• Shopify has acquired Vantage Discovery, a startup building AI search for retailers.
• Vantage Discovery was founded by two former Pinterest engineering leaders.
• Shopify has been acquiring startups in an effort to bring on more AI talent.

Shopify has acquired Vantage Discovery, a startup that builds AI-powered search functions for retailers.

Cofounders Lance Riedel and Nigel Daley both previously worked in engineering at Pinterest. Riedel built out Pinterest Shopping, while Daley worked in engineering infrastructure.

They started Vantage Discovery in early 2023 to bring a "Pinterest-like capability to any retailer" using generative AI, Daley said in an interview with Business Insider in February.

Vantage Discovery uses LLMs to enhance retailers' search functions, allowing shoppers to see more personalized, relevant results when searching through a store's product catalog.

"In the past, machine learning and AI had been held by some of the much bigger companies," he said. "Now with Gen AI and technology like Vantage Discovery, we can bring that same power to any retailer, from the smallest mom-and-pop shop to massive enterprises."

Riedel said in a LinkedIn post that Vantage Discovery would integrate its "revolutionary technology with Shopify's commerce platform." Daley confirmed the news in an email but declined to comment further on the deal to BI. Representatives for Shopify did not immediately return a request for comment from BI.

Shopify has been on an acquisition spree. It acquihired six startups in 2024 with the goal of bringing on AI talent.

"These have been very tactical, thoughtful AI hires and we want to continually be thoughtful, proactive, and judicious on thinking about the cash," CFO Jeff Hoffmeister said during the company's earnings call in February.

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at [email protected] or Signal at mlstone.04. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• Tesla has said it will unveil a new more affordable model by mid-2025.
• The car, reportedly inspired by the Model Y, may be mass-produced in China in 2026.
• Elon Musk emphasized self-driving as essential for a cheaper Tesla model, dismissing alternatives.

Tesla's plans for its upcoming more affordable electric vehicle seem to be getting clearer.

The automaker has promised that the model will be unveiled in the first half of 2025, which means it could debut by the end of June if Tesla meets the deadline.

The other morsel of company info so far has come from CEO Elon Musk. On January's earnings call, he said it would be "pointless" to make a cheaper model without self-driving abilities, in response to a question about a "$25,000 non-robotaxi regular car model."

"It would be silly. It would be completely at odds with what we believe," Musk said.

Outside of its deadline and Musk's comments, Tesla has kept the details of this project hush-hush. However, 36Kr, a Chinese media outlet, reported on March 13 that the car will take after the Model Y, which currently starts at over $50,000 on Tesla's official website.

The Model Y is a popular option for Tesla buyers, and a newer version of the vehicle with a longer range and Cybertruck-style light bar was released in January.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported on March 14 that the potential lower-cost vehicle will be produced in Shanghai, the US, and Europe, with mass production in China expected in 2026.

The slate of anticipated launches and announcements in 2025 follows a year of losses for Tesla. The company missed estimates in Q4, and sales declined 13% in Europe in 2024.

Tesla analysts have previously told BI that an affordable model launch could be what it needs to regain its footing as Chinese rivals emerge with their own low-cost EVs. As of Friday, Tesla's cheapest existing vehicle is the Model 3, which starts at over $30,000.

• California Pizza Kitchen has four original pizzas that have been on the menu for decades.
• Barbecue chicken and California club were both delicious, but wild mushroom was a favorite.
• However, the California veggie pizza disappointed us, and I wouldn't order it again.

I'm a huge fan of California Pizza Kitchen. I lived in Los Angeles for nearly a dozen years and frequented several locations of the chain during that time.

Luckily, the chain also has a location near my house in New York.

My family and I recently ordered the four original pizzas at CPK — California club, California veggie, barbecue chicken, and wild mushroom — to see which one is best.

We opted to make one of them half plain cheese so my youngest child would have a safer fallback option for dinner. However, it turns out we didn't need it because there were several family favorites.

Here's how the original pies stacked up.

The California club is a true classic.

Per the CPK website, the California club pizza features avocado, applewood smoked bacon, mayo, fresh lettuce, and tomatoes. We could also add oven-roasted turkey or grilled chicken.

My wife and daughter are vegetarians, so we opted for bacon on just half of the pizza and skipped the added meat.

Although consuming this is a messy affair that almost necessitates eating with utensils (or alone in the dark), the California club is just a delight of a pizza.

The crunch of the lettuce (ours also had arugula), the thick chunks of avocado, and the pizza all complement one another wonderfully in taste and texture.

I appreciated that it had sizable chunks of bacon, the appropriate amount of mayo, and fresh-tasting tomatoes.

I still love the original barbecue-chicken pizza from CPK.

One of my go-to orders at CPK over the years has always been the original barbecue chicken, which is topped with barbecue sauce, chicken, smoked Gouda, red onions, and cilantro.

Tangy and almost spicy (but with no real kick), this pizza works so well because the relatively few toppings each stand out while also working together.

The onion is potent but not overpowering, the cilantro adds a flash of herbal flavor, the chicken is heaped on generously, and the barbecue sauce ties everything together.

To be fair, my son didn't much care for this pizza, so I can already attest to it not being a universal winner. But he did eat every bite of one piece … and I happily ate the rest of the pizza myself.

The wild-mushroom pizza was a family favorite.

I loathe mushrooms, so I was glad to have some folks along with me willing to do the hard work of taste-testing. My wife and son both said CPK's wild-mushroom pizza was the best of the night.

And indeed, I'll allow that it looked like one good pizza. It's topped with shaved Cremini mushrooms, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, slivered scallions, Romano and mozzarella, cheese, and cracked black pepper.

The mushrooms were layered on evenly without being piled up, which helped some of them crisp up.

I'm told the pie's flavor was mildly earthy and vaguely meaty (even though the pizza is vegetarian) and that the blend of cheeses was excellent.

We won't be ordering the California veggie again.

Granted, there's a chance that we ended up with a uniquely bad showing of this pizza, but all the other pies seemed normal, so I doubt it. I think everyone in my family just thoroughly dislikes CPK's California veggie pizza.

The pizza comes topped with Broccolini, grilled zucchini, shaved Cremini mushrooms, roasted cherry tomatoes, corn, red onions, and mozzarella. (I picked the mushrooms off, but my wife and son tucked in as-is.)

Usually, a plethora of toppings is welcome on a pie, but in this case, there was too much piled on the crust.

The veggies seemed overcooked and soggy, which negatively affected the texture of the pizza. The pie had hardly any sauce to speak of.

Also, in my opinion, Broccolini has no business being on pizza in the first place. I'm even on the fence about zucchini, but it's a moot point, as this pizza will never be on my table again.

Overall, the CPK original pies were mostly winners.

The barbecue-chicken pizza was always my go-to, and it still holds up.

Because of the variety of ingredients, the California club is like a salad and entrée in one tasty package — I highly recommend it.

Although I can't vouch for it personally, my family loved the mild, earthy flavors of the wild-mushroom pizza.

The one pie we all agreed to skip in the future was the California veggie. The texture didn't win us over, and it seemed like proof some toppings don't belong on a pizza.

An "engine-related issue" caused American Airlines Flight 1006 to catch fire after landing at Denver International Airport.

• The US is seeking Denmark's help to solve its egg crisis.
• Egg prices in the US are at a record high due to a major outbreak of avian influenza.
• Relations are tense between the countries, following Trump's comments about Greenland.

The US and Denmark may be at odds over Greenland, but when it comes to solving its egg shortage, Washington is looking to Copenhagen for help.

Jørgen Nyberg Larsen, CEO of the Danish Egg Association, told Business Insider that his trade group received a message from a US Department of Agriculture regional attaché on February 28, inquiring about Denmark's willingness to export eggs.

In the email, forwarded to BI, the Danish Egg Association was asked a series of yes-or-no questions about Denmark's willingness to supply the US with table and breaker eggs.

Table eggs are sold in-shell, while breaker eggs are sold in liquid form.

The email noted "surging egg prices" in the US, with the agency inquiring about the estimated volume of eggs Denmark could export over six months, as well as the industry's familiarity with export regulations.

"I answered that we were positive to helping our American friends and then I asked some specific questions on the conditions," Larsen told BI.

Egg prices in the US hit a record high in February; between December 2024 and January 2025, egg prices saw their biggest spike in 10 years, driving up the cost of grocery shopping.

This was caused by a widespread outbreak of avian influenza, or H5N1 bird flu.

As of February 7, the USDA reported that 116.9 million "layer" hens — chickens bred for egg production — had been removed from the population.

Emily Metz, president of the American Egg Board, said in a statement this week that the outbreak was disrupting supply and causing price volatility.

The latest consumer price index, released Wednesday, shows that in February, a dozen Grade A eggs cost an average of nearly $5.90 in US cities, surpassing January's then-record high of $4.95.

The US appeal for egg imports comes at a time when relations between the US and Denmark are unusually tense.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly spoken about taking control of Greenland, a part of the Danish commonwealth that has had self-rule since 1979, and has even refused to rule out using military force. Denmark is a member of NATO.

Last month, Vice President JD Vance told Fox News' Maria Bartiromo that Denmark was not a "good ally." And during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte this week, Trump said he thought Greenland's annexation would happen and questioned Denmark's claim to the territory.

Those threats have not gone unnoticed. On Thursday, Denmark's foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, told local media that he did not see "any indication whatsoever that Greenlanders want to be Americans".

Meanwhile, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in an interview with Time magazine last month that she hopes "everybody respects our territorial integrity like anywhere else in the world."

As for the transatlantic egg inquiry, Larsen said he sent his positive responses to Washington, but has yet to receive a reply.

USDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

• We're seeking nominations for Business Insider's 10th annual list of the most innovative CMOs.
• Marketers are looking to drive growth for their companies while navigating economic uncertainty.
• Submit your entries by 5 p.m. ET on April 25.

Business Insider is seeking nominations for our 10th annual list of the most innovative CMOs in the world. Submit your nominees via this form by 5 p.m. ET on April 25.

Your nomination doesn't have to hold the CMO title at their organization, but they must be the senior-most marketing executive at their company. They must also have been in their current role for at least six months or longer.

CMOs are steering their companies through a period of great political and economic uncertainty. Amid the rise of artificial intelligence, they are also navigating tremendous technological change. And all the while, marketers need to be laser-focused on driving financial growth for their organizations.

Criteria and methodology

The list will consider factors including the executives' influence on their company's financial performance, their role and responsibilities, the size and impact of the brand they represent, and how these executives are driving the entire marketing profession forward.

We highly recommend supporting your entries with case studies and quantitative data.

While information about the individual's wider career history will be considered helpful context, the entries should focus on the impact nominees have made over the past 12 months.

Business Insider's editorial team will judge and determine the list based on the nominations we receive and our own reporting. We may contact you with follow-up questions.

Submit your nominations here by April 25.

Check out last year's list here.

• "Slow Horses" is about a group of hapless spies working for MI5 in London.
• The team is led by the slobbish Jackson Lamb, played by Gary Oldman.
• The Apple TV+ series is returning for a fifth season this year.

Apple TV+'s "Slow Horses" is a gripping spy thriller about a group of MI5 agents who are relegated to administrative roles in an office called Slough House as punishment for failing a mission.

The Slough House team is led by the slobbish Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman) who, despite his unkempt appearance, is smart enough to navigate some of the biggest threats facing the UK. Much of the series follows River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) an agent whose grandfather was a high-ranking official in MI5.

The show has a 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes, beating other recent TV espionage shows like "The Agency," "Citadel," and "The Day of the Jackal."

Here's what to know about "Slow Horses" season five.

'Slow Horses' season five adapts Mick Herron's fifth book: 'London Rules'

In January 2024, Apple confirmed that "Slow Horses" season five would adapt "London Rules," the fifth of author Mick Herron's "Slough House" books, which the show is based on.

Season four revealed that Cartwright's absent father is Frank Harkness (Hugo Weaving), a ruthless mercenary who runs a network of assassins. In the last episode, Cartwright and MI5 managed to detain Harkness, arresting him for numerous assassinations and bombings.

But the show left that storyline open as Harkness appears to blackmail his way into being released by MI5.

"In season five of 'Slow Horses,' everyone is suspicious when resident tech nerd Roddy Ho has a glamorous new girlfriend, but when a series of increasingly bizarre events occur across the city, it falls to the Slow Horses to work out how everything is connected. After all, Lamb knows that in the world of espionage, 'London Rules' should always apply," the synopsis for season five reads.

The first teaser for the season shows an unknown person shooting at Roddy Ho (Christopher Chung) and Lamb, with MI5 agent Emma Flyte (Ruth Bradley), explaining that a mysterious group is trying to "destabilize" London.

The main cast will reprise their roles in 'Slow Horses' season five when it returns this year

Apple has not confirmed a release date for season five, but the show is expected to come out this year. Previous seasons have debuted less than a year after the previous one, and season four premiered in September 2024. If the show keeps the same cadence, season five could arrive in August 2025, but that is unconfirmed.

What we do know is that the main cast will reprise their roles, so expect to see Oldman and Lowden as Lamb and Cartwright alongside Chung as Ho, Bradley as Flyte, Rosalind Eleazar as Louisa Guy, Kristin Scott Thomas as Diana Taverna, and James Callis as Claude Whelan.

• The sci-fi movie "The Electric State," starring Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt, is now on Netflix.
• Some films released in 2024, like "Moana 2" and "Kraven the Hunter," are now streaming.
• Prime Video's fantasy series "The Wheel of Time" returned for season three this week.

There are plenty of TV shows and movies available to stream this weekend, whether you're craving a sci-fi adventure or looking for a family-friendly flick.

Among them are "The Electric State," a PG-13 action movie starring Millie Bobby Brown, and "Moana 2," the sequel to the 2016 animated film about a Polynesian princess on a mission to save her people.

Audiences can also check out the first three episodes of season three of the hit fantasy series "The Wheel of Time" on Prime Video, while comic book fans may feel inclined to watch "Kraven the Hunter" on Netflix.

Here's a complete rundown of all the best movies, shows, and documentaries to stream this weekend, broken down by what kind of entertainment you're looking for.

"Moana 2" is an all-ages crowd-pleaser.

"Moana 2" hit theaters in November 2024 and quickly became a box office hit, finishing 2024 as the fourth highest-grossing film of the year. Not too shabby for a film that was originally intended to be a TV series for streaming.

The sequel is set three years after the events of "Moana" and follows the titular heroine, again voiced by Auli'i Cravalho, as she sets out to find a legendary island called Motufetu that will connect her people.

Streaming on: Disney+

"The Wheel of Time" returned for season three this week.

Season three of the show, which is based on Robert Jordan's 15-novel "Wheel of Time" fantasy series, picks up after the events of the season two finale. Rand Al'Thor (Josha Stradowski), grapples with good and evil after learning that he's the Dragon Reborn, a legend from history who's destined to save the world or destroy it.

The first three episodes are now streaming, with new episodes releasing weekly, culminating in the season finale on April 17.

Streaming on: Prime Video

For a dose of nostalgia, watch the '90s-set adventure movie "The Electric State."

The sci-fi movie is directed by brothers Joe and Anthony Russo and is very loosely based on the 2018 illustrated novel of the same name by Simon Stålenhag.

"Stranger Things" star Millie Bobby Brown plays Michelle, a rebellious orphaned teen who embarks on a journey to find her long-lost brother Christopher. Along the way, she befriends a smuggler named Keats (Chris Pratt) and his sidekick, a robot named Herman (voiced by Anthony Mackie).

Streaming on: Netflix

After releasing in theaters in December, "Kraven the Hunter" is now on Netflix.

The comic book movie stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Sergei Kravinoff/Kraven the Hunter and chronicles his origin story, beginning with the fateful day he gains animalistic powers while on a hunting trip in Ghana.

The movie also stars "Gladiator II" scene stealer Fred Hechinger and Oscar winners Ariana DeBose and Russell Crowe.

Streaming on: Netflix

For chills and thrills, check out the Hulu original movie "Control Freak."

"Star Wars" franchise actor Kelly Marie Tran plays a successful motivational speaker with an uncontrollable itch on her scalp, leading her to become infected with a parasitic demon.

Streaming on: Hulu

For a comedic take on the horror genre, watch "The Parenting."

The movie centers on Rohan (Nik Dodani) and Josh (Brandon Flynn), a couple who organize a getaway so their parents can meet. But the visit is derailed when personalities clash, and tensions run even higher when they they realize the house is haunted by a 400-year-old poltergeist.

Streaming on: Max

Amanda Seyfried stars in the new limited series "Long Bright River."

The crime show is based on Liz Moore's best-selling novel of the same name stars Amanda Seyfried as Mickey, a Philadelphia-based police officer investigating the deaths of several young women and the disappearance of Kacey, her younger sister who goes missing.

All eight episodes of the thriller are available to stream.

Streaming on: Peacock

Netflix's gripping new limited series "Adolescence" follows a child accused of murder.

"Adolescence" stars Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller, a 13-year-old who's accused of killing his classmate Katie (Emilia Holliday). Although the four-episode series is fictional, it's rooted in the real issue of knife crime in the UK, specifically cases of boys stabbing girls.

Streaming on: Netflix

Oscar, Emmy, and Tony nominee Brian Tyree Henry stars in the new crime thriller "Dope Thief."

The eight-episode series is based on Dennis Tafoya's book of the same name and centers on two longtime friends, Ray (Brian Tyree Henry) and Manny (Wagner Moura), who pose as DEA agents to rob drug dealers in Philadelphia. But when they choose the mark, they become targeted by enemies who are determined to hunt them down and kill the people closest to them.

Streaming on: Apple TV+

For lighter fare, catch up on "Everybody's Live with John Mulaney."

John Mulaney brings his comedic stylings to Netflix's new live celebrity sit-down talk show. In the series premiere, which is the first of 12 live shows for the next 12 weeks, he's joined by Joan Baez, Michael Keaton, Fred Armisen, personal finance columnist Jessica Roy, and musical guest Cypress Hill.

The first episode premiered live on Netflix on Wednesday night, but you can still watch the replay on the streamer.

Streaming on: Netflix

Beatles fans can tune into the two-hour special "Ringo & Friends at the Ryman."

The special celebrates The Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and features the musician performing some of the band's biggest hits, his solo music, and tracks from his upcoming country album, "Look Up." In addition to Starr, the lineup includes Sheryl Crow, Mickey Guyton, Jack White, and more.

Streaming on: Paramount+

Reality TV lovers should check out "Temptation Island."

If you're looking for more drama after a contestant named Montoya went viral on the Spanish version of "Temptation Island," Netflix has you covered. The show, which previously aired on USA before moving to the streamer, is hosted by Mark L. Walberg (not to be confused with Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg.).

The show follows four couples as they put their relationships to the test by living separately with singles of the opposite sex who are ready to mingle on a tropical island. What could go wrong?

Streaming on: Netflix

• An American Airlines jet caught fire in Denver, and people evacuated with their carry-ons.
• Passengers ignoring safety rules by taking bags can slow evacuations and risk lives.
• People on a Russian plane in 2019 died because some survivors didn't abandon their carry-ons.

