I compared Italian sandwiches from the chains Subway, Jimmy John’s, and Jersey Mike’s.
Steven John
I ordered Italian sandwiches from Jimmy John’s, Jersey Mike’s, and Subway to find the best one.
Jimmy John’s sandwich let me down with too much mayo and toasted bread. Subway’s was pretty good.
My Jersey Mike’s sandwich had tons of meat — maybe too much — but it was tasty and a great value.
As part of my quest to compare popular sandwich chains, I recently ordered Italian subs from Jimmy John’s, Jersey Mike’s, and Subway.
Before I dug in, though, I had an important question to answer: What exactly is an Italian sandwich?
To be clear, this sandwich is very much an Italian-American creation.
Steven John
This delightful amalgam of meat, cheese, and a select few veggies and condiments traces its roots to Italian immigrants in early 20th-century America.
The definition of this sandwich can vary by region and restaurant, so I established a baseline by asking Google, ChatGPT, and Copilot: “What comes on a classic/standard ‘sub’ style Italian sandwich?”
The answers were remarkably similar in each case, so I feel confident saying that an Italian sub sandwich should feature fresh ham and a dry meat like salami or capocollo (a dry-cured pork you may also know as “gabagool”), provolone cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, and, in most cases, oil and vinegar.
Sometimes, there’s salt, pepper, and other herbs, like oregano, sprinkled on them as well.
With that in mind, let’s talk about how these chains did when delivering their takes on the classic American sandwich that is the Italian.
The meat on my Jersey Mike’s sandwich felt high-quality, but there was a bit too much of it.
Steven John
At Jersey Mike’s, the Original Italian consists of ham, cappacuolo, prosciuttini (similar to prosciutto but coated in black pepper), pepperoni, salami, and provolone.
Here, I ordered my sandwich “Mike’s Way,” as suggested, since it adds onions, tomatoes, lettuce, olive oil, red-wine vinegar, and oregano — basically the exact toppings for a classic Italian sub.
I paid $14 for this 7-inch-long sub, which comes to about $2 per inch.
Jersey Mike’s is famous for having staff slice its meats and cheeses right in front of customers, and I was immediately impressed as I watched the man preparing my sandwich doing just that.
The portions looked very generous. In the end, my sandwich featured almost a full inch of the various meats and several slices of provolone.
When I took my first bite 30 minutes later, my first thought was there’s actually too much meat on here for my liking.
The lettuce and onion tasted crisp and fresh, and the bread had a pleasant texture without being doughy or dry, but the stacked meat dominated the sandwich’s flavor profile in a salty way.
I’d certainly rather have a surplus of meats than a dearth, though, and I’d absolutely order this flavorful sandwich again.
Although this was the most expensive sandwich I got, the price seemed pretty fair to me.
At Jimmy John’s, my sandwich wasn’t what I expected.
Steven John
At Jimmy John’s, I also ordered a regular-sized Italian sandwich. It came to $12 for an 8-inch sandwich, or about $1.50 an inch.
Based on the menu, I expected to receive the Italian Night Club, which comes with “hand-sliced” salami, capocollo, smoked ham, provolone, mayo, “fresh-sliced” lettuce, onions, oil, vinegar, and oregano-basil, per Jimmy John’s website.
When ordering this sandwich online, the default answer to the question “Do you want your sandwich toasted?” is no. This makes sense considering the chain is famous for its fresh French bread, which is baked in-house each day.
Unfortunately, when ordering in person, I wasn’t asked whether I wanted my sandwich toasted. As it happened, the sandwich got toasted — and that was the first disappointment.
I’ve had a lot of excellent sandwiches from Jimmy John’s, but this was not one of them.
Steven John
The famous bread from Jimmy John’s is usually delectable, tasting fresh, thick, and good enough to enjoy on its own with some oil or butter.
In this case, though, by the time I ate my still-warm Italian sub about a half hour after it was prepared, the bread felt soggy.
This may have happened whether my sandwich was heated up or not — in fact, toasting it may have helped slow down this process — but the heat didn’t help.
Although the onions and tomatoes seemed fresh enough, they were warm, and the lettuce seemed wilted by the time I took a bite. I didn’t think there was enough meat or cheese on my sandwich, either.
