On November 15, Peter Wang posted a message requesting ideas for a new incubator and fund to support experimental projects built on the burgeoning Bluesky/AT Protocol ecosystem. Four weeks later, Skyseed emerged with an initial commitment of $1 million. This turnaround, a speed underscored by the fact that the fund doesn’t even have a website…
Category: Startups
AI coding tools, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, Startups, Y Combinator
After causing outrage on the first day of Y Combinator, AI code editor PearAI lands $1M seed
On the first day of Y Combinator the founders of PearAI got “cancelled.” They used the hate to launch a new product, raise $1 million. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, newsletters, Startups, Startups Weekly, venture capital
The year is coming to a close, but startup news keeps rolling in
Welcome to Startups Weekly — your weekly recap of everything you can’t miss from the world of startups. Want it in your inbox every Friday? Sign up here. This week was full of news, likely because it is also the last “real” week of 2024. Which is another way for us to say goodbye for…
AI, Artificial Intelligence, Europe, exit, Global Security News, nvidia, Run:AI, Startups
Nvidia clears regulatory hurdle to acquire Run:ai
Chip company Nvidia gets the green light from the European Union to complete its acquisition of Run:ai. The EU came to a unanimous decision today that Nvidia could go ahead with its acquisition of Israeli GPU orchestration platform Run:ai, according to reporting from Bloomberg. The European Commission determined that if the merger went through other…
AI, AI startups, Artificial Intelligence (AI), evergreens, Fundraising, Global Security News, megarounds, Startups, Venture, venture capital
Here’s the full list of 49 US AI startups that have raised $100M or more in 2024
In the first half of 2024 alone, more than $35.5 billion was invested into AI startups globally. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
AI, Enterprise, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, Mindgard, Security, spinouts, Startups
British university spinoff Mindgard protects companies from AI threats
AI creates a dilemma for companies: Don’t implement it yet, and you might miss out on productivity gains and other potential benefits; but do it wrong, and you might expose your business and clients to unmitigated risks. This is where a new wave of “security for AI” startups come in, with the premise that these…
AI, ai-powered search, Funding, Fundraising, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, In Brief, Perplexity, report, rumor, Search, startup, Startups
Perplexity has reportedly closed a $500M funding round
AI-powered search engine Perplexity has reportedly closed a $500 million funding round, valuing the startup at $9 billion. Bloomberg, citing sources familiar, reports that the round was led by Institutional Venture Partners, and that it closed earlier in December. In an email to TechCrunch, a Perplexity spokesperson declined to comment. The mammoth tranche comes as…
accounting, accounting software, Aiwyn, CPA, cpa software, Enterprise, Funding, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, revenue cycle, revenue cycle management, Software, startup, Startups
A bad experience with an accounting firm spurred this founder to start Aiwyn
Accounting firms are struggling to adopt high-tech solutions. That’s according to a survey earlier this year from Rightsworks, which found that, while 88% of firms believe tech has had a positive impact on their efficiency, 60% are suffering from disconnected systems, inconsistent processes, and a lack of standardized workflows. Startups like Aiwyn are trying to…
AI, ai alignment, ai safety, Emmett Shear, Exclusive, Funding, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, scoop, startup, Startups
Ex-Twitch CEO Emmett Shear is founding an AI startup backed by a16z
Emmett Shear, the former CEO of Twitch, is launching a new AI startup, TechCrunch has learned. The startup, called Stem AI, is currently in stealth. But public documents show it was incorporated in June 2023, and filed for a trademark in August 2023. Shear is listed as CEO on an incorporation document filed with the…
a16z, AI, AI coding tools, Anysphere, cursor, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, Startups, Thrive Capital
In just 4 months AI coding assistant Cursor raised another $100M at a $2.5B valuation led by Thrive, sources say
Anysphere, the developer of AI-powered coding assistant Cursor, raised $100 million Series B at a post-money valuation of $2.6 billion, according to sources with knowledge of the deal. The round is being led by returning investor Thrive Capital, the person said. This new funding comes just four months after Anysphere raised its $60 million Series…
3d printing, a16z, AI, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, markforged, Startups
Backed by a16z and NEA, Backflip raises $30M Series A to turn text into AI-generated designs
Led by Markforged veterans and backed by a16z, Backlip has raised $30M to democratize product design thanks to AI. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Chime, digital banking, Fintech, Global IT News, Global Security News, IPOs, IPOs 2025, Startups
$25 billion valuation Chime takes another step towards an IPO
