Author: TechBrunch

Amazon will cancel the Android App Store on August 20th this year. The company sent a notification to the developer to indicate that new apps would no longer be able to be submitted to the store. The company said on its support page that it would also suspend Coin Digital Currency. It says it can be used to purchase games and apps in the app store. “From August 20, 2025, you will no longer be able to access Amazon Appstore on your Android devices, and we plan to cancel the Amazon Coins program on August 20, 2025,” the company said…

As payment companies increasingly explore Stablecoins for cross-border payments and real-time settlements, some startups have leveraged Zeitgeist by providing liquidity through Stablecoins' revolving credit lines Masu. One of them is Dubai-based Mantha, which offers primarily African payment companies to settle transactions and immediately fund customer accounts. The startup raised $10 million in seed funds, including both stocks and debt. Stablecoin Provider Tether led the $3 million equity investment. The funding will help the company expand into Latin America and Southeast Asia, regions where liquidity challenges limit cross-border transactions. Mansa says the model improves client cash flow at a lower cost…

Codeium, an AI-powered coding startup, is raising new funding at a $2.85 billion valuation, including Fresh Capital, according to two sources with knowledge of the transaction. The round is led by returning investor Kleiner Perkins, people said. The new round announces that Silicon Valley-based Codeum has closed its $150 million Series C with a post-money valuation of $1.25 billion led by Total Catalyst with participation from Kleiner Perkins and Green Ark It's only six months later. TechCrunch was unable to confirm the dollar amount for the new funds. Codeium and Kleiner Perkins did not respond to requests for comment. The…

Austin-based defense startup Saronic has raised a $600 million Series C to build an autonomous ship factory called “Port Alpha” announced yesterday, bringing its valuation to $4 billion from the final round I illuminated it. Investor Elad Gil led the round, with general Catalyst joining existing investors Andreessen Horowitz, 8vc and Caffeinated Capital. This makes Salonic the second and perhaps the third most valuable defense technology startup in the US after Andrill's final round was valued at $14 billion. However, Shield AI can beat it as it is reportedly in consultation to achieve a $5 billion valuation in the new…

Uber is moving away from the committee-based model of India's three-wheel electric Rick Show drivers in response to growing competition with local rivals Rapido and Namma Yatri. The riding giant will instead charge drivers daily fees to connect to riders using the platform. Business model change is the latest update of Uber's business in India to make margin work. In 2015, Uber first launched auto-rickshaw services on the market, but quickly stopped. The service was later rebooted in 2018. We understand that Uber is not the only market that has tried this model. The company previously introduced subscription-based bicycle and…

Swizzle Ventures has shut down Fund I for $6.6 million and bypassed its initial $3 million target, company founder Jessica Kamada told TechCrunch. In December, TechCrunch reported that it was being raised by a company quietly launched in 2023, and already bypassing $5 million per SEC application. Fund Papers I focus on women's health and wealth, and touch on issues such as caregiving and finances. Kamada told TechCrunch that 70% of the fund's LPS are women and 50% are experts in the focus of the paper. The company cuts checks ranging from $100,000 to $200,000 at pre-seed and seed levels.…

Mollitiam Industries, a small and lesser known Spanish spyware manufacturer, is now closed. The end of the startup was first reported by Intelligence Intelligence Online on the Intelligence and Surveillance Trade News website. Public Business Records confirm that the company filed for bankruptcy on January 23rd. Unlike the hacking team, NSO Group and now Paragon Solutions, Mollitiam Industries, based in Toledo, a town outside of Madrid, Spain, is mostly operating in public places. In part, the secret is merely a result of the nature of the spyware industry. There are many vendors all over the world, and a significant number…

For decades, couples experiencing in vitro fertilization have had to spend tens of thousands of dollars on the procedure without guaranteeing success. It's not only an emotionally draining process, but also a financially exhausting process. San Francisco-based startup Future Family wants to help ease some of the burden on couples with new US IVF insurance products. New products with support from Munich Re Venture, a venture arm of global reinsurer Munich Re, essentially offer money back guarantees to those who are experiencing IVF. CEO and co-founder Claire Tomkins is relaxed with insurance. Before starting the IVF cycle, the couple will…

Google is pulling AI assistant Gemini from its main Google app for iOS devices. This move is intended to encourage users to download the standalone Gemini app instead. This allows Google to compete more directly with other consumer-oriented AI chatbots such as ChatGpt, Claude, and Prperxity. However, since Google's apps are already used by millions, the risk of reducing Gemini reach may also change, and many people are motivated to download other new mobile applications. Not there. The Tech giant warned customers of the change via email warning that “Gemini is no longer available on the Google app.” This email…

On Wednesday, Google is rolling out a new update that allows users to search for things on the screen via simple gestures when browsing within the Google Chrome or Google Search app on iOS. This feature is similar to Android's built-in “Circle to Search” feature. This allows users to search for things on the screen using a variety of gestures. At launch, iPhone users can also search for things on the screen by drawing, highlighting or tapping something through Google lenses. For example, if you read an article and come across an image of an interesting artwork, you can quickly…