Instagram now supports 60-second videos on Reels, its TikTok clone  

Haven’t you heard that Instagram is no longer a photo-sharing app? Today, Instagram announced that users can now upload 60-second videos on Reels, the platform’s TikTok competitor. This update also adds functionality for a captions sticker on Reels, which transcribes audio to text. Instagram previously teased this sticker for Reels when they added it to […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 21:49:10

Cassie the bipedal robot runs a 5K  

You may well recognize Cassie as the basis of Agility Robotics' delivery bot, Digit. If you've been following the tech's progression at all, however, you no doubt know that it started life as the ostrich-inspired Cassie. The robot is all legs and not much else. In addition to fueling Agility's commercial ambitions, the robot has […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 21:39:19

iPhone sales fuel Apple's Wall Street-beating Q3  

Another excellent quarter for Apple, as the company posted $81.4 billion in revenue. That's a 36% year-over-year jump for the company, besting Wall Street estimates of $73.3 billion by a considerable margin. "Our record June quarter operating performance included new revenue records in each of our geographic segments, double-digit growth in each of our product […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 21:12:06

Apple tweaks controversial iOS 15 Safari changes in latest beta  

Apple is responding to user complaints and feedback about the controversial changes to the Safari mobile browser with today’s launch of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 beta 4. The new Safari design first introduced at WWDC had moved the tab bar (URL bar) to the bottom of the screen — a fairly radical change for […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 21:06:37

Alphabet crushes Q2 earnings estimates as Google Cloud cuts losses, grows 54%  

Today after the bell amidst a deluge of major technology company earnings reports, Alphabet reported its own second-quarter performance.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 19:06:52

What I've learned after 5 years of buying common stock in startups  

Deeper trust was our goal when we first thought of buying common stock. It wasn't about winning the incremental deal or somehow "out-marketing" our competitors.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 18:24:29

Dan Olsen leads a product-market fit masterclass for the Startup Alley+ cohort  

Yes Virginia, there are advantages to exhibiting in (the sold-out) Startup Alley at TC Disrupt 2021. Out of all the early-stage startups ready to exhibit on September 21-23, Team TechCrunch hand-picked 50 to form the Startup Alley+ cohort. Startup Alley+ is a VIP experience designed to help founders grow their business and increase their opportunities […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 18:17:53

BoldVoice wants to help nonnative English speakers find (and flaunt) their voices  

When Anada Lakra and Ilya Usorov first moved to the United States, they struggled to find their voices. They both knew and understood English, but when it came time to speak up, their accents became a hurdle. Usorov, for example, watched his Russian-born parents struggle to advocate for themselves, which limited work opportunities. While Lakra, […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 16:30:16

Same-day delivery apps need more than speed to survive post-pandemic  

Consumer satisfaction hinges on more than the amount of time it takes to move an order from an app to the customer's door.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 14:27:23

Twitter 'acqui-hires' the team from subscription news app, Brief  

Twitter’s recent acquisition spree continues today as the company announces it has acqui-hired the team from news aggregator and summary app Brief. The startup from former Google engineers launched last year to offer a subscription-based news summary app that aimed to tackle many of the problems with today’s news cycle, including information overload, burnout, media […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 14:11:53

Crypto infra startup Fireblocks raises $310M, triples valuation to $2.2B  

The latest financing brings Fireblocks' total raised since its 2018 inception to $489 million. The valuation boost correlates with its increase in customers and ARR this year.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 13:55:42

No-code Bubble raises $100M to make technical co-founders obsolete  

Bubble enables anyone — coder or not — to begin building modern web applications using a click-and-drag interface that can connect data sources and other software together in one fluid interface.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 13:17:25

Norby raises $3.8M for an all-in-one creator marketing platform  

Norby rolls together everything that creators need: a link-in-bio service, referral tracking, SMS, ticketing and other marketing tools necessary to keep a small brand or creator community humming. 

what do you think? 2021-07-27 13:10:01

Daily Crunch: No-code startup Bubble pops with $100 million Series A round  

Hello friends and welcome to Daily Crunch, bringing you the most important startup, tech and venture capital news in a single package.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 13:09:53

The RapidSOS EC-1  

Numbers can take on profound cultural significance, but few numbers have quite the resonance as 911, the emergency number for the United States. Few want to dial it, but when they must, it works.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 12:25:32

