Is it just me, or was that an earthquake?

Is it just me, or was that an earthquake? For just a brief moment, this was the internet at its best. I stared at a vase of dried out Trader Joe’s flowers, rumbling on my table for maybe thirty seconds, but I was too shocked to even process what was …...Read More

Apple lays off over 600 employees in California after abandoning electric car project

Apple is laying off 614 employees in California after abandoning its electric car project. According to the WARN notice posted by California, Apple notified the affected employees on March 28 and the changes will go into effect on May 27. Affected employees worked at eight locations in Santa Clara, roughly …...Read More

Tesla slashes Model Y inventory prices by as much as $7,000

Tesla is dropping prices of unsold Model Y SUVs in the U.S. by thousands of dollars in an attempt to clear out an unprecedented backlog of inventory. Many long-range and performance Model Ys are now selling for $5,000 less than their original price, while rear-wheel drive versions are seeing even …...Read More

From YC to IPO: Winter 2024 Demo Day, Rubrik and Ibotta

What a week, everyone. Two full days of Y Combinator demo day activity kept us busy, but the latest accelerator cohort’s launch was far from the only big story in startup-land. Today on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Mary Ann, Becca, and Alex gathered to dig into favorites from the hundreds of …...Read More

Varda Space's orbital drug factory success fuels $90M in new funding

Varda Space Industries has closed a massive tranche of funding just weeks after its first drug manufacturing capsule returned from orbit. The company’s $90 million Series B round marks an inflection point for the company, which is now gearing up to scale from the initial demonstration mission to a regular …...Read More

Rubrik’s IPO filing reveals an AI governance committee. Get used to it.

Tucked into Rubrik’s IPO filing this week — between the parts about employee count and cost statements — was a nugget that reveals how the data management company is thinking about generative AI and the risks that accompany the new tech: Rubrik has quietly set up a governance committee to …...Read More

Cross-border fintech stands out in Y Combinator’s Winter 2024 cohort

Cross-border fintech is hot right now. The cross-border payments market is forecasted to reach over $250 trillion by 2027, according to the Bank of England. And experts say fintechs are giving banks a run for their money (pun intended) here, especially in the business-to-business sector where artificial intelligence, machine learning …...Read More

Belgian computer vision startup Robovision eyes U.S. expansion to address labor shortages

Faced with labor shortages, sectors such as manufacturing and agriculture are increasingly adopting AI in their automation. Computer vision startups are looking to jump on that opportunity with a range of point solutions for both industries. From data collection to crop monitoring and harvesting, robots with eyes are entering the …...Read More

Meet the powerhouse pitch judges at TechCrunch Early Stage 2024

Get ready for an electrifying showdown as the “So You Think You Can Pitch” startup pitch competition at TechCrunch Early Stage 2024 is set to be judged by an esteemed panel of industry experts. We’ve already announced the startup finalists, and now you can meet our expert judges! Leading the …...Read More

US and EU commit to links aimed at boosting AI safety and risk research

The European Union and United States put out a joint statement Friday affirming a desire to increase cooperation over artificial intelligence. The agreement covers AI safety and governance, but also, more broadly, an intent to collaborate across a number of other tech issues, such as developing digital identity standards and …...Read More