How Blender won over the design world
For years after launching in 1994, Blender was considered an under-the-radar tool. Its challenging UX and open-source nature meant it was used primarily by designers and animators who had no money to spend on five-figure professional 3D software licenses.
Then in 2019, things changed.
Blender rolled out a wholesale redesign, including switching right-select to left-select. It updated its interface to be easier to use and introduced new features that could compete with bigger-budget software packages like Cinema 4D and Autodesk's Maya. Data from Blender shows that download numbers jumped from tens of thousands of downloads per month to nearly 1 million after the relaunch, and since then user numbers have continued to grow.
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Forbes
13 minutes ago
- Forbes
How Open Source Is Transforming Finance
Ismail Amla, Senior Vice President, Kyndryl Consult. Once the domain of idealistic developers and technology companies, open-source software is now deeply embedded in Wall Street's core infrastructure. Even global banking institutions—a sector traditionally risk-averse and intensely protective of intellectual property—are now using code they don't entirely own. Open source has become a strategic imperative, impacting the ability to move faster, build better and attract top engineering talent. Across investment banks, retail institutions and payment firms, open-source tools and platforms are valued not just for reducing costs but driving innovation and freeing teams to focus on what sets them apart. A Growing Alliance To this point, the Fintech Open Source Foundation (FINOS), a nonprofit housed under the Linux Foundation since 2020, now counts more than 100 members, including key financial institutions such as Citi, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, along with tech titans such as AWS, Microsoft and Google Cloud. These firms have long adopted foundational components of open source, including the Linux operating system, MySQL and other open-source frameworks like MQTT. For some time, technologists at these companies have actively contributed to and maintained general open-source projects, including the Kubernetes container orchestration engine. From Contributors To Collaborators Fintech engineers and financial firms are increasingly collaborating on open-source, finance-specific tools to share the load of building complementary services, leaving those who don't at risk of falling behind. According to FINOS data, GitHub commits from financial services professionals jumped from 429,000 in 2021 to over 751,000 in 2024, roughly a 75% increase. The report also found that the amount of time engineers are spending on open-source contributions at work has doubled since 2021. As of 2024, 46% of organizations surveyed are allocating work time for open-source software development. This has yielded a growing list of open-source projects benefitting the finance community. Platforms like JPMorgan's Salt user experience solution and Goldman Sachs' Legend data life cycle platform were born inside individual firms, but once open-sourced, became catalysts for broader industry collaboration and evolution. Instead of every institution reinventing the wheel for non-differentiating capabilities, many are now pivoting to sharing the load. The New Standard Of Shared Standards Open source is also an efficient way to address industrywide standardization challenges that no single firm can or should solve alone. For example, the FDC3 standard has created an open API for financial desktop interoperability, enabling applications from different vendors to talk to each other. The financial services community came together to create the Common Domain Model, which has become a widely accepted open standard for harmonizing data for trading, reporting and compliance. These open standards help reduce integration costs, improve transparency and future-proof core systems in the face of changing regulation and technology. A Magnet For Top Engineering Talent These open standards also play a critical role in the race to attain the brightest and best. Open source has become essential to attracting and retaining engineering talent, and public code contributions give engineers portable, verifiable credentials that help strengthen their career mobility. At the same time, developers value the ability to work on impactful tools used across the industry, not just behind corporate firewalls. Standardized toolchains and common frameworks also increase skills portability. Developers moving between firms can ramp up faster, reducing retraining costs and making teams more productive. This is a major reason why many financial services companies now view open-source participation as a requirement. Other Benefits The earlier cited FINOS survey reported that 84% of survey respondents say open-source work delivers business value and 88% say it improves software quality. Concerns about open-source security have largely subsided due to the dominance of Linux as the operating system of choice, with the concurrent development of open-source security practices that, likewise, share the burden and can even improve risk by empowering faster root cause analysis and quicker fixes. Goldman Sachs, Citi, Morgan Stanley, Bloomberg and others have institutionalized open-source policies through dedicated open-source program offices (OSPOs), shifting contribution and open-source development from an exception to a norm. By sharing the foundational burden, firms are left with more time and resources to focus on their special sauce: user experience, artificial intelligence platforms, execution algorithms and more. It's a striking shift with some irony: The most competitive firms in finance are collaborating on core infrastructure, so they can better compete where it really counts. Looking To The Future As competition heats up with numerous new entrants and an explosion of new service types, open source becomes even more critical within fintech. Just as cloud adoption became a table-stakes requirement a decade ago, open-source participation is quickly becoming a baseline requirement for speed, adaptability and talent retention. I encourage leaders within finance to find ways to contribute to open-source projects as a way to help shape and build them. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Should You Buy NuScale Power While It's Below $60?
