Technical

From Belgium to Ukraine, five fresh European unicorns were minted this January. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/jz1x0w4

Waymo is reportedly finalizing a new funding round that will value the robotaxi company at $110 billion. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/BrAW94j

SpaceX's filing claims these satellites will be “a first step towards becoming a Kardashev II-level civilization — one that can harness the Sun’s full power." from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/7yJrPg4

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said that a recent report of friction between his company and OpenAI was “nonsense.” from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/0OFEh3l

The company is trying to take advantage of President Donald Trump's desire to return astronauts to the lunar surface by the end of his term. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/DfOTFSZ

To unpack what SpaceX’s IPO chatter means, how private liquidity works before a debut, and what investors are looking for in today’s pre-IPO giants, we spoke with Greg Martin, managing director at Rainmaker Securities, a broker-dealer specializing in secondary share transactions for late-stage private companies. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/pP8FJvQ

Self-driving truck startup Waabi’s billion-dollar fundraise isn’t just about trucks.   The deal, for $750 million up front plus another $250 million from Uber tied to deployment milestones, marks a major expansion into robotaxis for the company founded by former Uber AI chief Raquel Urtasun. It also feels like another chip from Uber on the autonomous vehicle roulette table. With more […] from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/RY3iHhj

The company says you can use plugins to "tell Claude how you like work done, which tools and data to pull from, how to handle critical workflows, and what slash commands to expose so your team gets more consistent outcomes." from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/ay2qVkE

With Microsoft spending many billions on data centers, and rumors that no one is using its AI, CEO Satya Nadella shared some usage numbers. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/4bDeikJ

Q.ai is an Israeli startup specializing in imaging and machine learning, particularly technologies that enable devices to interpret whispered speech and enhance audio in noisy environments. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/bQBI87x

Waymo's SFO win comes as the company faces criticism and concerns about safety in some of the cities it operates. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/x2Xn8PQ

The deal is structured as an acquihire of nine key Cleanlab's researchers. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/fp1bBES

Google Chrome is adding Gemini in sidebar and is rolling out an agentic feature for AI Pro and Ultra users from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/GmAnHlt

Patreon isn’t happy about Apple’s new subscription billing mandate, arguing Apple’s shifting rules create uncertainty for creators. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/3Xlpq6F

How do you build tooling for the AI software stack? A company called Modelence has an interesting answer. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/PocdhbG

Gemini 3 Pro and other AI tools are now available globally through the Google AI Plus plan, which is $7.99 per month in the United States. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/tCJhDVR

OpenAI has launched a new scientific workspace program called Prism, which integrates AI into existing standards for composing research papers. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/nwcrsge

European governments are looking to move away from U.S. tech and reclaim their digital sovereignty at a time of unpredictability and volatility in the United States. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/Qkq36yJ

Data collected and analyzed by Obi suggest a shift is underway. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/5mDpMT6

The timing of these outages lines up with the long-awaited creation of a separate U.S. TikTok entity last week. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/ptsFAZn

British startup Synthesia, whose AI platform helps companies create interactive training videos, has raised a $200 million Series E round of funding that brings its valuation to $4 billion — up from $2.1 billion just a year ago. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/JHowXNz

The nozzle is just the beginning – what company founder Sunny Sethi calls "the muscle on the ground.” from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/wiRCTE7

Some of the major players in science fiction and pop culture are taking firmer stances against generative AI. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/MiDcFjs

If your Gmail account doesn’t seem to be working properly today, you’re not alone. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/QjKvCc4

There were times at this week’s meeting of the World Economic Forum when Davos seemed transformed into a high-powered tech conference. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/1F5PV8q

The Securities and Exchange Commission has dropped its lawsuit against Gemini, the crypto exchange founded by Trump backers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/Giov2Mk

The Department of Justice may be conducting a criminal investigation. This is arguably the biggest drama between two HR startups ever. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/8lZzvXO

The World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos felt different this year, and not just because Meta and Salesforce took over storefronts on the main promenade. AI dominated the conversation in a way that overshadowed traditional topics like climate change and global poverty, and the CEOs weren’t holding back. There was public criticism of trade policy, warnings about AI […] from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/tHA3y5p

Meta is set to go on trial in New Mexico for allegedly failing to protect minors. The company is requesting a broad swath of information not be allowed to be presented in court. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/NTsbgfd

Jenny Liu, is a solo first time GP looking to back underrepresented wellness founders. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/PsAYzF1

Research from startup GPTZero points to the impossible problem prestigious conferences face in the age of AI slop. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/lz71n5C

The medical info database has doubled in valuation since last raise in October, despite encroachment from model makers. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/B7s4ptg

Jassy said on Tuesday that while Amazon is trying to keep prices low, price hikes may be unavoidable in some cases. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/wbkWKf0

