Thursday, July 17, 2025

 
Home Blog Page 18

North American VC assets under management are set to grow 38% in five years—slower than the previous five

Fortune
-
0
North American VC assets under management are set to grow 38% in five years—slower than the previous five

But you already knew that—one of the key narratives in the venture capital marketplace from the first day that I started covering the space, is that not only are VCs raising more capital, as billion dollar funds become dime-a-dozen, but that there are more VCs. (My favorite ZIRP era statistic to this end: According to the National Venture Capital Association, in 2019, there were about 1,900 venture capital firms. By early 2024, that number had ballooned to 3,417.)

It follows then, that assets under management in VC would also be growing: According to PitchBook, VC AUM in North America doubled between 2019 and 2024, and is projected to grow about 38% over the next five years. The picture is actually a bit more complicated than it might seem, according to Kyle Stanford, PitchBook director of research for US venture. Stanford pointed out via email that current VC AUM is actually flat as compared to 2021—the year VC AUM grew from $850 billion to $1.31 trillion—and since then, the market has been resetting after warping through the flood of capital and sky-high valuations.

“The past four years have almost been a ‘catch-up’ phase for North American VC,” Stanford said. “What ultimately drives AUM growth again is going to be the ability for companies to realize the value the market has placed on startups. That seems easy to say, but we know that liquidity and returns will expand the interest of LPs and again put up more money for VC. Unicorns are aging, and so are many funds holding onto companies in hopes that they produce that fund-defining exit.”

The numbers break down like so: PitchBook estimates that VC AUM in North America will increase from $1.36 trillion at the end of last year to $1.81 trillion in 2029. California, per PitchBook, contains 54% of the VC AUM in North America, while the Mid-Atlantic consists of 20% of current AUM. (Notably, market share in the Mid-Atlantic grew 2.6x from 2019 to 2024.) What will drive growth moving forward—or limit it—is the exit environment, said Stanford. 

“It’s easy to get excited about the exits that have occurred this year,” he wrote. “There have been some strong IPOs, and eight unicorns have exited so far. I’d say I am more cautiously optimistic than others in the market, though. Eight unicorns represent about 1% of the total number of billion-dollar companies, and there isn’t a large pipeline of IPOs building up for immediate listings because market uncertainty is so high. I think that the best-case scenario in the current environment is that we see an increase in companies registering for public offerings in Q4, with Q1 listings beginning to drive a liquidity surge.”

There’s an argument here that AUM shouldn’t matter—that VC isn’t an AUM game, but a returns game, which I personally think is true. That being said, AUM is an interesting indicator in that it suggests the ways in which venture capital has ultimately become mainstream. 

“Every large bank and institutional investor is adding alternative investments to their portfolio and offering them to clients,” said Stanford. “A growing AUM is probably the lagging indicator of a strong market that is generating the returns to sustain an increase in cash flowing into the strategy. A market with a growing AUM is going to be generating returns for investors, which will subsequently provide the cash for new deals, benefiting new startups and entrepreneurs. A growing AUM is better for the entire ecosystem.”

Windsurfing… I broke the news on Friday that Windsurf was stepping away from the OpenAI deal—vaulting into Google’s arms in a $2.4 billion acquihire that stirred quite a bit of social media discourse about what it means to treat employees fairly. The saga took another stunning turn today, as AI startup Cognition, led by Scott Wu, swept in to buy Windsurf’s remaining assets for undisclosed terms.  

See you tomorrow,

Allie Garfinkle
X: @agarfinks
Email: alexandra.garfinkle@fortune.com
Submit a deal for the Term Sheet newsletter here.

Sara Braun curated the deals section of today’s newsletter. Subscribe here.

Venture Deals

– Island, a Dallas-based enterprise workspace and application delivery platform, raised $250 million in previously announced Series E funding. Coatue Management led the round and was joined by J.P. Morgan Growth Equity Partners. 

– Moonvalley, a Toronto-based AI research company, raised $84 million in additional funding. General Catalyst led the round and was joined by Creative Artists Agency (CAA), AI Cloud CoreWeave, Comcast Ventures, and existing investors Khosla Ventures and YCombinator. 

