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After Elon Musk pulled back on $44bn deal to buy Twitter – what does it mean for M&As in 2022?

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The world’s richest person and Chief Executive Officer of Tesla – Elon Musk – stated on Friday 22nd of July that he was terminating his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter because the social media platform had failed to provide accurate user information regarding bot and fake accounts. Global M&A deal value reached the highest level on record in 2021, however, economic uncertainty, low valuations caused by high inflation and a rising cost of capital saw successful M&A deals drop 10% in Q1 of 2022 from the previous quarter. Although various surveys indicate optimism remains bullish towards the next 12 months, the number of mega deals (valued greater than $1 billion) has dipped by over a third. Trachet – business advisory and startup accelerator – highlights the fact that between 70-90% of deals fall through and that startups must be prepared and have enlisted the help of expert advisors to help get an M&A over the line.
 
As UK startups at many stages are experiencing an absence of funding, navigating a successful M&A has become their only alternative, particularly for those with a high cash burn. For those looking to navigate an exit, it is critical to consider the various factors that can cause a deal to fail. Aside from various regulatory challenges and cultural implications which hamper deals, in many occasions the factors that ensure a successful M&A are preparation and time. It usually takes at least 3-6 months to execute an M&A, from devising a step-by-step plan, identifying the right companies, and closing the deal. When there’s a forecasted cash flow issue this is the window for startups to develop the best possible terms for an exit strategy. If the business does not have a CFO but is predicting a negative cash flow cycle with the possibility that investors may pull their funding, hiring a CFO is crucial for conducting an M&A.

According to data from Deloitte, nearly two-thirds (63%) of businesses report that the success of their M&A was moderately or highly dependent on a successful transformation – often led by a senior level and external advisor. In order for startups to take advantage of the exit opportunities, Claire Trachet outlines the importance of bringing an experienced CFO or COO to implement transformational changes to working capital, reorganization, increasing cost reduction, and legal entity restructuring to secure the best deal possible.
 
Business advisor, Claire Trachet, CEO & Founder of Trachet comments on the VC pullback of 2022:
 
“As global funding continues to recede, it is the late-stage startups with a negative cash flow that have raised money at high prices, that are going to be the most compromised – the well of easy money has dried up.
 
“My best piece of advice in these challenging times is to assess end goals – perhaps in light of what’s happening, a better course of action may be to consider an exit, or conversely there may be another company worth acquiring to fortify and expand existing operations. The point is to keep moving forward, that means being diligent with the business’s working capital by optimising cash flow, reviewing the contracts you have with your clients and minimising accounts recievables. Applying this mentality to the whole of the organisation is going to be key in the next year, whether you’re entering a fundraising round or considering an exit – ideally startups should be doing both.”
 

Claire Trachet is also available to discuss the following points pertaining to the steps start up founders can take to navigate through their first recession:
 
•              The challenges that founders will face in trying to scale up over the next 18 months
•              The evolving nature of the start-up arena for the UK
•              Her experience in providing proper structure to scale-ups looking to secure finance or exit
About Trachet:

The Trachet advisory team has been helping founders accelerate growth since 2016, utilising decades of cross-industry experience as one of the only female-led teams in the sector. Trachet also firmly believes in the importance of sourcing and matching the right buyers for their clients. Their people-first approach ensures that the businesses and founders they work with are able to secure finance or complete deals in a way that allows the company to achieve their commercial growth goals while fulfilling their mission.

Trachet has significant experience of working across sub-sectors in Tech, such as CleanTech, DeepTech (AI, NLP, University spin-outs), TravelTech, FinTech, SaaS, marketplaces. Beyond Tech, they have provided their advisory services across a number of sectors including Chemicals, Infrastructure, Healthcare and Natural Resources.

How Buyers Can Navigate the Current Property Market: A Five-Step Guide

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A severe imbalance between supply and demand has driven house prices to the highest levels in almost two decades. Alongside this, soaring inflation, a record-breaking living squeeze, an energy crisis, and the repercussions of last year’s Stamp Duty Holiday have resulted in a ‘boom or bust’ rhetoric, further emphasised by contradictory advice from experts all across Britain. Earlier this month, house prices increased for the seventh consecutive time, while interest rates went up for the fifth time in June – and are expected to continue rising in the coming months.

In one of the toughest socio-economic periods and markets of British modern history, property concierge platform, Moveable, has created the definitive guide to help struggling buyers navigate the peaks and troughs of the ever-changing trends of the UK’s housing market. 

How to Beat the Competition:
As a buyer in today’s market, competition is one of the main factors holding back prospective buyers from securing a home. Because of this, demonstrating how prepared you are when looking to buy a property, and being ‘contract ready’, will always be an attractive feature for sellers. If you can approach the seller and validate that you have everything prepared – like having your mortgage agreed, conveyancer lined up, and if you’re selling a property, have that organised –  it can make you a more attractive buyer.