Another raises a $2.5 million seed round led by Anthemis FIL and Westbound to help retailers with off-channel inventory. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/3LUTNXy

The funding comes as the startup claims it has scaled ARR to $50 million, and is targeting $100 million by April 2026. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/IRY6xVk

For the first time, Meta's Oversight Board is looking for specific policy recommendations around disabled accounts. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/15DSwG4

The combined business will serve more than 4,000 customers globally and surpass $100 million in annual revenue. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/MVpD7EB

Last year was monumental for the AI industry in the U.S. and beyond. How will 2025 compare? from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/M2j0arG

Misaligned agents are just one layer of the AI security challenge that startup Witness AI is trying to solve. It detects employee use of unapproved tools, blocking attacks, and ensuring compliance.  from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/3LPBigZ

See what to expect for Startup Battlefield 200 in 2026, the ultimate startup pitch competition on the global stage at TechCrunch Disrupt. Join the mailing list to be the first to know when applications drop. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/mVFeCva

TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield 2023 winner, Biotics AI, announced on Monday that it has received FDA clearance for its AI software that helps detect fetal abnormalities in ultrasound images.  from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/5tRWoeM

Sequoia Capital is reportedly joining a blockbuster funding round for Anthropic, the AI startup behind Claude, according to the Financial Times. It’s a move sure to turn heads in Silicon Valley. Why? Because venture capital firms have historically avoided backing competing companies in the same sector, preferring to place their bets on a single winner. […] from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/Z2kvFSX

Now, the startup is turning its attention to building the business, fundraising and striking commercial deals. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/3VJiDC1

Confer is designed to look and feel like ChatGPT or Claude, but your conversations can't be used for training or advertising. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/TYU3zlD

If you’ve been following the billionaire exodus from California with some confusion, here’s what’s actually driving the nervousness: it’s not the 5% rate. As highlighted Friday in the New York Post, the proposed wealth tax would hit founders on their voting shares rather than the actual equity they own. Take Larry Page, who about 3% […] from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/0ChOeKl

While it's easy to romanticize space as an escape to a pristine frontier where people will float weightlessly among the stars, it’s worth remembering there are no oceans or mountains or chirpy birds in space. It's “not nice up there,” said Rubenstein. “It is not nice at all." from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/5bV6RpI

In an attempt to alleviate rising electricity prices, the White House wants grid operator PJM to hold an auction for new generating capacity, and it wants tech companies to bid. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/2Ifsiql

AI companies are clustering around healthcare and fast.  In just the past week, OpenAI bought health startup Torch, Anthropic launched Claude for healthcare, and Sam Altman-backed MergeLabs closed a $250 million seed round at an $850 million valuation. The money and products are pouring into health and voice AI, but so are concerns about hallucination risks, inaccurate medical information, and […] from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/PeZ6ECz

AI labs just can't get their employees to stay put. Yesterday’s big AI news was the abrupt and seemingly acrimonious departure of three top executives at Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines lab. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/1U8FI6x

The U.S. struck a trade deal with Taiwan as the country looks to help boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/mLYOAN9

Iran’s government-imposed internet shutdown enters its second week as authorities continue their violent crackdown on protesters. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/FEtfpdw

The Trends Explore page for users to analyze search interest just got a major upgrade. It now uses Gemini to identify and compare relevant trends. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/QdBKeYf

OpenAI and Anthropic have each launched healthcare-focused products over the last week. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/iV4Yr3P

Amazon is counting on its Alexa footprint to help it gain traction in the consumer AI race. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/XoLc0BV

Apple says its services had a "record-breaking year," as Apple TV, Apple Music, and Apple Pay also soared. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/2RNa4nw

Motional says it will launch a driverless robotaxi service in Las Vegas before the end of 2026. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/CzfFQZe

Sergey Brin and Larry Page appear to be pulling back from the state where they co-founded Google. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/LbPgv3m

Instagram says that although some users received suspicious-looking password reset requests, it has not been breached. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/qcNxmCz

This follows an investigation by the Guardian that found Google AI Overviews offering misleading information in response to some health-related queries. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/4097OMd

Google said that merchants can now offer discounts to users directly in AI mode results from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/Jq4rj1x

The Federal Communications Commission has given SpaceX approval to launch another 7,500 of its second generation Starlink satellites. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/ESZbQsP

An intellectual property lawyer says OpenAI is "putting itself at great risk" with this approach. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/6A8Nh9U

Indonesian officials said Saturday that they are temporarily blocking access to xAI’s chatbot Grok. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/hFvfPiN

A former SandboxAQ executive filed a wrongful termination lawsuit filled with shocking allegations. The company is fighting back, hard. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/na7dvAV

Ozlo Sleepbuds are going to have a big year, with new products, AI features, and more. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/XfJzQ3I