– CertifID, an Austin-based wire fraud protection platform for the real estate industry, raised $47.5 million in Series C funding. Centana Growth Partners led the round and was joined by existing investor Arthur Ventures.

– NetBox Labs, a New York City-based commercial steward of open source NetBox, raised $35 million in Series B funding. NGP Capital led the round and was joined by Sorenson Capital, Headline, existing investors Flybridge Capital, Notable Capital, Mango Capital, and more. 

– Amogy, a Brooklyn-based clean tech company building solutions to use ammonia as a fuel, raised $23 million in funding. Korea Development Bank and KDB Silicon Valley led the round and were joined by BonAngels Venture Partners, Pathway Investment and JB Investment. 

– Datavations, a New York City-based intelligence provider for the building materials and home improvement industries, raised $17 million in Series A funding. Forestay Capital led the round and was joined by Morpheus Ventures, existing investors Sage Venture Partners, Nevcaut Ventures, and others. 

– Murphy, a Barcelona-based AI-native platform for debt servicing, raised $15 million in seed funding. Northzone led the round and was joined by ElevenLabs, Lakestar, Seedcamp, and others. 

– Zip Security, a New York City-based security, compliance, and IT automation company, raised $13.5 million in Series A funding. Ballistic Ventures led the round and was joined by Silver Buckshot, Mantis VC, and existing investors General Catalyst, Human Capital and Box Group. 

– Cogent Security, a San Francisco-based AI taskforce for vulnerability management within in-house security, raised $11 million in funding. Greylock Partners led the round and was joined by Lockstep and others. 

– Collate, a Saratoga, California-based AI-platform to organize data, improve quality, and automate governance, raised $10 million in Series A funding. Venrock led the round and was joined by Unusual Ventures and Karman Ventures.

– Duranta, a Seattle-based software platform for landscapers and lawn care professionals, raised $7 million in seed funding. Base10 Partners, Pear, Coalition Operators and Sunshine Lake led the round. 

– ProductNow, a Palo-Alto based AI-native operating system for product teams, raised $6 million in seed funding. Sierra Ventures led the round and was joined by Parameter Ventures. 

– Juno, a corporate travel operations and expense management platform, raised $4 million in seed funding. Avid Ventures led the round and was joined by Matchstick Ventures and existing investors Madrona Ventures and Bungalow Capital.

– Asepha, a Toronto-based startup leveraging AI agents for pharmacy automation, raised $4 million in seed funding. Glasswing Ventures and Core Innovation Capital led the round and were joined by Panache, RedBud, MGV, and others. 

– Bidbus, a Los Angeles-based pre-owned car marketplace, raised $3.3 in seed funding. Mucker Capital led the round. 

– Trupeer, a Bengaluru, India-based AI video platform for software and business workflows, raised $3 million in seed funding. RTP Global led the round and was joined by Salesforce Ventures and others. 

Exits

– Mutares agreed to acquire Fuentes, a Murcia, Spain-based food transportation company, from Lineage Group. Financial terms were not disclosed. 

FUNDS + FUNDS OF FUNDS

– Stone Point Capital, a Greenwich, Connecticut-based private equity firm, raised $11.5 billion for its tenth fund focused on owner-operators in and around the global financial services industry.

PEOPLE

– Rainier Partners, a Seattle-based private equity firm investing in lower middle-market services businesses, promoted Henry Anderson and Luke Bench to principal. 



This story originally appeared on Fortune

MoD data breach put lives of around 20,000 Afghans ‘at risk of serious violence’ | UK News

SkyNews
-
0
MoD data breach put lives of around 20,000 Afghans ‘at risk of serious violence’ | UK News

A massive data breach by the Ministry of Defence has put the lives of around 20,000 Afghan nationals as well as their families “at risk of serious violence”, it can be revealed.

Details about the blunder can finally be made public after a judge lifted a super injunction that had been sought by the government.

Barings Law accused the Ministry of Defence of trying to hide the truth from the public.

As well as the human cost, the scandal will likely leave the British government – and taxpayers – liable for large sums of money in compensation and support to those affected.

