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Sapient Foundation: The Retired Executives Giving SMEs Free Business Advice

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Sapient Foundation: The Retired Executives Giving SMEs Free Business Advice

Retirement is meant to be the reward for a lifetime of corporate slog: long lunches, a forgiving handicap and the freedom to ignore a Monday morning inbox. For a small but growing band of senior British executives, however, the gilded sunset has proved rather less golden than the brochure suggested.

Bored, restless and quietly itching for a problem to solve, they have done what their younger colleagues might find unthinkable. They have gone back to work, and, more often than not, they are doing it for free.

The Sapient Foundation, set up last year, is the brainchild of Brendan Logan, a 72-year-old serial entrepreneur with three decades in telecommunications and four start-ups to his name. The trigger was a conversation with his old friend Larry Quinn, 69, who had reluctantly agreed to advise a local golf club on its governance, despite, as Logan tells it, having no interest whatsoever in the game. The reason? He had, in his own words, “nothing else to do”.

Quinn, who has co-founded and exited eight businesses, was clearly wasted on bunker disputes. Logan rounded up two more retirees of equal vintage: Eden Phillips, 61, formerly a software engineering manager at BT, and Mary Whatman, 62, a transformation specialist whose CV includes Bell Canada and Nortel. The Sapient Foundation was born.

In the year since, the quartet has worked with just over a dozen companies stretched across the UK and beyond. The model is unusual. Sapient looks at a client’s balance sheet, decides what the business can realistically afford, and charges accordingly. In several cases there is no upfront fee at all; instead, founders are asked to make a donation to one of the charities Sapient supports, but only once their company is generating revenue.

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That arrangement suited DocComs, a London-based start-up developing an encrypted messaging platform for doctors. Co-founder Roseanna Jaggard, who runs the business with her husband Matt, had considered the various free online services on offer to founders, but found them generic. Sapient, by contrast, has been working with the team on an investment strategy tailored to the company’s clinical niche.

In its inaugural year, the foundation donated a four-figure sum to the Solidarity Teacher Training College, part of the Solidarity with South Sudan charity. Logan says other educational causes will follow.

The retirees are unapologetically picky about whom they help. Projects must genuinely interest them, and venture capital firms hoping to use the foundation as a back door to discounted consulting have been politely shown the door. Logan says one or two have “tried to pull a fast one”.

The recurring themes among Sapient’s clients are the trio that haunt almost every British SME: funding, technology and governance. Logan and his colleagues have used their address books to introduce founders to investors and capital sources they would never otherwise have reached.

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One beneficiary is Oraczen, an agentic artificial intelligence company with offices in London and Texas. Co-founder Raghu Prasad credits Sapient with steering the business away from chasing broad AI opportunities and towards a more practical commercial wedge in contracts, procurement, supplier management and spend leakage. The intervention, Prasad says, helped the team “sharpen our focus very quickly” as they plan an expansion across the UK and Europe.

“In a traditional setting, advice of this depth and quality from senior telecom and enterprise experts would likely have cost us ten to twenty times more,” Prasad adds. “As an early-stage AI company building for enterprises across Europe and the UK, that level of access and strategic guidance would have been difficult to justify financially.”

The foundation operates under what Logan calls the “no heavy lifting” rule. Phillips, who spends a few hours a day on Sapient projects, still has time to tend his allotment, take guitar lessons and volunteer for Citizens Advice. The point, Logan insists, is that the work must remain enjoyable, the charities well funded and the queue of grateful founders steadily growing.

Britain’s SMEs have long complained about the cost and accessibility of senior strategic advice. It turns out the answer may have been sitting on the patio all along, quietly bored and reaching for the secateurs.

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Jamie Young

Jamie Young

Jamie is Senior Reporter at Business Matters, bringing over a decade of experience in UK SME business reporting.
Jamie holds a degree in Business Administration and regularly participates in industry conferences and workshops.

When not reporting on the latest business developments, Jamie is passionate about mentoring up-and-coming journalists and entrepreneurs to inspire the next generation of business leaders.

