A widespread technology outage has disrupted global services, grounding flights and impacting banks, hospitals, and media outlets. The issue stemmed from a faulty Microsoft Windows software update, not a cyberattack. Airports in the U.S., Europe, and Asia experienced long lines as check-in services went offline, and news outlets in Australia faced broadcasting issues. Banks in South Africa and New Zealand encountered payment system outages, and travelers arriving for the Paris Olympics faced delays. Experts highlighted the fragility of global internet infrastructure. Microsoft and CrowdStrike worked on mitigating the problem and deploying a fix. Governments and companies worldwide scrambled for solutions, and various sectors, including hospitals and shipping, reported significant challenges.

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Tade Oyerinde faced challenges fundraising for Campus, an online community college, during a period of declining higher education enrollment and rising tuition. Unlike successful for-profit education companies, a traditional two-year college struggled to attract venture capital initially. Campus operates with CampusWire, enabling it to function lean and disrupt the legacy industry. Focusing on investors with experience in community colleges, Oyerinde secured early support from notable figures like Sam Altman and Jason Citron. Campus's ability to adapt quickly to tech changes attracted investment, raising over $55 million, including recent funding rounds led by Founders Fund. Campus aims to innovate the stagnant community college sector, offering a tech-enabled and accessible education experience.

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Barbara Corcoran, founder of the Corcoran Group and star of "Shark Tank," offers advice on hiring and delegating. She acknowledges that being a "control freak" often hinders delegation but stresses that business growth requires finding candidates who can perform at least 80% as well as oneself. Corcoran employs a three-question test when hiring, asking if candidates are happy, work hard, and possess any talent. If the answers are affirmative, she hires them and delegates tasks beyond their pay grade to challenge and develop their abilities. Developing talent and delegating responsibilities remain pivotal for business success, as reflected in her $400 million net worth.

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Equity funding for cleantech and sustainability-focused startups saw a significant decline in the first half of 2024, allocating approximately $9.6 billion, a 61% decrease from the latter half of the previous year and a 10% drop from the same period last year. Industries related to cleantech were less affected during the post-2021 downturn compared to other sectors. Despite the drop in equity investments, debt-based project financing surged, with companies like Northvolt and H2 Green Steel securing substantial funds. Battery supply chains and recycling attracted notable investments, with Sila Nanotechnologies and Ascend Elements raising significant rounds. Electric vehicle charging and hydrogen energy ventures continued to garner interest, with investments flowing into companies like Electra, FLO, Hysata, and Koloma. However, the pace of IPOs and M&A in the cleantech sector remains slow, with some potential for a warmer exit climate next year as well-funded private companies prepare for IPOs.

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RealPage, a rental pricing technology company, defends its software amidst ongoing legal challenges. Landlords express skepticism about the software's effectiveness and fairness. The legal battles center around concerns that the technology may contribute to unfair rental prices. While RealPage argues that its software helps landlords set competitive, market-based rents, opponents claim it may lead to price-fixing. The outcome of these legal challenges could impact the future use of rental pricing technologies in the real estate market.

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A significant federal investment of $5 billion targets upgrading or replacing dozens of aging bridges across 16 states. President Joe Biden's administration announced the funding as part of a larger $1.2 trillion infrastructure law signed in 2021, which dedicates $40 billion over five years to bridge projects. The largest chunk of $1.4 billion will fund the improvement of the vertical lift bridges over the Columbia River, connecting Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. Other major projects include the Sagamore Bridge in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and various bridges in Mobile, Alabama, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Despite these investments, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association estimates that $319 billion is still needed for nationwide bridge repairs. Currently, about 42,400 U.S. bridges are in poor condition, impacting both safety and the economy. Additional funds will support bridge projects in Rhode Island, Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas, and bridges linking Ohio and West Virginia. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the urgent need for these investments.

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Marc Andreessen, co-founder of a leading venture capital firm in Silicon Valley, historically a Democrat, now supports Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential race due to Trump's policies favoring tech and startups. Both Andreessen and his co-founder Ben Horowitz believe the future of technology and America is at significant risk. They argue that American success in technology, economy, and military has led to global dominance, especially highlighting tech's role in ending the Cold War. They criticize the Biden administration for overregulation and taxation that stifles innovation, contrasting it with Trump’s supportive stance on artificial intelligence and crypto. Andreessen cites Biden's unrealized capital gains tax proposal as a key reason for his shift, emphasizing it would harm startups by taxing valuation increases. Last year, Andreessen published a "Techno-Optimist Manifesto" highlighting the pivotal role of tech in societal growth.

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Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker mandated all 26,000 city employees to work in the office five days a week, starting Monday. This ordinance, signed by Judge Sierra Thomas Street, faced opposition from city unions who sought a delay. Currently, around 80% of city employees already work on-site full-time. The decision aims to enhance government visibility and accessibility to residents and is not due to decreased productivity. Chief Administration Officer Camille Duchaussee noted that the move is part of a leadership strategy to maintain a positive workplace culture. Philadelphia leads among major U.S. cities in this return-to-office mandate. The average hourly wage for a Philadelphia city worker is $22.84. In related news, Greece has implemented a six-day workweek for certain private and agricultural sectors.

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San Jose-based DreamBig Semiconductor secured $75 million in equity funding, co-led by Samsung Catalyst Fund and Sehat Sutardja. Founded in 2019, DreamBig develops chiplet platforms for large language models and generative AI, totaling nearly $93 million raised so far. The semiconductor sector thrives, driven by the AI craze, with companies developing cost-effective, energy-efficient, and fast generative AI chips. Other significant deals include Etched.ai's $120 million, Black Semiconductor's $275 million, Celestial AI's $175 million, and Recogni's $102 million. Venture funding for semiconductor startups reached nearly $5.7 billion in 2024 across 210 deals, showing strong investment despite fewer deals than the previous year.

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Tax breaks worth trillions of dollars, including the qualified business income (QBI) deduction, are set to expire after 2025 unless Congress acts. This deduction allows self-employed individuals and business owners to deduct up to 20% of eligible revenue. Enacted in 2017, the QBI deduction aims to align pass-through business tax rates with corporate tax rates. Approximately 25.9 million QBI claims were filed in 2021, up from 18.7 million in 2018. The cost of extending the QBI deduction is estimated at over $700 billion over ten years and faces scrutiny amid budget debates. Critics argue it predominantly benefits wealthy taxpayers, although IRS data indicates middle-income taxpayers also benefit. The expiration debate includes contrasting views from business advocates, policymakers, and experts, with President Joe Biden pledging to extend the tax breaks for those earning less than $400,000.

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