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Fei-Fei Li picks Google Cloud, where she led AI, as World Labs’ main compute provider

Startups /

Cloud providers are chasing after AI unicorns, and the latest is Fei-Fei Li’s World Labs. The startup just tapped Google Cloud as its primary compute provider to train AI models, a deal that could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. But Li’s tenure as chief scientist of AI at Google Cloud wasn’t a factor, […]

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AI mortgage startup LoanSnap loses license to operate in Connecticut

Fintech /

LoanSnap, an AI-powered mortgage startup, has had its license to operate revoked in Connecticut, according to the state’s Banking Commissioner. This occurred after LoanSnap violated a consent order it had entered into with the Department of Banking in May. The department revealed Tuesday that its consumer credit division opened an investigation that found multiple violations

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Unify, an OpenAI Converge accelerator grad, lands $12M for ‘warm outbound’ messages

Fundraising /

Unify, an AI-powered startup that uses data to reach prospective buyers, has raised a $12 million Series A led by existing investors Emergence Capital and Thrive Capital. OpenAI Startup Fund, Neo, Abstract, 20Sales, and AltCap also participated in the round. The 20-month-old company went through OpenAI’s Converge I accelerator last year and, following that program,

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Kasperksy says it’s closing down its UK office and laying off dozens

Security /

Russian cybersecurity giant Kaspersky is shutting down its office in the United Kingdom and laying off its staff, just three months after the company started closing down its U.S. operations and laying off dozens of workers, TechCrunch has learned.  Kaspersky spokesperson Francesco Tius said in an email to TechCrunch that the company “will commence a

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Fisker bankruptcy hits major speed bump as fleet sale is now in question

Transportation /

Fisker’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy has hit a major snag, as the company buying the startup’s remaining fleet of electric SUVs says it might not complete the purchase because of a surprising technical issue. The buyer, a New York-area leasing company called American Lease, says in a new filing that Fisker now believes there is no

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Lithios takes inspiration from battery manufacturing to mine lithium from salty water

Climate /

Mo Alkhadra spent years of his life figuring out how to remove troublesome materials like toxic lead and radioactive waste from water. But as he progressed along his doctorate studies at MIT, he realized that if he wanted to bring his technology to market, he’d need to do something other than build a better Brita.

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General Catalyst is working on a ‘continuation’ fund worth up to $1B, sources say

Fundraising /

General Catalyst, one of Silicon Valley’s largest capital firms, is gearing up to launch what’s known as a “continuation fund” worth between $800 million and $1 billion, according to a person familiar with the plans. A continuation fund consists of a portion of stakes that the VC firm has in portfolio companies. With around $25

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VC firm NFX laid off 4 employees and plans to hire more investors

Venture /

Venture capital firm NFX laid off four employees in September as the firm looks to “rebalance” its resources from its software and product teams to its investing team, general partner Pete Flint told TechCrunch. The layoffs included one product leader and three engineers, Flint said. About a week ago, Amy Lin, chief product officer since

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