Author: TechBrunch

People in the tech industry often say that data is the new oil, a phrase coined by British mathematician Clive Hamby that, of course, means that data is valuable. Personal health data can also provide meaningful insights and improve treatment outcomes, but according to the World Economic Forum, only 3% of patient data is currently used by doctors. Doctors know they can glean useful information from patient data, but they don't have the time to review every detail in medical records. Regard, a digital health startup founded in 2017, wants to help doctors save time and improve the accuracy of…

Intel may be getting a much-needed boost to the ambitions of its burgeoning foundry business: The company's venture capital arm said today it is making “strategic” investments in AI-building startups based in Israel and the UK. Intel Capital is leading a $15 million investment in Buildots, a company that uses AI and computer vision to create digital twins of construction sites. The six-year-old company works with construction giants such as Pomerlau, NCC and Ledcor to regularly capture jobsite data using 360-degree cameras to track project progress, identify bottlenecks and optimize workflows. Buildots has raised around $106 million to date, with…

The European Union has accepted Apple's commitments over how Apple Pay will operate in a move to resolve a long-running competition investigation. Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission's vice-president who heads the EU's competition department, announced the development at a press conference on Thursday. Apple has until July 25 to implement the change, which would allow rival mobile wallet developers to offer contactless payments over NFC, the technology that dominates in the EU. It would allow users to use “tap-and-go” payments, she said, and would also give them access to key iOS features like double-clicking to launch apps and using Face…

Joby Aviation is still a year away from commercially launching its electric air taxi designed for urban environments, but the startup is already looking toward the next step: hydrogen-powered intercity flights. To begin discussions with regulators and demonstrate hydrogen's capabilities, Joby told TechCrunch that it has completed a 523-mile test flight with its hydrogen-electric prototype aircraft, one of the company's eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft powered by a liquid hydrogen fuel cell and hydrogen-electric propulsion system. Currently, Joby Aviation's eVTOL is built to transport people and goods short distances within a city or from a city to an…

Just like your favorite anime, this is the story of a group of twenty-somethings who start off with nothing, travel the world, and eventually secure a global license to develop the official Naruto consumer app. Sekai, a French startup founded in early 2022, describes itself as a studio that wants to create entertainment experiences with official anime licenses. Unlike Marvel superheroes or the Harry Potter series, the anime and manga industry has had little exposure to other forms of entertainment. Of course, there are fighting video games from Bandai Namco (or Sega, Konami…). Of course, you can buy plastic miniatures.…

Adfin, a new UK-based fintech startup, wants to help businesses get their invoices paid, no matter what. Founded by two fintech experts, the company started with a problem and built a product around it: the problem is that if you're set up as a sole trader, or a small company without someone dedicated to admin tasks, getting paid is still hard. For small businesses and sole traders like lawyers, accountants, consultants and craftspeople, the process of getting paid for work typically involves sending an invoice with bank account details to your client. But you also need to track the receipt…

Reliance Industries Ltd., India's most valuable company, may consider spinning off its telecom unit Jio for a public listing as soon as 2025, Jefferies said in a research note, as investors prefer the route to an initial public offering.The move comes as Jio has recently focused on monetizing and growing market share, as shown by its leading role in raising tariffs. The spin-off option has come under scrutiny amid concerns over holding-company discounts, which are common in Indian markets, where listed subsidiaries often trade at a 20-50% discount when owned by their parent companies.An IPO would allow Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance…

Apple has issued a new series of threat notices to iPhone users in 98 countries warning them about potential mercenary spyware attacks. This is the company's second warning campaign this year, following a similar notice sent to users in 92 countries in April. According to a support document on the company's website, Apple has been sending these notifications periodically since 2021, reaching users in more than 150 countries. “Apple has detected that you have been the target of a mercenary spyware attack attempting to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple ID -xxx-,” the company wrote in an alert…

Visual effects (VFX) have emerged as an integral part of filmmaking, with a variety of digital techniques revolutionizing storytelling and creativity in the film industry. However, VFX tools are expensive, meaning independent filmmakers and content creators with smaller budgets often struggle to compete with larger production companies. A new company, Beeble AI, is turning to AI to address this problem. The South Korea-based VFX startup has developed a virtual lighting solution for filmmakers and visual effects artists, addressing the high costs of creating top-notch Hollywood-level visual effects and leveling the playing field in the film industry, allowing indie filmmakers and…

Silicon Valley and the Pentagon are growing ever closer. As venture capitalists continue to pour money into defense tech startups, they are turning to a new hiring pool: military veterans and former Pentagon personnel. Andreessen Horowitz has hired former fighter pilot Matt Shortall as its chief of staff, Lux Capital has brought on former U.S. Special Operations Command commander Tony Thomas as an adviser, and Shield Capital managing partner Raj Shah is an Air Force veteran. Hiring ex-military people gives companies a big advantage, allowing them to “understand what the real problems are out there in the battlefield,” rather than…