Emily Fontaineengages with VC firms, startups, and portfolio companies every day, she told Business Insider, and she knows what she wants from them.
As IBM’s global head of venture capital, Fontaine leads IBM Ventures, which partners with companies working on everything from quantum computing to artificial intelligence to cybersecurity. She said she wants to connect with 800 startups worldwidethis year.
“We’ve got a really good formula for that,” Fontaine said on how she decides whether to invest. “Our mission is super clear: accelerate enterprise innovation with emerging technologies that are delivering real business value.”
Fontaine said she evaluates investments based on “five key pillars.”
Strategic fit
As the head of a corporate ventures arm, Fontaine said it’s important to back startups that align with IBM’s broader goals.
“We want to back companies with a differentiated vision that’s aligned to major trends and IBM’s long-term strategy,” she told Business Insider.
While once known as a hardware giant, IBM has recently started focusing on AI and hybrid cloud. Fontaine oversees the company’s $500 million Enterprise AI fund.
Technology and product
Fontaine’s next evaluative pillar focuses on the product itself: “Are these breakthrough solutions? Are they exceptional quantum quality? Is this technology fantastic?”
Market and competition
Beyond considering the actual technology, Fontaine said she thinks about a startup’s financial viability, like the total addressable market and “strong tailwinds,” or whether industry trends are favorable.
“Is there clear white space for leadership?” she asked, referencing a company’s ability to fill a gap in the market.
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Team
Fontaine described herself as a collaborative leader. She said she goes to the office as much as possible and encourages her team members to do the same. Twice a week, she blocks out her whole team’s calendar for dedicated collaborative time.
The same focus on teamwork applies to the startups she backs, which, for one, need “high-quality founders with deep domain expertise.”
“But even more so — as we do not lead deals, we co-invest alongside top-tier VCs — you have to think about who’s on the cap table?” Fontaine said. “Is that a cap table you believe in?”
A cap table — or capitalization table — is a document that outlines investors’ equity stakes in a startup.
Financial discipline
Ambition is great, but Fontaine said she’s also focused on making sure a startup has reasonable financial goals.
“Do they have realistic milestones? Do they have scalable models?” she said.
Pre-order sales of Apple’s new iPhone 17 series have got off to a robust start in China, shattering previous records despite delays in the shipment of the iPhone Air.
In the first minute after pre-orders began at 8pm Friday local time, sales on JD.com – one of China’s largest online shopping platforms – surpassed the first-day pre-order volume of last year’s iPhone 16 series, according to the e-commerce operator. The standard iPhone 17 with 256GB of storage emerged as the most popular variant, JD.com said.
Those numbers excluded the iPhone Air, the company’s thinnest model ever, as its release has been postponed while Apple works with Chinese authorities to resolve regulatory issues over the use of an embedded SIM.
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Amid overwhelming demand for the iPhone 17 series, customers reported difficulties accessing the pre-order page on Apple’s website, according to a report on Friday from Chinese media outlet The Paper.
A billboard featuring JD.com’s logo in Beijing. Photo; Reuters alt=A billboard featuring JD.com’s logo in Beijing. Photo; Reuters>
One customer, who successfully secured a new handset for delivery on the September 19 launch date, said it took five minutes for the site to process payments. All time slots for picking up the iPhone 17 Pro Max in person at launch from Apple outlets in Shanghai were booked within 20 minutes.
As of Saturday morning, anyone in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, looking to buy any variant of the iPhone 17 series faced a waiting period extending to October 15, Apple’s website showed.
The high demand underscores Apple’s strong brand loyalty in China and the appeal of the latest generation of iPhones, despite growing competition in the premium smartphone segment from local competitors like Huawei Technologies, according to analysts.
“Apple has astutely segmented its product line-up, ensuring each model appeals to distinct user needs,” said Nabila Popal, senior research director at market research firm IDC. “Collectively, these devices will drive a robust wave of new purchases for the company.”
