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Anyone who has stopped into a Starbucks over the past couple of years knows how exhausted the staff is. Headcount was quietly cut in the 2020s, stress went up, and the experience got worse for customers and baristas alike. (Six straight quarters of same-store sales decline will tell you exactly how thats worked out for Starbucks.) But under CEO Brian Niccol, who was appointed last year, the company is architecting a turnaround. And Starbucks just had its best week of sales ever. Much of Niccols plan comes down to increasing its staff in stores while also making their lives easier. How? The latest example is a new time-saving AI tool that promises to free up tens of thousands of hours across the company every week as its baristas do inventory. The new Starbucks AI inventory tool Typically, inventory has been a by-hand process at Starbucks. A couple times a week, an employee will spend about an hour scanning through all of the milks, syrups, and other ingredients, marking down counts on paper so that more of whatever is needed can be ordered and replenished. A new solution developed with NomadGo largely automates this work. Instead of counting by hand, baristas can simply aim a tablet at their stock, and AI-infused 3D vision processing will handle the rest. As items are accounted for, they light up on the screen. How is it possibly accurate? Counting stuff is the sort of work AI can do these days, sure, but it also appears to help that Starbucks keeps its items organized in pretty predictable patterns so theyre more straightforward to analyze. According to early test stores, taking inventory with this system drops the task from an hour to about 10 or 15 minutes. (Though maybe disregard that the system does appear to miss one bottle in the videothe company is claiming >99% accuracy.) Starbucks isnt the first company to consider using vision-AI tablets to manage inventory (Walmart, for instance, uses an augmented reality app to help its employees find the right box on the shelf.) At scale, though, the impact appears significant. If its early tests are any indication, Starbucks could save 45 minutes of labor, about twice a week, across the 11,000 North American stores that are adopting the system. Back of napkin math puts that at 16,500 hours saved a week. (Starbucks insists such barista efficiencies introduced under Niccol wont be used to reduce headcounts, but to improve customer experience.) In this case, Starbucks will be using a significant chunk of this time saved to simply do inventory more frequentlyperhaps as often as daily, according to the company. Even at that frequency, Starbucks could still save nearly an hour a week in the fastest stores, all while ensuring its healthier menu with protein cold foams arent out of stock.
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E-Commerce
Via Transportation, a startup that aims to reimagine public transportation, has filed for an initial public offering (IPO), the latest tech-focused company seeking to take advantage of growing investor interest in new listings amid a recent wave of high-dollar exits. The New York-based firm and some of its existing shareholders plan to offer roughly 10.7 million shares, targeting a range between $40 and $44 a piece, Via said on Wednesday. At that price, the company would have a valuation as high as $3.5 billion. The offering is being led by Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Allen & Company, and Wells Fargo Securities. It comes as more high-profile tech companies are moving forward with long-awaited IPOs after tariff uncertainty had prompted caution. Just yesterday, by-now, pay-later company Klarna Group said it will seek to raise as much as $1.27 billion in a public offering that it had reportedly put on hold earlier this year. Successful listings from tech companies ranging from Chime Financial to Figma appear to have eased worries about how the macro environment might impact the broader IPO market. What does Via Transportation do? Founded in 2012, Via partners with local governments and public transit agencies to offer a range of transportation solutions, including operating software, passenger apps, tech-enabled services, and data. The company, which says it makes 90% of its revenue from government partnerships, operates a platform that is available in large cities such as New York and London, along with rural areas in places like Montana. “For too long, public transit services had relied on 40-foot busses following circuitous routs,” Daniel Ramot, Via’s cofounder and CEO, said in a prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). “We had a new idea. We were going to replace these underutilized buses with dynamically routed shuttles guided by data and powerful algorithms.” Is Via profitable? Not yet, but its losses are narrowing. In its SEC filing, the company reported a net loss of $90.6 million in 2024, compared to a net loss of $117 million the year before. It warned in the filing that it may never maintain or even achieve profitability. That’s not uncommon for a rapidly growing startup. Via said its revenue ballooned from $100 million to $337.6 million between 2021 and 2024. Via Technologies plans to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol Via. It has not announced a listing date but said on Wednesday that it has begun the launch of its “roadshow.”
