Startups

Tech startup news that breaks down the funding, growth, and long-term trajectory of companies across every stage and industry. Startup coverage includes climate, crypto, fintech, SaaS, transportation, and consumer tech.

Balto Energy hopes to speed the electrification by helping homeowners choose and finance the projects that make the most sense for them.

Dandelion co-founder is back to help you electrify your home for less

SewerAI sells cloud-based, AI-powered subscription products designed to streamline field inspections and data management of sewer infrastructure.

SewerAI uses AI to spot defects in sewer pipes

For the last two decades, Raquel Urtasun, founder and CEO of autonomous trucking startup Waabi, has been developing AI systems that can reason as a human would.  The AI pioneer…

Waabi’s GenAI promises to do so much more than power self-driving trucks

Fisker Group Inc., the EV startup founded by famed designer Henrik Fisker, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection — a capstone to months of problems with its Ocean SUV that included…

EV startup Fisker files for bankruptcy

Loop, the car insurance company co-founded by Harlem Capital co-founder John Henry, has laid off staff as the company struggles with fundraising.  Henry took to Instagram to post the email…

After 20 months of trying to raise funds, insurance startup Loop cuts staff

Its technology involves spinning plant protein fibers, including soy proteins, similar to the way cotton candy is made, to create structured cuts of meat.

Plant-based ‘meat’ startup Tender has already nabbed a fast-food chain contract, and another $11M

Today’s the day, startup founders. It’s your final opportunity to join Startup Battlefield 200, the world’s preeminent startup competition, at TechCrunch Disrupt in October. It’s your last chance to launch…

Today’s your last chance to apply for the Startup Battlefield 200

When Manny Griffiths worked with a personal injury lawyer after his wife’s car accident, he was surprised by the lack of information and communication from their lawyer regarding their claim.…

YC-backed Hona looks to reduce the communication friction between law firms and their consumer clients

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Privacy app maker Proton transitions to nonprofit foundation structure

The newly setup Proton Foundation will serve as the main shareholder to the existing corporate entity that is Proton AG, which will continue as a for-profit company under the auspices of the Foundation.

4:34 am PDT • June 17, 2024
Privacy app maker Proton transitions to nonprofit foundation structure

Tinybird is not so tiny anymore. The enterprise data startup TechCrunch first covered three years ago has been growing at a rapid pace and recently raised a $30 million Series…

Tinybird raises another $30 million to transform data into real-time APIs

Oyo, the Indian budget-hotel chain startup, is finalizing a fresh fundraise of about $100 million to $125 million that slashes its valuation to $2.5 billion, two people familiar with the…

India’s Oyo, once valued at $10B, finalizes new funding at $2.5B valuation

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Black founders are creating tailored ChatGPTs for a more personalized experience

ChatGPT, one of the world’s most powerful artificial intelligence tools, struggles with cultural nuance.

10:05 am PDT • June 16, 2024
Black founders are creating tailored ChatGPTs for a more personalized experience

Holy procrastination, startup founders! Tomorrow’s your last chance to apply to the Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024. Your last chance for a shot to stand on the Disrupt…

Startup Battlefield 200 applications close tomorrow

There has been a lot of bad news about social media startups lately. Multiple companies, including Twitter alternative Post News, and IRL have shut down. And ShareChat’s valuation has dropped…

Deal Dive: BeReal got its best-case scenario exit

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A comprehensive list of 2024 tech layoffs

The tech layoff wave is still going strong in 2024. Following significant workforce reductions in 2022 and 2023, this year has already seen 60,000 job cuts across 254 companies, according to independent layoffs tracker Layoffs.fyi. Companies like Tesla, Amazon, Google, TikTok, Snap and Microsoft have conducted sizable layoffs in the…

12:20 pm PDT • June 14, 2024
A comprehensive list of 2024 tech layoffs

Welcome to Startups Weekly — Haje’s weekly recap of everything you can’t miss from the world of startups. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Friday. Hold…

Startups Weekly: Clash of the AI titans, and Europe is firing on all cylinders

How well did the company do telling its own story in the form of its angel pitch deck? Let’s take a look.

Pitch Deck Teardown: Kinnect’s $250K angel deck

For centuries, people chewed willow tree bark to relieve pain, but scientists at chemical firm Bayer didn’t isolate its active ingredient until the 1800s and eventually patented its modified version…

Enveda raises $55M to combine ancient remedies with AI for drug discovery

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GPTZero’s founders, still in their 20s, have a profitable AI detection startup, millions in the bank and a new $10M Series A

GPTZero’s growth and financials made it one of the AI startups ruthlessly pursued by VCs. And Footwork’s Nikhil Basu Trivedi won the deal.

9:00 am PDT • June 13, 2024
GPTZero’s founders, still in their 20s, have a profitable AI detection startup, millions in the bank and a new $10M Series A

To sweeten the pot, Amazon is pledging that startups in this year’s Generative AI Accelerator cohort will gain access to experts and tech from Nvidia, the program’s presenting partner.

Amazon says it’ll spend $230 million on generative AI startups

Sodium-ion isn’t quite ready for widespread use, but one startup thinks it has surmounted the battery chemistry’s key hurdles.

Unigrid wants to make batteries cheaper and safer using sodium

An Indian court has restrained Byju’s from proceeding with its second rights issue amid allegations of oppression and mismanagement by its shareholders.

Court halts Byju’s second rights issue as $200M fundraise falters

The specter of wastewater threatens to stall the construction of battery factories. One startup, though, says the solution is to recycle it.

Aepnus wants to create a circular economy for key battery manufacturing materials

AccountsIQ, a Dublin-founded accounting technology company, has raised $65 million to build “the finance function of the future” for midsized companies.

AccountsIQ takes in $65M to boost bookkeeping with AI

When Jordan Nathan launched his DTC nontoxic cookware company, Caraway, in 2019, he knew he was not the only founder trying to sell a new brand of pots and pans…

Why being the last company to launch in a category can pay off

Since fintech startup Brex’s inception in 2017, its two co-founders Henrique Dubugras and Pedro Franceschi have run the company as co-CEOs. But starting today, the pair told TechCrunch in an…

Fintech Brex abandons co-CEO model, talks IPO, cash burn and plans for a secondary sale

Layoffs are tough. This year alone, we’ve already seen 60,000 job cuts across 254 companies according to layoffs.fyi. Looking for ways to grow your network can be even harder during…

Layoffs Got You Down? Get a Half-Price Expo+ Pass at Disrupt 2024

The hotel guest management technology company’s platform digitizes the hotel guest journey from post-booking through checkout.

Insight Partners backs Canary Technologies’ mission to elevate hotel guest experiences

InScope leverages machine learning and large language models to provide financial reporting and auditing processes for mid-market and enterprises.

Lightspeed Venture Partners leads $4.3M seed in automated financial reporting fintech InScope

A big shoutout to the early-stage founders who missed the application window for the Startup Battlefield 200 (SB 200) at TechCrunch Disrupt. We have exciting news just for you! You…

Bonus: An extra week to apply to Startup Battlefield 200