Author: TechBrunch

Tesla was notoriously struggling to expand production of its Model 3 sedan in 2018. So CEO Elon Musk said his company has been a few weeks away from collapse. That near-death experience helped create an entirely new company called Atomic, built around using AI to streamline the supply chain. Co-founded by former Tesla employees Michael Rossiter and Neil Suidan, Atomic was created within DVX Ventures, a company run by former Tesla President John McNeill. Rossiter is also a partner in DVX, leading Atomic's $3 million seed round, with Seattle-based Madrona Ventures. “Michael and Neil experienced this pain firsthand as Tesla…

According to an SEC filing, Peter Thiel's Founders Fund has completed a salary increase for the third Growth Fund. This is beyond the total, a major step from the previous $3.4 billion growth fund that closed in early 20222, but there are a few other interesting things to consider about this salary increase. One is reportedly the company is raising more than the $3 billion growth fund, according to a report from February. The Founders Fund is so big and successful that you can always raise an over-supported fund whenever you choose. According to the filing, 270 LPs have actually…

The application speaking on TechCrunch All Stage will be closed this Friday, April 18th. Don't miss the opportunity to work hard to share insights with more than 1,200 startup founders and VCs. If you're on trench and you've broken down tough growth issues, now is the time to step up and share your scaling strategy on stage at TC All Stage on July 15th in Boston. Ready to make your mark? Use your experience to guide the next wave of startups. By applying now, you can raise your spot into the viewer's selection round that determines who will win a…

The Trump Trade War has spread word-of-mouth in Tiktok, bringing Chinese e-commerce app Dhgate to the top of US app stores. After Trump increased US tariffs on Chinese imports by 145%, many Chinese suppliers and manufacturers began making videos of Tiktok and explain to consumers how the global luxury market actually works. The clothing, handbags and other accessories that many people assumed were made in Europe are derived from factories in China, the video explains. As a result of this trend, China's wholesale market app Dhgate has surged to become the third top free iPhone app in the US app…

Neptune is one of the latest short form video apps on the block that seeks to compete with major players such as Tiktok, Instagram reels and YouTube shorts. The app, currently in beta, has attracted attention from hundreds of thousands of users, as it features 970 testers and 400,000 people on its waitlist, according to the company. Neptune announced Monday that it is preparing to launch the app on the App Store next week. It plans to roll it out to the Google Play Store in about six months. The startup was founded by Ash Leaderlin, who has a background…

Rental giant Hertz has begun notifying customers of data breaches, including personal information and driver's licenses. The rental company, which also owns the Dollar and Thrifty brand, said in a notice on its website that the violation was linked to one of the vendors' cyberattacks between October 2024 and December 2024. Stolen data varies from region to region, but mainly includes HERTZ customer name, date of birth, contact information, driver's license, payment card information, and worker's compensation claims. Hertz said a few customers photographed the Social Security numbers in violation, along with identification numbers issued by other governments. Notices regarding…

On Monday, Meta announced that it will be training AI models in the EU for public content such as Facebook and Instagram posts and comments. Previously after halting plans in response to regulatory pressures due to data privacy concerns. The company said this week it will begin training AI on user content in the EU. User interaction with meta AI is also used to train the model. The announcement comes after a limited version of Meta AI, which was launched in the EU last month after its debut in the US and other global markets. META has been training AI…

The audio-enabled traffic-controlled crosswalk button across Silicon Valley was hacked over the weekend and contained an audio snippet that mimics the voices of Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. Videos shot by locals in Menlo Park, Palo Alto and Redwood City in California show that they were making AI-generated speeches designed to make the crosswalk button sound like 200 million. “One crosswalk button hacked to sound like Zuckerberg said: “I just want to assure you. There's absolutely nothing you can do to stop it, so there's no need to worry.” The button on one crosswalk that was hacked as Musk said,…

A handful of engineers working for Lucid Motors and Apple's electric vehicle projects have launched a new startup that puts fresh spin on electric hub motors. A new startup called Conifer has developed a motor that is free from rare earth elements using a richer ferrite magnet. The company says it will not only reduce costs, but also limit supply chain risks. Conifer also says its own stator offers higher efficiency and power than comparable options while being half the size.The company's timing – a new unstable era of tariffs and a trade war with China – is auspicious. And…

The UK startup raised just £16.2 billion last year, according to Dealroom data cited by the Financial Times. In fact, the US appears to be moving even further each year. In 2024, 57% of global venture capital funds went to US startups. Its share has been over 50% for the first time for over 10 years. This widening gap is part of a long-standing trend that UK founders have focused on FT reports, prompting many to consider moving abroad. “Recognizing that most venture funds come from the US, we were founded as Delaware, a well-known structure that is favorable to…