Latest news with #Amsterdam
Vogue
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Inside the Loyalty-Inspiring Work of Design Firm Charles & Co.
'People tend not to cheat on their interior designer,' says Vicky Charles, who, along with her business partner, Julia Corden, has spent the past decade embedded in the private lives of public people. 'You can cheat on your architect or your contractor but not on your designer, because they get to know your life.' When Vicky and Julia founded their interior design firm, Charles & Co., in 2016, they were 39 and 35, respectively. Their assets included a hard-earned reputation (Vicky had spent 20 years overseeing interior design at Soho House), stellar connections (Julia is married to the actor James Corden), and an instinct for discretion. Other than that they were, in their own words, 'winging it.' Since then their client list has grown to include David and Victoria Beckham, Amal and George Clooney, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, Harry Styles, Emma Stone, and many more. Some 70 percent of these clients come back—and those, Vicky says, tend to need, on average, attention paid to at least three homes. (Charles & Co. has designed four interiors, including offices, for the Beckhams.) SOFT POWER The living room of the London home, in Marylebone, features a sofa by George Smith with a painting by Alexis Soul Gray. Photographed by Simon Upton That level of loyalty doesn't stem from the color of the cushions. It's because Vicky Charles—proudly adaptable—listens to the way you want to live. This goes for a centuries-old canal house in Amsterdam or a lodge in upstate New York, a house in Barcelona or a hotel in the Alps. 'So many people say to me, 'What's your style?' ' Julia reflects. 'Well, our approach means that there is no style.' Instead, she suggests, with the air of a life coach, she and Vicky 'take you on a journey to know yourself better.' We are having breakfast at a restaurant in central London, where Vicky and Julia complement each other with ease. Both British, and friends for some 13 years, they have distinct roles in the company: Vicky gets on with the creative work while Julia oversees finance and thinks about the bigger picture. Julia—Jules to those who know her—petite and poised, blond hair pulled back into a bun, orders chia seed pudding. She's recently returned from Los Angeles to live in London full-time with her husband and three children—in a Victorian house they renovated in record time. Vicky, a warm and pointedly no-frills mother of two teenagers, whose American husband, Joe, works in finance, is here overnight from her home in upstate New York. When not traveling with suitcases full of samples, she's chopping wood or shoveling snow or walking the dogs, and today she's looking ahead to several long hours of rolling up her sleeves on-site. She launches herself with relief at the boiled eggs and soldiers. 'I just crave the simple things when I come back,' she says. Plus: 'I never know when I'm going to get food again.' They tell me that they reject clients who are not committed enough to the process. 'Vicky is very, very particular about what clients she takes on,' Julia says. 'I won't do it through an army of assistants,' Vicky explains. 'If I'm designing your home, we need to have the rapport.' GOING DUTCH Charles & Co. recently completed design of this canal house in Amsterdam. In the entry, custom wall coverings are by Watts 1874. Photographed by James McDonald. Stylist: Sara Mathers. Courtesy of Charles & Co. A sitting room in the Amsterdam home includes an antique chandelier from Piet Jonker. Photographed by James McDonald. Stylist: Sara Mathers. Courtesy of Charles & Co. A Charles & Co. project takes two to five years, by the end of which this pair knows everything about you. Once, a husband and wife each asked Vicky—independently of one another—what they should get the other for Christmas. 'No names,' Vicky adds with a sidelong glance. Are they still married? I ask. She shakes her head.