Microsoft bests earnings estimates as Azure posts 51% growth; shares fall  

Microsoft shares fell after the news, perhaps due to its results missing so-called whisper numbers; that it has traded at or near all-time highs recently puts the 3% after-hours drop into context.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 12:17:42

Accel doubles down on 1Password, which just raised $100M more at a $2B valuation  

The previously bootstrapped 1Password raised its first round of external capital in 2019, a $200 million Series A led by Accel that represented the VC firm's largest single investment in its 35 years.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 10:34:40

Extra Crunch roundup: RapidSOS EC-1, how to prep for an M&A exit, inside Genki Forest  

In a four-part series, Managing Editor Danny Crichton tells the story of RapidSOS, the company that processes more than half of all 911 calls made each year in the U.S.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 10:08:12

Discord rolls out threads, side conversations that auto-archive  

After announcing that threads were on the way earlier this year and teasing the feature on Twitter, Discord is now introducing the long-requested way to make conversations in bustling servers more comprehensible. Starting today, any server with “community” features enabled will be able to transform messages into threaded conversations across mobile and desktop. Threads are […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 09:39:19

Sony's ZV-E10 brings interchangeable lenses to its vlogging camera series  

Sony has launched its first vlogging-specific mirrorless camera, the ZV-E10, that borrows a number of features from ZV-1 compact vlogging model.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 09:14:14

Blameless raises $30M to guide companies through their software lifecycle  

Blameless' platform provides the context, guardrails and automated workflows so engineering teams are unified in the way they communicate and interact while building their software systems.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 08:59:12

After a decade, Congress might finally bring 911 into the internet age  

When it comes to user-interface design, 911 is about as good as it gets. It's the "most recognized number in the United States," Steve Souder, a prominent 911 leader, points out.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 08:32:50

How RapidSOS used creative tactics to build partnerships and a BD engine at scale  

One of the most challenging aspects of leading a startup is the seeming impossibility of building partnerships and executing business development. Large companies are sclerotic and bureaucratic, taking eons in terms of startup years to make decisions that for them are small, but for a new company, can be life itself. Every startup ultimately needs […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 08:24:10

Edtech's venture-backed globalization pauses at China  

Edtech investors are increasingly going global, but regulatory crackdowns in China, which instructed K-12 tutoring startups to go nonprofit, have led to a chill among check-writers in the country.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 08:16:33

Google TV mobile app redesign adds new services and recommendations  

Following last fall’s debut of Google TV, the new user interface for Chromecast devices, Google is today giving its Google TV companion app for Android a makeover. The updated version of the mobile app for Google TV includes an updated user interface, expanded set recommendations, and more TV and movies to watch. The app in […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 07:43:07

1910 Genetics' Jen Nwankwo and Playground Global's Jory Bell are joining us for Extra Crunch Live  

Extra Crunch Live gives you the chance to hear live from entrepreneurs who have successfully raised significant rounds of venture capital -- and from the investors who believed in them.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 07:24:33

Monte Carlo's Barr Moses will join us at TC Sessions: SaaS 2021  

Monte Carlo’s Barr Moses joins the data panel at TC Sessions: SaaS 2021. See you there! As the clock ticks down on TechCrunch’s upcoming SaaS-focused event, we’re excited to announce that Monte Carlo co-founder and CEO Barr Moses will join us. Specifically, the startup exec will be joining our data-focused panel. What does Monte Carlo […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 07:05:29

Apple News partners with NBCUniversal to share exclusive Olympics content  

Apple News on Monday announced a collaboration with NBCUniversal to develop exclusive daily recaps and audio briefings, event schedules and medal counts to help fans keep tabs on the games.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 06:37:56

Smoking pizza ovens and pilfered dollar bills, or the early story of RapidSOS  

RapidSOS' story is one of a mission, a community, a team and a dream that every emergency should have the best chance to be resolved as positively as possible.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 06:32:22

TikTok expands LIVE platform with new features, including events, co-hosts, Q&As and more  

The LIVE experience will include a number of new features for creators to make it more competitive with platforms like Instagram Live.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 06:30:13

African startups join global funding boom as fintech shines  

Startups across Africa have never had more access to capital than they do right now.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 05:36:21

Peppy, a B2B health platform for menopause, fertility, raises $10M Series A led by Felix Capital  

