frequented Athens' drinking establishments. Robin Martinelli, Martinelli Investigations owner and private investigator. Martinelli said Zhong appeared resistant to her theories, especially when they began to focus on his circle of friends. Source: Zhong's social media profileHis parties were epic. Source: Zhong's social media profile

Persons: Jimmy Zhong, Zhong, Robin Martinelli, Martinelli, Montel Williams, " Martinelli, Jimmy, Zhong didn't, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, didn't, he'd, Satoshi Nakamoto, Stefana, CNBC Masic, Zhong couldn't, Jody Thompson, Thompson, Trevor McAleenan, Shaun MaGruder, McAleenan, that's, MaGruder, I've, wasn't, Trevor, I'm, coders, Nathaniel Popper, Popper, Bitcoin, Nobody, bitcoin, Michael Bachner, John Garland, Bachner, Ross Ulbricht, Chad Organizations: University of Georgia, Clarke County Police Department, rowdies, Clarke County Police, CNBC, Department of Justice, Martinelli Investigations, Broad, College, Ritz Carlton, Waldorf, Georgia Bulldogs football, Rose, IRS, Silk, Clarke, Investigators, Misfits, . Locations: Athens, Georgia, bitcoin, It's, Loganville , Georgia, Zhong's, Gainesville , Georgia, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, LA, Gainesville, Chad, Clarke County, Montgomery , Alabama, U.S

☆ China's property crisis could take up to a decade to fix, warns an economist who was censored for his bearish views on the economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

China's property crisis may take up to a decade to resolve, economist Hao Hong told CNBC. Hong's WeChat and Weibo social media accounts were suspended last year after a series of bearish posts on China's economy. "Fixing the property sector may be a multi-year or even a decade's work in front of us. The property sector, along with related industries, contributes as much as 30% to the country's GDP. Still, there may be an upside ahead for China's economy once the property market's problems are resolved, Hong told CNBC.

Persons: Hao Hong, Hong's WeChat, —, Keng, that's, Hui Ka Yan, Hong, Hao, 洪, China's, Hong's, Li Daokui, Evergrande Organizations: CNBC, Weibo, Service, Grow Investment, China, Bloomberg, Investment, CFA, Twitter, Nikkei, Bank of Communications International, People's Bank of China Locations: China, Shanghai, Weibo

A record 38 QDII funds had been launched this year until August 17, outpacing the 31 funds launched in 2022, Morningstar data shows. Tianhong, which is planning new QDII products, obtained a $120 million fresh QDII quota in July, less than it had hoped for. Rather than foreign capital selling China equities, this time it's Chinese investors’ outbound investment,” Liu said. HUGE DEMANDThe QDII program, launched in 2006, remains a key outbound investment channel for mainland Chinese investors, alongside the Qualified Domestic Limited Partnership (QDLP) programme. Tracy Liu, an individual investor working in the information technology industry, invested in an India-focused QDII fund in March.

Persons: Aly, Ivan Shi, Liu Dong, Becky Liu, Liu, ” Liu, Desiree Wang, Tracy Liu, Summer Zhen, Samuel Shen, Jason Xue, Vidya Ranganathan Organizations: REUTERS, Morningstar, Domestic Institutional, Nasdaq, Ben Advisors, Connect, Bond, U.S, Dow Jones, State Administration of Foreign Exchange, Tianhong, Management, Ant Financial, Standard Chartered Bank, Reuters, Qualified Domestic Limited, Asset Management Association of China, Guangfa NASDAQ, Technology, Morgan Asset Management, Morgan Asset Management China, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, Shenzhen, China, U.S, HONG KONG, SHANGHAI, Hong Kong, Vietnam, India, outflows, Japan, Russia

☆ US Commerce Secretary Raimondo in Beijing: What it means for U.S.-China relations
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailUS Commerce Secretary Raimondo in Beijing: What it means for U.S.-China relationsHao Hong, Grow Investment Group chief economist, and Jessica Lessin, The Information founder and editor-in-chief, join 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss Lessin's sense of dialogue between China and the U.S. Commerce Department, Hong's insights on the impact of Raimondo's visit, and more.