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Global Payments announces $500 million accelerated share repurchase program

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Global Payments announces $500 million accelerated share repurchase program

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Startup Propy deploying $100M to put real estate deals on the blockchain

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Startup Propy deploying $100M to put real estate deals on the blockchain

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Bel Group acquires Ingenuity Foods’ brands

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Bel Group acquires Ingenuity Foods’ brands

Acquisition includes Brainiac and Little Brainiac brands.

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Sarepta Stock Slumps. Why an Earnings Beat Wasn’t Enough for the S&P 500 Loser.

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Sarepta Stock Slumps. Why an Earnings Beat Wasn’t Enough for the S&P 500 Loser.

Sarepta Stock Slumps. Why an Earnings Beat Wasn’t Enough for the S&P 500 Loser.

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Govt reveals details of $4.7b housing spend in state budget

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Govt reveals details of $4.7b housing spend in state budget

A $1.3 billion investment in land development, power and water infrastructure is among the measures included in the 2026–27 state budget housing package (see full list).

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Release Delayed to 2028-2029 Amid RAM Crisis, Powerful AMD Specs Leaked

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Facebook's new rebrand logo Meta is seen on smartpone in front of displayed logo of Facebook, Messenger, Intagram, Whatsapp, Oculus in this illustration picture taken October 28, 2021.

NEW YORK — Sony has yet to officially acknowledge the PlayStation 6, but rampant rumors and insider reports in 2026 point to a next-generation console facing potential delays until 2028 or even 2029 due to a global RAM shortage driven by AI demand, while leaked specifications suggest a massive leap in performance with AMD’s Zen 6 CPU and RDNA 5 GPU architecture.

The absence of any official announcement has not stopped speculation. As of May 2026, prediction markets show only about 25% of bettors believe Sony will reveal the PS6 before 2027, reflecting widespread skepticism about an early launch. Sony appears focused on extending the PS5 lifecycle through continued software support and the PS5 Pro, a strategy that could push the next full-generation console further into the future.

Release Date Uncertainty

Traditional seven-year console cycles would have pointed to a 2027 launch following the PS5’s 2020 debut. However, multiple reports indicate delays. Bloomberg’s February 2026 story cited sources saying Sony is considering 2028 or 2029 due to skyrocketing memory costs. Analyst David Gibson of MST Financial echoed this, noting high likelihood of a post-2028 debut as the company prioritizes PS5 profitability.

Some leakers, including Moore’s Law Is Dead and Kepler L2, maintain that production could begin in 2027 for a late 2027 or early 2028 window, but the prevailing narrative favors caution amid supply chain challenges.

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Rumored Hardware Specs

Leaked documents and insider reports paint an ambitious picture. The PS6 is expected to feature a custom AMD chip based on Zen 6 CPU architecture and RDNA 5 GPU, potentially delivering up to three times the performance of the PS5 in key areas. Rumors suggest 24-32 GB of high-speed GDDR7 memory, a significantly faster SSD (possibly 3x the PS5’s speeds), and advanced ray tracing capabilities.

A dedicated PlayStation handheld, codenamed “Canis,” may launch alongside the main console, sharing similar AMD technology but in a more compact form. Backward compatibility with PS4 and PS5 games appears likely, providing seamless access to thousands of existing titles.

Additional features under discussion include AI-driven upscaling, enhanced frame generation technology, Wi-Fi 7 support, and HDMI 2.2 connectivity. Pricing speculation ranges from $749 to $999 depending on configuration and storage options.

Development and Production Status

Sony reportedly awarded the main chip contract to AMD years ago. Development kits may appear in 2026, with full production potentially starting in early 2027 if delays are avoided. Sony’s focus on extending the PS5 era — through strong sales and exclusive content — gives the company breathing room while navigating component shortages.

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Mark Cerny, the PS5’s lead architect, has hinted at future technologies like machine learning enhancements in interviews, further fueling speculation about PS6 capabilities.

Strategic Context for Sony

The PS5 has enjoyed remarkable commercial success, selling tens of millions of units. Extending its lifecycle allows Sony to maximize returns before investing heavily in next-gen hardware. This mirrors broader industry trends, with Nintendo also pacing its hardware releases carefully.