When it comes to health issues like menopause, fertility, pregnancy, and even early parenthood, the data tells us that people typically turn to search engines and social media for advice to ask about symptoms or concerns they have. They tend not to go to a medical practitioner, in the first instance. The suggestion, therefore, is […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 05:23:17

Onto raises $175 million in Series B to expand EV subscription service in the UK  

Onto has raised $175 million in a combined equity and debt Series B round, capital the U.K.-based electric vehicle subscription startup plans to use to expand within the country as well as move into new markets.  This latest round brings Onto’s total funding to $245 million. Swedish VC Alfven & Didrikson is leading the round […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 04:51:20

India's ShareChat valued at $2.88 billion in $145 million fundraise  

Indian social media platform ShareChat said on Tuesday it has raised an additional $145 million and is now valued at nearly $3 billion, less than three months after it secured $502 million at a valuation of $2.1 billion. Temasek and Moore Strategic Ventures led the new tranche of investment while Mirae-Naver Asia Growth fund participated in […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 04:50:15

Freightify lands $2.5M to make rate management easier for freight forwarders  

Freight forwarders often keep track of rates on spreadsheets they email to customers, but the pandemic has made that difficult because prices are constantly fluctuating. Freightify, a startup that refers to itself as the "Shopify for maritime freight," provides white-label rate management and e-booking tools that freight forwarders can use to set up online stores, […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 04:44:36

Nium crosses $1B valuation with $200M Riverwood Capital-led round  

Nium's new round adds fuel to a fire shared by a number of companies all going after a global B2B payments market valued at $120 trillion annually.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 04:12:34

RapidSOS learned that the best product design is sometimes no product design  

For the founders of RapidSOS, improving the quality of emergency response by adding useful data, like location, to 911 calls was an inspiring objective, and one that garnered widespread support.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 04:09:58

Joby Aviation, aiming to go to market in 2024, completes 154-mile test flight  

It's the latest in a succession of secretive tests Joby's been conducting, all part of its goal to achieve certification with the Federal Aviation Administration and start commercial operations.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 03:52:44

Shopify allows merchants to sell NFTs directly through their storefronts  

The NBA's Chicago Bulls launched its first-ever NFTs -- including digital artwork of NBA championship rings -- by launching an online store on Shopify.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 03:41:54

Rocketium raises $3.2M to help creative teams create massive marketing campaigns  

In between A/B testing, customizing targeted ads and formatting for different digital platforms, some design teams are tasked with campaigns that include thousands of images, videos and other visual content. Based in Bangalore, Rocketium automates much of the process, allowing teams to scale-up campaigns while reducing their workload. The company announced it has raised $3.2 […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 03:29:07

South African payments startup Yoco raises $83M Series C backed by Dragoneer  

Despite South Africa's high card and mobile penetration rates of over 70%, the country's SMEs still struggle to accept cards. Yoco's portable card machines proved masterful in solving this problem.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 03:25:47

Activision Blizzard workers will stage a walkout after 'abhorrent' response to harassment suit  

One of the world's biggest video game companies is reeling after a state discrimination and sexual harassment suit kicked off a firestorm of controversy within the company. California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing sued Activision Blizzard last week, alleging that the company fostered a "breeding ground for harassment and discrimination against women." Following a […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 02:39:05

Tesla delays Semi truck to 2022; Cybertruck back-burnered for Model Y  

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has warned about battery supply constraints before and the effect it might have on the Tesla Semi. That warning was apparently warranted.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 02:33:58

Tesla's solar and energy storage business rakes in $810M, finally exceeds cost of revenue  

Small as it is, the division is selling more energy storage and solar. Revenue from this division grew 62% from the previous quarter and more than 116% from the same quarter in 2020.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 02:21:57

ActiveFence comes out of the shadows with $100M in funding and tech that detects online harm, now valued at $500M+  

Online abuse, disinformation, fraud and other malicious content is growing and getting more complex to track. Today, a startup called ActiveFence, which has quietly built a tech platform to suss out threats as they are being formed and planned, to make it easier for trust and safety teams to combat them on platforms, is coming […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 02:19:50

Moovit integrates Lime electric scooters, bikes, mopeds into transit planning app  

As of next week, Lime's vehicles will be included as a travel option in tandem with public transit for either all or part of a multimodal journey on the Israeli app.

what do you think? 2021-07-27 02:01:09

German startup Aleph Alpha raises $27M Series A round to build 'Europe's OpenAI'  