The government is expected to make a statement to parliament imminently.

The disaster is thought to have been triggered by the careless handling of an email that contained a list of the names and other details of around 20,000 Afghan nationals, who had been trying to apply to a British government scheme to support those who helped or worked with UK forces in Afghanistan that were fighting the Taliban between 2001 and 2021.

The collapse of the western-backed Afghan government that year, saw the Taliban return to power. The new government regards anyone who worked with British or other foreign forces during the previous two decades as a traitor.

The source said a small number of people named on the list are known to have subsequently been killed though it is not clear if this was a direct result of the data breach.

It is also not clear whether the Taliban has the list – only that the Ministry of Defence lost control of the information.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News App. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.



This story originally appeared on Skynews

Planet Money Summer School tackles political economy : Planet Money : NPR

NPR
-
0
Planet Money Summer School tackles political economy : Planet Money : NPR


Like Popsicles, sunscreen and swimming holes, it has become a summer tradition. Planet Money Summer School is back. (You can listen to past seasons here. We’ve explored topics like economic history, investing and the basics of micro- and macroeconomics.)

This season, our free economics course for your ears tries to answer the question that has been captivating economists since the dawn of the field: What role can or should the government play in shaping the economy?

We hear a lot about the invisible hand of the free market. But what about the visible hand of the government? We’re diving deep into the waters of political economy. How big does a government have to be before you can call it “big government,” and where should the market end and the public sector take over?

Every Wednesday this summer, we’ll hear stories of how the decisions from inside political institutions can make us all richer … or can completely bungle everything and hold back economic growth.

In case you missed it, in our first episode, we asked: Why are some nations rich and others poor? We travel to Jamaica and Peru to find examples of when the government can help and when it doesn’t. We talk with Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist Simon Johnson, the former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund and a winner of the 2024 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.

In the coming weeks, we’ll ask how governments can use taxes to change our collective behavior and improve society. And we’ll find out how to tell the difference between the taxes that are a drag on economic dynamism and the taxes that repair a market failure.

We’ll have a whole class on how government regulations affect every little part of our lives, sometimes for good and sometimes for reasons that no one can figure out. Should you need a license to be a dentist? A dental hygienist? How about to cut hair? Or braid hair? Has occupational licensing gotten out of control?

We’ll look at how the government can help encourage innovation through protection of property rights. We’ve got a meaty case study sure to heat up class debate: whether you should be able to patent a cut of steak.

And we’ll explore the track record of “industrial policy ” — when governments try to reengineer the economy and boost particular sectors. This one takes us on an international journey to the literal ends of the earth, where we watch a radical attempt to remake the international supply chain.

Plus, this season we’ll be taking Planet Money Summer School live! You can buy tickets here!

On Aug. 18, at the Bell House in New York City, join us for a live recording of Planet Money Summer School! Host Robert Smith and special guests will host an evening of storytelling for the ages as well as a graduation ceremony, economic trivia, games and a totally not-stressful night of politics, economics and solving the world’s problems. Note: In this graduation ceremony, the degree is very literally worth only what you put into it.

VIP tickets include early access to the Bell House and a meet and greet with Planet Money staff.

  • VIP early entry: 6:30 p.m.
  • Doors: 7 p.m.
  • Show time: Aug. 18 at 7:30 p.m.

Planet Money+ supporters get early access to each episode of Planet Money Summer School all summer long and 10% of tickets to the event. Sign up here.

Supporting PM+ is the best way to show you value our journalism and to help us keep doing ambitious reporting and rigorous fact-checking on the economy right now.



This story originally appeared on NPR

Chris Hemsworth Celebrates Epic Wimbledon Event With Friends

CelebrityInsider
-
0
Chris Hemsworth Celebrates Epic Wimbledon Event With Friends


Instagram/@chrishemsworth

Chris Hemsworth chooses to reveal a little glimpse into this magnificent moment in his life. He thanks Wimbledon and Evian Water for creating a wonderful hangout opportunity for him and his friends, with a caption that read: “An epic event.” Standing tall in a coveted candid shot from the day, our stand-up Thor dazzled in a navy blue shirt with white trousers, flanked by a woman in green and white and a man in a knitted white shirt. The three posed together in front of a delightful floral backdrop adorned with the logos of Wimbledon and Evian, setting the perfect tone for summertime.

