
Second Chances Matter: The Inspiring Journey of an Ex-Offender in Business
Singapore’s Yellow Ribbon Project, launched two decades ago, aims to reintegrate ex‑offenders into society, yet many still face a glass ceiling in white‑collar roles. The article shares a personal journey from gang‑affiliated youth to a sales leader, highlighting how a single mentorship opportunity unlocked a successful business career. It argues that ex‑offenders possess untapped skills, strong work ethic, and low turnover, making them valuable talent for employers. The piece calls on CEOs and recruiters to shift hiring mindsets and actively include this overlooked pool.

Tayo Aina, Tomike Adeoye, and Dammy Twitch to Lead “ECHO” Accelerator Free Registration Closes 22nd
Woof Studios Africa has launched the ECHO accelerator, branding it as the “Harvard of the Creator Economy.” The program features a high‑profile faculty that includes Tayo Aina, Tomike Adeoye, Dammy Twitch, Ruth Kadiri and other African digital leaders. It aims to transform creators into...
Amundi to Manage €350m Private Markets Mandate
Amundi has been awarded a €350 million private‑markets mandate, underscoring growing European appetite for alternative assets. At the same time, Asian private‑credit funds are drawing fresh capital as U.S. lenders face tighter conditions. EQT secured a 42% stake in Kelda Holdings,...

How Do You Fix Thin Content Across Similar Ecommerce Product Pages? – Ask An SEO via @Sejournal, @Rollerblader
The article advises ecommerce sites facing thin‑content penalties to stop individually optimizing every product page. Instead, it recommends implementing variant schema, focusing SEO effort on category or collection pages, and using robust internal linking. Authority is built through high‑quality blog...
Tech Employees Are Losing Confidence Faster than Workers in Any Other Sector
Glassdoor’s Employee Confidence Index shows tech workers’ optimism slipping sharply, with confidence dropping 7.1 percentage points year‑over‑year to just 44.3% in February. The sector now records the steepest decline among all industries, trailing behind broader market improvements. Despite booming AI...

What 2026 Open Enrollment Reveals About Cost Pressures Ahead
The latest open‑enrollment cycle shows advisers moving beyond price‑only negotiations toward tackling the underlying drivers of rising medical‑cost risk. Employers are pulling senior leaders—including C‑suite and board members—into benefits decisions, a practice once limited to the public sector. Off‑cycle renewals...

Most Small Businesses Can’t Afford a Full-Time Finance Chief. So Mastercard Is Debuting a ‘Virtual CFO’ Built with AI
Mastercard is introducing a virtual CFO built on generative AI as the first offering of its “Virtual C‑suite” for small and medium‑sized enterprises. The service will be delivered through banks, accounting platforms and software partners and will provide cash‑flow risk...
India's 20 Years of GDP Misestimation: New Evidence
A new working paper reveals that India’s GDP figures have been systematically misestimated over the past two decades. Growth from 2005 to 2011 was likely understated by roughly 1–1.5 percentage points, while the 2012‑2023 period appears overstated by about 1.5‑2...

AI, India, and the Future of Service-Led Growth
Raghuram Rajan argues that India’s service‑led growth model—built on software, consulting and urban services—remains resilient despite AI’s rise. He explains how services have become embedded in tradable goods, turning back‑office functions into Global Capability Centres that command a strong cost...

AI Networking Startup Eridu Steps Out Of Stealth With More Than $200M In Funding
Eridu, a Saratoga‑based AI networking startup, emerged from stealth with an oversubscribed Series A that raised more than $200 million. The company claims its clean‑sheet switch architecture can cut latency, reduce data‑center power use by up to 70%, and lower capital expenditures...

