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Sixth in Kona: Sam Long's Performance and the Science Behind the Build
How metabolic testing helped inform the training, pacing, and fueling decisions behind a sixth-place Ironman World Championship finish.
How Aggressive Should Toronto Blue Jays Be Before Lockout?
How teams will act before Dec. 2 will be very interesting to see.
Buccaneers' Legendary DT Warren Sapp in Hot Water Again
A viral video showing the Hall of Fame defensive tackle kicking a rival fan has reignited scrutiny over his controversial conduct away from the gridiron.
Trump Asked Musk to Reverse Limits on Ukraine’s Military Internet Use
The call from the president about the Starshield network came after officials in Ukraine reported that they found new limits on the use of military drones in their war against Russia.
Rep. Ilhan Omar says she will move out of her Washington, DC, home after federal search
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar will move out of her Washington, D.C., home that federal agents searched last week, she said Wednesday, noting that attention brought on by the raid has made her feel unsafe there.
Breakthrough vaccine for the deadliest skin cancer cut risk by almost half
The skin cancer vaccine is based on mRNA technology that helped end the coronavirus pandemic.
Jaylen Waddle limited Thursday
Chest injury limits Denver Broncos WR Jaylen Waddle Thursday
Packers Express Interest in Another Colts Defensive Tackle
As Indianapolis begins a fire sale, Green Bay is aggressively hunting for veteran interior pressure to bolster its defensive front and solidify a serious Super Bowl push.
Wood Co. Health Department reminds parents to create safe sleeping environment for kids
Wood Co. Health Department reminds parents to create safe sleeping environment for kids
Dak Prescott: Cowboys Media Scrutiny Comes With the Territory
The Cowboys are off to a rocky 2–4 start.
NFL Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk reveals he's been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
The seven-time Pro Bowler emphasized the importance of getting diagnosed early.
In Iowa, Trump struggles with economic woes of farm country
The president is holding rallies in states that Republicans have previously been able to count on.
Arizona healthcare job growth faces staffing challenges
Health care drives much of Arizona’s job growth, but employers struggle to find workers. Training limits and funding pressures could shape how much the industry can expand.
OPD: Package found at business not suspicious
Authorities responded Thursday afternoon to a report of suspicious package at an Omaha business.
UW-Oshokosh business students launch new coffee cart
UW-Oshokosh business students launch new coffee cart
Contractors removing old siding from Wausau business uncover decades old mural
Contractors removing old siding from Wausau business uncover decades old mural
On Byron Donalds campaign stop in Sarasota, crowd cheers for keeping Florida red
Polls show Donalds in the lead, though it's a tight race with 12 days to go until the election.
Iowa portable restroom companies combine under Ready Restrooms brand
A King’s Throne and Best Portable Toilets, two Iowa-based portable restroom and service companies, have joined under a new brand, Ready Restrooms. The combined company will provide portable restrooms, restroom trailers, pumping and job site services across Iowa, Kansas City, Memphis and Oklahoma. The consolidation brings together both companies’ employees, equipment and service capabilities while…
This Trade For A Tight End Could Energize Denver's Offense
The Denver Broncos need to add to their offense, and a trade for this Eagles tight end could help.
SCENE VIDEO: Suspicious package reported at Omaha machine business
Omaha Police and Fire responded Thursday afternoon to the scene at Grede Casting Integrity, on Martha Street, just east of Highway 75.
Brewers Owner Joins Push for MLB Salary Cap and Floor
The long-tenured Brewers owner offered vigorous support of a salary cap.
The One Chart That Explains Why Netflix Cleaned House
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Yeah, I’ll be honest: I went with a clickbait-y headline today. One chart? That explains everything? That’s as clickbait-y as it gets. But let’s be real. I’m analyzing a dataset that I’ve built over six years, and c’mon, I never write articles which feature just one chart! If you think this article—which includes a level of data detail unheard of in journalism twenty years ago—is clickbait, fine by me. Really, what I’m doing is using data to explain Netflix’s recent strategy changes, since the story of the month is the turbulence at Netflix. First, head of content Bela Bajaria was fired. Then head of film Dan Lin followed her to the unemployment ranks. (Along with, sadly, 1,000 other Netflix workers.) And then Netflix delivered a “sub-optimal” earnings report, which continued their year-long stock price slide. Then came a flood of articles explaining why all this is happening. (Mine’s coming shortly, rest assured.) I realized I had the perfect chart to explain Netflix’s woes. Specifically, Nielsen’s weekly top ten charts. Usually I focus on one or two weeks in my Streaming Ratings Reports, but sometimes it’s worth stepping back to look at the larger story. And hoo boy, what a story. This article is my annual (plus three months) follow-up to one of my most popular articles of last year. (And a topic I’ve been visualizing for the last half decade.) Subscribe Netflix’s Share of The Nielsen Charts Continues to Decline
Handcrafted art helps fight hunger
Buy a soup bowl to help combat local hunger, visit a new spot to make pottery, and stock up on some holiday gifts when Rainbow Springs Art in Dunnellon opens
Thinning hair? 6 hair growth ingredients actually backed by science
Here's what to look for before you invest in hair care.
