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RNZ News
2 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
How much money do you need to be happy?
It is well established that, beyond a certain point, having more money does not reliably boost happiness. File photo. Photo: Pixabay How much money do you need to be happy? Probably less than you think. Researchers from the University of Otago have recently published research that showed people living a simple life are happier. Associate professor Leah Watkins said consumer culture promoted the idea of higher income bringing happiness because people were able to buy more things. "However, research is clear that attitudes to, and experiences of, materialistic approaches to life do not lead to increases in happiness or wellbeing. Nor do they lead to sustainable consumption necessary for planetary health." Watkins and co-author professor Rob Aitken said a life of "voluntary simplicity" led to more wellbeing because it provided opportunities for personal interaction and social connection, through things like community gardens, sharing resources and peer-to-peer lending. Watkins said it was well established that, beyond a certain point, having more money did not reliably boost happiness. "There's an income curve that up to a certain level as income increases it does lead to greater happiness but above a certain point it no longer contributes to people's sense of wellbeing. "In fact it may lead to more depression and unhappiness." The research looked at behaviours such as material simplicity, frugality, self-sufficiency and local procurement. People were happy to work less and live more simply, Watkins said. "We found that it's not …the frugality that makes the difference but it's the subsequent behaviours, the connections to a community, living one's values - it's those things that lead to well being. "If you're sharing commodities rather than going to Mitre 10 and buying something… you're building relationships." Stats NZ wellbeing statistics from 2023 showed that, in income terms, it was only having household income of $30,000 or less that correlated with having low life satisfaction. In 2023, the average household expenditure was $1598 a week. Housing costs and utilities were almost 25 percent of that. One-person households had average spending of $808 and one parent with dependent children $1115. Updated spending data is due in early 2027. Shamubeel Eaqub, chief economist at Simplicity, recently conducted work on social cohesion. He said money was a necessary but not sufficient condition for happiness. "What we found was when it came to personal income versus satisfaction with life was the satisfaction would generally increase [when income did], but the rate of increase was not one for one. "Once you're relatively well off that kind of additional improvement in happiness or satisfaction was modest. "It's when you're stressed about money that causes unhappiness. When you become less stressed about money, it becomes not a source of happiness itself, but it gives you a choice to do other things. It's not the money itself that's making you happy, but the fact that because you have money, you have choices. You have dignity." Research in 2012 indicated that people earning below the median had the biggest improvement in happiness when they had more money, and the effect plateaued for those in the upper quartile. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said the median household income last year was $122,500. In 2023 it was suggested that an annual salary of just under $180,000 would bring "peak happiness". Aitken said there were psychological and emotional connections as well as a sense of purpose that was giving people a sense of personal achievement. "Doing something that's important to them - a much more values-based approach to living, actually putting your values into practice." "For these things to make a big difference you need systemic changes and we can't really do that but we can show to some brands or companies, emphasise the values-driven sharing, collaborating peer-to-peer stuff is really liked and wanted and does lead to happiness." Aitken said they were not suggesting people throw out their possessions. "It's not directly the commitment to material simplicity that leads to wellbeing, but the psychological and emotional need fulfilment that derives from relationships, social connection, community involvement and a sense of living a purposeful and meaningful life. "In a world where billionaire weddings are treated like state occasions and private yachts are the new status symbols, voluntary simplicity offers a quiet, powerful counter-narrative - one that values enough over excess, connection over consumption, and meaning over materialism." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Knit Secures $16.1M Series A to Redefine Enterprise Insights with Researcher-Driven AI
With $30M+ in total funding, Knit delivers human and AI-powered insights to leading enterprises including Amazon, NASCAR, Mars Wrigley, and Overtime to make smarter, faster data-powered decisions AUSTIN, Texas, July 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Knit, the AI-powered platform transforming how enterprises conduct consumer research, today announced it has raised $16.1 million in Series A funding. The round was led by GFT Ventures and Ashton Kutcher's Sound Ventures with continued participation from Silicon Road Ventures, Osage Ventures, Rise of the Rest, and others. Notable angel investors such as David Kirk, former Chief Scientist at NVIDIA, and Gokul Rajaram, founding partner of Marathon Management, also participated in this round. Knit's platform enables users to run custom research and receive "report-ready" insights within days that are driven by generative AI and human expertise. Traditional research solutions like market research agencies often provide industry insight but can be slow and costly. Meanwhile, new AI tools promise speed and affordability, but frequently lack depth and substance. Knit addresses these challenges by elevating, not replacing, the researcher to deliver high-quality insights at the pace modern teams demand. "Today's enterprise researchers are being asked to do more with less," said Aneesh Dhawan, Co-Founder and CEO of Knit. "Knit empowers them to deliver fast, cost-efficient insights without sacrificing quality or control. This funding accelerates our vision for a human + AI platform that makes research accessible, contextual, and decision-ready." Each research project on Knit is powered by a unique combination of human researcher expertise and AI. Knit's team of expert researchers works closely with customers to capture the nuance and context