Navigating the Challenges of a 2026 Surety Market: The Importance of Financial Management for Contractors
Contractors face a tightening 2026 surety market as underwriting standards grow stricter, prompting a renewed focus on disciplined financial management. The article outlines how preserving project profitability, rigorous cash‑flow forecasting, prudent debt mitigation, and retained‑earnings targets can safeguard bonding capacity....
6 Steps for Creating GEO Friendly Social Posts
Brent Bowen of Sparkcade Marketing outlined six practical steps for making social media posts GEO‑friendly, emphasizing structure that appeals to AI discovery tools. He urged marketers to frontload questions and answers, use list formats, and be precise while retaining brand...
The Boring Infrastructure That Could Make Agentic AI Happen For Ad Tech
MadConnect has made its Intelligent Connectivity Layer (ICL) generally available, offering a plug‑and‑play infrastructure that links CRMs, CDPs, clean rooms, DSPs and other ad‑tech systems. Built to natively support the open‑source Model Context Protocol (MCP), ICL acts as a switchboard...
The Boring Infrastructure That Could Make Agentic AI Happen For Ad Tech
MadConnect has made its Intelligent Connectivity Layer (ICL) generally available, offering a neutral infrastructure that links CRMs, CDPs, clean rooms, DSPs and other ad‑tech systems for AI agents. The ICL natively supports the open‑source Model Context Protocol (MCP), acting as...

New myGwork Research: LGBTQ+ Gen Z and Millennial Talent Demand Action, Not Just Optics, as Political Climate Reshapes Career Choices
myGwork’s 2026 LGBTQ+ Student & Graduate Survey of more than 2,000 Gen Z and millennial respondents shows that political backlash against DEI is reshaping career decisions. One‑third of participants have reconsidered their career path, industry or location, while 84% say visible...

Dumbphone Boss Wants Smartphone Users to See the Light
Light’s co‑founder and CEO Kaiwei Tang told Mobile World Live that the smartphone industry’s attention‑driven model is unsustainable. He promotes the Light Phone III, a $699 minimalist handset that strips away social media, advertising and app stores, offering only essential functions....

Google Search Ranking Volatility Still Heated
Google’s search ranking volatility remains high, with daily fluctuations despite no officially announced core update. The February 2026 Discover Core Update ran from February 5 to February 27, followed by a series of rank swings throughout March. Earlier, the December 2025 core update spanned...

The Hidden Cost of Bad Hiring Decisions and How to Avoid Them
Startups lose up to 30% of new hires within the first 90 days, despite a six‑month break‑even horizon. Replacing a mismatched employee can cost roughly 33% of the annual salary, eroding cash‑flow and morale. The article highlights how overstated culture...

OpenAI Acquires Promptfoo as Enterprise AI Platform Wars Heat Up
OpenAI announced the acquisition of Promptfoo, a fast‑growing platform that automates testing and validation of large‑language‑model prompts. The deal, terms undisclosed, brings Promptfoo’s open‑source tooling and enterprise‑grade safety features under OpenAI’s product umbrella. By integrating Promptfoo, OpenAI aims to streamline...

The Quarterly Review: Wise’s Scott Viohl Wins Audiences Through Humor and Creator-Led Marketing
Wise’s North American marketing lead, Scott Viohl, has spent the last four months scaling the fintech’s regional footprint through its largest TV campaign to date, reaching over 80% of adults in key U.S. markets and 60% in target Canadian regions....
Oil Surged Past $100 Before Coming Back to Earth. Wall Street Is Bracing for What Comes Next.
Oil prices surged past the $100‑a‑barrel benchmark over the weekend as tensions escalated in Iran, prompting panic across markets. G7 nations quickly pledged to tap strategic reserves and President Trump’s reassurance helped pull prices back, allowing major indexes to close...

Darktrace Names Ed Jennings as New President and CEO
Darktrace announced Ed Jennings as its new president and chief executive officer, effective March 23. Jennings brings over 25 years of technology leadership, most recently doubling revenue as CEO of Quickbase and serving as COO of Mimecast during its IPO and...
Henkel Acquires Not Your Mother’s, Strengthening US Hair Care Portfolio
Henkel announced the acquisition of Not Your Mother’s, a U.S. hair‑care brand, along with its parent DeMert Brands, from private‑equity firm Main Post Partners. The move bolsters Henkel’s portfolio that already includes Schwarzkopf, Authentic Beauty Concept and Got2Be, targeting stronger...

Ericsson, Future Technologies Scale Wireless Infrastructure for Industrial AI
Ericsson and Future Technologies Venture have deepened their 13‑year collaboration to accelerate enterprise wireless and private 5G rollouts for AI‑driven industrial operations across North America. The partnership will combine Ericsson’s cellular technology with Future Technologies’ systems‑integration services, targeting sectors such...

