 |
|
|
|||||
Today, one of the most anticipated initial public offerings of the year is happening. The collaborative design software platform Figma, Inc. is expected to debut on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Wall Street will closely watch the results of the listing as a bellwether for investors’ appetite in tech-focused offerings. Heres what you need to know about Figmas IPO. What is Figma? Figma is an online collaborative design software platform. It provides tools for designers to craft the user interfaces (UIs) that many of us come across every day, whether that be in the form of websites or app interfaces. Figma, Inc. was originally founded back in 2012 by Dylan Field and Evan Wallace. Their goal was to create an easy-to-use suite of online design tools that could be used in a web browser. Those tools have now been embraced by more than 95% of Fortune 500 companies and 78% of Forbes 2000 companies, according to Figmas Form S-1 Registration Statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Companies including Microsoft, Netflix, Dropbox, Slack, The New York Times, Airbnb, Zoom, and many more use Figmas tools to design their interfaces. As Fast Company previously reported, Figma says it had $228.2 million in revenue for the first three months of 2025. It also reported $749 million in revenue in 2024. Currently, the company says it has more than 13 million monthly active users on its platform. It says that two-thirds of its users are non-designers. What has Figma said about its IPO? Many CEO letters that are published when a company goes public focus on how they believe the company is primed for growth and golden pastures ahead. But Figma CEO Dylan Fields letter is a bit different. In it, he talked about the positive potential impact that the worlds shift to AI will have on Figma and design in general. He spoke about how, when it comes to artificial intelligence, he believes that despite its recent advances, the technology is still in its MS-DOS era. The sentiment is reminiscent of Jeff Bezos’s original letter to shareholders in 1997, in which the Amazon founder famously said it was “Day 1 for the Internet.” Field didn’t make grandiose claims about how AI and Figmas future moves would lift the newly public stock. Quite the contrary. After stating that the benefits of taking Figma public included brand awareness, liquidity, and access to capital markets, he cautioned that such benefits did not automatically mean the stocks price would rise. Even if we execute perfectly (we wontno one ever does) markets wax and wane, Field wrote. In addition, you should know that while weve built an efficient business, our primary goal is not efficiency. Our goal is to achieve long-term growth by supporting the rapidly evolving needs of designers.” Field went on to say that investors should expect Figma to take big swings when it comes to investing in its platform and acquiring other companies. That means at times we will make decisions that may not seem immediately rational, he explained. And, while we always strive to exercise good judgement, sometimes we will make the wrong calls. If you decide to invest in Figma, we hope you will take a long-term view and stay patient . . . When is Figmas IPO? Figma priced its shares on Wednesday. It plans to list its stock today (Thursday, July 31, 2025). What is Figmas stock ticker? Figmas stock will trade under the ticker FIG. What exchange will Figma shares trade on? Figma shares will trade on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). What is the IPO share price of FIG? Figmas IPO price is $33 per share. As Fast Company previously reported, this is up significantly from the original target price range, which was $25 and $28 each. The IPO share price was then revised upwards again to between $30 and $32 each. Its final IPO share price of $33 per share suggests that there was more demand for FIG shares than the company and analysts originally thought. How many FIG shares are available in its IPO? According to a company press release, Figmas public offering consisted of 36,937,080 shares of Class A common stock in its IPO. Of those 36.9 million shares, almost 12.5 million of them were directly offered by Figma itself. About 24.5 million shares were offered by Figmas existing stockholders. Its important to note that Figma only received the proceeds from the 12.5 million shares it offered. The proceeds from the 24.5 million shares sold by existing Figma shareholders went directly to those shareholders themselves. How much did Figma raise in its IPO? Figma says it received approximately $1.22 billion in its IPO, according to Reuters. How much is Figma worth? At its $33 IPO share price, Figmas market cap is now valued at $19.34 billion on a fully diluted basis, Reuters notes. Thats nearly equal to the sum of $20 billion that Adobe offered to buy Figma for in 2023. Investors will be watching Figmas IPO closely Figma is just the latest tech company to go public this year, but Wall Street will be watching how investors react to its listing in order to determine the wider appetite for tech IPOs for the remainder of 2025. Thanks primarily to President Trumps chaotic tariffs, a lot of uncertainty has been injected into the markets in 2025. Uncertainty tends to drive investors away, which can lead to muted results for companies that choose to go public during such turbulent times. If FIG shares trade up significantly in the next few days and weeks, it could make more investors more comfortable with other tech IPOs in the months ahead. Other recent notable IPOs in 2025 have included Chime, Circle, Hinge Health, MNTN, and Slide.
