The Kendrick-Drake feud shows how technology is changing rap battles

It seems we’re all in agreement: Kendrick Lamar defeated Drake in one of the most engrossing rap battles of the decade. To add insult to injury, Drake also threw himself into legal hot water when he deepfaked the late rapper Tupac. The tension between Lamar and Drake goes back decades, …...Read More

TechCrunch Space: Launch pad decongestion

Hello and welcome back to TechCrunch Space. Let’s jump in! Want to reach out with a tip? Email Aria at aria.techcrunch@gmail.com or send me a message on Signal at 512-937-3988. You also can send a note to the whole TechCrunch crew at tips@techcrunch.com. For more secure communications, click here to …...Read More

The Net Gala hosts its first event for the stylish and chronically online

The warehouse was dim and slightly misty. But the bar was open, and a photographer was snapping away anyway. On Friday, the crowd followed the white rabbit to Brooklyn for The Net Gala, a chic tech answer to The Met Gala. The theme of the event was internet surveillance, prompting …...Read More

Lucid loses longtime Apple and Intel exec who steered software division

Lucid Motors’ senior vice president of digital Mike Bell has resigned from his position. The company said in a filing Monday that the longtime Apple and Intel executive’s resignation is “effective immediately, in order to pursue other opportunities.” Lucid says Bell will serve in an advisory role through mid-August to …...Read More

Global crypto firms turn to Hong Kong for refuge - and opportunity

With U.S. regulators continuing to ramp up their scrutiny of crypto, startups and founders in the space are looking overseas to find friendlier climates to support their growth. One such destination is Hong Kong, which, seeking to restore its status as a financial hub, is banking on favorable crypto regulations …...Read More

DocuSign acquires AI-powered contract management firm Lexion

As DocuSign reportedly explores a sale to private equity, it’s acquiring a company itself. On Monday, DocuSign announced that it’s buying Lexion, a contract workflow automation startup, for $165 million. The purchase comes as DocuSign makes increasing investments in the contract management space, most recently launching DocuSign IAM, a service …...Read More

Opera's AI assistant can now summarize web pages on Android

Opera’s in-browser AI product, called Aria, can now summarize text-based web pages on Android. The AI-powered web page summarizing tool quickly condenses news articles, blog posts or research papers in a short summary that typically fits in one screen. The new feature, announced Monday, can help users quickly understand a …...Read More

Newchip, Techstars, and what happens when startup accelerators fail

Building a startup is hard. Building a company that helps startup is similarly difficult. That’s the takeaway from TechCrunch reporting on Techstars and Newchip. In the case of Newchip, the accelerator appeared to promise a bit more than it could deliver. Mix in a culture that appeared to be turbulent …...Read More

Police resurrect Lockbit's site and troll the ransomware gang

An international coalition of police agencies have resurrected the dark web site of the notorious LockBit ransomware gang, which they had seized earlier this year, teasing new revelations about the group. On Sunday, what was once LockBit’s official darknet site reappeared online with new posts that suggest the authorities are …...Read More

How to choose a deep tech startup program

Plenty of founders have a difficult decision to make early in their journey: where to set up shop. For deep tech founders, the decision is complicated by the fact that they typically need more from their space. Some might need lab benches, others might require massive amounts of electricity, and …...Read More