business

Verdeliss’s latest challenge reminds us that impossible challenges are huge business

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Before we get into the matter, let me ask you an indiscreet question: What did you do between seven in the afternoon on Wednesday and the same time on Thursday? Most likely several things, including eating, sleeping, and stretching your legs. Of all of them Estefanía Unzu, better known by her alias ‘Verdeliss’he only did the last one. And in an unorthodox way. During 24 hours the influencer He dedicated himself to running on a treadmill installed behind a shop window in Madrid. It is the umpteenth proof of two trends that they walk run hand in hand: business and the fever generated by impossible challenges, a field that Verdeliss know well. What has happened? If in the last few hours you have stopped by the Decathlon store in Nuevos Ministerios (Orense Street, Madrid) it is quite likely that you have been surprised. On Wednesday the 25th at 7:01 p.m. in its window you could see a treadmill with a runner taking strides. At 2:00 a.m. the image was identical. And at 6:59 p.m. on Thursday the 26th, the same thing happened. The surprising thing is that during all that time (the 24 hours from 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday) the person who ran on the treadmill was always the same: Verdeliss. His balance: 24 hours of walking and more than 250 km. Why did he do it? Advertising. The challenge is part of the campaign orchestrated by Decathlon to promote the sneakers Kipride Maxof Kiprunthe brand with which the French chain aspires to expand its space in the growing business athletics and amateur running. In fact, the company has been in charge of giving visibility to the Verdeliss challenge on its networks, with videos, photos, interviews with passers-by and of course to the influencer herselfwho before starting to run assured that his objective is to test his limits. The underlying purpose: to take advantage of the challenge to give notoriety to the new Decathlin sneakers and provide them with a place in a hypercompetitive market, in which large multinationals such as Adidas or Nike work in different price ranges and frequently launch promotions. Kiprin introduced the Kipride Max ago just a monthpromote them as daily training shoes “designed to offer the brand’s most cushioned and comfortable ride.” Why Verdeliss? Because of his public profile. Runners there are many. Influencers, too. Estefanía Unizo Ripoll (‘Verdeliss’) has however managed to gain notable fame. And it has done so with two ingredients: an unconventional profile and a commitment to extreme challenges like Decathlon. The influencer Navarre has 40 years, eight children and combines his love for extreme sports with his businesswoman facet and media figure (he reached go through Big Brother). Since he joined YouTube in 2008, his profile has also changed: from basically publishing family content he has turned towards extreme sports. If his name sounds familiar to you even if you don’t follow current events running maybe it’s because in 2025 he went for it World Marathon Challengea test that consists of seven marathons in seven days and different continents. And that is just one of the challenges he has conquered. Another is the national championship 100 km on the road. Why is it important? Because Decathlon’s challenge not only tells us about it. It also tells us a lot about the fever (and business) generated around impossible challenges. People like to explore (or see how others explore) physical limits, whether climbing skyscrapersjumping from heart attack distances either swimming and running enormous distances with hardly any breaks. Behind many of these initiatives there are sponsorships (also campaigns with a more or less solidarity approach) and above all a huge media exposure for those who star in them. Verdeliss, for example, adds some 1.6 million of followers on Instagram and others 2.1 million on YouTube. The organization of extreme events also opens a business avenue: without going any further, participating in the World Marathon Challenge requires paying tens of thousands of euros. With yesterday’s campaign, Decathlon manages to position itself in a hypercompetitive market and the influencer (beyond the promotional agreement itself) feeds her image as an athlete capable of conquering extraordinary challenges, traveling 255 km in 24 hours. In the background there is another debate: to what extent facing challenges like this pushes the body to its limits. In the past Unzu herself has recognized having done “savages” and who does not seek to be “exemplary.” In fact, he even warns his followers: “Don’t do this in your house.” Images |Decathlon (IG) and Verdeliss In Xataka | The Winter Olympics leave Italy with a debt of 7.8 million dollars. Not to organize them, to win them

Mercadona suppliers have invested 1.7 billion euros. That gives you an idea of ​​what a huge business it has become.

