💰The 13% 💰

Just 13% of the world’s billionaires are women💸

This year, 406 of the planet’s 3,028 billionaires are women, making up 13.4% of the list. That’s up a tad from 369 in 2024, or 13.3%. 

Read more here about who they are

📉 Down down down📉 

So in one of the most curious moves the world has seen in economic history, we've seen a US administration willingly push global markets into decline. Yep we're in one of the biggest downturns in the 21st century (-19%). For context Covid was -34%, the 2008 financial crisis was -57%, and the dot com bubble -49%.📉

As ING put it, the US's tariffs of 20% on the EU, 34% on China, and up to 46% on Vietnam have caused a sharp decline in global stock markets😲

Technology companies were some of the hardest hit with the Nasdaq index down 4 per cent, Apple falling 7 per cent in after-hours trading on Wednesday, Amazon slid about 6 per cent, Nvidia was on a 5% decline and Tesla which has a 25% car tariff to contend with was down over 8%💸.

Dutch financial institution ING suggests 

• USA Consumers are bracing for price hikes, with household spending projected to increase by approximately 2.5% of total household income as tariffs of a minimum level of 10% are established

• Asia: Export-centric nations like Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, and South Korea are feeling the pinch, with potential GDP impacts of up to 5.5%. ING Think

• China: Facing a projected GDP contraction between 0.4 to 0.8 percentage points, China has retaliated with its own 34% tariffs and is considering export controls on rare earth minerals. AP News

• European Union: With around 2% of EU GDP tied to U.S. demand, the bloc could see a GDP dip of 0.3% in the short term. Ireland, Germany, and Italy are among the most vulnerable.

Is it all doom and gloom, What may the upside be?

• Well Tariffs may raise revenue which in turn could help to fund the tax cuts promised to americans💰

• What goes down must come up? It's possible to make money shorting stocks and hey when things are in a dip, those with deep pockets may buy hoping that eventually the pre April 2nd highs will return📈

So what:?

British politicians have been clear they see the era of globalisation punctuated by free trade as over. Even if things were to return to the days of before, as the 2pac told us "things will never be the same again". Reason being trust. So much of the economy is built on trust and sentiment. Much like a cheating partner, once the trust is gone, you can't just go back to the way things were

For tech the outlook is pretty bleak. Should these tariffs stay high for long

• Supply chain costs will increase and that will either eat into corporate profit margins or higher prices and reduces sales as a result. This will dent the enthusiasm 

• A global recession isn't good for those businesses that thrive on advertising dollars as companies spend less

• Less money in the economy and rising prices aren't good for the ecommerce giants that have profited as a byproduct of increasing consumer demand  

• Reductions of the supply of rare earth minerals will increase costs of things like chips, Electric batteries and the like

Perhaps this was a liberation day for all of those Americans who want to pay low prices for goods. Freedom of the tyranny of convenience, optionality and free trade. at least for us outside of the USA we are all in it together as even an uninhabited island full of penguins had tariffs levied on it. 

🤖 No jokes allowed, but misinformation is fine🤖

X (formerly Twitter) has decided that the era of unlabelled lolz is over. As of 10 April, the platform will require parody, fan, and commentary accounts to clearly label themselves—and not at the end of a name, but right at the start with words like “parody” or “fake”. Also new: you can no longer use someone else’s profile picture if you’re impersonating them (even for the memes).😒

According to X, the move is all about “reducing confusion”—especially around impersonations of high-profile users (cough Elon Musk). The new rules come after months of chaotic fake accounts, crypto scams, and suspicious “like this for a Tesla” posts racking up hundreds of thousands of interactions. It's Ironic they are concerned with reducing confusion, after all the changes they made to their blue tick verification system😅

Let’s be clear: impersonation for deception is a real problem—especially when combined with X’s self imposed blue tick confusion and a moderation system that’s increasingly hands-off. But critics argue that this update feels like overcorrecting in all the wrong places. You can still spread misinformation, conspiracy theories, or spam—but don’t you dare post a meme without “parody” in your display name. 🤖

The European Union previously called X’s verification system deceptive, and flagged concerns about blue-ticked accounts spreading misleading content. Musk, of course, called that misinformation. Meta irony? Strong.✅

Ok we think we get it. Its ok to lie, just don't make jokes👀

💡 So What?

This change is more than just a tweak to online etiquette—it’s a window into how platform governance is being redefined on the fly, and often with more focus on brand protection than public trust.

It also raises deeper questions: Who decides what’s misleading? Who gets to be funny? And why is satire being policed more tightly than harmful misinformation?

In a world where online identity is messy, and trust is easy to exploit, platform policies need more than surface-level changes—they need transparency, consistency, and fairness, especially for underrepresented voices who rely on satire, remix, and commentary as forms of expression.

💰IPO's are no💰

It’s official: the US IPO window just got slammed shut—again. Klarna and eToro, two of the most-watched global fintechs, have shelved their plans to go public in the US, citing what everyone’s thinking but no one wants to say: markets are a mess, and the tariff bombshell just made it worse. (Reuters, Bloomberg)🤯

Yep those, sweeping tariffs on foreign imports, triggering global market panic and real-time pushback from countries like South Korea and Canada. The result? A jittery investor environment, plummeting stocks, and a chill across the IPO pipeline📊

And why? Well how do you price a business when you do not know how its sales may look given a change in tariffs in the markets it sell or alternatively who wants to spend lots of cash buying something in a time when they may want to shore up their own balance sheet because of market volatility📊

🚫 Who's Pressing Pause?