Also, note how I didn’t mention mayonnaise in the baseline description of an Italian sandwich earlier. Most sandwich purists will tell you to leave mayo off an Italian sub, and I agree.
The mayo on this sodden tube of ingredients just added to the mess while adding almost nothing to the flavor.
Subway’s B.M.T was fairly decent and reasonably priced.
Steven John
At Subway, my Italian sandwich was the B.M.T, which came with Black Forest ham, salami, and pepperoni, provolone, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and (unfortunately) mayo on artisan Italian bread.
I got the 6-inch size for $9, which is about $1.50 an inch — the same cost-per-inch breakdown as the Jimmy John’s sandwich.
Although the sandwich had too much mayo, it didn’t get soggy as it sat, and the rest of the ingredients were in balanced proportion: There was plenty of each meat, several slices of cheese, and a generous layer of lettuce, tomatoes, and onions that added a pleasant crunch.
Also, the bread from Subway tasted quite fresh — it was still slightly warm, while the rest of the ingredients were chilled.
Overall, the texture of Subway’s Italian B.M.T. was pleasant, but the flavor was rather lacking. It may have benefited from a bit more seasoning or maybe a different combination of cold cuts.
Ultimately, I was pretty satisfied because this was a filling sandwich for what I felt was a very reasonable price.
The only sandwich I’d go back for with 100% certainty came from Jersey Mike’s.
Steven John
I’m sad to say that my Italian sub from Jimmy John’s let me down most of all.
Since I’ve had many excellent sandwiches from this chain and its signature bread is usually fantastic, I’d be open to trying it again. Next time, though, I’d ensure it’s served cold and order it with extra meat and no mayonnaise, in hopes of a better eating experience.
Subway’s sandwich was middle-of-the-road for me. There wasn’t anything really wrong with it — and it was satisfying — but it didn’t stand out to me as particularly special.
Jersey Mike’s was my favorite Italian sandwich of the bunch, with my only note being that the overabundance of meat is more my issue than a real problem with the sandwich.
Ultimately, each Italian sandwich feels worth trying again, but the only one I’m definitely going back for is from Jersey Mike’s
Although it was a bit pricier than the other options, it felt like a great value, especially given the meat’s quality and freshness.
The author said her kids don’t remember the time they spent in New York, so she took them back 10 years later to better understand their roots.
Courtesy of Isobella Jade.
My kids and I moved from New York City to Houston 10 years ago.
They don’t remember living in the city, and I wanted to show them where they started their lives.
I want them to know that New York is always a part of them, no matter where they are.
My kids were born in New York City, but don’t remember much about living there. Our family moved a decade ago, in the spring of 2016, from Manhattan’s Upper East Side to Houston when my daughter was a toddler and my son was starting pre-K. It feels like forever ago now.
The city held my first memories of motherhood and so much more. My time as a college student, aspiring model and writer, and held my Italian heritage from over 100 years ago. It has been very tough to adjust to being so far away from my roots while raising my kids.
As the 10-year mark approached, I was anxious to return. I had limited funds available for a trip like this, so I called my mom. I talked with her on the phone about this deep longing I carried, and she offered me a gift that would help me to afford the trip. With her generosity, some flight credits, and some savings, I felt grateful I could finally pull this trip off. I was going back home.
The writer said she reminisced with her children about the last time they had ice cream on the streets of NYC when they were much younger.
Courtesy of Isobella Jade.
New York felt like home
When we stood in the cab line outside of LaGuardia Airport, I immediately felt at peace. I still knew the city streets and subway routes by heart. I told the cab driver the location of our hotel, 23rd between 6th and 7th (avenue), with ease — as a true New Yorker would. My soul felt at home.
After dropping our bags at our hotel, our first stop was Madison Square Park, where I would often stroll with my son when he was a toddler. We would get Shake Shack, eat fries, and lie on a blanket in the grass while I admired the Flatiron building. So, of course, we had to get Shake Shack and stare at the buildings, just like before. Standing there with the Empire State Building in view, too, it felt full circle to be in the place that had always been there in my mind while raising my kids in Texas.
“I want to live here so bad,” my daughter said when we started walking uptown. Me too, I told her, although I knew the cost of living was enormous and unattainable. At least we had the next few days to immerse ourselves in the city I (and now my kids) love so much.
