Latest news with #Lore
Time Out
2 days ago
- Time Out
These are the 20 best things to do in San Francisco's Chinatown
What is it? A Gothic revival Catholic church built in 1854. Why go? It's the oldest cathedral in the state, and all its bricks were imported from China (can you imagine how low that boat must have sat in the water?). It survived the 1906 earthquake but the associated fire gutted it, leaving just the brick walls and the bell tower (the bells melted in the heat). It was renovated in 1909 and again in 2011. The church is perhaps best known for the distinctive clock on its tower, where these words are printed in gold: 'Son, observe the time and fly from evil.' Lore says that this advice was specifically aimed at men heading towards area brothels in the 1850s. Time Out tip: Just across the street, you'll find St. Mary's Square, which underwent a renovation and expansion in 2017. The public park now includes a 6,000-square-foot rooftop park (it's street level, but also a rooftop: thank the underground garage for that anomaly) with landscaped seating and an open plaza.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Billionaire Marc Lore's $7B Food Startup Wonder, Backed By Google Ventures, Eyes 2028 IPO With $5B Revenue Goal And AI-Powered Superapp Plans
Marc Lore, the billionaire entrepreneur behind and former Walmart (NYSE:WMT) executive, is preparing his food tech company Wonder for a public market debut in the first quarter of 2028, Fast Company reports. Speaking at Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies Summit in New York last week, Lore shared that his team is operating in reverse from March 2028. According to Fast Company, Lore plans to begin operating like a public company by the end of next year. Don't Miss: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. The startup will hold quarterly earnings calls, provide earnings guidance, and run a compensation committee throughout 2027 as part of its initial public offering training, Lore says. A full board of directors will also be in place by then to match the operational rigor of a listed firm. 'We're going to IPO and we're kind of working backward from March 30, 2028. Whether we hit it or not, we will see,' Lore said. According to Fast Company, he also emphasized the importance of building that muscle early so the company moves into the public market with control, credibility, and proven transparency. Wonder recently closed a $600 million funding round, led by Google Ventures, which pushed the startup's valuation to $7 billion, according to Bloomberg. The financial boost supports Lore's vision of developing what he calls an 'Amazon for food and beverage,' The New York Times says. Trending: Invest where it hurts — and help millions heal:. Lore said the company is creating an AI-powered 'superapp' that blends meal delivery, personalized nutrition, smart restaurant systems, and brick-and-mortar locations into one seamless ecosystem. He added that the end goal is to own every consumer touchpoint in the mealtime experience across physical, digital, and logistical channels, Fast Company reports. To accelerate this strategy, Wonder has made several strategic acquisitions including Blue Apron, Grubhub, and Tastemade. According to Fast Company, each acquisition expands the brand's control over content creation, order logistics, and last-mile delivery. The vertically integrated structure also allows Wonder to gather user data, refine personalization, and rapidly test new dining experiences. Wonder currently operates a suite of digital and physical services that anchor its platform, including delivery hubs and proprietary food technology systems. The company ranks No. 45 on the outlet's 2025 list of the World's Most Innovative projects that Wonder will generate $5 billion in revenue by the time it goes public in early 2028, followed by accelerated growth into 2029. He sees public capital as a strategic advantage for long-term expansion and further acquisition deals in the food tech space, Fast Company reports. When asked why he's targeting a public offering, Lore pointed to the flexibility and firepower that come with public equity. 'I am really excited about having that public currency,' he said, adding it could allow the company to deploy capital at a scale that private markets cannot always match, Fast Company says. Read Next: Here's what Americans think you need to be considered 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? WALMART (WMT): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Billionaire Marc Lore's $7B Food Startup Wonder, Backed By Google Ventures, Eyes 2028 IPO With $5B Revenue Goal And AI-Powered Superapp Plans originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wonder, Marc Lore's food tech startup, is planning to go public in early 2028
Billionaire entrepreneur and Wonder CEO Marc Lore has confirmed that his food and restaurant technology startup is planning for an initial public offering. Why you're catching the 'ick' so easily, according to science Uber's new senior mode aims to remove barriers for aging riders How to watch the NBA Finals 2025: Pacers vs. Thunder, live online or on TV, including free options And though it won't happen right away, he offered a very specific time frame. 'We're going to IPO [and we're] kind of working backwards from March 30, 2028,' Lore said on Thursday at Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies Summit in New York. 'Whether we hit it or not, we will see.' He added that a full board of directors will be in place and that the restaurant technology startup wants to 'look and act like a public company' by the end of next year in preparation for the future offering. 'So all of 2027, we get four quarters of practice,' Lore said. 