'Heated Rivalry' made hockey hot. But some fans say the sport's culture is leaving them out in the cold.
"Heated Rivalry" has sparked a hockey mania. But as fans rush to rinks, they also see opportunities for more inclusion.
Chappell Roan might just go on singing these songs forever
LOS ANGELES — "Someone's smoking weed at the trans fundraiser!" That was Chappell Roan on Wednesday at the Shrine Auditorium, where somebody in the audience did indeed light up moments
Sony Continues Its March Towards An All Digital Future As It Reportedly Kills Off Its Last 4K UHD Player
It's part of a larger push by the PlayStation maker to move away from making home electronics, like TVs
Computer Science Is Bleeding Students. It’s Not the First Time.
Reports of the discipline’s crisis might be an exaggeration, experts say.
Tiffany announces parental 'Bill of Rights' to ban transgender sports, pronoun changes
Republican candidate for governor Tom Tiffany says he’ll make Wisconsin schools more accountable by giving parents and teachers more rights.
World Series 2026: It will be Jacob Misiorowski vs. Nick Martinez in Game 1 as Brewers host Rays
Actor Tom Skerritt of ‘Steel Magnolias,' 'Top Gun,' dies at 93
NEW YORK — Prolific actor Tom Skerritt died Wednesday from natural causes. He was 93. Skerritf’s “heartbroken” family said, though fans knew him for his work on films including “Alien,”
Triad Business Bank renews criticism of M&F Bank deal
Greensboro’s Triad Business Bank launched more criticism of the plan by Durham-based M&F Bancorp, to merge into a larger African-American-owned peer, Optus Financial of Columbia, South Carolina. M&F has rebuffed offers since August from Triad, which hopes to derail M&F’s combination with Optus in a transaction valued at about $105 million. M&F plans a Nov. […]
Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall in debate blames Ukraine war, not Iran war, for high diesel prices
The answer, delivered during a debate with Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton, aligned Marshall with President Donald Trump's freshly antagonistic posture toward Ukraine, which has spent more than four years defending itself against an invasion.
MLB free agency Top 50: Ranking the best players available this winter, starting with Tarik Skubal and Freddy Peralta
Trump backs Ramaswamy on ad featuring Amy Acton\'s estranged mother
President Donald Trump has urged Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee for Ohio governor, to keep running a controversial ad. The ad features the estranged mother of Democratic opponent Amy Acton.
Brewers Made Right Call Keeping Henderson Over Skubal
Prioritizing long-term stability over a blockbuster trade, the Milwaukee Brewers’ front office gambled on homegrown talent, which has them chasing their first World Series.
Aetherion Expands Houston Industrial Water Treatment Business
Aetherion expands its Houston water treatment operations. Workforce growth and added services support its strategy to acquire regional providers.
Justice Dept. Opens Inquiry Into Corey Lewandowski
The details of the inquiry remain unclear, but it is one of the rare instances in which a Trump ally or appointee has been investigated for potential wrongdoing during the president’s second term.
Crows may make lightning-fast decisions, sometimes twice as fast as humans, study hints
Carrion crows made decisions about their visual environments significantly faster than humans and primates tend to, according to a comparison in a new study.
Idaho’s health agency director to step down by end of year
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Director Juliet Charron said she’d be stepping back to provide more support to her family.
Tarik Skubal Rumors: Toronto Blue Jays Listed as Potential Suitor
Skubal is going to hit free agency this winter with a lot of questions around him.
RFK Jr. ally Calley Means quits Trump administration amid food agenda delays
Means has been a key player in Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again movement.