Some sellers won’t mind knocking the price down if buyers come in being contract-ready. Many people are looking to sell their property as quickly as possible due to various financial reasons – especially in the current economic climate – so if you have everything ready, it may result in the option to negotiate a lower price.

A Guide to Conveyancing
Research from The Law Society reveals that over a third of home-movers have limited knowledge when it comes to conveyancing, while one-in-four homebuyers are willing to pay more for a faster conveyancing experience due to lengthy delays. With a severe backlog within the process – fuelled by last year’s stamp duty rush – homebuyers are still facing significant delays in this area.

It is important to ensure that you’re well-prepared for this process – make sure you have money on account (around £400) before the conveyancing process begins, have proof of ID ready, check and provide your source of funds, remain proactive and communicate with your conveyancer, and don’t forget to apply for buildings insurance. Many home-movers lack the knowledge around conveyancing; therefore, being as prepared as possible could assist with shortening delays in this area.

Keep Your Eye Out for Regeneration Projects:
When looking for an area to buy in, be wary of any regeneration projects that are going on as a report from CBRE found that houses in these parts of the country enjoy almost 5% above the average price growth. This means that your home will likely grow in value after purchasing which could provide you with some much-needed spending power when moving to your next and potentially bigger property. This also represents a significant opportunity for any budding developers who are looking to flip their first home for a profit. Proprietary research from Moveable shows that a staggering 24% of millennials are looking to buy a home to develop, rather to live in, highlighting the desire amongst young Brits to capitalise on booming prices. 

Shared Property Ownership
Surging house prices and the turbulent nature of the housing market have noticeably shifted societal connotations when it comes to owning a property. As a result, fractional ownership amongst friends and family is serving as an innovative way of stepping onto the property ladder without breaking the bank. A study from Moveable found that over 1-in-10 Brits are buying a home together with their friends, siblings or family members, while a further 36% of millennials are waiting to get into a partnership/marriage before purchasing their first home – because they simply can’t afford it on their own. 

Owning a property as beneficial joint tenants means that the property belongs to both owners jointly. The tenants must act together as a single owner for all transactions, including re-mortgaging and selling. As joint tenants, the owners do not own specific shares in the property and do not have the ability to give away a share of the home in a will. If either owner passes away, their interest in the property passes automatically to the other party. 

You can also own the property as tenants in common, meaning that the property belongs to the owners jointly, but each owner also owns a specific share of its value. An owner can give away, sell, or mortgage their share, and if an owner dies, their share of the property passes to the beneficiary in their will.

Remortgaging to Release Equity:
A new study from Moveable has found that 1-in-5 millennials are looking to re-mortgage their home in order to buy a second one. Rising house prices are welcome news for those looking to remortgage as their loan to value (LTV) percentage decreases, meaning they can get a much more competitive deal than the one they were previously on. The number of borrowers using another stream of property income to pay off their mortgage almost doubled from 20% in 2020 to 38% last year, and those using it to pay off unsecured debt remained steady at around 27%. These trends were largely driven by the significant rise in the number of people releasing equity to not only lock in better interest rates, but also to access a larger pool of capital and secure a second property. 

Simon Bath, property expert and CEO of iPlace Global, the creators of Moveable, discusses how homebuyers can weight the odds in their favour amidst rising prices:

“Prospective buyers must take the time to understand the different aspects of the property market in order to secure a home given the current climate. Having all your ducks in a row will ultimately save you from overpaying by thousands, gain a significant advantage over your competitors, and prevent any delays that may occur.”

“Sellers will often choose a buyer that is ‘contract ready’, over and above someone who isn’t but is offering a higher purchase price. People should also ensure they’re on the lookout for up-and-coming areas, as this could provide an affordable purchase and mean your house significantly grows in value in the ensuing years. 

“Moveable understands the struggles of home-movers during this complicated time; our aim is to always provide assistance to anyone struggling with this process. That is why our service provides efficient and accessible resources such as simple reminders that you can sign up to throughout the whole process. Sometimes, services can be vague in providing certain details, meaning that buyers are often left in the dark until they are slapped with the bill at the end of the process. With house prices continuously shooting up, it is more important than ever to ensure that Brits are saving whenever they can so that they get the best possible deal.”

About Moveable:
Moveable is a property concierge platform designed to assist prospective homebuyers, movers, and sellers throughout the entire process. From property expert tips for ensuring a smooth and quick transaction, to price comparison technology for services such as skip hires and real-estate agents, Moveable guarantees that anyone looking to purchase, sell or move homes can do so within their given budget, with flexibility, and sufficient knowledge around the complicated process.

Fenbendazole is an anti-worm and anti-cancer medication.

