Pam Omidyar and Pierre Omidyar
In 2004, they founded the Omidyar Network, which to date has invested almost $2 billion in both nonprofit and for-profit organizations focused on innovative technology, civic engagement, and media initiatives that serve the public interest. Among them: the Democracy Fund, which does grantmaking and civic advocacy in the U.S., and Luminate, which funds work to improve information ecosystems and civic participation with a focus on Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
The couple have also founded institutions individually: First Look Media, for example, was launched by Pierre to support independent journalism, while Hopelab, founded by Pam, seeks to use technology to improve youth mental health.Their latest initiative: at the 2025 AI Action Summit in Paris, their organization for AI in the public interest, AI Collaborative, helped establish a $400 million public-private partnership bringing together governments, tech companies, and philanthropic organizations to ensure the technology serves democratic interests.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Wire
37 minutes ago
- Business Wire
Fall for Pumpkin and Pot Roast at Perkins American Food Co.
Perkins American Food Co., a leading family-dining restaurant brand known for its homestyle meals, all day value, and iconic bakery, is bringing gourd vibes to its menu with the launch of its new limited time offerings starting September 3. Guests can enjoy new Pumpkin Spice Coffee along with the return of fan favorites Pumpkin Cream Cheese Mammoth Muffin ® and Pumpkin Pie. Additionally, Perkins is serving up its ultra comforting Pot Roast in both traditional and innovative ways. "As the seasons shift, guests look for warmth and familiarity, and this fall, we're delivering exactly that through a menu designed to satisfy both hearts and palates,' said Kimberly Bean, VP of Marketing for Perkins American Food Co. 'Our Classic Pot Roast is taking center stage, embodying the timeless comfort our brand is known for, while new innovations such as Loaded Pot Roast Totchos, offer a fresh, craveable twist on tradition. We are also providing guests a new beverage to enjoy morning or night. Plus, our Pumpkin Spice Coffee provides a cozy vibe, perfect for any time of day.' Ultimate Comfort Food Cooler weather evokes comfort eating, and Pot Roast is at the forefront. With a variety of homestyle dishes and warm hospitality, Perkins emphasizes nostalgic flavors with both traditional and remixed offerings. NEW! BBQ Pot Roast Burger: Perkins dresses an Angus beef patty with cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, onion tanglers, and tender, braised pot roast that's topped with a BBQ sauce all on a brioche bun. Comes with a side of fries. NEW! Loaded Pot Roast Totchos: Whether you're sharing or indulging, this table favorite is loaded with BBQ-sauced beef pot roast, tater tots, shredded American cheese, Cheddar cheese sauce and topped with diced tomatoes and jalapenos. NEW! Pot Roast Breakfast Skillet: A steaming skillet of breakfast potatoes, topped with pull-apart tender pot roast, scrambled eggs, diced peppers and onions, and American cheese. Classic Pot Roast: Tender chunks of braised beef, sweet green peas, tender carrots, onions, and a hearty beef gravy. Served with two dinner sides. Pot Roast Melt: Tender braised beef, grilled red onions, and melted cheddar cheese on grilled sourdough bread. Donut Skip the Bakery Perkins bakers are busy rolling out seasonal favorites. The Pumpkin Cream Cheese Mammoth Muffin ® is making its return to the bakery case along with the fall staple Pumpkin Pie. Be sure to order your whole pies for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, and other special occasions, or grab a slice to enjoy by yourself. Additionally, Perkins is reintroducing donuts with both new flavors and returning favorites. Choose between the Original Glazed, Wildberry Pie and Apple Fritter donuts or better yet, treat yourself and take advantage of their Buy 3, Get 1 Free offer. Level up your donut game by indulging in the Apple Fritter à la mode, a warm apple fritter topped with vanilla ice cream. Want to savor the Perks of good taste? Join the Perkins e-Club and receive 20% off your next visit just for signing up for the program. Plus, receive other exclusive offers sent directly to your inbox. Enjoy Perkins favorites, including all entrées and bakery treats with dine-in, curbside pickup, or delivery by visiting For more information, contact your local Perkins location or visit About Perkins American Food Co. Perkins American Food Co., formerly Perkins Restaurant & Bakery ®, is the latest evolution of the heritage brand