Latest news with #socialcommerce
Geek Wire
5 days ago
- Business
- Geek Wire
Startup's plan to ditch Seattle for Bay Area sparks reaction about tech culture, work pace, AI and more
GeekWire's startup coverage documents the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial scene. Sign up for our weekly startup newsletter , and check out the GeekWire funding tracker and venture capital directory . (GeekWire File Photo / Kurt Schlosser) A drizzly, cool, grey morning in August feels like the perfect time to recognize that Seattle is not for everyone. Announcing that your tech startup is packing up for the Bay Area might be another way to throw a wet blanket over the Emerald City. The co-founders of Nectar Social sparked a bit of reaction after GeekWire reported Wednesday that sisters Misbah Uraizee and Farah Uraizee are moving their AI-powered social commerce startup to Palo Alto, Calif., to operate in 'Valley speed.' 'The hustle factor is real,' Misbah Uraizee told GeekWire. 'Right now in [Silicon] Valley, teams are working six, seven days a week because they understand this is a unique moment in technology history. That intensity — that sense of 'we have to win this market NOW' — is harder to cultivate in Seattle where the pace, even at startups, tends to mirror the steadier rhythms of the big tech companies.' On Reddit, Seattle pride mixed with a bit of anti-tech sentiment as commenters on the story essentially said, 'good riddance' and took issue with everything from what Nectar is building to how intensely they expect people to work on it. The comments shed fresh light on the long-simmering animosity toward tech in some Seattle circles. And while others might embrace the city's rise as an industry hub, being dumped for the Bay Area always stings. Here's a sampling: 'Definitely good riddance. The work culture norm that they are seeking from the talent pool is not one that I ever want to see as the norm where I am looking for jobs.' 'Tech culture is full of bullshit and is toxic. This whole idea that you have to work 7 days a week because this is a unique moment in history is pure egotistical garbage.' 'Based on several of my friends who have lived in both the Bay Area and the Seattle area, it's kinda true — and that's not a bad thing either. I like the slower pace of life and I'd pick Seattle over the Bay Area any day. My job is just that — a job, nothing more. 'Bye! Maybe rent will go down.' 'Don't let the DoorDash hit you on the Waymout.' Over on LinkedIn, the story and departure also caught the attention of Aviel Ginzburg, a tech investor who leads the Seattle-based startup hub Foundations. Ginzburg said the first question he asks young and unnetworked or unleveraged founders is 'why haven't you moved to the Bay Area?' 'In many cases, this being one of them, Seattle is just not the better place to build your company,' Ginzburg said about Nectar's move. 'There is enough stacked up against you already, you've gotta take every advantage that you can.' But Ginzburg called the startup pace and culture of Seattle a feature, not a bug, and said the city shouldn't strive to be the Bay Area. But it also shouldn't 'suck for the folks where Seattle makes sense,' he added. The Uraizee sisters are not alone in chasing the AI dream to the nation's tech capital. The New York Times reported this week on the wave of 20-something entrepreneurs who are flocking to San Francisco for fear of being left behind the boom. Nectar Social launched in 2023 to help brands reach consumers where they're hanging out on social media platforms and talk directly to them in personalized conversations using artificial intelligence. The company raised $10.6 million in a funding round earlier this summer. Misbah Uraizee said that while Seattle's startup ecosystem has 'matured tremendously,' there is still a 'cultural gap around early-stage risk appetite.' As GeekWire Editor Taylor Soper pointed out, the departure of this one startup echoes themes highlighted in our story last week in which GeekWire interviewed more than 20 investors and founders across the community about the state of Seattle's startup scene amid a wave of AI-fueled transformation. 'We have the talent. We have the tech. Now we need to move louder, faster, and bolder,' said Samir Manjure, a veteran entrepreneur and CEO of Seattle startup Vieu. Perhaps Seattle will be loud enough and fast enough for the next startup that decides to stick around.
