Author: TechBrunch
On the fringes of MWC, the world’s biggest mobile phone show, TechCrunch is getting a demo of a new kind of AI device. The small black box sitting in front of us on a table in a hotel lobby in Barcelona is designed to tap into the generative AI boom — making it another example of how the wheel of innovation is spinning up again in mobile. Its maker — Jolla, a born-again startup with the combined forces of around 40 seasoned staff behind this new push — is building what’s being tentatively described at this early product design stage…
TechCrunch Early Stage, our founder-focused summit, returns on April 25th in Boston. And we're looking for amazing volunteers to help make this event happen. If you want to see what goes into building a technology event, apply to volunteer. If you're selected, you'll not only get a behind-the-scenes look at how the event is produced, but you'll also win tickets to enjoy Early Stage 2024 once your shift is complete, as well as a free pass to experience it. Disrupt will be held in San Francisco October 28-30. Whether you're a startup founder, marketer, or dream of becoming an event…
In 2024, it could cost a lot of money to find an analog camera, buy the film (and possibly a special battery), and take the photos, and you'll have to pay to develop them. . But there was a charm and simplicity to the experience. For those nostalgic for the old days, a startup called Lapse is offering smartphone users an alternative. Once a photo is taken, there is no opportunity to edit or retake it, and it must wait until it is “developed” and cannot be shared with a selected group. Friends if you choose. Lapse has gained some…
The construction industry is notoriously slow to adopt technology. But a new venture capital firm backed by large traditional construction companies is trying to change that. Zacua Ventures has launched its first $56 million fund for early-stage construction technology startups, backed by 19 leading construction companies. The limited partner group includes Procore, a provider of construction management software; Volvo is a manufacturer of trucks, buses, and construction equipment. and sustainable construction materials company CEMEX. Bivin Hegde, Mauricio Tessi Weiss, and Juan Nieto founded San Francisco-based Zacua in 2022. Hegde previously worked at construction tool maker Hilti Corporation, while Tessi Weiss…
As the digital asset industry gains momentum again, some crypto funds are looking to focus on specific sectors. Cryptocurrency fund Asymmetric Financial is creating Bitcoin DeFi Venture Fund I to focus on investing in the early areas of blockchain, with a goal of raising $21 million. The fund will be spearheaded by general partner Dan Held, former Kraken director of growth and longtime Bitcoiner. Decentralized finance, or DeFi, uses blockchain-specific technology (in this case Bitcoin) as a way for market participants and individual investors to transact directly with each other, typically through self-executing contracts, and with third parties or institutions.…
GenAI has a problem. But if there's one thing this product does well, it's the ability to derive answers from a vast pool of data. Glean's software connects to a company's first-party and third-party databases and sends plain English requests from employees, such as custom ChatGPTs (e.g., “How can I invest in our 401k? ” etc.). Founded by Arvind Jain, co-founder of cloud data management company Rubrik, Glean was founded by employees at Rubrik who often struggled to find the information they needed to do their jobs, and employees at other companies as well. It was inspired by Jain's observation…
At CES 2023, a startup hardware company called Displace launched the 55-inch Display Flex, a “wireless” $3,000 4K OLED TV that sticks to the wall without traditional mounting. This announcement caused a sensation at the time. Today, founder and CEO Balaji met Krishna at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. He said more versions of the screen and new features inside it are coming. First, the new Display Mini will be a small 27-inch TV designed for kitchens and bathrooms. Krishna also hinted at new, yet-to-be-disclosed technology built into the device, including an “AI-powered shopping engine” and contactless payment readers…
Email startup Superhuman today launched its AI-powered instant reply feature, and the company aims to double its AI-powered capabilities this year. This feature provides him with three contextual replies as an option to quickly respond to emails. Superhuman is built on the idea of getting your inbox to zero in the fastest way. Instant Reply is another feature that helps you receive emails quickly. Instant He Reply can be considered the equivalent of Gmail's Smart He Reply, but Superhuman says the feature is more situational and personal. However, the core concept is the same. When you click Reply to an…
Hyped AI startup Humane has announced plans to enter its first international market by signing a deal with South Korean carrier SK Telecom. The announcement comes shortly after the San Francisco-based company revealed that it would be delaying the shipment date of Ai Pin devices in the U.S. domestic market from March to mid-April. Founded in 2017 by former Apple executives Bethany Bongiorno and Imran Chaudhri, Humane was founded by Microsoft, Qualcomm Ventures and OpenAI's Sam before anyone outside knew what the company was building. It had raised more than $200 million from backers including Altman. The company finally revealed…
Yesterday, Mistral AI, a Paris-based AI startup working on foundational models, announced a new large-scale language model that could rival OpenAI's GPT-4, a chat assistant, and a sales partnership with Microsoft. It was announced yesterday. However, Microsoft and Mistral AI suppressed this news, or at least a significant part of it. As part of the partnership, Microsoft will invest 15 million euros ($16.3 million at today's exchange rates) in the French startup. Microsoft says this investment will be converted into equity in Mistral's next funding round. This means that Mistral AI's rating will remain unchanged after this investment. Microsoft's stake…