We mixed touristy and sentimental stops
Before the trip, I asked the kids what they wanted to see most. Of course, they both answered Times Square. My son wanted a steak and to visit Louis Vuitton on Fifth Avenue; my daughter wanted to visit a viral bakery and see “Hamilton.” Both of them wanted to shop.
The author said her son was looking forward to enjoying a dinner at a nice steakhouse in New York City.
Courtesy of Isobella Jade.
When we made it to Times Square, the lights were less annoying to see than when I was a resident. We did laps and took too many selfies, but it felt different to see this space through my children’s eyes. The blazing lights and crowds suddenly represented opportunity, possibility, and dreams. I wanted my kids to soak it up.
Atop The Summit, an observatory that’s situated 93-stories high, it was incredible to see my kids’ smiling faces against the skyline. I pointed north. We lived over there in the Upper East Side. Your great-grandfather lived there too when he was a kid, I told them. Across the East River is Queens, where your grandma lived, I told them, it’s where your grandparents met and fell in love. A part of your family history is right here, so close, I explained to them.
After that, we had ice cream from a street vendor, just like we had years ago when they tasted their very first ice cream from a Mister Softee truck.
The stories flowed out of me
The next day, we visited the building we lived in before moving to Texas on 1st Avenue between 80th and 81st streets. When we looked up at our previous home from the sidewalk, I ached to be a young city mom again. I wanted to rewind time so that I could be dashing with my kids to parks and museums, popping into cafes, and playspaces.
The author’s children are shown looking up to the apartment they lived in before their family relocated to Texas.
Courtesy of Isobella Jade.
My daughter’s eyes rose as she counted 26 flights up to our previous home. Standing there, I told them stories about their young lives as city kids, buckling them in the stroller and gliding us past Lexington, Park Avenue, and Madison, and on to 5th Avenue and then wheeling into Central Park to lay a blanket and watch them play near our favorite trees, like the park was their own backyard. This neighborhood had given my kids the best start, and I’m grateful for the memories we have of our time there.
As we left the 10 block radius that had held the first years of their lives, I hoped they would remember the view, the sidewalk under their feet, the sound of the construction and cabs, the cafés, brownstones, the trees that lined the streets, and my voice telling them how wonderful it was to be back to the place where they were born.
We’ll remember this trip
During our time in the city, I tried not to think about moving away, and the difficult years we’ve overcome as a family since then. I only focused on the three of us standing together in the city where their lives took root.
We walked miles and miles, and I hoped silently to myself that the sights, sounds, smells, food, architecture, shops, and beauty of the city was leaving a strong impression on my kids.
There’s always a place for you here, I told them when it was time to leave. I wanted them to know the world is big and that Texas isn’t all there is. They were born in a place where anything was possible, although I know it’s up to them to decide how they want to spend their future and create their memories. No matter where they end up, New York will always be a part of them.
I tried making Martha Stewart’s and Ina Garten’s signature BLT sandwiches.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I tried making Martha Stewart’s and Ina Garten’s signature BLT sandwiches.
Martha Stewart’s was more time-consuming since she used homemade mayonnaise.
I preferred Ina Garten’s California-inspired sandwich made with avocado and smoked bacon.
When two domestic goddesses engage in a battle of the BLTs, you know it’s going to be anything but your average lunch.
Celebrity chefs Martha Stewart and Ina Garten have each reimagined the humble BLT, turning it from a lunch staple into a next-level meal.
Martha Stewart opts for homemade mayonnaise to make what she calls her “perfect” BLT, while Garten uses avocado in her California-inspired sandwich.
I decided to try both celebrity chefs’ recipes to determine which I preferred.
Unsurprisingly, both recipes called for similar ingredients, but there were a few differences between Garten’s and Stewart’s methods for making a BLT.
Ina Garten’s California BLT calls for smoked bacon, tomato, large lettuce leaves, an avocado, a lemon, white bread, and “good mayonnaise.”
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
In her recipe, Garten recommends using Hellmann’s, which is the brand I already buy and can be found in practically every grocery store.
I usually fry my bacon, but the recipe said to bake it, and I really liked this method.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The recipe calls for enough smoked bacon to make two sandwiches, but I cut the recipe in half to make just enough for myself.