A longer PS5 window could also help Sony navigate economic pressures, including rising component costs and competition from PC gaming, handhelds and cloud services.

What Fans Can Expect

While no official reveal is imminent, 2026 will likely bring more leaks, developer kit distribution and teaser patents. Gamers should anticipate continued PS5 support with major titles through at least 2027 or 2028. A potential handheld could bridge the gap, offering portable PlayStation experiences.

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The eventual PS6 promises significant leaps in visual fidelity, loading speeds, AI-assisted gameplay and possibly new input methods. Full backward compatibility would preserve Sony’s vast game library, a key advantage over past transitions.

Industry Implications

A delayed PS6 launch could reshape the console market. Microsoft’s next Xbox (Project Helix) faces similar timing questions. The extended generation may accelerate adoption of subscription services, cloud gaming and cross-platform play as consumers wait for fresh hardware.

For now, excitement builds around rumors rather than concrete announcements. Sony’s silence is strategic, allowing the company to refine plans while the PS5 remains a powerhouse. As RAM supply issues evolve and AI demand fluctuates, the PS6 timeline remains fluid.

Fans betting against a 2026 reveal appear to have the upper hand, but rapid advancements in semiconductor manufacturing could still accelerate plans. Until Sony speaks officially, the PlayStation 6 remains one of gaming’s most intriguing mysteries — a next-generation leap that feels simultaneously close and far away in 2026.

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(VIDEO) Elon Musk Goes Viral With 2013 Laugh at Choosing EVs and Solar Over Google Search

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Elon Musk Predicts Universal High Income and Deflation as AI

AUSTIN, Texas — Elon Musk posted a 13-year-old video clip Wednesday night that has already racked up millions of views, showing the Tesla and SpaceX CEO laughing at his younger self for deliberately choosing the “two worst industries” — electric vehicles and solar power — instead of building a search engine like Google.

In the resurfaced footage from roughly 2013, a younger Musk appears on camera in a relaxed setting, grinning broadly as he recounts early career decisions. “I could have created Google, but I decided to do EVs and solar instead,” he says, before bursting into laughter at the apparent absurdity of the choice at the time. He adds that EVs and solar were widely viewed as the “two worst industries” because of high capital costs, low margins and intense competition.

Musk’s post on X quickly became a viral sensation, with more than 11 million views and tens of thousands of likes within hours. The clip resonated deeply with followers who see it as proof of his long-term vision and willingness to bet against conventional wisdom.

Context of the 2013 Moment

The video dates to a period when Musk was already deeply invested in Tesla and SolarCity (later acquired by Tesla). At the time, electric vehicles were niche products hampered by battery limitations and high prices. Solar energy faced skepticism over intermittency and cost. Meanwhile, Google was dominating search and advertising, appearing to be an obvious, high-margin business opportunity.

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Musk had sold his stake in PayPal years earlier and used the proceeds to fund SpaceX and Tesla. The clip captures his characteristic blend of self-deprecation and confidence, acknowledging the risk while clearly believing in the long-term payoff. “The universe brought it back to him,” one popular reply noted, referencing how Musk later acquired the X.com domain (originally his PayPal-era company) to rebrand Twitter as X.

Why the Clip Resonates in 2026

Musk’s decision has aged remarkably well. Tesla is now valued at hundreds of billions of dollars, with electric vehicles mainstream and autonomous driving on the horizon. Solar power has become one of the fastest-growing energy sources globally, bolstered by Tesla’s energy storage business. SpaceX has transformed space travel, and Musk’s other ventures — Neuralink, xAI and The Boring Company — continue pushing boundaries.

The post arrives amid ongoing debates about Musk’s influence across industries. Supporters view the clip as motivational proof that bold, contrarian bets can succeed spectacularly. Critics argue it overlooks challenges such as Tesla’s production struggles, regulatory scrutiny and labor issues. Still, the overwhelming reaction has been admiration for Musk’s foresight.

