Latest news with #Alpaca
Buzz Feed
10 hours ago
- General
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25 Must-Have Target Products For Pet Owners
A travel carrier because your pet will never *enjoy* going to the vet, but at least you don't have to worry about them escaping. Its soft mattress and mesh windows will keep your companion calm and comfy. This 17Lx11Wx10H carrier has a removable, washable lining and comes with a shoulder strap. It is ideal for small/toy dogs and review: "I've bought several carriers and hands down this is the best one. Don't hesitate to buy." —rocket and rex CarrierPrice: $71.99 (originally $89.99) An engaging Kong interactive toy so fun, it will drain a bit of your dog's seemingly endless energy without totally depleting yours. As they say, a tired pup is a good pup. Promising review: "Great toy for chewers and big dogs! Love that this toy squeaks and also has a ball inside. Our Lab puppy has not been able to destroy it yet, and she normally does so with any other toys very quickly. Highly recommend. 🙌🏼" —JendaminPrice: $13.99 An Arm & Hammer deodorizer spray that will keep the cat box smelling fresh. You'll be able to replace the litter less and your home will smell fabulous. To use, spray directly on litter after scooping to destroy odors review: "Freshness and dries quickly. I give it a liberal once-over in the litter box after scooping, and it really makes a difference. I got mad when I forgot where I bought it and couldn't find it elsewhere. When I saw it on the shelf, I bought two." —JayyPrice: $4.99 A stylish feeding mat because you're constantly cleaning up rogue water and kibble from your messy pet. This plastic mat is simple to wipe down and has a nonskid backing to hold it in place. Promising reviews: "Great quality. Nonslip surface. Easy to wipe clean." —Col5270"These are wonderful! I placed them under my cats' food bowls and water fountain. It's easy to clean and catches any water spills before they hit the hardwood. Plus, they look great and clean! My cats, who are usually hesitant toward new things, weren't bothered at all!" —thewanderingwonderPrice: $6.99+ (available in two sizes) A jar of gel odor remover — it'll help mask odors from your pet without requiring much effort on your part. Just because you're a fur parent doesn't mean that you have to be cleaning 24/7. Promising review: "I use this in the cabinet that our litter box is in and it works so well at eliminating odor instead of masking it with another strong odor like most air fresheners and things do." —mamajessPrice: $9.99 A bag of delicious cat treats to bribe your stubborn feline to do just about anything. You can feel good about rewarding with these tasty bites, and hey — maybe you'll *finally* get them to listen to you. Promising review: "My senior cat goes absolutely nuts for these treats. So many brands offer freeze-dried treats now, but these are his favorite and very reasonably priced. Will continue to purchase." —Alpaca Price: $8.99 A bag of Iams dry food — it may help stop hairballs before they start (and you get to clean them up). The first ingredient is real chicken and it is free of fillers and artificial colors.*purr* Promising review: "My cat has done great on this. She has food in her bowl all the time but her weight is right where it should be. She's happy, and while it does help with hairballs, I still get them if I don't brush her daily. Trusted brand for me." —BenB79Price: $18.99 for a 7-pound bag A minty-fresh dental chew great for doggos who need to improve their pearly whites. Keep bad breath at bay without the arduous task of brushing your small but powerful pup's teeth. These are intended for small/toy dogs!Promising review: "They work well for my two dogs and don't upset their stomach." —KelsiePrice: $4.29+ (available in two package sizes) A durable food scoop with measurement lines so you don't have to guesstimate how much you're feeding your pet. It also won't leave your hands smelling of kibble like using a cup does. This BPA-free scoop is dishwasher safe and has a handy hole in its handle for hanging. It measures up to one cup of review: "Perfect scoop for measuring dog food. I also got another one to scoop ice from my ice maker…a lot cheaper than actual ice scoops and works just as well!" —JacielaciePrice: $2.99 A pack of recycled pet waste bags — they are thick and leakproof to prevent any unwanted ~contact~. Take the struggle out of handling your dog's everyday business with these bags. This box includes eight unscented review: "I've been buying Earth Rated poop bags for at least six years. My husband walks our two greyhounds every day and has never had a bag rip or accidentally put his finger through one." —nbPrice: $7.99 for a 120-pack A package of calming treats so your pupper can take a literal chill pill instead of stressing out. Treat them to a delicious chew anytime you'd like to kick back and relax — they will too. Promising review: "ZestyPaws is my go-to brand for dog supplements. These calming treats really seem to help my dogs in stressful situations. I recently took a road trip with my pups and gave them their recommended dose before taking off. They were happy to snooze the whole five-hour