I preheated the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. I placed five strips of bacon on a wire rack on a sheet pan and put the pan in the heated oven. After 20 minutes in the oven, the bacon turned out perfectly crispy.
The strips of bacon were a little on the thin side, but I didn’t mind. Cooking the bacon on the wire rack was easier than frying it, in my opinion. There was no flipping required, and each side turned out perfectly crisp.
I toasted the bread in the preheated oven for about five minutes, flipped them, and toasted them for another minute.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I then smeared about a tablespoon of Hellmann’s regular mayonnaise onto each slice.
I then added washed and dried butter lettuce leaves to each side of the sandwich.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I ended up using about five lettuce leaves.
I then peeled and sliced the avocado before adding it to a small bowl.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I sliced a lemon in half and squeezed the juice on the avocado slices, lightly tossing them. You don’t want to mash or mix the avocado slices too vigorously — just enough to coat them in the lemon juice.
I added the avocado slices and bacon on top of the sandwich. There was a perfect amount of bacon to ensure I would get an even bite.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Before adding the bacon to the sandwich, I soaked up some of the excess oil with a paper towel.
I then added four slices of tomato and seasoned them liberally with salt and pepper.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Other than the bacon, the other ingredients took no time at all to prepare.
The sandwich was really easy to make and required minimal effort and cleanup.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
It tasted fresh and was perfect for a spring or summer lunch. The avocado added a creamy element to the sandwich, and the seasoned tomato slices complemented the crispy bacon, which had a slightly sweet flavor.
While the simple recipe initially seemed like a no-brainer, the addition of lemon juice took it over the top. I also loved the method of baking the bacon — while it took longer to make, I didn’t have to stand around flipping the bacon to ensure it got crispy on both sides.
I was excited to see how Martha Stewart’s BLT recipe would measure up.
Martha Stewart’s recipe for a “perfect” BLT uses thick-cut bacon, tomato, and lettuce. I opted for romaine, but you can use any kind you prefer.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
For Martha Stewart’s “perfect BLT” sandwich recipe, you’ll need white sandwich bread, a vine-ripe tomato, two lettuce leaves, a slice of thick-cut bacon, basil, butter, salt, pepper, and homemade mayonnaise.
The first thing I noticed about Stewart’s BLT recipe was that it calls for homemade mayonnaise, which I’ve never made before.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
For Stewart’s homemade mayo recipe, you’ll need one large egg yolk, one teaspoon of Dijon mustard, one teaspoon of fresh lemon juice, coarse salt, white pepper — I substituted it with black pepper, as that’s what I had — and a cup of lightly flavored oil.
Stewart’s recipe called for grapeseed, sunflower, or safflower oil, but I used vegetable oil — which is also mild in flavor — because I already had it in my kitchen.
The first step in making homemade mayo is mixing the egg yolk, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
My finished mayonnaise didn’t exactly look like the store-bought Hellman’s mayo I usually buy, but at least it was spreadable.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The key to making the homemade mayonnaise was slowly adding the oil.
You really need to add the oil drop by drop, or else your mayonnaise won’t thicken. Then, when you’re halfway through your oil, gently pour the rest into your bowl in a slow, steady stream while mixing.
I tried a little on a spoon and found that while it didn’t exactly taste like the mayo I was used to, the lemon juice added a nice citrusy flavor.
I was proud that I was able to make something remotely close to mayonnaise on my own. I also made more than I expected to use in the sandwich.
I fried up some thick-cut maple brown sugar bacon in a pan on the stove.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I found that this slightly sweeter cut caramelizes nicely in the pan and adds a delicious element to savory dishes. The recipe only calls for one slice of bacon, compared to Garten’s, which calls for three slices per sandwich. However, you could add more if you want a more filling lunch.
I fried the bacon, which took far less time than baking it. However, I preferred the crispy texture and result I got with Garten’s method.
Martha Stewart’s recipe calls for both butter and homemade mayonnaise.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I’ve never added butter to a BLT sandwich before, so I was interested to see how it would taste.
Next, I topped the buttered side of my sandwich with lettuce and tomato.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I followed Stewart’s instructions exactly, placing the lettuce down first and then the slices of juicy tomato. Having the lettuce act as a base can prevent your bread from getting soggy from the tomatoes.
