Andreessen Horowitz partner Kofi Ampadu has left the venture firm months after it paused Talent x Opportunity (TxO), the fund and operating program he led, TechCrunch reports. TxO was launched in 2020 amid a wave of corporate commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion after the murder of George Floyd. The initiative was designed to expand access to capital, networks, and mentorship for founders who fall outside traditional venture pipelines. The Talent X Opportunity Fund In a farewell note announcing his departure, Ampadu framed TxO as a response to the venture
Nike plans to lay off 775 employees across US distribution operations as it accelerates automation and consolidates logistics work, according to CNBC, citing people familiar with the matter. The move marks the third consecutive year that Nike has cut jobs. In August last year, Nike said it planned to cut less than 1% of its corporate workforce as part of efforts to turn around the business under CEO Elliott Hill. Earlier, in February 2024, the company had announced plans to cut 2% of its jobs: more than 1,600 roles. Nike
Google has agreed to pay $68 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging its Google Assistant recorded and shared users’ private conversations without consent. Google Settles Google Assistant Privacy Lawsuit A preliminary settlement was filed January 23 in federal court in San Jose, California, according to Reuters. Google did not admit wrongdoing, but agreed to settle, citing the cost, risk, and uncertainty of prolonged litigation. The settlement includes $22.7 million in attorneys’ fees. The lawsuit centers on how voice assistants are engineered, deployed, and monetized. Plaintiffs alleged that Google Assistant
PayPal is returning to Nigeria through a new partnership with fintech company Paga, allowing individuals and businesses to receive international payments, withdraw funds in naira, and access PayPal’s global network after nearly two decades of restricted service, TechCabal reports. For the first time, Nigerians can receive PayPal funds directly into a locally regulated wallet at scale, rather than relying on workarounds and business‑only routes. From bans to local partners PayPal blocked Nigerians from receiving payments in 2004, citing fraud concerns, and for years offered only limited functionality. Nigerians could often
Billionaire investor Vinod Khosla publicly distanced himself and his firm from comments about ICE made by Keith Rabois, a managing director at Khosla Ventures. Rabois had defended federal agents following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, in Minneapolis. Tech leaders from companies including Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic have also condemned the shooting and criticizing what they described as unnecessary escalation by ICE agents. Rabois’ Remarks Draw Internal Criticism Rabois wrote on X that “no law enforcement has shot an innocent person” and claimed that “illegals are
When Simone Biles left a Nike endorsement reportedly worth $1.6 million a month and signed with Athleta in 2021, it shocked the sports world. Biles’ move was not about money but about her values and feeling supported as an individual, Marca reported. From performance marketing to values-first partnership The four-time Olympic gold medalist exited Nike months before the Tokyo Olympics. Athleta, the Gap Inc.-owned activewear brand, offered a partnership structured around collaboration and product development. The deal included direct work with Athleta’s design team and a focus on Athleta Girl,
Pat McGrath Labs, the luxury beauty brand once valued at more than $1 billion, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, as first reported by WWD. The company will continue operating as it restructures its finances, while founder Pat McGrath remains active in high‑profile creative roles across the fashion and beauty industries. A Once Billion-Dollar Brand Faces Financial Strain Founded in 2015 by British makeup artist Pat McGrath, the brand quickly built global acclaim for its bold pigments and runway-inspired artistry. In 2018, Eurazeo Brands invested $60 million for a
Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick is bringing his education technology startup, Lumi, into K–12 classrooms through a new partnership with Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS). The collaboration launches a phased district pilot that introduces students to AI-powered storytelling tools designed to support literacy, creativity, and responsible technology use. Kaepernick’s AI Storytelling Platform Founded by Kaepernick in 2024, Lumi Story AI emerged from stealth with $4 million in seed funding led by Alexis Ohanian’s venture firm, Seven Seven Six. The platform is built to position AI as a creative assistant, helping
Darren Jason Watkins Jr, known globally as IShowSpeed, marked his 21st birthday with a historic milestone: surpassing 50 million YouTube subscribers live on stream while celebrating in Lagos, Nigeria. The achievement places IShowSpeed among a small group of creators whose audiences rival mid-size television networks. According to Black Millionaires, he is the first Black creator to reach the 50-million-subscriber mark. As the subscriber counter ticked upward during the livestream, IShowSpeed framed the moment as a collective win. “Chat, this is the best birthday gift that I could ever ask for,” he
The CEOs of OpenAI, Anthropic, and Apple have spoken out against violence involving US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents after federal agents fatally shot Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old US citizen, in Minneapolis last weekend. Their comments come as more than 450 workers from companies including Google, Amazon, Meta, Salesforce, and OpenAI signed an open letter urging their CEOs to pressure the White House to “demand that ICE leave our cities.” The petition also calls for the immediate cancellation of all company contracts with ICE, arguing that the tech industry’s tools