Photos of a burning American Airlines jet on Thursday show dozens of evacuating passengers standing on the wing with their bags in tow — breaking one of the most important safety rules.

Flight attendants explain during pre-flight briefings that carry-ons must be left behind during emergencies to ensure a quick evacuation and increase survivability.

Federal regulations require airline cabin crew to be able to deplane everyone within 90 seconds, under the assumption everyone follows crew instructions.

Aviation expert Geoffrey Thomas previously told Business Insider that bag-related bottlenecks could slow the evacuation and waste vital time.

"You've got to get all the passengers out in 90 seconds," he said. "Now, we're seeing evacuations taking six and seven minutes because passengers insist on taking their bags."

Thursday's incident occurred after the crew reported "engine vibrations" en route from Colorado Springs to Dallas/Fort Worth and diverted to Denver. The engine caught fire after landing, prompting the evacuation.

12 people of the 172 on board were transported to the hospital with minor injuries, Denver International Airport said on X.

Evacuating with carry-ons could be life-or-death

A slowed aircraft evacuation could lead to more injuries or even fatalities, and there's a precedent for this life-or-death concern.

In 2019, a Russian airliner crash-landed and caught fire in Moscow, killing 41 of the 78 passengers and crew.

Many of the survivors were seen fleeing the plane with their carry-ons, which aviation experts say likely stalled the evacuation and led to a higher death toll.

The opposite happened in January 2024, when a Japan Airlines jetliner collided with a smaller plane on the Tokyo runway.

All 379 people on that aircraft — which was carrying five times the number of people as the Russian plane — survived. Aviation experts say part of the reason was because passengers abandoned their bags.

The Delta Air Lines crash-landing in Toronto in February also saw some passengers evacuating with carry-ons and flight attendants telling them to leave their stuff behind.

A week later, another Delta plane filled with smoke. Again, evacuated passengers were seen with their bags. Everyone lived in both cases.

Still, history shows not everyone is as lucky.

Air travel remains relatively very safe, and fatal crashes are still extremely rare, despite the uptick in crashes and near-misses in recent months.

When incidents do happen, and a speedy evacuation is necessary, it's imperative you listen to the flight attendants and leave your personal items behind.

Stuff can be replaced — lives can't.

• The creator economy is catching notable VCs' attention — and their wallets.
• Creator-focused startups are raising millions of dollars.
• Here are the pitch decks that 38 startups used in Series A, seed, and pre-seed rounds.

The creator economy has bred a generation of startups — from influencer-marketing companies to new social-media experiences.

These startups have captured the attention and wallets of influential venture capitalists and angel investors over the last several years, giving rise to several unicorn valuations in the space.

Check out 11 VCs who are investing in innovative startups focused on the creator economy and influencers

Even as the economy has weathered changing tides and investments have cooled across industries, some startups in this sector are still raising money.

In 2024, three trends drove some of the largest deals in the creator economy: AI, social commerce, and newsletters. Several startups raised at least $10 million in new funding last year, such as AI startup Captions or newsletter platform Beehiiv.

Here are 17 creator-economy startups that raised more than $10 million in 2024

So, how do creator-economy startups land those investments? Often, it starts with a pitch deck. 

Lumanu, a creator-focused financial startup, uses a simple pitch deck that's more of a "conversation guider," its cofounder and CEO, Tony Tran, told BI.

"My pitch is always why, what, how, and why now?" Tran said. (Read the full pitch deck here.)

Skye, a career-coaching startup, had different pitch decks depending on the type of investor or fund they pitched to.

"I had two different versions, depending on the fund," said Jessica Wolf, Skye's CEO and one of its cofounders. "If I knew a fund was more into pre-seed, all about the founder, I had one deck. But if I knew that they were a numbers person, I would use another one."

Every startup has a different approach.

Some, such as Throne, even ditch the pitch deck altogether and opt for an email or Notion document.

Read the email template creator-economy startup Throne used to secure its seed investment.

BI talked with founders who've pitched their startups to investors about their process. They broke down the pitch decks they used to secure millions of dollars in funding.

Read the pitch decks that helped 38 creator-focused startups fundraise millions of dollars:

Note: Pitch decks are sorted by investment stage and size of round.

Series A

• Restream, a livestreaming alternative to platforms like the Amazon-owned Twitch: $50 million Series A (14 pages)
• ShopMy, an affiliate platform that lets creators earn commissions through shoppable landing pages: $26.5 million Series A (23 pages)
• Posh, an IRL events startup: $22 million Series A (12 pages)
• Pearpop, a creator-marketing platform: $18 million Series A (18 pages)
• Spoon Radio, a social-audio startup: $17 million Series A (15 pages)
• Kyra, a content studio, talent-management firm, and influencer-marketing platform: $15 million Series A (20 pages)
• Allstar, a startup helping gamers become social-media creators: $12 million Series A (6 pages)
• Lumanu, a business-solutions platform for creators: $12 million Series A (8 pages)
• Hype, a platform for link-in-bio and other creator-monetization tools: $10 million Series A (13 pages)
• Catch+Release, a startup that helps creators and everyday social-media users license their content to brands: $8.8 million Series A (12 pages)
• Slip.stream, a music startup focused on gamers: $7.5 million Series A (13 pages)
• Brag House, an esports startup: $5 million Series A (24 pages)

Seed

• AvatarOS, a startup building virtual avatars for social media, gaming, and other immersive experiences: $7 million (11 pages)
• Scenario, a generative AI startup to create gaming art and assets: $6 million seed (8 pages)
• Authoritive, an online course-development startup: $5 million seed (11 pages)
• Dstlry, a comic-book creator startup: $5 million seed (26 pages)
• Dharma, a travel startup for creators and brands: $4.7 million pre-Series A (17 pages)
• Glystn, an AI-powered community-management platform: $4 million seed (15 pages)
• Anima, an augmented-reality startup: $3 million (15 pages)
• Grandstand, a sports startup working with athlete creators: $2.75 million
• Seam Social, a new Web3 social-media platform: $2.5 million (10 pages)
• Spark, a digital art platform from the YouTuber Moriah Elizabeth: $2.5 million seed (9 pages)
• Insense, a startup helping e-commerce brands get low-cost ads: $2.5 million pre-Series A (9 pages)
• Supercast, a podcast subscriptions startup: $2 million seed (20 pages)
• Chartmetric, a music-data and -measurement company: $2 million seed (46 pages)
• Ultimate Playlist, a music-marketing startup: $2 million round (9 pages)
• Magroove, a music-distribution and -discovery platform: $1.6 million seed (21 pages)
• Stagetime, a professional-networking startup for performing artists: $1.5 million seed (13 pages)
• Jubilee Media, a content studio looking to expand beyond YouTube and TikTok: $1.1 million seed-plus (12 pages)

Pre-Seed

• Storiaverse, a startup for animators and writers: $2.5 million pre-seed (16 pages)
• July, a "talent manager in your pocket" for creators: $2.3 million pre-seed (9 pages)
• Squads, a startup that helps creators mint and sell crypto coins: $1.8 million pre-seed (12 pages)
• Skye, a career-coaching platform: $1.6 million pre-seed (33 pages)
• Punchup Live, a comedy platform: $1 million pre-seed (19 pages)
• Spore, a content and community-building startup: $1 million pre-seed (17 pages)
• Hashtag Pay Me, a startup that helps creators price brand deals: $200,000 pre-seed (9 pages)
• Our Future, a short-form video-news brand that targets Gen Z: acquired (15 pages)

Other

• Rodeo, a social shopping platform, shared the pitch deck it used to get into an Andreessen Horowitz startup accelerator (11 pages)

• Bill Gates had one big question on his mind when he stepped down as CEO of Microsoft.
• He said he wondered, "Was I going to see the company fade in terms of its excellence?"
• Gates was succeeded first by Steve Ballmer and later by Satya Nadella, though he's become more involved amid the AI race.

It's not easy handing over the reins of the company you created — just ask Bill Gates.

Gates worried about the company's future when he ended his tenure as Microsoft's CEO in 2000, he said in an interview Microsoft posted Thursday.

"I've had two successors, and boy, do I feel lucky because as I went off to do the foundation work, the one thing that plagued me was, was I going to see the company fade in terms of its excellence, and would I be haunted by should I go back, should I not go back?" he said.

The billionaire Microsoft cofounder was succeeded as CEO by Steve Ballmer, who led the company from 2000 to 2014.

Gates wrote in his his memoir, "Source Code," which came out last month, that he gave a 4% stake to Ballmer to convince him to quit business school and join Microsoft. Once Ballmer came aboard in 1980, he "became the 24-hour-a-day partner I needed," Gates wrote.

Ballmer was later succeeded by Satya Nadella, who has held the role since taking over in 2014.

Gates says his fears were unfounded in hindsight since Ballmer "took us to new heights" and Nadella has done well at "navigating what even today remains one of the most complex CEO jobs in the world."

The company has notched several important milestones since Gates departed as CEO.

Its market cap has grown substantially, hitting a record $3 trillion dollars late last year. The company released the first Xbox in 2001 and has snapped up video game makers Mojang and Activision Blizzard. It also acquired companies like GitHub and LinkedIn. In recent years, it's poured billions into a partnership with ChatGPT maker OpenAI.

"It makes me feel so good that I get to just come in and play a very bit role of doing product reviews, learning about AI, you know, getting some help from Microsoft on the work that I'm doing," Gates added. "And it's allowed me, you know, to throw everything in and to have the incredible resources that my Microsoft ownership created."

While Gates stepped down as CEO in 2000, he continued to serve on the company's board of directors until 2020, when he stepped down following allegations that he had behaved inappropriately toward female employees.

He has spent much of his time since on the philanthropic foundation he started with his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates.

