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Showing posts from September, 2025

Ted Cruz blocks bill that would extend privacy protections to all Americans

The Texas senator blocked a bill that would have prevented data brokers from selling personal data on anyone in the United States, and not just federal lawmakers and government officials. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/qTBxkN0

Former OpenAI and DeepMind researchers raise whopping $300M seed to automate science 

Periodic Labs has raised from a tech industry's who's who, including Andreessen Horowitz, Nvidia, Elad Gil, Jeff Dean, Eric Schmidt, and Jeff Bezos. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/HSlEmK8

AI hires or human hustle? Inside the next frontier of startup operations at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

What happens when your first 10 hires aren’t people at all? At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, we’re digging into the new wave of startups replacing or augmenting early employees with AI agents. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/QZ0A7fk

DeepSeek releases ‘sparse attention’ model that cuts API costs in half

Researchers at DeepSeek released a new experimental model designed to have dramatically lower inference costs when used in long-context operations. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/LYki6e8

This French VC went from posting on YouTube to raising a $12M fund for Y Combinator startups

Venture capital is filled with investors who claim they’ve got inside access to the next big thing. Meanwhile, Gabriel Jarrosson, a French engineer-turned-YouTuber-turned-investor, has built his VC firm around a single filter: if it isn’t a Y Combinator company, he won’t invest in it. That discipline pushed Jarrosson from filming scrappy venture explainers in Paris […] from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/4x6hCu7

Vibe coding Anything nabs a $100M valuation, after hitting $2M ARR in its first two weeks

Anything raised an $11 million funding round led by Footwork. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/WJz7Ilv

The AI services transformation may be harder than VCs think

Early warning signs suggest this whole services-industry metamorphosis may be more complicated than VCs anticipate. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/C092vtr

Oura CEO talks potential IPO and ‘nonnegotiable’ data privacy

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Oura Health CEO Tom Hale didn’t discuss reports that the company is raising new funding that would value the health-tracking ring maker at nearly $11 billion, but he did talk about whether he has ambitions to take Oura public. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/MCXko2I

DJI loses lawsuit over classification as Chinese military company

A federal judge has rejected drone maker DJI’s efforts to get off a Department of Defense list of Chinese military companies. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/5RpUYME

The billion-dollar infrastructure deals powering the AI boom

Here's everything we know about the biggest AI infrastructure projects, including major spending from Meta, Oracle, Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/2eVz4CM

Do EA buyout talks hint at bigger industry troubles?

Why is Electronic Arts, one of the biggest names in the video game business, reportedly in talks to go private? from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/At9YnUJ

Lootlock protects kids from overspending on gaming and will be presenting at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

The gaming industry notoriously targets kids for in-app purchases. Lootlock gives parents granular control over kids game spending. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/UB48rpu

Wiz chief technologist Ami Luttwak on how AI is transforming cyberattacks 

Ami Luttwak, CTO of Wiz, breaks down how AI is changing cybersecurity, why startups shouldn't write a single line of code before thinking about security, and opportunities for upstarts in the industry. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/7bkV05j

Beware coworkers who produce AI-generated ‘workslop’

Researchers at consulting firm BetterUp Labs, in collaboration with Stanford Social Media Lab, have coined a new term to describe low-quality, AI-generated work from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/sVrXbvK

YouTube Music tests AI hosts that share trivia and commentary

YouTube Music's new AI hosts are currently being tested through YouTube Labs, the platform's new hub for AI experiments. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/aDU3qvP

As people look for ways to make new friends, here are the apps promising to help

We've compiled a list of friendship apps, from friend discovery platforms like BFF to event-focused ones like Timeleft. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/kzHgnK2

More executives depart Hyundai’s air taxi startup Supernal

A wider leadership shake-up at Hyundai's electric air taxi startup Supernal is underway just a few weeks after it paused work on its vehicle program and its CEO and CTO left. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/pAie6gY

Spotify denies recent accusation that it changed its terms for artists

Spotify sets the record straight about the distribution rights of artists, podcasters, creators, and authors on the platform. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/vEIRHOf

YouTube now lets you hide recommendation pop-ups at the end of videos

The decision to let users hide end screens is a welcome addition to the platform, especially since they can end up covering the last bit of a video and make it hard to see what's happening in some cases. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/sgonkC3

Cohere hits $7B valuation a month after its last raise, partners with AMD

A fresh $100 million and an interesting partnership with AMD has slightly bumped Cohere's valuation up. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/YmbC7hR

