TechCrunch Startup News
TechCrunch
Listen to select TechCrunch articles on startups coverage—who's raising, who's exiting, who's changing the world.
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 28, 2020 • 7min
Angling to be eyewear’s next big thing, Futuremood launches with mood-altering sunglasses
Austin Soldner and Michael Schaecher, the co-founders of the new sunglasses brand Futuremood, met at the newly formed San Francisco research and development lab created by the high end audio tech developer Bose. The two were tasked with working on Bose’s sunglasses wearable and bonded over a shared interest in sneakers and fashion. Over many […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 27, 2020 • 7min
LeverEdge wants to get you and your friends a volume discount on student loans
Student loans are both a trillion-dollar debt category and also one of the most popular mini-verticals out there in fintech startup investing right now. There are dozens if not hundreds of companies in the space, and they all mostly do one of two things: either they help students think through their student loan options before […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 27, 2020 • 5min
AI is more data-hungry than ever, and DefinedCrowd raises $50M B round to feed it
As AI has grown from niche to mission-critical technology, the companies that enable it have multiplied and in many cases prospered. A good example of that success is DefinedCrowd, which has gone from the Disrupt stage to globe-spanning AI toolkit to the Fortune 500 in just a couple years. The company just raised a new […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 26, 2020 • 8min
Benepass raises $2.4 million to help employees get the most out of their tax-advantaged benefits
Tax-advantaged benefits, like flexible spending accounts, can save employees in the United States thousands of dollars annually, and reduce the amount of payroll taxes companies pay. But those benefits are often underutilized, simply because they can be confusing to navigate. Benepass wants to make the process easier with a mobile app that centralizes all of […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 25, 2020 • 4min
Work collaboration unicorn Notion is blocked in China
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May 25, 2020 • 6min
PathSpot sells a scanner that fact checks your handwashing efficacy
The novel coronavirus disease has reminded millions that handwashing is a great way to avoid preventable diseases. Christine Schindler, the CEO and co-founder of PathSpot, has been preparing for the past three months for the past three years. “I’ve been obsessed with handwashing,” Schindler said, who has a background in biomedical engineering and public health. […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 22, 2020 • 4min
Statespace, the platform that trains gamers, raises $15 million
Statespace has today raised a $15 million Series A financing round led by Khosla, with partner Samir Kaul joining the board. Existing investors, such as FirstMark Capital, Lux and Expa, also participated in the round, as well as newcomer June Fund. Statespace launched out of stealth in 2017 with a product called Aim Lab, which […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 22, 2020 • 4min
Algolia gets a new CEO as founder steps down
Search-as-a-service startup Algolia is announcing some changes at the helm of the startup. Co-founder and CEO Nicolas Dessaigne is transitioning to a non-operational role at the company. He’ll still be a board member, but Bernadette Nixon is joining the company to take on the CEO position. Algolia is building a search engine API. The company […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 21, 2020 • 5min
The future of flight can be energy-efficient
Can eVTOL vehicles be green? Specifically, can eVTOL vehicles be more energy-efficient than cars? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 20, 2020 • 4min
FireHydrant lands $8M Series A for disaster management tool
When I spoke to Robert Ross, CEO and co-founder at FireHydrant last week, we had a technology adventure. First the audio wasn’t working correctly on Zoom, then Google Meet. Finally we used cell phones to complete the interview. It was like a case study in what FireHydrant is designed to do — help companies manage […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
