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News

YC Requests for Startups Summer 2025

YC is now accepting applications for the Summer 2025 batch.

Bill Gates plans to close his foundation, give away nearly all of his fortune over 20 years: I don’t want people to say, ‘He died rich’

Bill Gates plans to donate 99% of his wealth—about $200 billion—over the next 20 years and close the Gates Foundation by 2045. He wants to focus on urgent global issues like health, education, and poverty, aiming to make a big impact now rather than later. This decision also responds to recent cuts in global aid, including those by Elon Musk’s agency, which Gates believes could harm vulnerable communities. By accelerating his giving, Gates hopes to help end diseases like malaria and polio and reduce child and maternal deaths worldwide.

And what Bill Gates says about it – My new deadline: 20 years to give away virtually all my wealth

DoorDash to buy British food delivery firm Deliveroo for $3.9 billion in overseas push

DoorDash is buying British food delivery company Deliveroo for $3.9 billion. This deal will expand DoorDash’s reach to over 40 countries and 50 million users, adding key markets like the UK, France, and Singapore. Deliveroo shareholders will receive a 29% premium on their shares, and the deal is expected to close by the end of 2025.

Apple wants to simplify adding multiple devices to train, plane, or hotel Wi-Fi

Apple is working on a feature to let your devices—like iPhones and iPads—automatically share Wi-Fi login details on public networks, such as those in hotels, trains, or airports. Currently, you have to log in separately on each device, but this update would allow all your devices to connect after signing in just once. It’s unclear when this feature will launch or how it will handle places that limit the number of connected devices.

AI brought back Agatha Christie

The BBC has launched an innovative online writing course featuring an AI-generated version of the late mystery author Agatha Christie. This virtual Christie, developed with her estate’s cooperation, uses her own words and interviews to teach crime fiction writing through the BBC Maestro platform. The course offers 11 video lessons and 12 exercises, covering topics like plot construction and suspense building.

Elizabeth Holmes’s Partner Has a New Blood-Testing Start-Up

Elizabeth Holmes is in prison for defrauding investors through her blood-testing company, Theranos. In the meantime, her partner is starting one of his own.

This Canadian pharmacist is key figure behind world’s most notorious deepfake porn site

A recent investigation revealed that David Do, a Canadian pharmacist, secretly operated MrDeepFakes, a major deepfake porn website. The site hosted over 70,000 non-consensual videos, mainly targeting women, including celebrities and private individuals. After being informed of his exposure, Do shut down the site, which coincided with new U.S. legislation criminalizing such content.

Influencer Reveals 88% of Creators Still Operate as Side Hustlers Despite Industry Growth

A recent study by Influencer Ltd. reveals that 88% of content creators still treat their work as a side hustle, despite the booming $24 billion influencer marketing industry. Even among top-tier creators, only 25% rely on content creation as their main income source. Many creators cite financial instability and lack of brand transparency as barriers to going full-time. Still, 72% remain optimistic about the future of social platforms, seeing change as a chance to grow.

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Reads

How Trust Bank went from zero to a million customers in less than three years

Trust Bank, launched in 2022 in Singapore, quickly gained one million customers by focusing on simple, rewarding, and fast digital banking. Partnering with FairPrice, they offered instant rewards like grocery discounts and easy sign-ups, attracting a wide range of users. Their referral program, where customers earned immediate vouchers, spread rapidly and accounted for 70% of new sign-ups. By listening to customer feedback and avoiding traditional banking clichés, Trust Bank built a service that resonated with everyday people.

Inside Disney’s ad playbook as streaming becomes ‘core growth platform’

Disney is transforming its streaming platforms—Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+—into a central growth engine by blending entertainment with smarter advertising. The company is enhancing user experience through personalization and expanding its ad tech capabilities. This includes integrating brands directly into shows, like Lysol in “Abbott Elementary,” and offering interactive ad formats.

How Google Measures and Manages Tech Debt

Google’s new paper reveals how Google measures and manages tech debt.