Author: TechBrunch

Austin-based defense startup Saronic has raised a $600 million Series C to build an autonomous ship factory called “Port Alpha” announced yesterday, bringing its valuation to $4 billion from the final round I illuminated it. Investor Elad Gil led the round, with general Catalyst joining existing investors Andreessen Horowitz, 8vc and Caffeinated Capital. This makes Salonic the second and perhaps the third most valuable defense technology startup in the US after Andrill's final round was valued at $14 billion. However, Shield AI can beat it as it is reportedly in consultation to achieve a $5 billion valuation in the new…

Uber is moving away from the committee-based model of India's three-wheel electric Rick Show drivers in response to growing competition with local rivals Rapido and Namma Yatri. The riding giant will instead charge drivers daily fees to connect to riders using the platform. Business model change is the latest update of Uber's business in India to make margin work. In 2015, Uber first launched auto-rickshaw services on the market, but quickly stopped. The service was later rebooted in 2018. We understand that Uber is not the only market that has tried this model. The company previously introduced subscription-based bicycle and…

Swizzle Ventures has shut down Fund I for $6.6 million and bypassed its initial $3 million target, company founder Jessica Kamada told TechCrunch. In December, TechCrunch reported that it was being raised by a company quietly launched in 2023, and already bypassing $5 million per SEC application. Fund Papers I focus on women's health and wealth, and touch on issues such as caregiving and finances. Kamada told TechCrunch that 70% of the fund's LPS are women and 50% are experts in the focus of the paper. The company cuts checks ranging from $100,000 to $200,000 at pre-seed and seed levels.…

Mollitiam Industries, a small and lesser known Spanish spyware manufacturer, is now closed. The end of the startup was first reported by Intelligence Intelligence Online on the Intelligence and Surveillance Trade News website. Public Business Records confirm that the company filed for bankruptcy on January 23rd. Unlike the hacking team, NSO Group and now Paragon Solutions, Mollitiam Industries, based in Toledo, a town outside of Madrid, Spain, is mostly operating in public places. In part, the secret is merely a result of the nature of the spyware industry. There are many vendors all over the world, and a significant number…

For decades, couples experiencing in vitro fertilization have had to spend tens of thousands of dollars on the procedure without guaranteeing success. It's not only an emotionally draining process, but also a financially exhausting process. San Francisco-based startup Future Family wants to help ease some of the burden on couples with new US IVF insurance products. New products with support from Munich Re Venture, a venture arm of global reinsurer Munich Re, essentially offer money back guarantees to those who are experiencing IVF. CEO and co-founder Claire Tomkins is relaxed with insurance. Before starting the IVF cycle, the couple will…

Google is pulling AI assistant Gemini from its main Google app for iOS devices. This move is intended to encourage users to download the standalone Gemini app instead. This allows Google to compete more directly with other consumer-oriented AI chatbots such as ChatGpt, Claude, and Prperxity. However, since Google's apps are already used by millions, the risk of reducing Gemini reach may also change, and many people are motivated to download other new mobile applications. Not there. The Tech giant warned customers of the change via email warning that “Gemini is no longer available on the Google app.” This email…

On Wednesday, Google is rolling out a new update that allows users to search for things on the screen via simple gestures when browsing within the Google Chrome or Google Search app on iOS. This feature is similar to Android's built-in “Circle to Search” feature. This allows users to search for things on the screen using a variety of gestures. At launch, iPhone users can also search for things on the screen by drawing, highlighting or tapping something through Google lenses. For example, if you read an article and come across an image of an interesting artwork, you can quickly…

The demand for voice and speech recognition technology is on a large scale and growing. Market and market analysis by market researchers found that by 2027 the sector was worth more than $28.1 billion. There is no shortage of vendors offering voice and voice recognition solutions, but some new startups have managed to carve out their niches. Sanas is a good example. Founded in 2020, the company develops software that uses AI to adjust speaker accents in real time. “At Sanas, we believe that technology should not replace human connections, but rather strengthen them,” says Sanas co-founder and president, Shalas…

A few weeks after the initial release of Mistral's AI assistant Le Chat, the company told Le Parisien it had reached 1 million downloads. In particular, Le Chat quickly reached the top spot for free downloads of the iOS App Store in its home country of France. “Download and download LeChat made by Mistral, not open or anything else,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a television interview ahead of the recent AI Action Summit in Paris. He said. Of course, this wasn't the first AI app to take off. In November 2023, Openai created a splash with the AI…

Instagram is upgrading direct messaging, also known as DMS, with some new features, such as Apple's Imessage and other third-party apps, that will make messaging systems more competitive with alternatives. On Wednesday, Instagram users will be visiting worldwide to translate messages in 99 languages, translate tools to schedule and pin messages to chat, music sharing features and more. Beware of Instagram. WebAccess will not arrive until later. Adding music sharing could particularly appeal to younger users who often discover new music through social apps such as Instagram and Tiktok. To access the feature, tap the sticker button on the chat…