Persons: Raimondo, Hao Hong, Jessica Lessin Organizations: US, U.S, Grow Investment Group, U.S . Commerce Department Locations: Beijing, China

☆ Shares of China's second largest chip foundry Hua Hong jump 13% in Shanghai debut
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Sheila Chiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Shares of the chipmaker opened on the Nasdaq-style Star Market at 58.88 Chinese yuan, according to Refinitiv data. That's a 13.2% jump from its offer price of 52 Chinese yuan ($7.23). The Shanghai-listed shares have since pared gains and were trading lower at 53.99 Chinese yuan on Monday afternoon. Hua Hong's Shanghai debut raised 21.2 billion yuan ($2.95 billion) — in what was the largest IPO in mainland China so far this year, according to EY's global IPO report. SMIC raised 46.28 billion yuan ($6.62 billion) during its IPO in 2020.

Persons: Hua Hong, Hua Hong's, Chips, Hong, Phelix Lee, Lee, SMIC Organizations: Huahong Group, Huahong, Getty, Shanghai Stock Exchange's, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp, Nasdaq, Morningstar Asia, Hua Locations: Shanghai, China, Hua Hong's Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing

☆ China chipmaker Hua Hong posts modest gains in Shanghai debut
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SHANGHAI, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Hua Hong Semiconductor, China's second-largest chip foundry, posted modest gains in its Shanghai debut on Monday, reflecting a weak market sentiment and investor caution amid mounting Sino-U.S. chip rivalry. Hua Hong shares opened 13% higher on Shanghai's tech-focused STAR Market, but quickly faltered. The Shanghai Composite Index (.SSEC) was down 0.6%, while Hua Hong's Hong Kong-listed shares declined more than 7%. Randall said the money raised by Hua Hong is not huge in a capital-intensive industry, but shows chipmakers are broadening fundraising channels in addition to government backing. Hua Hong will use most of the proceeds to boost capacity at a facility in Wuxi, in eastern Jiangsu province, according to the company's prospectus.

Persons: Hua, Hua Hong, Joe Biden's, Stewart Randall, Randall, Li Gu, Brenda Goh, Mo Yelin, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Himani Organizations: Hua Hong Semiconductor, Hua Hong, Trump, Washington, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, Shanghai, U.S, Hong Kong, Beijing, Washington . U.S, China, Wuxi, Jiangsu

☆ A guy tried using ChatGPT to turn $100 into a business making 'as much money as possible.' Here are the first 4 steps the AI chatbot gave him.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Jackson Greathouse Fall asked ChatGPT to turn $100 into "as much money as possible." As of mid-March, the company was valued at $25,000, according to a tweet by Greathouse Fall. From there, ChatGPT suggested the domain name EcoFriendlyFinds.com. But when Greathouse Fall learned the domain name cost $848 to acquire, it suggested one that was more affordable: GreenGadgetsGuru.com. While Greathouse Fall didn't disclose his investors, he tweeted that his "DMs are flooded" and that he is "not taking any more investors unless the terms are highly favorable."

Persons: Jackson Greathouse, ChatGPT, Greathouse, Jackson, — Jackson, We're, He's, didn't, —, Green, chatbot Organizations: Morning, realtors —, Twitter, Facebook, jzinkula