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E-Commerce
.scotchtober-recirc { display: flex; gap: 20px; justify-content: center; margin-top: clamp(35px,5vw,50px); margin-bottom: clamp(35px,5vw,50px); font-weight: 500; font-family: var(--font-centra); color: #5f5f5f; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px; letter-spacing: 1.4px; text-transform: uppercase; flex-wrap: nowrap; } @media (max-width: 600px) { .scotchtober-recirc { flex-wrap: wrap; } } /* Stronger selector to override other styles */ .scotchtober-recirc a { white-space: nowrap; border-bottom: 5px solid transparent !important; font-weight: 500 !important; color: #5f5f5f !important; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none !important; } .scotchtober-recirc a:hover, .scotchtober-recirc a:focus { color: black !important; border-bottom-color: black !important; text-decoration: none !important; } .scotchtober-recirc .emphasize { border-bottom: 5px solid black !important; color: black !important; text-decoration: none !important; } Scotchtober Chicago Dallas-Fort Worth L.A. County Miami New York {"blockType":"immersive-block-embed","data":{"embedSource":"\n\n\n\n #map-frame {\n border: 0;\n width: 100%;\n height: 400px;\n }\n @media only screen and (max-width: 650px) {\n #map-frame {\n height: 900px;\n max-height: 80vh;\n }\n }\n","embedImageDesktop":"","embedImageDesktopCaption":"","embedImageMobile":"","embedImageMobileCaption":"","backgroundColor":"#000000","paddingTop":40,"paddingBottom":40,"paddingLeft":100,"paddingRight":100,"mediaType":"ceros"}} Miamis best bar for . . . {"blockType":"immersive-block-embed","data":{"embedSource":"","embedImageDesktop":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/Raos_Miami_DSC9591.jpg","embedImageDesktopCaption":"Rao\u2019s Miami Beach","embedImageMobile":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/Raos_Miami_DSC9591.jpg","embedImageMobileCaption":"","backgroundColor":"","paddingTop":0,"paddingBottom":0,"paddingLeft":100,"paddingRight":100,"mediaType":"image"}} Professional networking /* Byline */ [aria-label="post byline label"] { display: none !important; } /* Fixed text at bottom of article */ .content-chunk > em > p { display: none !important; } /* Mobile injection player */ .fixed.bottom-\[82px\] { display: none !important; } /* Hides gray placeholder box */ .my-\[30px\].bg-\[\#f5f5f5\].py-8 { display: none !important; } Raos Miami Beach Theres something about talking business over red sauce Italian that just feels right. This New York transplant is faithful to the Harlem original, minus the impossible-to-get reservations and the fact thatin true Miami fashionits just steps from the sand. Its large-format family-style menu encourages hours of rewarding interaction. [data-testid="newsletter-subscription-form"] { display: none !important; } {"blockType":"immersive-block-embed","data":{"embedSource":"","embedImageDesktop":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/MIA_Roas_Raos-Reserve-Highland-Old-Fashioned_DT.jpg","embedImageDesktopCaption":"","embedImageMobile":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/MIA_Roas_Raos-Reserve-Highland-Old-Fashioned_MB.jpg","embedImageMobileCaption":"","backgroundColor":"","paddingTop":0,"paddingBottom":0,"paddingLeft":360,"paddingRight":360,"mediaType":"image"}} {"blockType":"immersive-block-embed","data":{"embedSource":"","embedImageDesktop":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/Bay13_Miami_DSC9791.jpg","embedImageDesktopCaption":"Bay 13 Brewery & Kitchen","embedImageMobile":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/Bay13_Miami_DSC9791.jpg","embedImageMobileCaption":"","backgroundColor":"","paddingTop":0,"paddingBottom":0,"paddingLeft":100,"paddingRight":100,"mediaType":"image"}} Sipping alfresco Bay 13 Brewery & Kitchen After a long day at the office, make haste to Bay 13 for a relaxing cocktail on its expansive outdoor patio. This quaint brewery also features a full cocktail bar (and plenty of Scotch