BI's Ashley Stewart reported last year that Gates remains "intimately involved in the company's operations" behind the scenes, reviewing products, advising on strategy, and recruiting top executives.

Frank Shaw, a Microsoft spokesperson, told BI at the time that Gates' role as a technical advisor, which he began in 2014, hadn't substantially changed since he vacated his board seat.

The "insistence on portraying the role of Bill Gates as 'pulling strings' at Microsoft," Shaw told BI at the time, "is fundamentally inaccurate and at odds with reality."

"With respect to Microsoft, stepping down from the board in no way means stepping away from the company," Gates wrote in 2020 about the move. "Microsoft will always be an important part of my life's work and I will continue to be engaged with Satya and the technical leadership to help shape the vision and achieve the company's ambitious goals."

• I booked a shared sleeper cabin on an overnight train from Austria to Italy in October 2022.
• I thought a sleeper train would be the best way to maximize my days while exploring Europe.
• A few surprises along the way, such as a lack of privacy and a restless night, changed my mind.

When I decided to squeeze four countries into a two-week backpacking trip to Europe, I traveled by train. It was my first time visiting Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland, so I wanted to maximize my time exploring each country.

When I realized that my train ride from Vienna to Venice, Italy, would be 11 hours long, I thought traveling through the night seemed like the best way to free up my days. Sharing a sleeper cabin with strangers also helped me do it on a budget.

My ticket, which cost $84, included a bunk in a shared cabin and a light breakfast. I was excited to move through the night and spend my days adventuring.

But a few surprises along the way made me think that, ultimately, this ride wasn't worth the time saved.

I traveled from Austria to Italy on the OBB Nightjet, a train that operates overnight routes between Austria, Italy, France, and the Netherlands.

OBB Nightjet trains travel overnight to more than 25 European cities, from Rome to Amsterdam, and can go as fast as 143 mph.

Nightjet trains have seating carriages, as well as sleeper cars with private cabins and bunks of three, four, or six. I booked the latter.

When I arrived at the Vienna train station, I paid $10 to access the OBB Lounge. I was surprised that it was empty aside from me — a stark contrast to the crowded station where I couldn't find a seat.

My journey began in Austria's Wien Meidling train station. I arrived 90 minutes before my 9:35 p.m. train was due to depart, and the waiting areas were so crowded that I couldn't find one empty seat. Then, I noticed a lounge for OBB guests.

The lounge is free for first-class OBB passengers traveling during the day and costs about $10 for all other OBB passengers who pay to access it, which is what I did. 

Since I thought the fee was inexpensive and the station was so packed, I was surprised to find no other travelers inside.

The lounge had plenty of tables and chairs, as well as complimentary refreshments such as coffee, nuts, and seeds. The selection was smaller than I'd seen at Amtrak's Metropolitan Lounge, which I've visited in New York, but I wasn't hungry, so I just got a water bottle and settled into a chair to wait until it was time to board my train.

When I went to the platform, I didn't expect boarding the correct train to be so confusing.

I went to the platform about 20 minutes before my train's scheduled departure and was shocked to see a screen that said my train was going to Zurich. This made me worry that I booked the wrong sleeper train.

But at the information desk, I learned that the train's cars detach at various stations to go to different locations. I had to board my assigned train car to reach my ticketed final destination; each car had a number.

When my train arrived, I didn't have time to check the train-car number before boarding. So I went to the closest car and asked an attendant to guide me to my car and room.

I knew my cabin would be small, but once on board, I was still shocked when I saw it for the first time.

According to OBB Nightjet, my cabin was built to fit six people inside a 74-square-foot space.

I expected it to be a tight space, but seeing it in person made me realize that 74 square feet is smaller than I thought.

One traveler was already there when I boarded, and two others arrived within an hour. Those two got off around 5 a.m., and the other stayed past my stop. We said hello to each other upon arrival, but other than that, the room was quiet. Some of us were on devices, while others slept. 

I was surprised by how little personal space I had, even when it was still just one other passenger and me. I couldn't imagine six people squeezing in there, and I was grateful we weren't booked to the max.

But I still felt cramped when there were four of us, especially with everyone's luggage around.

I expected each bunk to have a curtain for privacy, but the beds were completely exposed. This made me feel less comfortable.

Since the space was shared, I hoped to find curtains at the front of each bunk to ensure privacy, but there was nothing to block the space between myself and other passengers.

This made me feel more uncomfortable than I expected. While another traveler changed their clothes in front of me inside the room, I preferred to change in private and chose to instead go to the shared bathroom at the end of the sleeper car.

I didn't think I'd have to wake up other passengers to use the bathroom. But the room's lock was only accessible from a top bunk where someone was sleeping.

When I first entered the cabin, I learned the bunks were first-come, first-served. I opted for a bottom bunk since I'd previously found top bunks on other trains bumpier through the night.

But I didn't realize that the person on the top bunk would be the unofficial controller of the door lock since it was only accessible from their bed.

When I went to the bathroom to wash up and change around 10:30 p.m., the top-bunk passenger had just arrived and was still awake. But at around 2 a.m., I found myself lying awake with a full bladder because I didn't want to disturb her. Eventually, I couldn't hold it anymore and reluctantly woke her up. 

It was a little awkward, and I felt bad for disrupting her sleep. The whole experience made me think I may have preferred the top bunk anyway. I'd rather have someone wake me than wake someone else up.

I thought I'd get a decent amount of rest in the sleeper cabin with a lie-flat bed, but the ride was so bumpy and uncomfortable that I struggled to fall asleep.

Since I had a lie-flat bed in the cabin, as well as bed sheets and a pillow provided by the train, I thought I'd be able to sleep soundly.

But when bedtime came around, I was surprised to find the bed and bedding didn't matter much.

I found the bed uncomfortable. I only got a couple of hours of sleep and woke up several times during the night due to other travelers entering and exiting the room or the bumpiness of the train. For most of the night, I watched TV on my iPad since I had such a hard time sleeping.

"Offering our passengers a high level of travel comfort is an important concern for us," a representative for OBB Nightjet told Business Insider.

The statement continued, "We are constantly working on improvements to our product and also take into account the requirements of our customers."

In 2023, Nightjet upgraded its overnight trains with more spacious shared sleeper cabins and new bunks.

When I got to Venice, I realized I was wrong about my expectations of a shared sleeper cabin. I didn't feel rested, which was the entire reason I booked it.

When I got off the train in Venice, I was exhausted from the lack of sleep. I thought it made my first day in the city less enjoyable, which was perhaps the most surprising element of my ride since the entire reason I booked this train was to feel rested.

These surprises taught me that a shared cabin on an overnight train isn't the right choice for me.

While sometimes it's about the journey, not the destination, in this case, I'd rather arrive feeling refreshed so I can enjoy where I'm going.

A year after my trip, I booked another overnight ride in a Nightjet private cabin. It was worth the upgrade.

I learned my lesson during that shared cabin ride. So, when I went back to Europe in November 2023, I booked the train line's top-tier accommodation for an overnight trip from Venice to Vienna — a private cabin. 

It was worth the $200 price tag for a private, 30-square-foot space with a vanity, wash basin, and storage space. I slept like a baby. 

From now on, I'll only book private cabins for overnight train rides. 

• South Korea completed major maintenance on a US Navy supply vessel for the first time.
• Doing maintenance in the region reduces downtime and costs, US Naval Forces Korea said.
• Officials and experts have said that South Korea may have some answers to US shipbuilding woes.

In a strategically significant first as the US military looks for options to repair and maintain ships in the priority Indo-Pacific theater, a South Korean shipyard has completed large-scale maintenance work on a US Navy supply ship.

Earlier this week, South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean finished up repairs on USNS Wally Schirra, a Military Sealift Command Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship. The regular overhaul (ROH) took seven months.

Per Military Sealift Command, this is the first time a South Korean shipyard has bid on and won an ROH contract of this scale for this type of vessel. Smaller voyage repairs take place regularly at allied yards.

It's "a landmark achievement," Rear. Admiral. Neil Koprowski, Commander, US Naval Forces Korea, said, noting that "maintenance in theater reduces downtime and costs, while enhancing operational readiness."

The maintenance included addressing "extensive deterioration and damage to the hull, propeller, rudder, and rudder post/steering gear," Cmdr. Patrick J. Moore, commanding office, MSC Office-Korea, said.

The Wally Schirra is part of the US Navy's Combat Logistic Force, vessels that keep US Navy vessels supplied with fuel, food, spare parts, and other critical needs.

"Notably, Hanwha engineers reverse-engineered the damaged rudder, completely replacing the unit when blueprint were not available," Moore said. "This saved significant time and resources in getting Wally Schirra back to sea, a testament to their resilient supply chains, advanced automations, and skilled workforce."

The repairs come as leaders in Washington are addressing American shipbuilding problems, and some officials and experts have indicated South Korea and other Pacific allies may have some solutions.

South Korea boasts the second largest shipbuilding industry in the world behind China and has been identified by US officials and naval affairs experts as an example for how to fix some problems in American shipbuilding.

Earlier this week, a House Armed Services Committee's Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee hearing included discussions on what lessons the US could take from South Korea and Japan's shipbuilders.

Some bigger takeaways included adopting their approaches to in-house worker training, certain ways of addressing capability, operations, and material management issues, and the design and construction processes.

Ronald O'Rourke, a naval affairs specialist and longtime Congressional Research Service analyst, pointed specifically to South Korea's ship designs. The country tends to construct larger sections that improve worker access and straighter, less convoluted pipes "with a strong focus on reducing the labor hours needed to produce them."

O'Rourke noted that South Korea and Japan's shipbuilding models feature many practices for world-class shipbuilding standards and efficient shipyard operations.

