1X has acquired Kind Humanoid, the Norwegian robotics startup told TechCrunch on Monday. The deal marks a small but key consolidation for a humanoid robotics industry on the brink of a major moment in 2025. TechCrunch spoke with Kind Humanoid in October, when the then-three-person startup announced that it had enlisted famed designer Yves Behar […]
OpenAI-backed 1X acquires Kind Humanoid Read More »
Perplexity AI has submitted a revised proposal to merge with TikTok, in an arrangement that would give the U.S. government up to 50 percent ownership of the new entity. The Associated Press first reported on the new proposal. A source with knowledge of the bid confirmed to TechCrunch that the AP’s reporting is accurate. The
Perplexity submits a new bid for TikTok Read More »
More startups shut down in 2024 than the year prior, according to multiple sources, and that’s not really a surprise considering the insane number of companies that were funded in the crazy days of 2020 and 2021. It appears we’re not nearly done, and 2025 could be another brutal year of startups shutting down. TechCrunch
2025 will likely be another brutal year of failed startups, data suggests Read More »
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is doubling down on Retro Biosciences, a biotech startup based in San Francisco that wants humans to live 10 years longer than what it calls a healthy human lifespan. Altman previously provided Retro Biosciences’ entire seed round of $180 million. Now, the startup is raising a $1 billion Series A that
Retro Biosciences, backed by Sam Altman, is raising $1 billion to extend human lifespan Read More »
Welcome to Startups Weekly — your weekly recap of everything you can’t miss from the world of startups. Want it in your inbox every Friday? Sign up here. This week was supposed to be a short one in the U.S., as it started with a holiday. But Inauguration Day kept some founders busy, and the
Neko Health’s unicorn-sized Series B is larger than some Series C rounds Read More »
As tech titans like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg rubbed shoulders with politicians at President Trump’s inauguration, startup founders were working the D.C. party scene, aiming to secure a spot in the new president’s circle. Today, on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Margaux MacColl and Anthony Ha are digging into the latest tech and
How are founders positioning themselves for the next 4 years? Read More »
Autograph, the $3.1 billion valuation NFT company co-founded by Tom Brady, is merging with the digital fitness company Future. As part of the merger, Brady will join the board of directors of Future and serve as co-chair of the company. Brady co-founded Autograph in 2021 to find ways to connect athletes and artists with fans,
Tom Brady’s Autograph merges with digital fitness company Future Read More »
Kirubha Perumalsamy co-founded Rollfi during crypto’s heyday in 2021 to help companies process digital payments. When crypto crashed, Rollfi pivoted to become an embedded payroll company, partnering with financial services companies to offer payroll and benefits services to their clients. The pivot was enough of a success for Rollfi to be acquired for an undisclosed
After pivoting from crypto to payroll, Rollfi gets acquired Read More »
Back in 2023, Ashi Dissanayake, co-founder of in-space fueling startup Spaceium, was so bootstrapped she used the surface of her clothes dryer as a desk, sticking her legs inside the drying machine. Her computer was perched beside Tide Pods and she was surrounded by disembodied robotic arms, working late into the night with her co-founder,
Y Combinator grad Spaceium raises oversubscribed $6.3M for space re-fueling Read More »
The $1 billion acquisition of rent-to-own startup Divvy Homes, which was announced Wednesday, is expected to leave some shareholders without a payout, according to sources familiar with the deal. The terms — and Divvy’s journey from buzzy startup to acquisition target — reflects the rollercoaster ride the proptech industry has endured over the past decade.
Some shareholders of a16z-backed Divvy Homes may not see a dime from $1B sale Read More »
