Semler Scientific Investors Cheered by New Hire, Lofty Bitcoin Acquisition Goals
Alongside, the company — which currently holds 4,449 bitcoin worth about $462 million — announced a goal of owning at least 10,000 bitcoin by the end of this year, 42,000 by year-end 2026 and 105,000 by year-end 2027.
"We are excited to have Joe join our Bitcoin strategy team and help drive our three-year-plan to own 105,000 Bitcoins," said company Chairman Eric Semler in a press release. "Joe is an analytical thought leader on Bitcoin and Bitcoin treasury companies. His expertise will be instrumental as we pursue our Bitcoin treasury strategy and aim to deliver long-term value to our stockholders."
"For over seven years, [Joe] has publicly been making the case for Bitcoin as the world's most advanced form of monetary technology," the release continued. "He previously served as director of market research at Unchained, a Bitcoin-focused financial services company."
Investors, for now, are applauding the news, sending SMLR higher by 14% on Friday even as bitcoin has dipped back below $104,000 and most BTC-related stocks are trading in the red.
Prior to today, though, it's been a rough ride for SMLR, which remains lower by 33% year-to-date and more than 50% off its 2025 high above $80. The sharp share price decline has left the company's market capitalization at or below the value of the bitcoin on its balance sheet — thus taking off the table the ability to accretively raise money for more BTC purchases through common share sales.
The hiring of Burnett and lofty BTC acquisition goals suggests Semler is likely to get creative with capital raising plans, perhaps — in similar fashion to Michael Saylor's Strategy — turning to the preferred share market.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
TechCrunch
a few seconds ago
- TechCrunch
Perplexity offers to buy Chrome for billions more than it's raised
In a moonshot move, AI search engine Perplexity has offered to buy Chrome from Google for $34.5 billion cash in an unsolicited offer, Reuters reported and Perplexity has confirmed to TechCrunch. Perplexity tells TC the terms of the offer include a commitment to keep Chrome's underlying engine, Chromium, open source and continue to invest in it. Perplexity's offer includes a promise to invest $3 billion into the open source project. Perplexity is also promising not to change the user defaults of Chrome users, including the default search engine. That is, Perplexity is promising to leave Google as the search engine rather than making its own AI-powered option the default. Google could not be reached for comment. TechCrunch will update the article if the company responds. This bid comes after the Department of Justice proposed in March that Google be forced to sell Chrome after a judge ruled the tech giant acted illegally to maintain a monopoly in online search. Google has not agreed to sell Chrome and has vowed to fight the ruling. The Perplexity spokesperson believes the court will soon set terms for remedies, perhaps later this month. (Google is also fighting another federal case where the judge ruled it illegally monopolized adtech, and the DOJ is proposing Google be forced to divest two of its adtech products or otherwise break up its ad business.) When the DOJ first proposed that Google divest Chrome, both OpenAI and Perplexity expressed interest in buying it. Given that Chrome is the dominant browser, with 68% marketshare according to Statcounter, if the court rules Chrome must be sold, no doubt others worldwide would want to bid as well. Techcrunch event Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital, Elad Gil — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They're here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don't miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $600+ before prices rise. Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They're here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don't miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise. San Francisco | REGISTER NOW Interestingly, the CEO of rival search engine Duck Duck Go testified in April that Chrome could be worth 'upwards of $50 billion,' Bloomberg reported at the time. Should Perplexity's offer succeed, it could be considered a bargain. Still, this offer for Chrome is far more than Perplexity has raised from investors and more than the startup's current valuation. Perplexity has raised about $1.5 billion to date, Pitchbook estimates, including an extension round of $100 million raised last month that valued it at $18 billion, Bloomberg reported. In the meantime, Perplexity last month launched its own browser, called Comet, in its bid to grow its AI search business without having to serve its customers through a browser, particularly one owned by its main rival Google. And, by the way, last month, Perplexity also reportedly submitted a bid to merge with TikTok.
