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Atmosfy, an app that helps you discover local businesses through short-from video, raises $12M on August 9, 2023 at 12:00 pm

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Atmosfy, an app that helps you discover restaurants and local businesses through short-form videos, has raised $12 million in seed funding led by Redpoint Ventures. The app lets you explore dining, nightlife, hotels and more by browsing quick videos from locals and visitors. Atmosfy is designed to give users a true sense of the atmosphere at a location and what it feels like to be there right now. The concept behind the app is essentially Yelp meets TikTok.

Founded in 2021, Atmosfy has video content in more than 10,000 cities across more than 150 countries. The app was founded by seventeen-year Air Force Captain Michael Ebel, who was previously the Global Program Manager for Meta’s operational machine learning initiatives.

Ebel told TechCrunch that he founded Atmosfy during the COVID-19 pandemic to support local businesses. As a former bartender, Ebel said he knew firsthand how challenging it is to promote a business and drive traffic. Ebel thought about a solution for these challenges in a modern, video-first world.

“I leaned heavily on my experiences from Meta, consulting, and the Air Force to visualize what a solution would look like,” Ebel said. “We realized we could help businesses by giving loyal customers the ability to share their experiences and inspire others to visit local businesses. We knew that real-time videos created by actual customers would persuade more folks to actually get out and support the courageous businesses that continued to serve their communities during turbulent times.”

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Atmosfy lets you see what’s happening near you and around the world. You can find what you’re looking for by filtering by hashtag, distance, cuisine, price and more. The app features a Spotlight City view that displays upcoming events near you and hidden local gems. It also includes the top locations across categories like cuisines, real-time deals and new places. Users can capture their experiences on a personal travel map, bookmark places they want to check out in the future and share recommendations with friends.

To post content to Atmosfy, users can record short videos of their experiences, add the business location and then upload them to the app. Once you have uploaded the video, you can add tags and descriptions.

“Everyone is already taking videos of their food, nightlife and group experiences,” Ebel said. “Atmosfy gives them a place to post their most authentic content in the moment without having to worry about creating the perfect video production. We continually hear from our users that they love that Atmosfy content is distinctly authentic, unvarnished, and in the moment.”

When Atmosfy first launched, it focused on dining, but the company quickly found that users also wanted to share their experiences at hotels and nightclubs. Ebel says users didn’t wait for Atmosfy to create more content categories, they naturally began to post outdoor experiences, hotel content and nightlife experiences. Ebel and the team realized that Atmosfy was about so much more than just food. Now, the app includes content from concerts, sports events, museums and parks.

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As for the new funding, Atmosfy plans to use it to invest in its technology, improve its personalization features and expand its offerings. In addition, the company plans to expand its team and bring on engineering, marketing and customer support talent. Atmosfy’s team currently includes former employees from Instagram, TripAdvisor, TikTok, OpenTable and Netflix.

The funding round included participation from Kygo, Streamlined Ventures, Industry Ventures, Canaan Partners, Village Global, Progression Fund and Convivialite Ventures.

“One of my favorite things about Atmosfy is its universal appeal. Everyone loves discovering new experiences, and people understand that written reviews don’t capture what it feels like to be there,” Ebel said. “Our authenticity and broad coverage enables us to capture a diverse user base that has one thing in common: they want to discover great places. We’re seeing folks consistently using Atmosfy as the first place they go to discover experiences either in their city and or when they’re traveling.”

In terms of the future, Atmosfy wants to be the first stop for people to find out where to go in their city and when they’re traveling. To do so, the company plans to enhance personalization and find more ways for local businesses to connect with users. Atmosfy plans to continue to heavily invest in AI, as it plays a huge role in the app’s personalization, curation and recommendations.

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​ Atmosfy, an app that helps you discover restaurants and local businesses through short-form videos, has raised $12 million in seed funding led by Redpoint Ventures. The app lets you explore dining, nightlife, hotels and more by browsing quick videos from locals and visitors. Atmosfy is designed to give users a true sense of the atmosphere 

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GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT RETURNS FOR ITS 5TH EDITION AT THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT – HOUSE OF LORDS, PALACE OF WESTMINSTER

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Theme: “People, Planet, and Profit in the Age of AI and Innovation”

London, United Kingdom — The Global Sustainability Summit (GSS) is officially back for its landmark 5th Edition, continuing its legacy as one of the leading international platforms driving sustainable development, climate action, ethical investment, innovation, and global collaboration.

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Convened annually at the prestigious British Parliament, House of Lords, Palace of Westminster, by Ambassador Canon Chinenem Otto, the Summit has, over the last four years, successfully fostered international dialogue and partnerships that have contributed to the advancement of global sustainability goals, the establishment of sustainability-focused ministries, departments and policy structures across national and subnational governments, and the attraction of major investors into sustainable development projects, corporations and emerging economies.

This year’s summit, themed “People, Planet, and Profit in the Age of AI and Innovation,” will explore how emerging technologies, responsible leadership, sustainable finance, innovation, and global partnerships can shape a more inclusive, resilient and environmentally conscious future.

The 5th Edition promises to be the most impactful yet, bringing together world leaders, policymakers, diplomats, investors, academics, innovators, climate experts and youth leaders from across the globe to discuss actionable solutions toward achieving a sustainable and equitable future.