With Microsoft now being an investor in OpenAI the field now more open for new insurgents into the open-source AI arena. Now a German company hopes to take on the next AI mantle and produce something akin to the success of the GPT-3 AI model. German AI startup Aleph Alpha has now raised €23 million […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 01:57:21

Here's Nothing's $99 Ear (1) buds  

It's been just over five months since Carl Pei first told the world about Nothing. Perhaps it's just the way time moves these days or maybe it's the fact that the company has trickled out information in the intervening months. Whatever the case, it feels like we've been waiting on today's full Ear (1) reveal […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 01:52:19

Element, a messaging app built on the decentralized Matrix protocol, raises $30M  

After Element acquired Gitter last year to bring in more users and features into its own decentralized, Matrix-based messaging app, the startup is announcing some funding to invest in its growth. Element has picked up $30 million in a Series B round of funding. Some of the funding will be used to expand its technology […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 01:48:54

Sedna banks $34M for a platform that parses large volumes of email and chat to automatically action items within them  

Many have tried to do away with it, but email refuses to die… although in the process it might be (figuratively speaking) killing some of us with the workload it brings on to triage and use it. A startup called Sedna has built a system to help with that — specifically for enterprise and other […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 01:38:47

Indonesia-based grocery app HappyFresh reaps $65M led by Naver Financial and Gafina  

HappyFresh, the on-demand grocery app based in Indonesia, announced today it has raised a $65 million Series D. The round was led by Naver Financial Corporation and Gafina B.V., with participation from STIC, LB and Mirae Asset Indonesia and Singapore. It also included returning investors Mirae-Asset Naver Asia Growth Fund and Z Venture Capital. The […]

what do you think? 2021-07-27 01:11:36

No new Galaxy Note this year as Samsung's foldables gain S Pen functionality  

Samsung sent out invites for its August 11 Unpacked event last week. While it's clear this is going to be packed (somewhat ironically) even by the company's standards, the event may well be as notable for what it doesn't include. Namely, a slew of rumors have pointed to Samsung skipping its annual Galaxy Note update. […]

what do you think? 2021-07-26 18:45:13

I get it, Elizabeth Holmes  

The next time someone jokes at a cocktail party about Elizabeth Holmes' baritone voice, remind them how dumb is it that we give more money to people with deep voices.

what do you think? 2021-07-26 18:34:20

Glyphic Biotechnologies raises $6M to accelerate protein sequencing by orders of magnitude  

The whole human proteome may be free to browse thanks to DeepMind, but at the bleeding edge of biotech new proteins are made and tested every day, a complex and time-consuming process. Glyphic Biotechnologies accelerates the critical but slow sequencing step, potentially cutting drug development times down by a huge amount, and the startup just […]

what do you think? 2021-07-26 18:15:45

Citizen's crime livestreams are no substitute for local journalism  

In May, the neighborhood crime-watch app Citizen offered its user base $30,000 to track down a suspected arsonist on live video, only to discover that they’d sent a mob of civilians after the wrong guy. Now, Citizen is covertly hiring journalists to livestream on the app at crime scenes for $25 per hour through third-party […]

what do you think? 2021-07-26 17:43:19

Daily Crunch: Accused January 6 insurrectionist must use face to unlock laptop, orders judge  

Hello friends and welcome to Daily Crunch, bringing you the most important startup, tech and venture capital news in a single package.

what do you think? 2021-07-26 17:16:57

Court orders US Capitol rioter to unlock his laptop 'with his face'  

The FBI argued that compelling Guy Reffitt to unlock his computer by sitting in front of it 'would not run afoul of the defendant's Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.'

what do you think? 2021-07-26 14:50:18

Sproutl is an online marketplace for gardeners founded by former Farfetch executives  

Meet Sproutl, a marketplace for gardeners living in the U.K. The startup founded by former Farfetch executives has raised a $9 million seed round. It wants to make gardening more accessible by providing a curated list of items, relevant advice as well as inspiration. Index Ventures is leading the round in the startup with Ada […]

what do you think? 2021-07-26 13:48:07

The Station: Rivian adds to its EV war chest, Sec. Buttigieg is coming to Disrupt and Argo preps to launch with Lyft  