Advertisement

There could never have been any other kind of reaction from his followers; within the first few minutes, the post elicited all sorts of responses, ranging from worship to silly jabs. One user went crazy with, “HI CHRIS I LOVE YOU,” another jokingly asked, “Chris at Wimbledon?? Why wasn’t I told??” The excitement reached an all-time high, with a multitude of comments pouring in that showered the man with praise for his looks, the event, and other miscellaneous worthy subjects.

Of course, not everyone was throwing compliments and praises toward Hemsworth and his charm; some went for humor and some went strange. Fans kept the comments lively, with some greeting the absence of British rapper Stormzy. One fan went wild, saying, “My mom has a crush on you,” while another exclaimed, “I thought it was Lukaku.”

A slight detour of seriousness dropped amid waves of loving jibes, confronting, ‘Where’s your voice about the genocide?’, Cementing the fact that whenever public celebrations happen, public figures will be either scrutinized for their stance on an issue or questioned for their silence.

Marvelling down to the end of Hemsworth’s post, setting the rumor mill rolling, one hopeful follower inquired, ‘Tell me that look is for Unworthy Thor,’ referring to the doomed rumor of him maybe potentially coming back into the franchise ‘in some other way.’ Whether that may ever be a reality is questionable, but the thought itself has gotten the fans already buzzing.

Alongside the caption of the post was an acknowledgment given to friends or associates in tagging @zocobodypro, @bobbydazzler84, and @kleatus, hitting Bobby Dazzler with an endorsement from a fan of, “Bobby Dazzler is the man!” That photo clearly showed that the camaraderie is real; surely, Hemsworth had the time of his life at the event.

As almost all comments were positive, an abundance of sexual innuendos flooded the comment section, with a couple of playful admirers not even shying away from being flirty. “Wish you saw my story, sexy man” almost starts the whole romance thing again, proving that the charm of Hemsworth is still as strong today.

The post is a perfect slice of the movie star living life with great company in even better vibes. Whether throwing his hammer around as Thor or pumping his tennis events higher in profile, Chris Hemsworth knows how to raise excitement- always and for good!

Advertisement

The Wimbledon thing probably acted as a pleasant appetizer for the actor, who’s got plenty of projects in line to work on. From the comments, it looked like his fandom was so proud watching him achieve success and share it. So what’s next on everybody’s mind for the Chico-star?



This story originally appeared on Celebrityinsider

This FTSE 100 passive income gem now has a forecast yield of a stunning 8.5%, so should I buy more?

Motley Fool
-
0
This FTSE 100 passive income gem now has a forecast yield of a stunning 8.5%, so should I buy more?


Image source: Getty Images

FTSE 100 asset manager M&G (LSE: MNG) remains a core holding in my passive income portfolio. This comprises stocks selected to generate high dividends without me having to do too much.

Such income can greatly enhance the quality of life and can also allow for an early retirement. So I look for three key qualities in the shares I select for this purpose.

Yield

The first of these elements is a yield of over 7% when I buy it. This will change as the share price and annual dividend alter. However, 7%+ gives me compensation for taking the extra risk in shares over the benchmark ‘risk-free rate’. This is the yield of the 10-year UK government bond, presently 4.6%.

M&G ticks this box for me, having paid a dividend of 20.1p last year, giving a yield of 7.8%. That said, analysts forecast that the payout will rise to 20.7p this year, 21.2p next year, and 22p in 2027.

These would generate respective yields on the current £2.59 share price of 8%, 8.2% and 8.5%.

Undervaluation

The second facet is a stock that is at least 30% underpriced to its ‘fair value’. This value is what the share is worth, based on the underlying business, while price is simply what the market is willing to pay.

Such an undervaluation minimises the chance I will lose money on the share price if I sell. Conversely, of course, it increases the chance of making money in that event.

The 30% figure reflects my experience that anything less can be wiped out by high market volatility.

