Author: TechBrunch

The countdown has begun! TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 starts in just two weeks — taking place October 27-29 at Moscone West in San Francisco — and this is your last chance to secure up to $624 in savings before prices go up on Friday, October 17 at 11:59 PM PT. Join over 10,000 founders, investors, and executives for three days of inspiration, connections, and dealmaking through 200+ sessions, 250+ technology leaders, and 300+ startup exhibitors. Image credit: TechCrunch Why attend Disrupt 2025? From AI and biotech to climate tech, fintech, mobility and consumer innovation, TechCrunch Disrupt is where the global startup…

No matter what city you live in, it's a universally acknowledged truth that the current dating scene sucks. Everyone has a story. And everyone is dissatisfied. Let's take the example of Miles Slayton. He completed a banking internship in New York City and witnessed how he and his friends struggled to find love in the city's ruthless dating scene. “We're using our phones more than ever before,” he told TechCrunch. “I thought, 'Why are dating apps so bad?'” He thought this was not a problem with the dating apps themselves, but rather with the way modern products work. While many…

Corporate travel management company Navan (formerly known as TripActions) filed updated IPO documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday, despite the current federal government shutdown. Navan is proceeding under new SEC rules that allow aspiring companies stalled during the shutdown to submit updated information, such as share counts and prices, and have their statements automatically approved within 20 days without staff scrutiny. Once the application is declared effective, Navan can begin its roadshow. However, this rule does not mean that staff cannot ask questions or request an amended return later. Navan declined to comment to TechCrunch on…

AI companies are developing much-needed corporate strategies, but the results are wildly contradictory. Just this week, Deloitte announced it would be rolling out Anthropic's Claude to all 500,000 employees. On the very same day, the Australian government forced Deloitte to refund its contract because the AI-generated report was riddled with false citations. This is a perfect snapshot of where we are today, with companies racing to adopt AI tools before they understand how to use them responsibly. In this episode of Equity, Kirsten Kolosek, Anthony Herr and Sean O'Kane delve into the messy realities of AI in the workplace, as…

Karsi, a prediction market that allows people to bet on future events, announced it has raised more than $300 million at a valuation of $5 billion. The company's value has increased 2.5x since its last funding just three months ago, at a $2 billion valuation. The new funding was provided by Calsi's existing investor Sequoia Capital, with new investor Andreessen Horowitz co-leading the round. Paradigm Ventures, Capital G, and Coinbase Ventures also participated. Kalsi also revealed that consumers in 140 countries can now place bets on the company's platform. Prediction market activity has increased dramatically, with Kalsi's annual trading volume…

Karsi, a prediction market that allows people to bet on future events, announced it has raised more than $300 million at a valuation of $5 billion. The company's value has increased 2.5x since its last funding just three months ago, at a $2 billion valuation. The new funding was provided by Calsi's existing investor Sequoia Capital, with new investor Andreessen Horowitz co-leading the round. Paradigm Ventures, CapitalG, and Coinbase Ventures also participated. Kalsi also revealed that consumers in 140 countries can now place bets on the company's platform. Prediction market activity has increased dramatically, with Kalsi's annual trading volume expected…

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is reassigning hundreds of employees across multiple departments to support the Trump administration's broader immigration crackdown, and plans to fire those who don't comply, according to reports. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that the department has transferred employees from the U.S. Cybersecurity Agency, CISA, which focuses on issuing cyber guidance to protect U.S. government agencies and critical infrastructure from cyber threats, to other agencies within the federal department, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Both Bloomberg and NextGob reported that many of the affected CISA employees are in the…

Israeli spyware maker NSO Group has confirmed to TechCrunch that a US investment group has acquired the company. “An American investment group has invested tens of millions of dollars in the company and taken control,” NSO spokesperson Oded Hershowitz told TechCrunch on Friday. Confirmation of the deal comes shortly after Israeli tech news website Calcalist reported on Friday that a group led by Hollywood producer Robert Simmons had agreed to buy the surveillance technology maker in a deal worth tens of millions of dollars. Hershowitz declined to disclose the amount invested or the investors. “This investment does not mean that…

Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) has pushed back against local media reports suggesting it plans to open an office in India, with its general partner calling the reports “totally fake news.” Earlier on Thursday, Indian media reported that a16z was preparing to set up an office in Bengaluru and establish a physical presence in the country. The report also cited anonymous sources and said the company was in the process of hiring a local partner. However, Anish Acharya, Bay Area-based general partner of a16z, who has been with the company for the past six years, dismissed the report. “I…

Discord revealed Wednesday that about 70,000 users may have had sensitive data, including government ID photos, exposed after hackers infiltrated a third-party vendor the platform uses for age-related disputes. Discord users will file an “age-related appeal” if the platform suspects they may be underage, or if they live in a location that requires identification to access the platform. In such cases, users will be asked to send a selfie with their government ID and Discord username to the platform's Trust & Safety team. Discord said it has contacted affected users, but the leaked data may also include IP addresses, which…