drive until we got to our destination." —KZPrice: $19.99 for 60 treats An antimicrobial ear rinse that'll help prevent painful and ugly infections. You'll be spending *a lot* less time going back and forth from the vet and more time enjoying being a pet parent. Promising review: "This fights both bacteria and yeast…good feature for price. We use monthly (with flea control topical) on Shelties and Great Pyrenees floppy-ear breeds. Use flat cotton pads. Keeps brown, yucky, scratchy ears at bay. Less $$$ at vet." —HerdingdogranchPrice: $7.29 A litter mat — litter pellets and *other* bathroom things don't belong on your floor. Your cat does not appreciate walking around with litter between their paws. Promising review: "It really helps keep litter from getting all over. Easy to clean with just a shake off." —ElkcityidPrice: $12.89 A powerful stain and odor eliminator so you can rescue your furniture from inevitable pet messes. It uses a dual-action enzyme formula to clean even deep-set grossness and leave your home smelling fresh as a daisy. Promising review: "Our older cat has a leaky bladder and with this we have no residue smell around the house!" —SamPrice: $5.99 A heartbeat stuffed toy to help calm pets and lull them to sleep. You're on your way to a better night's sleep as well! The stuffed toy includes a removable heat pack and heartbeat simulator (AAA batteries included).Promising reviews: "Great product that helped our puppy adjust to his new normal. A very simple concept that really helped him." —Target Customer"We bought this for our newly adopted 10-week-old puppy. He loved it almost immediately. In his first week with us, he had one night of crying every couple of hours, but I was able to settle him fairly quickly, and since then, he's been sleeping through the night. Snuggle puppy is a game-changer, and I highly recommend it." —MamaDPrice: $39.99 A engaging cat toy that gets your couch potato kitty pouncing around and being active. A great first plaything, it involves you *and* them in the fun! Promising review: "My cats love this toy. It is one of their favorites. Even my cat who doesn't love to play really enjoys this toy!" —Cj0257Price: $3.99 A bag of PrettyLitter for making sure that the feral kitten you've adopted is indeed free of parasites and other health concerns, thanks to its color-changing crystals. Promising review: "We started using this several years ago, and we are never going back. Lasts twice as long as clumping litter, absorbs odor better, and very easy to clean every few days." —AnnePrice: $27.49 A pack of six disposable litter boxes — your fancy feline can enjoy a fresh bathroom without much effort on your part. These recycled cardboard gems are completely biodegradable and perfect for travel. Promising review: "These are great for keeping your litter box area clean, and your cat happy. The only downside is that they are a little thin. I stack two together and it works well." —MarigoldPrice: $27.99+ (originally $33.99+; available in two sizes) A stainless-steel water fountain that provides clean water 24/7. Cats are *big fans* of running water — keep your feline happy *without* having to leave your sink dripping. Price: $46.99 (originally $69.99) A bag of delicious training treats to help steer your pup's behavior in the right direction. At only 2 calories per treat, you'll be able to reward them as often as you'd like! Promising review: "My dog looooves their treats! And they are a great size for training." —SB Price: $5.99 A robot vacuum and mop so you can spend more time cuddling with them and less time cleaning up their fur. No more daily cleaning to try to control the mess — this MVP does all the work for you. Price: $139.99 (originally $239.99) A sliding puzzle to occupy your friend in a way that is not loud, messy, or damaging. It'll buy you some time to do ~human stuff~. Promising review: "I'm using this puzzle with my cat, and it's great! I was initially eyeing a larger version, made by the same manufacturer, but opted for this one due to the smaller size (I live in an apartment). It's also cheaper here compared to Chewy. It's well constructed, the plastic seems easy to clean, and the puzzle itself stays still when in use due to its weight/grips on the bottom. You can hide your treats, three different ways: with the bone compartment that is removable, inside the sliders that can open, and underneath the sliders. My cat caught on fairly quickly and enjoys using it. I was concerned that this wouldn't work for her since it's intended for dogs but it works fine." —StephPrice: $9.99 A poop scoop because you want to stay as far away from icky dog messes as possible during your yard cleaning. No more kneeling, squatting, or struggling to hygienically dispose of pet waste. Promising review: "Makes cleaning up easier. Bigger than I expected, no need to bend down anymore." —Kimberly580Price: $19.99 An automatic feeder to ensure that no one gets too much or too little food. This bad boy can run for up to 30 days and dish out 2 liters of kibble for busy or vacationing fur parents. Promising reviews: "I really love this feeder! It's my favorite among the three that I own. It has everything I need. You can create a feeding