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Fenbendazole is often used to treat parasitic worm illnesses in dogs. This anthelmintic medication’s origins may be dated back to the early 1970s.

Nonetheless, new research and case reports published in peer-reviewed journals support fenbendazole’s capacity to cure some of the most aggressive cancers in people. Fenbendazole’s ability to treat cancer is assumed to be due to some of the factors that set it apart from other cancer treatments:

  • As previously indicated, a number of scientific articles published in peer-reviewed publications exist to support and show Fenbendazole’s efficacy in healing several malignant tumours in people.
  • Fenbendazole, for example, has been shown to produce cancer regression in individuals suffering from large B-cell lymphoma, renal cell carcinoma, bladder cancer, and metastatic cancer.
  • Although fenbendazole has a few negative effects, it is deemed safe for human ingestion.
  • It is widely available in most nations and is inexpensive to produce.

If you read the piece “How Does Fenbendazole Work?” you will recall that we claimed that fenbendazole has anticancer activity comparable to plant alkaloids chemotherapies that also include taxol. It is also worth mentioning that due to fenbendazole’s unique mode of action and exceptional safety profile, its toxicity levels are significantly lower than those observed in standard chemotherapies.

Several research and associated findings have shown (through emergent patterns) that the start of various malignancies may be related or attributed to parasites, viruses, and other similar agents.

This may be the case more often than we realize, especially when cancer cells live in “conducive conditions inside the victim.” A favorable environment is characterized by a combination of weakened immunity and a specific genetic susceptibility.

As a consequence of the above, we strongly support the use of anti-lactate, anti-worm, anti-parasitic, and other pharmaceuticals for the comprehensive treatment of cancer, which will also allow for the inclusion of conventional cancer therapies.

Human Consumption of Fenbendazole

Unlike Mebendazole, which is often used in human therapy, Fenbendazole was not intended for human usage. Traditionally, it is used on animals that have parasites (like birds, fish, and other mammals). Fenbendazole has been used to treat parasitic worms including as hookworm, whipworms, roundworms, and various tapeworms.

Fenbendazole’s capacity to cure cancer was initially brought to the public’s notice some years ago via our published study, which was produced by brands such as Safe-Guard or Panacur. However, it has recently gained popularity as a consequence of the miraculous story of a man who was able to completely cure small cell lung cancer using Fenbendazole.

Following his cancer victory, a dedicated website and Facebook group were created to document his experience and the experiences of others who have benefited from the use of Fenbendazole in the treatment of cancers such as melanoma, stage four pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer, among others.

These results add to the current and growing scientific evidence demonstrating the promise of various cancer-fighting medicines in the benzimidazole family. As a consequence of these data, we think that fenbendazole, like mebendazole before it, has a significant cancer-fighting power.

Specific investigations have conclusively proven that fenbendazole is more effective than mebendazole in some circumstances. One such study found that fenbendazole is more successful than mebendazole and certain other drugs in treating Cryptococcus neoformans, a dangerous fungus that appears all over the globe and may cause Cryptococcus meningitis in people.

Moreover, among the countless scientific articles proving Fenbendazole’s cancer-fighting powers, one publication claims:

The findings, which are consistent with previous findings, indicate that Fenbendazole is a recent microtubule interfering agent with anti-neoplastic activity that could be investigated as a potential therapeutic agent due to the effect it has on several cellular pathways, resulting in the elimination of cancerous cells.

The researchers discovered that cancer-fighting devices not only break up the microtubule capacity and proteasomal interference of malignant cells, but they can also limit glucose absorption, which automatically blocks nutrition from reaching cancer cells. The drug suppressed the expression of GLUT4 – the glucose transporter isoform 4 – which is delivered to the plasma membrane through intracellular vesicles to a ready state for glucose absorption. This is accomplished by stimulating glucose absorption in cells through insulin. Fenbendazole disrupts the linear mobility of GLUT4, lowering insulin-stimulated sugar absorption.

Furthermore, since fenbendazole functions in the same manner as colchicine (through a location on tubulin), it does not compete with other Vinica alkaloids or other chemotherapies. It works in the same manner as other benzimidazole compounds. Fenbendazole enhances the anti-cancer efficacy of various cancer therapies such as radiation, surgery, berberine, dichloroacetate (DCA), and others.

A recent scientific paper suggests that fenbendazole (and similar medications) have the ability to reactivate the genome p53. In this sense, p53, also known as the Guardian of the Genome, acts as a tumor suppressor. It should be mentioned that in certain malignancies, this suppressing function is impaired.

Furthermore, the Nature paper stated that a fenbendazole and DCA combination is particularly effective.

Is Fenbendazole safe to use in humans?

