
TechCrunch Industry News
3,850 episodes — Page 32 of 77

Foiled again: Candela raises another $20M to set course for the future of ferries
Swedish company Candela will launch its 30-passenger commercial hydrofoil shuttle, the P-12, this summer — the vessel it believes will change the course of motorized water transport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Microsoft banks on regulations to build a mobile games store
Apple and Google have had a stronghold on mobile app distribution through their app store. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

FCC proposes satellite-to-phone rules to eliminate ‘no signal’ once and for all
The FCC has officially proposed, and voted unanimously to move forward with, a framework under which satellites can communicate directly with smartphones in a structured and useful way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Google warns users to take action to protect against remotely exploitable flaws in popular Android phones
Google’s security research unit is sounding the alarm on a set of vulnerabilities it found in certain Samsung chips included in dozens of Android models, wearables and vehicles, fearing the flaws could be soon discovered and exploited. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MLOps platform Seldon raises £20M Series B to improve the productions of AI models
The rise of ChatGPTÂ has fuelled growth in the public awareness of AI, as well as the growing discourse around AI ethics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Climate Choice wants to make supply chain emissions more visible and more green
The World Economic Forum says that so-called ‘Scope 3 emissions,’ – or CO2 in supply chains – can make up as much as 90% of a company’s carbon footprint and worldwide more than half of all emissions can be traced back to only a handful of supply chains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Waze is making it easier for EV owners to find compatible charging points
Google-owned mapping app Waze is adding a new feature that seeks to help EV owners find a compatible charger en route. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Torch is building solar-powered outdoor sensors to spot wildfires early
The Nest Protect is the single best piece of smart home hardware I’ve ever purchased. Not everything in your home would benefit from being connected, but smoke detectors really do. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Firefox extends its anti-tracking protection to Android
Firefox announced today that its Total Cookie Protection (TCP) feature that protects users from trackers is now available on Android. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Google goes all-in on bringing AI to Workspace
Google and Microsoft are locked in a head-to-head competition to bring as much generative AI to their productivity services as possible. Only days ahead of Microsoft’s “Future of Work” event, Google today announced a sweeping update to Workspace that will bring its generative AI models to virtually every part of its productivity suite, in addition […]Google goes all-in on bringing AI to Workspace by Frederic Lardinois originally published on TechCrunch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Founder of troubled crypto asset unicorn Babel launches new DeFi project, stablecoin
Flex Yang, the former CEO and founder of Babel Finance, is leading efforts to restructure the now embattled crypto asset unicorn while introducing a new decentralized project with hopes to avoid some of the flaws of his previous venture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Naspers shuts down Foundry, its $100M fund focused on South African startups
Naspers, Africa’s most valuable tech company by market capitalization, has winded down the operations of its R1.4 billion (≈$100 million) South Africa-focused venture capital fund Naspers Foundry, according to local news outlet BusinessDay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

PeopleGrove security lapse exposed users’ personal information
PeopleGrove confirmed Thursday that it’s investigating after a security lapse exposed users’ personal information online. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apple could reportedly release a HomePod with a display
According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple could be working on a new HomePod device that would feature a built-in display for 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wing likens its drone ‘delivery network’ to rideshare
Drone delivery is one of those ideas that’s been sold as “the next big thing” forever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Crypto-friendly bank Silvergate to wind down after FTX blow-up
Silvergate Capital Corporation, the holding company of crypto-focused Silvergate Bank, announced Wednesday its intent to wind down operations and voluntarily liquidate the banking unit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Forethought aims to build more accurate chatbots with constrained generative AI models
Forethought has been building chatbots since 2017 with increasing levels of sophistication, intelligence and automation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With Project Clover, TikTok touts new EU data privacy and security efforts
TikTok is doubling down on its European charm offensive today as it looks to counter a rising tide of political discontent with the popular short-form video-hosting platform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Online food delivery platforms in Kenya under probe
The competition regulator in Kenya is probing the conduct of online food delivery and groceries platforms to inform its suggestions on regulatory and policy options, to bolster healthy competition, and enforcement of consumer protection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tensor raises $3M for Solana-focused NFT trading platform
Tensor, a Solana-centric NFT trading platform, has raised $3 million in a seed round led by Placeholder, the team exclusively shared with TechCrunch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Police arrest suspected members of prolific DoppelPaymer ransomware gang
An international law enforcement operation has led to the arrests of suspected core members of the prolific DoppelPaymer ransomware operation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tesla slashes prices for Model S and Model Y in US
Tesla has cut the prices of its Model S sedan and Model X SUV in the U.S., according to the company’s website. This is the second time this year that Tesla has slashed prices, and it might be a bid to boost sales before the end of the quarter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Twitter Blue expands to more than 20 countries
Twitter’s paid plan Twitter Blue is now available to more than 20 new countries in Europe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Secret Service and ICE conducted warrantless stingray surveillance, says watchdog
A government watchdog has found that the Secret Service and ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit repeatedly failed to obtain the correct legal paperwork when carrying out invasive cell phone surveillance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Renovate is building robots to install roof shingles
Roofing isn’t a glamorous job. In fact, one could reasonably argue that it checks off the classic three Ds of automation — dull, dirty and dangerous — with aplomb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Big Tech on notice as regulators in Africa group to investigate their market conduct
Several competition watchdogs in Africa plan to collectively interrogate the market conduct of global digital firms, putting big techs like Google and Meta, which have faced investigations and remedial action in other jurisdictions, on alert. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