Associated Press
3 hours ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Habitat AI secures $16M to launch groundbreaking agentic AI infrastructure powered by renewable energy
Habitat AI lays the foundation for a new class of AI infrastructure engineered for tomorrow's intelligent and autonomous systems 'This is not just capital, it's conviction. Habitat AI is laying the foundations for a new class of AI infrastructure that sets new benchmarks for efficiency and environmental responsibility.'— Alexander Mathiesen-Ohman, Habitat AI Founder & CEO AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS, July 17, 2025 / / -- Habitat AI, a new joint venture between real estate group Larmag and AI-sustainability innovator Solgen International, today announced a 16 million seed funding round to build the next generation agentic AI infrastructure powered by renewable energy, enabling autonomous AI agents to operate in real-time. The capital injection will fully fund Habitat AI BV's first phase of development, including land acquisition, system design and the deployment of a first-of-its-kind AI-native, grid-positive data centre and edge computing network across Europe. 'This is not just capital, it's conviction,' said Alexander Mathiesen-Ohman, founder of Solgen International and CEO of Habitat AI. 'We are laying the foundation for a new class of AI infrastructure engineered for tomorrow's intelligent and autonomous systems, without compromising the planet. We aim to become a global leader in AI infrastructure by creating sustainable, high-performance data centres and edge computing networks. To drive innovation in AI and energy optimization, setting new industry standards for efficiency and environmental responsibility.' Agentic AI is ushering in a new era for data hubs, transforming them from reactive systems into autonomous, intelligent ecosystems. Unlike conventional AI, which primarily analyses data or follows human commands, agentic AI can independently set objectives, make complex decisions and take action without constant oversight. In the context of data hubs, this means smarter resource management, proactive problem-solving and heightened efficiency & security. Habitat AI will be at the forefront of this, poised to redefine how critical infrastructure is conceived and operated. By embedding intelligence at the core of data centre design and management, Habitat AI will enable facilities to become more adaptive, resilient and self-governing, laying the foundation for a future shaped by AI-led automation and innovation. The Habitat AI infrastructure model is built around four strategic pillars: • AI Factories: Large-scale compute centres optimized for autonomous systems. • Edge Computing: Fast-response edge units providing cognitive processing in real time. • Sustainable Energy: Powered by hydrogen and renewables via Solgen. • Redundancy & Security: Built to Tier 4 resilience across systems and energy. Purpose-Built for the Agentic AI Era Habitat AI is positioned at the convergence of real estate, advanced computing and sustainable energy. It will deliver scalable infrastructure optimized for the next evolution of artificial intelligence - agentic systems - that require distributed, low-latency environments and real-time processing. The company's first proof-of-concept (POC) launching in 2025, includes: • A flagship AI Factory in the Netherlands, optimized for large-scale, high-efficiency AI computation using NVIDIA's latest platforms. • Distributed edge units in Sweden, Poland, the US and the Netherlands, enabling real-time AI processing at source. • A parallel POC in Sweden, powered by a closed-loop hydrogen microgrid, showcasing Habitat AI's zero-carbon model. A second-stage deployment in 2026 will initiate commercial operations and expand the edge network across Europe. Sustainability Built-in Unlike traditional data hubs, often constrained by high energy use and grid dependence, Habitat AI's design is grid-positive and climate-resilient from day one. The infrastructure will be powered by renewables and hydrogen-based energy systems developed by Solgen International, ensuring zero strain on local energy grids. 'The demand for real-time AI is accelerating,' added Alexander Mathiesen-Ohman. 'but performance can't come at the planet's expense. Our model proves that AI infrastructure can be both powerful and sustainable.' Key Technical Features: • AI-native Design: Engineered for agentic workloads, not retrofitted. • Edge-first Architecture: Distributed, cognitive compute units deployed at source. • Zero Emissions: On-site hydrogen microgrids and renewables. • High Security + Redundancy: Triple-redundant design across data, cooling, and power systems. NOTES TO EDITORS About Habitat AI Habitat AI is a pan-European infrastructure company dedicated to building and operating AI-native data hubs and edge units tailored for the Agentic AI era. Formed as a joint venture between Larmag Group (real estate) and Solgen International (AI + energy), the company merges physical, digital, and environmental intelligence into one unified platform for future-ready AI. Ricky Vazquez RVi Communications [email protected] Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