Analysis | The top issues in the midterms
Corruption, health care and AI are among concerns driving voters besides affordability.
Duke's Cameron Boozer Struggles in NBA Debut With Grizzlies
Former Duke Blue Devils star Cameron Boozer didn't have a strong NBA debut.
Kristin Dietzel focuses on business growth, access in run for Dubuque County supervisor
Watch KCRG-TV9's full interview with Democratic candidate for Dubuque County supervisor Kristin Dietzel from October 2026.
Sarah Palin announces boyfriend and former NHL player Ron Duguay’s death at age 69: ‘Love never ends’
Duguay played for the New York Rangers and the Detroit Red Wings during his NHL career.
Health Sciences and Marine & Environmental Sciences Programs Launch In
A new University of New Haven initiative brings together Health Sciences and Marine & Environmental Sciences faculty to advance accessible science education, inclusive learning, and community-engaged
Libertarianism Is Equality of Permission
“Without shared standards of right and wrong, it’s impossible to settle disputes; it’s impossible to maintain social cohesion and trust. Every healthy society rests on some shared conception of the sacred.”
Analysis | The Republicans who aren’t endorsing Trump
In today’s edition … Immigration fear heats up Trump-Haley clash, dominates late GOP ad spending … Twelve House hard-liners sink a procedural rule in protest of Johnson’s bipartisan government funding deal.
Trump’s shock-jock politics don’t work for everyone. An Ohio attack ad is proof.
Cheered by an online ecosystem, the GOP has rewarded “owning the libs” for a decade. But the blowback to an ad in the governor’s race suggests there are limits.
How to watch the 2026-27 NBA season: TV channels, where to stream games, schedule and more
How well have past GOTY winners sold?
We’re less than two months away from 2026’s The Game Awards, and what a year it’s been for fantastic games, including Resident Evil Requiem, Forza Horizon 6, Slay the Spire II, the Blood of Dawnwalker, and Control Resonant – just to name a few. So as we approach the end of the year, we thought we’d look back on our estimates for the GOTY winners of the past four years. In terms of revenue, Elden Ring (2022 winner), Baldur’s Gate 3 (2023), Astro Bot (2024), and Expedition 33 (2025) have generated a combined $3.8B via 73M copies sold: Let’s have a look, then. Elden Ring has generated $2B in revenue Elden Ring is a phenomenon in every sense. It’s sold a whopping 36.4M copies across Steam (50%), PS5 (35%), and Xbox (15% across console and PC). Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Elden Ring also just passed an astronomical milestone: $2B in revenue. While PlayStation and Xbox account for half of Elden Ring’s copies sold across these three platforms, they account for 57.5% of revenue. This – as ever – is due to regional pricing and the higher relative share of PC gamers in lower-priced markets. For example, around 17.4% of Elden Ring’s Steam copies sold were in China, where the game costs about 26% less than the price in the States. There’s an … interesting narrative going around these days that console gamers are only interested in ball-and-gun games and have the patience for little else. Well, Elden Ring’s impressive sales prove that is simply not true, and across all platforms. What’s more, over 9.8M people have played Elden Ring for over 100 hours, with nearly 3.5M people getting all of the achievements and trophies. For reference, 10.9% of Elden Ring’s PlayStation players have the platinum trophy, while 10.5% of players on Steam and 3.9% of Xbox players unlocked all the achievements. Git gud, Xbox players! Of the 1.5M people who played Elden Ring on PlayStation last month, 4% also played Dark Souls 3 last month, 4% played Bloodborne, and 3% played Sekiro. There’s those Soulsborne diehards for you. By many accounts, including my own, Elden Ring is one of the best games of all time. It’s an evergreen seller that will continue to be a cash cow for Bandai and FromSoftware for years to come. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Elden Ring has sold another 2M copies across Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox this year, generating almost $110M. This means it’s outperforming many of this year’s high-profile releases. Even Elden Ring’s standalone run-based PvE spinoff, 2025’s Nightreign, has sold 7.8M copies and generated $282M in revenue. Baldur’s Gate 3 is another billion-dollar-plus banger Another cross-platform phenomenon is Baldur’s Gate 3, which has sold 23.2M copies and generated over $1.2B in revenue. About 18.7M of these copies (80.6%) are via Steam, 2.9M via PS5 (12.7%), and 1.6M (6.8%) via Xbox. Around 1.3M folks on Steam bought BG3 before it hit 1.0. The PlayStation version launched about a month after the PC 1.0 release, while the Xbox version came four months later due to technical issues around developing local co-op on the Series S. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Across platforms, Baldur’s Gate 3’s monthly active users have never dropped below 2M, including 2.2M MAUs last month (68.5% on Steam, 21.9% on PS5, and 9.6% on Xbox). And it still regularly brings in 280K to 400K players every day: About 1% of BG3’s Steam player base has played for over 500 hours! That’s a little under 200K people. Astro Bot is also an evergreen seller, albeit a more niche, family one Astro Bot, 2024’s winner, has now sold 4.7M copies and generated $291M in revenue. The budget, including marketing, is almost certainly under $100M, given the small Japan-based core team and three-year dev timeline. You can really see why the tides are changing toward less expensive hubs. Astro Bot is the only first-party winner on this list, but follows other first-party winners of The Last of Us Part II (2020’s winner), God of War (2018), and Breath of the Wild (2017). Around 46.6% of Astro Bot’s copies sold have been physical, which is far higher than the typical game. This makes sense for a couple of reasons: There’s a large family audience for this one, and physical boxes are an item to wrap when giving Astro as a gift. Astro has collector value for the PlayStation core (this is nostalgia-fueled platformer celebrating PlayStation’s history) Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Astro is another one of those games that continues selling over time, regularly selling more than 100K a month. It’s sold around 1M more copies this year ($60M in revenue) and is a popular title with families. We can see this using the Alinea platform’s MAU crossover tool: Astro Bot’s top #2, #3, and #4 games by crossover in any given month this year are Minecraft, Fortnite, and Roblox – without fail. The #1 title every month, though, is Astro’s Playroom, a pack-in with all PS5 consoles. For every month this year, between 20% and 30% of Astro Bot players also played Astro’s Playroom that month. So the free pack-in is a noice funnel for converting players to a full paid product. Expedition 33 sells 8.7M despite Game Pass cannibalisation Finally, we have last year’s winner – Expedition 33. The turn-based-RPG banger has generated $366M via 8.7M copies sold, with 58.8% on Steam, 35.7% on PS5, and 5.5% on Xbox. Xbox’s share of copies sold is this low due to Expedition 33 launching on Game Pass, where 4.3M people across console and PC accessed the game. A little under 700K Xbox players used their subscription to play Expedition 33 this year. That said, the game’s 1.5-year Game Pass deal ended last week on October 16, and we’re already beginning to see a positive trend on Expedition 33’s copies sold via Xbox (but the jury’s still out!). There’s understandably a lot of French pride behind this one, as France is the game’s #3 market on both Steam and PlayStation. Vive la France! One thing that stood out to me is that the GOTY winners aren’t $300M Hollywood productions made in the US. They’re mostly mid-budget studios outside the traditional AAA cost centres. Lots to think about there. Also, good games sell well; who’d have thunk it!? And there’s a whole load of them this year, with GTA 6 still to come, too. GTA just made the cutoff point for the VGAs this year. What a coincidence! Loading... Cool links and other stuff Our physical games newsletter from Tuesday was picked up by GameSpot, Eurogamer, TweakTown, and a bunch of others. We’re offering a free trial of our platform for games companies. Send us a message here, or reply right here on Substack/email, and we’ll set you up. Next week, we’ve got some exciting news regarding the future of our newsletter, so stay tuned! The last word Reply to this email – or reach out here – if you have any feedback for the newsletter – or want to request a game for us to cover. Want to see why these companies (and many others) are subscribed to Alinea? Get a free platform trial! [Alinea Analytics boasts the most accurate PC and console estimates in the business. Game makers use our platform to understand their audience, keep an eye on the competition, monitor sales trends, and spot new opportunities. We equip game studios and financial institutions with accurate data and the confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions. Want to talk about all things games market data? We’d love to chat!]
Environmental engineers awarded $2.4M to study how abandoned wells impact health
A multi-institutional team of researchers, led by an engineer from Penn State, has been awarded a five-year, $2.4 million grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Energy to study the impacts that orphaned natural gas wells might have on the surrounding environment or communities.
Toronto Blue Jays Closer Honored with Award Selection
Louis Varland had an excellent 2026 season that continues to earn him recognition.