Replies poured in with quotes from Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist (“when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it”) and comparisons to fictional visionaries like Tony Stark. Many users highlighted Musk’s refusal to chase “easy” markets, instead focusing on humanity-scale problems like sustainable energy and multi-planetary life.

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Musk’s Philosophy on Risk and Vision

The video underscores Musk’s often-stated belief in first-principles thinking and willingness to tackle “impossible” problems. In interviews over the years, he has described EVs and solar as critical to addressing climate change, even when the economics looked bleak. His 2013 laugh now reads as knowing foresight rather than naivety.

Analysts note that Musk’s approach — heavy upfront investment in technology and manufacturing scale — has become a blueprint for other entrepreneurs. Tesla’s Gigafactories, vertical integration and software-over-hardware strategy have influenced industries far beyond autos. SolarCity’s early solar roofs and Powerwall batteries laid groundwork for Tesla Energy, now a major profit driver.

Broader Impact and Fan Reactions

The post also reignited discussions about Musk’s decision to buy Twitter (now X) and rebrand it, tying back to his original X.com venture. Users pointed out the poetic symmetry of the universe “bringing it back” to him. Others used the moment to praise Musk’s long-term commitment to humanity’s future, citing SpaceX’s Starship progress and xAI’s Grok models.

Not all reactions were positive. Some critics highlighted ongoing controversies, from Tesla’s self-driving technology scrutiny to Musk’s political commentary. Yet even detractors acknowledged the clip’s entertainment value and historical significance.

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Musk has not added further comment beyond the video itself. The post continues to generate engagement, with fans creating memes, edits and motivational threads based on the laughter. Clips of the moment have spread across YouTube, TikTok and Instagram Reels, amplifying its reach beyond X.

Legacy of Contrarian Bets

This 2013 clip fits into a larger pattern. Musk has repeatedly chosen difficult paths: reusable rockets when NASA relied on expendable ones, electric cars when gasoline dominated, and now brain-computer interfaces and AI safety. Each time, skeptics called the ideas impractical or doomed. Each time, Musk persisted until the technology caught up.

Business historians compare Musk to figures like Henry Ford or Thomas Edison — visionaries who bet on transformative technologies despite early ridicule. The clip humanizes Musk, showing that even he found the odds amusing at the time, yet pressed forward anyway.

As Tesla pushes toward robotaxis and full self-driving, SpaceX targets Mars missions, and xAI advances large language models, the 2013 laughter feels prophetic. What once looked like the “two worst industries” now drives trillion-dollar valuations and global conversations about energy, transportation and humanity’s future.

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For Musk’s millions of followers, the post serves as both entertainment and inspiration. In an era of short-term thinking and quarterly earnings pressure, it reminds viewers of the power of patience and conviction. The universe, as the replies repeatedly note, did conspire to help Musk achieve his goals — but only because he chose the hardest road first.

Whether one views Musk as a visionary or a controversial figure, the 2013 clip captures a pivotal moment of self-aware humor that continues to captivate audiences more than a decade later. As Musk’s companies reshape multiple industries, this throwback video stands as a lighthearted reminder of how far contrarian thinking can carry someone who is willing to laugh at the odds — and then beat them.

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Family office deal-making rebounds in April with healthcare bets

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Family office deal-making rebounds in April with healthcare bets

Laurene Powell Jobs, founder and president, Emerson Collective, speaks during the 29th annual Milken Institute Global Conference at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on May 4, 2026.

Patrick T. Fallon | Afp | Getty Images

A version of this article first appeared in CNBC’s Inside Wealth newsletter with Robert Frank, a weekly guide to the high-net-worth investor and consumer. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox.

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Investment firms of ultra-wealthy families stepped up their deal-making in April after a slowdown the month prior triggered by the outbreak of the Iran war.

Family offices made 55 direct investments in companies last month, up from 39 in March according to data provided exclusively to CNBC by Fintrx, a private wealth intelligence platform.

Nearly a third of April’s investments were made in healthcare and life sciences companies.