Key Points It's developing Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology, offering a scalable and cost-effective energy. Global power demand is projected to surge 165%, particularly from data centers, by the end of the decade. NuScale is the first company to receive Standard Design Approval from the U.S. government for its SMR. 10 stocks we like better than NuScale Power › Artificial intelligence (AI) is a massively transformative technology, but powering these algorithms requires a substantial amount of energy. According to Goldman Sachs, global power demand from data centers is expected to increase by as much as 165% by the end of the decade. With energy demand expected to surge and a growing desire for scalable, carbon-free solutions, nuclear energy is re-emerging as an attractive option. The U.S. government has committed billions to revitalizing its nuclear infrastructure, from funding small modular reactors (SMRs) to streamlining regulatory pathways in pursuit of energy independence and climate resilience. NuScale Power (NYSE: SMR) is one company developing this SMR technology and the only one to have an approved design in the U.S. today. It could play a key role in powering tomorrow's algorithms, but achieving scalable commercial operations will take several years. If you're considering investing in NuScale, here's what to watch for from here. How NuScale can upgrade independent energy generation At the core of the business is the NuScale Power Module, a small modular reactor that can generate 77 megawatts of electricity (MWe) per module. The technology aims to deliver scalable, cost-effective, reliable power that is also carbon-free. The simple design of its technology eliminates the need for reactor coolant circulating pumps, large-bore piping, and other complex components typically found in conventional large-scale nuclear reactors, which, in turn, improves safety and reduces capital and operational costs. What makes it appealing to data center operators, industrial facilities, and other prospective customers is that its modular design can scale from one to 12 modules in a single installation, providing up to 924 MWe. This can also allow customers to start with a smaller initial investment and increase their capacity over time. NuScale's first-mover advantage NuScale enjoys a first-mover advantage, as it's the first and only company to receive Standard Design Approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for its small modular reactor technology. The company had received certification for its 50 MWe module a few years ago and recently received its certification for its 77 MWe design. Getting this regulatory head start could be a considerable advantage for NuScale in an industry where approvals can take years. NuScale is well-positioned to meet the accelerating demand for energy across various sectors, particularly from data centers and artificial intelligence (AI) operations that require 24/7 baseload power. Data centers are projected to triple their energy use within the next three years, potentially accounting for 12% of U.S. electricity consumption by 2028. Notable tech companies, such as Microsoft and Meta Platforms, are planning significant investments in AI-enabled data centers and are actively seeking substantial amounts of new nuclear power. Why investing in NuScale requires patience While NuScale could benefit from the resurgence of nuclear energy, investors should consider the potential risks. For one, cost overruns previously derailed its flagship Carbon Free Power Project (CFPP) with Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS). The project was terminated in 2023 after NuScale faced numerous cost overruns, which had grown to three times the initially agreed-upon cost estimates from 2018. UAMPS pulled the plug on it in 2023. The termination of the CFPP was a significant setback, as it was NuScale's first major project and highlighted the challenges in converting early-stage agreements into firm, commercially viable deployments. Another risk is that it will take years for NuScale to achieve commercial viability. NuScale currently has an active project in Romania (RoPower) where it plans to convert a former coal site plan into an SMR power plant. As part of this project, RoPower is considering a six-module plant with a capacity of 462 MWe. NuScale expects the plant to become operational as early as 2029. The RoPower project is a primary source of NuScale's current cash flow, generating revenue of $34 million in Q4 and an additional $13 million in Q1, primarily through engineering, licensing, and other service fees. The plant lays out the groundwork for commercializing its technology but also illustrates the long time horizon it will take for SMR technology to become operational. Is NuScale a buy today? NuScale Power is an interesting company developing innovative technology that will help meet the growing energy demands of tomorrow's data centers. The stock has benefited from the positive narrative surrounding nuclear energy, rising 373% over the past year. Analysts project $467 million in sales by 2028, which gives NuScale a lofty valuation of 23 times those projected sales three years out. The company has a first-mover advantage, which makes it an attractive prospect to watch, especially as nuclear energy undergoes a revitalization. However, a long road ahead awaits, and I think investors are better off watching and waiting to see how its story unfolds, given its current valuation. Do the experts think NuScale Power is a buy right now? The Motley Fool's expert analyst team, drawing on years of investing experience and deep analysis of thousands of stocks, leverages our proprietary Moneyball AI investing database to uncover top opportunities. They've just revealed their to buy now — did NuScale Power make the list? When our Stock Advisor analyst team has a stock recommendation, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor's total average return is up 1,049% vs. just 182% for the S&P — that is beating the market by 867.25%!* Imagine if you were a Stock Advisor member when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $638,629!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,098,838!* The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 29, 2025 Courtney Carlsen has positions in Microsoft. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Goldman Sachs Group, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends NuScale Power and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Should You Buy NuScale Power While It's Below $60? was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