While fenbendazole was originally used to treat parasitic worms in animals, one research published by the European Medicine Agency claims that people seem to tolerate Fenben following oral exposure (oral dosage (single) as high as 2,000 mg/person: 500 mg/person for 10 days straight).

Nonetheless, no critical investigation of lengthy exposure is currently available. Given that parasite infections take between 1 and 2 weeks to resolve, the lack of scientific proof of lengthy exposure is not unrelated to the kind of medicine.

Despite this, many patients have taken fenbendazole as prophylactic throughout the years in an attempt to control cancer recurrence. It is also useful in the treatment of tumors. The medication is known to be safe, and adverse effects are few, if at all.

How Much Do We Actually Spend on Our hobbies?

Hobbies play an incredibly important role in our lives, and without them, getting lasting fulfilment would be near-impossible. However, that’s not to say our relationships with them are always healthy. In some situations, our hobbies can begin to take presence over our real responsibilities, and this is where things can start to get a little troublesome.

In this article, we will be taking a look at how much we actually spend on our hobbies, as well as discussing how much is too much when it comes to our allocated budgets for our favourite pastimes.

Some Hobbies Are Most Expensive Than Others

Something that is incredibly important to mention when looking to decipher how much we spend on our hobbies is that some hobbies are much more expensive than others. Take gambling for example. Responsible gambling statistics reveal the truth of how much Brits spend on gambling, with the average british gambler spending about seventy pounds per week at their local casino.

This might not sound like all too much; but when you look at things with a long-term perspective, this number begins to add up into an unfathomably high figure. This is even more detrimental when you factor in that other hobbies can be done for absolutely free, making hobbies akin to gambling all the more devastating.

However, gambling is not the only expensive hobby. There are a myriad of popular hobbies out there that cost people thousands of pounds per year, and this is not only limited to wealthy individuals who actually have the excess income to indulge in such a passion.

One popular example would be gaming. There is a sizable portion of gamers out there that choose to spend upwards of a hundred pound a week on this common pastime. Online gaming has changed in a variety of ways; the games have become more expensive, free-to-play models entice people into spending more money on cosmetics than ever before, and the live-service strategy makes sure gamers are willing to fork out their precious cash for years to come.

This makes gaming one of the most expensive hobbies out there, and when taken to the extreme, this can easily hinder people financially. There are many other expensive hobbies out there, and gambling/gaming are certainly not the only two that deserve a mention. Alas, time constraints stop us from listing every expensive hobby out there. You will just have to use your imagination.

What Is The Average?

Surprisingly, data is actually a little shaky when it comes to the average amount that people are willing to spend on their hobbies. There certainly are interesting statistics available to us such as the time that people spend on their hobbies per week (four hours and twenty-nine minutes for men and two hours twenty nine minutes for women in the UK), but when it comes to the financial side, it looks as though this information is not widely-known.

Although, there are a few ranges that can give us an idea of what a healthy amount of spending looks like. Most experts agree that spending ten percent of your overall income on hobbies is a healthy figure if you are financially stable to begin with, and this number will give you enough leeway to enjoy your hobbies to the fullest extent.

Other statistics show that people believe spending eighty pounds a month on hobbies is more than reasonable, and this route might be better for those that are struggling financially or are looking to save/invest their capital.

However, once again, things begin to get a little confusing when you begin to factor in different hobbies. People in the UK state that spending fifty pounds per week on gambling is ‘too much’, and it would not be a stretch to say that these same people would agree that this figure would also apply to gaming.

Alternatively, other hobbies like fishing or camping are often seen in a much more positive light, and most agree that spending money on these pastimes is much more acceptable.

Why Spending On Hobbies Is Okay

Spending money on hobbies is not necessarily a bad thing. Hobbies are an important part of our lives, and without them, the menial workings of the day-to-day could easily become a little tedious. Hobbies provide us a great way to just have fun and relax, and spending money on them is certainly not a bad thing.

Just like all things, extremes are always to be avoided. However, if you have a healthy relationship with your hobby, you should feel zero guilt from splurging on your favourite pastime from time-to-time, and in reality, you are likely going to have higher life satisfaction if you let yourself indulge your passions on a regular basis.

Truth be told; hobbies are incredibly individual, and what’s okay for one person might not be okay for another. To give an example; if you happen to be extremely wealthy and want to splurge on an expensive PC, then this can be perfectly okay as long as you have the excess income to do so.

On the other hand, if you are struggling with finances, then spending your life savings on an unnecessary purchase is never going to bear fruit, and this is exactly why using your own judgement is absolutely vital when trying to balance your hobbies and your finances. We wish you the best of luck, and we hope you enjoy your favourite hobbies for years to come.

Are We Headed for a Global Recession?

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Since the start of the year, financial markets have been on a downward path, as investors price-in higher bond yields. The MSCI World index is down 17% since the start of the year. In the United States, the S&P 500, down 19% over the same period, is about to enter bear market territory.