Past US Navy leadership has praised these two US allies for their shipbuilding prowess. The last Navy secretary was particularly impressed by the digitization and real-time monitoring for timely deliveries at South Korean shipyards.

More broadly, the recent hearing focused on what Congress and the Navy needed to do to address dire US shipbuilding problems and the Navy's top programs running overtime and over budget.

Fixing those issues has become as a top priority for the Trump administration, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Donald Trump's pick for secretary of the navy. But experts, analysts, and officials have noted that many of the US' shipbuilding woes are decades-old challenges that won't be fixed overnight.

• President Donald Trump swapped his private jet for VIP government aircraft, including Air Force One.
• Government and military officials have access to private jets, helicopters, and a "flying war room."
• Trump hopes to receive a new fleet of Air Force One 747s before the end of his term in 2029.

President Donald Trump has once again ditched his prized personal private jet for an arsenal of VIP government aircraft.

The most famous is Air Force One, a pair of highly modified Boeing 747 double-deckers that have flown every president since George H. W. Bush beginning in 1990.

But there are many lesser-known government VIP aircraft, including a flying command center, smaller Boeing narrowbodies, private jets, and helicopters responsible for shuttling the president and vice president, military and congressional leaders, cabinet members, and more. Members of the press are also regularly invited on board.

Branches of the US military maintain and operate the fleet of aircraft, and military pilots are employed for the highly specialized missions. The aviators need thousands of hours of flying and combat experience.

The fleet is poised to change as the Trump Administration hopes to acquire new 747 planes to replace the aging Air Force One collection, though that may not happen until after his second term.

Air Force One Boeing 747s generally carry the president.

Air Force One has flown US presidents for decades — though the codename generally refers to any aircraft carrying the president. According to the White House, it is equipped with armored plating, missile defenses, midair refueling systems, and 4,000 square feet of floor space across three different levels.

This includes bedrooms, conference rooms, a flying Oval Office, a medical center complete with a doctor, and kitchens.

There are rooms onboard for administration members, such as advisors and the Secret Service, as well as the press and other invited guests.

Trump is not happy his new 747s are late

During his first administration, Trump struck a $3.9 billion deal with Boeing to receive two new 747s to replace the now 35-year-old fleet. The agreement saw Boeing take on any additional costs, which now total over $2 billion.

Boeing did not meet the initially expected delivery date of 2024 amid its recent quality and manufacturing problems. The Wall Street Journal reported in December the 747 deliveries may not happen until 2029 or later — and Trump isn't happy about it.

Trump has tasked senior advisor Elon Musk with fast-tracking the Boeing deliveries in hopes he can enjoy them before leaving office.

Air Force Two Boeing 757s carry the vice president.

A fleet of C-32 aircraft, which are modified Boeing 757 passenger jetliners, carry people like the vice president, the first lady, and members of the Cabinet and Congress.

These are dubbed "Air Force Two" when the vice president is onboard.

According to the US Air Force, the plane is divided into four sections. Three contain business or first-class seats, conference rooms, galleys, lavatories, and a communication center.

A separate section is a stateroom for the main guest and includes a private lavatory, a bed, and a changing room, among other personal necessities.

Some top officials fly around in VIP Boeing 737s.

Combatant commanders, cabinet members, and Congresspeople can fly in the US fleet of customized Boeing 737-700 business planes. The USAF's models — the C-40B and C-40C — have advanced performance capabilities, traffic avoidance systems, and weather radar.

According to the USAF, the C-40B is built as an "office in the sky" for top military and government officials and has special communications systems that support WiFi, video, audio, and other transmission equipment.

The C-40C lacks the specialized comms but can be configured with a larger passenger cabin with seats for 42 to 111 people. The Navy has a C-40A "Clipper" 737, but it rarely carries high-ranking government officials.

The presidential helicopter fleet is dubbed Marine One.

The US Marine Corps HMX-1"Nighthawks" manages a fleet of helicopters that are dubbed "Marine One" when the president is on board.

The helicopters adorn a recognizable green-and-white livery and have anti-missile systems and soundproof interiors.

Two models perform presidential missions: the 14-passenger Sikorsky VH-3D Sea King and the 11-passenger VH-60N Blackhawk. The Blackhawks can be folded into military cargo aircraft and transported with the president to support them at their destination.

Several branches of the military carry VIPs in Gulfstream private jets.

Branches of the military operate customized US-made Gulfstream C-37 twin-engine aircraft to transport high-ranking government and Department of Defense officials.

The USAF's C-37B variant can carry the vice president and cabinet members. When carrying the vice president, the Gulfstream would become Air Force Two.

These Gulfstreams have luxe furnishings and advanced safety and security technologies, such as enhanced autopilot and modern vision systems for poor-visibility weather conditions.

The E-4B 'Nightwatch' Boeing 747 is on standby for nuclear war.

The E-4B "Nightwatch" is primarily an airborne operations center that can carry the president, the secretary of defense, the joint chiefs of staff, and other needed personnel in case of a national emergency, such as a nuclear war.

Dubbed the "flying war room" or the "doomsday plane," the fleet is stationed in Omaha, Nebraska and one is available 27/4. The E-4B has a conference, communications, and briefing room, other work areas, and accommodations.

Like Air Force One, the E-4B can refuel midair to allow it to fly nonstop for days. The distinctive hump on the top holds specialized communications and satellite equipment.

In addition to wartime, the E-4B is used by SecDef for international travel and to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency during natural disasters.

The government has other aircraft for troops, top military officials, and cargo.

The military has a fleet of other large transport aircraft available for troops, VIP military officials, and cargo to support the president and other government staff, disaster relief, and humanitarian aid.

These include the C-130 Hercules, the nose-loading C-5 Galaxy, and the C-17 Globemaster. Multiple branches also operate smaller private jets, like the C-20G Gulfstream and the C-21 Learjet.

The customized Gulfstream and Learjet largely carry military officials and other dignitaries, though the latter also ferries medical patients for the USAF. Meanwhile, the C-17 can transport Marine One.

• I attended the opening of the first Applebee's and IHOP dual-branded restaurant in Seguin, Texas.
• I tried five exclusive dishes you won't find at stand-alone Applebee's or IHOP restaurants.
• The Buffalo chicken omelet and sirloin steak and eggs both impressed me in terms of taste and value.

I recently attended the grand opening of the Applebee's-IHOP dual-branded restaurant in Seguin, Texas, the first of its kind in the US.

Featuring favorites from both chain restaurant menus, Applebee's-IHOP also serves five exclusive menu items you'll only find at the hybrid restaurants.

"For our guests, it enables a lot more choice," Dine Brands CEO John Peyton told Business Insider of the dual-branded restaurant concept. "We already see overseas, they're ordering from both sides of the menu. The other thing it does for our guests is we've created items on this menu that are only available at the dual-branded restaurants."

From a stacked breakfast burger to a loaded Buffalo chicken omelet, every exclusive item blended the two menus together, and I hope that when the chain expands across the country, more people will be able to try them.

The company said it plans to open 14 more dual-branded locations in the US in the next year, both by updating existing single-branded IHOP and Applebee's locations and building new locations that reflect the new Applebee's-IHOP brand.

Here's every exclusive menu item at the first Applebee's and IHOP hybrid restaurant, ranked from worst to best.

My least favorite was the berry balsamic grilled chicken salad.

When I visit a chain restaurant, I almost never order a salad. I tend to gravitate toward heartier options like chicken tenders or classic burgers. However, I decided to give this exclusive menu item a shot, regardless.

The berry balsamic grilled chicken salad cost $14.49, excluding tax.

The salad was bright and fresh, but I wanted more flavor.

I thought the sliced red onion in the salad overpowered a lot of the other flavors, and the dressing was just a little too sour and tangy for my tastes.

The strawberries did taste fresh and added a hint of sweetness that cut through the tart notes of the dressing and red onion, but the red onion was just too much for me.

Next up was the strawberry waffle sundae.

The strawberry waffle sundae includes two Belgian waffle pieces, glazed strawberries, vanilla ice cream, and whipped cream. It costs $2.99, excluding tax.

The sundae was perfectly sweet and tart.

The waffles' crispy texture was balanced by the sweet and flavorful vanilla ice cream, while the strawberries added a tart bite to the dish.

I also thought the ice cream tasted high-quality.

The vanilla ice cream was thick and creamy, with a lot of flavor packed into a small bite.

Overall, I was impressed, especially given the low price point of this dessert.

My third favorite menu item was the Ultimate Breakfast Burger.

Since Applebee's is primarily known for its burgers and IHOP for its breakfast, it made sense for the chains to combine for an elevated breakfast burger.

The burger cost $13.99, excluding tax.

The burger reminded me of a classic New York deli breakfast sandwich.

The burger, which comes topped with hash browns, two slices of American cheese, two bacon strips, an over-easy egg, and poblano hollandaise sauce, reminded me of a classic bacon-egg-and-cheese breakfast sandwich.

The egg and bright, tangy poblano hollandaise sauce added moisture to this sandwich. The crispy bacon added a deep smoky flavor, balanced by a soft, fluffy bun. I would definitely order this again.

It was a standard breakfast sandwich kicked up a notch — paired with seasoned fries, this burger set me up for the day.

My second favorite exclusive menu item was the sirloin steak and eggs.

Inspired by the array of steaks available on the Applebee's menu, this twist on classic steak and eggs includes an 8-ounce sirloin steak, three eggs served any style, and two buttermilk pancakes.

It cost $19.99, excluding tax, making it the most expensive dish I tried.

I requested that my steak be cooked medium. It was cooked perfectly.

The steak had a peppery crust on the outside but was juicy and cooked to a perfect medium. It was moist and flavorful — my only critique was that the sirloin steak wasn't the most tender.