Microsoft adds Anthropic’s AI to Copilot

Microsoft is integrating OpenAI rival Anthropic's AI into Copilot, marking another step towards the disentangling of Microsoft and OpenAI. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/MLuEevV

Uber-rival Rapido doubles valuation to $2.3B following Swiggy stake sale

Swiggy has offloaded its entire 12% stake in Rapido for about $270 million through two separate deals. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/C2YLKhH

Jaguar Land Rover to pause production until next week – at least 

After yet another extension, the shutdown caused by a cyberattack will last at least four weeks. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/WD68khX

What Early-Stage Investors Really Look for in Founders at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Charles Hudson (Precursor Ventures) and Wesley Chan (FPV Ventures) break down what early-stage investors really look for in founders — from narrative and resilience to red flags and common mistakes. Don’t miss this candid Builders Stage conversation. Register by September 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT to save up to $668. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/nFs50zl

Inside the mind of Elad Gil: Early-stage investing and next-gen innovation at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

Elad Gil shares his approach to early-stage investing, frontier tech, and spotting breakout potential at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 (Oct 27–29, Moscone West, SF). Register before Sept 26 to save up to $668. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/THnLk1i

Here’s what’s happening right now with the US TikTok deal

TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, has been at the center of controversy in the U.S. for four years now due to concerns about user data potentially being accessed by the Chinese government. As a result, U.S. users have often found themselves caught in the middle of this tension. Earlier this year, the app […] from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/INmvezW

Commonwealth Fusion Systems books a $1B+ power deal for its future fusion reactor

The fusion startup has inked a deal with Italian energy company Eni. The move is likely intended to set a price for fusion power. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/0YfcTjL

Powered by India’s small businesses, UK fintech Tide becomes a TPG-backed unicorn

Tide serves over 1.6 million micro and small enterprises globally, with more than half of them based in India. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/ih3bWtj

VCs are still hiring MBAs, but firms are starting to need other experience more

The MBA-to-VC pipeline remains a very real thing. But that path is a little shakier than it once was, according to PitchBook reporting and new academic research. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/x2SCdN1

Silicon Valley bets big on ‘environments’ to train AI agents

A wave of startups are creating RL environments to help AI labs train agents. It might be Silicon Valley’s next craze in the making. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/iphbQsX

Hundreds of flights delayed at Heathrow and other airports after apparent cyberattack

Travelers at major European airports including Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin faced significant delays this weekend following what Collins Aerospace described as a “cyber-related incident.” from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/P9SqBh5

6 days left: Last chance for Regular Bird savings for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 passes

Time’s ticking! Register by September 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT to lock in Regular-Bird pricing and save up to $668 on your pass to TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, happening in San Francisco's Moscone West on October 27-29. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/Slie2EK

White House offers more details about potential TikTok deal

The White House press secretary said Americans will hold six of seven board seats in the restructured TikTok, and the video app’s algorithm will be U.S.-controlled. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/jHO0wCF

Amazon, Google, Microsoft reportedly warn H-1B employees to stay in the US

Large tech companies have responded to President Donald Trump’s dramatic changes to H-1B visa applications by telling employees with those visas to remain in the United States for now. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/1hw0D3L

Nvidia eyes $500M investment into self-driving tech startup Wayve

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang took his first ride in a Wayve-equipped self-driving car through Central London. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/fFB8G6v

Cracking Product-Market Fit: Lessons from Founders and Investors at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

Rajat Bhageria (Chef Robotics), Ann Bordetsky (NEA), and Murali Joshi (ICONIQ) share actionable strategies for finding product-market fit at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 (Oct 27–29, SF). from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/q7lHF2I

Best Apple Watch apps for boosting your productivity

Although the Apple Watch comes with simple built-in productivity apps like Reminders and Calendar, it’s worth exploring some third-party apps that are designed to boost productivity by offering additional functionality.  from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/HNZmW9a

TechCrunch’s Equity podcast is on video, starting today

We get it, it seems like every single podcast you love is now on video. And guess what…so is TechCrunch's flagship podcast Equity. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/jDGfiHC

Uber is trying drone delivery again

The company is partnering with Flytrex to make Uber Eats deliveries later this year. Uber is also making a small investment in Flytrex. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/fg3plPQ

Google now lets you share your custom Gemini AI assistants known as Gems

Google now lets you share your custom AI chatbots, Gemini Gems. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/AhwfjvB

China tells its tech companies they can’t buy AI chips from Nivida 

After strongly discouraging tech companies from buying Nivdia's AI chips in August, the country is now banning the practice outright. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/jVKLzoO

The iPhone Air’s real breakthrough is its battery

Apple's slimmest iPhone uses a "revolutionary" battery design that allows the cell to fill more space within the device, boosting overall energy storage. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/tb8n7P0

Waymo’s Tekedra Mawakana on Scaling Self-Driving Beyond the Hype

Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana takes the Disrupt Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 (Oct 27–29, SF) to share the realities of scaling autonomous vehicles — from safety to regulation to the road ahead. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/ikUyJm8

Do startups still need Silicon Valley? Founders and funders debate at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025.