whisky). Elevated pub grubbone marrow with grilled ciabatta, lamb burger with dill spreadwill tempt you to stay for dinner. {"blockType":"immersive-block-embed","data":{"embedSource":"","embedImageDesktop":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/MIA_Bay13_Scotty-Old-Fashioned_DT.jpg","embedImageDesktopCaption":"","embedImageMobile":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/MIA_Bay13_Scotty-Old-Fashioned_MB.jpg","embedImageMobileCaption":"","backgroundColor":"","paddingTop":0,"paddingBottom":0,"paddingLeft":360,"paddingRight":360,"mediaType":"image"}} {"blockType":"immersive-block-embed","data":{"embedSource":"","embedImageDesktop":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/CasaTua_Miami_DSC0684.jpg","embedImageDesktopCaption":"Casa Tua Cucina","embedImageMobile":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/CasaTua_Miami_DSC0684.jpg","embedImageMobileCaption":"","backgroundColor":"","paddingTop":0,"paddingBottom":0,"paddingLeft":100,"paddingRight":100,"mediaType":"image"}} Confidential conversation Casa Tua Cucina Located in an historic beach house, Casa Tua offers a variety of options to engage with assocates. Huddle for a private tte--tte in the Club, the cozy upstairs lounge area; strategize with key colleagues in the private chefs table adjacent to the open kitchen; or simply kick back on the lush patio. The choice is yours. {"blockType":"immersive-block-embed","data":{"embedSource":"","embedImageDesktop":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/MIA_Casa-Tua-Cucina_The-OG_DT.jpg","embedImageDesktopCaption":"","embedImageMobile":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/MIA_Casa-Tua-Cucina_The-OG_MB.jpg","embedImageMobileCaption":"","backgroundColor":"","paddingTop":0,"paddingBottom":0,"paddingLeft":360,"paddingRight":360,"mediaType":"image"}} {"blockType":"immersive-block-embed","data":{"embedSource":"","embedImageDesktop":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/Oro_Miami_DSC0351.jpg","embedImageDesktopCaption":"Oro","embedImageMobile":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/Oro_Miami_DSC0351.jpg","embedImageMobileCaption":"","backgroundColor":"","paddingTop":0,"paddingBottom":0,"paddingLeft":100,"paddingRight":100,"mediaType":"image"}} Showing off stellar views to a client Oro Oros rooftop aerie offers unrivaled vistas of Miami Beach and the citys skyline. True to the venues name, gold abounds, from the 24-karat leaf walls to the shimmering outfits of the performers (who appear hourly). A place to see and be seen, its ideal for treating clients to a unique Miami Beach experience. {"blockType":"immersive-block-embed","data":{"embedSource":"","embedImageDesktop":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/MIA_Oro_Shangri-La_DT.jpg","embedImageDesktopCaption":"","embedImageMobile":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/MIA_Oro_Shangri-La_MB.jpg","embedImageMobileCaption":"","backgroundColor":"","paddingTop":0,"paddingBottom":0,"paddingLeft":360,"paddingRight":360,"mediaType":"image"}} {"blockType":"immersive-block-embed","data":{"embedSource":"","embedImageDesktop":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/Presidente_Miami_DSC9185.jpg","embedImageDesktopCaption":"Presidente Bar","embedImageMobile":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/Presidente_Miami_DSC9185.jpg","embedImageMobileCaption":"","backgroundColor":"","paddingTop":0,"paddingBottom":0,"paddingLeft":100,"paddingRight":100,"mediaType":"image"}} IYKYK experiences Presidente Bar The real magic here occurs when you open a door disguised as a bookshelf and step into La Biblioteca, a sanctuary surrounded by floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled with rare spirits. The flair of bartender extraordinaire Christian Delpechthe 19-time world champion who runs the cocktail programmay transport you to the set of