Sirloin steak tends to be a tougher cut of meat compared to filet mignon or ribeye. I had to chew it quite a bit before swallowing. However, for less than $20 for the entire plate, perhaps that's to be expected.

I thought the eggs were buttery and moist, and practically melted in my mouth.

The sirloin steak and eggs also came with a side of pancakes.

The pancakes, topped with a ball of butter, were fluffy and light. I also used the syrup available on my table.

I thought this entire plate was a massive portion. Between the 8-ounce steak, eggs, and side of pancakes, it could have easily fed two people.

Peyton said the company carefully considers portion size when determining the kind of value Applebee's and IHOP offer customers.

"Value's got a very specific definition for us, which is great food, a really generous portion, great service at an accessible price," he said. "We have to focus on those four things to yield to our guests more than ever in 2025."

My favorite exclusive menu item, by far, was the loaded Buffalo chicken omelet.

Peyton and the hybrid restaurant's franchisee partner, Danny Hakim, both mentioned the new menu item when they sat down with BI at the grand opening.

As a huge fan of Buffalo chicken — and after trying chicken tenders at multiple chain restaurants — I was interested to see how Applebee's combined its tenders with a breakfast classic.

The loaded Buffalo chicken omelet costs $14.79, excluding tax. It's made with cut-up crispy chicken tenders, a four-cheese blend, ranch, and Buffalo sauce, and it's topped with even more chicken tender pieces.

The omelet was decadently cheesy and the eggs were perfectly soft.

The chicken pieces added just the right amount of crunch, while the tenders' breading was well-seasoned and packed even more flavor into each bite. The drizzle of ranch and Buffalo sauce added moisture to the dish.

Overall, this was a Buffalo sauce lover's dream.

The heat from the Buffalo sauce balanced out the buttery eggs.

This dish was decadent but also familiar. It combined the flavors I typically looked for at Applebee's — spicy and savory — with a buttery, breakfast favorite I might order from IHOP.

This menu item embodies what the hybrid restaurant is trying to achieve: a perfect symbiosis between the Applebee's and IHOP brands.

• Project Europe has launched to support young founders with €200,000 in investment and mentorship.
• The initiative aims to nurture European talent and build a more collaborative tech startup ecosystem.
• Its CEO, Kitty Mayo, outlined key tips and pitch deck dos and don'ts for prospective applicants.

Europe's tech ecosystem has long been chastised for trailing behind the US. A batch of investors and founders on the continent want to change the narrative — and they are betting on young people to do it.

Project Europe, which launched this week as a collaboration between 20VC, Adjacent, and Point9 Ventures, is looking to back enterprising founders under 25 who are building a tech-enabled startup.

The program — which is being billed as Europe's own Thiel Fellowship — offers a €200,000 initial investment in exchange for 6.66% equity in an applicant's startup. And, crucially, it can provide access to a sprawling network of European founders who can act as mentors.

"We've seen so many talented people build in Europe," Project Europe's CEO Kitty Mayo told Business Insider. "The shame is, there seems to be this dismissal that Europe is a good place for them to be building — and so it means that actually, we're missing out on a lot of that growing ecosystem around technology, as it's hyper-concentrated in certain areas in the world."

Still, competition for the initiative, which Mayo said aims to "nurture and accelerate" talent in Europe, is likely to be fierce. Mayo outlined what the organizers are looking for in top-tier applications.

Young, technical, and hyper-ambitious founders

Europe is teeming with technical talent across all ages, but Project Europe is looking for "hyper-ambitious" founders under 25.

Mayo told BI that this was a deliberate choice.

"Actually, because this is such a grassroots movement, we're trying to change the culture and the approach to entrepreneurship in Europe. It makes sense to focus on people who are just starting their career — and then the whole thing will filter up through those companies as those founders mature," she told BI.

"It also means that we can go directly to the source and find people at the very, very early stages when they're based, either universities or schools or different communities around where they're building," she added.

Many Gen Zs are digital natives, so Mayo expects applicants to tout these technical skills in their application.

Instead of backing founders with pure business backgrounds, Mayo said the project looks for those "who have engineering minds, who are fluent in all the local tools and anything they can get their hands on so they can hack together and resourcefully pull together things to get to an outcome."

Contrarian ideas and concise pitch decks

Applicants should make sure they're "sharing ideas about why they're exceptional," Mayo said. "Don't hyper-fixate on one specific thing in the application — and don't procrastinate for months."

A common pitfall is that applicants often share answers that they think the team would want to hear instead of relaying a natural and authentic response. "Be as natural and audacious as you can be," Mayo advised.

Prototypes, demos, and examples of founders' work would also strengthen the pitch, Mayo said.

"Tell us stories about the things you've done, rather than just talking about your notions and beliefs," she said.

When it comes to formatting the pitch deck, Mayo advised founders to keep it short and concise — in lieu of providing too much information in an overly formatted style.

"I want to know what the problem is, what unique insight you have around how to solve this problem differently, and then why you're the person to solve it," she said.

Cultivating Europe's next tech darlings

Over 140 European tech founders — including heavyweights such as ElevenLabs' Mati Staniszewski and Synthesia's Victor Riparbelli — have partnered with the Project to provide mentorship and masterclasses to this incoming cohort of founders.

"The dream scenario is that the founders who joined the first cohort will be the partners for mentoring cohorts coming through in the future," Mayo said.

With so many communities of builders across European hubs such as Paris, Berlin, Barcelona, and Tallinn, Mayo said the initiative would aim to "be a clear conduit" that gives these founders the best access to support and communities locally and across the continent.

Just like the famed accelerator Y Combinator, which offers financial and advisory backing, Project Europe intends to build a collegial environment of founders working adjacent to each other across the continent.

"We hope that seeing other people going through the journey at the same time galvanizes the ecosystem and creates a proper network, instead of isolated success stories," Mayo added.

• Poland is one of Europe's fastest-growing economies.
• Its economy has continued to grow despite issues faced by its neighbors.
• Some experts put this down to what they call the Polish "entrepreneurial gene."

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk took a leaf out of President Donald Trump's book last month, turning to a controversial entrepreneur for support as he pushed for deregulation to help boost the economy.

Presenting his government's economic plan in February, Tusk hailed "the moment when we can overtake everyone."

"The light is visible from Poland," he said. "A breakthrough year means investment, investment, and yet more investment."

Tusk also took the opportunity to announce measures to deregulate the economy, calling on the eccentric Polish businessman Rafał Brzoska to help.

"Do you accept?" Tusk publicly asked the billionaire.

Brzoska — the founder of the parcel locker business InPost, and one of Poland's richest people — accepted Tusk's challenge, emphasizing that he had no political aspirations but that he intended to present 300 recommendations by June 1.

Poland is already one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe. Some experts say exports, consumer behavior, and a well-trained, flexible labor force are the key drivers behind its growth.

For others, however, it's the Polish "entrepreneurial gene."

Entrepreneurship in Poland

This so-called "entrepreneurial gene" was on full display in 2024, with more than 353,000 new businesses launched in Poland. The country is also one of Europe's hardest-working nations based on average hours worked per week.

Polish workers are "above all, hard-working, well-educated and highly qualified," Krzysztof Inglot, a labor market expert, said, adding that they often rise quickly through company ranks.

He said this had a lot to do with what he called the "entrepreneurial gene," which he said had been carved out under the years of communist rule.

"We jokingly say that Poles are entrepreneurial, that construction workers will always try to find an easier solution to a situation. This is what makes us different from other nations, who often work according to standardized and identical rules. In contrast, we still have this tendency to look for alternative solutions and simplifications," Inglot continued.

Marcin Wojewódka, an expert in labor law and the president of the Pension Institute, agreed, saying Poles could "move mountains" when motivated and able to see the "quick effects of our actions."

"This is not about the proverbial Polish plumber in Western Europe, but precisely about courage and the willingness to take risks if the reward is attractive enough. Poles, perhaps due to the historical experience of our ancestors, are able to grit their teeth, focus on the task at hand, and often even take shortcuts to achieve the desired result," he said.

One such entrepreneur is Kamil Hagemajer, who runs a chain of milk bars in Warsaw, the Polish capital, and Wroclaw, in western Poland.

Known as a "bar mleczny" in Polish, a milk bar is a low-cost café that dates back to the communist era.

"We currently have 20 bars and employ about 200 people," Hagemajer said, adding that he believed the entrepreneurial gene was the Poles' "dominant trait."

"You could see it in the communist years when the first businesses were born in markets or when people took small cars to transport sweaters or jeans from other countries and sell them in Poland as there were no such products in our country."

Looking ahead, Hagemajer said Polish business owners were ready to embrace modern technology to work more efficiently but that they still faced administrative and tax obstacles.

"This means that we have to rely on the knowledge of external companies, which often means that we lose authority over our businesses," he said.

Poland's economy is growing despite issues faced by its neighbors

According to some forecasts, Poland's GDP growth will hit 3.5% this year, up from 2.9% in 2024. By comparison, the German economy is expected to grow by 0.2% this year — according to a January forecast from the German Central Bank.

"Poland is developing faster than Western European countries, and we can count on one hand the years when this was not the case. For various reasons, it is easier for less developed countries to grow quickly and thus catch up in terms of their development," Piotr Bartkiewicz, an economist at Bank Pekao, said.

A large part of the German economy has been focused on the production of traditional combustion-engine vehicles. But strong competition from China and other countries has led to a slump in car sales. High taxes, bureaucracy, and rapidly rising labor costs have compounded the issue, with the German economy not seeing significant growth in five years.

Such issues have potential knock-on effects for Poland.