Pro-Israel lobby AIPAC to no longer endorse, directly give to candidates
But the pro-Israel lobby is not relinquishing its political power, evidenced by its move to give more than $9 million to support Mike Rogers in Michigan Senate race.
Priscilla Presley steps out for rare outing with with son Navarone Garibaldi Garcia
The mother-son duo attended an event in Germany on Oct. 20.
Coast Business Council details changes and future plans
The Gulf Coast Business Council meeting provided changes as well as a look into the area's future in terms of economic development.
Coast Business Council details changes and future plans
The Gulf Coast Business Council meeting provided changes as well as a look into the area's future in terms of economic development.
Chvrches announces new album and 2027 North American tour
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Scottish synth-pop trio Chvrches returns to Southern California next spring, with concerts at the Observatory North Park in San Diego on March 12 and the Hollywood Palladium
Will plants survive climate change? The 'Great Dying' reveals clues about their resilience.
Plants can't easily pick up and move when environmental conditions get rough, so they've evolved strategies to weather harsh conditions in place. That could help some plants survive in the face of a warming climate.
ASU hockey incident raises questions about athletes’ mental health support
The events of Aug. 20 involving Arizona State hockey player Matthew Mayich open the conversation regarding mental health resources and creating an environment where college athletes feel safe seeking support.
The Pollwatcher: Another fraudulent pollster is out of business, and a third group just disappeared
Why a fake poll got into mainstream poll trackers, how it was discovered and the common thread behind both fake poll scandals this year.
Billie Lourd mourns mom Carrie Fisher on her posthumous 70th birthday
NEW YORK — Billie Lourd would have loved to celebrate her mother Carrie Fisher’s 70th birthday with joy, but instead found herself bereft all over again on Wednesday, 10 years
Conan O'Brien met his match on 'Subway Takes.' She's a 68-year-old bar owner from Brooklyn.
O'Brien was killing it on the popular internet talk show. Then Debbie Shields sat down next to him.
Health insurance gaps leave families struggling with costs, survey finds
A new survey from GoodRx finds that even people who have health insurance are increasingly underinsured.
Health insurance gaps leave families struggling with costs, survey finds
A new survey from GoodRx finds that even people who have health insurance are increasingly underinsured.
How To Tame An Antimatter Particle: Physicists Hold A Positron Captive For Months
It might not sound like a big deal until you remember what happens when antimatter meets matter.
Irondale cuts fire protection water bills after businesses report massive rate increases
IRONDALE, Ala. (WBMA) — After an Irondale business reported its monthly fire protection water bill skyrocketed from $78 to more than $1,700, city leaders have a
Baton Rouge startup selected for national health tech competition
Baton Rouge health technology startup Chrysalis is among 15 teams selected to participate in a national competition focused on using AI to help people living with chronic, difficult-to-diagnose illnesses. The company, co-founded by husband-and-wife duo Brent and Brittany Martin, will present its flagship product, Chrysalis Health Spaces, Thursday afternoon during the final demonstration of the […]
'Just wrong': Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tells Ramaswamy to immediately take down controversial ad
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is telling Republican candidate for governor Vivek Ramaswamy to pull down his controversial ad featuring Democrat Dr. Amy Acton's estranged mother.
‘Klara and the Sun’ review: Film adaptation lacks novel’s poignancy
Maybe some books just shouldn’t become movies. Kazuo Ishiguro’s bestselling 2021 novel “Klara and the Sun” was a work of rare poignancy — though not rare for Ishiguro, whose elegant
NBA season-opening takeaways: Giannis, Lakers, Ant-Melo, Damian Lillard, Tyrese Haliburton and first impressions
Noteworthy Arms to Consider as Padres Offseason Acquisitions
The San Diego Padres' pitching staff was one of many highlights for the organization in 2026, headlined by a remarkable turnaround from the starters after the All-Star break. With the late-season returns of Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove from the injured list, San Diego's front office still remains focused on acquiring additional starting pitching for …
For Black Women in Political Office, Speaking Out Can Come at a Cost
From Ilhan Omar to Charlane Oliver, Black women in elected positions are confronting political backlash for challenging those in power.
NFL might bring massive change to replay review mid-season
Broncos head coach Sean Payton predicted in July that the NFL would mirror the UFL-style officiating transparency within the next two to three years. “And I think every once in a while the benefit of this other league we have, I think quite honestly it’s been helpful for our league,” Payton told Jason La Canfora…
Judge blocks DHS investigations of noncitizen voting, citing flawed data
The judge put her order on hold until 5 p.m. Friday, giving the Trump administration time to appeal.