Category:
E-Commerce
New York-based cybersecurity company Reality Defender offers one of the top deepfake detection platforms for large enterprises. Now, the company is extending access to its platform to individual developers and small teams via an API, which includes a free tier offering 50 detections per month. With the API, developers can integrate commercial-grade, real-time deepfake detection into their sites or applications using just two lines of code. This functionality can support use cases such as fraud detection, identity verification, and content moderation, among others. The Reality Defender platform features a suite of custom AI models, each designed to detect different types of deepfakes in various ways. These models are trained on extensive datasets of known deepfake images and audio made using many different types of generative tools. What we’re doing now is saying you don’t need to be a big bank, you don’t need to have a bunch of developers, Reality Defender cofounder and CEO Ben Colman tells Fast Company. Anyone that’s building a social media platform, a video conferencing solution, a dating platform, professional networking, brand protectionall of them can now have deepfake and generative AI detection. The new Deepfake Detection API currently supports audio and image detection. But the company plans to expand coverage to additional modalities in the coming months. The detection system can identify visual deepfakes based not only on faces but also on other image features and the broader context in which the media appears. Deepfakes are a form of synthetic media created using artificial intelligence to produce convincing video, image, audio, or text representations of events that never occurred. These can be used to put sham words in a public figures mouth or to trick someone into sending money by mimicking a relatives voice. Global losses from deepfake-enabled fraud surpassed $200 million in the first quarter of 2025, according to a report by AI voice generation company Resemble AI. The most damaging uses of deepfakes include nonconsensual explicit content (such as revenge porn), scams and fraud, political manipulation, and misinformation. As generative AI tools advance, deepfakes are becoming increasingly difficult to detect. An unidentified imposter recently used a deepfake of Secretary of State Marco Rubios voice to place calls to at least five senior government officials. Colman says that as generative AI tools become more widespread and deepfakes more common, both consumers and businesses will likely start viewing protection against fake content much like they do protection against computer viruses or spam. The key difference, he adds, is that the tools required to create deepfakes are far more accessible than those needed to produce viruses or spam. There’s thousands of tools that are free, and there’s no regulation yet, Colman says. In other words, were likely just seeing the beginning of the deepfake era. It just gets worse from there for companies, consumers, countries, elections, Colman says. The risks are endless. Developers can access the new API and free tier starting today from the API page on the Reality Defender website.
Category:
E-Commerce
In the current climate of economic volatility, changing workforce expectations, and ongoing systemic talent scarcity, the employertalent dynamic faces new challenges. But the latest data tells a different story: not of breakdown, but of opportunity. Workers across generations and industries arent walking away from the table; rather, theyre renegotiating what matters. Many are willing to reconsider previously hard-won benefitssuch as remote workif it means gaining more long-term value in return, like upskilling opportunities, time autonomy, and roles that align with their values. Its about reshaping the deal to reflect what talent sees as sustainable and future-proof. As CEO of the worlds leading talent company, I see this moment as an opportunity for recalibration toward a better way forward, which requires adapting leadership to one that listens and aligns with what matters most to peopleand businesstoday. The message from talent is that theyre prepared to compromise: not by adding more on top of existing benefits, but by rethinking what really matters. Traditional levers like salary and location are no longer enough on their own. Instead, talent are placing greater value on flexibility, purpose, development, and well-being. Here are four of the most important trade-offs every leader should understandand act on. Employability and growth: the new cornerstones of retention Across the board, workers are doubling down on long-term relevance. The value of remote work is no longer the top priority it once was, as 67% of respondents in the global survey say they now place greater importance on staying employable, and 52% would choose upskilling over the ability to work remotely. This shift signals a broader recalibration of what drives loyalty. Yes, inflation-linked raises still matter74% say theyre essentialbut theyre not enough. Nearly as many workers say that managerial support (68%) and alignment with company values (67%) are what keep them committed over the long term. In other words, talent want more than a paycheck. They want to be developed, supported, and connected to something meaningful. Employers who invest in future-focused learning and career support build trust and resilience. That trust is a powerful differentiator, whereas retention strategies that ignore these elements will fall short, especially as the market rebounds and mobility increases. Time