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when you want present your model Mercadona’s business strategy usually cites five pillars: “the boss” (the word used to refer to customers), its staff, society and capital. The fifth is his wide network of suppliers. That the Valencian chain includes them on that list is no coincidence. If it has managed to lead the sector until it has gained a business share that is already close to 30%, it is thanks largely to its bet on white labela wide catalog of articles impossible to articulate without a “industrial cluster” with 2,100 suppliers. As Mercadona grows they do it too, but that link is not free. In order not to lose step, they are forced to invest millions. One figure: 1.7 billion. The data has revealed it Expansion. Last year, Mercadona suppliers made investments in Spain and Portugal worth 1.7 billion euros. The figure is not only interesting for its volume, it is also interesting when put into perspective: it represents 31% more than the previous year, when the sum of investments amounted to 1,300 million. If compared to 2023, when ‘only’ 500 million euros were mobilized, the increase in investment is much greater, close to 240%. Of course, not all suppliers have spent the same nor do all the projects in which they have invested have to be 100% focused on Mercadona, although it is true that the chain is the main client of some of its suppliers. Who has invested the most? Mercadona has not yet presented its 2025 report, but we do have that of the previous yearwhich details the suppliers that mobilized the most investment and generated the most employment. At the head was Casa Tarradellas, which supplies Mercadona with ready-made pizzas and fuets for the Hacendado brand. In 2024 the Catalan company invested 104 million to build two new factories, dryers and production lines. The published data by Expansion show that in 2025 it once again led investment in the Mercadona supplier ecosystem, with the mobilization of 117.6 million. At the beginning of last year the firm presented a new mill for wheat flour in Gurb (Barcelona) that required 25 million of euros and throughout the year it also promoted a storage center of species. In 2024 Casa Tarradellas achieved increase 12% its profits to reach 38.4 million euros, consolidating the positive trend already registered in 2023. The result was largely possible due to the increase in income. An investment cluster. The list The greatest investment effort is completed by companies such as Vall Companys (70 million euros), Incarlopsa, Avinatur, Essity and Cañigueral, all four with investments close to 60 million, Covap (42.5 million) and Entrepinares (27 million). Names such as Familia Martínez, Huevos Guillén (50) and Elaborados Naturales (40) also stand out. Not all of that money has had to be allocated to projects focused on supplying Mercadona, but a review of the reports deposited in the Commercial Registry reveals that the supermarket chain has become the main client of its suppliers. In some cases the company founded by Roig actually represents more than 50% of all his income. “Joint planning”. The data is interesting because it does not only tell us about the resources that Mercadona suppliers have dedicated to strengthening their infrastructure and productivity. It also suggests that these companies are forced to make this effort to keep up with the Valencian chain, which in 2024 increased its turnover by 9%, to exceed the 38.8 billion euros. Looking ahead to 2025, it expected to continue growing and reach 40.1 billion. Although Mercadona has not yet presented its report for the past year, we do have studies that show that it has achieved increase your quota of business, moving away from rivals such as Carrefour or Lidl. As its sales grow and its catalog of private labels and ready-to-eat foods triumphs, the Valencian firm needs to rely on its “industrial cluster” of suppliers. Hence the urgency for them to strengthen their production capacity. “These investments are possible thanks to trust and joint planning,” they explain from Mercadona when remembering the 1.7 billion mobilized. Investment… and something more. That these companies are willing to dedicate millions and millions of euros to modernize their facilities, gain production capacity or expand is explained by a very simple reason: keeping up with the Valencian chain has become quite a lucrative business. Recently Five Days he wondered how the companies that supply it with products are doing and, after investigating the Commercial Registry, it found out that in 2024 the 20 main suppliers of the chain increased their sales figures by 18% to exceed 12,000 million euros. In total, aggregate profits grew by 5%, exceeding 360 million. Curiously (or not) at the top in billing volume were Casa Tarradellas, Incarlopsa, J García Carrión and Covap, with sales increases ranging from 12 to 29% between 2022 and 2024. Images | Mercadona and Wikipedia In Xataka | Mercadona and the rest of the supermarkets have realized something worrying: they spend a million dollars on printing paper

Amancio Ortega takes Pontegadea’s logistics business further than ever: to Australia

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In its efforts to expand the reach and diversification of its logistics businessAmancio Ortega, is leaving our antipodes, to buy a significant stake in an Australian logistics giant. This operation represents Pontegadea’s first entry into the Australian continent and strengthens the investment arm strategy of Ortega in the global logistics sector, an area that the millionaire has proven to control very well since it is the key to Inditex expansion as a global fashion giant. The Australian adventure of Amancio Ortega. According to information of Financial Review Spanish magnate, through his family office Pontegadeais going to join a group of investors led by the Macquarie Asset Management fund, to present a purchase proposal for 100% of the Australian technology giant. Qube logistics. The operation values ​​the company at 11.6 billion Australian dollars, which is equivalent to about 6.9 billion euros. This offer involves paying 28% more for each Qube share than the price at which it was trading just before the first proposal was made known. The purchase would be made through an agreement approved by shareholders at a meeting, without the need for a traditional public purchase offer process. Macquarie already owns 18.4% of the company, so the operation would ensure control of the rest of the shareholders. His first operation in Australia. This is the first investment that Pontegadea makes outside Europe or USAand is committed to addressing it by diversifying its logistics business. As is customary every time Pontegadea faces a new challenge, it does so from a conservative profile staying in the backgroundletting its partners take the initiative in direct management. On this occasion, the operation is led by the consortium formed by Macquarie, which includes other investment funds such as UniSuper, Brighter Super and Mercer. The intention with this purchase is to take advantage of Qube’s position in the Australian and New Zealand supply chain to expand into Asia, where trade is growing. Qube Business. Sydney-based Qube is the largest import and export logistics operator in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia. It is responsible for storing goods, managing ports, distributing containers by road and manufacturing transport equipment, in addition to providing services to sectors such as mining, energy and construction. The purchase of this company coincides with Pontegadea’s recent investments in the port operatorsand logistics warehouses, but it opens a new investment door, bringing the company closer to the import and export business with Asia. Previous investments in logistics. Although this is its first foray into Australia, Pontegadea has already invested significantly in logistics assets in Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States. In October 2025 bought a logistics center of 80,000 square meters in the vicinity of Liverpool, leasing to Amazon, for 81 million euros. In addition, Pontegadea acquired a portfolio of warehouses and logistics platforms in Europe and the United States for more than 900 million dollars, and entered the British port business with the purchase of 49% of PD Ports. These operations show a clear commitment to diversifying Pontegadea’s portfolio towards logistics infrastructures in different countries, and not focusing only on real estate investments. In Xataka | Amancio Ortega has been donating millions of euros to Spanish hospitals for years. The question is if there is something more fundamental Image | GTRES, Unsplash (Nathan Cima)