ASML sees share price drop as Trump's tariffs darken outlook
Supplier of chipmaking equipment ASML retracted its growth forecast for the coming year on Wednesday, sending shares down around 7% in morning trading in Amsterdam. 'The level of uncertainty is increasing, mostly due to macroeconomic and geopolitical considerations. And that includes, of course, tariffs,' said CEO Christophe Fouquet. 'Therefore, while we still prepare for growth in 2026, we cannot confirm it at this stage.' The warning came despite the fact that the Dutch firm saw sales and bookings rise above analysts' expectations during the second quarter. Sales rose 23% to €7.7 billion, while net bookings came in at €5.5bn. Net income was at €2.3bn. For the third-quarter, ASML predicted net sales between €7.4bn and €7.9bn, falling short of estimates, and a gross margin between 50% and 52%. The firm also forecast 15% revenue growth for the year ahead. A boom in artificial intelligence is fuelling demand for ASML's semiconductor-making machines, which are needed to power AI technologies. Last week, chipmaker Nvidia — a firm that relies on ASML products — became the first company in the world to reach a market value of $4 trillion. So far, the extent to which ASML will be affected by US tariffs and retaliatory duties is unclear. Semiconductors are currently exempt from Trump's duties although it's not yet known whether chipmaking machines will receive the same leniency. Related Nvidia to sell H20 chips to China again after US gives export approval Dutch court convicts man for sharing sensitive knowledge from tech giant ASML with person in Russia Easing tensions between the US and China are also helping Nvidia, which in turn bodes well for ASML. On Tuesday, Nvidia said it would start selling its H20 AI chip in China again after the Trump administration relaxed export restrictions. The move is a U-turn for the government, which in April banned sales of the chip to China, linked to concerns that the technology could be used for military purposes. ASML also faces restrictions on sending certain advanced products to China. There has been no suggestion that these measures, imposed by the Dutch government, will be lifted. 'ASML cites the macroeconomic environment and tariffs having an impact on the orders. More specifically, it is more likely uncertainty from China, memory capex uncertainty and the struggles at Intel and Samsung that are more likely to be hampering things,' said Ben Barringer, global technology analyst at Quilter Cheviot. Intel and Samsung, two ASML customers, are facing financial headwinds, with the latter reporting its first fall in profit in around two years last week. Barringer continued: 'Ultimately, this is a speed bump for what remains a high-quality company. It still has a big backlog so growth should still pull through'. 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
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Coda Accelerates Global Expansion with Acquisition of European Payments Platform Recharge
Singapore headquartered Coda acquires Recharge, Europe's leading prepaid payments platform, expanding global reach and deepening direct-to-consumer capabilities. Built on strong partnerships with publishers like Electronic Arts, Activision, and Riot Games, the acquisition accelerates Coda's move into new categories and consumer segments. Combined business processed over US$1.75B in 2024, reaching 200M+ users across 180+ markets. SINGAPORE and AMSTERDAM, July 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Coda, a global leader in digital content monetization headquartered in Singapore, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Recharge, Europe's leading prepaid payments platform, headquartered in Amsterdam. The transaction brings together two profitable regional leaders with scaled businesses, complementary strengths and a shared ambition to lead the future of global digital distribution and monetization. The acquisition accelerates Coda's expansion beyond gaming and strengthens its ability to serve the broader digital content economy — across categories, customers, and continents — by extending its presence in Europe and building on its direct-to-consumer capabilities. For Recharge, the deal brings B2B expertise, access to deeper partnerships with top-tier digital content publishers, and a proven playbook for growth in high-growth markets, especially across Asia. Based on 2024 figures, the combined business would have processed more than US$1.75 billion in sales, served over 200 million customers, and operated in upwards of 180 markets — marking a scaled global footprint from day one. Coda is