Next, I added the basil. I’ve also never heard of basil being used in a BLT.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I wondered if this would add an Italian flavor to the BLT (as it turned out, I was spot on). I then sprinkled a pinch of pepper and salt over the top.
Lastly, I added my bacon right on top and closed her up.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I already anticipated that the sandwich could have used at least one more slice of bacon in order for the ingredients to be evenly distributed in each bite.
Martha Stewart’s BLT didn’t taste like any other BLT I’ve ever had, largely due to the homemade mayonnaise and basil.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The ingredients tasted really fresh and light despite being a bacon-based sandwich. The basil cut through the savory flavors perfectly, while the mayonnaise added a citrus flavor.
The vine-ripe tomatoes were sweet, juicy, and flavorful. Altogether, the sandwich tasted similar to an Italian Caprese salad, plus bacon.
However, I definitely preferred the butter lettuce I used in Garten’s sandwich over the romaine, and I even preferred the store-bought mayonnaise over my first attempt at a homemade version.
Martha Stewart’s “perfect BLT” took a little extra effort with the homemade mayonnaise, and I’m not sure if it was completely worth it in the end.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The cooking and preparing process was a little longer than I would usually go for. After all, I wanted to get it exactly right. If I hadn’t also tried Ina Garten’s sandwich, I might have agreed that this sandwich really was “perfect.”
However, between the extra dishes, energy, and the small serving of bacon, I didn’t think that I would actually make this sandwich again over Garten’s.
Fidji Simo is taking a temporary medical leave from OpenAI.
JOEL SAGET / AFP
Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of Applications, is taking a temporary medical leave.
Simo is seeking treatment for postural tachycardia syndrome, or POTS.
POTS is a disorder that can cause heart palpitations, lightheadedness, and fainting.
OpenAI executive Fidji Simo is taking a temporary medical leave to treat postural tachycardia syndrome, or POTS.
The company said in an internal memo to OpenAI staffers on Friday that Simo would leave to pursue treatment and would return in several weeks.
Simo, who cofounded the Complex Disorders Alliance and the Metrodara Foundation, was diagnosed with POTS in 2019. She was initially misdiagnosed by doctors, including one who credited her health issues to being a “tired mom.”
“I was fainting constantly, I was feeling weak,” Simo told Fortune in 2021.
POTS affects the autonomic nervous system, which regulates involuntary functions such as blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke said people with POTS often have orthostatic intolerance, whichis a set of symptoms that occur when a person stands up and are relieved by lying down.
“Symptoms of orthostatic intolerance, which often include dizziness or fainting, happen because not enough blood flows back to the heart when the person moves from a lying down or seated position to standing up,” the agency said.
Through her organizations, scientists are conducting research and trying to find cures for disorders like POTS.
Who is most likely to get POTS?
Although anyone can be diagnosed with POTS, the disorder mostly affects people between 15 and 50 years old. POTS is more common in women than in men.
“POTS commonly begins after a pregnancy, major surgery, puberty, trauma, or a viral illness. Some people report an increase in episodes of POTS right before their menstrual periods,” the National Institute of Health said.
People with a family history of POTS are at a “higher risk.”
What are the symptoms of POTS?
A “classic” symptom of POTS is a fast heartbeat, but the disorder can also cause dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, and heart palpitations that occur when standing up.
“Some people may have blurred vision or tunnel vision, weakness in the legs, chest pain or other pain, fatigue, sleep problems, digestive issues, shortness of breath, and difficulty concentrating,” the agency said.
Over time, POTS symptoms can improve, but some may remain or persist for a long time.
Why is POTS hard to diagnose?
The agency said scientists aren’t sure what exactly causes POTS.
“Doctors typically begin by reviewing a person’s medical history and discussing their symptoms,” the agency says. “They may also measure heart rate and blood pressure and observe how the body responds to changes in position, such as standing up quickly.”
How is POTS treated?
Treatment for POTS is focused on managing issues with blood flow and low blood volume.
Some medications can offer short-term relief, but scientists are still determining their long-term effectiveness. Lifestyle changes can help lessen symptoms, including increasing salt intake and staying hydrated.