Earlier this month, consultancy TrendForce projected that global shipments of the iPhone 17 series would be 3.5 per cent higher than those of last year’s iPhone 16 line-up, with the Pro series remaining the primary sales driver.
The iPhone Air, which replaced the Plus model in this year’s launch, is expected to sell even better. IDC anticipated that the iPhone Air would contribute to well over 5 to 7 per cent of Apple’s global shipments of its Plus models.
Still, the US tech giant faces strong competition from local brands in the Chinese market. Domestic rivals, especially Huawei, are set to aggressively target the high-end segment at Apple’s expense, according to Counterpoint Research senior analyst Ivan Lam.
In the second half of 2025, “iPhone sales in China will stumble amid weak consumer spending … and tepid iPhone 17 upgrades won’t spark demand”, he said in July.
Just days before Apple unveiled the iPhone 17 on Tuesday, Huawei introduced its latest flagship device, a second-generation trifold smartphone, while Xiaomi moved up its Xiaomi 16 launch, originally scheduled for October, to late September.
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Real Madrid are reportedly set to be without defender Antonio Rudiger for two-and-a-half months in a huge blow for the Spanish giants. Xabi Alonso’s side confirmed on Friday that the Germany international was set for a spell on the sidelines with a thigh injury suffered in training. Rudiger has been plagued by a number of fitness issues in what has been a difficult past year for the centre-back.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed on Saturday to continue responding to terrorism in the country with “full force” after 19 soldiers were martyred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) earlier said that 12 soldiers were martyred while security forces killed 13 terrorists during an intense fire exchange in KP’s South Waziristan district. It added that the 13 terrorists were among 35 “khwarij belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij” killed in two separate engagements from September 10 to 13. It later said seven more soldiers were martyred on Thursday in Lower Dir.
The state uses the term Fitna al Khwarij to refer to terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). It has also designated Balochistan-based groups as Fitna-al-Hindustan to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan.
Radio Pakistan reported that PM Shehbaz and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir later visited Bannu and attended a high-level meeting on counter-terrorism. It added that they also participated in the funeral prayers of the South Waziristan operation martyrs.
“The prime minister reaffirmed that Pakistan’s response to terrorism will continue with full force and made it clear that no ambiguity or compromise will be tolerated. He said terrorist leaders and facilitators responsible for attacks in Pakistan are operating from Afghan soil with the backing of India.
“The prime minister stated that the Afghan interim government has been clearly told to choose between supporting the khwarij or stand with Pakistan. He highlighted the involvement of infiltrated Afghan nationals in terrorist incidents and stressed the urgent need for the repatriation of illegal Afghan residents currently living in Pakistan,” the report stated.
The prime minister further said that Pakistan rejected “politicisation and misleading narratives” on the issue of terrorism.
PM Shehbaz warned that “anyone facilitating or advocating” for terrorists or “acting as proxies for India” was essentially their agent and would be “dealt with accordingly”.
The report said the prime minister praised the “unity and resilience” of the nation, particularly the people of KP, for “standing like Banyanum Marsoos (a wall fortified with lead) with the state and armed forces against the Indian proxies”.
The premier affirmed that the government would immediately implement all necessary administrative and legal measures to ensure a more effective response to terrorism.
The report said PM Shehbaz and Field Marshal Munir also visited the injured at Bannu Combined Military Hospital. They also received a detailed briefing on the regional security situation by the Peshawar Corps commander.
Pakistan has lately been witnessing an uptick in terrorist activities, mainly in KP and Balochistan. In November 2022, the TTP, after breaking a ceasefire deal with the government, had vowed to escalate attacks against the security forces, the police, and other law enforcement agencies’ personnel.
Earlier this month, six soldiers were martyred, while five terrorists were killed as security forces thwarted an attack on the Federal Constabulary (FC) Headquarters in the Bannu district.
In response, the military has intensified its counter-terrorism operations. From September 9 to 10, security forces killed 14 “Indian-sponsored khwarij” in KP’s Mohmand district, four in North Waziristan, and one in Bannu district, according to the ISPR.
Yesterday, the ISPR said troops had also killed four “Indian-sponsored terrorists” during an IBO in Balochistan’s Mastung.
Last month, security forces gunned down 50 terrorists over a four-day operation, foiling an attempt by militants to cross over from Afghanistan into Balochistan.
KP operations
In an “encounter that took place in South Waziristan District, 13 more khwarij were neutralised by the security forces. However, during intense fire exchange, twelve brave sons of soil, having fought gallantly, paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat (martyrdom)”, the ISPR said.
The military’s media affairs wing further said that 22 “Indian-sponsored khwarij were sent to hell” in Bajaur after an intense fire exchange during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) conducted by the security forces.
“Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from Indian-sponsored killed khwarij, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in these areas,” the statement added.
“Intelligence reports have unequivocally confirmed physical involvement of Afghan nationals in these heinous acts. Besides, [the] use of Afghan soil against Pakistan by Fitna al Khawarij terrorists continues to remain a grave point of concern,” the military further noted.
“Pakistan expects the interim Afghan government to uphold its responsibilities and deny use of its soil for terrorist activities against Pakistan,” it added.
Pakistan has long maintained that it faces a persistent threat from militant groups operating out of Afghanistan, including the TTP and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which was recently designated by the US State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation.
The ISPR asserted: “Sanitisation operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored khwarji found in the area, as the security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of Indian-sponsored terrorism from the country and such sacrifices of our brave men further strengthen our resolve.”
PM Shehbaz earlier lauded the security forces for eliminating the 35 terrorists in the two operations and paid tribute to the 12 martyred soldiers who “fought with bravery”, APP reported, citing a press release from the PM Office.
The premier prayed for the martyrs’ high ranks and expressed his condolences to the bereaved families. He said that in the fight against terrorism, the security forces were “standing like a solid rock” and the entire nation paid tribute to them.
The prime minister also reiterated the government’s resolve to eradicate terrorism of all kinds from the country.
The ISPR later said that seven more soldiers were martyred in an operation in Lower Dir on Thursday when security Forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in the general area of Lal Qilla Maidan based on the reported presence of TTP terrorists.
“During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location, and after an intense fire exchange, ten Indian sponsored khwarij were sent to hell.”
The ISPR said Naik Abdul Jalil, 39, resident of North Waziristan; Naik Gul Jan, 38, resident of Lakki Marwat; Lance Naik Azmat Ullah, 28, resident of Lakki Marwat; Sepoy Abdul Malik, 28, resident of Khyber; Sepoy Muhammad Amjad, 27, resident of Malakand; Sepoy Muhammad Dawood, 23, resident of Swabi and Sepoy Fazal Qayum, 21, resident of Dera Ismail Khan “fought gallantly” and were martyred while “saving precious lives of innocent civilians, who were made hostage by Indian sponsored khawrij”.
The ISPR further said: “Intelligence reports have unequivocally confirmed physical involvement of Afghan nationals in these heinous acts. Pakistan expects the Interim Afghan Government to uphold its responsibilities and deny its soil for terrorist activities against Pakistan.”
It added that a sanitisation operation was being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area. “Security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of Indian sponsored terrorism from the country and such sacrifices of our brave men further strengthen our resolve.”
BMW iX3 electric car (Photo by MICHAELA STACHE/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
Chinese vehicles dominated the Munich Auto Show, but the locals could take some comfort and pride from the debuts of local manufactuer BMW’s next-generation Neue Klasse technology, and a new Mercedes.
The first iteration of the new technology is the all-electric BMW iX3, said to deliver about 30% more range and 30% faster charging. This technology and design will be used for over 40 new or updated models across EV and ICE models. Professor Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer’s Center for Automotive Research says this and the new Mercedes engineering are crucial to winning sales in China and against the Chinese in Europe.
The proper name for the show is IAA Mobility 2025, short for Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung. French auto consultants Inovev lists the participants in its report saying of the 29 carmakers present, 10 are European and 14 Chinese.
