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Sam Tabar: The journey from an Attorney to Capital Management Guru

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Early Life & Family:

Sam’s full name at birth was Samir Victor Tabar. His friends know him as Samir, but professionally he is addressed as Sam Tabar. Sam was born and raised in Canada. His dad was born in Nazareth and mom was from Quebec. He has a younger brother who runs a media creation company and lives in Hong Kong.

Education:

After his graduation with honours from the University of Oxford, Sam Tabar went on to join Columbia School of Law in New York where he served as Associate Editor of the Columbia Business Law Review.

A career in the legal space:

He joined Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, one among the world’s most prestigious law firms, as an Associate shortly after his graduation from Columbia in 2001. While at Skadden, he counselled clients on hedge fund formation and structure, investment management agreements, private placement memoranda, side letters, employment issues, and regulatory and compliance issues. Sam worked at Skadden until 2004 when he left his budding legal career to affix the globe of finance at PMA Investment Advisors, a unit of Sparx Group Co. based in the metropolis.

Tabar reentered the legal world in September 2013 when he joined Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP as a Senior Associate catering to hedge funds. While at Schulte Roth & Zabel, he provided counsel on fund formation and structure, investment management agreements, private placement memoranda, side letters, employment issues, and regulatory and compliance issues. He left the firm in March 2014.

Sam’s Move to Investment Banking:

Tabar joined Sparx Group/PMA Investment Advisors in September 2004 as counsel and was eventually promoted to Administrator & Co-Head of Business Development. While at PMA Investment Advisors, he worked on and managed all facets of world marketing and investor relations for a $2 billion hedge fund. Additionally, he designed and executed a strategic marketing plan for his firm that targeted institutional investors, large family offices, and ultra-high-net-worth clients globally. He also provided the firm with a private Rolodex of over 2000 potential qualified investors and developed over 400 additional investor introductions. Other highlights of his time there include assisting the firm to boost $1.2 billion in assets under management and dealing closely with its Founding Partners and CEO on all business-development related matters.

In February 2011 Tabar joined Bank of America Merrill Lynch as its Director and Head of Capital Strategy for the Asia-Pacific region. In this role, he provided the firm’s hedge fund clients with counsel and also targeted and meaningful introductions to institutional investors including endowments, foundations, pensions, funds of funds, and enormous family offices. He also assisted and managed the complete capital allocations cycle between fund managers and investors. Over the course of his tenure at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Tabar built a supplemental Rolodex of over 1,250 institutional investors. Tabar left the firm in September 2012 to function as the Director of Adanac LLC, BVI. At Adanac, Tabar invested in properties and American start-ups including Thinx and Verboten.

Taking the leap to entrepreneurship

After spending a decade in a flourishing law and capital management career Sam took the leap to become an entrepreneur.

“While I was in finance, I felt the system was biased towards middlemen and extreme wealth”, he’d later say. He moved back to New York and to co-found Fluidity.io focused on shaping the future of finance with the intention to make it more accessible to all.

Right now he spends most of his time as a strategist for a decentralized marketplace, Airswap.io that anyone in the world can use without a middleman.

Dan Smith is probably best known for his writing skill, which was adapted into news articles. He earned degree in Literature from Chicago University. He published his first book while an English instructor. After that he published 8 books in his career. He has more than six years’ experience in publication. And now he works as a writer of news on Apsters Media website which is related to news analysis from entertainment and technology industry.

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Figure AI in Talks for Major Investment, Targeting $39.5 Billion Valuation

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Figure AI in Talks for Major Investment, Targeting $39.5 Billion Valuation

Figure AI, a leading robotics startup specializing in humanoid robots, is reportedly in discussions to secure $1.5 billion in a new funding round. This investment, expected to be led by Parkway Venture Capital, could boost the company’s valuation to an impressive $39.5 billion.

Rapid growth of humanoid robotics


Founded in 2022 by Brett Adcock, Figure AI has quickly established itself as a key player in the humanoid robotics industry. Its advanced robots are designed to work alongside humans, handling dangerous and repetitive tasks while seamlessly integrating into various work environments.