Geek Wire
6 days ago
- Business
- Geek Wire
‘The hustle factor is real': Why this fast-growing Seattle startup is packing its bags for Palo Alto
GeekWire's startup coverage documents the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial scene. Sign up for our weekly startup newsletter , and check out the GeekWire funding tracker and venture capital directory . Nectar Social co-founders and sisters Misbah Uraizee (left) and Farah Uraizee. (Nectar Social Photo) Misbah Uraizee and Farah Uraizee want to win. And they believe their best shot at success lies in Silicon Valley, not Seattle. The co-founders of Nectar Social, fresh off a $10.6 million funding round, are moving their AI-powered social commerce startup down to Palo Alto, Calif. The decision came down to three main factors: proximity to customers and early adopters, co-locating employees, and accessing specialized talent. 'This wasn't about leaving Seattle — it was about giving Nectar the best possible chance to define a new category,' Misbah Uraziee told GeekWire. 'Sometimes that means being where the game is being played at the highest level.' Speed was also a consideration. 'The hustle factor is real,' Misbah said via email. 'Right now in the Valley, teams are working six, seven days a week because they understand this is a unique moment in technology history. That intensity — that sense of 'we have to win this market NOW' — is harder to cultivate in Seattle where the pace, even at startups, tends to mirror the steadier rhythms of the big tech companies.' Nectar's departure echoes themes highlighted in our story last week about the state of Seattle's startup scene amid a wave of AI-fueled transformation. The presence of tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft — along with Meta, Google, and others with large engineering centers in the Seattle region — has helped attract world-class talent. Misbah previously worked at Microsoft, Meta, and X in the Seattle area before launching Nectar Social in 2023. Farah spent nearly five years at Meta in Seattle. But that talent doesn't always translate into startup activity. Seattle's startup ecosystem has 'matured tremendously,' Misbah said, but she pointed to a 'cultural gap around early-stage risk appetite.' 'The talent pool — particularly from Amazon and Microsoft — tends to gravitate toward later stage companies with more predictable trajectories,' she said. 'For a seed/Series A company doing something new especially in social, the talent pool isn't it large as you'd expect.' Nectar is building AI tools to help brands engage consumers on social media through personalized, direct conversations. Revenue has grown 5X in the past two months, according to the company. Uraizee said Seattle excels in cloud infrastructure and AI research, but the Valley offers stronger depth in go-to-market functions, product marketing, and design — especially from people who've shipped AI products at scale. Asked what she'd add to the Seattle startup scene, Misbah said the city would benefit from celebrating risk-taking and more diversity within the investor ecosystem. Nectar raised from one Seattle firm, Flying Fish, but other backers are in Silicon Valley or elsewhere. 'Seattle VCs tend to pattern-match on enterprise SaaS and biotech,' Misbah said. She also called for more support infrastructure for early stage startups — such as shared spaces, angel investors, and advisory networks. 'Most importantly, Seattle needs to embrace the idea that some companies need to operate at Valley-speed to win their markets,' she said. 'That's not a judgment on work-life balance — it's recognition that certain opportunities have expiration dates. If the ecosystem could support both sustainable growth companies AND these sprint-mode ventures, more founders would stay.'
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pinterest Earnings: What To Look For From PINS
Social commerce platform Pinterest (NYSE: PINS) will be reporting results this Thursday after market close. Here's what to look for. Pinterest beat analysts' revenue expectations by 1% last quarter, reporting revenues of $855 million, up 15.5% year on year. It was a mixed quarter for the company, with a solid beat of analysts' EBITDA estimates but revenue guidance for next quarter slightly missing analysts' expectations. It reported 570 million monthly active users, up 10% year on year. Is Pinterest a buy or sell going into earnings? Read our full analysis here, it's free. This quarter, analysts are expecting Pinterest's revenue to grow 14.4% year on year to $976.4 million, slowing from the 20.6% increase it recorded in the same quarter last year. Adjusted earnings are expected to come in at $0.35 per share. The majority of analysts covering the company have reconfirmed their estimates over the last 30 days, suggesting they anticipate the business to stay the course heading into earnings. Pinterest has only missed Wall Street's revenue estimates once over the last two years, exceeding top-line expectations by 1.4% on average. Looking at Pinterest's peers in the social networking segment, some have already reported their Q2 results, giving us a hint as to what we can expect. Reddit delivered year-on-year revenue growth of 77.7%, beating analysts' expectations by 17.2%, and Meta reported revenues up 21.6%, topping estimates by 6%. Reddit traded up 16.9% following the results while Meta was also up 11.2%. Read our full analysis of Reddit's results here and Meta's