Author: TechBrunch

After securing $14 million for its second fund in 2023, early-stage venture capital firm Kearney Jackson is launching its third fund, this time with $65 million in capital commitments, including money from a number of first-time institutional funds. With offices on both the East and West coasts, Kearny Jackson invests in B2B SaaS, infrastructure and fintech infrastructure, often leading or co-leading rounds. “One of the things we emphasize to founders who start with us is time to value,” co-founding general partner Sriram Krishnan told TechCrunch. “We're very fortunate with the LP mix that we have because at the end of…

Mike Maples Jr. is a prolific angel investor and co-founder of early-stage venture firm Floodgate. He's made a lot of bets over the years, some of which have paid off big time (Twitter, Twitch, Lyft, Bazaarvoice, etc.), and some of which haven't. I interviewed him on a recent episode of the Equity Podcast and we dug into a variety of topics, including his most memorable investments, investments he missed out on, what he looks for when evaluating startups that pitch to him, and his new book, “Pattern Breakers: Why Some Startups Change the Future,” which he co-authored with Peter Zibelman.…

Spotify's recent launch of podcast commenting has seen the streamer take another step towards building a social networking experience on an app known primarily for music. The commenting feature allows podcasters to engage with listeners directly within Spotify, as well as other interactive features like polls and Q&As. Coupled with a 2023 app revamp that added a TikTok-like discovery feed, artist profiles where creators can pitch merchandise or concert tickets, and the ability to post to Stories, the Spotify app is fast becoming more than just a music streaming app, but a social network centered around all things audio. This…

Bang. Bang. In the winter of 2014, a 25-year-old Anthony Pompliano was reading a book on a plane that would change his life.  The former army sergeant from North Carolina — who had turned 21 while serving in Iraq — was on his way to a job interview at Facebook for a product manager role. Pompliano had founded two small tech startups after he left military service and sold the second, a track record that attracted the attention of recruiters at both Google and Facebook. But he had spent his life so far away from Silicon Valley that he had…

As TikTok continues to experiment with longer videos, Instagram head Adam Mosseri said the Meta-owned social network will continue to focus on short-form content. Mosseri said in an Instagram Reels video that long-form content would take away from the platform's two main focuses: connecting people with friends and helping users explore their interests. Mosseri noted that these two ideas are symbiotic, as people connect with friends who share common interests through short-form video — for example, if you come across a funny Reel video, you can send it to someone you think would enjoy it. “We've found that long-form video…

Are you a Series A to B startup looking to make it big in the tech world? Join us for the ScaleUp Startups exhibitor program at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024. The program is designed to bring your startup into the spotlight and connect you with industry leaders, investors, and potential partners. Why join the ScaleUp Startups Exhibitor Program? Expand your reach Showcase your innovative solutions on the vibrant Disrupt Expo Floor with 10,000 tech leaders, investors and media. This is your chance to showcase your unique offerings and make connections that will move your business forward. Maximize your impact Take advantage…

Samsung proved it can still surprise with the announcement of the Galaxy Ring, concluding January's Unpacked. The short teaser is understood to be a key validation of the nascent wearable form factor. While the concept of a smart ring isn't entirely new, the category has so far been dominated by Oura. At Unpacked 2024, the company revealed more details about the Galaxy Ring, the hardware giant's first foray into the space. Samsung is beating the likes of Apple and Google with a health and fitness device that dovetails with Samsung's other wellness products. It's available to preorder starting Wednesday for…

Samsung unveiled the latest versions of its two foldable smartphones at its Unpacked 2024 event on Wednesday. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 are thinner and lighter than their predecessors, while the Fold 6 brings a long-awaited update to the traditional narrow front display aspect ratio. Both devices come at a higher starting price of $1,900 for the Fold and $1,100 for the Flip, which is $100 more than the previous models. But as expected, this is above all an artificial intelligence effort. In fact, the release announcing the new devices mentions “AI” a total of…

Vimeo has joined companies like TikTok, YouTube and Meta in implementing a way for creators to label AI-generated content. The video hosting service announced on Wednesday that if realistic content was created with AI, creators will have to disclose that to viewers. New updates to Vimeo's terms of service and community guidelines will ensure that videos generated, synthesized, or manipulated by AI cannot be mistaken for real people, places, or events. This is a notable move for Vimeo, as it's becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between authentic and fake content created by evolving generative AI tools. Vimeo doesn't require creators…

Following Samsung's unveiling of new devices at Unpacked 2024, including the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6, as well as a new Galaxy Watch, Google on Wednesday announced that the devices will be introducing new features of its own across multiple apps. The search giant is updating its Gemini app for Android to make it better suited for foldable devices by adding the ability to use Gemini in an overlay or split-screen interface, and you can launch Gemini by swiping the corner of the screen or by saying “Hey Google” (goodbye Google Assistant?). Video credit: Google A new…