'That was really important to me to get four quarters of practice where we're giving EPS [earnings per share] guidance, having quarterly earnings calls, doing the comp committee, treating it like a public company. So when we go public in Q1 of 2028, we've already had that muscle.' He predicted an accelerating growth rate for the business, continuing through 2028 with $5 billion in revenue, and additional 'big growth' in 2029. Wonder, which Lore has described as a kind of 'Amazon for food and beverage,' has brick-and-mortar restaurants and a vertically integrated food delivery app. Lore is working to revolutionize the food and restaurant space by building a 'superapp for mealtime'—one that blends food delivery, AI-driven nutrition, and smart restaurant tech. The company most recently secured $600 million in a funding round backed by Google Ventures, for a post-funding valuation of $7 billion, according to PitchBook. Wonder ranks No. 45 on Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies list for 2025. The ultimate goal? To become the platform that meets all your food needs while embracing personalized dining, driven by AI, Lore said. The startup has also acquired a number of food companies, including Blue Apron, Grubhub, and the media brand Tastemade. When asked by Mansueto Ventures CEO Stephanie Mehta why an IPO is the goal, Lore replied, 'I am really excited about having that public currency.' The entrepreneur has founded a number of notable companies, including which he sold to Walmart nine years ago. 'I think there's so much growth and potential in this business that we could put a lot of capital to work, even post-IPO,' Lore said. 'I'm excited to do some big acquisitions.' This post originally appeared at to get the Fast Company newsletter: Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Marc Lore, A-Rod Expected to Take Over Timberwolves Soon, New Arena Plans Coming…
Times are changing for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Fresh off their second-straight Western Conference Finals appearance, the team is headed in a new direction. Glen Taylor, who has owned the franchise since 1994 when he saved it from relocation to New Orleans, will finally transfer majority power to Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez. Taylor accepted his fate following arbitration hearings earlier this spring. Lore and A-Rod, who have been chomping at the bit to get going — will soon be putting their first official orders of business in motion. Timeline set for Minnesota Timberwolves ownership change Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Now that the legal battle for ownership of the Minnesota Timberwolves has been put in the rearview mirror, the last hurdle needing to be overcome is the NBA owners vote, of which Lore needs 2/3 majority to seal this deal. Advertisement Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the new ownership group is expected to be approved easily. And we also know when it will take place. According to a recent report from The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski, the NBA Board of Governors vote for Timberwolves majority ownership will take place in less than a month, 'toward the end of June'. 'Sometime toward the end of June, team sources familiar with the process told The Athletic, the league is expected to hold a final vote to approve Lore and Rodriguez as the new majority owners of the Timberwolves and Lynx.' Jon Krawczynski – The Athletic The exact date has not been made known, but the end of June coincides with some important dates on the league calendar. The NBA Draft is scheduled for June 25th. Minnesota holds the 17th and 31st overall selections. Just a few days later, June 30th, free agency opens. It would behoove the Minnesota Timberwolves to have their new owners assume full power prior to those events taking place. The vote to make the ownership change permanent should go as planned, but until it's cemented in reality both Rodriguez and Lore must wait. Related: Timberwolves Expected to Chase Kevin Durant Again… and He's Interested This offseason is a significant one for the Timberwolves. President Tim Connelly could look to go elsewhere, and the roster changes are expected to be significant. Julius Randle, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Naz Reid are all key players that Minnesota must decide on how they fit into future plans. Advertisement Anthony Edwards and his running mates came up short losing 4-1 in the Western Conference Finals for the second year in a row. Finding a blueprint to get beyond that point, and over the hump, will require looks at the roster and coaching staff. New arena plans underway for Timberwolves It's not just the roster configuration that new owners Rodriguez and Lore are concerned with. Minnesota's home arena, Target Center, is 35 years old and it needs more than just a facelift. In fact, the plan is to find a new home digs, something that the new owners have made clear will be a priority right away. 'They plan to be much more aggressive with their investment on the business side of the operations, including formulating plans for a new arena, team sources told The Athletic. The partners have openly stated their firm commitment to keeping the team in Minnesota, and team sources reiterated that is the long-term vision for a team that is booming in popularity locally, thanks to their playoff runs the last two seasons.' Jon Krawcyznski – The Athletic Multiple different sites and ideas have been floated regarding a new arena. It is something that the franchise must capitalize on while excitement is currently at an all-time high. How the building is funded, where, and what designs look like will all be of significant importance to fans. Advertisement Related: Kendrick Perkins Apologizes to Anthony Edwards Building over the offseason is always a goal for every franchise across the NBA. With such a monumental change at the top of the organization, this one figures to be the most significant in franchise history. If Lore and Rodriguez can usher in a summer of excitement, and parlay that into a season of success, fans will be waiting in droves to enter the new building whenever its doors open. Related Headlines
The Guardian
03-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Online brothels, sex robots, simulated rape: AI is ushering in a new age of violence against women