New Coros Dura 2 Solar features ultra-modern design and huge battery life, but it's the smaller bevel I love
Hands-on with the sharp-looking new bike computer from Coros
Bronze Siskel & Ebert statue, with their theater seats, coming to Prudential Plaza
The sculpture will invite fans of Chicago's most celebrated film critics to sit in their iconic theater balcony seats.
Reeves announces second round funding for Mississippi's Rural Health Transformation Program
More than 370 applications were received in the second round, of which nearly 60 projects were approved totaling $32.6 million in funding. The third application period is now open, with a focus on modernizing the electronic health record systems in Mississippi.
College football Week 8 players to watch: Boise State's Dylan Riley could retake the nation's rushing lead against Washington State
Week 8 college football viewer's guide: Can No. 7 Ole Miss hand No. 19 Texas a third consecutive loss?
If Netflix Can’t Shine in Show Business, Who Can?
The streamer was once the prime example of modern entertainment. Now it’s being squeezed by Big Tech and user-generated content. What stock investors need to know.
How Maine voters feel about the high-stakes Senate election
The state is both fired up by this big race and exhausted by its avalanche of ads.
Europe’s moderates must stop treating politics as a spectator sport
While centrists have retreated to myriad bubbles, extremists turn up, join up and organise
This modern-day fairy tale invites conversations about mental health - College of Arts and Sciences
Rachel Hynes’ production, “Song of a Sea Witch,” invites intergenerational audiences to confront the power of language and the lasting impact of negative self-talk.
Breitling Adds Two New Manual-Wind Navitimers To The Core Collection
✓ Breitling has just introduced a pair of new manually-wound Navitimer models to its core collection ✓ Check it out! ✓
Oliver Hudson gets yelled at on “Special Forces”: ‘What’s wrong with you?’
The actor had a bit of an attitude with the DS in EW’s exclusive clip.
U.S. Figure Skating Announces Partnership with Feld Entertainment to Support the Future of Professional Skating Careers
U.S. Figure Skating is proud to announce its partnership with Feld Entertainment, the producer of Disney On Ice and the largest employer of professional ice skaters in the world.
Introspection required if EU Inc fails, says start-up lobbyist
European start-ups have a new voice in Brussels. Startups for Europe, created from the merger of lobby groups Allied for Startups and the European Startup Network, is hoping to harness the momentum behind EU-Inc, a campaign that united start-ups and investors behind demands for a new pan-European company regime.At a launch event for the new association in Brussels on October 1, the mood was remarkably upbeat compared to a typical Eurobubble gathering, more Silicon Valley than Schuman roundabout.When asked whether this reflects a feeling that Europe is on the right track, chief executive Serena Borbotti-Frison said it’s a “scary” moment as the continent looks to boost its competitiveness amid a new technological arms race.“What is at stake is quite intense, and the way we can answer is by delivering, but also with hope,” she told Science|Business. “It’s what our industry does. It’s not about identifying a pain point and then saying it’s too hard.”For many in the start-up community, that sense of hope is dwindling. In March, the European Commission presented its proposal for EU Inc, naming its initiative after the grassroots campaign.EU Inc was meant to be a gamechanger: the ability to incorporate within 48 hours for less than €100 and scale up across Europe; a harmonised stock option regime enabling start-ups to compete for talent; and simplified insolvency procedures for innovative start-ups to reduce the cost of failure.However, haggling by EU governments has raised concerns that EU Inc will be stripped of the very features, including stock option harmonisation, that are meant to make it attractive for companies.“I fear we are proving to ourselves that the model doesn’t work,” Borbotti-Frison said of the policymaking process. “Everyone agrees we should have EU Inc. Everyone agrees it’s hard to scale and we need to scale to answer the competitiveness [challenge], and still we cannot deliver? [. . .] What does that say about ourselves?”The Commission has made EU Inc a cornerstone of its single market reform, and has agreed with the European Parliament and the Council of the EU to target an agreement by the end of 2026. However, several points are currently holding up an agreement, including national rules around employee participation in management decisions, and the provision that employee stock options always be taxed at the point of sale. Some EU governments have reportedly pushed back on the Commission’s choice of legal basis, contending that anything related to taxation requires unanimity in the Council.Trade unions have also protested against EU Inc, fearing it will be exploited by companies looking to undermine workers’ rights.“If this doesn’t work, it’s introspection time, on the way our institutions work, maybe the way our lobbies work, and maybe the way the cooperation between them works,” Borbotti-Frison said.