Author: TechBrunch
TipTop, a startup that offers instant cash for electronics, is launching TipTop Shop, a way for users to buy and trade in devices. TipTop Shop builds on the success of TipTop Cash, which was released late last year. This allows people to instantly receive payments for electronic devices such as smartphones, iPads, cameras, and gaming systems. Many people sell their old device to buy a new one, but you may not necessarily want the latest, most expensive model. Traditionally, consumers rely on sales platforms and trade-in programs that offer gift cards toward new purchases. TipTop wants to eliminate the hassle…
Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello and welcome again capital, a startup business podcast that unpacks the numbers and nuances behind the headlines. Equity turns 7 this week. In honor of your birthday, why not leave us a review? The more reviews we have, the more people will know about the show and support all our efforts. . mary ann I'm taking a well-deserved vacation, so I brought along a fellow podcaster Rebecca Skutak To bring her insight and humor to this episode. The conclusion is: Regulators return with determination: TikTok is being forced to sell or…
It's very encouraging to see that our little list has virtually doubled since the last time we did either. While it's true that layoffs continue across the tech industry, there are few fields that are better suited for experts than robotics and AI right now. With over 60 entries this week, there are plenty of jobs and companies ranging from mail sorting to surgery to space. Whether you've lost your job, recently graduated, or are looking for something new, find your next big goal. ACK Robotics (10 roles)Advanced construction robot (3 roles)Escape (7 roles)Aigen (16 roles)Ambirobotics (2 roles)ANYbotics (24 roles)Astro…
Pilot season has officially begun in the world of humanoid robotics. Last year, Amazon began testing Agility's Digit robots at some fulfillment centers, and in January, Figure announced a deal with BMW. Apptronik is currently working on that effort, courtesy of a partnership with Mercedes-Benz. According to the Austin-based robotics startup, “As part of the agreement, Uptronik and Mercedes-Benz will work together to identify areas of application for advanced robotics in Mercedes-Benz manufacturing.” As is customary for this type of transaction, specific numbers were not disclosed. Generally, the number of actual systems included in the pilot is fairly small, which…
Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADIA is in talks to back Pocket FM with a major new funding round as the Indian audio storytelling platform expands deeper into the US, two people familiar with the matter said. a source told TechCrunch. Talks on the new round have been going on for more than a month and follow Pocket FM's recent securing of about $100 million in another funding round from Lightspeed Venture Partners, the people said, adding further details. The person requested anonymity because it has not yet been published. TechCrunch reported last year that Lightspeed Venture Partners was working…
Apple has added another AI startup to its list of acquisitions, along with Canada-based DarwinAI, which specializes in vision-based technology that improves efficiency by observing components during manufacturing, Bloomberg reports. Apple and DarwinAI did not announce the deal, but several members of the startup's team joined Apple's machine learning team in January, according to their LinkedIn profiles. DarwinAI has raised over $15 million in various rounds from investors including BDC Capital's Deep Tech Venture Fund, Honeywell Ventures, Obvious Ventures, and Inovia Capital. BDC Capital confirms on its website that it has received an exit from DarwinAI, while Obvious Venture has…
San Jose, California-based cloud security company Zscaler has acquired cybersecurity startup Avalor for a reported $310 million in cash and stock, 26 months after its founding. In a press release announcing the news, Zscaler Founder and CEO Jay Chaudhry said the partnership will expand Zscaler's platform to enable efficient reporting of security incidents, Security mitigation, asset discovery, data classification, security policy generation, and other capabilities will be expanded. “AI is only as good as the underlying data, and many solutions lack the additional context and knowledge from data sources across the enterprise to truly leverage security-specific AI models.” Dolly said…
The sun is peeking out from behind the clouds and the birds are chirping. This can only mean one thing. That means developer season is upon us. While the rest of us are out in the world touching the proverbial and literal grass, developers around the world are flocking to conference halls to find out what's coming next year for AI and OSes. Next week starts with his NVIDIA's GTC, and the next few months will include Microsoft Build, Apple's WWDC, and of course Google I/O. The latter will be held at its usual venue, May 14th and 15th, at…
Under Armor's new ad featuring boxer Anthony Joshua is under fire from Instagram creators after its director claims it is the “first AI-powered sports commercial,” but industry critics are is a cash grab from the AI hype cycle that some claim is blatantly reusing other people's work without credit. Director Wes Walker posted the spot on Instagram earlier this week, along with several variations and riffs, saying: “Under Armor asked us to build a film using only existing assets, the 3D model of Anthony Joshua, and without any athlete access. We combined CGI, 2D VFX, motion graphics, 35mm film, and…
Two months ago, media giant Fox Corp. partnered with Polygon Labs, the team behind the Ethereum-focused Layer 2 blockchain, to tackle deepfake distrust. Fox and Polygon launched Verify, a protocol aimed at protecting IP while allowing consumers to verify the authenticity of content. And since then, government regulatory boards, publishers and others have seen it as a viable solution to “today's problems,” Fox CTO Melody Hildebrandt said on TechCrunch's Chain Reaction podcast. Told. Hildebrandt said he is bullish that more news organizations, media companies and others will integrate AI technology as it becomes mainstream. This could be beneficial for both…