Business
Venture Capitalists Still Pursuing Gaming Companies for Funding
Published
3 years agoon
Investors are rushing in to put their money into the crypto landscape. Proof of this is the popularity of play-to-earn gaming companies to these venture capitalists. Making news recently was private Silicon Valley venture firm Andreesen Horowitz (a16z).
The private company dedicated $600 million in funding to gaming startups to level up its stake in Web3 technology, $6 million of it went to startup Halliday. This lets its gaming patrons buy and use digital assets in the metaverse. Andreesen Horowitz wasn’t alone as Hashed, a_capital, and SV Angel also joined in on the funding.
Halliday and Other Gaming Companies
In a Halliday blog post, co-founders Akshay Malhotra and Griffin Dunaif expressed their gratitude to their new backers. They announced the upcoming launch of the first-ever solution that lets people have ownership of blockchain games and other metaverse assets using later payments.
From this, Halliday will be able to empower gamers by giving them access to ownership of game NFTs. Players will now be able to have a new gaming experience by letting them have a virtual avatar. They can also get distinctive skins as a way to express themselves or a great sword to finally beat the last enemy.
The founders also explained how Halliday would integrate with games and marketplaces as the alternative payment option at checkout. This will offer players a seamless method of securing ownership and paying for their NFT purchases over time.
They also mentioned how their solution would be easy and transparent with no surprises or hidden fees. This way, the players can start playing with their NFTs instantly. This will significantly cut down the players’ waiting time.
In an interview, Framework Ventures co-founder Vance Spencer said that gaming companies and startups are still a popular investment for many investors. He stated the reason for this is the three billion gamers in the world. In addition, the half-billion who earn less than $5 a day and have access to the internet.
Outside the Gaming Sphere
There wasn’t much commotion in the crypto industry outside the gaming sphere the past week. Notably, many investors are still seen committing to startups building their bases in the industry. Special mention is Brevan Howard Asset Management which raised more than a billion from institutional investors. This allowed them to launch the most prominent crypto hedge fund ever.
This, from a company that’s previously skeptical of the crypto industry. This latest development has implied that the European hedge fund will soon throw in more substantial support for the advancement and improvement of cryptocurrency startups.
In other news, decentralized BNB and Gnosis chain farming protocol, XION Finance also gave its statement. It announced the $50 million investment commitment it secured from GEM Digital Limited. The latter is a digital asset investment company based in the Bahamas. It claims to have investments in more than 30 utility tokens worldwide.
They are now planning to use the funds to offer everyday users the power to earn high yields. They will also give them the ability to trade assets between multiple chains. They will also be giving them the chance to invest in tier one projects, according to Ron Quarmby, founder and CEO of XION Finance and XION Global.
In addition, GEM Digital committed $25 million in funding to the multi-blockchain platform Geeq. This is the platform that uses a patent-pending blockchain consensus mechanism. Its CEO Ric Asselstine said that with the commitment, they would be ready to bring enterprises and individuals into the metaverse and Web3.
Its parent company, GEM Capital, says it is a $3.4 billion alternative investment group. It manages a diverse set of investment vehicles that have its focus on up-and-coming markets all over the globe.
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Business
What’s the Best Website to Get a Graphic Designer in 2025?
Published
39 minutes agoon
September 18, 2025Great design makes your business shine. But when there are so many sites out there it’s hard to discern who to get your graphic design from. This article will outline the best graphic design hire websites in 2025 along with what they offer and their advantages and disadvantages so you can make an informed choice.
#1 Penji – Best for Unlimited Graphic Design
Ranked number one is Penji simply for its unlimited graphic design subscription. You pay a flat rate per month and can request as many designs as you’d like.
Pros:
- Unlimited requests and revisions
- Fast turnaround (24-48 hours)
- Flat rate pricing means no surprises
- Team of professional designers at your service
Cons:
- Not suitable for anyone who only needs one small project
- Monthly subscription fee could feel expensive for one-off users
Penji is ideal if you’re seeking out graphic design outsourcing services and want to avoid freelancers and fickle situations in the future.
#2 Design Pickle – Best for Business Support
Design Pickle operates similarly to Penji with a subscription option that’s favored among businesses needing frequent graphics.
