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Business & Commerce

Etsy Under Fire: Users Boycott Over Controversial 'Alligator Alcatraz' Merchandise

Etsy is facing a user boycott due to its decision to allow the sale of 'Alligator Alcatraz'-branded merchandise, which critics argue violates the platform's Discrimination and Hateful Content Policy. This policy prohibits discriminatory content related to immigration status.

The merchandise refers to a controversial ICE detention center in Florida, where detainees are reportedly held in harsh conditions. Boycotters argue that Etsy's allowance of such items contradicts its own guidelines against content that contains violent or degrading commentary against protected classes.

The boycott has gained traction on social media platforms like Threads and Reddit, with numerous users expressing their disapproval and threatening to close their shops or accounts. Other platforms like Amazon, eBay, and Shopify also host this merchandise, but Etsy has faced particular scrutiny due to its stated policies.

While Amazon defended its decision citing its policy on controversial products, Etsy has not responded to requests for comment. This situation highlights the ongoing challenges e-commerce platforms face in balancing free speech with the need to address potentially offensive or discriminatory content.

Technology

Telegram Unveils Crypto Wallet for 87 Million US Users

Telegram is extending access to its crypto wallet, built on the TON blockchain, to its 87 million users in the U.S.

The TON wallet is integrated directly into the Telegram app, aiming to simplify the onboarding process for new crypto users.

Telegram has offered crypto wallets to international users since 2023, but regulatory uncertainty prevented its U.S. rollout until now.

Over 100 million global users activated their wallets last year, representing about 10% of Telegram's 1 billion active users. The TON blockchain processes approximately 334,000 transactions per day.

Photography

VSCO Expands Capture App Globally and Acquires The Freelance Photographer

VSCO has globally launched its iOS camera app, Capture, after initial testing in select countries. The app offers a range of presets, real-time effects, and manual camera controls.
In addition, VSCO has acquired The Freelance Photographer, a platform offering workshops and guidance for emerging photography professionals. This acquisition aligns with VSCO's focus on supporting professional photographers, complementing its existing services like VSCO Hub and VSCO Sites.
The Freelance Photographer provides courses with prices starting at $208 per month.

Electric Vehicles & AI Logistics

Nevoya Secures $9.3M to Expand Electric Trucking with AI-Driven Efficiency

Nevoya, an EV trucking company, has raised $9.3 million in seed funding to expand its operations beyond California, including into Texas. The company offers electric trucks to shippers and provides carrier services at cost parity with diesel trucks for Fortune 500 companies. Nevoya uses AI to optimize trucking routes, manage charging schedules, and improve battery management. The funding will support expansion and the development of charging infrastructure, with plans to replicate Uber's location-based management model.

Venture Capital & Investment

RA Capital Planetary Health's Investment Strategy: Time to Market, Product Fit, and Capital Efficiency

RA Capital Planetary Health closed a $120 million fund and shared their investment strategy, emphasizing adaptability in a changing market.

Key criteria for investment:

  • Time to Market: Prioritizing companies that can generate revenue quickly (within five years).
  • Product Market Fit: Ensuring there's a demand for the product being built.
  • Capital Efficiency: Focusing on companies that can efficiently utilize venture capital.

They invest in sectors ranging from geologic hydrogen to AI-enabled recycling, using market maps to understand adoption barriers and time-to-market averages.

RA Capital Planetary Health emphasizes navigating market cycles effectively, suggesting that understanding the current downturn can lead to significant success as markets improve.

Automotive & Food

Tesla's Retro-Futuristic Diner Opens in Hollywood, Expansion Hinted

The highly anticipated Tesla Diner & Drive-In officially opened in Hollywood, California, blending retro aesthetics with Tesla's charging network. It features 80 v4 Supercharger stalls, a drive-in movie theater, Tesla merchandise, and classic diner fare. CEO Elon Musk has expressed interest in establishing similar diners in major cities and along long-distance routes if the Hollywood location proves successful. The diner aims to attract both Tesla owners and other visitors with its unique offerings.

Artificial Intelligence

FuriosaAI Partners with LG AI Research, Powers EXAONE Platform with RNGD Chip

South Korean AI chip startup FuriosaAI has partnered with LG AI Research to supply its RNGD AI chip for the EXAONE platform. This collaboration will target electronics, finance, telecommunications, and biotechnology sectors. FuriosaAI's RNGD chip is optimized for large language models and outperformed competitive GPUs in inference performance with LG AI Research's EXAONE models, while also being more energy-efficient. FuriosaAI aims to expand its reach beyond South Korea through LG AI's global partnerships. One of the reasons for the win is that the startup’s hardware costs less.

Automotive

Tesla Diner Debuts in Hollywood, Musk Envisions Global Expansion

The Tesla Diner & Drive-In, blending retro aesthetics with Tesla's charging network, has officially opened in Hollywood, California.
The diner features 80 V4 Supercharger stalls, a drive-in movie theater, Tesla merchandise, and an Optimus robot.
CEO Elon Musk has hinted at plans to establish similar diners in major cities worldwide and along long-distance routes, contingent on the success of the Hollywood location.

Artificial Intelligence

AI Models from OpenAI and Google Achieve Gold Medal Scores at International Math Olympiad

AI models from OpenAI and Google DeepMind independently achieved gold medal scores at the 2025 International Math Olympiad (IMO). Both companies entered "informal" systems that ingested questions and generated proof-based answers in natural language.

OpenAI and Google researchers claimed these gold medal performances represent breakthroughs in AI reasoning models in non-verifiable domains. Google raised questions about OpenAI's announcement, citing a lack of official evaluation by IMO.

OpenAI used third-party evaluators to grade its AI model, while Google worked with IMO organizers and waited for official grading before announcing its results. The debate highlights how quickly AI models are improving, with both OpenAI and Google's AI models scoring higher than most high school students at IMO.

Privacy & Security

Spyware Mogul Seeks Reversal of Surveillance Industry Ban Amid Data Breach Concerns

Scott Zuckerman, founder of a spyware company previously banned from the surveillance industry, is petitioning the FTC to lift the ban. The ban, imposed in 2021 after a data breach at his company SpyFone exposed sensitive user data, requires Zuckerman to maintain cybersecurity practices and undergo audits.

Zuckerman claims the ban creates an "unnecessary burden" due to compliance costs. Critics argue against lifting the ban, citing Zuckerman's history of data breaches and continued involvement in spyware operations, such as the SpyTrac app, even after the ban.

The FTC's decision, overseen by Trump-appointed chair Andrew Ferguson, will be a key test for the agency's cybersecurity enforcement. Public feedback on Zuckerman's petition is open until August 19.