The company’s innovative technology has attracted interest from multiple industries, including:

  • Manufacturing: automating production lines and reducing workplace risks.
  • Logistics: improving warehouse operations and supply chain efficiency.
  • Retail: improving customer service and store management.

Previous funding and key investors


In a previous funding round, Figure AI secured $675 million from several major tech giants including Microsoft, OpenAI, NVIDIA, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

At the time, the company’s valuation was $2.6 billion, highlighting the growing demand for AI-powered robotics and automation.

Surge in AI and Robotics Investments


Figure AI’s growing valuation reflects the global expansion of AI and robotics investments.

The European Union recently announced a €200 billion AI investment initiative to keep pace with the United States and China.
France has also secured €109 billion in funding commitments to boost its AI sector.

These investments highlight the growing importance of automation, robotics, and AI-powered solutions in the modern economy.

With continued expansion and innovation, Figure AI is positioning itself as a leader in humanoid robotics. If the latest round of funding is successful, the company will be able to:

  • Advance its robotic technology
  • Expand its market presence globally
  • Increase adoption of humanoid robots across multiple industries

    As AI-powered automation continues to evolve, Figure AI is on track to reshape the future of human-robot collaboration, making workplaces safer and more efficient.

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Zomato Evolves into Eternal: Redefining the Future of Digital Commerce

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Zomato Evolves into Eternal: Redefining the Future of Digital Commerce

Zomato, one of India’s leading food delivery and quick-commerce platforms, has officially rebranded as Eternal. The transformation reflects the company’s growing ambitions beyond food delivery, encompassing various business verticals, including grocery delivery, live events, and restaurant supplies. The rebranding marks a major shift in Zomato’s corporate identity, aligning with its vision of building businesses that last “beyond a lifetime.”

Why the Rebranding?

Founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal explained that the decision to rename the parent company was driven by the rapid growth of Blinkit, Zomato’s quick-commerce arm. Initially met with skepticism when Zomato acquired Blinkit in 2022, the business has since become a key driver of the company’s future.

“We thought of publicly renaming the company when something beyond Zomato became a significant driver of our future. Today, with Blinkit, I feel we are here,” Goyal stated.

What Changes Under Eternal?

The name Eternal will now serve as the parent brand for Zomato’s four major business units:

  1. Zomato – The core food delivery business.
  2. Blinkit – A quick-commerce service for grocery and essential deliveries.
  3. Hyperpure – A B2B platform supplying restaurants with kitchen essentials.
  4. Zomato Live (District) – A live events platform.

While the company’s corporate identity is changing, the Zomato app and branding for food delivery will remain the same. Customers will still order from the Zomato app, and Blinkit will continue to operate under its own branding.

Significance of the Name ‘Eternal’

The word Eternal symbolizes longevity and endurance, reinforcing the company’s ambition to build businesses that last beyond generations. This philosophy reflects Zomato’s long-term commitment to innovation and expansion in the digital commerce space.

Goyal had previously mentioned the Eternal name as an internal identity in 2022 but clarified that it would not replace the Zomato brand. However, with Blinkit’s massive growth and the company’s evolving focus, the name has now been publicly embraced.

Market Impact and Future Outlook

The rebranding positions Eternal as a diversified technology company rather than just a food delivery platform. The move comes at a time when quick-commerce is becoming a dominant force in India, with competitors like Swiggy Instamart, Reliance JioMart, Amazon Fresh, and Walmart-backed Flipkart entering the space.

Eternal’s strategy will likely focus on:

  • Expanding Blinkit’s footprint across India.
  • Strengthening its supply chain for Hyperpure.
  • Growing Zomato Live as a major player in the events space.
  • Continuing innovation in food delivery services.