How does COVID-19 impact POTS?
Some people with long-term COVID have developed POTS, but scientists are still determining why, according to the agency.
People with POTS symptoms related to COVID-19 can also experience anxiety, depression, cognitive issues, brain fog, and sleep problems.
Aily Labs CEO Bianca Anghelina and Tanmai Gopal, CEO of PromptQL.
Ruder Finn; Bonfire Partners
AI is transforming the consulting industry with new tech startups in Silicon Valley.
These startups aim to help companies manage data and optimize technology using AI.
These four companies have collectively raised over $300 million.
AI is upending a business that hasn’t changed in generations.
Over the past year, a new wave of consulting tech startups has emerged in Silicon Valley. These companies are helping clients manage their data, make better decisions, and optimize their technology, all through the use of AI.
While some on the list are not shy about their ambitions to eventually take a slice of business from the Big Four or the MBB, others are looking to complement the established players’ work.
Business Insider asked a handful of investors to identify a few of the most promising startups to watch in this emerging category of consulting tech. Here are five AI-powered consulting startups to watch.
PromptQL
Tanmai Gopal, CEO of PromptQL.
Bonfire Partners
Total funding: $136 million
What it does: PromptQL is an enterprise platform that aims to automate some of the work of a typical consultant, like surfacing insights and generating reports. It helps clients build custom AI analysts by integrating their internal data with the foundation models they already use.
Once deployed, these AI analysts can perform tasks typically handled by data scientists or engineers — and continuously learn and adapt to their environments over time.
PromptQL also offers access to its team of expert engineers, who help companies operate their AI analysts and shape broader AI transformation strategies — at a rate of $900 an hour.
Tanmai Gopal, PromptQL’s CEO and founder, told Business Insider that the platform’s “killer feature” has been its capacity to provide “AI accuracy at scale without requiring messy data to be prepped or moved elsewhere.”
Why it’s good: “For us, the bet here is simple: there’s an overconfidence crisis in AI,” Gaurav Gupta, partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, told Business Insider. “We believe 95% of AI companies will fail, and history will show that hallucinations were a major reason why. We think PromptQL is best positioned to solve this for enterprises.”
Aily Labs
Aily Labs, founder and CEO, Bianca Anghelina.
Ruder Finn
Total funding: $101 million
What it does: Founded in 2020 by former Novartis executive Bianca Anghelina, Aily Labsbuilds an AI-powered “decision intelligence” platform designed to help Fortune 500 companies make decisions by consolidating data.
“I experienced firsthand how decisions are slowed down because of siloed data,” Anghelina said. Traditional corporate decision-making is often delayed by “processes that take weeks or months” and “data owned by different functions” without “one source of truth,” she said.
Aily’s “AI brain” aims to tackle these challenges by combining off-the-shelf and proprietary large language models, with data, to surface insights and recommendations “in a matter of minutes rather than weeks,” she said.
Unlike typical consulting firms, Aily isn’t focused on one-off projects, but on embedding “an always-on AI brain” into a company’s operations, she said.
Why it’s good: “Everyone’s capturing information, but the question is: how are we actually using it to drive better decisions and efficiency?” Pegah Ebrahimi, the cofounder and managing partner at FPV Ventures, which led Aily’s latest $80 million funding round, told Business Insider.
Aily is like an “executive partner that surfaces the top insights and risks relevant to your specific role — whether you’re head of supply chain in Brazil or head of sales for North America,” she added.
Profound
Profound founders James Cadwallader and Dylan Babbs.
Profound
Total funding: $58.5 million
What it does:
In the AI era, companies are no longer agonizing about search engine optimization; they’re fretting about how to get mentioned in generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT.
GEO, also known as generative engine optimization, is the process of optimizing content to boost its visibility in AI-driven searches.
Profound helps companies manage their geo strategy, including how they’re mentioned in generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT. They also advise on how agents interface with a company’s website and digital content, and analyze real-time search data to understand how consumers are working with generative AI chatbots.
Why it’s good:
Thomson Nguyen, cofounder and managing partner at Saga Ventures — which invested in Profound’s Series B round — told Business Insider by email that chief marketing officers at companies once hired brand consultants and marketing consultants to run focus groups to research and understand how their brand ranked among competitors.
