Latest news with #Sequoia
Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Marking 22 years, the Numero Group record label remains a visionary Chicago stalwart pushing the industry forward
History is not just a study of the past, but a conversation between where we've been, where we're at and where we're going. And no record label understands it as intimately as Numero Group. Founded in Chicago in 2003, the primarily reissue label has grown from a confident upstart to a seasoned veteran. Much of the ethos and initiative that made the label succeed where others may have failed has not diminished in its decades of existence. If anything, the label's founders, Ken Shipley, Rob Sevier and Tom Lunt, have doubled down on what has made Numero Group such a success — dipping their toes in a variety of overlooked or misunderstood genres (such as soul, country, gospel) and technological mediums to share the good word that is their music. 'The thing we used to say at the very beginning of almost every meeting was that Numero lives at the nexus of story and song. And that was something that catapulted us a lot further,' Shipley said. Now, in the weeks after its unconventional 22nd anniversary celebration, the label is set to launch one of its biggest — and most personal — compilations yet. Titled 'Sequoia,' out June 20, the 25-record box set dives deep into the first decade of emo. It's an ambitious project for a label known for its ambitious projects, but also a coming home of sorts. Shipley's love of music was born through this kind of music. But the label's journey to this moment is a lot more eclectic and expansive than one singular compilation. Numero began as a direct-to-consumer label. Their first release, 'Camino Del Sol,' was a spacey, jazzy, bossa nova and new wave hybrid album by the French band Antena. Their next releases covered gospel and power pop and private issue folk. 'The narrowing of our tastes never really happened. If anything, it just got wider,' Shipley said. So yes, they began with soul music, but that led to boogie and electro and house and jungle. Pushing further and further into genres is how they approach change. To that end, there is no singular Numero Group sound so much as there is an institutional directive to find, support and promote the best music of the past for audiences in the present. Groups they've worked with include Blondie, Hüsker Dü, Syl Johnson and Blonde Redhead. Many of them are released through sublabels, focusing on genres such as punk or soul, or time periods such as the '80s and '90s. To do this, the label has a weekly meeting where they just listen to things. And while they can't chase everything, they have a lot more people, so they can chase a lot more things. Take the group Duster. The slowcore indie rock band from San Jose found a contemporary audience not on the radio, but in the YouTube algorithm. Numero Group set about releasing some of their past work, including a compilation record, 'Capsule Losing Contact.' But as the band regrouped in 2018, the label also handled their new releases, like 2024's 'In Dreams.' 'That moment of digital discovery not only changed my perspective on what digital could be; it also completely altered the way we release music,' Shipley added. Playlists are a big facet of this business model. Shipley likens them to mixtapes and compilations. They also drop music up to five days per week digitally, using their analytics to better understand their audiences and what they may want in the future. If the modern music release strategy is a game of experimentation, then Numero Group is winning on multiple fronts. Another realm of success? Their music syncing. Inspired by his time working at Rykodisc and their work with Nick Drake, Shipley adamantly incorporated music syncing into their business structure from the beginning. 'I saw how you could take something kind of cool and small and different and reinsert it into the culture as if it was a forgotten thing that might make people more receptive,' Shipley recalled. The department is now led by Jen Newcomer. Their efforts have landed songs like Penny and the Quarters' 'You And Me' in the Ryan Gosling-starring film 'Blue Valentine.' Marion Black's 'Who Knows' has more than 60 million streams on Spotify and has appeared in TV shows like 'Severance.' Pastor T.L. Barrett, from the city's South Side, has had songs sampled by artists like T.I. and DJ Khaled. 'Like A Ship,' one of his best-known tracks, can be heard in episodes of 'Hacks,' among many others. These placements have helped the music find second and third lives with younger audiences from around the world, cementing the artist's legacy and confirming Numero Group as a singular tastemaker for the obscure yet profound in music. 'Some of the artists we've worked with have had meaningful changes to their lives because of the revenue that they've gotten,' Sevier explained. 'That's virtually always after spending many, many years building something. It doesn't happen overnight in almost any case.' Like always, Numero Group has a number of things in the works. Their most ambitious project, 'Sequoia,' has been 30 years in the making. The label considers it a sequel to their compilations 'Eccentric Soul: Omnibus' and 'Eucalyptus,' an examination of the 1995 scene around Tree Records. The collection features 25 7″ records documenting emo's first decade or so, accompanied by a 136-page hardcover book that tells the tale of the genre through stories from across the country, illustrated with photographs, flyers and ads from Numero's vast archive. 'It's just been so fun and rewarding to revisit something that I held really near and dear, but to do it with the perspective of a 47-year-old who actually knows how to make records now,' Shipley said. Record labels are not dead. It's possible to run something truly great in 2025. But that requires perspective and effort, something Numero has in spades. Champions of underrated, undiscovered musical history, Numero remains a visionary Chicago stalwart pushing the industry forward. 'We believe in our taste enough that we'll stand behind anything that we put out,' added Shipley. 'We know that there's a very, very long tail on this thing.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Amazon Just Launched More Satellites. Does That Make AMZN Stock a Buy Here?