Unusually, the fall in stocks and other risk assets occurred in tandem with the biggest fall on record in US government bonds, dating back to 1973. In an inflationary environment, which calls for higher interest rates, stocks and bonds are positively correlated. Gold prices and gold ETFs have edged lower too this year, as real rates have risen.

Earlier in the year, the International Monetary Fund revised its world economic growth forecasts downwards by 0.8 and 0.2 percentage points in 2022 and 2023. It also revised its inflation forecasts upwards sharly by 1.8 and 2.8 percentage points across advanced and developing economies in 2022.

TrustedBrokers.com, a Forex comparison service for traders, discusses strains that are now materialising across the world’s leading economies.

China

In China, where the country’s political leadership is pursuing a zero-Covid strategy, retail sales fell 11 per cent year on year in April, while industrial production was down 3 per cent. Home sales dropped more last month than in the early months of the pandemic, despite the People’s Bank of China loosening monetary policy to encourage borrowing and spending. Unemployment is now on the rise.

A slowdown in China is of concern because it accounts for 19 per cent of the world’s total output. A pullback in consumer spending and industrial production there has had a knock-on effect on demand for goods, services and commodities, affecting both Europe and emerging markets.

Europe

Europe is experiencing a cost of living crisis, brought about by higher energy and food prices in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. With inflation reaching 7.4 per cent in April, prices are rising faster than nominal wages in most Eurozone countries. The fall in real incomes is constraining spend and capping economic growth. This prompted the European Commission to issue one of its largest ever growth downgrades.

But the European Commission isn’t calling for a recession yet, and still expects unemployment to fall from 7.7 per cent in 2021, to 7.3 per cent this year and 7.0 per cent in 2023. However, the Commission also draws attention to adverse scenarios that could tip the Eurozone into a recession. These include further rises in energy prices or a halt in Russian gas supplies. The latter would hit Germany and Italy the hardest.

USA

The US job market is exceptionally tight, with the number of Americans on jobless rolls at its lowest since 1969. The shortage of workers has led to strong wage gains that are fanning inflation across the economy. The rise in prices beyond food and energy, across services and shelter, prompted the Federal Reserve to adopt a more hawkish policy stance.

Whilst few economists expect a recession in 2022, signs of a slowdown are mounting across economic sectors sensitive to interest rates. Used vehicle sales dropped 19% year-on-year in April, as buyers pushed back on high prices. Meanwhile, rising home prices and mortgage rates caused home sales to fall to their lowest since June 2020.

Earnings reports published last week by retail giants Walmart and Target show consumers swiftly shifting spend away from goods, towards services. Worryingly, they also show a fall in discretionary spend, as consumers have no choice but to spend more on groceries and energy. This is a negative for the US economy, which relies on a strong consumer.

Emerging markets

If the developed world’s challenge lies in adjusting to significantly higher prices, poorer countries face the almost insurmountable task of overcoming food and fuel shortages, at a time when the value of their US dollar-denominated debts is rising. The high cost of food was one of the driving forces behind the Arab Spring, which saw governments fall across the Middle East in the early 2010s. Protests have already erupted in Sri Lanka, Argentina and Peru over shortages and soaring prices, and more could follow.

A most uncertain outlook

Last week, the financial markets took fright too. The S&P 500 recorded its largest drop since June 2020: all 11 sectors of the index fell, with consumer discretionary and consumer staples taking the biggest hits.

Amongst investors’ fears, that China, whose spending helped support the world economy in the last global recession, is in deep trouble, with a large property debt overhang, and a zero-Covid strategy, which is bringing down the demand for, and supply of goods.

Questions around the world’s next growth engine remain unanswered, as the United States tightens monetary policy in an attempt to rein in inflation, and Europe faces its worst cost of living crisis in a generation.

Adam Clarke’s Business Success Story

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A business success story rarely starts on the day the enterprise earned its first client, nor does it begin on the moment its owner made their first million. Often, the greatest of these success tales go way back – when there was just a dream, a dreamer, and the trove of challenges that make everything seem impossible. At the end of the day, a great success story tells of dreamers who dared to make their dreams happen regardless. One such individual is Adam Clarke, Macropay’s founder and CEO.

Building the concept

While the company was technically established inside the four walls of Adam Clarke’s small living room back in 2013, it all truly began way back as a simple concept. It was a sixteen-year-old boy’s incessant dream to prove to the everyone that he is indeed the “Sales Champion of the World”.

True to his commitment, he began his journey to securing his title not just in his workplace then, but in the international scene as well.

 

Starting From Scratch

At a young age, he had a steadfast belief that the great technological revolution will usher in innumerable advancements in society. This foresight proved to be a massively successful prediction.

