TechCrunch Startup News

The recent $1 billion acquisition of Divvy Homes has left some shareholders facing disappointment. The show dives into the rollercoaster journey of Divvy, highlighting significant valuation challenges in the volatile proptech industry. It explores the tough decisions that shaped both the sale and the futures of those involved. Listeners get an inside look at the complexities of the startup world and the stark realities of financial outcomes in high-stakes deals.

Yalmar Nilsson, CEO and co-founder of Neko Health, previously worked in climate tech before diving into health innovation. He discusses Neko's significant funding of $260 million and its ambitious goal to reshape preventative healthcare with advanced body scanning technology. Yalmar delves into the increasing consumer interest in health knowledge and how Neko plans to make a mark in the U.S. market. The conversation also highlights the shift towards affordable healthcare solutions and rising investor enthusiasm for preventative health innovations.

When George Avetisov was the founder and CEO of cybersecurity startup HYPR, he spent a lot of time in the trenches with the company’s sales team. He quickly realized that regardless of how good his sales team was, they were consistently pulling in other departments to answer customer questions or fill out technical questionnaires. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Roy Tuvi, CEO and co-founder of Vertice, discusses his company's innovative approach to optimizing SaaS spending through AI. He sheds light on the staggering $5 trillion annual IT budget and how businesses can reclaim inefficiencies. Tuvi emphasizes the importance of data-driven strategies in procurement, highlighting Vertice's recent $50 million funding round. With the expense management sector becoming increasingly competitive, he shares insights on the unique challenges and opportunities facing startups in this space.

A federal safety regulator is intensifying its investigation into Ford's BlueCruise hands-free driving technology. This comes in response to two fatal accidents linked to the system's detection challenges. The potential for a recall looms large, raising critical safety issues surrounding advanced driver assistance systems. As the probe unfolds, it sheds light on the broader implications for automotive technology and consumer safety.

Dive into the quirky world of the Microsoft Excel World Championship, where competitors glow in a hype tunnel and strut in humorous costumes. Revel in Anthropic’s exciting news about a new ‘two-way’ voice mode for their chatbot, Claude, enhancing user interactions. Also, witness a major shift in the tech landscape as the founder of IMDb steps down after an impressive 35-year tenure, paving the way for new leadership.

Cervical cancer screenings can be daunting and uncomfortable. Explore how Teal Health is changing the game with an innovative at-home test kit. The teal wand aims to make these crucial health checks more accessible and less intimidating for women. With a recent $10M funding boost and pending FDA approval, the founders highlight their vision for revolutionizing women's health.

Entrepreneur and investor Mark Cuban is ready to fund a TikTok alternative built on Bluesky’s AT Protocol, he shared in a TikTok video posted on Wednesday. In anticipation of the coming U.S. TikTok ban, which will go through on Sunday unless paused by the Supreme Court, users have been fleeing to other video platforms Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the last few weeks, PayPal-owned Honey, which claims to find you the best coupon codes for a deal, has been at the center of controversy. Allegedly, the tool sneakily earned affiliate money by changing attributes of product links creators posted on their videos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chinese firms continue to release AI models that rival the capabilities of systems developed by OpenAI and other U.S.-based AI companies. This week, MiniMax, an Alibaba- and Tencent-backed startup that has raised around $850 million in venture capital and is valued at more than $2.5 billion, debuted three new models: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices