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Uber’s back in the DOJ hot seat over disability discrimination, proving some lessons never stick. Meanwhile, Gen Z is swapping Google for TikTok to hunt lifestyle trends.
Creators are juicing their Reels with AI to hit millions of views, while China’s giants push homegrown chips to dodge Nvidia. And across the pond, Europe is churning out unicorns like it’s a side hustle—67 in just 18 months. Keep reading for more!
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Seven bullets of updates
🚖 The U.S. Justice Dept sues Uber over alleged disability discrimination; echoes 2022's multimillion-dollar settlement with DOJ.
🕵️♂️ Nearly 40% of Gen Z now use TikTok for searching lifestyle trends, closing in on Google and fragmenting the search game.
📄 Leaked docs reveal China's tech giants use surprisingly Western-style corporate playbooks, from vendor pitches to annual revenue targets.
⚠️ ChatGPT's dev mode lets AI skip safety guardrails in 80% of test runs, sparking fresh ethical debate.
🤖 AI can supercharge your Instagram Reels, helping creators rack up 7M+ views with smarter editing and posting.
🇨🇳 China’s tech leaders are now using in-house AI chips to train models without Nvidia dependencies—Alibaba and Baidu at the forefront.
🦄 Europe just minted 67 unicorns in 18 months, making this the region’s fastest startup surge yet.
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Bill Gates’s breakthrough energy Fellows expands amid global uncertainty
Breakthrough Energy’s annual cohort just welcomed 22 fresh climate-tech startups, with a notable plot twist: nearly half the incoming teams hail from outside the U.S.—not just the usual suspects from Boston, Palo Alto, or Bill Gates’ Rolodex.
The program is doubling down on “borderless innovation” as global uncertainty throws up new hurdles for frontier tech. This isn’t just flag-waving; tapping into global talent pools means less groupthink and more battlefield-tested ideas—vital for everything from energy storage to supply chains. Investors and founders betting on deep tech will want to watch for how these newly-minted ventures navigate cashflow, regulatory soup, and the scaling potholes that come with launching in, say, Nigeria or Chile rather than Mountain View.
For anyone eyeing the trajectory of climate funding, the next few years will reveal whether global sourcing leads to a leveled-up impact—or just new variations of old headaches. More on that here.
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The REAL Reason You’ll Never Own Anything Again
Subscriptions have become the new monthly tax on our digital lives. They’ve made access to music, TV, and more convenient—but they’re also driving up spending fast. The average American now shells out $300/month on subscriptions, up from $237 in 2018. In fact, more U.S. households pay for Amazon Prime than decorate a Christmas tree, go to church, or even own pets. Subscriptions aren’t just services—they’re a money machine.
🕶️ More videos here 🕶️
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7+ Revenue Streams from One Business
Most companies chase one or two ways to make money. Surf Lakes has at least seven.
At the heart of it all is their patented 360° wave tech that creates 2,000 surfable rides per hour for beginners and pros alike. That single breakthrough unlocks multiple revenue streams: licensing fees, royalties, memberships, day passes, media, coaching, food, retail, and direct park operations.
It’s why surfing legends Tom Curren and Mark “Occy” Occhilupo are investing in the company.
Actor Chris Hemsworth even said this after his Surf Lakes experience: “What an incredible setup! Really thankful I got to test this out…an awesome day.”
Surf tourism is a $65B global industry, yet fewer than 1% of people can access real waves. Surf Lakes makes it possible anywhere, turning cities into surf destinations.
They’ve already sold nine licenses worldwide, and the expansion is coming. Back Surf Lakes by 9/12 and get up to 15% bonus shares.
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Investor Data Room Checklist
An investor data room is a storage space, digital or physical, where companies store information relevant to due diligence. We've compiled a FREE Template/Checklist of all the items your data room should include and resources and tools for obtaining them.
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From BFFs to red flags: regulators eye chatbots
Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash
The FTC has opened an inquiry into seven companies—Alphabet, CharacterAI, Instagram, Meta, OpenAI, Snap, and xAI—over the safety and monetization of AI chatbot companions for minors. Regulators are examining whether safeguards adequately protect children and teens, how risks are communicated to parents, and how companies address harmful outcomes. Concerns are mounting after lawsuits tied to suicides allegedly encouraged by chatbots, Meta’s past allowance of “romantic” interactions with minors, and reports of elderly users being misled into dangerous situations. Experts also warn of “AI-related psychosis,” where vulnerable users believe chatbots are conscious. FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson stressed the need to protect users while preserving U.S. leadership in AI innovation.
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Startup Events and Deadlines
Techstars Foundercon 2025 | 15-17 Sept | USA, Colorado
Antler Canada | Deadline: Sept 29 | Canada
500 Startups Flagship Accelerator l Deadline: Oct 11 l USA
Mental Health Tech Summit 2025 l October 15 l NYC