According to him, doing things his way “transcribed [his] passion into his work.” And true enough, his novel ideas would set his company apart from the rest, quickly growing to earn multimillion Euros in less than a decade.

 

Passion & Overcoming Challenges

Commitment should be at the core of every decision. While simple and seemingly easy to grasp, remaining true to the cause often becomes a daunting task as the journey progresses. However, keeping the vision steady towards the goal often becomes second nature if the passion is alive.

In the case of Macropay’s Adam Clarke, he was able to keep the fire burning by consciously following his passion in sales, refusing to be side-tracked by any challenges the world throws at him.

His journey was not a simple one to begin with. While it is true that more challenges came as the company grew exponentially larger, the obstacles made their first appearance way before the first success came to the scene.

 

Going Against the Grain

Adam was a neurodivergent individual diagnosed with ADHD at a young age. The condition prevented him from fitting in with traditional institutional education, making his growing years even more challenging.

However, by titling the lens a bit and viewing the whole ordeal in a different perspective, he was able to successfully turn his affliction into an asset. He harnessed his neurodivergence to always think outside the box, often deriving creative solutions from ideas way ahead of his time.

He used his hyper focused personality to lock on the target and pursue it to victory.

 

Adam Clarke and Scaling to Success

As great business stories often end, his tale does not conclude with just plain, old success. Of course, he is now making multimillion Euros through Macropay, attracting top talents worldwide, and leading the field into a more innovative future. However, the allure of the success story is not in reaching a success point.

Adam Clarke’s success story ends with even greater potential. As he scales his business to new territories and explore foreign markets, Macropay is setting the stage for bigger and better operations.

WILL LIV GOLF BECOME THE WORLD’S BIGGEST TOUR?

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As reported by many golf experts, this is a turbulent period in golf, with player defections from the PGA Tour to a rival series of events, following sanctions, the elephant in the room regarding Saudi sponsorship, and the realisation that this is the new future. The LIV Golf International Series began outside of London on Thursday, and if you can separate yourself from all of the chaotic elements that surround it, the event itself went rather well. But are you sure you’re up to date on all of this craziness? If not, we’re here to dissect this game series and tell you all you need to know about it.

WHAT DOES LIV STAND FOR, AND WHAT IS LIV GOLF?

It is the Roman numeral for 54, the number of holes played at LIV games, and the golf score if a golfer birdied every hole on a par-72 course. In October 2021, it was announced that a new golf series will be authorised by two-time major winner Greg Norman, the CEO of the new golf organisation LIV Golf Investments, which bills itself as “Golf, but Louder.” 

The LIV Golf International Tournament is an eight-event golf tournament series that includes, as previously stated, 48 players, 12 teams, 54 holes, no cuts, and shotgun starts. For each of the seven regular-season events, there will be squad and solo champions, with a team title to be given following a four-day, four-round tournament in which the teams will be ranked in a knock-out playoff scenario.

HOW MUCH MONEY IS AT STAKE?

A lot. In the 2022 season, a massive $255 million is up for grabs. The rewards for the seven regular-season events total $25 million, with the individual champion receiving $4 million and the winning team receiving $3 million. The prize money for the group championship has increased to $50 million, with the winning team receiving a sizzling $16 million. The regular season champion will get $18 million, with second place receiving $8 million and third place receiving $4 million.

WHO HAS SIGNED UP FOR THE LIV GOLF TOUR?

Each week, the grounds and squads are subject to change, but the rebel tour’s big names include former World No.1 and two-time Major champion Dustin Johnson, six-time Major champion Phil Mickelson, four-time Major champion Brooks Koepka, 2020 US Open winner Bryson Dechambeau, Masters champions Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia, and Charl Schwartzel, former Open champions Henrik Stenson and Louis Oosthuizen, three-time PGA Tour winner Jason Kokrak, and Ryder Cup star Lee Westwood. 

Other talents said to be interested in leaving the PGA Tour, and DP World Tour for Liv Golf in the near future include Cameron Smith, Adam Scott, Marc Leishman, and Bubba Watson. College athletes are also involved. Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra, the world’s second-ranked amateur, stated earlier this year that he would continue his studies at Oklahoma State for another year. He became professional last week to join LIV Golf. David Puig, a rising senior from Arizona State, competed in the inaugural event as an amateur as well.

WHAT ARE THE LIV GOLF SERIES TOURNAMENTS LIKE?

This is when the Series shines most for players. Championships will be conducted over three rounds (54 holes) with no cut, ensuring that every participant receives a large payout ($120k for finishing last!). It’s a stroke play event, but unlike DP World and PGA Tours tournaments, each round will begin with a shotgun start, which means everyone will tackle the course in the same circumstances and at the same time – no more early or late tee times. You can understand why it’s an appealing offer for many gamers.