schedule, and it always works! The app also sends me push notifications for every feeding. The size is perfect too for three cats. Definitely worth every penny!" —EunicePrice: $69.99 A pack of pH-balanced grooming wipes that gently clean all the nooks and crannies, leaving your dog's skin and coat healthy and fresh. No need to wrestle your four-legged friend into the bathtub every few days — these wipes can handle the job. Promising review: "I have a 1-year-old mini poodle with lots of hair, who goes to daycare, swims, and goes on hikes. These wipes are by far the BEST! I've tried so many different wipes and none of them got the job done like these. Beyond moist, and the scent is to die for! This is a new staple in my daily household for my puppy." —Happy CustomerPrice: $4.99 for a 60-pack
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alpaca Finance, Once a DeFi Giant on BNB Chain, Will Shut Down
Alpaca Finance, once a cornerstone on the BNB Chain and an early leader in leveraged yield farming, will shut down operations by the end of 2025 due to an unsustainable business model amid a more competitive and capital-intensive DeFi landscape. The protocol said Monday that it will begin winding down all products, including its original yield farming platform, automated vaults, and decentralized perpetuals, over the next few months. Front-end access will remain available through December 31, 2025, to give users time to withdraw their assets. 'This choice wasn't made lightly,' the Alpaca team wrote. 'But we believe it is the most responsible course of action to safeguard our community and ensure a graceful and secure wind-down.' Launched during decentralized finance's (DeFi) 2021 boom, Alpaca quickly rose to prominence on BNB Chain, offering leveraged yield farming strategies that allowed users to amplify returns by borrowing capital to farm liquidity pool (LP) tokens. At its peak, Alpaca held over $1 billion in total value locked (TVL) and was one of the most-used protocols on the chain. Internally, Alpaca had been operating at a loss for over two years, according to the team, with revenue tied directly to protocol usage — a challenge compounded by the project's fair launch structure with no VC backing or pre-mined tokens. The final blow came in late April, when Binance delisted ALPACA, the protocol's native token. While the event triggered a brief 550% price rally due to short liquidations, including $55 million in forced closures in a single day, it also severely restricted liquidity and user access to the token. That, the team said, made it harder to pursue new initiatives or strategic mergers. 'We explored M&A discussions with several projects, and some progressed meaningfully,' the team said. 'But as the market turned downward again in early 2025, those deals fell through.' ALPACA, the project's token, was last trading at approximately $0.08, down over 90% from its all-time high in 2021. 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
Business Wire
28-04-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Kraken Offers US Securities Through Strategic Partnership with Alpaca
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Kraken, one of the world's most trusted and longest-standing cryptocurrency platforms with more than 15 million global clients, now offers US securities to US-residing clients. By expanding their product offering, Kraken continues to bridge the gap between digital and traditional assets– furthering their position as an institutional grade, multi-asset-class trading platform. 'We are excited to work with Alpaca to bring US equities to our clients,' said Nick LaMaina, Managing Director of Kraken. Kraken has launched this new asset class through a strategic partnership with Alpaca – an API-first brokerage platform and self-clearing broker-dealer for stocks, ETFs, and options who serves hundreds of financial services and millions of brokerage accounts around the world. Through this partnership, Kraken is offering its users access to a large and diverse investable asset universe, combining their best-in-class crypto platform of more than 300 digital assets and 6 different fiat currencies with over 11,000 stocks and ETFs. Kraken's recent acquisition of NinjaTrader, a futures trading platform, shows their commitment in providing more investment opportunities to their clients. 'We are excited to work with Alpaca to bring US equities to our clients,' said Nick LaMaina, Managing Director of Kraken. 'This collaboration accelerates Kraken's vision of combining traditional and digital asset classes into one platform, enhancing the user experience of both new and sophisticated traders while maintaining the highest standards of trust and security.' Alpaca's Broker API empowers global partners, like Kraken, with notional and fractional orders, low-latency trade execution, and its self-clearing platform to deliver equities trading commission-free. 