*By Carlo Versano*
Steve Case was, in many ways, ahead of his time when he co-founded America Online. As the CEO of 1990s tech giant, he helped pioneer the early framework for social media and was among the first executives to realize that a user-friendly internet experience based on social engagement would be attractive to early adopters.
His hunch was correct ー AOL's dial-up subscription model grew to a peak of 27 million users in 2002.
About twenty years and one [disastrous](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/15/business/dealbook/aol-time-warner.html) merger later, Case is using his status as a sort-of elder statesman of tech to reward the innovation taking place outside of Silicon Valley with his VC firm Revolution.
Speaking to Cheddar at Denver Startup Week on Monday, Case cited the Colorado city as a case study: 2 percent unemployment, a burgeoning and exciting technology sector, and a young population drawn to the mountain air.
Denver is so competitive that start-ups have trouble filling positions, he said.
"That's a nice problem to have."
Case's firm created the "[Rise of the Rest](https://www.revolution.com/entity/rotr/)" seed fund to direct VC money to innovative companies operating on the fringes. So far, the fund has made 90 investments in 50 cities from Minneapolis to Chattanooga, Tenn., to Des Moines, Iowa. Silicon Valley, Boston, and New York are deliberately excluded.
Three-quarters of venture capital funds overall still go to the coasts (Denver gets about 1 percent), though Case is trying to tip the balance by personally advocating for cities where he sees innovation happening. He has invested in several Denver-based start-ups over the years, including Exclusive Resorts and World Waters, make of WTRMLN WTR.
"Every big company starts as a start-up," he said. "Some of \[them\] will be the Fortune 500 companies of tomorrow."
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/revolution-ceo-makes-case-for-denver-as-start-up-hub).
Nvidia on Wednesday became the first public company to reach a market capitalization of $5 trillion. The ravenous appetite for the Silicon Valley company’s chips is the main reason that the company’s stock price has increased so rapidly since early 2023.
Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global, breaks down September’s CPI print and inflation trends, explaining what it means for markets.
A big-screen adaptation of the anime “Chainsaw Man” has topped the North American box office, beating a Springsteen biopic and “Black Phone 2.” The movie earned $17.25 million in the U.S. and Canada this weekend. “Black Phone 2” fell to second place with $13 million. Two new releases, the rom-com “Regretting You” and “Springsteen — Deliver Me From Nowhere,” earned $12.85 million and $9.1 million, respectively. “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” is based on the manga series about a demon hunter. It's another win for Sony-owned Crunchyroll, which also released a “Demon Slayer” film last month that debuted to a record $70 million.
The Federal Aviation Administration says flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted briefly due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility. The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports on Sunday morning soon after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that travelers would see more flights delayed as the nation’s air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown. The hold on planes taking off for LAX lasted an hour and 45 minutes and didn't appear to cause continued problems. The FAA said staffing shortages also delayed planes headed to Washington, Chicago and Newark, New Jersey on Sunday.
Boeing workers at three Midwest plants where military aircraft and weapons are developed have voted to reject the company’s latest contract offer and to continue a strike that started almost three months ago. The strike by about 3,200 machinists at the plants in the Missouri cities of St. Louis and St. Charles, and in Mascoutah, Illinois, is smaller in scale than a walkout last year by 33,000 Boeing workers who assemble commercial jetliners. The president of the International Association of Machinists says Sunday's outcome shows Boeing hasn't adequately addressed wages and retirement benefits. Boeing says Sunday's vote was close with 51% of union members opposing the revised offer.
The stunning indictment that led to the arrest of more than 30 people — including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and other NBA figures — has drawn new scrutiny of the booming business of sports betting in the U.S. The multibillion-dollar industry has made it easy for sports fans — and even some players — to wager on everything from the outcome of games to that of a single play with just a few taps of a cellphone. But regulating the rapidly-growing industry has proven to be a challenge. Professional sports leagues’ own role in promoting gambling has also raised eyebrows.