M&G again ticks this box for me, with a discounted cash flow valuation showing it is 46% undervalued now. Therefore, its fair value is £4.80.

Earnings

That said, the powerhouse of a company’s dividends and share price is earnings growth (or profits). Whereas revenue is the total income a firm makes, earnings are what remain after expenses are deducted.

Given this, I want as high a figure as possible, but 6% is my absolute minimum when I buy. I think if a firm cannot achieve this then it might as well sell its assets and put them in the risk-free bond.

A risk for M&G is a surge in the cost of living that might cause clients to cancel their policies. That said, consensus analysts’ projections are that its earnings will grow by 41% a year to the end of 2027.

What does this mean for passive income?

Ignoring the higher yield forecasts, £11,000 (the average UK savings) of 7.8%-yielding M&G shares would make £12,936 in dividends after 10 years. After 30 years on the same basis, this would rise to £102,332.

Both figures assume that the dividends are reinvested back into the stock – known as dividend compounding.

Adding in the £11,000 initial investment, the M&G holding would be worth £113,332 by that point. And this would pay an annual passive income of £8,840 by then!

Will I buy more of the shares?

I do not doubt that the very strong forecast earnings will drive the share price and dividend much higher. This, given the already extremely high yield and extremely low valuation, means I will buy more shares very shortly.



This story originally appeared on Motley Fool

Google snatches Windsurf execs in a $2.4B deal, derailing OpenAI’s biggest acquisition yet – Computerworld

Computerworld
-
0
Google snatches Windsurf execs in a .4B deal, derailing OpenAI’s biggest acquisition yet – Computerworld



In a dramatic reversal that has sent shockwaves through the AI industry, Google has recruited the top executives of AI coding startup Windsurf in a $2.4 billion talent acquisition deal, just two months after Windsurf agreed to be acquired by OpenAI for $3 billion.

Google will hire Windsurf CEO Varun Mohan and co-founder Douglas Chen, along with select research and development staff, for its DeepMind AI division. Mohan, an Indian-origin entrepreneur who grew up in California and attended MIT, has led Windsurf’s transformation from Codeium into one of the hottest AI coding platforms in the market.

“Thrilled to welcome Windsurf founders Varun Mohan and Douglas Chen and some of the brilliant Windsurf engineering team to Google DeepMind,” Demis Hassabis, co-founder and CEO of Google DeepMind, said in an X post. “Excited to be working with them to turbocharge our Gemini efforts on coding agents, tool use, and much more.”



This story originally appeared on Computerworld

From Dressage Queen to Fashion’s Next Global Superstar – Hollywood Life

Hollywood Life
-
0
From Dressage Queen to Fashion’s Next Global Superstar – Hollywood Life


Some stars are born. Others are made. And then there’s Irina Haller — a name that’s become synonymous with unstoppable ambition, natural elegance, and the kind of overnight success that still feels like destiny.

Discovered in December 2024, the German-born beauty went from unknown to runway revelation in a matter of weeks, making her dazzling debut at New York Fashion Week. Today, Irina is one of the most talked-about new faces in fashion — and Hollywood is paying close attention.

Irina Haller: From Dressage Queen to Fashion's Next Global Superstar
Irina Haller

The Making of a Modern Icon

Irina’s story is as striking as her looks. Before the catwalk, there was the arena. Irina spent over two decades mastering the art of dressage, the elite sport of precision, poise, and power. It’s this unique foundation that shaped her signature style — a mix of fierce control and effortless grace that has captivated designers and photographers from Los Angeles to London.

“Dressage taught me balance — not just on a horse, but in life,” Irina tells Hollywood Magazine. “Now I bring that same balance to every runway, every shoot.”

The Face Everyone Wants

Since her whirlwind debut, Irina has been unstoppable. Cover star for Grazia and Women Fitness Confirmed features for Glamour and Marie Claire Campaigns for Pia Bolte, Alo Yoga, and more. Whether she’s channeling rockstar glam in rhinestone leather or minimalist cool in sleek sportswear, Irina’s versatility is turning her into fashion’s new muse. And beyond fashion, film insiders are taking notice, with many calling her natural screen presence undeniable.