that is as American as apple pie. Grounded in tradition and their key pillars of value, quality, and service, Perkins boasts the same heart and soul since its founding in 1958, but with a new attitude. The brand serves up American classics of yesterday that meet the tastes of guests today, generously portioned and priced just right. Their hospitality, accentuated with a strong commitment to kindness, continues to shine through as a key differentiator along with innovation to continually evolve and offer guests what they want and crave. Perkins currently operates nearly 300 company-owned and franchise locations across the U.S. and Canada. The company is owned by Ascent Hospitality Management. Photos Here
The Hill
37 minutes ago
- The Hill
Zohran Mamdani is a political risk Democrats shouldn't take
In a twist of comic irony, New York City — the embodiment of American capitalism — may soon have a democratic socialist mayor in 33 year old Zohran Mamdani. That being said, assuming Mamdani wins November's general election, the joke may be on national Democrats. Put another way, even as a mayoral candidate, by dint of New York City's status and his elevation into a national figure, Mamdani presents severe risks to the Democratic Party on the national stage. And as the party looks to regain even one chamber of Congress next year, there is a very real chance that Mamdani's extreme, socialist policies put the entire party's political fortunes in jeopardy. The first risk is if Mamdani's primary victory portends, or ushers in, a seismic shift for the wider Democratic Party. Coming at a time when Democrats are at a crossroads, Mamdani's win may embolden progressives, sideline moderates and drive the party further to the left. If this is the direction the Democratic Party moves in, they will end up even less politically relevant than they are today. At the same time, Mamdani's views are considerably out of line with what mainstream Democratic views should be — particularly on the economy and public safety. The U.S. is a capitalist nation. Although more can be done to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity and is protected by a social safety net, the U.S. is not a socialist country. And on public safety, Mamdani, a past proponent of 'defund the police,' is pledging to move 'billions of dollars (from the NYPD budget) to a new Department of Community Safety' that emphasizes soft on crime measures, according to New York Post reporting. With Democrats already struggling to overcome perceptions that they can't be trusted to handle the economy or public safety. And given New York City's prominence, Mamdani's policies may quickly become the face of the entire party, a gift to the GOP. The second, and arguably biggest, risk Mamdani poses lies in how he would govern. Mamdani campaigned on endless handouts backed by huge tax increases, replacing police officers with social workers, and Soviet-inspired government-run grocery stores. Whether Mamdani is able to implement any, or all, of these campaign pledges or not, Democrats will find themselves between a rock and a hard place. Either Mamdani is seen as ineffective, and just another Democrat who promised utopia but was unable to actually deliver on his lofty promises. Or, more dangerously, New Yorkers get a firsthand lesson on the dangers of socialism, sparking a considerable backlash against the Democratic Party as a whole. Worse, with New York City being a global center of culture, finance and entertainment, the entire country will witness the damage from Mamdani's policies. When government-run grocery stores show themselves to be a horrendous idea, which the Soviet Union has already shown them to be, Republicans will immediately pounce on this failure to underscore the danger in electing any Democrat. Should crime spike due to a sharp reduction in the number of police officers, Democrats across the country will be branded as soft on crime. Similarly, if excessively high taxes on the city's high-earners cause capital flight, a destruction of the city's tax base and drastically lower the overall quality of life, voters' trust in Democrats to handle the economy will sink, and it's already tremendously low. Finally, there is the issue of how Mamdani will govern the city with the world's largest Jewish population outside of Israel. Due to his history of antisemitic remarks, whether his refusal to condemn 'globalize the intifada' or unwillingness to accept Israel as a Jewish state, vitriol he's never shared for other ethnoreligious states, there are very real concerns that under his leadership, New York City will be even more hostile for Jews. Far from being a local issue, if Mamdani fails