Forbes
2 minutes ago
- Forbes
AI Startup Perplexity Makes $34.5 Billion Bid For Google Chrome
AI company Perplexity has made a $34.5 billion offer for Google's Chrome browser, according to multiple outlets, making the bid as a judge considers forcing Google to spin off Chrome after it was ruled to have held a monopoly over online advertising technology. The offer was first reported Tuesday morning. (Photo Illustration by Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images The $34.5 billion offer is backed by several unnamed investors 'including large venture-capital funds,' according to The Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the bid. Forbes has reached out to Perplexity and Google for comment. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Forbes
2 minutes ago
- Forbes
20 Ways To Revive A B2B Or Vendor Relationship
Relationships between businesses and vendors often change at the drop of a hat. Between miscommunication, delays and unmet expectations, it only takes one small misstep to prematurely end a business partnership, no matter how long a deal has been in place. As experts, the members of Forbes Business Council have partnered with a number of other businesses and vendors. Below, 20 of them discuss their experiences of either nearly firing a business or vendor or almost being fired themselves. Read on to learn proven strategies that can bring a partnership back from the brink of dissolution. 1. Take Accountability I had a close moment where I was ready to hit the eject button on a vendor, but they swooped in like superheroes. They owned their mistakes, listened to my concerns and delivered a solution faster than I could say 'contract termination.' They even followed up after. That mix of hustle and genuine care was a royal game-changer. They not only saved the deal but also earned my loyalty for the long haul! - Tonia Ryan, Techvoya 2. Avoid Deflecting Or Sugarcoating Our business partner didn't deflect or sugarcoat. Instead, they leaned in, owned the failure and asked what mattered most to me going forward. They then delivered fast. That shift from damage control to partnership kept me on board. In B2B, how you handle the worst moments defines the relationship. - Miriam Groom, Mindful Career Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify? 3. Make Needed Changes Due to slow response times, we were close to dropping a vendor when their leadership stepped in. They owned the issue and assigned a dedicated point person with clear service-level agreements. That proactive ownership, along with regular check-ins, restored trust. It showed us they valued the relationship and were willing to adapt. - Asaad Hakeem, SARC MedIQ Inc. 4. Present Solutions With Clear Timelines We were close to ending a partnership due to recurring delays. The CEO then personally reached out, took full accountability with no excuses, and presented a clear recovery plan with timelines. They also offered temporary compensation and assigned a dedicated project manager. That level of ownership and responsiveness restored trust and kept the relationship intact. - Maksym Blazhkun, Cronika 5. Communicate Proactively We were on the other side as the B2B partner during a period of supply disruptions. The key was honest, proactive communication. We addressed the issues head-on and reassured the client that we were fully committed to delivering value for them. Challenges are inevitable, but transparency and consistent effort can rebuild trust and even strengthen the relationship. - Adam Shaw, VTS Global 6. Focus On Solving A Problem We are a SaaS software company. Often, clients want to leave when they come up with a solution they think cannot be implemented. We reframe the conversation by asking, "What is the problem you are trying to solve?" This highlights the end result they want, enabling us to point them in the direction that will result in success. This allows the client to achieve their goal and resolves the retention issue. It's a win-win. - Asaf Darash, Regpack 7. Adapt To The Client's Needs I almost dropped my executive coach during a cost-cutting phase. Because their three-month notice felt like too much, they generously offered to reduce it to one month. They then delivered so much value in that time that I couldn't justify letting them go. A year later, we're still working together. That smart, strategic move on their part has also been a phenomenal ROI for Kalicube. - Jason Barnard, Kalicube 8. Act On Feedback Early We've worked with many B2B companies that saved at-risk clients by acting on feedback early. When they spotted a drop in satisfaction or a misaligned response, they reached out with genuine curiosity, not a script. That opened up honest conversations, surfaced hidden issues and proved they truly cared. As a result, it rebuilt trust and often turned quiet frustration into renewed loyalty. - Kári Thor R., Cliezen 9. Quickly Fix Mistakes We were ready to walk away from a creative partner who missed the brief. The founder called, owned it and delivered sharp work in a week. Accountability and action bought them a second chance. Good vendors stumble, but great ones fix it fast and show they value the relationship. - Sahil Gandhi, Blushush 10. Commit To Honesty And Real Action I was about to end my relationship with one of Switzerland's largest companies due to serious process and management issues. To their credit, they admitted the problems openly, brought in a new manager and committed to full transparency with regular updates. Their honesty and real action convinced me to stay. - Bojan Ilic, Swiss Security Solutions LLC 11. Make Internal Changes And Deliver We almost let go of our entire UX and design team after a major launch went off track due to an outside developer missing deadlines and failing to communicate. Tensions were high and excuses were plenty, but a sharp project manager stepped up, brought in a new developer and over-communicated through the duration of the launch. The result was an award-winning product and a lasting team relationship. - Raj Tulshan, Loan Mantra 12. Improve Communication I've been on both sides of the relationship. As a vendor, we almost lost 60% of our business because of a long, meandering, avoidable disagreement. Better communication was needed. To fix it and save the day, I went from wanting to be right (and win) to wanting to do the right thing for the client. When I dropped my ego, the energy of the conversations changed for the positive. - Joe Crandall, Greencastle Associates Consulting 13. Actively Listen To Client Concerns We were this close to axing a SaaS vendor over chronic glitches. The CEO flew out, sat down, and said, "Show me every pain point. No fixes promised yet—just listening." They then delivered a brutal, non-sugarcoated audit with a 30-day turnaround plan. They showed total ownership and provided no excuses. They converted rage into respect by valuing our pain over their ego. We stayed. - Dmitrii Khasanov, Arrow Stars 14. Ensure Partners Feel Seen And Valued It's amazing how fast things can turn around when you feel seen and valued. A sincere apology, clear accountability and genuine effort to rectify the issue can help restore trust. When a vendor treats you like a human, not a number, it changes everything. That kind of response has kept more than one business relationship going strong after a bumpy patch! - Natalie Ruiz, AnswerConnect 15. Send Apologies With Personalized Gifts Our software vendor was underperforming, and I was ready to cancel. Instead of defending their service, they sent personalized gifts to each team member affected by their mistakes, acknowledging the human cost of their failures. That emotional gesture brought them goodwill and we allowed them to fix the technical issues. Sometimes, apologies need to feel personal. - Archer Chiang, Giftpack 16. Meet Expectations When I took on a new role, I was ready to replace a vendor. The relationship felt stale, but once I set level expectations, they rose to meet them quickly and decisively. They stopped acting like a vendor and started operating like a true partner, becoming proactive, accountable and fully aligned to our goals. That shift in mindset, urgency and ownership earned them a fresh start and long-term trust. - Kamanasish (KK) Kundu, Kendra Scott 17. Embrace Flexibility, Transparency And Speed We were able to save a client we were about to lose by being flexible and listening to their concerns. We provided tailored solutions that reassured the client that we cared about their success as well. The winning point was deciding to work through the issue with transparency and speed. - Maneesh Sharma, LambdaTest 18. Prioritize Quality I nearly fired a CRM vendor over delays. I thought they weren't committed, but it turns out, they had the solution but held back for quality reasons. I reviewed the rough version, ran the numbers and realized rushing it would've cost more. I often think striving for perfection is a form of taking accountability. - Khurram Akhtar, Programmers Force 19. Do What's Right For The Clients When we started a computer graphics company, a senior executive was a client. While proofing, we found a balance sheet error by the client. When we notified him, the client was upset that "dumb proofers" were bothering him. We apologized and repeated the request. An hour later, the client called to apologize. We never lost the client. The lesson is to always do what's right for clients. - Jerry Cahn, Age Brilliantly 20. Make Consistent Improvements I have changed my mind a couple of times on vendors. They would apologize and improve their services, but I sometimes found that they would revert back to making old mistakes and missing deadlines, so I had to "fire" them. If a vendor or partner continues to provide bad service the second time around, it isn't worth having that discussion with them again. - Carmen Skipworth, CAMS Innovations