'We're excited to congratulate Kraken on their incredible milestone to offer US securities. Their forward-thinking approach to combine multiple asset types into one consolidated platform shows how dedicated they remain to serving the needs of their global customer base, and we're thrilled to be a part of their journey,' said Yoshi Yokokawa, CEO & Co-Founder of Alpaca. As Kraken looks ahead, they will continue to explore adding more traditional asset classes, like options, and how they can offer this around the world. About Alpaca Alpaca is a US-headquartered self-clearing broker-dealer and brokerage infrastructure for stocks, ETFs, options, and crypto– raising over USD170 million in funding. Alpaca is backed by top-tier investors globally, including Portage Ventures, Spark Capital, Tribe Capital, Social Leverage, Horizons Ventures, Unbound, SBI Group, Derayah Financial, Elefund, and Y Combinator. For more information, please visit: About Kraken Kraken is one of the world's largest digital asset exchanges and the leader in euro volume and liquidity. Globally, Kraken's client base trades more than 300 digital assets and 6 different fiat currencies, including GBP, EUR, USD, CAD, CHF, and AUD. Kraken was founded in 2011 and was one of the first exchanges to offer spot trading with margin, regulated derivatives and index services. Kraken is trusted by well over 15 million traders and institutions around the world and offers professional, round the clock online support. For more information, please visit
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ed Tech Startup Boosts Teacher Well-Being With Feelings Check-ins and Care Packs
Committed. Exhausted. Comfortable. Frazzled. Valued. Stuck. Once a month, staffers at Sullivan Middle School in Sullivan, Illinois, pick adjectives to describe their feelings about work as part of an anonymous online survey. Principal Nathan Ogle said the short questionnaire, which he implemented in October, has helped transform employee culture at the rural school of 250 students. It's one of the products offered by Alpaca, an education technology startup that's trying to improve teacher well-being across the U.S. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter The company has pulse surveys, downloadable resources and staff care packages that schools and districts can purchase. Since its 2022 launch in Omaha, Nebraska, Alpaca has worked with more than 100 schools and districts in 25 states. It received multiple awards in January at the 2025 Future of Education Technology Conference, which features ed tech innovations and businesses. 'It's been incredibly useful just to get that feedback from my staff on what things they're feeling and experiencing,' Ogle said. 'I've been able to respond to that stuff as it's coming in, more or less in real time.' During the 2023-24 school year, 48% of public school teachers reported declining mental health that impacted their work, up from 42% the year before, according to a 2024 EdWeek Research Center study. The percentage of teachers who reported their schools offered minimal or no employee wellness programming increased from 68% in 2023 to 72% in 2024. Related For Alpaca's founder, Karen Borchert, the focus is employee engagement and retention: 'What does it feel like to go to work when you are a teacher, what is it like and what could make it better?' Borchert went to college to become a high school teacher, but after earning her degree became interested in nonprofits and startups. She decided to create her own company after the pandemic hit and school staff shortages worsened. She began by selling subscription care packs to teachers and schools. The packs — which inspired the name Alpaca — cost $25 to $35 each and include items like snacks, pens, notepads, markers, tissues, lip balm and a handwritten note. Last year, Alpaca launched its online pulse survey along with free downloadable resources like staff activities, teacher appreciation tips and strategies to help administrators make their employees feel valued. Borchert said most of the schools that use Alpaca will have staff complete the survey in monthly meetings. Some use Alpaca's digital resources to host games and give out the care packages as prizes. 'We love to see them work together as a system or as a platform,' Borchert said. 'And then, by the time the principal gets back to their office, all of their survey data is live and ready, and they can see what's needed.' Ogle said the monthly pulse surveys are more useful than his district's annual climate survey, which doesn't provide results until after the school year is over. When he began implementing the survey last fall, many teachers said they felt stretched thin and wanted time to plan with one another. In response, he restarted a school tradition of 'Working Wednesdays.' Administrators took over supervising students during lunch so teachers could use that time to collaborate with colleagues. Related 'Since we've implemented that, 'stretched thin' is no longer a phrase that people are choosing' on the survey, he said. 