results here. Investors in the social networking segment have had steady hands going into earnings, with share prices flat over the last month. Pinterest is up 9.3% during the same time and is heading into earnings with an average analyst price target of $42.03 (compared to the current share price of $38.98). When a company has more cash than it knows what to do with, buying back its own shares can make a lot of sense–as long as the price is right. Luckily, we've found one, a low-priced stock that is gushing free cash flow AND buying back shares. Click here to claim your Special Free Report on a fallen angel growth story that is already recovering from a setback. StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Vertiqal Studios and Revmo Unveil AI-Powered Commerce Toolkit to Transform Brand Strategy on Social Media
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 31, 2025) - Vertiqal Studios Corp. (TSX: VRTS) (FSE: 9PY0) (the "Company" or "Vertiqal Studios") — Vertiqal Studios, North America's largest owner of gaming and lifestyle social media channels, is pleased to announce the rollout of new AI-powered capabilities across its core business units — Sales, Creative, Production, and Content Operations — developed in collaboration with data intelligence partner Revmo. These advancements, part of Vertiqal's previously announced AI strategy, culminate in a proprietary, data-first toolkit designed to help brands and agencies thrive in the fast-evolving landscape of social commerce and livestream-driven marketing. Through a multi-pronged integration of Revmo's algorithmic platform into its infrastructure, Vertiqal has enabled adaptive rate carding, AI-assisted creative testing, predictive revenue modeling, and enhanced inventory forecasting across platforms like Snapchat. These capabilities improve operating efficiency while giving partners the ability to act on performance data in near real time, effectively closing the loop between attention, strategy, and conversion. As social commerce reshapes how consumers engage with brands, Vertiqal is doubling down on its mission to fuse creativity with data, speed, and strategic clarity. This collaboration with Revmo marks a critical step forward in how performance is measured, content is optimized, and audience connection is deepened, helping brand partners convert attention into results with greater precision and impact. "We are witnessing the evolution of the sales cycle," said Jon Dwyer, Chairman and CEO at Vertiqal Studios. "There are tectonic shifts underway in how brands engage with consumers: social media + live streaming + ecommerce; brands are not just advertising, they seek to live in consumer culture and convert viewers to consumers by adopting the same characteristics that inform consumer interests, lifestyles, hobbies and pursuits. To remain relevant, we must observe, understand and measure how our clients are interacting with their customers, and be rigorous, if not ruthless, with how we tailor our content and strategy. The right tech at the right time allows us to do this in today's environment." Further Information Regarding Vertiqal Studios' Partnership with Revmo May 20, 2025: Vertiqal Studios Announces AI-Enabled Model That Fuses Creativity with Cutting-Edge Tech - Offering a Human Centered Alternative to Zuckerberg's Vision for AI-Only Content Creation Oct 16, 2023: Integration of Revmo Platform Algorithm Enhances Vertiqal Studios' Business Development Strategy (Watch Vertiqal CEO Jon Dwyer's full interview on the Revmo partnership here: Proactive Interview) Key Businesses enhanced by Technology and AI Sales: Pursuing the right business at the right time with adaptive rate cards, AI and predictive technology that allows agency and brand partners access to Vertiqal data tools, providing performance insight on social and streaming platforms. Creative: Rigorous, closed-loop feedback systems to measure, instrument and be bolder in our content strategy with lower risk and at lower cost through shorter experiments. Production: Investment in an in-house production facility enabled us to plan, produce and create content that has reached 500 million viewers in the last 3 months. Utilizing AI to reduce labour required in pre and post-production, as well as in-feature. Content Operations (Snapchat): Shortening our feedback cycle and improving revenue forecasting to account for uncertainty. Vertiqal utilized statistical methods to model and simulate potential strategic shifts; adapting our strategy to ensure we have a balanced and continually refreshed inventory, operated by the right partners, increasing our current yield on channels. Key Areas of Technological Innovation We are investing across five pillars of technology strategy over the next 12 months: SNAP: We are continuing to invest as above in shortening feedback loops and strategic readiness to adapt to a changing market dynamic. For Vertiqal Studios, this means more and better data, faster, synthesized into a comprehensive view of our business as well as point recommendations for incremental improvements in our yield strategy. OBSERVE: We want to ensure we understand all dimensions of our assets across existing and potential platforms. For us, the first step is ensuring we have the right data in the right shape at the right time — the best decisions are powered by the right information. EXPAND: We see significant disruption and displacement in assets and properties in the broader