Author: TechBrunch
One of the most anticipated technology events of the year is ending in just 24 hours. Excitement is building as we prepare to welcome the global tech community to TechCrunch Disrupt 2024. Get ready for a week full of vibrant energy that lights up San Francisco. Disrupt 2024 will take place from October 28th to 30th, and the excitement will reverberate throughout the week with inspiration, great networking opportunities, and innovative ideas. Haven't secured your Disrupt Pass yet? There's still time to save up to $400 on individual tickets. You can also bring friends, colleagues, family, and more for half…
Many venture investors, and perhaps their LPs, were hoping for a return to IPOs in 2024, but that hasn't happened and is unlikely to happen in the next two months. Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman is not surprised. On paper, public markets are experiencing a great year, with the S&P 500 up about 22%, but there's more to this story than just the headline numbers, Friedman said at Axios' BFD event on Tuesday. He said it was meaningful. Friedman said S&P understandably puts too much emphasis on large-cap stocks. And thanks to the strength of companies like Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft,…
The Associated Press reports that software engineers, developers, and academic researchers have serious concerns about OpenAI's transcriptions from Whisper. There's a lot of discussion about generative AI's tendency to hallucinate (and thus make things up), so it's a little surprising that this is a problem with transcription. Transcription is expected to closely follow the audio being transcribed. Instead, researchers told the AP, Whisper introduces everything from racial commentary to imagined medical practices into the records. And this could be particularly disastrous if Whisper is employed in hospitals or other medical settings. Researchers at the University of Michigan studying public meetings…
This week on StrictlyVC Download, hosts Connie Loizos and Alex Gove explore the intersection of the power of technology and the future of the internet with billionaire investor and philanthropist Frank McCourt. McCourt made headlines for his ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers, but now he's making waves for his ambitious efforts to reshape the digital world, including one of the most influential platforms on the planet. This could include the acquisition of TikTok. But that's a tall order. TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance is under increasing pressure to sell the platform amid increased U.S. government scrutiny, but the company…
If you ask a VC if we're still in a venture capital bear market, their investors will almost certainly say, “No, the money is still flowing to good companies.” That may sound like spin. Because there are plenty of anecdotes about how tough it is for people currently raising children. There's a good reason for that. According to a report from Oumni's Venture Beacon, down rounds, or raising at a lower valuation than the previous round, which founders want to avoid unless absolutely necessary, will remain near all-time highs through the first half of 2024. Ta. About 39% of late-stage…
One of the most anticipated technology events of the year is just two days away. San Francisco is about to be electrified by a global technology community. From October 28th to 30th (and all week long), join the Moscone West crowd as Silicon Valley's finest gather for TechCrunch Disrupt 2024. You only have 2 days left! Register now to save $400 on tickets or get 2 Expo+ tickets for half the price of 1 with the Expo+ 2-for-1 pass. When the doors open to Disrupt on October 28th, prices will go up. Lock your discount pass now. Join the ultimate…
Before becoming CEO of VC firm DVx Ventures, John McNeil served as president of Tesla and chief operating officer of Lyft. He helped take Tesla's revenue run rate from $2 billion to $20 billion in 30 months and doubled Lyft's revenue ahead of its IPO. He also serves on the boards of GM Cruises and Lululemon. So when he gives advice on how to build innovative companies, startups listen. At the World Business Forum in New York City this week, McNeil shared his insights into building innovative companies, a method Tesla CEO Elon Musk calls “algorithms.” This approach, featured in…
TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 is just three days away and we couldn't be more excited. Here's your inside guide to everything you need to know to have a successful Disrupt experience. Register and receive your early badge Sunday 10/27: 2:00pm – 5:00pmGet your badge early — Get your badge early and skip the line on Monday. Monday, October 28th: 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 29th: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, October 30th: 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Please bring your government-issued ID. The name on the badge and ticket must match in order to receive it. TechCrunch Disrupt…
After months of speculation, Apple Intelligence made headlines at WWDC 2024 in June. The platform was announced following a torrent of generated AI news from companies such as Google and Open AI, raising concerns that the notoriously tight-lipped tech giant had missed the latest tech boom. . But contrary to such speculation, Apple had a team working on what turned out to be a very Apple-like approach to artificial intelligence. It's still lively during demos, and Apple always loves to put on a show. But Apple Intelligence ultimately has a very pragmatic take on the category. Apple Intelligence (yes, AI…
Welcome to Startups Weekly — a weekly roundup of must-sees from the world of startups. Want it delivered to your inbox every Friday? Sign up here. This week, several startups announced new rounds without disclosing their valuations. This does not mean these were down rounds, but rather confirms that our overall focus is far from unicorns. These days, the ARR (annual recurring revenue) figure a company wants to achieve before going public can be $1 billion. This week's most interesting startup stories Image credit: Vinted IPOs are back in the news, but not everyone is lamenting their absence. Used: Vinted…