Among the distinguished speakers, delegates and honorees already lined up for the Summit are:

• His Excellency Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq — Executive Governor of Kwara State, Nigeria and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum

• His Excellency Senator Prince Bassey Otu — Executive Governor of Cross River State, Nigeria

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• Ambassador Patricia Espinosa Cantellano — Former Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Former Foreign Minister of Mexico

• Lord Marvin Rees, Baron Rees of Easton OBE — Member of the House of Lords, United Kingdom

• Hon. Neema K. Lugangira — Secretary-General of Women Political Leaders (WPL), Brussels and Former Member of Parliament

• Her Excellency Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah — President of the Republic of Namibia

• His Excellency Nangolo Mbumba — Former President of Namibia

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• Former President of Tanzania

• Her Excellency Ambassador Professor Olufolake AbdulRazaq — First Lady of Kwara State, Nigeria and Chairperson of Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum

• Your Excellency Dr. Dikko Umar Radda, PhD, CON — Executive Governor of Katsina State and Chairman of the Northwest Governors Forum, Nigeria

• Hon. Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma — Governor of Khomas Region, Namibia

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• H.E. Mr. Veiccoh Nghiwete — High Commissioner of the Republic of Namibia to the United Kingdom

• Her Excellency Ms. Macenje “Che Che” Mazoka — High Commissioner of Zambia to the United Kingdom

• Ms. Danielle Newman — Partner Lead, ICT, World Economic Forum

• Leanne Elliott Young — Co-founder, Institute of Digital Fashion & CommuneEast

• Ms. Chloe Russell — Producer & Presenter, Art, Science and Nature

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• Professor Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger — University of Cambridge & University of Waterloo

• Dr. Alexandra R. Harrington — IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL)

• Professor Payam Akhavan — Massey College, University of Toronto

• Mr. Mallai C. E. Sathya — President, Dravida Vetri Kazhagam and International Movement for Tamil Culture Asia

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The Summit will feature high-level panel discussions, strategic investment conversations, sustainability awards, policy dialogues, innovation showcases, youth engagement sessions and international networking opportunities focused on climate resilience, ethical financing, food-water-energy sustainability, circular economy, artificial intelligence, diplomacy and sustainable development.

Speaking ahead of the Summit, Convener Ambassador Canon Chinenem Otto noted:

“As the world rapidly evolves through artificial intelligence and technological innovation, we must ensure that sustainability remains people-centered, environmentally responsible and economically inclusive. The Global Sustainability Summit continues to serve as a bridge connecting governments, institutions, innovators and investors to accelerate practical sustainability solutions globally. Our fifth edition is not only a celebration of progress made over the years, but also a renewed call for global collaboration and actionable impact toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and Net Zero ambitions.”

The Global Sustainability Summit continues to position itself as a catalyst for transformative partnerships and sustainable global progress, reinforcing the urgent need for collective action toward a more resilient and sustainable future.

More announcements regarding additional speakers, partners and summit activities will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

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US May Completely Cut Income Tax Due to Tariff Revenue

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President Donald Trump says the United States might one day get rid of federal income tax because of money the government collects from tariffs on imported goods. Tariffs are extra taxes the U.S. puts on products that come from other countries.

What Trump Is Saying

Trump has said that tariff money could become so large that it might allow the government to cut income taxes “almost completely.” He has also talked about possibly phasing out income tax over the next few years if tariff money keeps going up.

How Taxes Work Now

Right now, the federal government gets much more money from income taxes than from tariffs. Income taxes bring in trillions of dollars each year, while tariffs bring in only a small part of that total. Because of this gap, experts say tariffs would need to grow by many times to replace income tax money.

Questions From Experts

Many economists and tax experts doubt that tariffs alone could pay for the whole federal budget. They warn that very high tariffs could make many imported goods more expensive for shoppers in the United States. This could hit lower- and middle‑income families hardest, because they spend a big share of their money on everyday items.

What Congress Must Do

The president can change some tariffs, but only Congress can change or end the federal income tax. That means any real plan to remove income tax would need new laws passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. So far, there is no detailed law or full budget plan on this idea.

What It Means Right Now

For now, Trump’s comments are a proposal, not a change in the law. People and businesses still have to pay federal income tax under the current rules. The debate over using tariffs instead of income taxes is likely to continue among lawmakers, experts, and voters.

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Epstein Files to Be Declassified After Trump Order

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Former President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing federal agencies to declassify all government files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier whose death in 2019 continues to fuel controversy and speculation.

The order, signed Wednesday at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, instructs the FBI, Department of Justice, and intelligence agencies to release documents detailing Epstein’s network, finances, and alleged connections to high-profile figures. Trump described the move as “a step toward transparency and public trust,” promising that no names would be shielded from scrutiny.

“This information belongs to the American people,” Trump said in a televised statement. “For too long, powerful interests have tried to bury the truth. That ends now.”

U.S. intelligence officials confirmed that preparations for the release are already underway. According to sources familiar with the process, the first batch of documents is expected to be made public within the next 30 days, with additional releases scheduled over several months.

Reactions poured in across the political spectrum. Supporters praised the decision as a bold act of accountability, while critics alleged it was politically motivated, timed to draw attention during a volatile election season. Civil rights advocates, meanwhile, emphasized caution, warning that some records could expose private victims or ongoing legal matters.

The Epstein case, which implicated figures in politics, business, and entertainment, remains one of the most talked-about scandals of the past decade. Epstein’s connections to influential individuals—including politicians, royals, and executives—have long sparked speculation about the extent of his operations and who may have been involved.

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Former federal prosecutor Lauren Fields said the release could mark a turning point in public discourse surrounding government transparency. “Regardless of political stance, this declassification has the potential to reshape how Americans view power and accountability,” Fields noted.

Officials say redactions may still occur to protect sensitive intelligence or personal information, but the intent is a near-complete disclosure. For years, critics of the government’s handling of Epstein’s case have accused agencies of concealing evidence or shielding elites from exposure. Trump’s order promises to change that narrative.

As anticipation builds, journalists, legal analysts, and online commentators are preparing for what could be one of the most consequential information releases in recent history.

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