Digital bank Chime has reportedly filed its confidential IPO paperwork with the SEC, with an eye toward a 2025 debut. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
AI, Benchmark, decart, Fundraising, Gaming, GenAI, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, LLM, oasis, Startups
Decart adds another $32M at a $500M+ valuation
A young startup that emerged from stealth less than two months ago with big-name backers and bigger ambitions to make a splash in the world of AI is returning to the spotlight. Decart is building what its CEO and co-founder Dean Leitersdorf describes as “a fully vertically integrated AI research lab,” alongside enterprise and consumer…
Crypto, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, meme coin, Neverless, Revolut, Startups
With Neverless, former Revolut execs want to make meme coins easy to buy
There’s an ocean of meme coins beyond Dogecoin, and a new startup called Neverless wants to make it easier to get started with trading crypto, with a particular focus on providing access to small-cap tokens. This is an interesting new crypto startup, founded by three former executives at Revolut, the London-based fintech juggernaut. Phuc To…
2024 venture trends, Global IT News, Global Security News, India, Startups, venture funding
Indian startups raised 32% fewer rounds in 2024 as VCs got selective
Indian startups raised 32% fewer funding rounds in 2024 compared to last year, per new numbers from data intelligence platform Tracxn, signaling that investors are being more selective when striking deals. The number of startup funding rounds fell to 1,448 compared to 2,114 last year, but overall funding rose 6% to $11.3 billion — the…
Climate, Global Security News, Startups, sustainable ocean alliance
Sustainable Ocean Alliance marks 10 years with ocean-friendly startup label and a new batch of ‘ecopreneurs’
Over the last decade, the Sustainable Ocean Alliance has graduated from dorm room activism to a thousands-strong global network of experts, investors, and “ecopreneurs” — all of whom believe the best way to save the ailing oceans is to embrace innovation. Founder Daniela Fernandez has steered the ship the whole time, and the SOA is…
AI, Exclusive, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, Gusto, Hauler Hero, SaaS, servicetitan, Startups, TC, waste management
Hauler Hero wants to bring waste management software into the 21st century
After nearly four years of working in sales at tradesperson software company ServiceTitan, Mark Hoadley (pictured above) was looking for a change and to potentially start something of his own in a similar industry. Hoadley’s brother-in-law, and now co-founder, Ben Sikma, was working on M&A in the waste management space at the time. Sikma discovered…
Climate, data centers, fission, Global IT News, Global Security News, nuclear power, Oklo, sam altman, Startups
Sam Altman-backed nuclear startup Oklo lands massive data center power deal, with caveats
Among the hurdles, Oklo still hasn’t received approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission after having its previous application denied. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Access, App, Apps, Funding, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, new york city, nyc, restaurant industry, Restaurants, startup, Startups, subscription
Access bets people will pay thousands of dollars a year for guaranteed restaurant reservations
Once, not long ago, booking a table at a hot new restaurant didn’t entail a midnight dash to Resy. Truly, we didn’t know how good we had it then. Hours-long lines out the door are now the norm, not the exception, in major cities from New York to Los Angeles. One reason is that restaurants…
AI, bootstrapping, Global IT News, Global Security News, Otterly.AI, seo, Startups
AI is burying company web sites in search results, but Otterly.AI thinks it can help
Many sites saw their organic traffic decline in 2024, in big part due to the rise of AI-generated search results. Many queries no longer lead to click-throughs, and even when users click, it is hard for companies to get more context on searches made within apps like ChatGPT or Perplexity. The answer to this problem…
AI, doj, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, Perplexity, Startups
The DOJ wants a Perplexity executive to testify in its Google antitrust case
The US government is calling on a Perplexity executive to help make its case that Google is a monopolist. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
AI, down rounds, Global IT News, Global Security News, recapitalization, Startups, Tribeca Venture Partners, Valuations, venture capital
AI boom masks fundraising struggles for non-AI startups
Earlier this year, IVP general partner Tom Loverro, proclaimed that the post-pandemic downturn is over, and companies that made it this far should prioritize growth over cost-cutting. Yet, the companies still struggling to raise their next round of financing at a higher valuation or survive altogether could still be in the thousands, according to Brian…
Climate, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Fusion, fusion power, Global IT News, Global Security News, nuclear fusion, Startups
Commonwealth Fusion Systems just picked its first commercial site partly because of its proximity to Washington, D.C.