Satellite internet plays have drawn investor interest as demand for global connectivity grows. While Elon Musk's Starlink has taken the early lead with thousands of satellites already in orbit, Amazon (AMZN) is steadily building momentum with its own Project Kuiper. On June 23, Amazon launched its second batch of 27 Kuiper satellites aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, bringing its constellation to 54 satellites in low Earth orbit. With plans to deploy over 3,200 satellites and a looming FCC deadline to launch half by mid-2026, Amazon is accelerating efforts to compete head-on with Starlink. Super Micro Computer Just Struck a Deal with Ericsson. Should You Buy SMCI Stock Here? CEO Jensen Huang Just Sold Nvidia Stock. Should You? Broadcom Just Got a New Street-High Price Target. Should You Buy AVGO Stock Here? Stop Missing Market Moves: Get the FREE Barchart Brief – your midday dose of stock movers, trending sectors, and actionable trade ideas, delivered right to your inbox. Sign Up Now! For investors weighing AMZN stock, this latest milestone underscores both promise and risk. Project Kuiper could unlock new revenue streams over time, but it demands vast capital and execution precision. Based in Seattle, Amazon is a global e-commerce and cloud computing leader. Beyond core operations, it invests heavily in AI and robotics, powering AWS machine-learning services and warehouse automation. Subsidiaries and startups like Zoox highlight Amazon's aggressive push into autonomous and advanced technologies. Backed by vast R&D resources, the company drives innovation across cloud, logistics, and emerging tech, keeping itself at the forefront of digital transformation. With a market capitalization of nearly $2.3 trillion, Amazon has seen its shares slide roughly 3% year-to-date. From a valuation perspective, Amazon trades at 34 times forward earnings and 3.5 times forward sales, higher than the sector medians of 16.6 times and 0.85 times, respectively, indicating that investors are pricing in its superior growth prospects and market dominance. Amazon is expanding its reach into satellite technology, following the successful launch of more Kuiper satellites, deployed by its own robotic systems, to enhance global connectivity. The company leverages artificial intelligence through AWS to process vast amounts of data from both its warehouses and satellite infrastructure. It also designs custom AI chips to accelerate machine learning tasks across its ecosystem, benefiting both internal operations and external partners. Moreover, Amazon operates hundreds of thousands of robots, including Sequoia, Hercules, Titan, Vulcan, Sparrow, Robin, Cardinal, and Proteus, to optimize package sorting and movement across fulfillment centers. With Kuiper's satellite internet, Amazon aims to connect remote warehouses and enable drone and robotaxi operations in areas lacking reliable ground networks. This is critical for technologies like Zoox, Amazon's autonomous vehicle unit, which depends on low-latency, real-time data transmission. By integrating satellite connectivity with AI, robotics, and cloud computing, Amazon is not only reducing operational costs and improving logistics efficiency, but also tapping into new revenue streams in connectivity and edge computing. On May 1, Amazon reported its Q1 2025 earnings, surpassing expectations on both the top and bottom lines. Net revenue rose 9% year over year to $155.7 billion, slightly ahead of the $155.04 billion consensus estimate. Growth was led by Amazon's high-margin advertising segment, which surged 18% to $13.92 billion. AWS revenue grew 17% year over year to $29.3 billion, slightly below Street forecasts, but the continued expansion reinforced Amazon's strong footing in the cloud services market. On the profitability front, net income climbed to $17.13 billion, or $1.59 per share, up from $10.43 billion, or $0.98 per share, in the prior-year period. That marked a 64% year-over-year increase in net profit and a 62% gain in adjusted EPS. Despite the strong quarter, Amazon issued cautious Q2 guidance. The company projected revenue between $159 billion and $164 billion, reflecting 7% to 11% year-over-year growth. Operating income is expected to range from $13 billion to $17.5 billion, below analysts' consensus of $17.8 billion. Wall Street analysts remain highly bullish on Amazon, with a consensus rating of 'Strong Buy.' Of the 53 analysts covering the stock, 45 rate it a 'Strong Buy,' six assign a 'Moderate Buy,' and only two recommend holding. Notably, there are no 'Sell' ratings on the stock, which indicates broad confidence in Amazon's long-term prospects. The average price target stands at $242.87, suggesting more than 13% upside from current levels. On the date of publication, Nauman Khan did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on
Reuters
3 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Kalshi valued at $2 billion in latest funding round, CEO says
June 25 (Reuters) - Kalshi has raised $185 million in a funding round that values the prediction marketplace at $2 billion, its CEO Tarek Mansour said in a post on X on Wednesday. The round was led by crypto-focused investment firm Paradigm, Mansour said. Investment firms Sequoia, Multicoin, Neo and Bond Capital, and Citadel Securities CEO Peng Zhao also participated. Kalshi offers its users opportunities to profit from predictions on everything from sports and entertainment to politics and the economy. Such event contracts have exploded in popularity since the U.S. presidential election last year. The company is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, according to its website. Kalshi's rival, Polymarket, is also close to raising $200 million in a round that values it at more than $1 billion, Reuters reported on Tuesday.