a trusted monetization partner to the world's leading mobile gaming and digital content publishers, including Electronic Arts, Activision, Riot Games, HoYoverse, and Moonton. Coda distributes more than 500 titles from over 300 publisher partners and powers webstores for flagship franchises such as Call of Duty®: Mobile and EA SPORTS FC™ Mobile. With a network of over 400 local payment channels, Coda offers consumers better value and more choice. For publishers, Coda simplifies global growth —managing risk, compliance, and customer support as Merchant of Record. Recharge — a European leader in prepaid digital storefronts like and — strengthens Coda's B2C scale and reach across Europe. With over 16,000 products spanning gaming, mobile, gift cards, and lifestyle, Recharge combines a marketing-led, consumer-first approach with established brand equity and a user base of more than 8 million. Trusted by over 1,000 global brands — including Apple, Google, Vodafone, and PlayStation — Recharge brings retail strength, relevance, and regional depth. "We've long admired what the Recharge team has built — a profitable, consumer-focused business with top global brands and real depth across Europe," said Shane Happach, CEO of Coda. "This transaction brings together two regional commerce leaders with distinct but highly complementary strengths. At Coda, we've focused on scaling our B2B capabilities alongside, working with the world's leading digital publishers to maximize their revenue — particularly in high-growth, complex markets across Southeast Asia. Recharge adds a powerful direct-to-consumer engine, deep prepaid expertise, and strong brand equity across Europe. Most importantly, we're bringing together two teams that share the same values: ambition, collaboration, and commercial sharpness. That gives us a strong foundation to lead the next chapter in global digital content distribution and monetization." "At Recharge, we've focused on building the technology platform that connects and scales the prepaid payments ecosystem — enabling seamless transactions between users, products, and brands through smart, data-driven infrastructure," said Günther Vogelpoel, CEO of Recharge. "That focus, combined with a passionate team that consistently executes with precision, and pace, has allowed us to scale a profitable and trusted business across Europe and beyond." "Joining forces with Coda gives us the opportunity to take everything we've built — from our platform to our partnerships — and extend it globally to truly become the global leader we set out to be. With complementary strengths and a shared DNA, this unique combination sets us up to create even more value for the brands, publishers, and customers we serve." From premium content to prepaid products, this transaction brings together payments expertise, publisher and brand partnerships, and broad consumer reach — opening up real opportunities for cross-sell and deeper market access. With complementary capabilities, wider global coverage, and an expanded catalogue, Coda and Recharge are better positioned to collectively serve the full digital content economy across both B2B and B2C. Together, the combined company will deliver improved value and convenience to partners and consumers worldwide through secure, trusted, and locally relevant monetization and distribution solutions. The transaction is backed by Apis Partners, Insight Partners, Smash Capital alongside Coda's other investors. ImagesAvailable here. View original content: SOURCE Coda Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ajax loan Van Axel Dongen to SC Heerenveen
As Voetbal International previously reported, Ajax's Amourricho van Axel Dongen will play for SC Heerenveen next season. Ajax are letting the 20-year-old winger leave on loan. This is a loan deal without an option to buy, meaning he will return to Amsterdam next summer. Advertisement Heerenveen had been on Van Axel Dongen's trail for some time. He had several conversations with manager Robin Veldman, who previously worked with him during his time as a youth coach at Ajax. Veldman hopes to get Van Axel Dongen, whose contract with Ajax runs until the summer of 2027, back on track in Friesland after injuries have previously blighted his progress. 'Loaning Amourricho to SC Heerenveen is a good deal for all parties,' said technical director Alex Kroes on the club website on Tuesday evening. 'The most important thing is that Amourricho will get playing time at the highest level. This arrangement is a great opportunity and will help him take the next step in his development.' Heerenveen's technical manager Johan Hansma said of the move, 'With Amourricho, we add speed, creativity, and depth to our squad. He's a two-footed winger who can play on either flank. We know he hasn't played much due to injuries. Together with the coaching staff, we'll do everything we can to get him back to match fitness.' GBeNeFN | Max Bradfield