Along with the BMW iX3, Mercedes also makes a big splash with the next-generation GLC midsize SUV EV which will have an 800-volt electric charging system and range of about 435 miles. Volkswagen introduced the new T-Roc small SUV and the near-production version of the little EV, the ID.2, which will be known as the ID.Polo.
XPeng P7 (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Leading Chinese contenders were BYD, the world’s biggest maker of EVs, Stellantis affiliate Leapmotor, and Xpeng. The European Union last year imposed big tariffs on Chinese EVs, but given their alleged 30% efficiency advantage, sales are still likely to accelerate. BYD is introducing its Seal 06 DMI station wagon and Seal U SUV. Leapmotor is showing the BO5, an EV hatchback said to compete with the VW ID.3. Xpeng has the new electric P7 sedan.
Meaningless names
Many of the 14 Chinese names will mean nothing to Europeans. Chery launched its Omoda and Jaecoo brands in Germany at the show. Guangzhou Automobile Group unveiled its Aion V compact SUV and Aion UT compact hatchback.
Stella Li, vice-President of BYD. (Photo by TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
The Chinese are also concentrating on plug-in hybrids, which don’t carry the same penal tariffs as pure EVs, and which may have a long-term future if the EU decides to dilute its carbon dioxide emissions regime. The rules currently demand new cars from 2035 must emit zero CO2.
If these Chinese carmakers are to become household names in Europe there will have to be massive and expensive advertising campaigns, not to mention even more pricey investments in dealer networks.
Michael Dunne of the Dunne Insights newsletter points out that Chinese carmakers hold nearly 6% of the total European market, and 10% of EV sales.
Laughable knockoffs
The Chinese first started trying to sell cars in Europe in the early 2000s, but the quality was poor and the designs often laughable European knockoffs.
Dunne says all that has changed, except the competitive prices.
“Even with European tariffs in place, Chinese models often remain cheaper while offering longer range, faster charging, and sophisticated software. Meanwhile, Chinese brands are opening R&D centers in Munich, building stores across Europe and partnering with local players to look and feel European,” Dunne said.
The electric urban cruiser Alumi. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)
Getty Images
BMW expects its Neue Klasse engineering to fight off the challenge from China both there and in Europe, according to the Center for Automotive Research’s Dudenhoeffer.
“The New Class isn’t just a vehicle, but a completely new vehicle architecture for future BMW electric models. The four central computer chips – called Domain Controllers by engineers – that control the vehicle are interesting. BMW somewhat heroically calls these “super brains.”
“The acid test for vehicles based on the New Class architecture will be China. China is by far the largest car market in the world and the home of the electric car. If BMW can reverse the trend there, it will be a huge leap,” he said.
Boosting electric cars in Europe
Dudenhoeffer said the new Mercedes GLC is very significant too, for similar reasons.
Oliver Blume, CEO of the Volkswagen Group in front of an ID.Polo. (Photo by TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
“This step fits in with what Mercedes is showing in Munich with the new GLC, featuring an 800-volt battery system and a 700-kilometer (435 miles) range. The GLC is the best-selling Mercedes, so it will be exciting to see how the Chinese version is received. And of course, VW too, with the ID.Polo, which will give electric cars a new boost in Europe. So the Germans have something to show in Munich, and we can be proud of that,” Dudenhoeffer said.
Do they make dentures for sharks? In the future, they might need to, with recent research suggesting that sharks may lose their deadly bite to ocean acidification.
Shark teeth are the envy of the animal kingdom: they’re sharp and constantly growing. When one tooth falls out, the next is ready to spring up in its place. This dental regeneration is vital to sharks’ survival as they (obviously) rely on their fearsome teeth to catch prey.
Yet, despite being made of highly mineralized phosphates and highly adapted to slicing and gnashing, shark teeth are vulnerable to corrosion, says biologist Maximilian Baum from Heinrich Heine University in Germany. Especially as ocean acidification continues to increase due to anthropogenic carbon emissions.
