Profile: 1c9767b4...
Glacier is training AI-powered recycling robots
This week, Glacier co-founder Rebecca Hu chats with Found about wish-cycling and robots.
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only. #press
Enterprise SaaS investment makes a comeback — but not where you’d expect
When we examined venture investment amounts in enterprise SaaS startups, we were surprised at the top categories.
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only. #press
https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/12/enterprise-saas-investment-comeback/?utm_source=press.coop
Nigeria demands Binance disclose top users, executives remain detained
Nigeria is actively seeking information from Binance regarding its top 100 users in the country and all transaction history spanning the past six months, according to a Financial Times report. This news overlaps with the revelation of the names of the two executives from the cryptocurrency... #press
Verve Motion’s robot backpack helps workers lighten their load
Wander the Modex floor long enough and you’ll stumble on some wearable robotics. The category has nowhere near the presence of AMRs (autonomous mobile robots) or storage and retrieval systems, but exosuits are increasing in acceptance for their ability to eliminate the repetitive stress that comes with... #press
OpenMeter makes it easier for companies to track usage-based billing
In enterprise software-as-a-service (SaaS), usage-based pricing, a pricing model in which customers are charged only when they use a product or service, is gaining ground. According to a report from VC firm OpenView, ~60% of SaaS businesses offer some form of usage-based pricing today.... #press
Remote driving startup Phantom Auto is shutting down
Phantom Auto, a remote driving startup that launched seven years ago amid the buzz of autonomous vehicle technology, is shutting down after failing to secure new funding, TechCrunch has learned. Phantom Auto, which had raised a total of $95 million, developed a teleoperation platform that allowed a remote driver, sometimes... #press
Locus Robotics’ success is a tale of focusing on what works
“We’re fundamentally a software company,” Locus CEO Rick Faulk says with a laugh. We look like a robot company, but we’re actually a software company.” It’s a familiar refrain from companies whose most public-facing products are hardware. That’s certainly the case with Locus, which produces the best-known AMRs... #press
TikTok is now letting creators in more countries earn money for their effects
TikTok is expanding its Effect Creator Rewards monetization program to more regions and lowering its payout threshold, the company announced today. The program, which launched in May 2023, rewards creators for the effects they make through TikTok’s AR development platform, Effect House.... #press
Uber CEO Khosrowshahi reveals the three goals at the top of his to-do list
Uber’s future will be greener, more affordable, and able to challenge Amazon at its own rapid delivery game, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi predicted while on stage this week at SXSW. His vision, which he charted out during an interview with city of Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, isn’t entirely... #press
Chirp alert! 4 days left to save $1,000 on Disrupt super early-bird tickets
The wings of time are flying fast, and so is the countdown to the biggest savings on passes to TechCrunch Disrupt — taking place October 28–30 in San Francisco. Here’s the thing: You have only four days left to save $1,000 on your pass. How to save $1,000 on passes to TechCrunch... #press
TechCrunch Minute: Reddit’s IPO success may hinge on AI boom
The long-running dearth of IPOs could be coming to a close, partly due to Reddit’s upcoming public debut. Expected to list this month, Reddit saw its valuation soar during the pandemic. Now, the company is fighting to retain as much of its final private-market price in its public offering. The company’s sheer... #press
Google Play will show AI-powered FAQs and recent YouTube videos for games
Google announced a bunch of new features for Google Play listings for games including AI-powered FAQs, displaying the latest YouTube videos, new immersive ad formats, and support for native PC game publishing. These announcements were made at the Google Games Developer Summit... #press
Most subscription mobile apps don’t make money, new report shows
Investors know that most startups fail, but something that may be less understood is how few mobile apps actually make money. According to a new analysis of the subscription app economy from mobile subscription toolkit provider RevenueCat, the top 5% of apps generate 200 times the revenue of the bottom... #press
Deepgram’s Aura gives AI agents a voice
Deepgram has made a name for itself as one of the go-to startups for voice recognition. Today, the well-funded company announced the launch of Aura, its new real-time text-to-speech API. Aura combines highly realistic voice models with a low-latency API to allow developers to build real-time, conversational AI agents. Backed by large language models... #press
https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/12/deepgrams-aura-gives-ai-agents-a-voice/?utm_source=press.coop
Polar Signals wants to help companies cut cloud costs with more efficient code
A young startup is setting out to help enterprises cut their cloud costs by writing “more efficient” code — and it has secured $6.8 million in fresh funding from notable backers including Alphabet’s GV, Spark Capital, and Lightspeed. Polar Signals, as the company is... #press
Bluesky scoops up the developer of popular third-party app, Graysky
Decentralized Twitter/X rival Bluesky is adding to its ranks by scooping up a member of its developer community. London-based software engineer Samuel Newman, who built the well-received third-party Bluesky client, Graysky, is joining the startup, where he will now help develop Bluesky’s... #press
Apple to allow web distribution for iOS apps in latest DMA tweaks
Apple will allow iOS developers located in the European Union to distribute apps from the web, rather via its App Store. The option, which it says will be made available to qualifying developers “later this Spring”, is being offered in response to the bloc’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) which puts... #press
Empathy closes $47M for AI to help with the practical and emotional bereavement process
Death, as the famous saying goes, is one of the inevitable certainties of life. But that doesn’t make coping with it any easier — not least because while loved ones are grieving, they must also handle a dizzying number of practical tasks, from organizing funerals through to settling finances for the deceased. A... #press
https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/12/empathy-berevement-death-ai/?utm_source=press.coop
Code suggests that TikTok could be building an app for photos
After rivaling music streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple music with TikTok Music, ByteDance might be looking at creating an Instagram competitor named TikTok Photos, code found in the TikTok app suggests. As spotted by The SpAndroid blog, TikTok’s APK file — an installable file format for Android —... #press
Axion Ray’s AI attempts to detect product flaws to prevent recalls
Recalls are costly for — and damaging to — any company, no matter the size or market. For instance, McKinsey estimates that, for businesses manufacturing medical devices, recalls have been as high as $600 million in recent decades. The reputational impact tends to be lasting; customers aren’t... #press