Sydney Sweeney or Justin Bieber’s infallible business is selling underwear

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For more than a decade, Hollywood stars have competed to dominate the premium spirits market, from George Clooney to Dwayne Johnson. That same entrepreneurial impulse now seems to have shifted into more intimate territory: lingerie and underpants. Justin Bieber and Sydney Sweeney are the latest stars to propose that our intimacy comes with their brand. Behind this, a change in the income diversification strategies of celebrities, where art is no longer the main objective. Justin. Last Sunday, Justin Bieber took the stage at the Grammy Awards to perform a minimalist version of his ‘Yukon’ dressed only in a guitar and some striking baggy boxers. It was not just any artistic statement: the Canadian singer was promoting his Skylrk accessories line to millions of viewers, launching in 2024 with a minimalist selection of socks, sandals, sunglasses and boxers. The briefs sold out within hours of the Grammys performance. Sydney. Just a week earlier, Sydney Sweeney had announced the release of Syrn (pronounced “siren”), her own lingerie brand, through an act of calculated civil disobedience: hang bras on the iconic Hollywood sign. The technically illegal advertising strategy generated exactly the media coverage the actress was looking for. Their proposal also points to a specific niche: bodies traditionally neglected by the industry. His first collection, Seductressoffers underwear in 44 sizes (from 30B to 42DDD) with prices under $100. The precedent of tequila. Before the celebrity craze for underwear, there was another one that was even more graduation. George Clooney and his friend Rande Gerber decided to create their own tequila for private consumption. For two years they worked with a master distiller in Jalisco perfecting the formula, and called it Casamigos. It soon went on the market and they produced more than a thousand bottles per year. Four years later, Diageo acquired the company for $700 million. The impact was immediate. Dwayne Johnson launched Teremana in 2020. Kendall Jenner introduced 818 Tequila that same year. Michael Jordan and a group of NBA team owners founded Cincoro in 2019. The list multiplies with other famous and drunk people: Sean “Diddy” Combs with DeLeón, Nick Jonas with Villa One, Rita Ora with Próspero, and even the band AC/DC with Thunderstruck. But As experts point outbusiness imposes a change: Generation Z shows less inclination towards alcohol consumption compared to previous generations, suggesting that the tequila boom celebrity could have reached its peak. The new boom: underwear. Now that the tequila market shows signs of exhaustion, underwear is emerging as the new expansion territory for famous entrepreneurs. Rihanna started the path in 2018 with Savage X Fenty, a lingerie line that broke with traditional industry standards by offering up to 44 sizes and prioritizing racial diversity in its visual proposal. A very profitable strategy: in 2021, the brand reached a valuation of one billion dollars after raising 115 million in a financing round. Kim Kardashian was another: she created Skims in 2019 as an extension of her growing media empire, and she was not averse to controversy. In October 2024, she launched micro-thongs with synthetic pubic hair available in different colors and textures. Names more linked to fashion like Heidi Klum already have experience: she has had a luxury lingerie line since 2015, and the burlesque artist Dita Von Teese since 2012. Why underwear? Easy: the global underwear sector moved 187.61 billion dollars in 2025 and is projected to reach 314,442 million by 2035, with an annual growth rate of 5.3%. It is a well-rounded business that leads famous men and women to become aspirational models even in their most intimate aspects. The photos of Sweeney posing in her underwear look like something out of a ‘Playboy’ shoot. And now her fans can look like her. Less art. What many of these artists do agree on is that their creative production slows down when they discover that these businesses are more profitable. Rihanna hasn’t released an album since 2016. Ryan Reynolds invests in football clubs, Formula 1 teams and gin brands and only shoots movies occasionally. George Clooney is practically retired. Some analysts have already described it as a sign of modern fame: sell before creating. For some, at the moment, it is working very well. In Xataka | When they want to sell us smart underwear, the world of technology has a problem.