VW to Cut 50,000 Jobs by 2030 Amid Trump Tariffs and Falling Chinese Sales
Volkswagen announced a plan to eliminate 50,000 jobs across its German operations by 2030, adding to a prior agreement to cut 35,000 positions through attrition. The move follows a 54% plunge in pre‑tax profit to €8.9 bn, driven largely by U.S....
Currency, Tax Risks Tempering Private Equity Optimism in India, Investors Say
Private‑equity investors in India are confronting two major headwinds: a weakening rupee, which has fallen 1.9% against the dollar so far in 2026 after larger declines in the previous two years, and a capital‑gains tax of 10‑15% on exits. While...

Nigeria’s Prembly Launches Open-Source Database to Fight African Fraud
Prembly, a Nigerian digital‑security firm, has unveiled FraudLens, an open‑source fraud‑intelligence bank built on millions of identity‑verification checks. The platform aggregates fraud events from banks, fintechs and other partners, offering a publicly accessible repository that starts with Nigeria and aims...

Exclusive: Google-Backed Namma Yatri Raises Fresh Capital
Bengaluru‑based ride‑hailing platform Namma Yatri secured ₹39.75 crore (≈$4.4 million) in a pre‑Series A extension, led by Juspay founder Vimal Kumar with participation from Blume Ventures, Antler and other investors. The round follows a July 2024 $11 million raise and brings Vimal Kumar’s stake to...
Big Questions as WNBA Labor Negotiations Heat Up
WNBA owners and players are deep in collective bargaining talks as the 2026 season looms, with proposals exchanged this week and a disputed deadline of Tuesday versus a quality‑of‑deal standard. The core impasse centers on revenue sharing – owners suggest...

Divest Expands Into Remittances with Money Xchange, Unifying Crypto Conversion and Cross-Border Transfers in a Single App
Divest, the Nigerian fintech known for crypto‑to‑cash conversion, has introduced Money Xchange, a cross‑border remittance service embedded within its existing app. The product currently supports transfers from Nigeria to Kenya, Ghana and South Africa with upfront rate locking and no...

The Fed Wants to Let a Dangerous Asset Loose on Bank Balance Sheets
The Federal Reserve has proposed three adjustments to how banks treat mortgage loans and mortgage servicing rights (MSRs) under capital rules. While the new loan‑to‑value risk‑weight buckets and a review of the 250% MSR risk weight align with Basel principles,...

Corelink Hire Introduces New Hiring Manager Dashboard to Improve Recruitment Visibility and Efficiency
Corelink Hire unveiled a hiring manager dashboard that consolidates candidate video responses, application activity, and key performance metrics into a single interface. The tool lets managers review submissions, monitor engagement rates, and compare applicants using structured interview data. By centralising...

Samsung Biologics, Eli Lilly to Establish Biotech Incubator in Incheon
Samsung Biologics and U.S. pharma leader Eli Lilly have signed an agreement to launch a biotech incubator in Incheon’s Songdo district. The facility will host Lilly’s Gateway Labs platform, offering lab space, equipment, funding and R&D collaboration to emerging biotech firms....

Iran War Will Increase Inflation and Unemployment
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has revised its UK economic outlook, cutting 2026 GDP growth to 1% and flagging higher inflation and unemployment due to the escalating Iran conflict. Inflation is projected to rise to 2.7% before easing to...
9 Key Leadership Skills for 2026
The article outlines the nine leadership competencies essential for 2026, emphasizing that modern talent seeks purpose, growth, and a supportive environment beyond pay. It argues that effective leaders must drive change, foster collaboration, and align personal and community goals. The...

Private Wealth Capital Expanding Capacity for Larger Deals: Ardian’s Mallin
At NEXUS 2026, Ardian’s senior executive Ava Mallin highlighted that private‑wealth capital is flowing into the private‑equity secondaries market, expanding the pool of funds available for larger transactions. While this influx has increased overall capacity, Mallin warned that the market...

Google AI Voice Models Coming To Google Ads PMax Videos
Google is adding AI‑generated voice‑overs to Performance Max video ads, automatically turning silent creatives into narrated assets. The system pulls text from existing headlines and descriptions, synthesizes natural‑sounding speech, and layers it onto the original video. Advertisers can opt out...