"Germany is our largest trading partner, accounting for 27% of Polish exports. Exports to the next countries on the list are over four times less. Therefore, German stagnation is a serious problem for exporters, even if they increase their market share in other countries and look for new sales markets," Grzegorz Ogonek, an economist at Santander Bank Polska, said.

Poland is also facing the potential impacts of an aging population — something the country's Minister for Senior Policy, Marzena Okła-Drewnowicz, said would be "a great challenge" moving forward.

"We need to be open to new technologies. The labor resources in Poland are steadily shrinking, despite an influx of immigrants, which does not help economic growth," Ogonek added.

3 reasons the Polish economy is growing

Despite such headwinds, the Polish economy has kept growing, with economists pointing to three key driving forces.

Firstly, Polish exporters are finding new niches in foreign markets and are competitive despite increasing labor costs and the strengthening of the Polish zloty (PLN).

"The EU is, of course, the largest market for Poland, but not the only one. In the macroeconomic data, we see an increase in exports to other markets, such as Asia, the Middle East, or North America. Polish exports are also diversified and cover a wide range of products, including food products," Bartkiewicz said.

Polish consumers were also less affected by the energy crisis and increased inflation. Despite relatively high inflation, the decline in real household income in Poland was one of the smallest in the EU due to fiscal stimulation and high wage growth.

As a result, there was a moderate decline in private consumer spending, as well as a faster return to growth and more regular consumer patterns — a process that is only just beginning in other parts of Europe.

Thirdly, relatively high public investments (financed, among other sources, by EU funds) have been an additional catalyst.

"This last factor will be crucial in 2025," Bartkiewicz said.

It is this balance between exports, domestic consumption, and investments financed by EU funds that seems to be allowing the Polish economy to grow.

"Regardless of what is happening in the global economy, one branch of our economy is always working," said Marcin Klucznik, senior advisor in the global economy team at the Polish Economic Institute.

• Dealmaking on Wall Street has sputtered out in recent weeks, bankers and consultants said.
• It's a reversal of the industry's hopes that 2025 would deliver an M&A and IPO rebound.
• Industry insiders pointed to Trump administration actions that have clouded the economic outlook.

Wall Street's dreams of a dealmaking rebound have been put on hold over Trump's tariff turmoil.

Investment bankers welcomed 2025 with high hopes that Trump's business-friendly, antiregulation policies would lead to a surge in fee-generating deals. Instead, many corporate boards and buyout firms are standing on the sidelines as they wait to see the impact Trump's aggressive trade policies and gutting of federal agencies could have on the economy and stock market.

How bad things are depends on who you ask. Some bankers said corporate dealmaking has merely slowed, while others described Wall Street's bread-and-butter business of M&A and IPOs in more dire terms. What's clear is that no one knows when — or whether — the clouds might lift, raising questions about everything from bonuses to layoffs to hiring.

"A common refrain I hear amongst dozens of sponsors over the last six to eight weeks," said Seth Goldblum, whose firm provides deal advisory services to private equity firms, is that "the uncertainty in and of itself is actually the worst thing."

"A lot of our sponsors are just sitting on the sideline," he said, referring to private equity firms, which are often referred to as financial deal sponsors. The managing director for CBIZ Private Equity Services pointed to the negative impact Trump's tariffs could have on inflation and interest rates as among the issues holding firms back.

"It's a shame. It looked like we were finally getting unstuck," Goldblum said, adding that the deals industry now appears "back to being stuck."

What bankers are saying

Rob Stowe, an equity capital markets banker with Barclays, agreed that 2025 has proved more challenging than many in his field anticipated.

"We are still seeing companies coming to market, and we still expect we'll see companies coming to market, but it's definitely making decisions harder, and it's adding an extra element of caution for corporates and the sponsors that are thinking about raising capital," said Stowe, who heads the division that handles IPOs for the bank's Americas region.

Eric Li, who covers investing banking for research firm Crisil Coalition Greenwich, said his discussions with clients suggest a more dire picture.

Dealmaking, he said, has largely "frozen."

"There aren't any deals going on," Li said. "It's almost as bad as Covid," he added, referring to the dealmaking stoppage that followed widespread stay-at-home orders in 2020 as the deadly virus spread across the globe.

According to the consulting and advisory firm EY, Wall Street started the year strong. In January, there was a 29% year-over-year increase in mergers and acquisitions in the US, valued at more than $1 billion. The consulting firm's M&A data has yet to be released for February, however, and that is when the stock market started reacting negatively to Trump's trade policies, sending the S&P 500 down roughly 10% since a high set on February 19 and about 8% since Trump was sworn in on January 20.

Layoffs and hiring

On Wall Street, the big question is what it all means for the bottom line — and how it will impact pay and jobs.

At the end of 2024, investment banks were hiring aggressively as dealmaking heated up in anticipation of a Trump White House. Now, there are questions about whether the momentum will continue.

Brianne Sterling, head of the investment-banking recruiting practice at the financial services search firm Selby Jennings, said hiring hasn't reached the gangbuster levels some had hoped to see when the year started. She said some clients are still interviewing new hires even if they've indicated they'll push off the timeline for filling open roles till later in the year in hopes of improved market conditions.

Still, she feels optimistic.

"I think we will still see hiring," she said. "I just don't think it'll be as aggressive or as much volume as we initially anticipated, but we'll see how the year goes."

Even amid rosier expectations many banks were focused on cutting costs this year, including Goldman Sachs. As Business Insider previously reported, CEO David Solomon has tasked some staffers with finding ways to save money, including by reducing redundancies and moving workers to cheaper locations like Dallas, Texas.

The bank's vice president ranks have been targeted for cuts because their numbers have gotten bloated. The bank even moved its annual headcount-cutting exercise from fall to spring, when it is set to cut roughly 3% to 5% of its workforce, which stood at 46,500 as of the end of 2024.

Bank of America has also recently cut investment banking roles, including positions in New York, a person familiar with the cuts said. The more recent round of layoffs primarily impacted junior bankers, such as analysts and associates — though some may be reassigned to other roles within the firm, added the person. Earlier this year, the bank also cut more senior positions in a round that amounted to under 1% of the bank's workforce in global markets and global corporate and investment banking, this person added. The cuts were first reported by Reuters.

Sid Khosla, a financial services executive at EY who serves as the firm's banking and capital markets leader, told BI that such layoffs are part of what he calls "the efficiency conversation" among companies seeking to please shareholders — a trend that started before Trump took office. The topic has come up increasingly in talks with clients, particularly in the past three to four months, Khosla said. "It's always the top two or three conversations. Some institutions may think it's a No. 1 conversation."

Whether corporate dealmaking picks back up depends on how long the turmoil lasts, bankers said.

"I think any reasonable outlook is going to be a little clouded here for a while because there's no certainty that the conversations around tariffs and the concerns around the US economy or around interest rates are going to stop," said Stowe, adding: "I also don't think there's any certainty that the current level of volatility will dissipate in the near term."

Reed Alexander is a correspondent at Business Insider covering Wall Street and financial services. He can be reached via email at [email protected], or SMS/the encrypted app Signal at (561) 247-5758.

James Faris contributed reporting.

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate products and services to help you make smart decisions with your money.

• The Rocket Visa Signature® Card earns 5% cash back if you use rewards toward a Rocket Mortgage down payment and closing costs.
• Bilt Rewards members earn 1 point per $2 spent on a new home when they buy with an eXp Realty agent.
• But if you don't use these companies, you're better off with a more flexible cash-back credit card.

If you hope to buy a home in the next year or two, you're probably saving every spare penny toward your down payment and mortgage closing costs.

Two credit cards claim they can help you get there more quickly: the Rocket Visa Signature® Card and Bilt Mastercard®.

The Rocket Visa Signature® Card earns 5% cash back on all purchases — but only if you redeem those rewards toward the closing costs on your new home, and as long as your loan is through Rocket Mortgage. Furthermore, you can only redeem a maximum of 800,000 Rocket Points, or $8,000, per new mortgage loan.

Meanwhile, new homebuyers who participate in Bilt Rewards can earn 1 Bilt Point per $2 on the total cost of a new home — as long as their real estate agent works under Bilt's partner brokerage eXp Realty. Bilt Rewards is the company behind the popular Bilt Mastercard®, which lets renters pay rent on a credit card without incurring a transaction fee.

Bilt Members can also redeem Bilt Points toward a down payment on any home, so this double benefit can be worth a good chunk of change.

Both cards offer a tantalizing proposition for prospective homebuyers, many of whom find the American dream of home ownership more difficult than ever. But both cards also have some real limitations, since the savings only apply when you work with Rocket Mortgage or an eXp agent (or both).

The good news is you don't need a specialized card to save money as you prepare to buy a home. The best cash-back credit cards earn up to 5% on common household expenses.

Rocket Visa Signature® Card

The Rocket Visa Signature® Card is a great option for prospective homebuyers who plan to finance their purchase with a Rocket Mortgage loan.

This no-annual-fee credit card earns 5 points for every $1 spent on all qualifying purchases — a generous rate that outstrips most of the standard cash back credit cards, since none earn 5% back on everything.

Rocket Points vary in value based on how you redeem them. They're worth the most — 1 cent apiece — when redeemed toward closing costs, down payment, or buying down your interest rate on a new home purchase financed through a Rocket Mortgage loan.

You can redeem up to $8,000 (800,000 Rocket Points) per new Rocket Mortgage transaction. Using your rewards this way can save you tens of thousands of dollars in compound interest savings over the lifetime of your mortgage.

Rocket Points are less valuable when redeemed in other ways. They're worth just 0.4 cents apiece, or the equivalent of 2% cash back per dollar spent, when used to pay down your existing mortgage principle.

