The official White House "company" page on LinkedIn received a brand refresh this week, replacing the traditional White House logo with a photo of President Trump.
Why it matters: It's another example of the Trump administration's social media trolling tactics, and it has resulted in his image showing up on former President Obama's LinkedIn page.
Newsmax on Wednesday filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against cable news rival Fox, alleging the network used unfair practices to illegally stifle competition among conservative cable networks.
Why it matters: The lawsuit alleges Fox News has used its viewership dominance to coerce pay-TV providers to sign exclusionary contracts that prevent cable networks like Newsmax from getting adequate distribution.
Scott Kupor was the first employee at Andreessen Horowitz, hired back when it was just a couple tech vets hoping to raise a few hundred million dollars and never take board seats.
He'd spend the next 16 years as managing partner, even taking portfolio board seats of his own, and serving as chair of the National Venture Capital Association.
Kupor now is in a very different role, director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which is something akin to the federal government's HR department.
Defense startup Vector has raised $61 million since its founding a little more than one year ago, its chief executive, Andy Yakulis, first told Axios.
Why it matters: The 150-person company, based in Salt Lake City, bills itself as a provider of modern warfare as a service, a deadly riff on the more widely known "as a service" model.
Laser-turret maker Aurelius Systemsplans to hire more people, build out its production lines and continue participating in U.S. military tests on the heels of a $10 million seed round.
Why it matters: The company is gaining traction as drone-counter-drone discussions, as well as talks about the sustainability of overhead defenses, reach a fever pitch.
The U.S. Air Force's F-47 will be be airborne "faster than normal," as maker Boeing is "positioned to go quickly," the head of its clandestine Phantom Works division said.
Why it matters: Everyone is watching this futuristic fighter project and what the final product means for Western airpower.
Millions of you, including my two boys, just started a new school year swamped by toxic politics, a tough job market, and tectonic AI shifts on campus and off.
It's easy to understand why stress, uncertainty and sadness are soaring.
Why it matters: I want to offer you a very different way to see the world awaiting you — one with a lot less impending doom. It's based on a belief I grow more certain of with each passing month:
Sierra, which builds custom AI agents for enterprise customer service, is nearing a deal for a $350 million financing round that values the two-year-old startup at $10 billion, a source tells Axios.
Why it matters: AI agents have been hot all year but the industry hasn't yet settled on a clear path for building and deploying them. Sierra is betting on a specialized approach optimized for support and customer service needs.
A federal appeals court reinstated Rebecca Slaughter, the Biden-appointed Federal Trade Commission commissioner whom President Trump fired, in a 2-1 decision on Tuesday.
The latest: The White House has indicated it will appeal the ruling in the Supreme Court.