The Discipline Behind the Spotlight

Beneath the glitz lies grit. Irina’s success is no accident. A lifelong athlete, she combines strength training, Pilates, and mindfulness into a daily regimen that keeps her runway- ready and resilient.

Her philosophy is simple: “True beauty comes from balance — of body, mind, and purpose.”

A Voice for Change

Irina isn’t here just to look good. She’s determined to use her platform to advocate for sustainability, diversity, and authentic representation in the fashion industry.

“We have a chance to reflect the world as it is — in all its beauty and complexity,” she says. “That’s the kind of modeling I want to do.”

What’s Next

With Paris and Milan Fashion Weeks on the horizon, Victoria’s Secret on her vision board, and interest from the film world growing, Irina Haller is poised for superstardom. And as she tells us, “This is just the beginning. I’m ready for it all.”



This story originally appeared on Hollywoodlife

‘Never busy’ beach with golden sand is only accessible with one-hour walk | UK | Travel

Express.co.uk
-
0
‘Never busy’ beach with golden sand is only accessible with one-hour walk | UK | Travel


The solitary green flag beach in North Wales, Traeth Llydan, ranks as one of the most secluded yet stunning beaches, boasting golden sands and grassy dunes flanked by a quaint pine woodland. Known alternatively as Silver Bay due to its proximity to a local holiday village, Traeth Llydan nestles within a horseshoe-shaped bay on the southern side of Anglesey’s Holy Island.

It’s a prime spot for rock pooling adventures, thanks to the rock formations that bracket the bay. Offshore lies a petite castellated tower, once a bathing house belonging to the Bodior Estate, casting a historical aura over the sandy expanse. In many ways, stretch of coast could be seen as the less well-trodden sibling of the famous Traeth Llanddwyn in Newborough, minus the hubbub.

Comedian Jason Manford is among its admirers, and last summer he relished the he time spent on this “cracking” beach with his young children. His online homage included sunset snaps from a “beautiful Welsh evening”, marred only by the “bloody cold” sea, reports North Wales Live.

Sturdier souls treasure the gently shelving shoreline, perfect for swimmers, kayakers, and sailors alike, and a year-round welcome for canine companions.

What ensures Traeth Llydan’s untouched appeal is the restriction on vehicle entry. While there’s a sizeable car park close at hand, it’s strictly reserved for holiday park patrons. And security staff don’t take kindly to any attempts to wander through their domain.

Most visitors tend to park at Borth Wen, the neighbouring cove, and embark on a walk along the Anglesey coastal path. Although it can be quite a trek – up to an hour – the “amazing” vistas across to Eryri are well worth the effort.

If you’re planning to park at Borth Wen, it’s advisable to get there early as its beach can become crowded. An alternative route involves walking or cycling through the lanes around Silver Bay Holiday Park and following a footpath through pine woods to the beach.

One visitor described it as a “beautiful beach.” Another praised it as: “An absolutely beautiful beach unspoiled by tourism.”

By common consensus, the beach is “never busy” and caravanning guests are considered “lucky to have it” on their doorstep. One visitor remarked: “One of the prettiest bays I have come across for ages. Clean, clear water that is lovely to swim in and not too deep.”

It’s entirely possible to find yourself alone on the beach, basking in the tranquillity. However, the peaceful sound of waves lapping against the shore can occasionally be disrupted by a noisy neighbour: RAF Valley airport is situated across Cymyran Strait, and depending on your viewpoint, the roar of jet planes could either be an annoyance or a point of interest.

In May, Traeth Llydan retained its Green Coast Award in this year’s Keep Wales Tidy Wales Coast Awards. It was one of 13 beaches in Wales to receive the award, and the only one in the north of the country.

The coveted Green Coast status is awarded to Wales’ coastal “hidden gems” – untouched spots celebrated for their “unspoilt beauty, excellent water quality and high standards of environmental education”. The accolade’s organisers point out that these beaches offer “exceptional places to enjoy stunning scenery, rich coastal heritage and diversity”.