And if you redeem your rewards as a statement credit on your card balance, they're worth a measly 0.25 cents apiece, or the equivalent of 1.25% cash back.

Bilt Rewards

The Bilt Mastercard® is already becoming a household name for renters looking to maximize credit card rewards, and you can continue that relationship as you enter your homebuying era.

This $0-annual-fee credit card () won't cost you an additional fee to keep long-term, and earns great rewards on dining, travel, and other expenses especially on Bilt Rent Day, when most purchases, excluding rent, earn double points, up to 1,000 points each month. Note that you must make at least five transactions per statement period to earn points.

You don't even need to be a Bilt credit cardholder to earn Bilt Points — simply joining the Bilt Rewards program is sufficient. All Bilt Rewards program members can earn 1 point per $2 spent on a new home purchased through an eXp Realty real estate agent.

The best way to maximize the value of your Bilt Points is by using them for travel. But if you're buying a home, you can also redeem any points you've already earned up until this point as a credit toward your down payment, at a respectable value of 1.5 cents per point.

If you buy a $500,000 house, you'd earn 250,000 Bilt Points. However, you wouldn't be able to claim that windfall until your purchase is complete, since you can't redeem points you don't yet own. Once the Bilt Points from your home purchase reach your account, however, you can redeem them for travel, credit toward future credit card statements, and more.

Since there's no cap on how much you can earn on home purchase prices or redeem, Bilt members can come out way ahead with this program, especially because there aren't any annual fees to factor in. And if you happen to utilize Rocket Mortgage for your loan as well, you could double-dip on both sets of savings: $8,000 in Rocket Mortgage credit, plus however many points you earn from your home purchase.

What really matters when buying a house

A standard-issue cash-back credit card may sound uninteresting when compared to the Rocket card's 5% cash back in mortgage savings on everything, or 2 Bilt Points per dollar spent on a new house. But the most important aspect of buying a house is making sure that the home — and the homebuying process — is right for you.

In the grand scheme of things, $8,000 or even 200,000 credit card points is small potatoes compared to the life-changing investment you're about to make. Don't allow the excitement of earning rewards distract you from finding a real estate agent you jive with and shopping around for a trustworthy lender with the best mortgage interest rates available to you.

Getting the right mortgage is especially challenging in this day and age of high interest rates, and finding the right mortgage lender as a first-time buyer is a decision that will impact your life for decades to come.

The case for cash-back credit cards

Believe it or not, getting a credit card can actually help you buy a house; using one responsibly is a great way to build a strong credit history that can help you score a great mortgage rate on your dream home.

Cash-back credit cards have their pros and cons, but they generally share a common trait: They're easy to use. Whether you opt for a flat-rate 2% cash back credit card or choose one that earns 5% cash back on bonus categories, what you earn is what you keep.

Many cash-back credit cards also don't charge annual fees, so you can keep your card open for years without worrying how much it costs. This is especially valuable leading up to a new home purchase, when you need to maintain your credit score to buy a house and to get the best mortgage rate.

If you're wondering whether you can use your credit card to pay your mortgage, however, the answer is typically no. Lenders generally frown upon using debt to pay off other debt — your credit card represents a line of credit and your mortgage is a fixed monthly payment on the sum of what you owe for your house.

But some credit card issuers are warming up to the idea, so stay tuned for new developments in credit cards that can be used for paying mortgage payments in months to come. Bilt claims it will begin allowing program members to pay mortgages in 2025, while new fintech company Mesa has an invite-only waitlist for a credit card designed for paying mortgages.

In the meantime, you can use a service like Plastiq to pay your mortgage — or most check-based payments, for that matter — using your credit card, as long as you're willing to pay a processing fee around 2.9% per transaction.

When every penny counts, make sure your credit card rewards fit your lifestyle and your needs — not the other way around.

• A WalletHub study ranked the 182 largest US cities by how happy their residents were.
• Cities in Nebraska, Kansas, and South Dakota were among the 10 happiest in the country.
• Five of the top 10 cities are in California.

Money can only contribute to your happiness up to a point — where you live may also impact how content you are, according to a new WalletHub study.

"Research shows that having more money only increases your happiness until you're making at least $75,000 per year — anything more you earn likely won't have an impact," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the report.

The study from the personal-finance company named the top 10 happiest cities in the US based on emotional and physical well-being, income and employment, and community and environment.

The WalletHub team used factors like weather, safety, divorce and separation rate, job security and satisfaction, life expectancy, depression rate, and commute times to rank 182 of the most populous cities in the US.

"When deciding where to live to maximize your happiness, you'll want to pick a city that offers more than just a decent average income," Lupo said. "The ideal city provides conditions that foster good mental and physical health, like reasonable work hours, short commutes, good weather, and caring neighbors."

WalletHub said the data used in the report was collected from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and previous WalletHub studies, among other sources, and was accurate as of January 2.

Here are the 10 happiest cities in the US.

10. Huntington Beach, California

Located an hour from Los Angeles, Huntington Beach is known for its beaches and surfing culture, which, according to the city's website, have earned it the title of "Surf City USA."

The city has 10 miles of beaches along the Pacific Coast Highway and a vibrant food scene.

9. San Francisco

Once a hippie capital, San Francisco is the largest city to make it in the top 10.

With 245 sunny days each year and summer high temperatures around 70 degrees, the Bay city ranked fourth in a US News & World Report ranking of best places to live based on weather.

The city was named sixth best in the WalletHub study's emotional and physical wellbeing ranking, which considered factors like depression, suicide, and adequate sleep rates, as well as sports participation and physical health index.

With a lively culture and thriving industry, the city is also walkable and has a robust public transit system, with nearly 35% of households being car-free, according to the San Francisco Municipal Transit Authority.

The city also ranked as the second best city for young professionals in a Niche ranking.

8. Scottsdale, Arizona

Known for its luxury spa resorts and golf courses, Scottsdale, Arizona, ranked as the eight happiest city in the US, and the best US city to find a job.

Located in the Sonoran Desert, the city has a landscape of rocky hills and cacti and enjoys sunshine year-round with 299 sunny days each year. The city has beautiful architecture with attractions such as the Taliesin West, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Scottsdale, which has become a millionaires' hub in recent years, also came 10th in the study's income and employment ranking, which looks at factors like poverty rate, job satisfaction, and commute time.

Niche also ranked it the best city to retire in the US in 2024.

7. Madison, Wisconsin

The Wisconsin capital and home to the University of Wisconsin, Madison has a lively food scene, high-performing education, and plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation.

The Midwestern city was ninth in the study's community and environment ranking, which looks at factors like ideal weather, divorce rate, hate-crime incidents, and average leisure time spent per day.

The city also ranked sixth for quality of life in a US News & World Report list.

6. Lincoln, Nebraska

The Nebraska capital and home to the University of Nebraska came No. 1 in the study's community and environment ranking.

The city, where most residents own their homes, provides a suburban feel, while also offering a lively downtown with bars, coffee shops, and parks.

5. Overland Park, Kansas

Overland Park, Kansas' second largest city after Wichita, has a charming downtown with local arts and boutiques, as well as vibrant food and music scenes.

The city came fourth in the study's emotional and physical well-being ranking, and Niche named it the seventh best place to raise a family and second best place to buy a home.

4. Sioux Falls, South Dakota

The South Dakota city provides both a small-town and suburban feel and abundant outdoor activities.

The city came fifth in the study's community and environment ranking and ninth in the emotional and physical well-being ranking.

The low cost of living and thriving job market also contributed to the city's ranking as the eighth best place to buy a home in a Niche ranking.

3. Irvine, California

An hour outside of Los Angeles, Irvine is home to beautiful parks, low crime rates, and well-respected schools like UC Irvine.

WalletHub reported that over 88% of adults in Irvine report "have good or better health," which is the third highest percentage in the country. Nearly 84% of residents participate in physical activities, and the city has the seventh highest life expectancy for residents.

In a Niche study, the city was also ranked the second healthiest city in the US and the fifth best city for outdoor activities.

This wellbeing also expands to mental health as well, with the city having the third lowest percentage of adults who say they have 14 or more mentally unhealthy days each month, and the eighth lowest depression rate, WalletHub reported.

The city also ranked as the third lowest for separation and divorce rate in the study, and ranked as the sixth best city in the country to raise families, Niche reported.

2. San Jose, California

Known as the "Capital of Silicon Valley," San Jose fosters a vibrant and diverse community with a thriving industry and warm climate.

The city, which gets 300 days of sunshine annually, has the longest life expectancy in the country, according to the study.

It also has the third-highest share of households with annual incomes over $75,000 and the most million-dollar homes in the country, LendingTree reported in January.

According to WalletHub, San Jose has one of the best scores on Sharecare's Community Well-Being Index, which measures how much residents enjoy where they live, feel safe, and have pride in their community.

The city also had the fourth lowest separation and divorce rate, and was found the eighth best city for families in the US in a LendingTree study.

1. Fremont, California

Fremont ranks as the happiest city in the US, according to the WalletHub study.

Also a Bay Area city, Fremont had the highest share of households with an income above $75,000 in the story, with nearly 80% of households making above that.

The city also had the lowest separation and divorce rate in the country, at 8.9%, and the lowest share of adults who report having 14 or more mentally unhealthy days per month, WalletHub reported.

Fremont was ranked the No. 1 city in the US for emotional and physical wellbeing in WalletHub's report. It also came fourth on the community and environment ranking.

"With our vibrant community, exceptional quality of life and abundant opportunities, Fremont has earned its reputation as a beacon of happiness and wellbeing," Fremont's then-mayor Lily Mei told Metro Silicon Valley in 2024.

The high quality of schools, community safety, and plenty of outdoor spaces also contributed to the city's ranking as the happiest city in the US.