Related: Ocean Acidity Has Reached Critical Levels, And We’re All Under Threat
The oceans are an effective carbon sink, absorbing about 30 percent of the carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere. But as atmospheric CO2 increases, more of it ends up in the seas. Reacting with seawater, it increases the concentration of hydrogen ions, dropping the pH and leading to ocean acidification.
Additionally, this causes carbonate ions to become less available, affecting the construction of seashells and coral, disrupting aquatic ecology, and adversely affecting a range of sea creatures from shellfish and sea urchins to corals and plankton.
Currently, the average global ocean pH is 8.1, on par with baking soda, for a fun fact. Yet by the year 2300, it’s forecast to drop to 7.3, becoming almost 10 times as acidic as it is today.
To ascertain the effects of future ocean acidification on shark teeth, researchers collected more than 600 naturally discarded teeth from blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) from the Sealife Oberhausen aquarium in Germany.
Blacktip reef sharks are a vital part of tropical coral reef environments, and their multiple rows of teeth are in constant contact with seawater. Since these sharks employ a passive breathing system, they must swim with their mouths open to help pass oxygen-rich water through their gills.
The researchers then incubated the 16 most immaculate discarded teeth in separate tanks of artificial seawater, one with a pH of 8.2 and one with a pH hovering at 7.3, comparable to forecasted future ocean conditions.
Comparison of shark teeth incubated in tanks of artificial seawater with a pH of 8.2 and 7.3, showing visible degradation in more acidic (pH 7.3) conditions. (Steffen Köhler)
Teeth that had been incubated in more acidic conditions displayed a significant increase in cracks and holes. Every part of the tooth was negatively impacted: acidification caused corrosion of the crowns, degradation of the roots, and often a loss of fine detail in the serrations.
Interestingly, the teeth increased in average circumference, especially at higher pH levels. The authors say that it reflects an increase in irregularities, rather than an actual expansion of the teeth.
The uptick in irregularities could theoretically improve cutting efficiency (serrations are basically irregularities), but it also leaves them weaker and more susceptible to breaking.
Microscopic view of a shark’s tooth incubated in water with a pH of 7.3 for 8 weeks, demonstrating the effects of acidic corrosion. (Steffen Köhler)
These results have profound implications for many marine animals, including sharks, who are already threatened by overfishing.
Acidification may also lead to reduced growth rates and increased nutritional requirements, which will be hard to meet with weaker teeth. Other types of sharks may face lower hatching rates or reduced chemoreceptor sensitivity in a more acidic ocean.
Corrosion could also degrade sharks’ dermal denticles, which cover their bodies and functionally act like scales, though they’re like teeth in composition. These scales offer both protection as well as increased hydrodynamics, and as they corrode, sharks could lose some of their movement efficiency and therefore face even more energy costs.
Related: World’s Oceans on Verge of Being Too Acidic to Sustain Life, Scientists Warn
Overall, this study further highlights the effects of climate change as surprisingly comprehensive, unexpected, and hard to predict: “It’s a reminder that climate change impacts cascade through entire food webs and ecosystems,” explains Baum.
Finally, the authors do note some limitations, including the fact that they used discarded teeth. The effect of ocean acidification on living teeth, still attached to their sharks, may be different.
The overall impact of acidification is also uncertain, as some elasmobranchs (a group of cartilaginous fish including sharks, skates, and rays) show an ability to maintain blood pH levels in changing conditions. However, scientists will have until 2300 to iron out the finer details.
This research is published in Frontiers in Marine Science.
Botswana’s credit rating was cut by S&P Global Ratings, another blow to its diamond-dependent economy that’s struggling with a slump in demand for its gems.
The country had its long-term sovereign credit rating cut one notch to BBB, the second-lowest investment grade, and S&P also gave it a negative outlook. Botswana still retained its rank as the highest-rated country in Africa, ahead of Mauritius.