3 days ago
- Forbes
Form Follows Frustration: Why The U.S. Needs A Chief Experience Officer
Cade Collister, Chief Creative Officer of Metova. For millions of Americans, the worst user experiences (UX) aren't on retail sites or social media—they're on government websites. Filing for disability, applying for a passport, enrolling in healthcare or even accessing tax records can feel like stepping into a time warp of broken design patterns, cluttered layouts and jarring navigational dead ends. The problem isn't just that government websites look outdated. It's that they operate like they've forgotten the user ever existed. And that's where a federal chief experience officer (CXO) could radically change the game. Design isn't decoration. It's the difference between a citizen successfully and quickly applying for SNAP benefits or giving up entirely because the form doesn't load on a phone. It's the difference between a veteran easily accessing mental health support or being routed through three outdated portals with no search function. A CXO wouldn't be just a figurehead—they'd be a strategic design leader with a singular mission: to ensure every digital touchpoint in government is accessible, intuitive, responsive and human-centered. Where Government UX Goes Wrong Let's take a closer look at some of the biggest offenders. despite its infamous rocky launch, has improved dramatically over the years. But its information hierarchy still lacks cohesion. Important actions like updating coverage or adding dependents are buried under multiple layers of navigation, and form fields frequently require redundant information. A CXO-led initiative could apply task-based design principles (e.g., progressive disclosure, smart defaults and field validation) to streamline these flows and reduce abandonment. Social Security Administration's site—is a critical tool for retirees and the disabled. Yet, its home page is crowded with indistinct links, poor mobile performance and a lack of plain-language labeling. Redesigning with accessible UI components, persona-based paths (e.g., 'I'm applying for disability' versus 'I'm reporting income') and a simplified visual hierarchy could dramatically improve both clarity and confidence. The IRS's Get Transcript tool is another example. It's an essential step for applying for mortgages, FAFSA or immigration, but it requires identity verification through a third-party process many users find intimidating and unusable. A consistent design system that embeds security cues (e.g., UX writing, modals and progress indicators) and reduces technical jargon would make this workflow far less anxiety-inducing. Design Isn't Cosmetic—It's Civic What if applying for unemployment benefits felt like shopping on Airbnb? What if renewing a driver's license felt as frictionless as ordering from DoorDash? That's not trivializing civic processes—it's recognizing that everyday users expect digital experiences to reflect the same standards of usability and empathy, no matter the source. And yet, government digital tools often fail at the basics: responsive design, mobile-first layouts, accessibility compliance (WCAG) or even clear calls to action (CTAs). These aren't luxuries—they're table stakes. A CXO would bring discipline around best practices that are second nature in the private sector: usability testing, A/B experiments, design audits and style guides that actually get implemented. This isn't about branding or flashy visual design. It's about experience architecture—reducing friction, surfacing the right info at the right time and ensuring every form and flow respects a user's time, abilities and context. Why A CXO Matters More Than A Committee Without centralized UX leadership, improvements stay siloed. The U.S. Web Design System (USWDS) is a fantastic tool kit, but adoption is inconsistent and often superficial. A CXO would own a strategic road map, not just for visual design but for experience consistency across domains and devices. That means holding agencies to shared performance metrics: mobile task completion rates, Net Promoter Scores (NPS), page load times and accessibility audits. And it means creating design accountability through playbooks, workshops and embedded experience leads inside agencies—not just consultants brought in for emergencies. A CXO would act as the connective tissue between brilliant but isolated design efforts at places like 18F, the U.S. Digital Service (USDS) and newer tools like Direct File, which proved that even the IRS can be user-friendly when design leads the process. An Urgent Need Take the example of site designed in a matter of days that shipped free tests to millions. It worked because the interface was ruthlessly simple, mobile-optimized and designed around one user task: 'Get free tests.' This wasn't a miracle. It was the result of empowered designers, rapid prototyping and decisive leadership. Imagine if every digital interaction with the government followed that model. Or look at a comprehensive user research and design overhaul, it now leads the field in accessible, user-first government websites. Veterans can now book appointments, refill prescriptions or check claims from their phones. But again, this is the exception, not the rule. What A Federal CXO Could Do The role isn't just symbolic. A CXO could: • Set a unified vision for digital design across agencies, enforcing experience standards and guiding design teams through complex legacy systems. • Manage a centralized dashboard of design KPIs, showing the public how digital services are improving over time. • Develop a federal-wide pattern library, extending USWDS with interaction models, mobile-first flows and accessibility playbooks customized for government contexts. • Convene a design council of embedded UX leads across departments to share learnings, surface blockers and make continuous improvement the norm. A More Humane Digital Government At its core, design is about respect—respect for the people trying to register to vote, for the small-business owner applying for a permit and for the senior confused by Medicare enrollment. A federal chief experience officer would bring structure, strategy and empathy to the systems that matter most. Forbes Communications Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?
