Latest news with #Crux
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
OBBB signing creates ‘compelling event' for corporate solar initiatives: Redaptive CEO
This story was originally published on ESG Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily ESG Dive newsletter. Corporations looking to address ESG and sustainability concerns have had to navigate a changing political landscape, and the now-signed One Big Beautiful Bill Act has only added to those altered calculations. The solar and wind industry was particularly hampered by the final bill text, as projects must begin construction within 12 months of the bill's signing to qualify for the Inflation Reduction Act's investment tax credits, according to a Crux analysis. Analysts at Jefferies predicted that utilities with 'renewables-heavy' plans may accelerate their wind and solar projects to have them qualify for the rapidly sunsetting credits. Companies looking to reach sustainability goals and find energy efficiency and resiliency at their facilities must similarly decide whether or not to accelerate or continue projects, according to Arvin Vohra, CEO of energy-as-a-service company Redaptive. Redaptive decarbonizes commercial and industrial real estate, and Vohra told ESG Dive that while the economics of solar may change in the short term, it should rebound in the medium to long-term. However, corporations have a short clock to move forward with planned initiatives, if they hope to attain the credits. 'We do have a compelling event now,' Vohra said in an interview. 'Some customers need to make decisions really fast on whether they want to move forward, or not, so construction can commence.' Editor's note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. ARVIN VOHRA: Our deal volume has actually been pretty good. We've been doing this since 2014 so we've been in all kinds of administrations. Fundamentally, what Redaptive sells, and what we believe, is that sustainability is a cash flow positive exercise. We pitch in terms of dollars and cents, [and say,] 'Here's the business value that we're providing you as our end customer.' As interest rates are higher, budgets are tightening. Companies are looking to save money, and Redaptive provides a solution that meets that need. So we've actually seen pretty good conversion in this market. Yes, absolutely. The One Big Beautiful Bill directly took a hit on solar, and so [we expect to] see solar not pencil out as much [financially] on our clients' locations. That's something that we do as an expansion product for customers that start off with an electrical mechanical upgrade with us. That being said, electrical mechanical infrastructure is so essential to these buildings — you need to have lighting and HVAC to run a building. One thing that's guaranteed is that, at some point, electrical mechanical assets fail — they get old, they consume more energy than they're supposed to. So, that's something that we'll double down in and focus on, which is our roots. Solar was an expansion product, and it had promise for us, but I think you're just seeing a strategic shift on what we enable for our customers internally in reaction to the bill. I'm not going to sit here and say, it's business as usual and everything's great. We are shifting as a result of the change that we've seen, but it's not one that's concerning for me from a firm business viability standpoint. Well, here's the thing, when I say [solar] is not going to pencil out, [or be profitable]. I mean that in a very short term way. Because I actually think that in the medium term, solar is going to pencil out, but not for a reason that anyone's probably very excited about. If you have a 30% [investment tax credit], and that ITC goes away, of course there's a 30% impairment in the economics, and it's going to be harder for projects that would have [been profitable] to pencil out. In certain areas, where utility rates are high, it's going to pencil out either way. It may not be as awesome economically, but it's still going to be a cash flow positive value proposition for you to go and put solar on your roof. From a macro standpoint, here's what's happening from my viewpoint. You have a grid that's effectively built in the 1950s, and you're putting power onto this grid. You can't bring power online fast enough. So, we have a supply issue, and that supply issue is exacerbated by bringing back manufacturing to America and AI in America. And geopolitically, globally, we want to win the AI war, if you will, as America. So you need to have energy for that, and there's only so much that this grid can take. So, what's going to happen is AI — which has a really good return on their investment, a lot of money's flowing there. People are making good margins in tech. They're very price inelastic to the price of power. You can double the price of power and AI is still going to grow. The punchline is that utility rates are going to go up [and potentially] up by 25-30%. So in the near-term solar is not going to [be profitable], in the longer term solar is going to start to pencil out again, but it's going to be because utility rates are so much higher than they are today. And there's just no other way. There's a lot less of an emphasis on solar. Now, have we seen the full impact of that? Not necessarily right now, because it just got signed, and as long as construction commences in a certain point of time, we'll be in a position where we can monetize the credits for our customers. But longer term, what's happening is clients are looking more on the efficiency side, until the utility rates go up, and once the utility rates go up, then more solar is going to start to pencil. All of our projects are on track to start construction by that date in our pipeline. We do have a compelling event now. Some customers need to make decisions really fast on whether they want to move forward, or not, so construction can commence. As you can imagine, Redaptive is not in the business of taking the risk of monetizing the [investment tax credit for a client], when they cannot sign for the next six months. They need to sign now. If they don't decide to move forward right now, it's gonna be very hard for them to commence implementation in time. The general vibe right now is, if something makes sense to do, from an economic standpoint, [clients are] going to move forward and get it done prior to the window closing. That's what we're seeing, and I think that's the focus right now as well, in terms of the conversations we're having with our customers. What's going to happen after what's immediately in the pipeline, in my opinion, is that those conversations are going to shift more towards efficiency and lighting and mechanical. I don't have the data points to substantiate that, but I've done this now for 12 years, and I've seen different cycles. The rhetoric is what's changing. We've always sold based on the cash flow positive, or I'll call the total lifetime value based on resilience. There was a point where, particularly, we were selling cashflow positive and sustainable, and now we're going back into selling cash flow positive. I joke with my team internally, two things that are guaranteed in addition to death and taxes, is something cash flow positive is going to sell and electrical mechanical infrastructure in buildings will fail at some point. We're focused on those two things, and those two things are administration agnostic and human opinion agnostic. I don't care whether you believe in climate change or not. Our mission is sustainability-oriented as a business, and we're very passionate about the sustainable impact of what we do. But in the end, you can't deny the value proposition of this being something that's cashflow positive, and you need to take care of your electrical mechanical infrastructure to actually be able to build it. 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
News18
22-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
"Totally Out Of Step" Trump Pulls US Out Of UNESCO, Cites DEI Policies, Pro-Palestine & China Tilt
Last Updated: July 23, 2025, 02:00 IST Crux Videos President Donald Trump is pulling the US out of UNESCO, citing anti-America and anti-Israel leanings, as well as UNESCO's woke agenda, as the reasons. Back in February, Trump had ordered a 90-day review of America's presence in UNESCO. He had demanded that special emphasis be put on investigating any 'anti-Semitism or anti-Israel sentiment within the organization.' Following the review, officials reportedly took issue with UNESCO's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies, and its pro-Palestinian and pro-China bias. n18oc_world n18oc_crux
Forbes
08-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
What B2B Marketers Can Learn From B2C Giants
Christina Hager, VP and Client CMO at Crux, helps individuals and brands transform into industry leaders through marketing strategy. getty The most talked-about marketing examples often come from iconic B2C brands—Sephora, Starbucks, Airbnb, Netflix. But when I present these to small and midsized B2B companies, they often feel aspirational at best and at worst, completely out of reach (and out of realistic budgets). But here's the truth: B2B marketers can (and should) take cues from their B2C counterparts. In 2025, the most forward-thinking B2B brands already are—and they're seeing real results. B2B Marketing Goes D2C In Style Today's buyers expect the same experiences they get as consumers: emotionally resonant, exciting and digitally savvy. That's why many B2B marketers are adopting direct-to-consumer (D2C) tactics to better connect with modern decision-makers. What That Looks Like: • Social media campaigns focused on storytelling over specs • Emotional content that builds connection and trust • Creative thought leadership using video And here's