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Startup and Technology News

X is removing ability to hide checkmarks for premium users

Last year, Elon Musk-owned social network X rolled out a feature for paid users to hide their checkmarks from others. Now, the company is sending notifications to users saying that the feature will go...

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/x-is-removing-ability-to-hide-checkmarks-for-premium-users/

OpenAI makes ChatGPT ‘more direct, less verbose’

ChatGPT, OpenAI’s viral AI-powered chatbot, just got a big upgrade. OpenAI announced today that premium ChatGPT users — customers paying for ChatGPT Plus, Team or Enterprise — can now leveraged an upd...

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/openai-makes-chatgpt-more-direct-less-verbose/

Virtual physical therapist Hinge Health lays off 10% of its workforce

The 9-year-old Hinge Health offers a digital solution to treat chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions and was last valued at $6.2 billion in October 2021.

© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. Fo...

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/virtual-physical-therapist-hinge-health-lays-off-10-of-its-workforce/

Space Force tees up new ‘responsive space’ mission from Rocket Lab and True Anomaly

Each company will design and build a satellite capable of rendezvousing with other spacecraft in orbit at close proximity, as well as command and control centers for the mission.

© 2024 TechCrunch. A...

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/space-force-tees-up-new-responsive-space-mission-from-rocket-lab-and-true-anomaly/

Ford’s hands-free BlueCruise system was active before fatal Texas crash

The driver of a Mustang Mach-E who crashed into a stationary car in Texas in February was using Ford’s hands-free driver assistance system, BlueCruise, according to data obtained by the National Trans...

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/ford-bluecruise-fatal-crash-investigation-stationary-suv/

Internal pre-Starlink SpaceX financials show big spending on moonshot bets

Confidential financial statements from SpaceX for 2018 and 2019 capture an early glimpse at the degree to which the company is likely dependent on its Starlink business unit, and bringing the Starship...

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/internal-pre-starlink-spacex-financials-show-big-spending-on-moonshot-bets/

Walmart will deploy robotic forklifts in its distribution centers

The story of warehouse robotics is a story of attempting to keep up with Amazon. It’s been more than a decade since the online giant revolutionized its delivery services through its Kiva Systems acqui...

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/walmart-will-deploy-robotic-forklifts-in-its-distribution-centers/

Introducing the ScaleUp Startups Program at Disrupt 2024 for Series A to B startups

We are thrilled to unveil our latest innovation: ScaleUp Startups Exhibitor Program at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024. Tailored specifically for startups in Series A to B funding stages with $35 million or l...

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/introducing-the-scaleup-startups-program-at-disrupt-2024-for-series-a-to-b-startups/

US says Russian hackers stole federal government emails during Microsoft cyberattack

CISA said the latest theft of government email — blamed on Russian government hackers — presents "a grave and unacceptable risk" to U.S. federal agencies.

© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For ...

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/us-cisa-russia-apt-29-government-email-theft-microsoft/

Airtree Ventures already returned its first fund thanks to Canva while maintaining the majority of its stake

Airtree Ventures uses the secondary market to slim down its stakes while waiting for its portfolio companies to exit.

© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/airtree-ventures-already-returned-its-first-fund-thanks-to-canva-while-maintaining-the-majority-of-its-stake/

UK’s antitrust enforcer sounds the alarm over Big Tech’s grip on GenAI

The UK's competition watchdog has sounded a warning over Big Tech's entrenching grip on the advanced AI market, with CEO Sarah Cardell expressing "real concerns" over how the sector is developing.

© ...

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/cma-genai-gamma-warning/

Megan Thee Stallion’s favorite app is Pinterest, obviously

It actually makes sense that in an era of oversaturation, people would escape to a more quiet and rather peaceful corner of the internet to dream once more.

© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. Fo...

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/megan-thee-stallions-favorite-app-is-pinterest-obviously/

Quibi redux? Short drama apps saw record revenue in Q1 2024

This represents an over 8,000% increase from $1.8 million in the first quarter of 2023, when just 21 apps were available.

© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/quibi-redux-short-drama-apps-saw-record-revenue-in-q1-2024/

Taylor Swift’s music is back on TikTok, despite platform’s ongoing UMG dispute

After 10 weeks of being absent from the platform, Taylor Swift’s music has returned to TikTok — or at least her more recent songs and “Taylor’s Version” cuts, since she owns those masters. Taylor Swif...

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/taylor-swifts-music-is-back-on-tiktok-despite-platforms-ongoing-umg-dispute/

Cendana, Kline Hill have a fresh $105M to buy stakes in seed VC funds from LPs looking to sell

Fund-of-funds investor Cendana Capital has joined with Kline Hill Partners for a new oversubscribed fund to buy out stakes from seed LPs looking for liquidity.

© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved....

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/cendana-kline-hill-secondary-seed-venture-capital-funds-lps-liquidity/

TechCrunch Minute: TikTok and Meta’s latest moves signal a more commodified internet

The Internet’s mega-platforms are slowly merging into a great blob of sameness, and even the hottest companies in the world are not immune from the trend. TikTok’s winning strategy to focus on short-f...

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/techcrunch-minute-tiktok-and-metas-latest-moves-signal-a-more-commodified-internet/

Lyrak to take on X by combining the best of Twitter with fediverse integration

Threads. Mastodon. Bluesky. Substack Notes. Post. Nostr. Spoutible. There’s no shortage of X competitors in the months following the acquisition of the text-based social network formerly known as Twit...

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/lyrak-to-take-on-x-by-combining-the-best-of-twitter-with-fediverse-integration/

Flipboard deepens its ties to the open source social web (aka the fediverse)

Flipboard users can now see their new followers and other activity around the content they share in the fediverse directly in the Flipboard app.

© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal u...

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/flipboard-deepens-its-ties-to-the-open-source-social-web-aka-the-fediverse/

Arc browser launches Live Folders to auto-update tabs for you

Fresh off the heels of raising $50 million at a $550 million valuation in March, the Browser Company continues to bring in more features to its Arc browser, set up to provide a genuine alternative to ...

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/arc-browsers-live-folders-will-auto-update-tabs-for-you/

How PayJoy built a $300M business by letting the underserved use their smartphones as collateral for loans

Lerato Motloung is a mother of two who works in a supermarket in Johannesburg, South Africa. After her phone was stolen, Motloung had to go without a mobile phone for nine months because she could not...

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/how-fintech-payjoy-built-a-300m-business-by-letting-the-underserved-use-their-smartphones-as-collateral-for-loans/