Pros:
- Unlimited design requests and revisions
- Flat monthly fee
- Designers dedicated exclusively to your projects over time
Cons:
- Turnaround time depends on how busy designers are with other projects
- Pricing is higher than other options if you’re not going to use the service frequently
This works well for business owners who are in need of constant support—but not necessarily the extensive offerings that Penji provides.
#3 Toptal – Best for Higher End Talent
Toptal makes its mark by connecting you with top-quality freelance designers. If quality is your priority and money isn’t an issue, this is the best site.
Pros:
- vetted, top-tier designers
- Pay as you go, or employ long-term.
- Ideal for difficult design tasks that demand long-term engagement.
Cons:
- Significantly higher than all other options.
- Not ideal for smaller projects or finances.
Best for those who prioritize top-tier talent above cost reductions.
#4 Dribbble: Best for Creative Portfolios
Dribbble is a community where designers can share their work. You can look through portfolios and contact the people whose work you admire.
Pros:
- Access to the specialized creators.
- Ideal for style discovery or inspiration.
- Communicate directly with designers before hiring.
Cons:
- No fixed-price service
- Quality ranges by creator—some might be available, others might not
- Takes a lot of time to research potential hires since they’re not all guaranteed availability or skill level
This is best for those who want to see portfolios created by potential candidates and match styles with their needs.
Conclusion
No matter which site you choose in 2025, you’ll find benefits from each. Go with Dribbble if you want creative freedom in hiring, Toptal if you’re looking for exclusive freelancers, and Design Pickle if you’re seeking ongoing support. But if you want consistent, affordable, unlimited graphic design without any guessing—Penji is number one. Visit penj.co today to streamline design for your business.
Business
What’s the Best Subscription Creative Service Agency in 2025?
Published
4 hours agoon
September 17, 2025This year, we’ve witnessed how creative work moves at breakneck speed. We see brands launching faster, content increasing, and competition becoming more fierce. This is the reason subscription creative services are multiplying by the second. They are proven beneficial to businesses. But how do you choose? We compiled this short list of the best subscription creative services to help you decide.
1. Penji
Hands down, the best subscription creative service, Penji, has been making waves in the design niche since 2017. It offers a diverse range of innovative services, including web and app design, social media graphics, logo design, custom illustrations, and more. Its unlimited graphic design business model lets you send requests for as many designs as you want a month for a flat rate.
2. Reel Unlimited
For small businesses and startups, Reel Unlimited is the best subscription creative service for you. They can craft graphics, websites, and video content for you with fast delivery and unlimited revisions. You can avail of its 7-day free trial to determine if this is the right fit for your brand.
3. Designity
Taking pride in its hybrid business model, Designity combines freelance talent with creative direction. This is the ideal subscription creative service for businesses seeking strategic design leadership. It provides branding, web design, UX/UI, and a range of other marketing materials for your brand.
4. Superside
Next is Superside. This is the best subscription creative service for brands that require enterprise-level work. It has a focus on collaboration and scalability, making it the most suitable graphic design partner for large teams and global businesses.
5. NoLimit Creatives
Last but not least, NoLimit Creatives, the design service that offers both graphic and video design with flexible plans. It is most suited for agencies and eCommerce businesses. It provides a wide range of creative services, which include online ads, social media graphics, product packaging, and video editing.
Business
Top 10 Public Relations Tools Every Entrepreneur Should Check Out
Published
6 days agoon
September 12, 2025Any successful business requires public relations to establish and protect its image and reputation. Fortunately, in the digital world, there are many tools at an entrepreneur’s disposal. This article highlights the ten best public relations tools every entrepreneur should consider to communicate with their target audience and increase brand awareness.
1. HARO (Help a Reporter Out)
As its name suggests, Help a Reporter Out (HARO) is a platform connecting journalists with their stories’ sources. It also allows businesses, organizations, and individuals to share their expertise and insights. They can get in front of a wider audience by offering quotes, facts, and other information to journalists looking for sources for their articles.
By using HARO, entrepreneurs and PR professionals can get their brands in front of a large audience and improve their visibility, credibility, and reputation. It has a free plan aside from its paid ones, with subscriptions that start at $19 per month.