VW’s software unit Cariad launches app store to bring Spotify, Tiktok and hundreds more to vehicles
Dozens of apps including Spotify, Amazon Music, Tiktok and gaming hubs Vector Unit and FRVR are headed to VW Group brands, beginning with Audi thanks to a new app store launched by its software subsidiary Cariad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

TikTok rolls out new screen time controls, adds new default settings for teens and expands Family Pairing
TikTok announced today that it’s introducing new well-being features for teens, families and its broader community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

OnePlus’ first foldable will arrive in the second half of the year
The OnePlus that was founded in 2013 was a cautious company, deliberate in its release schedule. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meta says it is experimenting with AI-powered chat on WhatsApp and Messenger
No company is immune from the generative AI wave, and everybody wants in. Meta is the latest entrant in testing AI-powered tools for its products. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CollX raises $5.5M to scan and evaluate value of trading cards
Card collectors often dispute how much their cards are worth. New Jersey-based CollX provides a free iOS and Android app to card enthusiasts that allows them to scan their trading cards and get value in return. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Planet Computers hits the desktop with a line of touchscreen Linux computers
Planet Computers turned heads when it arrived on the scene almost exactly five years ago. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sono Motors has killed off its Sion EV in a pivot to solar tech business
Sono Motors is ending its long-awaited electric car program and instead pivoting to a business that aims to sell its solar vehicle technology to other companies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

DOJ suit could represent significant stumbling block for $20B Adobe-Figma deal
The DOJ is reportedly getting ready to file suit to block the $20 billion Adobe-Figma deal announced last year on the grounds it is anti-competitive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NBA Top Shot creator to face lawsuit around securities status
Dapper Labs, the company behind many popular NFT collectible projects, will face a lawsuit accusing it of selling unregistered securities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Spotify is testing playlists that could be unlocked by NFT holders
Unlocking exclusive access has been a long-held promise of a lot of NFT-based communities. And now, Spotify is helping some of them realize that claim with token-gated playlists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Google Cloud partners with Tezos blockchain to bring web3 technology to its customers
Google Cloud has partnered with the Tezos Foundation to grow its web3 application development and provide new services for its customers, the companies announced on Wednesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amazon Fire TV devices can now directly stream audio to Cochlear hearing implants
Amazon teamed up with hearing implant company Cochlear to launch Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA) support to compatible Cochlear devices, the company announced today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kempus wants to be the ultimate app for sharing college hacks
Remember poring over reviews on Rate My Professors to find out which prof is good-looking and who gives easy As? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Agtech startup Green Labs is the latest Korean startup to lay off employees
Green Labs, a South Korean agtech startup that raised $140 million (170 billion won) Series C in January last year, is cutting a significant number of jobs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Quell’s gamified home fitness tech drums up $10M
Home fitness had a huge moment at the outset of the pandemic — and understandably so. People were stuck at home, gyms closed and suddenly workout options seemed to dramatically decrease. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Japan’s central bank to pilot digital currency starting in April
Japan is joining a growing list of countries exploring the possibility of adopting a digital currency, with country’s central bank, the Bank of Japan (BoJ), announcing that it would launch a pilot to test a “digital yen” in April. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Binance-backed web3 gaming startup Unagi gets funding to expand fantasy sports platform
Web3 gaming company Unagi today announced a €4.7 million ($5 million) seed round of funding, as the French startup prepares to expand its NFT fantasy sports platform beyond football (“soccer”) and into the basketball realm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Autonomous cargo drone airline Dronamics reveals it’s raised $40M, pre-Series A
Autonomous aircraft have long been thought of as having the most potential, though not in the realm of glitzy people-carrying drones so much as the more sedate world of cargo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former Amazon, Starbucks exec launches Yelp-like platform to review and discover NFTs
Amid signs of life in the NFT market, an NFT-focused startup, Thred, launched today to help users discover new collections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Micro-EV subscription startup Dance pulls in another €12M from existing investors
Micro-EV subscription startup Dance, which launched in 2020, has raised an additional €12 million in an equity and debt round led by existing investors HV Capital, Eurazeo and BlueYard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sequoia-backed Bento wants be more than a link-in-bio tool for creators
There are as many link-in-bio tools available for creators as the number of links they typically display on their pages. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Google rolls out new features to make in-app browsers better on Android
In-app browsers are usually not the best way to consume content in an app. In fact, Android developers have been using the Chrome custom tabs features to fine-tune the experience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Monad Labs raises $19M to grow its smart contract platform and improve the Ethereum space
Monad Labs, the team supporting the Monad blockchain, has raised $19 million in seed funding led by Dragonfly Capital, it exclusively told TechCrunch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joby flies towards 2025 commercial launch with final assembly of eVTOL
Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company Joby Aviation has taken another step on its path to start a commercial air taxi service by 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices