Good evening!
Breaking news: Local man falls for the universal scam of long-weekends make life easier because he came back to a full inbox.
Here are the 7 things you missed today:
1. 💰 Anthropic Raises $1.3B Series F at $18.3B Valuation
Leading AI startup Anthropic has secured $1.3 billion in the latest funding, bringing its valuation to $18.3 billion and solidifying its position as OpenAI’s top rival. The funding will accelerate Claude model development and enterprise partnerships in an increasingly competitive GenAI market. (TechCrunch)
2. 🧠 Rand Fishkin on the Future of B2B Marketing
Web traffic’s falling. AI answers are rising. What’s a marketer to do? Get the unfiltered truth from Rand Fishkin + Vende on Sept 17 at 1 PM CT.
This episode of The B2B Growth Show will be breaking down the demand gen strategies that still work (and the ones that don’t)
🎟️ Register here!
3. 👨⚖️ Google Can Keep Chrome…for Now
In its major antitrust ruling, the DOJ won’t force Google to sell off Chrome or Android defaults, but it will ban exclusive contracts tied to Google Search, Chrome, Assistant, and Gemini apps. The decision aims to curb Google’s $2 trillion monopoly in search dominance without dismantling its product ecosystem.(Business Insider)
4. 🎮 What Call of Duty Was for Consoles, This Could Be for Virtual Reality
VAIL VR is one of the top-rated multiplayer games on Meta Quest, with 365K+ monthly players, 47K+ reviews, and $5.5M+ in revenue.
Built by AEXLAB, the studio is now scaling VAIL VR into a full franchise with competitive esports, user-generated maps, and a dedicated player base.
Their raise on StartEngine is now open to retail investors.
5. 🍎 Apple Teases iPhone 17 Pro Features Ahead of “Awe Dropping” Event
Mark your calendars for September 9th because Apple’s event invite hints at two major iPhone 17 Pro upgrades - a customizable Action Button and a titanium frame, mirroring the iPhone 15 Pro design. Leaks also point to more camera upgrades and a deeper integration with Apple Intelligence, Apple’s privacy-first AI suite. (Times Of India)
6. 🚦 Mixed Signals in U.S. Markets Post-Labor Day
Markets wobbled after the long-weekend. U.S. stock futures dipped, gold surged past $3,550/oz, and Bitcoin hovered near $110K. Meanwhile, Kraft Heinz announced plans to split into two public companies, Nestlé’s CEO stepped down unexpectedly, and Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy, signalling turbulence across major sectors. (Investopedia)
7. 📈 Alibaba Stock Surges 13% After Q1 Beat & AI Lift
Alibaba surged after posting stronger-than-expected Q1 results, with adjusted EPS hitting ¥14.75 versus the forecasted ¥14.16. The company's cloud unit saw 26% growth, fueled by rising AI demand, putting the stock near a key technical buy zone. (Investors)
Bonus. 🤖 Level Up Your AI Game
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