Author: TechBrunch
It's been a great week, everyone. Two full days of Y Combinator Demo Day activities kept us busy, but the launch of the latest accelerator corps wasn't the only big story in the startup world. In today's TechCrunch Stocks Podcast, mary ann, beccaand Alex Attendees came together to dig into the hundreds of new YC companies that pitched, as well as favorites from venture capital funds that want to be “the investment and innovation arm of the autism community.” Becca wanted to talk to Seso about some exciting fintech initiatives in the agriculture space, while Alex brought up Home From…
Varda Space Industries has closed on a major round of funding just weeks after the first drug-making capsule returned from orbit. The company's $90 million Series B round marks a turning point for the company, which is now preparing to expand from initial demonstration missions to a regular series of missions carrying customer payloads, Varda said. founder Delian Asparouhov told TechCrunch. El Segundo-based Varda was founded in 2021 by Aspalhoff, who is also a partner at Founders Fund, and Will Bluey, a spacecraft engineer who honed his skills at SpaceX. The pair had an audacious goal: to eventually commercialize their…
This week's Rubrik IPO filing includes important content between the headcount and cost breakdown sections that sheds light on how the data management company is thinking about the risks associated with generative AI and new technologies. It was. Rubrik has quietly established a governance committee to oversee how artificial intelligence is implemented in the business. According to the Form S-1, the new AI governance committee includes managers from Rubrik's engineering, product, legal, and information security teams. The filing states that both teams will work together to assess the potential legal, security, and business risks associated with the use of generative…
AI Panel & Mixer Featuring Venture-Backed Founders & VCs Super Founders & Funders Sponsored by: Supermomos and HBS AI ClubTime: April 22nd, 6pm to 8pmDescription: In honor of TechCrunch week, join us for an intimate evening of founders and funders with the AI Panel & Mixer featuring venture-backed founders and VCs! Founders and VCs who received the award will appear. There will be time for networking and socializing while enjoying drinks and food from home. This event is aimed at founders, VCs, and operators building full-time in the AI ML space, as well as a select group of students from…
Cross-border fintech is hot right now. According to the Bank of England, the cross-border payments market is expected to reach more than $250 trillion by 2027. And experts say this is where fintechs benefit banks (pun intended), especially in the business-to-business sector, where fintechs' favored emerging technologies of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain come into play. Pointed out. It's no surprise, then, that one of the trends for Y Combinator's 30 or so fintech startups in the Winter 2024 batch is an easier way to move capital around the world. Here's a summary of what I saw at YC…
Faced with labor shortages, sectors such as manufacturing and agriculture are increasingly turning to AI for automation. Computer vision startups are jumping on the opportunity, offering a variety of point solutions for both industries. From data collection to crop monitoring and harvesting, robots with eyes are entering the fields. However, one of the major challenges that remains is implementation. If such solutions are difficult to use, they will not be used. Belgian startup Robovision believes it has found a way around that. The company wants to industrialize deep learning tools and make them more accessible to companies that aren't tech…
TechCrunch Early Stage 2024's startup pitch competition, “So You Think You Can Pitch,” will be judged by an esteemed panel of industry experts, so get ready for an explosive showdown. The startup finalists have already been announced and are now available to meet our expert judges. Leading the way is Edith Yeung, general partner at Race Capital, whose keen eye for promising startups has earned her a reputation as one of the most influential voices in venture capital. . With an impressive track record including investments in Solana, Lightning Network, and Placer.ai, Edith brings a wealth of experience and insight…
The European Union and the United States issued a joint statement on Friday confirming their desire to strengthen cooperation around artificial intelligence, including on AI safety and governance, and more broadly across many other technologies. He expressed his intention to cooperate. Issues such as developing standards for digital identity and putting pressure on platforms to protect human rights. As we reported on Wednesday, this is the outcome of the sixth (and likely final) meeting of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC). The TTC has been holding meetings since 2021 to rebuild transatlantic relations, which were damaged by President Trump's…
Bitkraft Ventures — a Denver, Colorado-based gaming investor with European founders — has raised its third round of funding for $275 million. The fund will make seed and Series A investments in game studios and platforms to support game production. The move comes as gaming investment is actually down 72% year-over-year, according to a recent PitchBook report. Founded by gaming industry veteran Jens Hilgers, Bitcraft has more than 130 companies in its portfolio and more than $1 billion in assets under management. The VC is an investor in Frost Giant Studios, and Hilgers seemed particularly excited. “Frost Giant has set…
The second half of Y Combinator's Winter 2024 cohort was announced Thursday, once again bringing dozens of startups to the crowd in the venture capital community. As on Wednesday, many of the TechCrunch staff watched the entire series of presentations and selected a few to highlight. Enjoy your favorites from round two of the Y Combintor demo while you head out to grab a few pots of coffee. at work! TechCrunch Staff Favorites Atopile What it does: Allows electrical engineers to design circuit boards using code. Why it's popular: Much of the circuit board electrical engineering work is done through…