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KKR Forgoes FiberCop Dividends Amid Italian Telecoms Customer Losses

Private equity firm KKR has reportedly decided to forgo dividends from its Italian telecoms business FiberCop following significant customer losses. The €22bn Telecom Italia acquisition faces challenges as the company falls short of initial projections amid government pressure to merge with state-controlled rival Open Fiber.

KKR’s Italian Telecom Investment Faces Headwinds

Global investment firm KKR has chosen to forgo dividends from its Italian telecommunications venture FiberCop after accelerated customer losses, according to reports from the Financial Times. The decision suggests one of Europe’s largest private equity deals may be underperforming initial expectations, with the €22bn acquisition of Telecom Italia’s fixed-line network business facing operational challenges.

by Priya KapoorOctober 16, 2025October 22, 2025

AI Startups

AI Startup Valuations Surge $1 Trillion Amid Investor Frenzy, Bubble Concerns Mount

Artificial intelligence startups have seen unprecedented valuation increases totaling nearly $1 trillion over the past year, according to financial analysis. Venture capital firms have directed two-thirds of their total investment toward AI companies, fueling both optimism about transformative technology and concerns about an inflating bubble in private markets.

Unprecedented AI Valuation Surge

Ten lossmaking artificial intelligence startup companies have gained close to $1 trillion in valuation over the past 12 months, according to reports from financial analysts. This unprecedented increase has intensified concerns about an inflating bubble in private markets that sources indicate could potentially spill over into the wider economy.

by Priya KapoorOctober 16, 2025October 22, 2025

Business Finance

First Brands Collapse Reveals $12 Billion Debt Crisis in Private Credit Market

The rapid collapse of Patrick James’ auto-parts conglomerate First Brands has revealed nearly $12 billion in debt and sparked investigations into alleged financial irregularities. The downfall has exposed significant vulnerabilities in the private credit market, with major financial institutions facing substantial losses.

Rise and Fall of an Auto-Parts Empire

The spectacular collapse of First Brands Group has sent shockwaves through financial markets, with reports indicating the auto-parts conglomerate accumulated nearly $12 billion in debt before filing for bankruptcy. According to sources familiar with the matter, founder Patrick James built his industrial empire through aggressive acquisitions funded by complex financing arrangements that eventually unraveled.

by Priya KapoorOctober 16, 2025October 22, 2025

AI Startups

AI Recruitment Startup Jack & Jill Raises $20M to Automate Job Matching

Jack & Jill, a London startup using conversational AI agents to automate recruitment, has raised $20 million in seed funding. The company’s dual AI system handles both job seeker coaching and company hiring processes, claiming to combine human nuance with technological scale.

AI Recruitment Platform Secures Major Funding

A London-based startup that has developed conversational AI agents to autonomously match job seekers with hiring companies has raised $20 million in seed funding, according to reports from Business Insider. Jack & Jill, founded just six months ago, has created a dual-agent system that operates on both sides of the recruitment process, sources indicate.

by Samuel KimOctober 16, 2025

Energy Policy

Energy Standing Charge Overhaul Faces Industry Pushback as Debt Hits Record £4.4bn

Energy suppliers have expressed significant concerns about Ofgem’s proposed standing charge overhaul, warning the changes could worsen affordability issues for vulnerable households. Meanwhile, customer debt to energy companies has reached a record £4.4 billion, with over one million households having no repayment arrangements in place.

Energy Industry Leaders Question Ofgem’s Standing Charge Reforms

Energy executives have expressed significant reservations about regulator Ofgem‘s proposed overhaul of standing charges, warning MPs that the plans could potentially backfire and worsen affordability issues for struggling households. According to reports from the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee hearing, industry leaders from the UK’s largest suppliers questioned the effectiveness of the proposed changes.

by Samuel KimOctober 16, 2025

Hardware Technology

Apple M5 Chip Launches With Major AI Performance Boost, 45% Faster Graphics

Apple has unveiled its next-generation M5 chip featuring dramatic improvements in AI and machine learning performance. The new silicon reportedly offers 45% higher graphics performance and substantial memory bandwidth increases over the M4 chip, positioning it as a powerhouse for generative AI workloads.

Apple Unleashes M5 Chip With Revolutionary AI Capabilities

Apple has officially launched its latest M5 chip for MacBook Pro, marking a significant advancement in the company’s silicon evolution. According to reports from 9to5Mac’s coverage, the new processor delivers substantial improvements in artificial intelligence and machine learning performance that could redefine professional workflows.

by Priya KapoorOctober 16, 2025October 22, 2025

AI Technology

Oracle’s Zettascale Supercomputer Targets AI Industry With Unprecedented Performance

Oracle has launched a groundbreaking supercomputer architecture combining hundreds of thousands of Nvidia GPUs across multi-gigawatt data centers. The system reportedly achieves unprecedented 16 zettaFLOPS performance, targeting industry-specific AI applications with accelerated computational capabilities.

Oracle’s AI Supercomputer Breakthrough

Oracle has unveiled what sources indicate is a revolutionary supercomputer architecture designed specifically for artificial intelligence workloads. The system integrates hundreds of thousands of Nvidia GPUs across multiple data centers, forming what analysts suggest could be the most powerful computational platform ever deployed for commercial AI applications.

by Priya KapoorOctober 16, 2025October 22, 2025

Media Technology

Spotify Launches First FAST Channel on Samsung TV Plus with The Ringer Content

Spotify has debuted its first FAST channel exclusively on Samsung TV Plus, featuring The Ringer’s video podcasts. The free channel offers 24/7 curated content including sports analysis, movie reviews, and cultural commentary. This marks Spotify’s entry into free ad-supported streaming television.

Spotify Enters FAST Market with Samsung Partnership

Spotify has launched its first FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) channel exclusively on Samsung TV Plus, according to reports from both companies. The new channel, called The Ringer, represents Spotify’s strategic move into the rapidly growing free streaming television market and leverages content from The Ringer podcast network founded by Bill Simmons.

by Priya KapoorOctober 16, 2025