Tahawul Tech
4 days ago
- Tahawul Tech
Don't take any ‘shortcuts' – Positive Technologies find critical vulnerability in macOS application
PT SWARM expert Egor Filatov found a critical vulnerability in Shortcuts, a built-in macOS app that streamlines device management by automating repetitive user actions. If successfully exploited, the security flaw could allow an attacker to gain full control over the device, including the ability to read, edit, and delete any data. If the compromised device happens to be a laptop connected to a corporate network, the attacker could also infiltrate the internal company infrastructure. The vulnerability, tracked as BDU:2025-02497 and rated 8.6 out of 10 on the CVSS 3.0 scale, affects Shortcuts 7.0 (2607.1.3). The vendor was notified of the threat in line with the responsible disclosure policy and has already released a software patch. Users are advised to upgrade to macOS Sequoia 15.5 or later. If updating the OS is currently not possible, Positive Technologies recommends users to pay close attention to the downloaded shortcuts before running them or avoid using them altogether. The Shortcuts app was introduced with macOS Monterey back in 2021 and has been supported in macOS Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia versions over the past four years. With the app, users can create shortcuts to automate various tasks, such as starting a timer, playing music, or converting text to audio. Users also have access to macros[1] that provide ready-made shortcuts. A threat actor could leverage this functionality by uploading infected templates to the library. For the security flaw to be exploited, it would be enough for the victim to inadvertently run a malicious macro on their device. 'An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to target any Shortcuts user,' said Egor Filatov, Junior Mobile Application Security Researcher at Positive Technologies. 'Before remediation, the vulnerability allowed an attacker to bypass macOS security mechanisms and execute arbitrary code on the victim's system.' According to the expert, the potential consequences of successful attacks include the following: Theft of confidential data or deletion of valuable information Malware execution Installation of backdoors[2] aimed at maintaining access to the system even after vulnerability patching Ransomware[3] infection Disruption to the organization's business processes (if a corporate device is compromised) Positive Technologies experts have been studying Apple products for over a decade. In 2018, Maxim Goryachy and Mark Ermolov, while looking for security flaws in Intel Management Engine, found a firmware vulnerability (CVE-2018-4251) affecting personal computers made by Apple and other manufacturers. In 2017, Timur Yunusov warned the community about multiple security gaps he discovered in Apple Pay: by exploiting the vulnerabilities, attackers could compromise users' bank cards and make unauthorized payments on external resources. Before that, another Positive Technologies researcher found and helped eliminate a critical vulnerability in the website, which could allow an adversary to conduct a directory traversal attack and gain access to private data. In addition to the macOS version of Shortcuts, there is also an iOS version of the app for mobile devices. To prevent threat actors from infiltrating the corporate network via vulnerable mobile apps, companies should protect their apps against reverse engineering. This can be done with solutions such as PT MAZE, which turns the application into an impenetrable maze, making attacks too resource-intensive for adversaries. [1] A macro is a pre-programmed sequence of actions defined by the user. [2] A backdoor is a type of malware that allows unauthorized access to data or enables remote control of the compromised system. Typically, an attacker installs a backdoor on a target system for future access. [3] Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a victim's files or locks them out of their computer system, giving the attacker control over any personal information stored on the compromised device. The attacker can then demand a ransom, threatening to leave the files or system inaccessible to the victim or to disclose confidential data if the ransom is not paid.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Four months after a $3B valuation, Harvey AI grows to $5B
Harvey AI, a startup that provides automation for legal work, has raised $300 million in Series E funding at a $5 billion valuation, the company told Fortune. The round was co-led by Kleiner Perkins and Coatue, with participation from existing investors, including Conviction, Elad Gil, OpenAI Startup Fund, and Sequoia. The financing comes just four months after Harvey announced that Sequoia led a $300 million Series D round at a $3 billion valuation. While many AI companies aim to keep headcount low, Harvey is rapidly expanding its staff. The three-year-old startup already employs 340 people and plans to double that number with its fresh funds, Fortune reported. Some of the new staff will be hired to help Harvey build AI products for professional services beyond legal, including tax accounting. The company's AI solutions, which assist lawyers in reviewing documents and drafting contracts, are used by 337 legal clients. Harvey has been growing at a rapid clip, reaching an annualized run-rate revenue of $75 million in April, up from $50 million earlier in the year, Reuters reported last month. Some of Harvey's competitors include older legal startups, such as 10-year-old Ironclad and 17-year-old Clio, which raised a $300 million round at a $3 billion valuation last year.