marketplace. We are using a deeper picture of our business and potential strategic whitespace to evaluate acquisition opportunities rapidly and with minimal disruption to our existing business. THINK: We continue to see risks and opportunities in embracing AI — the positives (improving our operating margin and expanding our content capabilities) continue to be balanced by the risks of increased capital and operating expenditures and brand dilution from AI-Generated Content (AIGC). We will continue to explore subscribing, integrating, fine-tuning, and developing AI models, but cautiously. COUNT: Our inventory is one of our most valuable assets, and ensuring that we have an opinionated, data-driven view on its value and potential growth opportunities requires a rigorous enumeration and application of our data, blended with industry-standard and industry-leading third-party data vendors. Financial Disclosure Vertiqal announces that it has granted an aggregate of 1,500,000 stock options to purchase common shares (the "Shares") in the capital of the company, exercisable at a price of $0.025 per Share for a period of three (3) years from the date of issuance to consultants of the Company. The options and Shares issuable upon exercise of the options are subject to a four-month hold period from the original date of grant. About Vertiqal Studios Vertiqal Studios, owners of North America's largest gaming and lifestyle network on social media, is a leading digital-channel network and video-production studio. The company specializes in the creation and distribution of viral videos for brands and advertisers to create always-on digital strategies that live authentically in Gen Z and Millennial culture. Vertiqal Studios partners with leading brands to develop strategic solutions, creative ideation, and content production, while also providing distribution and amplification through its Owned & Operated channels — all delivered with boutique, white-glove service. Its expertise lies with managing over 130 channels across TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, while producing over 100+ pieces of content a day for a growing audience of 52 million-plus followers. For more information and to join our email subscriber list for direct press releases and newsletters, visit For media inquiries, please contact: Jon Dwyer Chairman and Chief Executive Officer +1 (416) 627-8868; Email: jon@ Investor Relations Email: ir@ Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward‐looking statements and forward‐looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward‐looking statements or information. The forward‐looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by management of the Company. Although management of the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward‐looking statements and information since no assurance can be given that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations and plans of management of the Company relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Since forward‐looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature, they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward‐looking statements and information contained in this news release. The forward‐looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and no undertaking is given to update publicly or revise any forward‐looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit 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
Skift
22-07-2025
- Business
- Skift
State of Travel 2025: Our 7 Favorite Charts
The future of travel is unfolding now; you just need the right data and insights to see it. Here are our favorite insights from the State of Travel 2025 report. Skift Research is back this summer with its annual State of Travel 2025 report! We present more than 300 charts and insights from every corner from the travel industry: Airlines, hotels, short-term rentals, online travels, experiences, cruises, and car rentals. It's a lot, and you should review them all. But we asked Skift Research analysts to pick their favorite charts – together they represent the most important stories in travel right now. 1: Social Media Bookings Social commerce is a booming opportunity in travel, with Skift Research estimating that social commerce bookings for hotels, airlines, and short-term rentals could be worth a huge $7 billion. Robin Gilbert-Jones in his report Social Commerce in Travel: Opportunities and Consumer Trends writes: 'Social media is no longer just inspiring travel, it's where trips are being researched, priced, and booked. As platforms evolve into powerful sales channels, creators are becoming the new travel agents, short-form video is replacing static ads, and the booking journey is evolving into a low-friction social interaction.' 2: Vacation Rentals – Airbnb's Dominance Our analysis of the vacation rental market shows that Airbnb continues to be the dominant player, with 44% of the global market as of 2024. This analysis is based off our deeper market sizing efforts across hotels and short-term rentals in our report, Global Accommodation Sector Market Estimates 2025. Author Saniya Zanpure writes: 'The global accommodation market, valued at $1.2 trillion in 2024, is projected to reach $1.3 trillion by 2026. Driven by increasing travel demand, the Asia-Pacific region is forecasted to overtake Europe in accommodation revenues by 2026. Despite ongoing geopolitical and regulatory challenges, we anticipate continued moderate growth for the accommodation sector.' 