The fusion startup intends to hook the power plant up to the grid in the early 2030s. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
AI, Apps, coda, Global IT News, Global Security News, grammarly, Startups
Grammarly acquires productivity startup Coda, brings on new CEO
Grammarly is acquiring productivity startup Coda, the company announced on Tuesday. As part of the deal, Coda’s CEO and co-founder Shishir Mehrotra will become the new CEO of Grammarly. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition will help turn Grammarly’s AI assistant into an “AI productivity platform” thanks to the addition…
autonomous vehicles, Global IT News, Global Security News, robotics, slip robotics, Startups, Transportation
Slip Robotics snags $28M for its bots that can load a truck in five minutes
Drop by any given loading dock and a buzz of forklifts — loaded up with goods — can be spotted maneuvering in and out of truck trailers. This logistical dance can take up to an hour to fill a trailer, leaving truck drivers in idle limbo. The founders of Atlanta-based Slip Robotics say they’ve developed…
Commerce, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, India, reliance industries, Reliance Retail, Shein, Startups
Shein must cede Indians’ data, control of local ops to re-enter India
Shein must surrender all data of Indian customers and control of its local operations to its partner, Reliance Retail, and keep operations fully local to re-enter the Indian market, according to new government disclosures that reveal how the apparel and accessories retailer secured a rare exception to India’s ban on Chinese-linked apps. In a parliamentary…
Apps, AstroPay, Fintech, foreign exchange, Global IT News, Global Security News, LATAM, multi-currency wallet, payment, Startups
Popular LatAm digital payment service AstroPay launches multi-currency wallet
AstroPay has been around since 2009. The bootstrapped company currently has 320 employees and is profitable. And yet, it’s not a name that comes up often in startup news. The company originally started its life as a payment service provider focused on Latin America — an alternative payment method that you would find next to the…
Climate, Exclusive, Focused Energy, fusion power, Global IT News, Global Security News, lasers, nuclear fusion, Startups
Focused Energy buys two of the world’s most powerful lasers for its fusion quest
The massive lasers will be installed in the startup’s future facility, which it is building in the San Francisco Bay Area. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Cloud, Enterprise, enterprise startups, Funding, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, M12, Mantis.VC, Nuon, SaaS, Startups, Uncork Capital, venture capital
Nuon helps companies deploy their software into their customers’ cloud accounts
Jon Morehouse launched PowerTools in 2019 to help companies ship static sites and serverless apps to their cloud accounts on providers like AWS and Azure. When a customer asked him if they could use PowerTools to deploy their software into one of their customer’s cloud accounts, Morehouse was skeptical. Morehouse told TechCrunch that after that…
aye finance, Fintech, Global IT News, Global Security News, India, IPOs, Startups
Alphabet-backed Indian lender files for IPO
Alphabet’s CapitalG-backed Aye Finance, a lender focused on India’s micro, small, and medium enterprises, is seeking to raise $171 million from its initial public offering, it disclosed in a filing Tuesday. The offering comprises a $104 million fresh share issue and a $67 million secondary sale by existing investors, with proceeds aimed at expanding the…
Annette, Basalt, DermaScan, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hexa, Reki, Startups, Tandem, Venture
Hexa, the startup studio behind Aircall and Swan, unveils its next batch of startups
Hexa, a Paris-based startup studio that has launched dozens of B2B software companies, is sharing a list of its next batch of projects that are soon going to become independent startups. Hexa originally started its life in 2011 as eFounders, a startup studio focused on B2B software-as-a-service products. Hexa usually comes up with the ideas…
AI, Artificial Intelligence, bot, bots, colin angle, familiar machines & magic, familiar machines and magic, Funding, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, Healthcare, home robotics, home robots, iRobot, robotics, Startups
iRobot co-founder’s new home robot startup hopes to raise $30M
Colin Angle, one of the co-founders of Roomba maker iRobot, is raising cash for a home robotics venture. A filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission reveals that Angle’s new company, Familiar Machines & Magic, is trying to raise $30 million. So far, it has raised $15 million from a group of eight investors.…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Startups, Transportation, TuSimple, xiaodi hou
TuSimple drama heats up ahead of pivotal shareholder meeting
TuSimple co-founder and former CEO Xiaodi Hou is on a war path in the lead up to Friday’s annual shareholder meeting that will decide the makeup of the company’s board of directors. Over the past several weeks, Hou has sued TuSimple for control of his voting rights, demanded the company immediately liquidate and return all…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Startups
Skims co-founder Jens Grede addresses those IPO rumors
