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Christine Hunsicker, the founder of fashion startup CaaStle, surrendered to authorities on Friday to address fraud charges.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York has charged her with wire fraud, securities fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and lying to financial institutions.
Hunsicker is accused of defrauding investors of over $300 million. She resigned as CEO after allegations of misleading investors about the company's financial performance.
CaaStle, which raised more than $500 million in funding, filed for bankruptcy in June. The company is also facing lawsuits from an apparel company and an investment vehicle.
Two former employees expressed no surprise at the financial troubles, citing the discreet nature of executives regarding the company’s financial health.
Kesha, known for her pop hits, is now a startup founder with her app, Smash. This platform aims to help musicians connect, collaborate, and create artist-friendly contracts.
Smash differentiates itself with a built-in system for generating contracts, ensuring artists retain control and rights over their work. The app was motivated by Kesha's own experiences with exploitative record deals, particularly her legal battle with Dr. Luke.
The app is co-founded by Kesha's brother, Lagan Sebert, and CTO Alan Cannistraro, formerly of Apple. Smash intends to launch later this year, aiming to empower music creators and shift power back into their hands.
To test the technology, Smash hosted a remix contest for Kesha's song 'Boy Crazy,' with winners receiving an industry-standard remix fee and a release on Kesha's label.
SpaceX's Starbase facility has significantly higher worker injury rates compared to other company sites and industry averages. The Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) at Starbase reached 4.27 injuries per 100 workers in 2024, far exceeding the average for space vehicle manufacturing.
This high injury rate has persisted since 2019, raising concerns about safety protocols. Starbase is crucial for SpaceX's Starship program, and the rapid pace of development may contribute to the increased risk of accidents.
NASA, which relies on Starship for lunar missions, closely monitors SpaceX's safety practices. While the high TRIR doesn't automatically trigger contract penalties, it highlights potential safety issues that require attention.
Other SpaceX facilities generally have lower TRIR rates compared to Starbase. External investigations have uncovered numerous unreported worker injuries, further emphasizing the need for improved safety measures.
SpaceX's Starbase facility in Texas has significantly higher injury rates compared to other SpaceX manufacturing sites and the broader aerospace industry. In 2024, Starbase's injury rate was almost six times higher than the average for comparable space vehicle manufacturing outfits. This high injury rate has persisted since 2019. The data suggests that SpaceX's rapid progress with Starship may be contributing to the safety issues. OSHA data reveals Starbase's TRIR was 4.27 injuries per 100 workers in 2024. NASA is closely monitoring SpaceX due to its reliance on Starship for lunar missions, but the high TRIR does not automatically trigger contract action. Other SpaceX facilities also report TRIR rates exceeding industry averages, though not as high as Starbase.
Kesha, known for her pop hits, is now venturing into the tech world as the founder of Smash, an app designed to connect musicians and facilitate fair contracts.
Smash aims to empower artists by providing a platform for collaboration and transparent contracts, ensuring they retain rights to their creations.
The app includes a built-in system for generating contracts, with artists able to license beats or request royalties, and Smash taking a small cut of payments.
Kesha's motivation stems from her own experiences with exploitative record deals, driving her to create a community where artists can create independently.
The app is still in development, with plans to launch later this year. Early tests include a remix contest for Kesha's song "Boy Crazy".
Kesha's brother Lagan Sebert co-founded Smash, Lars Rasmussen (Google Maps co-founder) became investor, and Alan Cannistraro (ex-Apple) is the CTO.
California Forever has announced plans to build Solano Foundry, a 2,100-acre manufacturing park with 40 million square feet of advanced tech manufacturing space.
Located in Solano County, about 40 miles northeast of San Francisco, the park is part of California Forever's planned walkable city with over 175,000 homes.
CEO Jan Sramek aims to attract hardware, engineering, and AI talent from Silicon Valley by offering expedited permitting, transportation, and renewable energy.
Sramek believes this site addresses the issue of U.S. manufacturers building factories in remote locations, making it difficult to attract top talent.
Hadrian, an automated manufacturing startup, has raised $260 million to expand its factory footprint and modernize American manufacturing for aerospace and defense companies. The funding will support the construction of a new Arizona facility ("Factory 3") and the expansion of its headquarters in California. Hadrian aims to leverage advanced automation to mass-produce parts with high precision and speed, challenging the traditional manufacturing industry. The company is also diversifying into welding, casting, and additive processes, and will offer dedicated facilities for customers, operating on a "factories as a service" model. According to CEO Chris Power, this reshoring initiative is crucial for reclaiming America's industrial superpower status.