Clean capital: More than 20 VC firms, many of which invest in defense tech, signed the Clean Capital Certification, self-attesting that they have not and will not take money from U.S. geopolitical adversaries such as China and Russia. Have-nots: The AI hype is distorting aggregate VC data. Digging deeper, the fundraising landscape is radically different for non-AI startups, and many that raised a Series A round 18 months ago are likely facing challenges in raising Series B funding, Tribeca Venture Partners co-founder Brian Hirsch told TechCrunch. Big deal with caveats: Nuclear startup Oklo, which is backed by Sam Altman, signed a massive but nonbinding agreement with data center operator Switch. The deal is also subject to the startup receiving approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission after having its previous application denied in 2022. AI productivity: Grammarly is acquiring productivity startup Coda to expand its scope. In an unusual move, Coda CEO and co-founder Shishir Mehrotra will become the new CEO of Grammarly, replacing Rahul Roy-Chowdhury, who will move on to an adviser role....
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was 17 years old when he first received his vocation to become a priest. It happened on Sept. 21, 1953 ' the beginning of spring in Buenos Aires ' during a spontaneous visit to the confessional, or what Catholics call the sacrament of reconciliation. This spiritual turning point for the future Pope Francis has been widely reported. Less known is that his divine calling happened en route to a student gathering that would have involved food, music and dancing the Argentine tango. Although he wound up skipping the festival, the tango still runs deep within Pope Francis. In 2014, thousands of Catholics gathered in St. Peter's Square to honor the pope's Dec. 17 birthday with his homeland's famous dance. Now, a decade later, he is turning 88 and looking back. His autobiography ' the first published by a sitting pope ' will be published in January 2025. Earlier this year, while doing research in Buenos Aires, I found myself drinking mate tea with several members of the Federation of Catholic Workers' Circles. These locals, or 'portenos,' told me Francis is a 'theologian of the tango.'...
Despite the business community's potential to be a powerful ally in the climate fight, it has largely been sidelined by free market ideologies that promote voluntary corporate sustainability over necessary regulation. To truly address climate change, businesses must go beyond individual sustainability efforts and engage in movement-building and political action. This involves mobilizing customers, rethinking NGO partnerships to focus on systemic change, pressuring peers and trade groups, and engaging in public climate lobbying. By leveraging their influence and power, businesses can drive significant progress in the fight against climate change....
Our role as a convener during COP29 is a continuation of the firm's long-term commitment to accelerate sustainable, inclusive growth. Each year, McKinsey convenes global leaders alongside the Conference of the Parties (COP), the UN's summit to accelerate global action to address climate change. This November 11'22, 2024 at the twenty-ninth COP (COP29) in Azerbaijan, we will host a series of in-person and virtual events featuring business, government, and nongovernmental organization (NGO) leaders. Our discussions will focus on how to implement ambitious climate commitments while leading a wave of innovation and economic growth that safeguards our planet and advances sustainability. Sustainability in Action is our monthly blog series, featuring a curated selection of new and relevant sustainability insights and actionable recommendations for leaders to drive climate action and growth. In this edition, our McKinsey Sustainability experts Vishal Agarwal and Anna Granskog share what business leaders should watch for at COP29....