The Station is a weekly newsletter dedicated to all things transportation. Sign up here — just click The Station — to receive it every Sunday in your inbox. Hello frens and readers. Welcome to The Station, your central hub for all past, present and future means of moving people and packages from Point A to Point […]

what do you think? 2021-07-26 12:13:22

NotCo gets its horn following $235M round to expand plant-based food products  

Foodtech company NotCo, making plant-based milk and meat replacements, wrapped up another funding round this year, a $235 million Series D round that gives it a $1.5 billion valuation.

what do you think? 2021-07-26 12:10:02

SoftBank-backed Embark Veterinary valued at $700M after $75M Series B  

Now that you have that COVID dog, Embark Veterinary wants to help him or her be in your life for a long time by offering DNA testing with the goal of increasing their lifespan.

what do you think? 2021-07-26 11:23:23

Troubled EV company Lordstown Motors gets $400M lifeline in stock-sale agreement  

This new agreement could allow Lordstown to continue by providing the much-needed capital required to produce its first electric vehicle.

what do you think? 2021-07-26 11:12:27

How one founder aims to make money management a multiplayer game  

Aditi Shekar’s path to entrepreneurship was a very intentional one, and while it wasn’t quite a childhood dream, it was the real-world version of the goals she did have as a kid. Fast forward to today, and Aditi’s company Zeta is on a rocket ship ride in fintech, having recently jumped from being a money […]

what do you think? 2021-07-26 10:47:42

Lucid Motors kicks off market debut with EV factory expansion plans  

The former Lucid Motors will expand its factory in Casa Grande, Arizona, by 2.7 million square feet and aims to ultimately produce 400,000 vehicles a year.

what do you think? 2021-07-26 10:41:07

Mark Cuban-backed Eterneva raises $10M to turn your loved one's ashes into diamonds  

The loss of a loved one is perhaps one of the most traumatic things a person can experience. When it comes to memorializing someone after their death, most people think of planning funerals and/or picking out caskets or tombstones. And those things are typically done with the help of a funeral home. Enter Austin-based Eterneva, […]

what do you think? 2021-07-26 10:39:01

Queenly's marketplace for formalwear gets millions in round led by A16z  

Queenly, a resale marketplace for formalwear, announced on Friday that it has grown its seed round to $6.3 million in a financing round led by Andreessen Horowitz's Connie Chan. The financing event brings Queenly's total venture raised to date at $7.1 million. Queenly sees itself as a "StockX" for formalwear, but has its own hold […]

what do you think? 2021-07-26 10:15:02

Despite controversies and bans, facial recognition startups are flush with VC cash  

If efforts by states and cities to pass privacy regulations curbing the use of facial recognition are anything to go by, you might fear the worst for the companies building the technology. But a recent influx of investor cash suggests the facial recognition startup sector is thriving, not suffering. Facial recognition is one of the […]

what do you think? 2021-07-26 09:15:16

Duolingo boosts IPO price target in boon to edtech startups  

Duolingo is now targeting a $95 to $100 per share IPO price range, up from $85 to $95 per share, or a gain of around 12% at the bottom and 5% at the top.

what do you think? 2021-07-26 08:56:34

Solarisbank raises $224M at a $1.65B valuation to acquire Contis, expand API-based embedded banking tech in Europe  

The round comes about a year after Solarisbank's last round of $67.5 million, but as a sign of the times, what is perhaps more notable is that its valuation has nearly quintupled since then.

what do you think? 2021-07-26 08:33:07

Spinn taps into $40M to create better coffee brewing, discovery experiences  

When you are a coffee lover, taste matters, and Spinn is brewing up some fresh funding to bring connected coffee to new customers through its hardware-enabled coffee marketplace.

what do you think? 2021-07-26 07:51:43

As China shakes up regulations, tech companies suffer  

Things in China seem to be changing for the worse, in terms of both future access to foreign capital for Chinese companies and doing business in the country overall.

what do you think? 2021-07-26 06:16:04

Box unwraps its answer to the $3.8B e-signature market: Box Sign  

Box's new native e-signature product provides e-signature capability and unlimited signatures as part of Box's business and enterprise plans at no additional cost.

what do you think? 2021-07-26 06:04:59

Bezos offers billions in incentives for NASA's lunar lander contract  

Jeff Bezos, the billionaire founder of Blue Origin, is offering to knock up to $2 billion off the cost of developing a lunar lander and to self-fund a pathfinder mission in exchange for a NASA contract. The specific contract in question relates to developing a lunar lander for the Human Landing System program, which aims […]

what do you think? 2021-07-26 05:37:04

Polestar to double its retail stores as it seeks to ramp up EV sales  

Polestar plans to launch in nine more markets this year, doubling its global presence as it seeks to sell more of its electric sedans.

