Latest news with #KamranAli
Business Wire
01-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Remark Raises $16M Series A to Humanize AI in Online Shopping
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Remark, the company building human-trained AI product experts for commerce, today announced a $16 million Series A funding round. The round was led by Inspired Capital, with participation from Stripe, Neo, Spero Ventures, Shine Capital, and Visible Ventures, bringing the company's total funding to $27 million. Despite trillions spent on e-commerce infrastructure, the single most effective driver of sales — the in-store expert — has never been replicated online. Shoppers crave personalized guidance, and when they receive it, they convert at staggering rates. Merchants that deliver tailored product advice see meaningfully higher conversion rates, larger order values, and reduced return rates. Remark brings this high-converting experience online, turning passive browsing into confident buying through AI personas trained by over 60,000 human product experts and counting. Remark's language models are trained on the knowledge, tone, and preferences of Olympic athletes, stylists, estheticians, new parents, and more. These insights become always-on digital advisors embedded directly in brand storefronts. Unlike generic chatbots or large language models fine-tuned on public data, Remark's personas are trained on the anecdotes and personal knowledge of subject-matter experts. The result is warm, informed guidance that helps customers find the right products and delivers the kind of personalized, high-touch experience shoppers expect in store. 'We believe AI should elevate the human experience, not replace it,' said Theo Satloff, CEO and co-founder of Remark. 'By working with real product experts to train AI personas, we're creating guidance that's trusted, helpful, and deeply personal. Our goal is to make online shopping feel less like a transaction and more like being guided by someone who truly understands what you need.' Since its funding last year, Remark has grown revenue 4x year-over-year, maintained 100% retention across more than 60 brand partners, and achieved nearly 130% net dollar retention. Remark has driven tens of millions in net new revenue for its customers, delivering an average lift of 10%, and has converted 28% of shoppers — far above the industry average of 1%. It has also helped brands save over $3.2 million in customer service costs by reducing support tickets and guiding shoppers to the right fit more efficiently. 'Remark is redefining how brands connect with customers,' said Kamran Ali, Principal at Inspired Capital. 'They've created an entirely new category of AI-native commerce, one that blends real human expertise with scalable technology. Remark is proving that this model not only improves the shopping experience, but also directly drives business results.' As shoppers increasingly expect deeper guidance in categories like health, beauty, apparel, and outdoor gear, Remark gives merchants a competitive edge by combining the revenue driving power of human retail sales associates with the speed and scale of AI. With this new funding, Remark will expand into new verticals, grow its expert network, and deepen its tooling for training, deployment, and analytics. The company is also building new systems to help brands launch AI personas faster, measure performance in real time, and adapt to shifting customer needs. About Remark Remark is an AI company making online shopping more human. By combining the voices of real product experts with proprietary AI technology, Remark delivers personalized product guidance that helps consumers make confident choices — and helps brands drive measurable results. Founded in 2022, Remark is based in Boston and backed by Inspired Capital, Stripe, Neo, Spero Ventures, Shine Capital, and Visible Ventures. For more information, visit:
The Sun
28-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
City centre loses TWO historic markets in one day but shoppers only have to wait two weeks for swanky replacement
A CITY centre has lost two historic markets in one day but shoppers only have to wait two weeks for a swanky replacement. This weekend marked the final day of trading for stallholders at the Kirkgate and Oastler markets in Bradford. 3 3 Both markets shut on Saturday, June 28 and some traders have been offered stands at the new Darley Street Market. The historic Kirkgate Market opened in the 19th century and Oastler Market in the 1930s. Both have been important destinations over the years before online shopping saw a downturn in footfall. The old sites will eventually be demolished to make way for 1,000 new homes as part of a regeneration scheme. But after seven years Darley Market will open next month on July 12 and 13 after the scheme was first approved in 2018 by Bradford Council. The new market will feature spaces for eating, drinking, live entertainment in addition to traditional stalls. Some traders, such as the fishmongers, butchers, greengrocers and the iconic Roswitha's deli will be moving to the more modern market. People could be seen visiting Kirkgate and Oastler for the final time as they took photos around the long-standing sites. It's a historic juncture in Bradford city centre's constantly evolving story. Traders could be seen speaking with customers about what the next chapter might hold and enquiring whether they would be moving to the new market. Kamran Ali, 35, has repaired watches at Finesse Jewellers for 12 years. Based in Kirkgate Market, the jewellers has traded there for more than three decades but will now move to Darley Street. Ali told the BBC: "Bradford needs something to bring people back, the new market is, hopefully, going to help. "At the same time I'm sad, because some people here are not going to go to the new market." Kasiano Wonzer, a tailor, was not successful in applying for a new stall at the new Darley Street Market. He told the Telegraph & Argus: "This is my professional job and my life depends on this. "Since it is going to close down I am so sad, I started tailoring since I was small. "For now I've packed my things and I'll go back to my house." One couple who have run a stall at Kirkgate Market for more than 50 years, said: "It was one of the best markets in the UK." "When they opened it was a beautiful market - lovely people came, they felt so happy.' They're now packing up, giving their wares to charity and retiring. But other traders are looking into new plans after not being offered a stalls at the swanky replacement market. One trader said he was "feeling sad" and looking at the possibility of another shop but "the rent is high". He said: "Before it was busy, very nice. "The last two years, after Primark's gone, it's dead.' Fruit World opened is Oastler Market in 1994 and is also moving to Darley Market. Their team said: "It was a very good market, bustling, very busy because a lot of people used to go into the Morrisons. "Slowly over time it's kind of died down." But they said they were "very excited" to make the move and said while the new market is different, it's "beautiful" and "new over there". Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council's executive member for regeneration, planning and transport, said: "Darley Street Market has always been significantly more than a simple like for like replacement of the markets it's replacing. "It helps modernise our retail offer, but it also reshapes the city centre with a new market square." 3
BBC News
28-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Bradford traders reflect as historic markets close for good
Times are changing in Bradford's markets, and this weekend marks the final day of trading for the stallholders in the Kirkgate and Oastler halls. Kirkgate Market opened in the 19th Century and Oastler Market in the 1930s, and both were important destinations in the years before online shopping saw footfall 28 June, they will shut and will eventually be demolished to make way for 1,000 new homes as part of a regeneration have instead been offered stands at the new Darley Street Market, and many told the BBC they were optimistic about moving to a more modern space. Kamran Ali, 35, has been repairing watches at Finesse Jewellers for the last 12 jewellers has been based at Kirkgate Market for more than 30 years, but will move to Darley Street after the weekend. "Bradford needs something to bring people back," Mr Ali said. "The new market is, hopefully, going to help."At the same time I'm sad, because some people here are not going to go to the new market." This sentiment was echoed by Lynn Hodgen, who was teasing her neighbour Mr Ali from her perfume stall while he was being interviewed. "They are your family, at the end of the day," Ms Hodgen, 59, said. "It's sad they're not coming with us, but it's still exciting to go and be in the new one." One of those not joining Mr Ali and Ms Hodgen is 67-year-old Altaf Hussain. He started selling children's clothes at Kirkgate Market in 1973, shortly after arriving in the UK from Pakistan. Mr Hussain was offered a spot in Darley Street, but said it was too small for his business. "It was so busy at one time," he told the BBC, reflecting on the market's glory days in the 1970s and 80s. "It was good before, but gradually after the 90s it started changing a lot, because everything was going online." Halimah Patel, 23, grew up playing around Kirkgate Market while her parents ran Essentials Hardware."It was always a nice place to come, a nice environment. It was really busy and it's really sad that it's quietened down in the last few years."Many of the stores that her family used to own have closed, but have not been said that the closure of a café across from the shop in December saw footfall drop dramatically. Their family has now taken over a launderette, which they said was a more reliable source of income. At Oastler Market, the views of the traders were similar. Vinesh Chauhan, 33, works at A&J Shoe Repairs, a family business based at the market since 1987. It was set up by his parents."I've got mixed emotions really," Mr Chauhan said. "I am looking forward to a new fresh start in the new market."Since I've been a little boy, I've known this place A-Z really."There's been a lot of shops here, but slowly they've all just gone."It's sad to be leaving because I've known this place all my life." Khalid Mahmood, 68, set up Solly's Fruit and Veg - named after his father - in 1994. "It's sad," he said. "I'm really going to miss it here."We've been here 31 years and since starting here we've had really good days."But now it's very quiet here and we have to go to the new site, where it will hopefully be more busy because it's near to the banks and the Broadway shopping centre."His son Imti, 42, who has been working at the market for more than 15 years, added: "It's quite odd really, because we've been here for so long and serviced the community for such a long time."But, as traders, I think we're all very excited to go to a brand new market, which is a little bit more central in location to the city. "Over the years, we've found the top end of the centre, where this market is, has been quite difficult for consumers to get to."All the consumer and retail interest has shifted towards Broadway and the bottom end of town, so I think it's quite an exciting prospect that we are going to be more central." The Darley Street Market scheme was approved by Bradford Council in July 2018, but has since been beset by delays. After seven years, the market is set to open for its first weekend on 12 has been designed with spaces for eating, drinking and live entertainment as well as traditional Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council's executive member for regeneration, planning and transport, said: "Darley Street Market has always been significantly more than a simple like-for-like replacement of the markets it's replacing."It helps modernise our retail offer, but it also reshapes the city centre with a new market square." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