The transition from Zomato to Eternal represents a bold step in the company’s journey, signaling a future beyond food delivery. With Blinkit’s rise, Zomato’s leadership in restaurant supplies, and its growing events business, the rebranding aligns with its ambition to create a multi-dimensional commerce platform.

As Eternal, the company aims to shape the future of digital commerce in India, staying true to its mission of building businesses that stand the test of time.

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U.S. AI Startups Eye New Opportunities Amid DeepSeek’s Rise

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U.S. AI Startups Eye New Opportunities Amid DeepSeek's Rise

Just last week, OpenAI was seen as the undisputed leader in artificial intelligence, with its cutting-edge models driving a soaring valuation. This week, however, its dominance is being questioned as Silicon Valley shifts its focus to a more cost-effective competitor: DeepSeek.

The Chinese company recently launched R1, a challenger to OpenAI’s o1 reasoning model. Early testers claim R1 matches o1’s capabilities while being significantly cheaper to operate. The announcement sent shockwaves through the market, triggering a massive stock sell-off on Monday that erased nearly $1 trillion in market value.

DeepSeek’s Disruptive Impact

Industry insiders believe DeepSeek’s approach could reshape the AI landscape. Unlike OpenAI, which focuses on Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) through increasingly complex models, DeepSeek emphasizes efficient, application-driven AI that is more accessible and cost-effective.

Roi Ginat, CEO of EndlessAI, sees this as a breakthrough for startups and smaller players.

“DeepSeek’s success represents a democratization of AI development, where smaller teams with limited resources can meaningfully compete with well-funded tech giants,” Ginat told Business Insider.

While OpenAI remains a major force, its role in the industry could shift. The competition between expansive, high-cost AI models and streamlined, purpose-built AI systems is fueling innovation on both fronts.

Cost Efficiency vs. AI Infrastructure Investments

DeepSeek’s biggest advantage is cost efficiency. If it truly reduces AI training and inference costs by tenfold, as some claim, it could accelerate AI adoption far beyond current analyst predictions. However, Pukar Hamal, CEO of SecurityPal, warns against expecting immediate disruptions.

“It’ll take more than a few tough earnings calls to make the biggest AI players reconsider the staggering GPU investments we’re seeing for 2025,” Hamal said.

Major tech firms are doubling down on AI infrastructure. Meta has committed $60 billion to AI investments, while former President Donald Trump recently announced Stargate, a $500 billion joint venture between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank to expand AI capabilities across the U.S.

The Open-Source Debate: DeepSeek vs. OpenAI

A key distinction between OpenAI and DeepSeek lies in open-source accessibility. OpenAI keeps its models closed for safety and security reasons, while DeepSeek’s AI is open-source, allowing public access and modification.

Satya Nitta, CEO of Emergence AI, sees this as a significant advantage for DeepSeek.

“DeepSeek R1 broadens access to AI reasoning, highlights the power of open-source, and sets a new benchmark for AI capabilities,” he said.

However, open-source models also raise regulatory concerns. Hamal cautioned that unchecked AI development could lead to security risks, drawing parallels to the U.S. government’s scrutiny of TikTok. White House advisor David Sacks further fueled controversy by suggesting that DeepSeek may have trained its model using OpenAI’s data, a claim that could spark legal challenges.

Despite these concerns, Hamal believes the market is shifting toward openness.

“Openness typically wins in the long run. If DeepSeek forces a reset in the increasingly closed foundational model market, it could be a net positive—provided we maintain the right guardrails.”

AI Innovation: Doing More with Less

If there’s one major takeaway from DeepSeek’s rise, it’s that AI models can be developed more efficiently and affordably.

Matthew Putman, CEO of Nanotronics, sees this moment as a validation of a broader trend.

“To me, the competition itself is less significant than the realization that AI can be built at lower costs and applied beyond just large language models.”

As the AI landscape evolves, the battle between expensive, high-power AI and cost-efficient, open-source alternatives is only beginning. Whether DeepSeek emerges as a true OpenAI rival or simply pushes the industry toward greater accessibility, its impact is already undeniable.

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