☆ Hua Hong Semiconductor's $2.6 billion China listing approved by exchange
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SHANGHAI, May 18 (Reuters) - Chinese chipmaker Hua Hong Semiconductor Ltd (1347.HK) said it had received Shanghai Stock Exchange approval for its planned $2.6 billion share listing, which is expected to be one of the country's biggest this year. Hong Kong-listed Hua Hong's plan for a secondary listing on Shanghai's STAR Market has been approved by the bourse's listing committee, and it will submit an application for registration to China's securities regulator, the company said late on Wednesday. Hua Hong joins a growing list of Chinese chipmakers to sell shares publicly on the mainland amid a Sino-U.S. rivalry that has seen Washington stepping up efforts to restrict exports to Beijing's semiconductor industry. Hua Hong, which competes with bigger Chinese rival Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (0981.HK), has said it plans to raise up to 18 billion yuan ($2.60 billion) to fund investment and innovation. ($1 = 6.9121 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Shanghai newsroom; Editing by Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China made its first public arrest for misusing ChatGPT after a man generated fake news about a train crash that killed nine
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Police in China recently detained a man who used ChatGPT to generate fake news about a train crash. China made its first public arrest for misusing ChatGPT five months after the AI chatbot went viral for its ability to generate written human-like text. China made its first public arrest for misusing ChatGPT. WechatHong's arrest is the first detainment since China's new regulation on deep fake technology took effect in January. Hong then admitted he used ChatGPT to generate fake news about the train crashes before posting them online, per the Gansu police.

☆ Canada's spy agency withheld information about China's threats to lawmaker, Trudeau says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Ismail Shakil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

OTTAWA, May 3 (Reuters) - Canada's spy agency withheld information about Chinese threats against a Canadian lawmaker and his family in 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday, adding that he had told the agency that in the future such threats must be revealed immediately. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) had determined that information about the threats against Michael Chong, a member of parliament with Canada's main opposition Conservative party, were not concerning enough to inform him, Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa. Trudeau has previously said China attempted to meddle in the 2019 and 2021 votes, but did not change the outcome. On Wednesday, Trudeau said he learned about the threats against Chong from the Globe report and upon enquiring about it, found out that CSIS had decided to withhold information. Chong was sanctioned by Beijing in 2021 after his motion passed the Canadian parliament declaring China's treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority genocide.

[1/5] A full-sized humanoid robot named ARTEMIS is shown at UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, where mechanical engineering students developed a first of its kind robot in Los Angeles, California, U.S., April 13, 2023. Standing at 4 feet, 8 inches tall (142 centimeters) and weighing 85 pounds (38 kg), ARTEMIS is a first-of-its-kind robot that University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) mechanical engineers developed, and it is ready for the pitch. ARTEMIS’ actuators are also unique in that they are electrically driven, rather than controlled by hydraulics. RoMeLa student Justin Quan said his personal goal is engineering robots that improve people's lives. "Seeing these robots helping push the robot technology to that next level is really rewarding because you're like, oh, the dream, it gets closer," he said.

☆ Man gets prison time after feds discover $3.4 billion in stolen Bitcoin hidden inside a Cheetos popcorn tin and underground safe
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A man convicted of stealing around 50,000 Bitcoin was sentenced Friday to a year in prison. At the it was seized, the Bitcoin was worth over $3.4 billion. Prosecutors said the crypto-currency was stolen from the Silk Road dark web marketplace. There investigators recovered more than 50,000 Bitcoin, split between "an underground floor safe and on a single-board computer that was submerged under blankets in a popcorn tin stored in a bathroom closet." A photo shared by the department shows that the crypto tin originally contained Cheetos-brand popcorn in both Flamin' Hot and Cheddar flavors.

☆ A guy is using ChatGPT to turn $100 into a business making as much money as possible. Here are the first 4 steps the AI chatbot gave him.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Jackson Greathouse Fall asked ChatGPT to turn $100 into "as much money as possible." Jackson Greathouse Fall, a brand designer and writer, took to Twitter last week to share a prompt that he gave the chatbot. The company is now valued at $25,000, according to a tweet by Greathouse Fall. But when Greathouse Fall learned the domain name cost $848 to acquire, it suggested one that was more affordable: GreenGadgetsGuru.com. Are you using ChatGPT to save time or make money?

☆ Why 94-year-old ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ star James Hong says he's not close to retiring
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Jennifer Liu | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Onstage, Hong reflected on the early days of his career, when he often played side characters to white leads in yellowface. Hong recalled that producers "said Asians were not good enough and they are not box office. After decades in the industry, Hong is getting greater public recognition for his work. Hong received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2022, making history as the oldest recipient to receive the honor. Hong says he's a better actor today than ever.