Madrid and Barcelona have built an entire social and business life with the AVE. They are finding out what happens when it fails

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The Madrid-Barcelona high-speed line has collapsed. The trains do not arrive on time and no one pays their compensation, Adif has asked the companies to withdraw last-minute services, airlift prices have skyrocketed and there are companies working at half throttle because the goods do not arrive. A social and economic backbone of the country has been fractured. A Russian roulette. Taking a high-speed train between Madrid and Barcelona is, right now, Russian roulette if what you want is to arrive on time for an appointment. The link between the two most important cities in Spain has been broken via train and a round trip in the day is almost impossible. It is the result of a hasty revision of the train tracks, a direct consequence of the fateful Adamuz train accident (Córdoba) and the continuous warnings of the train drivers. Actions that have diluted the “high speed” concept between Madrid and Barcelona. What has happened? Since last January 18 An Iryo train derailed near Adamuz (Córdoba) and collided with another Renfe train that was traveling in the opposite direction, leaving 45 dead, Adif has been facing criticism about the track maintenance. In the case of Madrid-Barcelona, ​​the consequences were soon seen: speed limitations. Between confusing messages, Adif ended up imposing temporary speed restrictions at numerous points on the line, especially between Madrid and Zaragoza. Later, 300 km/h returned. But it didn’t last long because speed was reduced once again. The role of machinists. Since then, travelers between Madrid and Barcelona have been reporting severe delays, with trains taking more than four hours to reach their destination. As they explained to us Xataka From the SEMAF union, train drivers have the power to reduce speed if they consider it essential for the safety and comfort of travelers. They must notify the line controllers and put it in writing in a report. In addition, on each journey a document is filled out specifying the problems that have been found on the line. A train driver, who preferred to remain anonymous, corroborated this version to Xataka and made it clear that for months they have been traveling at a speed lower than the maximum speed allowed on the line and, especially, between Madrid and Zaragoza. Likewise, he pointed out that they have been complaining for months about the vibrations suffered by the trains but that they had not received a response until now. Adif’s role. Although unions and drivers claim to have been complaining about this situation for months, it was not until January when Adif appears to have taken more far-reaching measures. The road manager is doing an exhaustive review of the roads based on the continuous complaints from workers. These inspection and repair works, when necessary, are delaying travel times. The company has asked Renfe, Iryo and Ouigo to assume that trips will be extended to three hours (and they just pointed out that these travel times will extend until December) but has also asked them to eliminate the last services of the day to have more time for their performances. Collapsed by land and air. The result is a collapsed train line. The trains are not arriving on time nor in the three hours indicated by Adif (instead of the usual 150 minutes). And the problem for those passengers, who throw in the towel with punctuality, is that The companies are not responsible for compensation either. for delays, pointing out that they are the result of a problem beyond their control and that, therefore, they do not fall within the refund policies. At the same time, demand on flights has skyrocketed. Without the possibility of getting there and back within the day by train or for fear of doubling the usual travel time, travelers have turned to airlines. And the result is full flights and skyrocketing prices. After some bills will reach 300 euros, Iberia has reached its Air Bridge at 99 euros per trip. Vueling has also increased its frequencies. And the road alternative did not improve the situation either. Only in BlaBlaCar has an increase in demand of 130% been recorded, in data provided to The Newspapercompared to the previous year. Car rental companies do not seem to have been left behind either, since The Ombudsman has asked the CNMC to analyze whether illegalities have been incurred by skyrocketing prices for car rentals and plane tickets. And problems for companies. Companies in both cities have not only had to see meetings canceled or postponed these days. Some of them are having problems having their raw materials. In The Vanguard They include the case of some of them. Inovyn, in Martorell (Barcelona) had to send its 300 employees home earlier this week because they did not have the basic materials to produce plastic. “In normal situations we receive one train a day loaded with dichloromethane, a material with which we manufacture many of our compounds, but in the last ten days we have received only one train,” they explain to the newspaper. They explain that 18% of the goods that arrive at the port of Barcelona are sent to their destination by train. Those that use international gauges are stopped due to works in the Rubí tunnel and those that use the Iberian gauge circulate at night and in dribs and drabs. and in The Country They explain that the city’s port is becoming isolated, with an 80% drop in products coming from Germany, France or Poland by train. The road alternative is not working either. The AP-7 already there is enormous congestion since road tolls were lifted but, furthermore, there are not enough trucks to be a complete alternative given the volume of goods that move along the railways. Added to this are problems derived from the latest storms and the increase in traffic derived from a Rodalies service that has not been back to normal for more than ten days. Photo | Phil Richards In Xataka | Spain wants its AVE trains to travel at 350 … Read more