Laurene Powell Jobs’ Emerson Collective, her investment and philanthropy firm, joined fundraises for two startups, a seed round for Ultralight and a Series A round for Stipple Bio. Ultralight, an artificial intelligence software platform for personalized healthcare, raised $9.3 million in seed funding from Emerson Collective and other investors. Stipple Bio, a developer of targeted cancer therapies, raised $100 million in the round, which was co-led by Andreessen Horowitz.

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Family offices’ healthcare investments are often inspired by personal experience. Emerson Collective’s investment in Stipple Bio was managed by Yosemite, an oncology-focused venture fund founded by Reed Jobs, Powell Jobs’ son with Steve Jobs. The Apple co-founder died in 2011 from complications of pancreatic cancer.

Also in April, Dolby Family Ventures joined a 53 million euro ($62 million) Series B round for Exciva, a developer of treatments for agitation in Alzheimer’s patients. The impact-driven family office was founded by David Dolby in 2014, about a year after his father, billionaire engineer Ray Dolby, died of complications of Alzheimer’s disease and acute leukemia.

In a survey released by J.P. Morgan Private Bank in February, half of family offices cited healthcare innovation as a top investment theme, second only to artificial intelligence, at 65%.

This influx of private capital comes during cuts and interruptions to federal funding for healthcare research. A budget proposal released by the Trump administration in April seeks to cut an additional $5 billion from the National Institutes of Health.

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Consumers confused by new dietary guidelines

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Consumers confused by new dietary guidelines

Survey finds consumers are aware of the updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans but aren’t sure they understand them. 

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Peloton (PTON) earnings Q3 2026

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Peloton (PTON) earnings Q3 2026

The Peloton Tread+ and Bike+ during a media preview at Peloton headquarters in New York, US, on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025.

Gabby Jones | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Peloton posted fiscal third-quarter earnings results Thursday that beat Wall Street expectations on revenue but fell slightly short on earnings per share.

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The company touted better-than-expected equipment sales and subscription revenue as helping to drive its sales and profitability, with free cash flow up nearly 60%.

“The first order of business in earnings is reporting how you did financially, and we feel like that was a pretty good quarter in terms of where we are strategically,” CEO Peter Stern told CNBC.

Here’s how the company performed in its quarter ended March 31, compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:

  • Earnings per share: 6 cents vs. 7 cents expected
  • Revenue: $630.9 million vs. $617.6 million expected

The company’s net income for the quarter was $26.4 million, or 6 cents per share, up from a loss of $47.7 million, or 12 cents per share, in the year-ago period. Sales came in at $630.9 million, up roughly 1% from $624 million a year earlier.

For the full fiscal year, Peloton said it projects total revenue of between $2.42 billion and $2.44 billion, lifting the lower end of the guidance range it provided last quarter.

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The company saw revenue for its connected fitness subscriptions come in at $202.9 million, down from $205.5 million a year prior, but beating estimates of $196 million, according to StreetAccount. Subscription revenue also topped estimates and grew 2% year over year, reaching $428 million.

Paid connected fitness subscriber count, however, fell year over year to 2.66 million.

The connected fitness company has been struggling with weak performance and sluggish sales, previously projecting that performance to extend into this quarter. It’s tried to revamp its product assortment and recently raised prices on both its equipment and subscription plans.

Stern said Peloton feels its pricing changes were appropriate.

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“We’re really sensitive to the fact that people feel stress in this economic environment, and it’s impacting different people in really different ways,” Stern told CNBC. “That being said, we feel like the price changes that we made in Q2 – it was time. We had added a tremendous amount of value over the succeeding three or four years since we previously made any change in our subscription prices.”

Peloton has also been inking new partnerships and trying new strategies to win back customers. Last month, Peloton announced a deal with Spotify, making more than 1,400 Peloton classes available to Spotify Premium subscribers. It also launched its first Bike and Tread products for high-traffic gym floors in March.

Stern added that the company had already factored the Spotify deal into its revenue guidance because it had been in the works for “a long time.” Peloton also does not count Spotify users toward its subscribers.

“We’re really excited about our deal with Spotify, that allows us to reach Peloton members in a lot more countries and is also a high margin revenue for us,” Stern said.

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