FINAL THOUGHTS: 

As soon as you come through the doors of a LIV Golf International Series tournament, you see it on the signs surrounding the walkway: 48 players, 12 teams, 54 holes, no cuts, shotgun starts. On the surface, that’s the selling pitch for the Greg Norman-led, Saudi-funded golf circuit that’s threatening the PGA Tour and upending professional golf as we recognise it.

But the most pressing topic on everyone’s mind is whether or not the LIV Golf Series will continue. It’s tough to say for sure, but the money is there, more big-name players are joining up, and the rest of golf is finding it more challenging to disregard Liv Golf, even if they wish they could. However, golf has found itself in an unexpected predicament that has cast considerable doubt on the game’s survival due to its controversies and PGA and DP world tour bans. 

An invitation for ambitious health startups: Kilo Health starts offering funding opportunities

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Kilo Health, the 2nd fastest growing company in Europe according to The Financial Times TOP 100 ranking, has declared the launch of its partnership program Kilo Ventures. This program’s main aim is to help startups scale and accelerate their products. 

Over the last year, Kilo Health has already invested more than 2 million euros in health tech startups Pulsetto, Medical Score, Tyler.Health, and Revolab. These companies received not only capital but also complete in-house research, marketing knowledge, innovation, and staff support.

“Our goal is to provide opportunities for promising companies to scale or accelerate in the market by combining our extensive industry know-how and resources. The market is changing very rapidly, and if you want to be ahead of your competitors, you need to scale fast,“ says Goda Mikocionyte, manager of the Kilo Ventures program. 

The companies that want to qualify for the Kilo Ventures program will need an established product, a registered company, customer attraction, and a desire to scale. Generally, it can be both early or late-stage startups creating products in the digital health and wellness field.

Kilo Health seeks to be the main strategic partner and provide not only the capital for growth but also all the resources necessary for business development and scaling. The company has an in-house marketing agency, R&D department, 600+ experts, and 8 years’ worth of experience launching new products in the industry. 

“Most VCs have very high expectations, want the results fast, and usually do not provide any support. We are looking to make a massive impact and fully support entrepreneurial minds since a close work environment is key,” explains Mikocionyte.

2021 was the record year for digital health and wellness startups. According to the CBInsights report, the industry has grown by 79% and has received $57.2 billion in funding.

The ultimate guide to budget-friendly TVs

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Nothing should attenuate the excitement of new TV day, least of all a tight budget. A few years ago, even a sizeable chunk of pocket change would only afford you a mid-range sized TV with a couple of bells and whistles on. Today, not so.

Whether it’s size, quality or smart capabilities you’re after – with many big TVs for under £1000 and even options for the best 65 inch TV – even on a tight budget you still have plenty of options to choose from. Many budget TVs feature all of the above, but some may specialise in a particular quality.

With this in mind, you might want to consider what aspect of a TV is most important to you, then choose accordingly. To help you out, we’ve broken down some of the key features with a few examples, too.

Size

If it’s size you’re looking for, then a little cash can go a long way. Note, size does not always correlate with a better experience – we recommend measuring out the intended watching distance in inches and divide roughly by two to find the perfect size TV. However, if you just want to go big, why not go for a 65”?

The Hisense 50A7GQTUK features a QLED panel supporting energy and fluidity in the picture with the help of Dolby Vision. This is a top-quality wide screen TV available for under £600. Want to go even cheaper? The Philips 65PUS7556/12 is another 65” ultra-HD TV available for under £450.

Picture quality

Most large screen TVs offer ultra-HD displays, including the budget options, too. If size isn’t the be all and end all when it comes to your TV consideration, then there are plenty of smaller TVs offering great display performance for less money.

For example, the Samsung Frame QLED TV is a 32” inch model bringing style elegance to the living room as well as 4K detail, all for under £370. This TV is unique as it switches between a conventional television and a piece of digital artwork at the touch of a button, with the body of the unit designed to carry it as such.  

Alternatively, the Samsung TU7100 is a 43” UHD 4k Smart TV with a picture quality among the best of its class. This size TV would suit any medium size living room, and all for under £320.

Sound quality

There are also plenty of budget options for great sound quality. The JVC LT-55CF810 is a 55” Smart 4K TV supporting Dolby Atmos – virtual surround sound technology with multidimensional capabilities for the most immersive sound experience. This TV is packed with features and available for under £300 in its 55” configuration.

If you want to go even cheaper, then the Hisense A6G is a 43” smart TV model supporting Dolby Atmos surround sound for just £229.00 – a complete bargain.

What is the best thing about WildTornado?

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If you have previous experience with online casino games, we can safely say that you’re familiar with the bonuses. In fact, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that bonuses are one of the main attractions for most players.