Tesla is pivoting to turn its cars into a side business. The reason: their income falls by 61%

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The Tesla Model S and Model X are incredible cars. Get them while they’re still available! With these phrases, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has accompanied the company’s announcement in X in which they point out that during the next quarter they will reduce their production of the Tesla Model S and Model To its credit, the company will produce Optimus robots. by surprise. It was known that Elon Musk has been pushing for some time for Tesla to increase its investments in artificial intelligence and robots, either in humanoid form like Optimus or through its robotaxis for autonomous driving. But what we did not expect is that this bet would displace two of its most iconic models. And the company will stop producing its Tesla Model S, its first sedan, and the Model X, its first SUV, in Freemont (California) to make way for the production of Optimus robots. The company closes a chapter by recognizing that “Tesla would not be what it is today” without these cars. In Xataka Tesla wanted to make 20 million cars in 2030. The reality in 2025 is that Tesla has crashed and BYD is already leading A paradigm shift. The decision to invest in this factory to increase robot production is more than just a redistribution of its efforts, it is confirmation of a change in strategy in the company. Musk seeks invest $2 billion in xAIthe company dedicated exclusively to artificial intelligence. Intertwining your companies is one of the obsessions from the CEO of Tesla so that some feed each other. xAI is key to power and improve Grok which, in turn, is already included in Tesla vehicles as an artificial intelligence assistant. At the same time, xAI is also decisive for the functioning of its robotaxisthe cabin without wheels or steering wheel that Tesla wants to put on the street to offer a completely autonomous taxi service. In Xataka Tesla can’t wait for us to take our hands off the wheel. We have tried it and we have opinions More than complicated numbers. Optimus has left many doubts and Musk himself has confirmed that he expects a slow deployment. However, dedicating a plant that only manufactured a handful of cars is not only confirmation that the company does not care in the least about killing a product if it understands that it is not profitable or that its future is much less interesting than a new bet. Changing the use of the factory is also a necessity. And the numbers presented by Tesla are something much more than complicated: Net profit has gone from 7.1 billion to 3.8 billion dollars, 45% less. In the last quarter, turnover has fallen from $2.1 billion last year to $840 million. It is a drop of 61%. The company has delivered 1.64 million cars in 2025 in what is its second year reducing its sales. In the United States the drop in sales is 7%, according to Cox Automotive, reported in The New York Times.  In the same period, it is estimated that BYD has sold 2.25 million cars Purely electric. In Xataka The Tesla Cybertruck is such a sales failure that Elon Musk has only found one solution: buy them from himself Loss of identity. The Tesla Model S and Model X have become residual cars for the company since the Model 3 and Model Y occupied the bulk of sales. Both are very expensive cars that cost around or exceed 100,000 euros. Both the saloon and the SUV served the brand to boost your image and personality as unique cars. Over the years, that has been lost. And the huge screens that previously surprised now do not stand out in a market that has turned to trying turn the cabin into a multimedia centerespecially in China. Your own assembly line has been forced to keep its design unchangedwhich has made them lose freshness. The popularization of its Tesla Model 3 and Model Y has popularized access to the company, making them lose part of that desirable car aura. {“videoId”:”x9tnvi4″,”autoplay”:false,”title”:”Why YOUR NEXT CAR WILL SURELY BE CHINESE”, “tag”:”Webedia-prod”, “duration”:”614″} A cut production. The decline in sales has led to declining production of both models. To give us an idea, nothing is better than the data provided by the company itself: 2022: 71,777 units produced and 66,705 deliveries 2023: 70,826 units produced and 68,874 deliveries 2024: 94,105 units produced and 85,133 deliveries* 2025: 53,900 units produced and 50,850 deliveries* Starting in 2024, Tesla accounts for the production and deliveries of the Tesla Model S, Model X and Cybertruck in the same item. That’s whyCybertruck sales are estimates outside of Tesla The Tesla Model 3 and Model Y Standard confirms a story. The story of what I want and I can’t of Tesla’s 25,000 euro car In Xataka The Tesla Model 3 and Model Y Standard confirms a story. The story of what I want and I can’t of Tesla’s 25,000 euro carThe limits . Tesla is in a stagnant situation with its electric cars. The company stepped on the accelerator in 2024 to remain the best-selling electric car brand in the world and improve the previous year’s data. But it did not succeed, going from 1.85 million cars produced and 1.81 million cars delivered in 2023 to 1.77 million units produced and 1.79 million cars deliveredin 2024 . Year in which, in addition, They increased their range with the Cybertruck which started at a very good pace. The company, therefore, needs to kill some very expensive cars that are barely generating a positive impact on its accounts no matter how high the profit margin obtained with each unit. To begin with, because the company needs a boost from its investors, who seem to support these decisions. And, second, because we have to see if the company has not already peaked in its vehicle sales. At leastwith its particular way of producing cars with huge presses that are only profitable by manufacturing millions and … Read more

