Monday AM Reads roundup highlights tech, economy and royal initiatives

The latest “Monday AM Reads” collection offers a snapshot of diverse topics shaping business, technology and society, from a surge in pandemic‑born startups to a royal push on homelessness data [1].

Key takeaways

• New businesses founded during the pandemic are driving job growth, according to a New York Times analysis [1].
• Fidelity estimates Twitter’s market value fell to about $8 billion, an 80 % drop from its 2022 peak [1].
• Harvard’s endowment fund underperformed for two decades, delivering poor returns and high compensation [1].
• Researchers reported a “twistronics” effect that could enable new ways to steer light and electrons in quantum materials [1].
• Prince William and Queen Camilla jointly highlighted homelessness, launching a data lab to predict housing risk [3].

Pandemic‑era startups and market shifts

A record surge in new businesses launched during the COVID‑19 pandemic is credited with bolstering recent job growth, a trend the New York Times links to longer‑term economic benefits [1]. At the same time, Fidelity’s Blue Chip Growth Fund disclosed that Twitter’s valuation has slumped to roughly $8 billion, an 80 % decline from its $44 billion valuation in 2022 [1]. The firm’s filing underscores how rapidly tech‑sector valuations can shift.

Harvard’s investment arm also made headlines, with Bloomberg noting that its money managers delivered consistently poor returns over the past twenty years while senior staff received substantial compensation [1]. The piece suggests that personnel and strategy changes often coincided with the worst market timing, contributing to the underperformance.

Tech, defense and cultural trends

The Wall Street Journal highlighted a new AI‑driven podcast tool that can generate audio on any topic, positioning it as a potential “new favorite” for listeners [1]. Wired reported that the U.S. Pentagon has adopted ergonomic video‑game‑style controllers for certain operations, reflecting a shift toward familiar consumer technology in military contexts [1].

CityLab examined regulatory hurdles facing ultra‑compact urban vehicles in the United States, noting that federal and state agencies appear reluctant to approve such “minicars” despite their popularity abroad [1]. Meanwhile, Talking Points Memo identified five personality types who spread conspiracy theories even when they know the claims are false [1].

Researchers at Penn Today described a “twistronics” discovery where twisting layers of a material creates a novel electron‑deflecting effect, opening possibilities for controlling light and electrons in quantum systems [1]. The Verge warned that digital IDs could tempt users to leave physical driver’s licenses at home, raising privacy and law‑enforcement concerns [1]. Finally, the New York Times linked recent changes in college football, including Deion Sanders’ influence at Colorado, to broader debates about the role of athletics in higher education [1].