The best online casinos design the best bonuses to draw in more players as well as to retain the existing ones. Different operators take different approaches to make their platforms better than the competition.

In this post, let’s take all kinds of casino bonuses for a spin. We’re also going to look at Wild.Tornado casino bonuses in Ireland to contextualize the materials. Let’s go!

Different Types of Online Casino Bonuses

Before we go into the specifics of the bonuses, you need to know that there are no concrete rules or structure that distinguishes between them. What you’re about to read in this section is the result of years of experience in the industry.

Deposit Bonuses

For the most part, all online casino bonuses are deposit bonuses. The “deposit” bit means that you need to deposit first to become eligible for a bonus. Moreover, the actual bonus amount is also associated with the deposit amount.

A welcome bonus is probably the most common example of a deposit bonus. Almost all the best online casinos in the world including WildTornado.casino offer a welcome bonus. In most cases, it’s a 100% match on your first deposit.

It simply means if you deposit €100 in your account the very first time, the casino online will match it and credit another €100 to your account. As a result, you can play the games with a €200 bankroll.

Now, “100%” is a very arbitrary number. We used it in our example because it’s the most common type of deposit match bonus. It can also be any other number the operator sees fit. We’ve seen up to 1000% bonuses in this gaming industry too!

The bottom line is, that every type of bonus you get after you make a deposit is categorized as a deposit bonus.

No Deposit Bonus

As we started the list with deposit bonuses, it’s only normal that we’re going to move to no deposit bonuses now. According to the name, they’re exactly the opposite of deposit bonuses. You get them for absolutely free!

Most no deposit casino online bonuses are offered during sign up. As the player acquisition is the primary goal for more operators than not, a no deposit sign up bonus is the perfect hook for new players.

You may get gaming credits or free spins as part of these promotions. If you’re not familiar with free spins, don’t worry because we’re about to explore it next.

Apart from the sign up, players may receive no deposit bonuses anytime during their adventures. Again, it comes down to how the operator of the casino online has designed the bonus policy.

Free Spins

Free spins can be both deposit bonuses and no deposit bonuses. It’s one of the most universal bonuses in terms of acquisition method. But the drawback is that you can only use free spins on slot games. It means table games like Roulette, Baccarat, Poker, or Blackjack as well as live dealer games don’t come under the umbrella of free spins.

If it’s a deposit bonus, you’ll first need to make a minimum deposit. For example, “deposit at least €20 to get 50 free spins” could be an offer. Some operators may even offer higher spins count if you deposit more.

Cashbacks

In our opinion, these casino online bonuses don’t get the love they deserve. Maybe the fact that very few operators offer them is one of the reasons. Nonetheless, cashback bonuses help you recoup some of the real money losses you incur in a specific period.

From what we’ve seen, most cashback bonuses are offered on a weekly basis. If you lose a minimum amount during the week, the casino will return some of those losses. The percentage usually goes up to 20. Then again, it’s totally up to the operator how it wants to offer the cashback.

The biggest benefit of cashbacks over any other type of bonus is that you don’t have to wager it. Whatever amount you get, it’s directly credited to your real money account and is ready for withdrawal.

Terms and Conditions for the Best Online Casino Bonuses

Any discussion about casino bonuses is not complete without discussing the associated terms. Every single bonus has its own set of rules and regulations that players must adhere to. Otherwise, you won’t get the bonus.

In this section, let’s go over the universal terms and conditions for the bonuses.

  • Wagering Requirements: Wagering requirements will be part of every single bonus you get, except for cashbacks, maybe. It’s “maybe” because some operators offer cashbacks based on your total deposits. In that case, it won’t be free from wagering. WR essentially refers to how many times you have to play through a bonus before withdrawal. For a €100 bonus pegged with 30x wagering, you’ll need to spend €3,000 before the withdrawal. For free spins, the WR is for the winnings you generate. For other bonuses, it’s on the bonus amount.
  • Max Bet: When you’re completing the wagering requirements, you can’t place massive bets to finish it quickly. Because you’re bound by the max bet restrictions. In most cases, it ranges between €5 and €10. The casino in question, Wild Tornado, restricts your maximum bet value to €1 for the welcome bonus.
  • Game Eligibility: This term is especially true for free spins but other ones may also have restricted game access. It means you can’t use the bonus on games other than the ones the casino has predetermined. For free spins, they’ll only show up when you launch the right game. For other games, you can only spend from your real money account.
  • Expiry Date: None of the bonuses you get will remain in your account forever. They’ll expire. Make sure you complete the wagering as well as any other requirements before the bonus expires.

Conclusion

At this point in our guide, you know pretty much everything there is to know about the casino online bonuses. At least, the basics. Keep in mind that you’ll come across very different bonuses in real life but they all will belong to the categories we’ve listed.

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