Author: TechBrunch

Cybersecurity continues to receive significant attention from businesses seeking better protection from malicious hackers, and venture capital firms want to join in the effort. In the latest example, cloud infrastructure valuation and security specialist Upwind is approaching a $100 million round at a post-money valuation between $850 million and $900 million, TechCrunch reported. has learned and confirmed. The round includes a mix of new and existing investors, including Craft Ventures, Greylock, CyberStarts, Leaders Fund, Omri Casspi's Sheva Fund, and basketball star Steph Curry's investment fund Penny Jar. There is. This round is in the final stages of completion and could…

Now that the election is over, the autopsy can begin. Even the approximate numbers are interesting to consider, as this is the first election in which AI chatbots played a significant role in voters' information diet. For example, OpenAI says it has directed ChatGPT's roughly 2 million users to look elsewhere. It not only gave them the cold shoulder, but recommended reliable news sources such as Reuters and the Associated Press. ChatGPT responded with this type of “I'm just an AI, please read the real news” response more than 2 million times on Election Day, and the next day, OpenAI…

There is no shortage of AI-powered coding assistance startups. These include Augment, Codeium, Magic, and Poolside. However, Cursor has become one of the most popular. Its developer, Anysphere, saw its revenue rise from $4 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) in April to $4 million a month as of last month, according to a person with direct knowledge of the company's finances. Another person said the company has seen faster user adoption and growth compared to other coding assistant providers. VCs are flocking to such rapid growth. AnySphere reportedly received unsolicited offers from Benchmark, Index Ventures, and former investors Andreessen…

When Skydio, a young maker of drones in San Mateo, California, sent a customer proposal in 2023 to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, its chief of staff, Mike Gennaro, forwarded the email to VC Ben Horowitz. “Which deployment are you looking to do?” Horowitz wrote back. “Whatever you want, Ben,” Gennaro replied, according to emails seen by TechCrunch. Horowitz then sent money to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s (LVMPD) police foundation to purchase Skydio drones for the department.  It was a win-win, seemingly. Skydio was able to tout its relationship with the LVMPD, while the department received a…

When Skydio, a young maker of drones in San Mateo, California, sent a customer proposal in 2023 to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, its chief of staff, Mike Gennaro, forwarded the email to VC Ben Horowitz. “Which deployment are you looking to do?” Horowitz wrote back. “Whatever you want, Ben,” Gennaro replied, according to emails seen by TechCrunch. Horowitz then sent money to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s (LVMPD) police foundation to purchase Skydio drones for the department.  It was a win-win, seemingly. Skydio was able to tout its relationship with the LVMPD, while the department received a…

Monarch Tractor is laying off about 10% of its workforce as part of a reorganization, prioritizing non-farm customers, licensing self-driving technology and offering AI-powered farm management software, according to TechCrunch. The company plans to expand its sales. The Livermore, Calif.-based self-driving electric tractor startup, which has raised a total of $220 million since its founding in 2018, cut about 35 employees this week. Some Monarch employees told TechCrunch they were fired without severance pay. This is my second cut this year. Monarch previously laid off about 15% of its workforce in July. CEO Praveen Penmetsa said in an interview with…

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 probably wasn't the best week to make any kind of big announcement. But when it comes to startups, there are quite a few contrarian companies out there, and despite the US election news cycle, there are still some interesting stories to cover. This week's most interesting startup stories Image credit: Kimberly White/Getty Images for TechCrunch This week we'll be covering some election news and other news, including mergers and acquisitions and closures.…

Exosonic, a startup developing supersonic commercial air travel and UAV technology, is ending its five-year run. In an update posted on its website, Exosonic said it was unable to find the traction needed to continue its business. “The founders and team still believe in the need and desire for quiet supersonic flight and supersonic drones for the U.S. Department of Defense, but without further customer support for either concept, the company will “We will not be able to sustain the funding needed to make the progress we need to make,” the update said. Say. Exosonic was founded in 2019 by…

The Beatles have two Grammy nominations this year, but no, we didn't just accidentally time-warp to the 1960s. The Beatles' song “Now and Then,” released last year and refined using AI, is up for record of the year and best rock performance. So the Fab Four will be up against artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Chapel Lawn, and Beyoncé, setting the tone for a pretty bizarre Grammys moment. It's been 50 years since the band broke up, but last year Paul McCartney decided to use AI to create the Beatles' last record. McCartney isn't using the technology to resurrect his late…

These days, it seems like every company wants to offer, or already does, an AI product or service. This is a very good time for startups building AI products in this space, but it is not without its challenges. The technology is still in its infancy, and while many companies are interested in trying generative AI solutions, adoption has been slow. . There are many reasons for this, but the biggest one seems to be the fear of hallucinations caused by AI. “I can't use it. [AI] If you lie, it will impact the production environments of large enterprises,” said…