“Is it in the national interest? Is it a gap between political will and technical ability to operate? Is it speed? I don't know, but something needs to be fixed.”Ahead of last week’s European Council meeting, EU-Inc campaigners tried a new strategy: appealing directly to EU presidents and prime ministers. In an open letter, they urged EU leaders to “step in and give your negotiating teams a clear mandate to change course and reverse their objections to the Commission’s original proposal.”Lessons from EU-IncLike its predecessors, Startups for Europe will represent national start-up associations, but it is also targeting investors. The founding sponsors are venture capital firm Atomico and EQT, the investor selected earlier this year to manage the €5 billion Scaleup Europe Fund.It also wants to harness the knowledge and cross-border experience of European success stories. “Take the list of the 100 biggest unicorns in Europe. We are speaking to all of them,” Borbotti-Frison said. The association plans to publish a full list of supporters following the Slush tech conference in Helsinki in November.Andreas Klinger and Simon Schaefer, two key figures in the EU-Inc campaign, are both on the board of the new association, and Startups for Europe wants to take the lessons from their campaign.What was unprecedented about EU-Inc was “how rooted it was, and how strong it was in bringing everyone on board behind one clear pain point and solution to fix it,” Borbotti-Frison said. “This is an inspiration for us, and then we need to turn it into something more systematic, more bridged in Brussels, more connected to the policymaking game, and to scale it.”If it’s possible to unite such a broad coalition, it’s because the European start-up ecosystem is now mature, she said. “Maybe it was not ten years ago. Maybe it was not five years ago. But now, it’s mature to speak with one voice.”Open and liberal EuropeThe association plans to campaign on files related to three “pain points,” Borbotti-Frison said: “start and scale in Europe, fundraise and invest in Europe, and making Europe the most innovative continent.”As well as EU Inc, she cited public procurement, the EU’s simplification push, the Savings and Investments Union, and files related to AI adoption and technological sovereignty as priorities for the coming months.What these files have in common is that they relate not to subsidies but to the framework conditions influencing the availability of mostly private, or in the case of procurement, public, funding.Related articlesEmployee participation disagreement delays MEPs’ vote on EU IncCommission urges EU governments not to water down EU IncEU’s ‘ultra-fast’ €5B scale-up fund is set up to win, says its fund managerThe budget dispute over the next Horizon Europe programme will also impact start-ups, which are supported notably through the European Innovation Council. But EU innovation funding is a drop in the ocean compared to venture capital and public procurement budgets.“If competitiveness and innovation are a priority, then the [EU budget] should reflect it,” Borbotti-Frison said. However, she added that the main question is not how much public money is invested, but “how do we create the right conditions for the market to solve the problem?”The Scaleup Europe Fund mixes both approaches, using €1 billion in EU funding to crowd in private investors and address Europe’s lack of large-scale, late-stage growth funds. “It’s a proof of concept. Ideally, then the market will do it itself,” Borbotti-Frison said.Startups for Europe is also focused on bringing an alternative political narrative. Amid competing visions for open, global markets on the one side and a protectionist Europe on the other, it wants to offer “a third voice, to say we can be proudly European and build a strong continent in a liberal economy, open to the world, and global.”It can be tempting, when thinking about how Europe can better support innovation, to look across the Atlantic. But while it’s important to compare statistics to see where Europe needs to catch up, that’s where the comparison should stop, Borbotti-Frison said. “On everything else, we need to do it our own way. We don't have the same history. We don't have the same political model. We don't have the same way of life.”Many of the key files that could benefit the start-up community, including EU Inc and the Savings and Investments Union, rely on closer integration within Europe, making it easier to operate across borders.While the Commission has made deepening the single market a political priority, support at national level is more precarious. The coming months will see pivotal elections in Spain and France, while the German government has also been coming under pressure domestically. In each country, far-right parties have been gaining ground.When asked if she was concerned the political situation could jeopardise this progress, Borbotti-Frison responded: “Of course. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t.” However, she continues to believe that cooperation is the only way forward. “Doing it alone is not the solution. It’s also not who we are, it’s not the model we are building, and it’s not the scale we need.”
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