☆ In China, people are learning to live with COVID
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Casey Hall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Living in a post "zero-COVID" China, despite the anxiety about being infected and rapidly rising cases, hasn't been too bad, says Yang. "I wasn't too worried (when we tested positive), I was quite well prepared with food and medicine," she said. "When I think of this situation my feeling is just, wow, we are so lucky because now we can isolate at home," Yang said. "This wave is something we have to face, because it is impossible to stay closed forever," Yang said. "It may have some impact on the economy and cause some problems in people's lives, but many of us see hope in front of us now."

The SEC's whistleblower program was created as part of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a law passed in response to the 2008 financial crisis. Under the law, eligible whistleblowers can receive a cash award of between 10% and 30% of any monetary sanctions collected above $1 million. Hong provided further documentary evidence, helping FHFA and the U.S. Justice Department secure settlements with RBS for $5.5 billion and $4.9 billion, respectively. Hong sought an award under the SEC's whistleblower program but the commission declared him ineligible because the action against RBS was not taken by the commission itself. Hong's lawyers appealed to the Supreme Court, contending that the SEC is undermining the aim of Congress to incentivize and award whistleblowers by "coordinating enforcement efforts with other agencies and then refusing to pay an award."

☆ Feds announce $3.36 billion seizure of bitcoin, the second-largest recovery of crypto so far
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Paige Tortorelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Department of Justice announced Monday that it seized about $3.36 billion in stolen bitcoin during a previously-unannounced 2021 raid on the residence of James Zhong. It follows the $3.6 billion in allegedly stolen cryptocurrency linked to the 2016 hack of the cryptocurrency exchange, Bitfinex. Silk Road was launched in 2011, but the Federal Bureau of Investigation shut it down in 2013. IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher said Zhong used a "sophisticated scheme" to steal the bitcoin from the Silk Road marketplace. In October 2022, Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange by trading volume, suffered a $570 million hack.

☆ The Justice Department said that it seized $3.4 billion in bitcoin stolen a decade ago through the 'Silk Road' dark web
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Justice Department announced a seizure of $3.36 billion in stolen bitcoin. Defendant James Zhong pleaded guilty to wire fraud using a dark web market called the Silk Road. The DOJ's statement said that Zhong pled guilty on Friday to committing wire fraud back in September 2012. In February 2022, the department seized about $4 billion of bitcoin in the wake of a 2016 theft. Zhong had stolen the bitcoin by executing a scheme to defraud the Silk Road by creating a string of approximately nine fraud accounts on the site, the statement said.

NEW YORK, Nov 7 (Reuters) - The United States is seeking the forfeiture of more than $1 billion in Bitcoin stolen from the Silk Road online marketplace, federal prosecutors in Manhattan said on Monday. By the time it was seized, the Bitcoin was worth more than $3 billion. Some of the stolen Bitcoin was found on a computer in a popcorn tin stored in a bathroom closet, IRS special agent Trevor McAleenan said in an affidavit. The U.S. government seized Silk Road in 2013, describing the underground website as a massive illegal drug and money-laundering marketplace. Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht was convicted in 2015 of seven counts of enabling illegal drug sales via bitcoin.

Royal Bank of Scotland signs are seen at a branch of the bank, in London, Britain December 1, 2017. RBS agreed to settle Justice Department and FHFA investigations over its sales of residential mortgage-backed securities in the run-up to the financial crisis. The SEC did not pursue its own action against RBS in this instance. The petition Hong filed on Monday asks the Supreme Court to consider what constitutes an "action" within the SEC's whistleblower incentive program. "The better a whistleblower's information, the larger the sanctions, the larger the whistleblower award, and the greater the self-interested motivation for the SEC to take enforcement actions that it has conveniently placed outside of Dodd-Frank's reach," it added.

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