a stat worth noting: B2B buyers are 50% more likely to purchase from a brand they've interacted with on social media. That reinforces how critical it is for B2B companies to show up authentically on digital platforms—not just with content, but with personality. Case Study: Salesforce—Emotionally Driven, People-First Marketing Salesforce is a standout B2B brand that markets like a B2C giant. Instead of just pushing product features, its 'Trailblazer' campaign shares stories of real people whose lives and careers have been transformed by Salesforce tools. Their messaging is emotional, empowering and community-driven—like something you'd expect from Nike or Apple. Then there's Dreamforce, Salesforce's annual conference that feels more like a cultural festival than a software expo. With big-name speakers, live music, immersive branding and powerful storytelling, it's a showcase of what B2B marketing can be. This approach isn't just flashy—it's strategic. LinkedIn data show that 69% of B2B marketers believe B2B purchasing decisions are just as emotionally driven as B2C. Salesforce gets that, and they lead with identity, aspiration and emotion. Short-Form Video: Still The Undisputed Champion Short-form video continues to dominate marketing in 2025. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts aren't just for entertainment—they've become discovery engines for product research, brand evaluation and professional learning. Why It Works: • Grabs attention in seconds • Tells a complete story quickly • Encourages engagement and conversation Eighty-seven percent of marketers say short-form video delivers the highest ROI of any content format. Case Study: HubSpot—Turning CRM Into Scroll-Stopping Content HubSpot set out with a clear goal: Build brand awareness and stay top of mind for anyone searching for a CRM solution. But instead of relying solely on white papers, LinkedIn posts or podcasts, they turned to TikTok, one of the world's fastest-growing and most attention-grabbing platforms. HubSpot was one of the first major B2B brands to lean fully into TikTok—and it paid off. They produced full-screen, fast-paced videos that used storytelling, humor and cultural relevance to connect with users. Whether or not viewers knew what a CRM system even was, what they witnessed was content that was fun, relatable and entertaining. Their recipe for success? • Content tailored to specific interest groups • Story-driven, meme-savvy video • Collaborations with creators to drive reach and relevance HubSpot showed that even a B2B company can act like a lifestyle brand—and in doing so, made their product more accessible, more memorable and ultimately more engaging. What else did they do? When HubSpot saw that TikTok was a powerful platform for entertaining and engaging content, they doubled down—becoming the first B2B brand to run a TopFeed campaign, designed to increase the frequency of exposure to their target audience. The Results? There are a ton of stats that showcase what a great campaign this was, such as a lift in brand awareness and ad recall. What this campaign shows B2B brands, most importantly, is that there is success in producing native content and short-form video that dares to be fresh, utilize humor and humanize a brand, no matter the product. Short-form video doesn't just drive visibility—it shapes perception, improves recall and builds meaningful brand equity for B2B companies. HubSpot made TikTok not just a tool for reach, but for relevance. What B2B marketers can learn: Don't underestimate the power of attention. If your content resonates, it can change how people feel about your brand—even in just 15 seconds. Trends To Watch As B2B brands embrace more B2C strategies and tactics, these trends are leading the charge: • UGC-driven video that builds trust and community • AI editing tools that make content creation faster and easier • Shoppable and interactive video formats that convert views into sales • Influencer and creator collaborations to tap into niche, high-trust audiences • Emotionally led brand storytelling that highlights transformation, not just products and services • Platform-native social content tailored to fit the audience and behavior of each platform The Common Thread: Human-to-Human Marketing Whether it's Salesforce inspiring through storytelling or HubSpot breaking the B2B mold on TikTok, the underlying principle is the same: Marketing today is human-to-human. Whether you're selling professional services or a new product, your buyers are scrolling, watching and engaging just like everyone else. They want relevance, relatability and content that earns their attention. The B2B brands that embrace this shift will be the ones that thrive in 2025 and beyond. Forbes Communications Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?
India.com
05-07-2025
- Science
- India.com
Think Big Cities Can't See Stars? Kolkata's Night Sky Will Blow Your Mind!
The Indian cultural center Kolkata attracts recognition for its glorious heritage combined with its artistic energy and deep intellectual traditions. Apart from its crowded streets and preserved historical sites Kolkata has magnetic power over sky watchers as well as astronomy fans. Despite its unexpected status as a nighttime observing location Kolkata provides special features and possibilities to those who wish to study the night sky. Stargazers looking for an ideal place should consider Kolkata because of seven distinguishing factors that make it a prime location for astronomy enthusiasts and amateur astronomers. 1. Strategic Geographical Location Kolkata occupies a geographical location that spreads across 22.57° N, making it fall within the northern hemisphere and near to the equatorial zone. The city's geographical position enables people living there along with visitors to see both northern and southern celestial objects through the skies. The city's equator location gives citizens and visitors opportunities to view Southern Cross (Crux) and other celestial objects that northern latitudes cannot observe at certain times each year. Locals in Kolkata benefit from excellent conditions to watch both solar eclipses together with lunar events and planetary transits. 2. Moderate Climate Favorable for Night Sky Observation Kolkata resides in an area with a tropical wet-and-dry climate that divides into clearly defined seasons. The post-monsoon period from October to February provides Kolkata residents with perfect conditions to perform stargazing because it features clear skies combined with good weather. This time period brings low humidity rates which results in decreased atmospheric disturbances that create superior visibility of space objects. The cool wintry air and peaceful conditions at night create ideal circumstances for people to watch stars, planets as well as meteor showers. 3. Presence of Renowned Astronomical Institutions The city of Kolkata maintains multiple centers of astronomy study and space research which support an exciting environment of educational development. Among all the astronomical institutions in Kolkata the Birla Planetarium stands as the most famous because it maintains its status as Asia's largest planetarium. As an Asian largest planetarium the structure is situated close to the Victoria Memorial and takes in educational workshops together with sky shows for enthusiasts from novice to expert astronomers. The Indian Centre for Space Physics (ICSP) operates as a key institution that pursues state-of-the-art astrophysics research while running public engagement projects. Organizations in the city offer important educational platforms combined with valuable resources that help aspiring space enthusiasts learn more about celestial bodies. 4. Active Amateur Astronomy Community The stargazing community in Kolkata actively organizes public sessions combined with workshops alongside lectures for astronomy enthusiasts. The scientific forums of West Bengal Science Forum and local units from national astronomy associations partner for astronomy events which are held at communal spaces including parks and open leisure zones. These gatherings unite enthusiasts who can both share knowledge and pass along tips as well as gather together to observe the night sky through telescopes. The initiatives enable all people from different age brackets and ability levels to share the excitement of observing space within supportive spaces. 5. Historical Contributions to Indian Astronomy The city of Kolkata stands foremost in forming the milestones of Indian astronomical expansion. Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose established his scientific career at the city where he conducted foundational experiments that still guide modern radio astronomy. The establishment of the Asiatic Society in 1784 by Sir William Jones created one of the earliest scientific institutions in that particular region. Current astronomical research and educational projects in the city are motivated by its historical records which establish Kolkata as an important center for space exploration. 6. Accessibility to Affordable Equipment Enthusiastic stargazers require affordable options for high-quality telescopes together with necessary accessories in their exploration journey. There are multiple shops throughout Kolkata which sell budget-friendly astronomy equipment together with retailers who operate their stores online. The renowned Brands Celestron and Sky-Watcher along with Orion have easy access in the market to enable astronomy enthusiasts access quality equipment needed to enhance their viewing abilities. Local astronomy clubs enable member sharing of telescopic equipment and accessories to help beginning stargazers obtain needed equipment at reasonable costs. 7. Opportunities to Witness Rare Celestial Events Totally eclipsed solar events alongside supermoons and meteor showers become possible to observe from Kolkata because of its Earth location. The partial solar eclipse of annular type on June 21, 2020 offered visible showings to Kolkata residents who came together to watch the celestial sight in a safe manner. People attracted to the Perseids yearly meteor shower in August and Geminids in December travel to areas near Kolkata that minimize light pollution to catch meteor showers. These astronomical phenomena create both perfect observer opportunities while sparking stronger excitement about cosmic marvels. Conclusion Kolkata lacks remote observatories or pristine dark skies but its particular location with suitable climate and spirited astronomy institutions together with local community interest balance for an ideal stargazing destination. Both beginners who want to learn how to observe the stars and experienced astronomers who look for additional challenges can find plenty of ways to explore their space interests throughout Kolkata. People who want to study the night sky can discover multiple activities ranging from institution visits and astronomical organizations to planetarium programs. Kolkata will continue to draw star enthusiasts because of its status as an esteemed location that offers the joy of stargazing underneath the celestial vaults.
NZ Herald
02-07-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Centuria exits $2b Queenstown Lakeview Taumata project before construction begins
Questions are being asked about the New Zealand arm of ASX-listed property funds manager Centuria Capital Group exiting a $2 billion Queenstown development – Lakeview Taumata – before parties even began building. Last month's statement from Centuria Funds Management explained what happened to the project, which local media outlet Crux