After years of chatbots and image generators, AI is finally leaving the screen. At CES 2026, that shift became impossible to ignore.  The annual tech showcase in Las Vegas was dominated by “physical AI” and robotics, from Boston Dynamic’s newly redesigned Atlas humanoid robot to AI-powered ice makers (yes, really). The companies in attendance clearly want consumers […] from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/9dHB6sf

The move comes as Disney launched a personalized vertical video feed in the ESPN app last year. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/Y8esIJw

Vanessa Larco, partner at Premise and former partner at NEA, thinks 2026 will finally be the year of consumer AI.  Larco, who’s been investing in consumer and prosumer for years, thinks we’re about to see a shift in how consumers spend time online, with AI powering “concierge-like” services. The question is, will legacy consumer products like WebMD and […] from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/IBauqe2

Google Classroom now offers a Gemini-powered tool that generates podcast-style audio lessons for teachers to deepen engagement with students. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/PQgsJbf

Bryan Fleming, the founder of hacked stalkerware company pcTattletale, pleaded guilty to federal charges linked to the running of his now-defunct Michigan-based spyware company. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/98gQ2sk

Launching in-message games would give Threads an edge over competitors like X and Bluesky, which don’t offer built-in games. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/gdB2VyP

Nvidia unveiled Alpamayo at CES 2026, which includes a reasoning vision language action model that allows an autonomous vehicle to think more like a human and provide chain-of-thought reasoning. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/ep81ZPk

A hacker known as Martha Root broke in and deleted three white supremacists websites at the end of a talk during the annual hacker conference Chaos Communication Congress in Germany. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/oTicCAu

The lawsuits seek to reverse the Department of the Interior's stop-work order which affected five offshore wind projects off the Eastern Seaboard. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/aclLDwM

Hesai said it now plans to build as many as 4 million lidar sensors in 2026, up from 2 million, as it tries to corner a market with one fewer player after Luminar's bankruptcy. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/og5j8Ow

There is no timeline for when these systems will become available. But once they do, Kodiak could bring its tech to more trucks, faster. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/318uc5f

Africa’s largest fintech company, Flutterwave, has acquired Nigerian open banking startup Mono in an all-stock deal valued between $25 million and $40 million, according to people familiar with the transaction. The acquisition brings together two of Africa’s leading fintech infrastructure companies. Flutterwave operates one of the continent’s widest payments networks, while Mono, often described as […] from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/ajTQAxC

Twitter co-founder Biz Stone and Pinterest co-founder Evan Sharp have raised new funding for a social media app that helps users "plan with intention." from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/VAnzZIl

DoorDash seems to have confirmed a viral story about a driver using an AI-generated photo to lie about making a delivery. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/U1xqKdO

Subtle's new $199 earbuds will also let you dictate in any app on desktop or phone from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/MNOYSrZ

Jeff Bezos led the way. The Amazon founder sold 25 million shares for $5.7 billion in June and July, right around the time he was getting hitched to Lauren Sanchez in Venice. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/ulWDIVm

A new tool should make it easier for California residents to limit data brokers’ ability to store and sell their personal information. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/JVgIwpn

Ilya Lichtenstein, who pled guilty to money laundering charges tied to his role in the massive hack of crypto exchange Bitfinex, has apparently been released early from prison. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/FR0k3r4

India's IT ministry has given X 72 hours to submit an action-taken report. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/P81rkDi

From home security systems and smart smoke detectors to a sunrise alarm gently that wakes you up, here are the must-have gadgets for living in your first apartment. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/4r95NOg

Arya.ag, an Indian agritech company offering storage facilities near farms and offering lending services to hundreds of thousands of farmers, has drawn investor interest and remained profitable even as global crop prices continue to fall in a volatile commodities market. The investor interest has taken shape in the latest all-equity Series D round from GEF […] from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/N89k15y

Unless if you’re really in the know about nascent platforms, you probably didn’t know what Mastodon was until Elon Musk bought Twitter and renamed it X. In the initial aftermath of the acquisition, as users fretted over what direction Twitter would take, millions of users hopped over to Mastodon, a fellow microblogging site. As time […] from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/vyrRtgk

The bloodletting will hit hardest in back-office operations, risk management, and compliance. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/xiof4tV

The form factors may differ, but the thesis is the same: audio is the interface of the future. Every space -- your home, your car, even your face -- is becoming an interface. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/HIWCFkf

Here is the full list of the media/entertainment Startup Battlefield 200 selectees, along with a note on what made us select them for the competition. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/ZLHqNhg

Fizz is betting that Gen Z is tired of performing their lives on Instagram and TikTok.   What started as a pandemic-era group chat frustration has turned into the dominant social platform on college campuses across the US, focused on the 99% of life that doesn’t make it into a highlight reel. Capturing the attention of a demographic typically glued […] from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/7UsCrb8