Society is sleepwalking into a nightmare. The rate of global investment in AI is rocketing, as companies and countries invest in what has been described as a new arms race. The Californian company Nvidia, which dominates the market in the chips needed for AI, has become the most valuable in the world. The trend has been dubbed an 'AI frenzy', with the components described by analysts as the 'new gold or oil'. Everyone is getting in on the act, and politicians are desperate to stake their countries' claim as global leaders in AI development. Safeguards, equitable access and sustainability are falling by the wayside: when countries gathered for the Paris AI summit in February 2025 and produced an international agreement pledging an 'open', 'inclusive' and 'ethical' approach to AI, the US and the UK refused to sign it. It is worth asking who is benefiting from this headlong rush, and at whose expense. One developer, who only goes by the name Lore in their communications with the media, described the open-source release of the large language model (LLM) Llama as creating a 'gold rush-type of scenario'. He used Llama to build Chub AI, a website where users can chat with AI bots and roleplay violent and illegal acts. For as little as $5 a month, users can access a 'brothel' staffed by girls below the age of 15, described on the site as a 'world without feminism'. Or they can 'chat' with a range of characters, including Olivia, a 13-year-old girl with pigtails wearing a hospital gown, or Reiko, 'your clumsy older sister' who is described as 'constantly having sexual accidents with her younger brother'. This million-dollar money generator is just one of thousands of applications of this new technology that are re-embedding misogyny deep into the foundations of our future. On other sites men can create, share and weaponise fake intimate images to terrorise women and girls. Sex robots are being developed at breakneck speed. Already, you can buy a self-warming, self-lubricating or 'sucking' model: some manufacturers have dreamed up a 'frigid' setting that would allow their users to simulate rape. Millions of men are already using AI 'companions' – virtual girlfriends, available and subservient 24/7, whose breast size and personality they can customise and manipulate. Meanwhile, generative AI, which has exploded in popularity, has been proven to regurgitate and amplify misogyny and racism. This becomes significantly more of a concern when you realise just how much online content will soon be created by this new tool. Women are at risk of being dragged back to the dark ages by precisely the same technology that promises to catapult men into a shiny new future. This has all happened before. Very recently, in fact. Cast your mind back to the early days of social media. It started out the same way: a new idea harnessed by privileged white men, its origins in the patriarchal objectification of women. (Mark Zuckerberg started out with a website called FaceMash, which allowed users to rank the attractiveness of female Harvard students … a concept he now says had nothing to do with the origins of Facebook.) Women, particularly women of colour, raised their voices in concern: some of the earliest objections to FaceMash came from Harvard's Fuerza Latina and Association of Harvard Black Women societies. They were ignored, Facebook was born and the rest is history. Social media was rolled out at great speed. Back then, Zuckerberg's famous catchphrase was 'Move fast and break things'. The things that got broken were societal cohesion, democracy and the mental health, in particular, of girls. By the time people started pointing out that online abuse was endemic to social platforms, those platforms were too well established and profitable for their owners to be prepared to make sweeping changes. Politicians seemed too enamoured with the powerful tech lobby to be prepared to stand up to them. The results have been devastating. Young women have taken their own lives after experiencing sexualised cyberbullying. An alarming number of female parliamentarians have stepped down from office after experiencing intolerable levels of online abuse. Millions of women have been subject to rape and death threats, doxing, online stalking and racist and misogynistic abuse. We failed to prevent this crisis when we didn't heed the warning calls in the early days of social media. We now risk squandering a similar opportunity. Without urgent action, we will be doomed to repeat the same mistakes with AI, only this time on a far larger scale. 'One of the reasons many of us do have concerns about the rollout of AI is because over the past 40 years as a society we've basically given up on actually regulating technology,' Peter Wang, co-founder of data science platform Anaconda, recently told the Guardian. 'Social media was our first encounter with dumb AI and we utterly failed that encounter.' If women and marginalised communities have already learned from their frequent mistreatment on social media to self-censor, to disguise their real names and to mute their voices, these coping mechanisms and restrictive norms will follow them when they step into new technological environments. Nearly nine in ten women polled in a 2020 Economist study said they restricted their online activity in some way as a result of cyber-harassment, hacking, online stalking and doxing. This helps to explain the disparity between men's and women's use of AI; 71% of men aged 18 to 24 say they use AI weekly, while only 59% of women in the same age range do so. So long as men remain the main users of AI, the technology will be designed to cater to their preferences. The answer isn't to reject new technology, or ignore the enormous potential of AI. Instead, we should ensure regulations and safeguards are implemented when AI is designed, before products are rolled out to the public, in much the same way that they are within other industries. 'I thought people should be aware,' said Leyla R Bravo, then president of Fuerza Latina, when she tried to raise the alarm at Harvard over the nascent FaceMash website back in 2003. This time, might someone listen? It isn't too late for political leaders to stand up to big tech. The harms of this technology aren't rooted in a future dystopia where robots take over the world. AI is already devastating the lives of women and girls, right now. If people realised this, they might desire to do things differently. Laura Bates is the founder of the Everyday Sexism Project and author of The New Age of Sexism: How the AI Revolution is Reinventing Misogyny. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support for rape and sexual abuse on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@ or jo@ In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at