Cocktail. {"blockType":"immersive-block-embed","data":{"embedSource":"","embedImageDesktop":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/MIA_Presidente_Sin-Cyn_DT.jpg","embedImageDesktopCaption":"","embedImageMobile":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/MIA_Presidente_Sin-Cyn_MB.jpg","embedImageMobileCaption":"","backgroundColor":"","paddingTop":0,"paddingBottom":0,"paddingLeft":360,"paddingRight":360,"mediaType":"image"}} {"blockType":"immersive-block-embed","data":{"embedSource":"","embedImageDesktop":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/Zucca_Miami_DSC9904.jpg","embedImageDesktopCaption":"Zucca","embedImageMobile":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/Zucca_Miami_DSC9904.jpg","embedImageMobileCaption":"","backgroundColor":"","paddingTop":0,"paddingBottom":0,"paddingLeft":100,"paddingRight":100,"mediaType":"image"}} A team happy hour Zucca For happy hour with a side of sprezzatura, gather the troops here for genuine Italian aperitivo. With two different bar areas, its easy to claim a spot for cocktails from the well-stocked bar. Feeling peckish? Stick around for a dinner of house-made pastas, fresh seafood, and steaks. {"blockType":"immersive-block-embed","data":{"embedSource":"","embedImageDesktop":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/MIA_Zucca_Zucca-Manhattan_DT.jpg","embedImageDesktopCaption":"","embedImageMobile":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/MIA_Zucca_Zucca-Manhattan_MB.jpg","embedImageMobileCaption":"","backgroundColor":"","paddingTop":0,"paddingBottom":0,"paddingLeft":360,"paddingRight":360,"mediaType":"image"}} {"blockType":"immersive-block-embed","data":{"embedSource":"","embedImageDesktop":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/SurfClub_Miami_DSC1128.jpg","embedImageDesktopCaption":"Surf Club Restaurant","embedImageMobile":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/SurfClub_Miami_DSC1128.jpg","embedImageMobileCaption":"","backgroundColor":"","paddingTop":0,"paddingBottom":0,"paddingLeft":100,"paddingRight":100,"mediaType":"image"}} A nightcap after a business event Surf Club Restaurant Tucked into the Four Seasons at the Surf Club, one of the citys best hotels, Thomas Kellers swanky restaurant is the perfect way to punctuate a successful dinner with clients. The dimly lit restaurant bar boasts an impressive array of wine and spiritsall which pair well with the dessert menus warm chocolate-chip cookies. {"blockType":"immersive-block-embed","data":{"embedSource":"","embedImageDesktop":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/MIA_Surf-Club_Guava-Cocktail_DT_v2.jpg","embedImageDesktopCaption":"","embedImageMobile":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/fwebp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/08\/MIA_Surf-Club_Guava-Cocktail_MB_v2.jpg","embedImageMobileCaption":"","backgroundColor":"","paddingTop":0,"paddingBottom":0,"paddingLeft":360,"paddingRight":360,"mediaType":"image"}} Photography by Gabriel Sanchez .scotchtober-recirc { display: flex; gap: 20px; justify-content: center; margin-top: clamp(35px,5vw,50px); margin-bottom: clamp(35px,5vw,50px); font-weight: 500; font-family: var(--font-centra); color: #5f5f5f; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px; letter-spacing: 1.4px; text-transform: uppercase; flex-wrap: nowrap; } @media (max-width: 600px) { .scotchtober-recirc { flex-wrap: wrap; } } /* Stronger selector to override other styles */ .scotchtober-recirc a { white-space: nowrap; border-bottom: 5px solid transparent !important; font-weight: 500 !important; color: #5f5f5f !important; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none !important; } .scotchtober-recirc a:hover, .scotchtober-recirc a:focus { color: black !important; border-bottom-color: black !important; text-decoration: none !important; } .scotchtober-recirc .emphasize { border-bottom: 5px solid black !important; color: black !important; text-decoration: none !important; } Scotchtober Chicago Dallas-Fort Worth L.A. County Miami New York
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