Until now, launching satellites was the business. The US has just turned its exorbitant cost into a million-dollar opportunity

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For years, the space business has revolved around a very specific idea: launch more satellites, faster and cheaper. The race to fill low Earth orbit with large constellations has skyrocketed demand and turned takeoff into a multibillion-dollar industry, but it has also brought to the table a problem that for a long time remained in the background: what to do with these satellites when they reach the end of their useful life and continue to take up space in orbit. In this context, the United States has taken a decisive step by promoting and beginning to materialize the exorbitant market. New business on the horizon. This step forward has already resulted in a concrete contract. Starfish Space has been awarded of an agreement valued at 52.5 million dollars by the Space Development Agency (SDA) of the United States Space Force to offer a service for deorbiting satellites at the end of their useful life. The assignment includes the development, launch and operation of the otter ship in low orbit intended to deorbit satellites of the PWSA when they are no longer operational, with a first operation and the possibility of carrying out several more. The launch is planned for 2027. behind the scenes. This shift cannot be understood without the economic context that has turned space into a high-volume industry. Global space launch services market reached $21.19 billion by 2025 and, according to estimates by Precedence Researchcould climb to 70,560 million in 2035, with a compound annual growth rate of 11.56%. A substantial portion of that revenue comes from continuous satellite deployment, driven by constellations that require frequent launches to maintain and renew their in-orbit networks. An increasingly saturated orbit. Having thousands of satellites operating at the same time is not only a question of deployment, but also of end-of-cycle management. Those responsible for large constellations must decide whether to deorbit their satellites relatively early to limit the risk of orbital debris or whether to keep them active for as long as possible to extract their full economic and operational value. This tension, without a simple solution, has become one of the main drivers that push us to search for new formulas to manage the end of life in orbit. What changes with “deorbit-as-a-service”. Starfish’s proposal is based on separating the end of life of the satellite from its design and daily operation, allowing an external spacecraft to be responsible for deorbiting without requiring prior modifications to the devices in orbit. The company maintains that this approach allows operators to maximize the useful life of their constellations and delegate the retirement of those satellites that cannot deorbit themselves. The previous step. Although the deorbit mission has not yet launched, Starfish Space comes to this point with a previous history of in-orbit demonstrations. The company launched Otter Pup 1 in June 2023 and managed to maneuver it to within 1,000 meters of a target ten months later, a relevant milestone for approach and control operations. In October, an Impulse Space Mira spacecraft used Starfish software to approach another spacecraft to within 1,250 meters, and in June 2025, Otter Pup 2 was launched with the goal of performing the first commercial docking of satellites in low orbit. The big question to answer. What is now being tested is whether satellite deorbiting can go from being an exception to becoming a recurring industrial practice. The expansion of constellations and the pressure to keep low orbit operational force us to look for solutions that do not depend solely on each individual satellite. In this context, the United States’ decision to contract this type of services offers a first sign of where the sector can evolve, although its real scope can only be measured when the first missions begin to operate. Images | Starfish Space In Xataka | Human beings have not set foot on the Moon for 54 years: the mission that aims to correct it has just entered its final phase

The Spanish business that Vodafone sold as ballast is now worth three times as much. Zegona has shown that the problem was the owner