to protect New York's Jewish citizens, it will reinforce perceptions that the Democratic Party is rife with antisemitism. To be sure, national Democrats seem to be aware of the risks Mamdani poses. Some moderates, such as Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), have been blunt, saying Mamdani's 'policies do not comport' with Democrats' agenda. Others, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies (D-N.Y.) have taken a softer approach, but still indicate some unease with the socialist who has become the face of the Democratic Party. Speaking to CNBC's 'Squawk Box' on Thursday, Jefferies refused to endorse Mamdani or even say whether he was 'convinced' about Mamdani and the kind of mayor he would be. Asked about Mamdani's policy proposals, Jefferies said, 'Now, he's going to have to demonstrate…that his ideas can actually be put into reality.' Hardly a show of confidence from a party leader. Taken together, the elevation of Mamdani and his extreme views may deepen the animosity and alienation many voters feel when they think about today's Democratic Party. If voters see Mamdani's leadership devastating New York City and come to believe that this is what the Democratic Party has to offer, it stands to reason that Democrats across the country will pay the price, and likely for many election cycles to come. 'The End of Democracy? Russia and China on the Rise and America in Retreat.'
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
European Trade Takes Fresh Tariff Hit as U.S. Exports Slump
European exports to the U.S. continue to slow sharply, underscoring the drag the continent's trade faces from President Trump's trade tariffs. Exports to the U.S. from the 27 nations that make up the European Union dropped 10% on year in June to hit their lowest level since the end of 2023, at a little over 40 billion euros ($46.8 billion,) according to figures released Monday by statistics agency Eurostat. The bloc's overall trade surplus shrank to just 1.8 billion euros, down from 12.7 billion euros a month earlier. Disney's Marvel Abandons Georgia, Taking Livelihoods With It Strong Crop of Earnings Eases Investors' Economic Concerns Air Canada Flight Attendants to Defy Back-to-Work Order Gamblers Now Bet on AI Models Like Racehorses June's fall comes after EU exports to its largest external trading partner decreased sharply in April, having surged to a record high of nearly 72 billion euros in March, when American importers stockpiled goods ahead of the Trump administration's impending tariff announcements. At the end of July, Brussels and Washington reached an agreement that will see a 15% baseline tariff placed on EU imports to the U.S. Elements of that deal remain under negotiation; a joint statement detailing the agreement should be achieved 'soon,' EU spokesperson Olof Gill said last week. The bloc is unlikely to put into place any counter-tariffs on American imports into Europe, at least in the short term, having suspended for six months a package of retaliatory measures drafted in the wake of President Trump's initial tariff announcement in April. Compared with a month earlier, June's shrinking surplus was driven in particular by weaker exports of chemicals, an important export sector for many European economies. Germany, long Europe's industrial powerhouse and one of the world's top exporting nations, has seen exports to America slide in recent months, weighing on output at its factories and limiting growth in the wider economy. A strong euro is also paring demand for European goods. 'The environment for foreign trade remains below average,' warned Ralph Solveen, an economist at Frankfurt-based Commerzbank. European exports to China, another important market, meanwhile also fell sharply on year, highlighting the broader negative effects of the chillier global trade backdrop. 'The full impact of recent tariff measures is still unfolding,' said NgOzi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization. The eurozone economy has proved more resilient than feared in the face of the tariff onslaught, growing 0.1% over the second quarter. But exports are likely to remain under pressure from the strong euro and broader uncertainty, said Carsten Brzeski, head of macro at Dutch bank ING. 'Currently, it's hard to see how exports could soon return as a powerful engine of European growth,' Brzeski said. Write to Joshua Kirby at Welcome to the Fast-Food Industry's Crispy Chicken Summer A2 Milk Targets Margin Growth, Buys Manufacturing Facility The New AI Data Trade: Web Publishers and Startups Look to Cash In NAB Flags Higher Costs as Credit Impairments Hit Profit 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
