Yet Kickstarter is a risky gamble for the women to take on their company.

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He was staking much of his credibility on the vagaries of the American political system--a risky gamble at the best of times.

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Yet the announcement surprised many as a risky gamble.

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"This is a risky and expensive gamble for Hitachi that other energy firms are unwilling to take, " says Friends of the Earth's Guy Shrubsole.

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The deal represents a risky but potentially lucrative gamble for AstraZeneca (nyse: AZN - news - people ).

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The deal represents a risky but potentially lucrative gamble for AstraZeneca.

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Call it a gamble or call it an investment, Ballmer is making a big and risky bet on the most radical redesign of Windows since he and Bill Gates introduced Windows 95 more than 15 years ago.

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