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according to further Populi Voicea medium with a good track record in telecom exclusives, Telefónica has started talks with Zegona to acquire Vodafone Spain. The negotiations are recent (just a few weeks) and it was Movistar who picked up the phone first. Telefónica wants to close the operation in the first half of 2026. The rumors come from months ago. The problem is that arrive late, and that has a price. A little more than two years ago, Zegona bought Vodafone Spain for about 5,000 million euros. Vodafone (the British parent) was selling a problematic asset: It was the third operator in a market of four. He was caught between the scale of Telefónica and the agility of the low-cost He inherited a network that required constant investment. And he also inherited a tarnished reputation after years of complaints. For the British group, Spain was a drain of money and effort. For Zegona, a poorly managed gold mine. And in just two years, the fund has proven that he was right: Has returned to its shareholders 1.4 billion euros in dividends (28% of what was paid by Vodafone Spain). Has reduced the number of shares in circulation by 69%. And yet its current capitalization is around 3.6 billion. For fund shareholders, the return has been spectacular: The stock went from 345p when they bought Vodafone (less than 100 when they announced their intentions) to over 1,565p now. It has multiplied by 4.5 in two years. Vodafone Spain generates around 4.5 billion annual revenues and, with more focused management than before and without the bureaucracy of a global giant, it has become a profitable operation that Zegona can continue to exploit… or sell to the highest bidder. Telefónica is now negotiating from a weak position. It needs the operation (Marc Murtra has repeated that Movistar must lead the consolidation of the Spanish market) and the market knows it. An ERE of 4,500 people has just closed. And while Telefónica prepared the house to add more furniture, its price has fallen 27% since the end of October. Zegona, however, its value has skyrocketed. The price of this indecision is between 2,000 and 7,000 million extra euros. regarding what the purchase of Vodafone Spain would have cost in 2023. Zegona is in no hurry. It can wait, it can squeeze, it can even stay as it is. Telefónica now cannot afford that luxury because buying Vodafone Spain is not an expansionist move, it is an almost defensive necessity: needs critical mass before Europe forces further consolidation where Movistar is the main course, not the diner. But when negotiating is a necessity and the other side knows it, the price stops being a variable and becomes a toll. If the operation crystallizes, it will create a giant with more than 45% of the Spanish market, great cost savings by eliminating duplications (headquarters, networks, contracts…) and intense regulatory scrutiny from Brussels. Although not as brutal as it would have been with Vestager because Ribera has another look. Telefónica knows it and so does Zegona. The difference is that one is late and the other can afford to wait. That changes everything in a negotiation. In Xataka | The great dilemma of Spanish telecos: either they become giants or China swallows them Featured image | Vodafone, Telephone

“the brutal impact that AI has had on our business”

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Tailwind It is one of the frameworks CSS to generate user interfaces currently most popular by developers. However, at the same time that the startup is experiencing one of its best moments, it has had to lay off 75% of its developer workforce for an increasingly common reason: the impact of AI. The situation of this software startup is paradoxical, since in reality the code they develop is used by more and more developers, but the arrival of AI has meant that their potential clients can obtain your code for freeinstead of buying it from the company that produces it. In reality, this small company’s problem is just an example of how AI is impacting entire sectors completely changing its business model. ​A disaster for a startup. If we compare it with the figures that move in the rounds of dismissal from big companies, Three engineers being fired is not an impressive number. However, for a startup with a team of four developers, the figure is devastating on its scale. As and as published its CEO Adam Wathan on GitHub “75% of the people on our engineering team lost their jobs due to the brutal impact that AI has had on our business. When popularity doesn’t pay bills. The “impact” that Wathan refers to in his response is none other than an 80% drop in the company’s revenue, while its CSS framework became one of the most popular among developers. Its model is based on open source templates and modules for basic use, but which are paid as they scale. For Tailwind, its online documentation is key since from there users and developers who investigate its free templates discover paid products and become customers. The problem is that, according to what he said its CEO, “traffic to our documentation has decreased approximately 40% since the beginning of 2023, despite the fact that Tailwind is more popular than ever. Without customers we cannot afford to maintain the framework,” stated Wathan. Survive AI. The main problem with Tailwind’s business model is the same one that is shaking the foundations of large multinationals from all over the world: AI generates similar code at no cost, which reduces visits to the website and slows conversions of users to paying customers, thus reducing their income and putting their viability in check. As stated in a published audio In his X profile, Adam Wathan spent the holidays reviewing numbers and saw that, without changes, they wouldn’t be able to make payroll in six months. That is why they opted for layoffs now, to be able to offer decent compensation to the employees they had to lay off. “I feel like a failure for having to do it. It’s not right, but those are the resources we have.” Still a good business. Despite the financial problems, the CEO insists on a x post that “we still have a good business, but it’s no longer a great one.” The truth is that the success of the CSS module integration platform promoted by Tailwind is a success among users, but what is failing is its way of monetizing its model. It is inevitable, and saving the distance, to find the parallels between Tailwind and Spotify, which has been going on for more than a decade dealing with lossesyou have finally found the formula to make it profitable. The streaming platform had a huge customer base, but the problem was that it couldn’t monetize them until it found the key and, paradoxically, it was video. who attracted income. What AI takes away from you, AI gives you. Wathan’s sincerity and transparency through his networks when it came to showing the problems his company was facing due to the impact of AI caught the attention of Google and has announced who will sponsor Wathan’s project. It is striking that it is Google, one of the main developers of AI models that is suffocating companies with similar models to Tailwind and changing the sector business models in full, whoever throws a lifeline to Wathan’s small startup. At least this way you will gain some time until you find your “Spotify moment” in the face of the impact of AI. “I remain optimistic,” said its CEO. In Xataka | Google continues to redesign its search engine with AI. Its new feature talks on the phone with businesses on your behalf Image | Unsplash (AltumCode)