Keep Wales Tidy praised: “Silver Bay is a beautiful, remote beach facing south into Cymyran Bay. Get the best island stories from our Anglesey newsletter – sent every Friday”.

They added that “The beach is wide and sandy with rocky outcrops to clamber over and plenty of opportunities for rock pooling. It is also popular for sailing, surfing and canoeing.”



This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk

Form makes its smart swimming goggles tougher with Gorilla Glass lenses

Engadget
-
0
Form makes its smart swimming goggles tougher with Gorilla Glass lenses


It’s been a little over a year since Form released its second-generation smart swim goggles into the world. Since then, the company has been working on a way to ensure its headgear is even more attractive to swimmers who like to get out in the rough. Today, it’s announcing the Smart Swim 2 Pro, a modest upgrade on its predecessor with a focus on durability.

The 2 Pro’s lenses are now made of Gorilla Glass 3, which adds a gram or two more weight but should keep them scratch-free for far longer. Given the amount of open-water swimmers that use Form’s goggles, having faith that your lenses can take nature’s elbows is probably worth it.

If you’ve ever used a pair of regular goggles for a long time, you might notice how the anti-fog coating starts to wear off. Especially if you, like me, absentmindedly commit the sin of wiping the inside of their goggles with a finger when your view is obscured. Form may be proud of its current anti-fog coating, but realized there was a better way to keep the lenses clear for longer.

Consequently, the 2 Pro comes with a bottle of anti-fog spray that users need to apply before a swim. This isn’t a way of squeezing more cash out of the user base, however, as the company is proud to admit it’s just baby shampoo diluted with water. But Form has tested the correct ratio for optimal application and there are markings on the bottle showing you what you need to refill.

At the same time, Form is rolling out new features for its premium subscribers, including more data-driven program planning and more tips on where you need to improve. The company also revealed that its premium features are paying off, with swimmers seeing 1.4 times the gains in speed compared to the users who use the hardware alone.

The Form Smart Swim 2 Pro is available to buy July 15 for $329 in the US, $449 in Canada and €329 in Europe.



This story originally appeared on Engadget

Is ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ a Box Office Success?

MovieWeb
-
0
Is ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ a Box Office Success?


With one week in the spotlight before the Man of Steel made his return to the big screen, Jurassic World Rebirth had a lot to live up to at the box office. Even though only one (arguably two) installments in the Jurassic Park franchise have been met with unambiguously positive reviews, it’s stayed a consistent draw for audiences ever since 1993.

Yet the series is coming off the creative low point of Jurassic World: Dominion, which bafflingly sidelined the dinosaurs in favor of locusts. Thus, director Gareth Edwards has been tasked with giving audiences a clean slate. How have audiences responded to the film? Is Jurassic World Rebirth a box office success? And should we expect another entry in the long-running franchise?


Jurassic World Rebirth

Release Date

July 2, 2025

Runtime

134 minutes

Director

Gareth Edwards

Writers

David Koepp

Producers

Frank Marshall, Patrick Crowley




‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Brings Back the Dinos

A dinosaur roaring in Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025)

Universal Pictures

Set five years after the events of Jurassic World: Dominion, Rebirth focuses on a team of operatives sent to a tropical biosphere, in hopes that they can recover blood samples from dinosaurs, as they’re believed to hold a possible cure for heart disease. Led by Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson), the team quickly discovers that the island is also host to hybrid dinosaurs, discarded by InGen due to the danger they posed, and that they are now on the hunt for human flesh.

Jonathan Bailey in Jurassic World Rebirth

Related


Making Sense of ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’s Confusing Timeline

‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ introduces a lot of new lore to the franchise, and its opening prologue sets up an interesting retcon for the series.

But the film is also something of a reset of the status quo for the Jurassic Park franchise. One of the few intriguing plot threads from Dominion, that dinosaurs and humans were now forced to cohabitate the planet, is quickly discarded, as it’s revealed that the creatures can only survive in tropical climates. Following an installment that pleased virtually nobody thanks to its sidelining of the main attraction, Rebirth is definitely a return to the dino-driven action that fans have come to expect (and viewers seem to have embraced exactly this).

‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Proves That Audiences Still Love Dinosaurs

Titanosaurus in Jurassic World: Rebirth

Universal Pictures

It’s honestly hard to think of many franchises that have remained as successful at the box office despite mixed or outright negative reviews as Jurassic Park. To this date, only two installments in the series hold a “Fresh” critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and yet even Star Wars and the MCU have had more certifiable box-office bombs on their hands than Jurassic Park. The same has held true for Rebirth; despite a 52% critical approval rating, it earned $137 million over its opening five-day weekend domestically, and it currently holds a $529 million gross worldwide, on a $180 million budget.

Jurassic Park Film

Rotten Tomatoes Score

Jurassic Park

91%

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

56%

Jurassic Park III

49%

Jurassic World

72%

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

47%

Jurassic World: Dominion

29%

Jurassic World Rebirth

52%

The series’ longevity likely stems from two factors. First, and most obviously, the original Jurassic Park is still widely beloved as one of the best blockbusters of its generation, and it still holds a special place in the hearts of children who grew up seeing it in theaters. Even if none of the sequels have captured its magic, the inherent joy of witnessing the brachiosaurus appear as John Williams’ score swells means they’re willing to forgive a lot. Second, kids love dinosaurs to a degree that should never be underestimated. Family audiences played a significant role in helping the box office rebound post-COVID, and they undoubtedly made up a substantial segment of the audience for Rebirth.

‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Is a Box-Office Success, But Is It a Hit?

Scarlett Johansson in Jurassic World: Rebirth

Universal Pictures

Yet despite the already-clear box-office success of Jurassic World Rebirth, it does come with a couple of caveats. To begin with, it’s following on the heels of a trilogy where each installment grossed over $1 billion worldwide, and while $529 million to date isn’t bad, it’s hard to see Rebirth meeting that benchmark at this rate. This weekend’s box-office returns, which Superman expectedly dominated, saw a 57% drop for Rebirth, leading to a current domestic total of $232 million. Again, it’s far from a flop, but it’s nowhere near the heights that most of the previous installments have hit.

Matt Damon in The Odyssey wearing armor and a helmet (2026)

Related


Yes, I Went to a 2-Hour ‘Jurassic World’ Movie To Watch a 70-Second Trailer, and It Was Worth It

The first teaser for Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ played before ‘Jurassic World Rebirth,’ and it’s worth the price of admission by itself.

It’s hard to imagine audiences staying enthusiastic enough for it to have strong legs for the rest of the month; it currently holds a “B” CinemaScore rating, the second-lowest in the series to date. For context, the first two Jurassic World installments each got an “A”, while Dominion got an “A-“. At the moment, it seems safe to predict that Superman will continue to dominate next week, before The Fantastic Four: First Steps inevitably takes over the conversation on July 25.

Will ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Do Well Enough for a Sequel?

A promo image of The D-Rex in Jurassic World Rebirth

Universal Pictures

But even despite these slightly lower-than-expected marks, and overall stronger box-office competition, it’s still clear that Jurassic Park remains a bankable franchise among mainstream audiences (Scarlett Johansson’s star power has also likely helped). Unlike Terminator, Transformers, and Fantastic Beasts, which all suffered high-profile box-office flops after losing goodwill, an installment as widely panned as Dominion evidently wasn’t enough to dampen viewers’ love of dinosaurs. As such, it’s almost guaranteed to recoup its budget, and another sequel seems inevitable.

Critics and naysayers may criticize the series all they want, but the financial receipts speak for themselves, and especially since it’s holding relatively steady in its second weekend, we can reasonably call Jurassic World Rebirth a box-office success. Jurassic World Rebirth is now playing in theaters.



This story originally appeared on Movieweb

1...171819...1,875Page 18 of 1,875

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

ABOUT US

Pagegoo.com serves as a news aggregator website. We provide the top trending news online. Our website exercises third-party content for information purpose only and are not liable for any web content related to or denoted to from these pages. All news, images & videos associated to content are hosted on third-party sites or users. We also often used third-party links.

Contact us: Info@Pagegoo.com

FOLLOW US

© 2025 Pagegoo.com. All Rights Reserved.