Skims co-founder Jens Grede has confirmed that plans for an IPO are on the back burner—for now at least, according to a new interview with WWD. TechCrunch reported in August that investors were hoping for the retail darling, last valued at $4 billion, to go public, and the Information reported that the earliest it could…
Cybersecurity, Enterprise, enterprise startup, Exclusive, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, Prequel, startup, Startups, venture capital
Prequel is building a community-driven approach to finding software bugs
Cybersecurity practitioners take a community-driven approach to solving problems. Security researchers share the vulnerabilities they find with the broader cybersecurity community, which allows companies to patch up their security holes before something catastrophic happens. Prequel is looking to bring that same approach to software. The startup is building a database of software failure patterns or…
Africa, Crypto, Fintech, Global IT News, Global Security News, juicyway, stablecoin, Startups
This stealthy African stablecoin startup already processed over $1B in cross-border payments
Juicyway, an African fintech that leverages stablecoin technology to power fast and cheap cross-border payments, is launching out of stealth after processing over $1 billion in transaction volume for thousands of African businesses over the last three years. The fintech claims to have processed over 25,000 transactions, generating $1.3 billion in total payment volume (TPV)…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Media & Entertainment, Startups, TC
Revisiting 19th-century Paris with VR
While I have fond memories of past efforts to combine VR content with real-world locations, I’d assumed the pandemic had put those ambitions to an end. If I wanted VR in 2024, I thought I’d have to buy a headset, and it would be a largely solitary experience at home or in the office —…
EV, Global IT News, Global Security News, lucid, Lucid air pure, Startups, Transportation
The 2025 Lucid Air Pure is a luxe ride at $69,900 with room for tech tune-ups
The all-electric 2025 Lucid Air Pure is a dreamy, sexy car that’s no less luxurious for being the cheapest trim in Lucid’s Air lineup. I felt fancy and discerning driving around, but in an understated way – as if I were wearing designer sweatpants. But does fancy equal value? I spent about 10 days driving…
AI, Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Meta, openai, Startups
Meta asks California AG to block OpenAI’s conversion to for-profit
Facebook’s parent company Meta is supporting Elon Musk’s effort to block OpenAI’s conversion from a non-profit company into a for-profit one. As reported by The Wall Street Journal, Meta sent a letter to California Attorney General Rob Bonta arguing that allowing the shift would have “seismic implications for Silicon Valley.” And while the company asked…
Crypto, Exclusive, fbi, feuds, Founders Fund, Global IT News, Global Security News, Kalshi, Polymarket, presidential election, social media, Startups, Venture
Kalshi CEO admits enlisting influencers to dis Polymarket in a now-deleted podcast segment
Kalshi’s CEO, Tarek Mansour, confirmed on a podcast interview that his employees did ask social media influencers to promote memes about the FBI’s raid on the home of his arch rival, the CEO of Polymarket. Both of these companies offer competing events-betting markets, a new kind of betting industry where people wager about the outcomes…
Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, newsletter, Startups, Startups Weekly
What failed before might succeed now — or fail again — and other startup bets
Welcome to Startups Weekly — your weekly recap of everything you can’t miss from the world of startups. Want it in your inbox every Friday? Sign up here. This week in startup news, we have some contrarian bets, funding rounds from all around the world, new VC funds, and a final word of warning. Most…
climate tech, defense tech, Global IT News, Global Security News, LLMs, space technology, Startups, TC
The 51 most disruptive startups of 2024
These startups have fascinating new technologies, business models, founder stories or are pushing an industry forward in exciting ways. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
AI, amd, Enterprise, Funding, Fundraising, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, In Brief, Liquid AI, liquid neural networks, startup, Startups
Liquid AI just raised $250M to develop a more efficient type of AI model
Liquid AI, an AI startup co-founded by robotics luminary Daniela Rus, has raised $250 million in a Series A led by AMD. Per Bloomberg, the round values Liquid AI at over $2 billion. Liquid AI aims to build general-purpose AI systems powered by a relatively new type of AI model called a liquid neural network. Liquid…
accelerators, activate, Climate, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, Startups, The Engine
Activate and The Engine Accelerator team up to train scientists to become founders
Two prominent programs, Activate and The Engine Accelerator, have decided they can give founders an advantage if they team up. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
cap table management, Carta, funding round, Global IT News, Global Security News, Startups, venture funding
Carta is making it too difficult to cancel subscriptions, some founders say
Cap table management firm Carta is under fire from some founders who say cancelling their subscriptions is too hard. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.