Author: TechBrunch
Venmo or Splitise is effectively a “debt collector” tool, requiring one person to pay the full invoice and ask for funds from another, but they are not cracking the invoice split at the moment of payment. The European startup CINO, which came up with exactly that product, has raised 3.5 million euros in a seed funding round led by London's Balderton capital. The real-time shared payment app allows groups to split their invoices and pay stocks directly from their selected bank account or wallet. After leaving Tallinn, Estonia and operating in continental Europe since 2023, CINO will use this fund…
Large tech companies don't sleep with Quantum Chips: Amazon Web Services introduced Ocelot. Microsoft, Majorana; and Google, Willow. But while all of these are considered breakthroughs, quantum startups often focus on more practical advances and are making progress. Founded in 2020, Dutch startup Quantware is one of these, claiming that the hardware it manufactures already powers quantum computers for customers in 20 countries. Its core product, Vio, focuses on scaling the bottlenecks of quantum processing units (QPUs). Everyone in the quantum computing field is striving for more Qubits equivalent to the bits, but integrating more qubits on a single chip…
As storage plays a key role in enabling green transitions, the push to decarbonize the economy through electrification and clean energy continues to generate momentum around battery technology. Renewables are cleaner energy sources compared to fossil fuel burning, but their output is not always consistent. In the case of the sun – its development has been rising significantly in recent years – when the sun stops shining with solar cells, power generation will stop. One solution to regulating solar plant variability is to store energy when there is an excess (time during the day). In this way, stored power can…
Three major investors have left the general catalyst amid the company's recent series of changes. This now describes itself as an “investment and transformation company.” The late managing directors include Kaildherty, who co-led the Late Stage Strategy for General Catalysts, known as Endurance, and Adam Balkin, one of the three leads of the company's early stage fund, according to several people close to General Catalyst. Nishal, Doherty, and Valkin did not respond to requests for comment. General Catalyst declined to comment. The reason for the departure remains unknown, but the general Catalyst Limited partners have explained many other changes in…
Google Gemini users can now access AI chatbots directly from their iPhone lock screen thanks to an update released on Monday, which was first discovered by 9to5Google. Users can call Gemini Live, the relatively real-time voice feature of the AI chatbot Google, before adding the Gemini Widget to the lock screen and unlocking the phone. Talk to Gemini Live from the lock screen on your iPhone. Apple's AI-enabled Siri version reportedly faces delays until 2027, so competitors in the AI space are stepping in to provide their own AI assistants to iPhone users. These features may allow iPhone users to…
On Monday, Google announced a series of changes to its widget system on Android, making it easier for app developers to reach users. Widgets that provide a glass-up view of the app's most important information, such as the weather for the day and upcoming meetings on the calendar, are an important aspect of customizing your Android home screen. However, Google admits that there was a need for a better way for developers to discover widgets. Widgets are not just decorative ways to make your home screen more visually interesting. A well-built widget helps to increase user engagement with apps and…
Fintech startup lamps had earned more than $700 million per year as of January this year, according to sources familiar with the company's internal operations. The company has more than $100 million in annual revenues before his third birthday in March 2022, exceeding $300 million by August 2023, and more than doubled it within 18 months now. Although Ramp has not officially released its revenue numbers, CEO and co-founder Eric Griman told TechCrunch that Ramp accounts for “1-2% of the US card market.” It's impressive for such a young company. However, the company is reinvesting its money and has yet…
June 5th, TechCrunch Sessions: AI kicks off. And you can be part of the industry-changing conversations that take place. Members of the AI community have open invitations to lead breakout sessions and discussions with more than 1,200 startup founders, VC leaders, and AI enthusiasts taking part in the latest event at Zellabach Hall in Berkeley, California. There's only one catch. By Friday, March 7, 2025, you will need to apply to be considered a speaker before midnight, so head here. As the AI field develops rapidly, we want to enable innovators who promote discourse to win center stage, so in…
Cyberattacks have also affected payments to freelancers and contractors working for the company, as ransomware attacks have been suspended due to suspected ransomware attacks on newspaper publishing giant Lee Enterprises. The Lee Enterprises cyberattack on February 3 caused widespread suspensions and continued disruption in dozens of newspapers across the United States, including delays in print editions. On February 18, Lee confirmed that hackers “encrypted” “critical, encrypted applications” that affect the company's business, including “distribution of products, billing, collections and vendor payments.” One contractor of Lee's property was asked not to be identified due to fear of retaliation, told TechCrunch that…
Reddit co-founder and investor Alexis Ohanian has joined the bid for billionaire Frank McCourt, who will acquire Tiktok as a strategic advisor specializing in social media, Reuters reports. “I think he has a portfolio of extensive experiences about where social media is and has a keen understanding of where it is evolving,” McCourt told Reuters. “The main place he can help is not only verify what we are doing, but socialize.” Project Liberty, the Internet advocacy group at McCourt, has organized a consortium called People's Bids to buy Tiktok's US assets. In January, Project Liberty officially submitted a proposal to…