has turned impatience into a business worth 152 million

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A cell phone store salesman who sings opera, shaking with nerves and win a talent show. David Bisbal working in a nursery before leaving in Operación Triunfo. The entertainment industry has been selling the same message for decades: talent is everywhere, you just have to discover it. But there is another, less romantic talent that often goes unnoticed: that of making money where no one else had seen it. Aena has just demonstrated it with its 2024 results. It has turned a testimonial line of business into a gold mine: VIP services. In just six years they have gone from 79 million euros (2019) to 152 million in 2024, the last with the results published. There will be millions more when they publish those for 2025. They have doubled their turnover and now represent more than 10% of the company’s commercial income, compared to the 5% they represented in 2019. He told it The Economist and it is a great perch to tell the change in the way in which Aena extracts value from its airports: it depends less and less on the gross number of passengers, and increasingly focuses on monetizing the experience of those who can and want to pay to avoid the inconveniences of mass transit. The distribution of AENA’s income Aena closed 2024 with revenues of 5,828 million euros, 13.3% more than the previous year. But not all that money comes from the same place, nor does it grow at the same rate, as we can see by reading the company’s income statement. The structure of its income is built on four pillars: 1. Aeronautical revenues → 3,148 million euros, +13.7%. Is the hard core of your business: These are the fees that airlines pay to use the facilities. Landings, takeoffs, use of terminals, passenger assistance… They are regulated income, with prices set according to a framework that limits their growth. They represent 55% of the total. They increase with traffic (309.3 million passengers in Spain in 2024, 9.2% more), but their room for maneuver is narrow. 2. Business income → 1,760 million euros, +14.7%. This is where Aena has learned to play. These are the income generated within the airports, beyond the basic air transportation service. And the growth is greater than that of traffic, which means that Aena is making more money for each passenger. Within this category, the breakdown is striking: Duty free shops (duty free): 527 million euros, the largest component. A growth of 28.2% compared to 2023. Restoration: 347.9 million (+7%). Parking: 204.1 million (+13.3%). Vehicle rental: 207.7 million (+12.5%). VIP Services: 156.2 million (+31.3%). Stores: 136 million (+1.6%). VIP services are not the ones that bill the most, but they are the ones that grow the most. And its margin is brutal: 83.3% of EBITDA in 2024, only surpassed by the commercial business as a whole. 3. Real estate services → 114.3 million euros, +8.4%. This is perhaps the segment less visible but most profitable of the entire Aena structure. With an EBITDA margin of 78.8%, only surpassed by commercial activity, real estate services demonstrate that it does not take a lot of volume to generate a lot of value. This includes the rental of space for air cargo (representing 46% of the total for this line), but also offices, hangars, land and technical premises. It is a long-term business, with stable contracts and recurring clients.. The investor’s dream. Airlines need operational bases, logistics operators require warehouses near the runways, and auxiliary companies request spaces for maintenance. Air cargo in particular has become a strategic asset. With electronic commerce that continues to grow throughout the world, Airports are not only passenger transit, but also logistics centers. Aena knows this and charges accordingly. Cargo revenues reached 52.7 million euros in 2024, consolidating itself as the main component of this segment. It is a less elastic business than commercial business because it does not grow at the same rate as passenger traffic, but it provides predictable income, high margins and little volatility. A corner of almost assured stability. 4. International activity → 727.3 million euros, +17.9%. Aena has been trying for years to replicate the model that is working so well outside of Spain. And the numbers are starting to add up. International activity grew by 17.9% in 2024, the largest increase of all segments, although its profitability is still significantly lower than that of the rest of the group, a 44.9% EBITDA margin vs the 60.2% average. The heavyweight is Brazil. The consolidation of Eleven Airport Block (BOAB)which Aena began operating in 2023, contributed 196.3 million euros in revenue and 102.9 million to EBITDA. There are eleven airports distributed throughout the country, with 27.4 million passengers in 2024. 52.4% EBITDA margin, still far from Spanish standards but on the rise. The other Brazilian asset is the Grupo Aeroportuario del Nordeste (ANB), with six airports that moved 15.9 million passengers. Then there is Luton, London airport in which Aena has a stake. It moved 16.7 million passengers and generated £345.5 million in revenue. EBITDA was £155.3 million with a margin of 44.9%. Excluding the concession fee and extraordinary adjustments, the real margin would be 56.8%. Historical record of income and EBITDA. The international commitment has strategic logic: Spain has a natural growth limit, and diversifying geographically reduces risks. But it also has its complexities. Concessions abroad operate under different regulatory frameworks, with tighter margins and political and exchange risks. Aena is learning that exporting the model is not automatic, but it is fair to admit that the 2024 numbers indicate that it is on the right track. The VIP business What makes the case of VIP services especially interesting is that its expansion does not seem to have peaked. In 2024, Aena inaugurated new lounges in several airports and expanded the existing ones in Ibiza, Tenerife South, Seville, Asturias and Palma de Mallorca. Fast Track revenues (priority access to security control) grew by 36%, and Fast Lane revenues (preferential boarding areas) … Read more

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