behind their research approach, ensuring that every study reflects both their specific goals and unique research style. That context is then embedded into the platform, where AI delivers fast, structured, and tailored outputs for use cases such as rapid concept testing or strategic customer segmentation. This human and AI approach transforms research from a bottleneck into a strategic advantage, helping teams run more studies, uncover sharper insights, and make a bigger impact, faster. "Enterprise research is a massive market that's ripe for AI disruption," said Jeff Herbst, Founding Managing Partner at GFT Ventures. "Knit has built technology that truly meets the needs of modern research teams. Their traction with some of the world's largest and most forward-thinking brands, standout team, and clear vision for where this market is headed position them to lead the new era of enterprise insights." The raise follows a year of strong momentum for Knit, marked by 5X year-over-year growth and widespread adoption across Fortune 500 brands. Knit has brought on more than 60 enterprise brands such as Amazon, NASCAR, Overtime, and Mars Wrigley to its platform to make data-driven decisions with real-time, researcher-driven insights. Moreover, investments from prominent VC firms like Sound Ventures, which have invested in OpenAI and Anthropic, have trusted Knit to become a leader in the researcher market for global brands. "Knit's growth reflects its ability to redefine how brands understand their customers by combining the rigor of traditional research with the speed of AI," said Alexandra Burbey, Investor at Sound Ventures. "As AI becomes embedded in every workflow, Knit stands out by keeping human insight at the center." The capital will be used to accelerate product development, including new AI-powered features, and expand research use cases based on market needs. Knit will also scale its go-to-market and research teams to support its growing enterprise customer base and expand its international research capabilities. "We've always wanted to scale our research efforts, but doing that without losing control over quality or consistency felt impossible, until we started working with Knit," said Brooks Deaton, VP, Data & Insights at NASCAR. "Now, we can run more studies, explore more ideas, and support more teams across the org, all without adding headcount. Knit gives us the flexibility to move fast while staying grounded in rigor." Looking ahead, Knit is continuing to invest heavily in new AI capabilities. The company is also expanding its in-house research team to ensure every customer is paired with a skilled research partner on every project. About KnitKnit is the end-to-end, AI-native platform transforming how enterprises conduct consumer research. Built for speed and substance, Knit enables teams to run agency-quality quantitative and qualitative studies faster and receive report-ready insights in days. The platform's Researcher-Driven AI model automates time-intensive tasks including analysis, synthesis, and reporting, while preserving the depth, rigor, and context that come from human insight and experience. By combining the power of AI with human expertise, Knit helps teams uncover sharper insights and drive faster, more confident decisions. The company is backed by GFT Ventures, Sound Ventures, Osage, Rise of the Rest, and Silicon Road Ventures. For more information about Knit, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Knit / BAM Communications 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
Bloomberg
11-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
NIQ Global Set to Launch $1 Billion-Plus US IPO as Soon as Next Week
NIQ Global Intelligence Plc is poised to formally begin marketing its initial public offering as soon as early next week, according to people familiar with the matter, leading a wave of mid-summer US listings. A listing for the consumer shopping behavior market research firm could raise more than $1 billion, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information isn't public yet. The IPO could value NIQ at about $10 billion, Bloomberg News has reported.
Associated Press
07-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Stormfill Findings – Gift Cards Sales in the Holiday Season
Stormfill also a saw a significant rise in the number of people ordering gift cards during the holiday season. TALLINN, ESTONIA, May 7, 2025 / / -- 2024 saw a 4% increase in retail sales when compared to 2023. At the same time, gift card sales also saw a steep rise. As per one latest consumer research, 56% of surveyed consumers reported that they bought a gift card this holiday season, which is an 8% increase over 2023. Additionally, the average value of gift cards received also increased, with it reaching $209 on average, a significant increase from $161, recorded the previous year. The Holiday Impact on Stormfill Stormfill also a saw a significant rise in the number of people ordering gift cards during the holiday season. In 2024, the holiday shopping season was shorter than the previous year, and that led shoppers to look for quick solutions during the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Gift Cards have cemented their position as the go-to holiday gifting option, especially among digital-native and time-sensitive shoppers, said one of the senior executives at Stormfill. 'The convenience, versatility, and instant delivery options of digital gift cards have made them more relevant than ever.' These trends point to broader changes in the holiday shopping habits, influenced, by the ease of digital access and evolving expectations, around personalization and immediacy. Gift cards have emerged as a reliable gifting solution for professional and personal needs. The Stormfill Factor One of the major reasons for Stormfill to capture a chunk of the market is because of overall ease of their platform and the trust they have generated among the audience. With years of experience in the field, combined with an array of gift card options, that are only expanding from here, they are the perfect platform for all types of gift card purchases. As the landscape of holiday shopping continues to evolve, businesses are encouraged to adapt their strategies by investing in branded gift card programs and seamless digital delivery options. About Stormfill Stormfill is the best platform for fast and secure voucher options. Their team has forward-thinking professionals dedicated to making digital transactions smoother, be it for recharging phone, gifting credit, or staying connected globally. Lucas Callahan, Chief Marketing Officer Stormfill +372 56117161 [email protected] 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.