2. Ahrefs
Primarily known as an SEO tool, Ahrefs can also be used as a public relations tool. It provides a comprehensive analysis of a website’s backlink profile. It enables PR professionals and entrepreneurs to see who is linking to their websites. Plus, you’ll know what content is attracting the most links. Through Ahrefs, PR professionals can identify key influencers and potential media contacts in their industry and reach out to them for possible coverage.
Ahrefs can also be used to monitor competitors’ PR and marketing activities. This will provide valuable insights into successful PR strategies. The platform offers four premium plans with pricing that starts at $99 per month.
3. Google Alerts
A free, web-based tool, Google Alerts allows you to monitor mentions of specific keywords or phrases on the internet. This tool can be helpful for PR professionals and entrepreneurs as a way to keep track of their online reputation and brand mentions. By setting up Google Alerts for your brand, products, industry keywords, or even your competitors, you can receive email notifications whenever your specified keywords are mentioned online.
This helps PR professionals stay informed and promptly respond to negative mentions, track positive coverage, and share it with their audience.
4. BuzzSumo
If you need to get insights on what’s popular, viral, and being shared across the web, BuzzSumo is one of the public relations tools you need. It is a content analysis tool that helps PR professionals and entrepreneurs monitor their online presence. And they can reach their target audience effectively. It provides insights into viral content, competitor analysis, influencer identification, and performance metrics.
Its ability to track and measure the impact of PR and content efforts makes it a valuable tool for businesses looking to stay ahead of the competition. It offers a free plan, but its paid ones have pricing that starts at $99 per month.
5. PRWeb
Another valuable tool for PR professionals and entrepreneurs looking to promote their brands, products, and services is PRWeb. It is a PR distribution service that helps businesses and organizations reach their target audience and improve their online visibility.
PRWeb offers a wide range of distribution options, including national and local media outlets, social media, and industry-specific websites, ensuring that press releases reach the intended audience. You can choose from PRWeb’s four plans with subscription fees that start at $105 per month.
6. Respona
One of the most underutilized public relations tools you need to check out is Respona. It effectively helps organizations manage their media and public relations efforts. It provides a centralized platform for monitoring media mentions, conducting outreach to journalists, and measuring the impact of PR campaigns.
The tool includes email automation, press release distribution, and real-time media monitoring to help PR professionals streamline their work and communicate more effectively with their audience. It offers a free trial, but if you want to continue using it, pricing starts at $99 per month.
7. Coverage Book
If tracking and showcasing your media coverage is a priority, Coverage Book is the public relations tool for you. It provides a platform for organizing and presenting media coverage from online and offline sources, including press releases, articles, and social media mentions. It also includes analytics to measure the impact of PR campaigns and provide insights into the performance of media outreach efforts.
Coverage Book is designed to help PR teams demonstrate the value of their work to internal stakeholders and clients. This is a good investment, with prices ranging from $99 to $599.
8. Business Wire
A news distribution service and PR tool, Business Wire is used by organizations to distribute press releases and other news content to media outlets and stakeholders. It provides a platform for organizations to reach a global audience through distribution to a vast network of media outlets and websites, including major search engines, news databases, and social media platforms.
Business Wire is a paid service with varying costs based on distribution and features needed. It offers different packages available to meet the needs of various organizations.
9. NinjaOutreach
A public relations tool that offers a platform for simplifying your outreach efforts and building relationships with journalists, bloggers, and other influencers. NinjaOutreach provides email outreach automation, influencer database search, and analytics to track PR campaigns. It saves time and effort by automating repetitive tasks and providing insights into effective audience outreach.
The tool is designed to help organizations improve their media coverage and build relationships with key influencers. Pricing ranges between $389 and $849 per month.
10. SourceBottle
A journalism tool that doubles as a public relations tool is SourceBottle. It connects journalists and bloggers with experts, sources, and content for their stories. It provides a platform for experts, organizations, and individuals to offer their expertise and resources to journalists looking for references and information.
SourceBottle also offers analytics to track the success of PR campaigns and provide insights into media outreach efforts. The service fee is based on the desired features and the number of journalists and bloggers to be reached. But for starters, you need to create an expert profile for a monthly cost of $25.
Final Thoughts
The world of public relations is constantly evolving. Entrepreneurs must stay up-to-date with the latest tools and technologies to get their messages and stories in front of their target audience. The public relations tools discussed in this list are some of the best in the industry and offer a range of features and capabilities to meet the needs of different types and sizes of organizations.