has become the new currency Flexibility is evolving. Its no longer just about where we work; its about when: 59% of workers now say they would prefer time autonomy over a higher salary, and 56% prioritize it over location freedom. To stay competitive, companies need to think beyond set in stone on-site policies. Offering greater control over schedules, for instance through flexible shifts, compressed weeks, or self-managed hours, may become the differentiator in a tight labor market. Navigating the RTO conundrum But as the pendulum swings back toward on-site work, talent are clear about the terms. Among fully remote workers, 3 in 4 expect higher pay to return full-time to the office, almost the same (74%) require more flexibility over hours, and 66% seek additional leave in return for the RTO mandate. This doesnt mean employers cant bring people back. It means we need to make the business caseand the trade-offstransparent. Purpose, autonomy, and support must be part of the equation. Well-being matters more than ever Well-being cannot be overlooked. Three out of five workers are willing to accept a lower paying job for a less stressful roleand 40% have already taken that step. Even as talent place greater emphasis on employability, flexibility, and long-term career growth, one theme cuts across all priorities: well-being still matters deeply. The desire for meaningful work and sustainable careers cant be met in high-stress environments. The takeaway for leaders is that supporting well-being is a strategic lever for retention. Organizations that identify and remove stressors at the sourcefrom workload pressures to rigid systemswill be better positioned to attract and keep their best people. A moment to lead with clarity and care As the world and our markets navigate exceptional challenges, this crucial moment requires something from both employers and talent. The traditional dynamics of give-and-take have evolved, with people standing ready to make trade-offs. But understandably, they want clarity, consistency, and commitment in return. Im of the view that organizations that strike that balancebetween what business needs and what people wantwill be the ones that thrive. That means leading with a long-term view. Investing in employability. Reducing friction. Valuing time. And building trust at every turn. Talent is not asking for all demands to be met. They are asking us, as leaders, to be trusted partners.
Category:
E-Commerce
In a former cattle field in rural central Texas, a startup called Starfront has quietly built what it claims is the worlds largest remote telescope observatory by number of scopes.The facility houses more than 400 telescopes, most of which belong to Starfronts customershobbyist astronomers and space-focused businesses who pay for scope-docking space in one of the companys 11 observatory buildings. Essentially, its a data center for the night sky: Customers ship their telescope, camera equipment, and a mini PC to the site, where Starfront staff install it on a dedicated pier. Once set up, customers can log in over the internet to aim their lenses at stars, planets, or galaxiesall from a location with clear skies and minimal light pollution.We want to provide the opportunity for people to enjoy space on their own terms, says cofounder and CEO Josh Kim. You could be driven by the desire to participate in scientific discovery, or you might really just want to take pretty amazing pictures that are awe-inspiring and that you can share with your friends and family.[Photo: Courtesy of Starfront Observatories]Starfronts cofounders include engineer-turned-space-photographer Bray Falls and serial entrepreneurs Kim, Dustin Gibson, and Nate Hanks, all of whom have space-sector experience. They launched the company about a year ago after realizing how many high-end telescopes sit idle, as enthusiasts struggle with urban light pollution and limited time to travel to dark-sky locations.Those telescopes that were bought with such excitement and passion are usually just collecting dust in peoples closets, Kim says.Even those with the time and money to travel often encounter bad weather or technical issues. Its not unusual for the owner of a new telescope to spend their first few nights gazing down at cryptic error messages instead of up at the sky, as they struggle to integrate telescopes, accessories, and the computers that control them, Kim says. Starfront offers an alternative: Customers ship their scopes to the companys fully built-out site, complete with retractable roofs, high-speed fiber internet, and other amenities. The roughly 10-person team handles setup so that equipment is ready to scan the skies every clear night.Typically, five or six staff members work on-site (often living in company RVs) at the location about 90 minutes from Abilene. Balancing nighttime observing with daytime business operations can be tough. Sleep is a hard thing to come by in this particular business and in this particular hobby, Kim says. The company hopes to hire more locally to improve the workload.