Does Silicon Valley still give founders an edge? At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 (Oct 27–29, SF), Anh-Tho Chuong (Lago), David Hall (Revolution), and Tawni Nazario-Cranz (SignalFire) debate whether location still drives startup success. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/qFhsUv0

Awake’s new app requires heavy sleepers to complete tasks in order to turn off the alarm

Unlike traditional alarm clocks that can be silenced with a simple tap, Awake is intended to actively engage users' brains to ensure they fully wake up. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/fZk01Yn

Snap unveils Snap OS 2.0 with native browser, WebXR support, and more

The launch comes as the company rolled out its fifth-generation Snap Spectacles for developers last year and plans to launch a consumer version sometime in 2026. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/1SMgezJ

Apple’s iOS 26 with the new Liquid Glass design is now available to everyone

Apple's iOS 26 update with Liquid Glass redesign is available to all eligible iPhone users starting today. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/nY3NVxZ

Harvard Law to AI: MarqVision lands $48M to combat brand abuse

How a Harvard Law grad turned YC founder raised $48M to fight brand abuse in the AI era from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/XDmViJO

Users turn to chatbots for spiritual guidance

At least one website claims to allow users to chat with God. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/4bIvSVf

Via raises $492.9M in IPO, and German automakers go on the offensive

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/u4TkURf

‘Selling coffee beans to Starbucks’ – how the AI boom could leave AI’s biggest companies behind

The competitive landscape of AI is changing in ways that undermine the advantages of the biggest AI labs. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/45g7rSn

Tesla board chair calls debate over Elon Musk’s $1T pay package ‘a little bit weird’

Tesla's board chair is defending a proposed 10-year, $1 trillion compensation package for CEO Elon Musk. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/bIXUc4m

California lawmakers pass AI safety bill SB 53 — but Newsom could still veto

The state's landmark safety bill sets new transparency requirements for large AI companies. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/fTUKaXq

Pilot union urges FAA to reject Rainmaker’s drone cloud-seeding plan

Rainmaker wants to use flares to seed clouds – the airline pilots' union says it won't be safe. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/JyVFHiv

Why the Oracle-OpenAI deal caught Wall Street by surprise

The $300B deal is a reminder that despite Oracle’s legacy status, it shouldn’t be overlooked when it comes to AI infrastructure. But key questions around power and how OpenAI will pay for this remain. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/OD6R4Tf

Google is a ‘bad actor’ says People CEO, accusing the company of stealing content

People CEO Neil Vogel says Google's AI crawler can't be blocked because it would block the web crawler too. This lets the search giant steal its content for AI. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/ezUiVOs

VC leaders from 01 Advisors take the Builders Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 to share the scaling playbook

Adam Bain, Dick Costolo, and David Fischer — the operators behind Twitter and Meta’s growth — reunite at Disrupt 2025. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/hqADPGs

FTC launches inquiry into AI chatbot companions from Meta, OpenAI, and others

The federal consumer regulator seeks to learn about how AI companies evaluate the safety of their chatbots. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/49fZp2t

OpenAI and Oracle reportedly ink historic cloud computing deal

OpenAI and Oracle reportedly signed a deal that includes OpenAI buying $300 billion of compute over a five-year span. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/REtQ3Oc

Arc gets its first major order for electric tugboats worth $160M

It's a big step in the company's ambitous plan to electrify all watercraft. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/fTazwne

Apple unveils Apple Watch Series 11, Watch Ultra 3, and Watch SE 3

The Apple Watch Series 11 can alert you to possible hypertension. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/hRjSp3r

Google’s AI Mode adds 5 new languages including Hindi, Japanese, and Korean

Google's AI Mode is rolling out in Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, and Brazilian Portuguese. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/Dgl7Gcw

Signal introduces free and paid backup plans for your chats

Signal introduces backups with both free and paid plans. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/yWfzUou

Uber and Momenta to test autonomous vehicles in Germany in 2026

Momenta is one of 20 global AV partners that Uber has scooped up across its ridehail, delivery, and freight businesses. Uber says those partnerships have already generated an annualized rate of 1.5 million mobility and delivery. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/4FiodXI

Are bad incentives to blame for AI hallucinations?

