Exclusive

Fieldstone Bio is building microbes that can sense everything from TNT to arsenic

Biotech & Health /

The world is awash in data about, well, the world — thanks to satellites and environmental sensors. But there’s still a lot we can’t see, and Fieldstone Bio thinks microbes can change that. “They’ve evolved to sense and respond to information. It’s just trillions of calculations going on at all times all around us,” Brandon […]

Fieldstone Bio is building microbes that can sense everything from TNT to arsenic Read More »

Cognichip emerges from stealth with the goal of using generative AI to develop new chips

Enterprise /

Chips are a critical component of the AI industry. But new chips don’t hit the market with the same speed as new AI models and products do. Cognichip has a lofty goal of creating a foundational AI model that can help bring new chips to market faster. San Francisco-based Cognichip is working to build a

Cognichip emerges from stealth with the goal of using generative AI to develop new chips Read More »

Bain bets on Indian domestic work startup Pronto even as rivals face criticism

Commerce /

Urban India is becoming increasingly used to not having to wait — at least when it comes to getting goods and services delivered. You only need to look at the breakneck pace at which instant delivery apps like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart have grown and continue to see adoption soar in the country. Pronto,

Bain bets on Indian domestic work startup Pronto even as rivals face criticism Read More »

Tensor9 helps vendors deploy their software into any environment using digital twins

AI /

Enterprises want access to new software and AI tools but can’t risk sending their sensitive data out to a third-party software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers. Tensor9 looks to help software companies land more enterprise customers by helping them deploy their software directly into a customer’s tech stack. Tensor9 converts a software vendor’s code into the format needed

Tensor9 helps vendors deploy their software into any environment using digital twins Read More »

UP.Labs-Porsche’s newest startup wants to be the Plaid of automotive retail

Startups /

As serial entrepreneur Joel Milne founded, scaled, and then successfully sold mobile auto repair service startup RepairSmith to AutoNation, he was plagued by a persistent problem.  The automotive retail industry has a communication problem. And it’s an expensive one. Thousands of dealerships and mechanic shops — each one with an array of software systems —

UP.Labs-Porsche’s newest startup wants to be the Plaid of automotive retail Read More »

Government email alert system GovDelivery used to send scam messages

Security /

An email notification system used by U.S. federal and state government departments to alert residents to important information, has been used to send scam emails, TechCrunch has learned. The U.S. state of Indiana said Tuesday that it is “aware of fraudulent messages purportedly sent by state agencies” to residents about unpaid tolls. TechCrunch has seen

Government email alert system GovDelivery used to send scam messages Read More »

Insurtech Bestow lands $120M Series D from Goldman Sachs, Smith Point Capital

Fintech /

Melbourne O’Banion co-founded insurtech Bestow with Jonathan Abelmann in 2017 after struggling to secure his own life insurance policy. His goal was to make it easier for people to obtain life insurance and make the process more tech-enabled. Initially, Bestow operated as a direct-to-consumer insurance provider — selling, underwriting, and servicing life insurance policies. In

Insurtech Bestow lands $120M Series D from Goldman Sachs, Smith Point Capital Read More »

Slate Auto crosses 100,000 refundable reservations in two weeks

Transportation /

Buzzy new EV startup Slate Auto has racked up more than 100,000 reservations for its customizable low-cost electric pickup truck, the company has confirmed to TechCrunch. Slate crossed the milestone over the weekend, just a little more than two weeks after coming out of stealth mode and unveiling the truck at an event in Los

Slate Auto crosses 100,000 refundable reservations in two weeks Read More »

InventWood is about to mass produce wood that’s stronger than steel

Climate /

It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but it actually comes from a lab in Maryland. In 2018, Liangbing Hu, a materials scientist at the University of Maryland, had devised a way to turn ordinary wood into a material stronger than steel. It seemed like yet another headline grabbing discovery that wouldn’t make it

InventWood is about to mass produce wood that’s stronger than steel Read More »

The Department of Labor just dropped its investigation into Scale AI

Startups /

The U.S. Department of Labor has dropped its investigation into Scale AI’s compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act, according to a source directly familiar with the matter.  The FLSA is a federal law that regulates misclassification of employees as independent contractors and unpaid wages. TechCrunch first reported that Scale was the subject of such

The Department of Labor just dropped its investigation into Scale AI Read More »