Author: TechBrunch
There is immense power in being in control of your own data. As ownership and governance of apps and online services consolidate, it’s understandable if you want to consider your options when it comes to where you store your private data and records of your everyday activities. Fortunately, not every service out there is trying to monetize your personal data, and many offerings are just as good (if not often better) as their commercial or ad-supported rivals. Take a minute to think about what you’d want to leave behind. Big Tech giants that hoard your data? Subscription services? Invasive ad…
Inception is a new Palo Alto-based company launched by Stanford Computer Science professor Stefano Ermon, and claims to have developed a new AI model based on “diffusion” technology. Inception calls it a major diffusion-based language model, or “DLM” for short. The most attention-grabbing generation AI models can be broadly divided into two types: large-scale language models (LLM) and diffusion models. LLMS built on a trans architecture is used for text generation. Meanwhile, diffusion models that power AI systems such as Midjourney and Openai's SORA are primarily used to create images, video and audio. According to the company, Inception's model offers…
Last week, hackers stole around $1.4 billion in Ethereum cryptocurrency from Crypto Exchange Bybit. It is considered to be the biggest code robber in history. Now, the company offers a total of $140 million rewards to anyone who can help track and freeze stolen funds. Bybit CEO and co-founder Ben Zhou announced the prize money on Tuesday in an X post. On the official website of the prize money, Bybit says that whenever someone freezes by following some of the stolen funds, 5% of that amount is to the person who finds them, and 5% is to the “entities” that…
“AI startups are like Rockets. They need to be launched at high speeds, but they need to be built to last,” says Eylul Kayin, partner at Gradient Ventures. Today, in Equity, Mary Anne Azevedo sits with Iral and explores the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence startups. The pair delves into what makes AI startups successful, the importance of high-quality product products, and the rapid nature of AI innovation. Founded in 2017, Gradient Ventures is a venture fund launched by Google in 2017 with technical mentorship for early-stage startups focused on AI. Listen to the entire episode and hear the…
Dating app Hinge launched a new feature called “Match Note” on Wednesday, allowing users to share information personally with matches that they haven't published in their profiles. Users can add match notes by navigating to a profile, similar to how they add text prompts. Notes will always appear in new matches, but can only be read once. To complete the match, others must admit their notes to begin the conversation. You can also unmatch other people after seeing the match notes. Hinge explains that the feature is designed to support underrated groups facing unique challenges in dating apps, especially LGBTQIA+…
In this episode of StrictlyVC Download, Connie Loizos will be joined by Signalfire founder Chris Farmer to discuss the current state of venture capital. With many startups stuck in financial terms and without a clear path to leaving, Farmers shares why they believe there are structural issues in the industry. He also gives his perspective on new funding mechanisms, including secondary sales and venture shopping, and why founders should rethink their exit strategies. Additionally, they are touched on AI-driven investments, and, according to Farmer, 10 years of industry data is giving SignalFire a competitive edge despite the world that every…
As part of Amazon's new AI-powered Alexa+ assistant, Tech Giant has announced that it will launch two new features designed for children, called “Alexa and Explore With Alexa” and “Stories With Alexa.” did. The ability to take advantage of Alexa's new AI capabilities will be available to Amazon Kids+ subscribers. The company demonstrated the new feature at a New York press conference, noting that it was designed to help children explore fun topics and encourage imaginative thinking. The new Explore feature allows children to ask questions such as “Can plants talk to each other?” Or they can ask: “Roses are…
The new startup wants to help developers create customized context coding assistants that can connect with any model and integrate seamlessly with the development environment. Founded in June 2023 by CEO Ty Dunn and CTO Nate Sesti (pictured above), Y Combinator Alum Continue has gained approximately 23,000 stars and 11,000 Discord community members on Github over the past few years. To build on this momentum, Continue has announced version 1.0 of its product, supported by a new seed funding of $3 million. Coding assistant explosion The launch of Continue comes amid the explosion of AI coding assistants such as Github…
Capim, a startup that offers Brazilians the option to buy now, told TechCrunch only that Dental Services Payment (BNPL) later raised $26.7 million in Series A funding. Founded in July 2021 by Marcelo Lutz and Roberto Bisseli, São Paulo-based Capim describes itself as a vertical SaaS company specializing in the dental sector. Its operating system claims it will help dentists digitize and manage clinics and increase revenue. For example, one thing Capim's software does is help patients book appointments digitally at connected clinics. On the BNPL front, the company says the service is cheaper than alternatives like credit cards. “Unlike…
TechCrunch Session: On June 5th at Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, California, AI presents a panel discussing how established rivals and startups in the AI industry can compete. The panel, “How to Launch Products for Incumbents,” explores how small and medium-sized businesses can remain relevant to fast-paced, rapidly changing spaces. Featuring founders who have managed to grow their AI business from scratch, the program provides a detailed look at the strategies entrepreneurs are applying to thrive as AI competition grows. AI has a high interest. According to Pitchbook, VCS has poured a huge amount of capital into 2024 of $56 billion,…