Enhancing Employee Well-Being and Retention in Southeast Asian Businesses
Southeast Asian firms are confronting a mental‑health crisis, with half of surveyed employees reporting burnout at least monthly and over 40% unable to disconnect from work. The pandemic‑driven shift to remote and hybrid models has amplified the need for robust...

Jollof Boss Launches WhatsApp-Paystack Pilot Testing Chat Commerce for African SMEs
Adlore Business Enterprise launched a live pilot of Jollof Boss, a conversational commerce platform that merges the WhatsApp Cloud API with Paystack payments to let Nigerian SMEs browse products, place orders and pay within chat. The test processed ten real orders,...

Evri Driving Academy Opens Its Doors to External Candidates
Evri, the UK’s leading parcel delivery firm, has opened its Driving Academy to external candidates seeking HGV licence training. In 2025 the academy helped drivers earn 113 new HGV licences, addressing a market where the Road Haulage Association forecasts a...

AI Pulse Exclusive: How Spacely AI Is Bringing Generative AI Into Spatial Design Workflows
Spacely AI delivers a generative AI platform that converts floor plans and rough concepts into realistic 3D visualizations within minutes, targeting architects, interior designers, and real‑estate professionals in the US and Europe. The company embeds AI across its product and...

Armadin Secures $189.9 Million to Counter AI-Driven Cyber Threats
Armadin announced a $189.9 million seed and Series A round, the largest combined funding ever in cybersecurity, led by Accel with participation from Google Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Menlo Ventures, In‑Q‑Tel, 8VC and Ballistic Ventures. The capital will accelerate its AI‑driven platform that...

How Not to Elevate a Colleague to a Leadership Role
Leaders aiming to build a performance culture must carefully elevate colleagues into leadership roles. The article outlines five common mistakes: applying pressure, ignoring workload, overlooking career goals, skipping training, and failing to recognize achievements. It advises open dialogue, workload assessment,...

Shell Sells Part of US Lubes Business to Monomoy for $1.3B
Shell PLC announced the sale of its Jiffy Lube International unit, including the Premium Velocity Auto franchise, to Monomoy Capital Partners for roughly $1.3 billion. The transaction covers more than 2,000 service locations across the U.S. and Canada and represents about 6.5%...

Proshort Wins Enterprise Adoption with RateGain for Its AI-Native Revenue Platform
Proshort announced that RateGain Travel Technologies has selected its AI‑native revenue intelligence platform for global rollout. The deployment targets higher forecasting accuracy, clearer pipeline visibility, and consistent execution across RateGain’s worldwide sales teams. Proshort’s architecture relies on a proprietary Context...
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[INTERVIEW] Creality CEO Pitches Long-Term Growth Story as It Prepares for IPO
Creality, the leading Chinese desktop 3D printer maker, is preparing for an IPO while shifting its narrative from product launches to market penetration. CEO Jack Chen argues the industry’s 20‑30% annual growth and untapped household adoption justify long‑term investor focus....
Cross Switch Promotes Engineering Head to Chief Technology Officer
Cross Switch announced the promotion of co‑founder Jacob Yermalitski from Director of Engineering to Chief Technology Officer, succeeding Mike Kenrich who will now serve as Chief Information Officer. In his new role, Jacob will steer the company’s technology vision and...

SumUp Expands Into the Accounting Market With a Free Making Tax Digital Tool
SumUp has launched a free, in‑platform accounting solution for UK merchants, powered by Sage, to help them meet the Making Tax Digital (MTD) income‑tax requirements that take effect in April 2026. The tool automates income‑tax calculations and filing, embedding compliance...

Market Spinning After 'Most Epic Price Reversal in Oil History'
Oil prices surged past $100 per barrel before reversing sharply, marking what analysts call the most epic price reversal in oil history. The swing was driven by mixed signals about the U.S.–Iran conflict, including President Trump's comments and hopes of...
US Designation of Afghanistan 'Regrettable,' Afghan Taliban Says
On March 10, 2026, the United States designated Afghanistan as a “state sponsor of wrongful detention,” demanding the release of two American citizens, Mahmood Habibi and Dennis Coyle. Afghan Taliban officials condemned the move as regrettable and urged a diplomatic solution through...