Month: October 2025

Startup funding is the money needed to get a new business off the ground. It is typically provided by investors who take a large risk on the startup in exchange for a share of the company. Startup funding may also be available through programs such as startup accelerators and incubators. Founders may also be able to secure startup funding by taking out a small-business loan or using their own personal savings.

Startups seeking investment funding should have a well-articulated business plan, a strong team of leaders, and an opportunity to build a sustainable advantage in the market. Investors often want startups to demonstrate consistent revenue growth, a clear path to liquidity through an acquisition or an IPO, and sound financials.

North America continues to lead the global venture funding market, with $90 billion invested in seed through growth-stage rounds for U.S. companies in H1 — up 43% year over year, according to Crunchbase data. AI once again dominated the quarter, with deals such as Meta’s $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI and a $900 million Series C for GenAI-based software company Anysphere leading the way.

Other significant startup funding activity included a $3 billion Series D round for cloud-based accounting platform ServiceNow, a $2 billion acquisition of accounts payable vendor Melio by Xero, and Modernizing Medicine’s majority stake sale to Clearlake Capital Group at a reported $7.6 billion valuation. Meanwhile, Europe’s late-stage rounds slipped on both a sequential and annual basis, pulling the continent’s share of global venture funding from 19% in Q2 to just 13% in the first six months of 2024.

A rare and coveted type of news article, an exclusive report is the kind that gets shared first with one media outlet or publication. While this tactic can be an effective way to build buzz around impactful announcements, PR pros must carefully consider what kinds of news or stories warrant an exclusive and ensure that they’re pitched to journalists who have a high level of interest in the topic or who have previously covered similar content.

To qualify as an exclusive, a story must contain information that other media outlets do not have access to or knowledge of, which can include data from interviews, public records or a new angle on an existing announcement. Exclusives also typically come with a set deadline, called an embargo, which prevents other outlets from publishing until the story runs at the chosen outlet.

Creating a compelling story that will generate attention for an exclusive takes time, research and planning. It’s important to identify the journalists and media outlets who are most likely to want an exclusive, and to target them in advance of the desired publication date. It’s also helpful to include high-resolution images and any other documentation that can expedite the reporting process.

Ultimately, PR pros must be selective about which exclusives they pursue. Using this strategy too frequently can detract from the value of your news and could tarnish your relationship with the journalist or publication. Ultimately, it’s all about the quality of the content and the value it provides to readers.

The unemployment rate, which measures the number of people jobless as a percentage of the working-age population, is one of the most closely watched indicators of the economy. It is often compared to other economic metrics, such as gross domestic product and inflation, to determine whether the economy is healthy or not.

The official unemployment rate is published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a part of the Department of Commerce. It includes only individuals who are jobless and actively looking for work, and excludes those who have dropped out of the workforce or have retired. There are other measures of labor underutilization that include discouraged workers and those who have given up their search for a job.

These alternative measurements offer a more comprehensive picture of the slack in the labor market. However, they don’t reflect the reality that many people who are unemployed are not really out of work; rather, they have had to accept employment below their skill and experience level – the mechanical engineer who drives a taxi, for example.

The unemployment rate fluctuates with the business cycle. During periods of growth, businesses create jobs, while during recessions they reduce payrolls. As a result, the number of jobless people rises. The rate is also affected by structural factors, such as the loss of a high-paying career or a lack of skills valued in the labor market. This kind of unemployment is sometimes called frictional unemployment.

Investor updates are the primary way that startup founders communicate with their investors to provide key insights into the company. They are typically sent out monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually and have a wide variety of templates available. We recommend using a template that fits your business model, stage of the company, and relationship with your investors.

One of the most important parts of an investor update is sharing performance metrics and results. This will help give your investors a glimpse into how the company is performing and allow them to track progress from month to month. Depending on the stage of the company, these can include things like revenue growth, net new MRR, customer retention, and logo retention.

Aside from sharing key performance metrics, it is also a good time to highlight accomplishments within the company. This could be anything from a record quarter to a big event to a successful product shipment. It is important to give individual kudos where needed and also make sure to mention any new hires so that they can feel recognized and welcomed into the team.

Finally, the most important part of an investor update is laying out any challenges that you or the company is currently facing. This may seem uncomfortable but it is vital that your investors know what is going on in the business so that they can help you. It is likely that the same investors who were involved in your round will have other connections that can help you solve problems, and laying out these challenges allows your investors to leverage their network where possible.

Interest rates are central to borrowing and saving, influencing everything from the affordability of mortgages and auto loans to the return on investments. They’re also crucial to the way you create a budget. Understanding how interest rates work can help you make more informed financial decisions that fit your lifestyle and goals.

A key part of the cost of debt for the borrower and the rate of return on savings for the lender, interest is calculated as a percentage of the principal sum borrowed or deposited. It is generally expressed as a decimal number or as a fraction of a year (sometimes called an annualized rate). Simple interest and compound interest are the two main methods for calculating interest, with most loans using simple interest while savings accounts and money market funds use compounding.

Lender policies and macroeconomic trends affect interest rates. For example, if lenders perceive that an economy is experiencing high levels of inflation, they may increase their credit card interest rates or raise deposit account interest rates to discourage excessive borrowing and slow economic growth. The Federal Reserve, the US central bank, sets interest rates and aims to keep them consistent with overall economic health.

For borrowers, understanding how to choose between fixed and variable rates can help you make savvy financial choices that fit your lifestyle and goals. For example, if you think you’ll be able to pay off your loan before interest rates rise significantly, a variable rate may work for you. But if you expect to take on a longer-term loan or need flexibility, a fixed rate may offer the peace of mind that comes with consistency.