Author: TechBrunch
Lacey Hunter thought all was well as she put her startup through the three-month Newchip accelerator. Then the organization filed for bankruptcy in May 2023. Things went from bad to worse later that year when she discovered warrants of her company — rights to buy an ownership stake — had become part of the proceedings, which ultimately forced her to shut down her company. In 2022, Hunter started TechAid, an AI smart-matching tool for humanitarian aid, and was just beginning the accelerator’s curriculum when Newchip filed for bankruptcy. “I made a few friends, but functionally, got nothing from Newchip,” Hunter…
AI startups face a different set of challenges than typical SaaS companies. That was the message from Rudina Seseri, founder and managing partner of Glasswing Ventures, at the TechCrunch Early Stage event in Boston last week. Seseri made it clear that just because you connect to some AI API doesn't make you an AI company. “AI-native doesn't mean his AI company slaps on a glossy wrapper that calls OpenAI or Anthropic and has a human-like user interface,” Ceceli said. “What I’m saying is that algorithms and data are truly at the core and part of the value creation that we…
A four-month prison sentence and a hefty fine are the government's compensation for CZ's bad behavior at the cryptocurrency exchange. Regardless of how you view the sentence, whether it's too much, too little, or just right, his sentencing is a big problem for web3. Potentially in a positive way. Efforts are underway in some parts of the cryptocurrency industry to promote blockchain technology, which has been well-documented for creating new gambling opportunities. Chris Dixon of a16z frames this in the term “computer vs casino”, which I think is reasonable. Those who favor computers over casinos probably want the cryptocurrency market…
rear Month Of test, Google today is rolling out labels to the Play Store that indicate official state and federal apps in more than 14 countries. This new label will help users weed out apps that steal money and data by pretending to be official apps. The company says these badges currently cover more than 2,000 apps in countries including Australia, Canada, Germany, France, UK, Japan, South Korea, US, Brazil, Indonesia, India, and Mexico. The company teased this feature last November when it announced new rules for app developers. Users will be able to see a new 'Government' badge on…
This is your goal. You have just over a month left to nominate your startup for Disrupt's Startup Battlefield 200. Join this elite group for new and exciting opportunities at TechCrunch Disrupt. Full of benefits and possibilities to take your company to the next level. Don't be late: Apply to Startup Battlefield 200 by June 10th at 11:59pm PDT. TechCrunch editors will vet all applications and only the companies selected for this select group will be the startups allowed to exhibit at Disrupt. From that group, TechCrunch will select his 20 companies to be finalists for the Startup Battlefield pitch…
Spotify appears to have found a new way to drive free users into paid subscriptions. It's about putting the lyrics behind a paywall. The company has quietly confirmed the change following various reports citing complaints from users on Reddit, but has not issued a direct statement. Instead, the company told TechCrunch only that Spotify's features may change over time across markets and devices. This response indicates that while the lyric change may be more than just a test, Spotify is not yet ready to make an official announcement about the affected markets. However, there were some signs that Spotify was…
Ahead of the US presidential election, Google is introducing passkey support to Advanced Protection Programs (APP) used by people at high risk of targeted attacks, including campaign workers, candidates, journalists, and human rights activists. . Traditionally, APPs required the use of hardware security keys, but users will soon be able to register with APPs using passkeys. Users can choose to use a passkey alone or in conjunction with a password or hardware security key. “In a critical election year, we will continue to bring this capability to the users who need it most, working with experts such as Digital Campaign…
In a bid to capture more ad dollars despite a looming US ban, TikTok is helping marketers better control what kind of content their ads appear on. We are introducing new advertising products and opportunities that give you control. The company says it uses generative AI to curate trending, brand-safe content. Expanding selection of “center of attention” moments such as the Paris Olympics and Met Gala. Allows advertisers to purchase slots on specific networks and content offerings. The company introduced the Pulse Premiere ad slot last year and is now adding new partners to it. The service is focused on…
Apple is tweaking how it applies new fees applicable to iOS developers in the European Union as it continues to set its approach to the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA): Changes will allow free apps to Developers will be able to avoid fees entirely, the company announced Thursday, effective today, but other developers who earn below a certain revenue threshold will have to pay fees to Apple. It will take even more time. As Apple continues to offer standard terms and conditions, so-called “core technology fees” remain opted-in for iOS developers in the region, but the new rights that…
Lamini, a Palo Alto-based startup building a platform to help companies adopt generative AI technology, has raised $25 million from investors including Stanford University computer science professor Andrew Ng. Co-founded several years ago by Sharon Zhou and Greg Diamos, Lamini has an interesting sales pitch. Zhou and Diamos argue that many generative AI platforms are too generic and don't have the solutions or infrastructure to meet the needs of enterprises. In contrast, Lamini was built from the ground up with enterprises in mind and is focused on delivering high accuracy and scalability for generative AI. “The top priority of almost…