what do you think? 2021-07-26 04:45:13

A magnetic helmet shrunk a deadly tumor in world-first test  

We've seen helmets and AI that can spot brain tumors, but a new hard hat can actually treat them, too. Researchers used a helmet that generates a magnetic field to shrink a deadly tumor by a third.

what do you think? 2021-07-26 04:38:16

Equity Monday: China boosts pressure on its tech sector as Duolingo's IPO looks to raise a few more bucks  

Ever wake up to a massive wall of news? That was today, so we had to pick and choose. But since this show is about getting you caught up, we decided to focus on the largest, broadest new information.

what do you think? 2021-07-26 02:36:34

How to prepare for M&A, your most likely exit avenue  

Despite the headlines about billion-dollar M&A transactions, record IPOs and the rapid growth of SPACs, small deals will continue to be the most likely exit for the vast majority of tech startups.

what do you think? 2021-07-26 02:35:44

Tesla's quarterly profit surpasses $1 billion  

Tesla reported Monday an eye-popping $1.14 billion in net income in the second quarter, results that blew past analyst expectations and marked the first time the company’s quarterly profit (on a GAAP basis) has passed the three-comma threshold. The results pushed shares up more than 2.2% in after-hours trading. Tesla was able to beat expectations […]

what do you think? 2021-07-26 02:35:42

Early bird savings on passes to TechCrunch Disrupt 2021 end this week  

Tick tock, early-stage startup fans: If you plan to attend TechCrunch Disrupt 2021 (September 21-23), time is running out to score a pass to the world's leading conference dedicated to tech startups — for less than $100. The early bird sale ends this week, so buy your pass here before the deal expires on July […]

what do you think? 2021-07-26 02:35:30

Amazon-backed Indian D2C beauty brand MyGlamm raises $71 million  

MyGlamm, a direct-to-consumer beauty brand in India that sells most of its products through its own website, app and retail touch points, said on Monday it has raised $71.3 million in a financing round as the Mumbai-headquartered firm looks to scale its business across the South Asian market. The startup had raised $23.5 million in […]

what do you think? 2021-07-26 01:53:22

Spotify adds an attention-grabbing 'What's New' feed to addict users to its app  

Spotify, with the launch of a more attention-grabbing notifications feature, wants to increase user engagement, even if it sacrifices some sense of user comfort and enjoyment in the process.

what do you think? 2021-07-26 01:38:56

Sila banks $13M to offer single API for developing financial products, services  

Sila's banking and payment platform gives software teams tools to build the next generation of financial products and services.

what do you think? 2021-07-26 01:16:09

iRocket to begin rocket engine testing at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center  

Reusable rocket startup iRocket has entered into a new partnership with NASA in its quest to reach commercialization in just two years. The partnership will give iRocket access to testing facilities and engineering support, chiefly at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The company is hoping that it will conduct its first […]

what do you think? 2021-07-26 01:12:55

One of Nigeria's high profile angel investors is launching a fund for African startups  

Olumide Soyombo is one of the well-known active angel investors in Nigeria tech startups and Africa at large. Since he began angel investing in 2014, Soyombo has invested in 33 startups, including Stripe-owned Paystack, PiggyVest, and TeamApt. Today, the investor is announcing the launch of Voltron Capital, a Pan-African venture capital firm he co-founded with […]

what do you think? 2021-07-26 01:02:01

Data-driven iteration helped China's Genki Forest become a $6B beverage giant in 5 years  

The bottled beverage industry wasn't what Genki Forest's founder, Binsen Tang, initially set out to tackle. The company aims to reach $1.2 billion this year.

what do you think? 2021-07-25 05:51:07

The DL on CockroachDB  

As college students at Berkeley, Spencer Kimball and Peter Mattis created a successful open-source graphics program, GIMP, which got the attention of Google. The duo ultimately joined Google, and even personally got kudos from Sergey Brin and Larry Page. Kimball and Mattis quickly rose to prominence within the company, and then chose to leave it […]

what do you think? 2021-07-24 16:43:22

Should we be worried about insurtech valuations?  