News18
05-05-2025
- Health
- News18
Why Millennials Are Forgoing Lung Tests—And Why That's a Problem
Last Updated: Millennials should prioritize annual check-ups, shouldn't ignore chronic wheezing or coughing, and above all, should not wait for an emergency to do something. World Asthma Day is a timely wake-up call for the increasing respiratory health problems plaguing today's youth generation—most prominently, millennials. Although asthma and other chronic lung conditions are generally perceived to be diseases of the elderly or genetically predisposed, the truth is that lifestyle and environmental factors are placing millennials in greater peril. Nevertheless, still too many from this generation are forgoing regular lung function tests, a trend with dire consequences. Dr Kamran Ali, Principal Consultant, Lung Transplant, Thoracic Surgery, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket shares all you need to know: Millennials tend to blame breathlessness or fatigue on stress, lack of fitness, or job burnout—rarely suspecting a lung condition. Not wanting to seek out a physician for something as nebulous as 'exhaustion" results in a delayed diagnosis. By the time pulmonary function tests are ultimately conducted on some, the disease may already be in an advanced or severe state. What is particularly concerning is growing exposure to air pollution, indoor sedentary habits, vaping, and untreated allergies—each triggering or worsening asthma. In light of such considerations, lung test rates among urban-dwelling millennials are woefully low. This health-aware and technology-driven generation paradoxically undervalues the importance of preventive respiratory care. Lung function tests like spirometry are simple, non-invasive, and inexpensive. They identify early signs of airway obstruction even before disability on the basis of symptoms. It allows intervention in a timely fashion, along with lifestyle modification, and proper treatment regimens to prevent progression to chronic asthma or even COPD. 'As a thoracic surgeon, I see many patients on a regular basis who could have skipped surgery or the hospital if only their condition were diagnosed earlier," adds Dr Ali. The message today on Asthma Day is easy: millennials need to be serious about lung health. Prioritize annual check-ups, don't ignore chronic wheezing or coughing, and above all, don't wait for an emergency to do something. Being able to breathe easily should never be taken for granted. The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health, fashion, travel, food, and culture — with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: May 05, 2025, 17:58 IST
Express Tribune
06-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Dubai police honours Pakistani officers with global leadership diploma
Listen to article Senior officers from Pakistan's National Police have praised Dubai Police as a global standard for innovation and community-focused policing, highlighting its advanced integration of technology and citizen engagement. The commendation came during the Police Innovation and Leadership Diploma (PIL), a collaborative initiative between Dubai Police and the Rochester Institute of Technology. Colonels Kamran Ali and Umar Farooq, both participants in the programme, expressed admiration for Dubai Police's 'Smart. Secure. Together' approach, citing its use of artificial intelligence, proactive crime prevention, and community outreach. 'The Dubai Police model transcends geographical boundaries,' said Col. Kamran Ali. 'It serves as an international standard, inspiring nations like Pakistan to pursue significant policing reforms.' Dubai's blueprint for modern policing With decades of field experience, both officers plan to adapt Dubai's successful practices to Pakistan's unique policing challenges. They view the approach as a viable model for efficient, inclusive, and technology-driven law enforcement. 'Dubai Police demonstrates how technology can foster inclusivity, improve efficiency, and build public trust,' added Col. Ali. 'This represents the future of policing.' Col. Umar Farooq called the programme an investment in Pakistan's policing future, especially due to its focus on digital innovation and leadership. Tech-driven transformation Dubai Police's application of AI, digital integration, and smart platforms left a lasting impression. 'We operated within traditional frameworks for decades,' said Col. Ali. 'Dubai has shown how innovation can revolutionise both security and community engagement.' Farooq, with a background in electrical engineering, pointed to emerging technologies such as blockchain and machine learning as critical tools for transforming crime reporting and prediction systems. Well-being and leadership Both officers stressed the need for a holistic approach to policing, including mental and physical health support. Col. Ali, who commands 2,500 officers in Kashmir, shared that poetry offers him solace amid professional demands. 'This programme emphasised physical fitness and resilience—essential traits for law enforcement,' said Farooq.