• Klarna, the Swedish BNPL giant, was expected to revive hopes for a sluggish IPO market. Now, it's waiting out the storm, saying it might reconsider once markets settle.

• eToro, the Israel-based trading platform, had already filed for its US IPO and was gearing up for an investor roadshow. Now? All on ice.

• They’re not alone—Medline and StubHub have also hit pause, all citing the same thing: uncertainty, instability, and a world watching Trump’s next move.

Why is this bad. Well its about Returns and the Venture backed circle of life. IPO's offer folks the opportunity to get their cash out. That means VC's get returns, the Exchequer get some tax money via capital gains, Pension funds get their Cash, founders get their exit capital and your everyday joe can get a piece of the pie. All of this together flushes money and investment back into the ecosystem, rather than having it locked up. Without such exits less money will be around for that next set of angel cheques and that has the potential to disportionality impact underfunded entrepreneurs💰 

💡 So What?

For the Colorintech community, this isn’t just about stock tickers—it’s about how global policy and economic volatility directly shape innovation, access, and growth opportunities in tech. Klarna and eToro represent two very different corners of fintech, but their hesitation tells the same story: no one wants to IPO into chaos.

And for founders, operators, and builders? It’s a reminder that timing is everything—and that macroeconomics can sometimes derail even the most perfectly polished pitch decks.

📱 TikTok Ban, But Make It... Another Extension

If you’ve lost count of how many times TikTok has nearly been banned in the U.S., don’t worry—so has nearly everyone else. This week, the Trump administration (yes, we’re back in that timeline) handed TikTok its second 75-day extension, giving ByteDance just a bit more time to figure out whether it’ll sell the app or disappear from 150 million American phones. (NBC News)📲

⏳ Déjà Vu, but With Tariffs

Let’s recap. TikTok was supposed to be banned. Then it wasn’t. Then it was again. Then it got 75 days to live. Now it’s got 75 more. If TikTok had a relationship status, it would be: “It’s complicated... and pending regulatory review.”💻

Meanwhile, Trump’s playing hardball—throwing out massive tariffs on foreign goods while nudging ByteDance toward a sale. The logic? Maybe if TikTok plays nice and sells to someone American (hello, Oracle? Amazon? Mr Beast? or even the only fans), those tariffs might magically ease up. Because nothing says national security like a bargaining chip made of memes and lip-sync videos.😅

🎭 The Buyer Drama

And yes, you read that right—OnlyFans’ founder is among the names circling TikTok like it’s a limited-edition drop. Nothing says “family-friendly” like pivoting from spicy content to dance challenges.

Amazon and Oracle are also allegedly sniffing around, and while there’s no confirmed deal yet, one thing’s clear: the longer the deadline drags, the more this whole thing looks like tech-flavoured political theatre.👀

💡 So What?

For the Colorintech crowd, this is more than just app drama. It’s a live case study in what happens when global tech becomes a pawn in geopolitical chess. ByteDance isn’t just negotiating with buyers—it’s navigating trade wars, data fears, and PR disasters… all while trying to keep Gen Z dancing.

The bigger takeaway? Tech founders, operators, and policy folks need to be ready for a world where regulatory risk is just as existential as market fit. If a viral video platform can end up in trade war crossfire, so can your app.

📈 The tools behind the tech📉

📦Product📦

• Meta launches llama 4

📏Design📏 

• Past present and future of UI design

• Dithering in colour

👩🏿‍💻Code👩🏿‍💻

• Why companies don't fix bugs
• Senior Developer Skills in the AI Age: Leveraging Experience for Better Results (13 minute read)

🏢The business behind the tech🏢

• Independent businesses, which account for 60% of all products sold on Amazon alone, are already starting to raise prices in response to the tariffs. 

🎓A free PHD🎓

Unlock a career in Data Visualization via a fully funded PhD with DIVERSE CDT

Gain in-demand skill & cross-sector experience with a diverse cohort

UK students: receive £23,158/year tax-free.

Apply here | info@diverse-cdt.ac.uk

🙌🏾Our next event for founders🙌🏾

On April 24th, Colorintech is hosting a founders focused event all about investment insights with Atomico, where experts will answer questions like:

• What are the different types of investment available, and what are the key trends?

• What should founders planning a raise be preparing for (including understanding investor/investee relationships)?

• Is investment even the right choice or is there another way?

AND we'll have dedicated time for Q&A with our outstanding speakers:

• Gina Farra - Founder of Glaize

• Joe Kinvi - Founder of Borderless

• Demi Ariyo - Founder of Lendoe

• Rita Cherradi - Investor at Sie Ventures

This event is a great opportunity for founders who are fundraising or are considering fundraising in the near future, particularly at pre-seed to seed stage.

Check out the key details below: 

Date: 24th April

Time: 18:30 - 21:30

Where: Atomico - London Offices

Sign Up Link: https://lu.ma/investment-insights

🙌🏾Grants focused on those challenging racial inequity🙌🏾

This programme is for small local charities and CICs which are led by and working with people who are experiencing economic inequity because of their race or ethnicity. 

Under this programme we will support charities to strengthen their capacity and capabilities and become more resilient through a range of tailored development support offers alongside a three-year unrestricted grant of £75,000.

Apply here if you're interested

😃What we are consuming😃

🧠Duolingo style learning for languages