3: The Problem With 'Loyalty' This chart is from our survey based report, European Travel Insights: Unveiling the Top Trends for 2025. Author Varsha Arora writes: 'Our analysis of Loyalty Stickiness, a measure of how consistently travelers engage with brands despite price fluctuations, reveals that many frequent travelers remain flexible, switching brands based on pricing and convenience. These insights provide actionable recommendations for brands to refine their loyalty strategies, focusing on more personalized, flexible, and experience-based rewards to enhance retention and reduce loyalty leakage.' 4: Where Airlines Find High Margins The chart above shows that travelers exhibit stronger loyalty to airlines than they do to hotels. Airlines generally having robust frequent flyer programs that offer valuable incentives, such as free flights, priority boarding, and lounge access. In our recent report, Airline Loyalty: The Financial Powerhouse at the Center of Airline Strategy, author Ashab Rizvi writes: 'Airline loyalty programs have become significant financial powerhouses, with some experts arguing that the value of an airline's loyalty program can even surpass that of the airline itself. This is partly because loyalty programs often demonstrate better growth and higher profit margins compared to the core airline business, while also generating steady cash flows.' Our analysis below shows the high margins of loyalty programs at airlines such as Qantas and IAG. 5: Global Hotel Performance Is Softening The Skift Travel Health Index yields a monthly score that tells us how healthy the global travel industry is. It tracks overall performance across 22 countries and 4 key sectors: airlines, hotels, vacation rentals, and car rentals. It goes beyond tracking simple demand, considering various KPIs, consumer intent, upcoming booking trends, and supply analysis. From our May 2025 Highlights, we can see that though global hotel performance grew mid- to high-single digits in 2024, year-on-year growth has softened into 2025, with May 2025 reporting a slight 2% decline versus May 2024. 6: AI Visibility For Travel Is Surging In our report, AI, Google, and the Shift from Keywords to Context in Travel, Seth Borko notes a dramatic increase in travel's AI visibility (i.e. the frequency with which consumers encounter AI when searching for travel) on Google. In November 2024, less than 3% of flight-related keywords returned an AI Overview. Over the the six months through April 2025, that visibility nearly tripled. Now nearly 9% of flight keywords triggered an AI Overview. Hotels seem to have a lower visibility baseline, but there has still been a similar exponential increase in the frequency of AI Overviews on Google, going from less than 1% of hotel search keywords six months ago to nearly 3% today. He writes: 'While AI Overviews offer faster, more contextual responses, they don't necessarily democratize access for travel companies. Instead, these summaries often favor a handful of major players, reinforcing a winner-takes-all model. And even those that feature prominently may see reduced traffic due to the rise of 'zero-click' behavior, where users read summarized content without clicking links to the original sites. 'For travel marketers, this signals the need for a fundamental change in approach. Long-standing reliance on search engine optimization and marketing strategies are being transformed. Even Google itself is at risk of falling revenue from paid advertising. As traveler behavior shifts toward AI platforms, travel businesses will need to adopt new digital strategies, adjust their content formats, and revise their marketing methods.' 7: New Competition From Banks The entrance of banks and credit card companies into travel has been a key topic in online travel in recent years. With financial institutions launching their own dedicated booking platforms, there has been a disruption of the online distribution landscape with banks now competing directly with online travel agencies and gaining market share. We cover this topic in depth in our report, The Rise of Credit Card Companies in Online Travel. Pranavi Agarwal writes: 'In 2022, at a JPMorgan Chase investor day, executives said, 'We saw an opportunity during the pandemic to own our own destiny in travel.' In a broken and dull travel loyalty ecosystem, new entrants such as banks and credit card companies are rapidly disrupting the distribution landscape: shifting from facilitating other brands' loyalty programs to launching their own competing booking platforms.' Read and download the full State of Travel 2025 report – for free! – for 300+ charts and insights on nearly every corner of the travel industry. What You'll Learn From This Report: 300+ insights defining the state of travel in 2024 Proprietary and third-party data highlighting travel industry performance Consumer insights, sector deep dives, and executive perspectives Regional overviews of travel and tourism performance, based on proprietary Skift Research surveys and data Data-driven insights on the current state of all travel sectors: airlines, hotels, short-term rentals, online travel, traditional travel agents, multi-day tour operators, tours and activities, cruise, and car rental Insights into the economic climate as well as major travel trends including the impact of AI, experiential travel, business travel, luxury travel, and sustainability