[Photo: Courtesy of Starfront Observatories]For customers, many of whom connect on Starfronts Discord server, the experience can feel like a star party nearly every clear night, Kim says. There, enthusiasts trade advice on everything from international telescope shipping to astrophotography techniques. Starfront has even coordinated group imaging sessions in which dozens of customers photograph the same part of the sky at once, effectively combining their equipment into a single, higher-resolution, distributed-aperture telescope. Falls has posted images from these efforts on social media, and Kim expects customers will eventually organize such projects on their own.Miami-based astrophotographer Carlos Garcia uses the Discord to share tips for the Seestar, a compact, easy-to-use digital telescope. He posts remotely captured images and videos from Starfronts site to his website, YouTube, and social channels. Garcia first learned of Starfront through Falls posts and later shipped a Seestar and Mac Mini to Texas, where skies are clearer than in his hometown. He now controls the telescope using remote desktop software.One big question I got about the observatory is if we have ever pointed all the scopes at one spot? The answer is yes!This is the result of one such effort, 1650 hours of exposure in Ursa Major! pic.twitter.com/IPt9Cyh7Xp Bray Falls (@astrofalls) July 10, 2025The amount of time that I can spend imaging with the Seestar is substantially higher than if I were to try to image from Miami, Garcia says.When Garcia joined Starfront, the companys lowest hosting plan cost $150 per month. Since then, Starfront has introduced a $99 plan specifically for Seestars. Prices are based on a telescopes swing diameter, and the company has developed a system to maximize real estate while ensuring scopes can rotate freely without colliding.[Photo: Courtesy of Starfront Observatories]Although Starfront didnt invent the remote observatory, it has scaled the concept dramatically while undercutting competitors on price and outdoing them on flexibility. The company builds everything in-house, from mounting piers to the weather-tracking software that controls its roofs, Kim says.[Photo: Courtesy of Starfront Observatories]Starfront is fully bootstrapped and relies on monthly fees for steady cash flow. Soon, it plans to offer telescope rentals alongside pier rentals, likely starting with Seestars, to make the hobby more accessible. Shorter-term rentals are unlikelyvariable weather and moon phases complicate schedulingbut Kim says some customers may choose to sublet access to their hosted equipment.Longer term, the company hopes to expand to the Southern Hemisphere, opening up a completely different set of constellations and galaxies. Starting in the United States, with the largest amateur astronomy market, was a natural choice, Kim says, but even U.S. astronomy buffs are eager to see what they can capture from across the Equator.
Category:
E-Commerce
Sylvia was a senior partner at a consulting firm who decided to put her hat in the ring for the coveted CEO position. Four other internal applicantsall menmade it to the list of final candidates. Early in her campaign, Sylvia met with Andrea to talk about her strategy to win over the board and senior partners whose votes she would need to secure the CEO position. Sylvia deftly noted that, as the only woman in the running, her gender would be salient in the minds of the decision makers. As such, she wondered whether she should lead like a man. Too often, women in the workplace are told, explicitly or implicitly, that success means emulating male norms. Speak up more. Interrupt more. Show less emotion. But when women follow this advice, theyre often penalized for it. The problem isnt that women need to change. Rather, our definition of leadership needs to change as it is still stuck in a mold that rewards masculine traits and sidelines others. Based on our respective experiences researching gender bias at work and coaching senior executives on their communication skills, as well as our personal experiences, weve seen this pattern play out again and again. Women are coached to overcome imposter syndrome and project authority in ways that often backfire. Meanwhile, organizations suffer, missing out on broader leadership styles, emotional intelligence, and more inclusive decision-making. Two urgent shifts are needed: First, we need to stop encouraging women to lead like men. Second, we must expand our understanding of what strong leadership looks like. Until we do, were not just failing women, were limiting our organizations potential. There are four specific ways women are often advised to “lead like a man”but instead of reinforcing gendered norms, we can coach everyone, regardless of gender, to adopt more inclusive, effective leadership strategies. Here are the four problematic approaches and what to do instead. 1. Avoid Weak Language When outlining her strategy for obtaining the CEO role, Sylvia referenced how many stakeholders expected her, as a woman, to use weak language, but then penalized her for doing so. Sylvia decided that she would strategically use weak language with some old-school stakeholders but consciously avoid it with others. The question is, should this focus on weak language have come up at all? Weak language is language that is tempered with disclaimers (I dont know, but . . .), hedges (sort of, I hope), tag questions (. . . dont you think?), and apologies (Im sorry, but . . .). Women are often faulted for using indecisive language, and we are all urged to avoid it. Instead: Call it Strategic Language So-called weak language can soften a message, convey interpersonal sensitivity, and build trust. As such, it can be a way to strategically position yourself with various cohorts. Recognizing the impact that it can have, we encourage a relabeling of weak language to strategic language. This is about all of us being strategic or purposeful with our language, including when we demonstrate vulnerability. Certainly, leadership requires communicating with conviction. But lets coach everyone not to be overconfident when they speak. Leadership also requires curiosity and humility. Disclaimers, hedges, and tag questions are useful when we arent totally sure and to express concern and humbleness. Strategic language can be a source of power and strength. 