Now, Profound offers a way to automate that work, Nguyen said.
Max Altman, another cofounder and managing partner at Saga, told Business Insider by email that “Profound is the 800 lb. gorilla in the room, and clear category leader.”
Dialogue
Dialogue AI
Total funding: $6 million
What it does: Dialogue AI, an AI-powered market research platform, aims to speed up the way companies conduct research — from designing studies and recruiting participants, to conducting interviews.
The company was founded by Benjamin Lo, Justin Hoang, and Hubert Chen — all of whom overlapped at Nextdoor, a social networking platform for neighborhoods.
The aim is to cut the turnaround time of a typical market research study from weeks to just a day, Lo previously told Business Insider.
“Maybe you’re a designer or an engineer or a consultant, and you can basically conduct research independently with best practices. I think that’s one of our visions — can we almost democratize market research?” Hoang previously told Business Insider.
Why it’s good: “Market research as we know it is ripe for disruption,” Faraz Fatemi, partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, which lead Dialogue’s seed round, said in a press release announcing its new funding.
“Dialogue understands that teams across an organization, not just researchers, need fast, meaningful insights to do their jobs well. What they’ve built is both technically impressive and deeply thoughtful: a way to talk to customers at scale, without sacrificing depth or quality.”
Larridin
Larridin cofounders (left to right) Jim Larrison, Ameya Kanitkar, and Russell Fradin.
Larridin
Total Funding: $17 million
What it does: Larridin is a measurement and analytics company focused on how AI is actually used inside organizations.
Its product, Scout, helps companies understand “what’s actually happening in your org with AI.”
Russell Fradin, a cofounder of the company, said its goal is to give companies visibility into the usage and impact of AI.
Scout can be used to answer questions like “what’s actually happening in your org with AI, what’s working, what’s not working, what’s making your employees more productive,” Fradin said.
It can also help answer questions around cost optimization, which typically falls into the realm of consulting firms. “How much more productive is this tool actually making your employees? Should you spend more on it? Should you cancel it? Should you double down?” he said.
Fradin said Larridin isn’t trying to replace consulting firms. Instead, it wants to provide data they can use.
“We’re just trying to build a very large measurement company,” he said.
Why it’s good: “AI is moving faster than any technology revolution in history, and like the internet, it needs independent measurement to prove value,” Alex Rampell, a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz, which led Larridin’s Series A round, told Business Insider. “Larridin identified this gap early and built the right solution, Larridin Scout, at exactly the right time. Every CIO we know is asking how to measure the impact of AI. Now they have an answer.”
Smoke from a rocket interception is seen in the sky over Dubai during a previous incident
AFP via Getty Images
Debris from a missile struck Oracle’s offices in Dubai on Saturday, city officials said.
The city government called it a “minor incident” that didn’t result in any injuries.
Iran earlier threatened to target US companies in the region.
Falling debris from an intercepted missile has damaged the Dubai office of American tech giant Oracle, city officials said on Saturday.
“Authorities confirm that they responded to a minor incident caused by debris from an aerial interception that fell on the facade of the Oracle building in Dubai Internet City. No injuries were reported,” the Dubai Media Office said on X.
Iran has threatened to strike US-owned companies in the Middle East in retaliation for the US-led war that has now dragged on for six weeks. In a statement published on Tuesday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps advised US workers to avoid their offices.
In response, Dell told employees not to travel to the Middle East for work until mid-April, and advised staff based in the region to work from home. In an internal note, the company said it was prioritizing team member safety.
Amazon said in March that several of its cloud computing facilities had been struck since the war began.
The US has urged its citizens to reconsider travel to much of the Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates, “due to the threat of armed conflict and terrorism.”
The war, which began after the US and Israel launched strikes on Tehran on February 28, has upended the global economy as fuel prices skyrocket and travel through parts of the Middle East is rerouted.
President Donald Trump has said the war is intended to weaken what he has called the “imminent threat” of Iran’s ballistic missiles, alleged nuclear weapons program, and its proxies in the Middle East.
Trump on Saturday doubled down on his earlier demand that Iran open the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes, by April 6 or face consequences. The US, meanwhile, has moved thousands of troops into the region in recent weeks.