Welcome back to The TechCrunch Exchange, a weekly startups-and-markets newsletter for your weekend enjoyment.

what do you think? 2021-07-24 15:18:25

This Week in Apps: Clubhouse opens up, Twitter talks bitcoin, Snap sees record quarter  

Welcome back to This Week in Apps, the weekly TechCrunch series that recaps the latest in mobile OS news, mobile applications and the overall app economy. The app industry continues to grow, with a record 218 billion downloads and $143 billion in global consumer spend in 2020. Consumers last year also spent 3.5 trillion minutes using apps on Android devices […]

what do you think? 2021-07-24 15:07:32

Sequoia's Mike Vernal outlines how to design feedback loops in the search for product-market fit  

"Finding product-market fit is not a deterministic process. Most of the time, it requires iteration. It requires constant adaptation."

what do you think? 2021-07-24 08:06:27

China Roundup: Kai-Fu Lee's first Europe bet, WeRide buys a truck startup  

Hello and welcome back to TechCrunch's China Roundup, a digest of recent events shaping the Chinese tech landscape and what they mean to people in the rest of the world. Despite the geopolitical headwinds for foreign tech firms to enter China, many companies, especially those that find a dependable partner, are still forging ahead. For this […]

what do you think? 2021-07-24 05:48:25

SOSV partners explain how deep tech startups can fundraise successfully  

'In deep tech, it's essential to think about founder-investor fit. And what we mean by this is understanding why an investor is even in VC in the first place.'

what do you think? 2021-07-23 21:47:59

GM recalls Bolt EVs once again over fire risks  

Devindra Hardawar Contributor Devindra Hardawar is a Senior Editor at Engadget. GM is issuing a second recall for 2017 to 2019 Bolt EVs over potential fire issues. The company says it plans to replace defective batteries, but until it can do so it’s advising Bolt customers to limit their charging up to 90 percent, and […]

what do you think? 2021-07-23 21:08:45

Automakers have battery anxiety, so they're taking control of the supply  

Battery joint ventures have become the hot must-have deal for automakers that have set ambitious targets to deliver millions of electric vehicles in the next few years.

what do you think? 2021-07-23 19:57:11

Growth marketing roundup: TechCrunch Experts, creative testing and how to nail your narrative  

Growth marketer Maya Moufarek: "It's all about simplifying your strategy into something that is digestible, memorable and applicable."

what do you think? 2021-07-23 19:36:21

Hear Startup Alley companies pitch expert VC judges on the next episode of Extra Crunch Live  

We know how much you love a good startup pitch-off. Who doesn't? It combines the thrill of live, high-stakes entertainment with learning about the hottest new thing. Plus, you get to hear feedback from some of the smartest folks in the industry, thus learning how to absolutely crush it at your next pitch meeting with […]

what do you think? 2021-07-23 19:02:31

Judge denies Wisk Aero's request for preliminary injunction against Archer Aviation  

Electric aviation startup Wisk Aero's request for a preliminary injunction against rival Archer Aviation was denied by a federal judge Thursday, the latest in an ongoing legal battle over whether Archer stole trade secrets in developing its flagship Maker aircraft. A full written opinion has not yet been published. In a tentative ruling filed earlier […]

what do you think? 2021-07-23 14:09:53

Checkout is the key to frictionless B2B e-commerce  

Checkout is a platform play, not a payments play, and now is the time to build the category in B2B. Business buyer behavior is changing, and the stars are aligning on the fintech infrastructure front.

what do you think? 2021-07-23 13:20:46

Payments company Paystone raises $23.8M to help service-based businesses engage with customers  

Paystone provides electronic payments and customer engagement technology to businesses, particularly those that provide services.

what do you think? 2021-07-23 12:58:09

Lucid Motors' SPAC merger approved after executives issue plea to shareholders to vote  

Shareholders approved Friday EV startup Lucid Motors' merger with special purpose acquisition company Churchill Capital IV, after the companies extended the deadline by one day because not enough retail investors showed up to cast their vote. The issue is unusual but could become more common as more companies eschew the traditional IPO path to public […]

what do you think? 2021-07-23 12:14:30

China's expected edtech clampdown may chill a key startup sector  

When it comes to control, the Chinese government doesn't mind wiping out a few dozen billion dollars in market cap here and there. That's not a great system.

what do you think? 2021-07-23 11:55:09