How can a chatbot be so wrong — and sound so confident in its wrongness? from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/CPKUtmz

Koah raises $5M to bring ads into AI apps

One investor says Koah is "building the essential monetization layer for consumer AI." from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/KnSzDvw

Hyundai’s eVTOL startup Supernal pauses work following CEO and CTO departures

The shakeup comes as the startup was still struggling to get its test vehicle off the ground -- literally. The first flight was only in March. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/SsWtKqp

What is Mistral AI? Everything to know about the OpenAI competitor

Mistral AI, the French company behind AI assistant Le Chat and several foundational models, is officially regarded as one of France’s most promising tech startups and is arguably the only European company that could compete with OpenAI. It is reportedly in the process of raising another round that would value it at $14 billion, up […] from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/vGPRxA6

Why is an Amazon-backed AI startup making Orson Welles fan fiction?

This is a bad idea. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/lH2h6Bf

Google Gemini dubbed ‘high risk’ for kids and teens in new safety assessment

Google's Gemini comes up short on kids' safety, says Common Sense Media. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/HyCrS9R

A timeline of the US semiconductor market in 2025

From leadership changes at legacy semiconductor companies to wishy washy policy around chip exports, a lot has happened already. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/bg2dQXN

Nepal blocks Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X over rule breach, amid censorship concerns

Nepal has moved to block 26 social media platforms for failing to comply with its registration requirements. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/SFJ6Xj7

Waymo cleared to offer robotaxi rides at San Jose airport

It's the first airport in California that Waymo will offer rides to and from. The company's been active at the Phoenix airport for nearly two years. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/DbWIuq2

CoreWeave acquires agent-training startup OpenPipe

CoreWeave hopes the YC-backed startup will help it expand down the stack and cash in on enterprises developing AI agents. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/gW8n1xF

Google brings Material 3 Expressive to Pixel 6 and newer devices, along with other features

The tech giant is introducing Material 3 Expressive to Pixel phones, Adaptive Audio for the Pixel Buds Pro 2, on-wrist navigation for the Pixel Watch, new AI writing tools in Gboard, enhanced audio sharing capabilities, the ability to create custom Android bots, and more. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/IMx9aTd

Google avoids break up, but has to give up exclusive search deals in antitrust trial

Google will not be forced to break up its search business, but a federal judge has tentatively ordered other changes to the tech giant’s business practices to keep it from further anticompetitive behavior. U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta outlined remedies on Tuesday that would bar Google from entering or maintaining exclusive deals that […] from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/ExASRzL

Amazon launches Lens Live, an AI-powered shopping tool for use in the real world

Lens Live will not replace Amazon's existing visual search tool, Amazon Lens, which lets you take a picture, upload an image, or scan a barcode to discover products. Instead, it brings a real-time component to Amazon Lens. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/zcRaGUk

OpenAI acquires product testing startup Statsig and shakes up its leadership team

OpenAI is bringing on the founder of Statsig as its CTO of Applications, and making changes to other leadership roles at the company. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/d5VU7xE

India’s Offgrid raises $15M to make lithium optional for battery storage

India's Offgrid Energy Labs has developed proprietary zinc battery tech as a safer, more cost-effective alternative to lithium for energy storage. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/b0wENXB

LayerX uses AI to cut enterprise back-office workload, scores $100M in Series B

This Japanese AI startup just raised $100M to cut businesses’ admin burden. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/qmR59Z8

Space investing goes mainstream as VCs ditch the rocket science requirements

Seven Seven Six's Katelin Holloway represents non-technical VCs pouring billions into space startups, betting operational chops will trump aerospace degrees as the industry shifts from rockets to lunar mining and orbital manufacturing. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/OaqozJm

Behind the scenes and front-row access: Volunteer at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 while you still can

With just over a month until TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 hits San Francisco, we’re calling on students, aspiring founders, marketers, and event pros to help the TechCrunch events team pull off one of the largest and most anticipated startup events of the year. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/lwWpbku

Lovable’s CEO isn’t too worried about the vibe-coding competition

Lovable specializes in helping people build apps and websites, especially people with no coding experience. It's one of the standouts in the popular AI category known as vibe-coding, which lets users guide AI models as they produce code, websites, or whole applications. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/5Vyvthg