'I have staff members who, if I just went and asked them, 'Hey, how are you doing?' They're going to say, 'Fine,' because that's what they do. But this gives them that opportunity to anonymously let me know how they're really doing.' Alpaca's reach also extends beyond schools and districts. High Desert Education Service District, a Bend, Oregon, agency that places thousands of substitute teachers in 10 nearby school districts every year, began using Alpaca in 2024. Part of the state's Department of Education, High Desert uses the pulse survey for the subs to rank how they feel about working in different schools and districts. Substitutes also receive Alpaca packs when they accept a certain number of school assignments. Borchert said Caddo Parish Public Schools in Shreveport, Louisiana, uses the products in its alternative teacher certification academy. And the University of Nebraska-Lincoln uses the pulse survey and care packages for its student teachers. Sue Kemp, a professor in the university's special education department, said the survey results help her decide which schools to place student teachers at to gain practical experience in the classroom. Related 'It gives me a better picture about how the students are feeling and doing in their school,' she said. 'I get a better snapshot of the support that they're feeling in the school and in their own skill development, and what they need on top of it.' The student teachers and the educators who are supervising them in the classroom also receive monthly Alpaca packs as a way to say 'good job' or 'thank you' for their work, Kemp said. She said the students and the supervisors have reported that the care packages make them feel more positive about their jobs and more connected to the college. 'We are at a moment where I think our educators are going to need so much care, and they're going to need so many good support systems,' Borchert said. 'They're going to need to be able to say how they're feeling and what they need while we kind of walk through uncertain or unprecedented times.'
Arab News
18-02-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Derayah Financial surpasses market growth in Saudi brokerage, asset management, CEO says
RIYADH: Saudi investment firm Derayah Financial saw its assets under management soar to SR17 billion ($4.53 billion) in 2024 as it outpaced growth across the sector in the Kingdom, according to its CEO. Speaking to Arab News at the Capital Markets Forum 2025, Mohammad Al-Shammasi revealed that this rise to a 70 percent year-on-year growth, ranking the company among the top independent firms in Saudi brokerage revenues, with the third-largest market share. Saudi Arabia's asset management industry was set for growth in the second half of 2024 and into 2025, with AUM increasing 13.5 percent year over year to exceed $250 billion by mid-2024, according to a Fitch Ratings report released in October. The Kingdom has the largest asset management industry in the Gulf Cooperation Council, the fifth-largest in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the second-largest public Islamic funds market globally. 'The overall size of the market is actually growing at a very decent growth rate. So, if you look at retail brokerage or digital brokerage, it is historically growing at a 9 percent CAGR year after year,' he said, adding: 'On the asset management side, that has been growing at around 14 percent year after year.' Oversubscribed IPO Al-Shammasi also discussed Derayah's recent initial public offering, which was 162 times oversubscribed, underscoring the firm's strong market position. 'This is a great testament to the company's performance over the past few years,' he said. Founded 17 years ago as a digital challenger in capital markets, Derayah has grown into Saudi Arabia's third-largest brokerage on of the the largest independent brokers in the region. The IPO allows shareholders to sell 20 percent of the company's shares in a secondary transaction, with 90 percent allocated to corporates and institutions and 10 percent to retail investors. 'We think this will give us huge credibility in the market,' Al-Shammasi said, adding that the transaction could also pave the way for more fintech companies to list on the Saudi stock exchange. The CEO emphasized the strong demand for Derayah's IPO from investors across Asia, Europe, and the US. 'We have seen investors from all over the world submitting bids for our IPO,' he noted. Al-Shammasi further assured that Derayah is well-funded for the near future, with a debt-free balance sheet and a track record of generous dividend distributions. 'The company does not really need any capital in the near term to continue its strategy and growth plans,' he said. 'We have a perfect environment to raise money here in the Kingdom, and I'm more than happy to tap the market if we need it,' Al-Shammasi added. The CEO also revealed that Derayah has partnered with Alpaca, a significant player in international brokerage, to cater to the growing local fintech sector. The partnership aims to provide fintechs in Saudi Arabia with a localized version of Alpaca's services while facilitating international investors' access to the Saudi market. 'Alpaca operates a lot of brokerage houses, and we believe this partnership will pave the way for international investors to come and trade in the local market,' he explained. The Capital Markets Forum 2025, hosted by Saudi Tadawul Group, aims to bring together policymakers, business leaders, and industry experts to discuss trends shaping the Kingdom's capital markets and position Saudi Arabia as a key player in the global financial ecosystem.