2. Be Authoritative As a young information technology leader, Amy tried to emulate male colleagues through authoritative decision-making. But when Amy made a unilateral decision, she was surprised that she lost points with her staff. She quickly learned to seek everyone’s input and ideally achieve consensus before making important decisions. Sometimes guidance to be an authoritative leader is overt. A client of Andreas who had served in multiple C-suite roles left her last position when her male CEO repeatedly insisted that she was too soft and she needed to “be a killer. Authoritative leaders are also called visionary leaders, with their own vision for success. Men in leadership may default to using authority, as displays of dominance align with traditional male stereotypes and therefore tend to go unchallenged. While women may learn to use this approach in their attempts to establish credibility, it can backfire when they are misperceived as arrogant. The problem with this noninclusive, authoritarian approach is that it concentrates decision-making with one person and increases the risk of failure. Overreliance on a single perspective can lead to blind spots, regardless of how competent or visionary that individual may be. Even the most capable leaders have limitations in their knowledge, experiences, and biases. Instead: Use Participative Leadership Particularly in less time-sensitive contexts, a participative, inclusive leadership style is better for everyone. Coach everyone to approach decision-making as a collaborative process. Invite input from all stakeholders, including those who may ask uncomfortable questions and those who typically remain silent. Building consensus will ensure all voices are heard, considered, and that everyone understands the rationale for decisions. This isn’t about giving up control; it’s about gaining valuable perspective and buy-in. 3. Master Self-Promotion A former male boss once advised Amy to take credit for the success of projects, explaining, Everyone takes credit for everything around here. But while Amy had led or contributed significantly to many initiatives, she felt uncomfortable claiming to them to be her solitary achievements. Her teammates deserved recognition. One of the most common questions Andrea hears from her female executive clients is: How can I talk about my work and strengths without sounding arrogant? Notably, a leadership coach recently posed this question, proof that even those who coach others on confidence and communication can struggle with taking credit. The response to women and men promoting their own work and achievements has very different outcomes. Research shows that when women self-promote, they are seen as less warm and likable, whereas men who do the same are seen as more competent.&nbs; Instead: Share Credit Generously Everyone should be trained that strategic self-promotion is leadership, not arrogance, so that women arent penalized for it. Then the solution isnt to promote your work any more or less. Rather, its to take credit differently. Visibility matters, and as such it is important to promote our own work. But we all need to consider the extent to which we promote our own work, share credit, and spotlight others successes. True leaders understand how to confidently communicate their value while also celebrating the contributions of those around them. 4. Dont Be So Emotional After a recent workshop for female executives, Andrea heard from several women how effectively managing their emotions was a challenge. One woman said, My male colleagues can pound their fists and exude authority. Meanwhile, if I show emotion, I lose credibility. Another participant spoke up: Imagine having any conviction. Suddenly, Im labeled as an angry Black woman! Typically, the leaders we admire exude an ability to stay calm and in control, especially in crises. It seems that leadership is synonymous with emotional regulation. At the same time, emotional outbursts are interpreted differently for men versus for women. For men, displaying emotions is interpreted as passion or authenticity. For women, displaying emotion is a sign of weakness and lack of control. Instead: Balance Authenticity and Discretion Encourage everyone to lead with authenticity and discretion. Certainly, staying in control in crises situations is productive. But there are also benefits with sharing emotions and vulnerability. Communicating your convictions with passion can inspire a team. Leaders who demonstrate vulnerability also encourage a culture of psychological safety. That said, this is not about being unfiltered. There is an important difference between authenticity and transparency. Filtering and discretion are key. Redefining leadership Sylvias question of whether she should lead like a man was not just personal. It reflected a broader problem faced by women in leadership: the unspoken expectation to conform to outdated, masculine ideals of authority and success. If we want to cultivate inclusive, innovative organizations, we must redefine what great leadership looks like. Not by urging women to adapt, but by evolving the standards themselves. Thats the only way well build a future workplace where all leaders can thrive on their own terms.
Category:
E-Commerce
Sites : [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44] [45] [46] [47] [48] [49] next »